UMich vs. Yale vs. Hopkins

[Ilovecoffee]

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Hey... this is decision crunch time. I have one more week to pay off my deposit. and I'm STILL confused basically....
Your advice is MUCH appreciated.

This is what I plan on studying - health management. with interest in policy. so career goals are consulting and /hospital management and/or think tank... eventually a international health career. These according to me are the types of jobs I see myself fitting into - this ofcourse could change.

I'm listing pros and cons for the schools I'm considering, the way I see it - if there is stuff I'm missing out then - please tell me.

I ruled out the Hopkins MHA - because the degree offered me no flexibility. The 9 month curriculum seemed too fast paced and not the best way to learn for me. Also, the international policy certificate that i wanted to pursue, is not allowed in the MHA. Virtually no scope for research with professors etc. as during the 9 months I;m told, you only have time for class and studying.
Pros - the 11 month field placement when you graduate looks good on your resume etc. Also, the tie ups that Hopkins has with consulting firms makes it easier to get a job.

UMich - solid rankings - public health and health management. I like the 2 year curriculum - makes room for learning. also want to pursue research in my second year with a professor. lots to do on campus. skill-based learning techniques, the global health certificate that i want to pursue here...
cons - COLD weather. I'm used to tropical climates... midwest, not exactly ideal for networking etc. very cut off and far away from everything.

Yale - its the brand basically. its a world brand. havent spent too much time looking into on-campus stuff to get involved in. but i dont doubt the doors it would open up for me. small class size, 1-4 student professor ratio.
cons - reallyyyy weak public health and healthcare management rankings. makes me doubt the strength of the program.

i really need help deciding.
Hope to hear back from you guys soon.

 

[kurly212]

Reading through the lines, it seems like the only program you're really enthusiastic about is UMich, and the location is the biggest con. I'm not gonna lie, the winters kinda suck, especially if you're used to warmer climes. But, hey, at least it's not Minnesota! 😛

Anyway, it sounds to me like you would be happiest at U Mich, and it's such a great school. Don't go to Yale if the name would be your principal reason for choosing it.

 

[ImPublicHealthy]

Hey... this is decision crunch time. I have one more week to pay off my deposit. and I'm STILL confused basically....
Your advice is MUCH appreciated.

This is what I plan on studying - health management. with interest in policy. so career goals are consulting and /hospital management and/or think tank... eventually a international health career. These according to me are the types of jobs I see myself fitting into - this ofcourse could change.

I'm listing pros and cons for the schools I'm considering, the way I see it - if there is stuff I'm missing out then - please tell me.

I ruled out the Hopkins MHA - because the degree offered me no flexibility. The 9 month curriculum seemed too fast paced and not the best way to learn for me. Also, the international policy certificate that i wanted to pursue, is not allowed in the MHA. Virtually no scope for research with professors etc. as during the 9 months I;m told, you only have time for class and studying.
Pros - the 11 month field placement when you graduate looks good on your resume etc. Also, the tie ups that Hopkins has with consulting firms makes it easier to get a job.

UMich - solid rankings - public health and health management. I like the 2 year curriculum - makes room for learning. also want to pursue research in my second year with a professor. lots to do on campus. skill-based learning techniques, the global health certificate that i want to pursue here...
cons - COLD weather. I'm used to tropical climates... midwest, not exactly ideal for networking etc. very cut off and far away from everything.

Yale - its the brand basically. its a world brand. havent spent too much time looking into on-campus stuff to get involved in. but i dont doubt the doors it would open up for me. small class size, 1-4 student professor ratio.
cons - reallyyyy weak public health and healthcare management rankings. makes me doubt the strength of the program.

i really need help deciding.
Hope to hear back from you guys soon.

I would say Michigan will have more health management connections...but if you're looking for a job on your own, the Yale name will open doors. Also, one big difference between the schools is large vs. small class sizes (Michigan and Yale, respectively). But yes, Michigan is ranked better for your area and may be the better choice...

That being said...I just thought I would clear up the Yale-ranking situation. Schools are ranked based on number of publications by students, faculty, etc. (a pure number...not a ratio). Because Yale has fewer faculty and students, they naturally produce less. Also, Yale has a younger average age of students...whereas other universities have older students with prior advanced degrees...who are already publishing papers prior to enrolling. Therefore, the larger universities produce more and are ranked higher. However, when you look at the research productivity PER faculty member (a ratio)...Yale is currently ranked #1 by the Chronicle of High Ed.
It's all how you frame it...

I don't think rankings mean that much...but I just thought I'd throw it out there.

Good luck with your decision!

 

[Stories]

I would say Michigan will have more health management connections...but if you're looking for a job on your own, the Yale name will open doors. Also, one big difference between the schools is large vs. small class sizes (Michigan and Yale, respectively). But yes, Michigan is ranked better for your area and may be the better choice...

That being said...I just thought I would clear up the Yale-ranking situation. Schools are ranked based on number of publications by students, faculty, etc. (a pure number...not a ratio). Because Yale has fewer faculty and students, they naturally produce less. Also, Yale has a younger average age of students...whereas other universities have older students with prior advanced degrees...who are already publishing papers prior to enrolling. Therefore, the larger universities produce more and are ranked higher. However, when you look at the research productivity PER faculty member (a ratio)...Yale is currently ranked #1 by the Chronicle of High Ed.
It's all how you frame it...

I don't think rankings mean that much...but I just thought I'd throw it out there.

Good luck with your decision!

Stole the words out of my post 😉

Yale is very small compared to the other big names out there, so definitely keep in mind that if there isn't much work done in your field of interest, you'll have difficulty trying to get exposure to that area. However, if Yale's focus(es) fit well with yours, you'll fit in perfectly.