jordanhina

Hi wnsladmsgP, I'm not familiar with most of the program that you've listed, but I heard back from the health management program at Minneapolis on January 31st...

Mazaya - have you thought about/talked to the schools about deferring admission for a year? Going in, my plan was to pray for funding, and defer for a year if I didn't get it. That gives you time to get to know the professors, talk to them about their research, and generally suck up until they're begging you to work with them. 20-60 RA positions!?!? Jeez. Organization, organization, organization on that front, I guess. Good luck!

Hey guys. I had kind of a scary conversation with my dad today. I've been really fortunate in that I was accepted to my top choice and offered a really great opportunity there in terms of funding. The thing is, it's on an AHRQ grant. And separately from the sequester, the House Appropriations committee passed a budget that would completely de-fund the AHRQ. I can't even get into how ridiculous this is - the AHRQ, in addition to everything else, tracks hospital readmissions, which are used (for better or for worse) to determine readmissions penalties on Medicare payments under the ACA. This year, those readmissions penalties are expected to cost hospitals $300 million. The entire funding for the AHRQ in the same year? $376 million. Plus they run the USPSTF, and research shows that effective prevention can save $50+ for every dollar invested. So, ya know. Get rid of them, save $376 million. Cost yourself... $300 million plus, oh, ballpark, a billion or so? Okay, off my soapbox and on to my question - anybody have any insight into what will happen if you're offered a position on a grant that suddenly evaporates? Anyone else in a similar position? And if so, what's your plan?

It's amazing to me the disparity in rate of reply between different schools. I guess some of that has to do with when the applications are due, but come on - we're freaking out here! And, as epidemiwhat pointed out, it's not like this was a cheap process. But speaking of finances - while some schools are still just sending out admissions decisions, some are really getting down to the funding! I got an email from the program coordinator at my top choice today telling me that funding decisions have been made and I should look for a letter in the next few days. Which was kind of like saying, "Hey! Great news! If you can hold your breath for a week, we might give you a really great gift!" Newsflash: my lung capacity is like, zero.

Congrats, mpheels! That's so exciting and an absolutely fantastic offer. It's so great to come on here and read such good news today!

Panache, can you talk a little bit about your knowledge of Minnesota's funding system? It's my top choice program, but funding is definitely a concern for me, and I haven't gotten much clarity there. I know that I'm eligible for scholarships - I got my app in early enough - and that there is funding available, but it seemed sort of like you have to compete to get it once you're already taking classes. Do you know more about it at all? On which note - anyone have recommendations for how to get details about funding? What's the best way to ask some of the professors, departments, programs, etc, whether or not you can expect funding, and to what extent?

Heard back from Michigan's HSOP PhD. Unsurprisingly, rejected. Oh well. I'm just glad that wasn't the first letter I received.

Sorry to hear it, mpheels. But like you pointed out, it's great to be able to focus on the schools where you actually could end up next year! Sounds like SC is really gearing up their program, too. Could be a fantastic opportunity for you!

I talked with one professor at Michigan, briefly. Harvard I was only applying to the MS, so I emailed back and forth with a few people and asked my boss, a grad of the program, to speak with her contacts there on my behalf. I lucked out in that at Wisconsin, a dean within Pop Health is an family friend who has known me for a long time, and worked with me in a professional setting as well - I emailed a bit with him and the program coordinator when I was applying. For Minnesota, I spoke with two professors, one of whom is the head of the department I was interested in. I also stayed in touch with them via email - dropping them a quick note to say I had finalized my application and was looking forward to the decision, or that I had noticed an article published in their area of interest, or read a recent publication of their own. I also attended multiple virtual forums hosted by the school, interacting with the program coordinator and admissions people from my program quite frequently. No big shocker - I've been accepted to Wisconsin and Minnesota, and am still waiting on the others!

So, it seems that Harvard's "We will let you know sometime between the beginning of February and beginning of March" meant exactly halfway between. Have you seen how many results were posted today?!? And why don't I know anything yet?!??

Belafish, that sounds like exactly what happened right before I received notification that I was admitted to Wisconsin - the portal page changed locations, my app status disappeared, and I had a normal my.wisc.edu page, rather than an applicant portal. So, here's hoping that the change is a good omen for you, as well!

Classic Friends moment, loganartemis. Good call. MammaD, I feel you! I'm only waiting on two more and the nerves are still eating away. Stay safe from Nemo! Apparently he didn't get the memo that his movie was the one about a cute little fish, not the odd flick that Bruce Willis won all those Razzies for I don't know about you, but I'm hunkered down for this storm!

Haha yes - the next big question: FUNDING!! I know where I want to go already, but funding is an interesting puzzle piece. Have any of your schools notified you of funding with your acceptance? Both of mine said that they won't know funding for a while yet.

Thanks, guys! I must say, I am still a bit jealous of those of you that have gotten in to Minnesota - congrats, songsong! I haven't heard anything yet about whether or not Wisconsin is making decisions on Epi. In fact, I was surprised to hear as early as I did. Their visit day is March 18th - what visit days are others invited to/planning to attend? Edit: Got a response 10 minutes later. Phew!

I'm very happy to be able to report that I also have my first official acceptance, from the Population Health Sciences program at Wisconsin. It'd be a move back home for me, which makes it all the better. Congrats @loganartemis, and good luck to everyone else. Just think, in a few short weeks we'll all be back on here debating which offers to accept!