PhDbefore40

I'm curious to hear who is still waiting for official word from what schools. I've received either acceptance/rejection from 3. The other two I've received updates from, basically giving reasons for why it's taking so long, and will take still longer. That would be Tulane and UMN, both Epi programs. It's getting dumb at this point.

Aw sorry to hear that lsm2204

Rejected from Columbia this morning, Epi PhD. Not bummed, and kind of thankful that I don't have to consider it anymore. Also got an email from UMN a few days ago, "Your application was reviewed some weeks ago, and it was determined by the Epi PhD admissions committee to be a strong application. We have been working since then very hard to try to identify an advisor for you. We are still working on this, and do not have a decision yet for you." So, whatever that means. Still waiting to hear back from Tulane, and to get an official word from UMN obviously...and still waiting on funding from the schools I did get accepted to. Tthe fun continues!

Oh cripes, someone just posted on the results page that they were accepted to Columbia Epi PhD! If you're around glorious person, firstly, MEGA CONGRATULATIONS AND HIGH FIVES! Secondly, can you give me any more info about you or the email you received or anything?!?! I.AM.DYING.

This is so great! I hope today is our day for some PhD responses, although you and I are waiting for different schools FreeRadical.

I also don't have any school loans, but from my viewpoint why start now?! I do have a friend in grad school who lives almost completely off of loans, so it's definitely doable. But I think it'd be pretty easy to get a research job if you/I didn't end up getting school supported funding. Or maybe do loans for the first year, and then get some funding support the following one. The thing that's sucking the most for me right now is worrying about how I'm going to pay for places when I'm not sure where all I've gotten in, and decisions about funding haven't even been made yet. How will I survive the next two or three months? AGH.

Is this for Pitt? I saw that you had gotten an interview there. I received an acceptance from Pitt for the Epi PhD program. In the letter it stated that a few graduate student assistantships would be offered in the next few weeks. Otherwise there was no information provided about funding. I figure that grad assistant would receive tuition coverage and stipend, since basically you're getting a job. Other schools that I applied to, like Tulane, have tuition and stipends for all of their PhD students, but they only accept a few a year. For another school I've been accepted to, they offer scholarships for tuition and stipends seperately, so you might get one but not the other. And then there are scholarships floating around from other sources you can apply to on your own. ANYWAY, the point is that each school is different, and what I do is just ask what kind of funding is available for students to cover tuition and if they ever offer stipends or some other source of income. Colorado told me when I asked basically that I could get a job (not something they offer for certain students like Pitt), but otherwise they didn't have any funding available. I quickly striked them off my list. Hope that helps. Good luck with your interview!

You guys, I am going completely insane at this point. I submitted my application and was verified by SOPHAS in late October so it has been a WHILE. Updates: UT Austin (Epi PhD) - Accepted with $5,000 scholarship to pay in-state tuition, being considered for stipend UPitt (Epi PhD) - Accepted (notified by email and post), letter said funding should be determined in a few more weeks UMN (Epi PhD) - no word Tulane (Epi PhD) - no word Columbia (Epi PhD) - no word Colorado (CBH DrPH) - no word Sorry about your rejection epi4me, but I'm glad they are starting to notify people. I just want to hear back from these other places whether it be rejection or acceptance so I can start figuring out where my (+ fiancée and 2 dogs) life will be headed in a few months! Also want to know how much money I'm going to end up spending to visit these places

I'll put in my two cents for anyone who is considering this question... I attended a state school for my undergrad and MPH degree, one without particular notoriety but with a top 20 ranking. I feel that I got a pretty good education, certainly not the best, but I think it was useful. The best part about it was that it was so cheap that I didn't end up needing to take out any student loans because I worked at the same time. I have absolutely no regrets about where I attended for that reason alone, and I am incredibly thankful that I don't have college debt I'm going to have to carry around with me and worry about for the rest of my life. I got a job at the same university in a research position after graduation, which is something I have been doing in one capacity or another since undergrad. I've always wanted to do research, it just took me a while to figure out exactly what direction I wanted to go in. I'm making approximately $45,000 a year, so definitely not rolling in the dough, but for me it's sufficient. If I had to pay down exorbitant loans I'm not sure I'd be making enough money. Now I'm applying for PhD programs. When I decided that's what I wanted to do, I swore to myself that I would not go unless I got tuition covered and a stipend. I've been out of school for almost 5 years, so the idea of going back and accumulating an overwhelming amount of debt was just not worth it to me. There's a good chance that I'll graduate and end up in a similar position I am in now, without making much more money. I'm ok with that, because it's what I'm passionate about, not so I can buy a boat. To be honest, one of the schools that I applied to was Columbia, and even if I did get accepted with a full ride I'm not sure I would go because it would still cost a lot to live there. I'd rather go somewhere less "prestigious" in a place and at a standard of living I know I'd be happier with. Also, to the point of the school I went to for my MPH, I don't think that is relevant at all to my chance of getting into somewhere like Columbia's PhD program, and I feel the same holds true for future jobs. In public health I believe it's more about selling your passion and experience, not the fact that you went to an ivy. I hope this is helpful for some of you as you start considering what school you want to accept admission to. Anyone please feel free to ask me any other questions.

I have inquired from a few schools about when I might receive word regarding my application - interviews or decisions... Tulane: "Your application is with faculty for review. We hope to have a decision by late January, early February" Colorado: "We expect to send all applications to the committee on or around January 15th for review. The DrPH program typically does conduct interviews, but it is not always guaranteed. If you are contacted for an interview, it will be sometime in February."

I applied for SOPH PhD programs in Epidemiology at Columbia, Tulane, Minnesota, Pittsburgh, and Texas at Austin. DrPH in Community and Behavioral Health at Colorado. I was officially accepted at Texas on Tuesday, which was super surprising. Haven't heard anything from any other schools, other than stock "thanks for your application". I graduated with an MPH in Health Behavior at the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 2009 and have been working in research since then. Finally I'm ready to take the PhD plunge! My interest is active transportation and the built environment, so it's a little out of the box for most places (including UAB). Lots of hand wringing happening over here, but I am pumped that I've been accepted somewhere. Good luck everyone!