sharonnyc

Sent you a PM!

Honestly, I think the situation is pretty bad for epidemiology. By talking to other students at the programs I applied to I was able to determine that many students at the programs I was accepted to were relying at least partially on loans; it seems that environmental, health policy, and biostats students are better off in terms of opportunities for funding. I know everyone says if you don't get funded, don't go... but I don't know how realistic this advice is for epidemiology. It seems that some people might need to at least take out some loans. I would agree that committing yourself to hundreds of thousands in debt is not wise, but if you get partial funding (like your tuition is covered, but you have to borrow a little bit and find a job to pay the bills) maybe it's worth it. Only you can decide what your tolerance is of the debt.

Hi all! Has anyone heard from UW Global Health Implementation Science/Metrics PhD recently? I know there were some rejections and interviews back in late Jan/early February; I have heard nothing since my interview nearly 2 months ago Sent an email to program coordinator asking when I would hear something but got no response. Am assuming it's a no but it would be nice to know.

That's weird, I asked to be put in touch with a current student (epi ScD) at HSPH and was contacted by a student with very similar interests to my own within a day. Meanwhile I asked to be put in touch with a student at Hopkins (sent the email twice after receiving my admission offer) and got no response either time. Maybe it depends on the concentration?

Congrats to you both on your acceptances to Hopkins! Please report back what you learn about RA/TA-ships...I have been told by 2 people that one is just too busy with classes to work the first year but would love confirmation/refutation! Tough decisions ahead but we are lucky to have a choice.

That's great, hope it works out!

I am on the fence... was accepted to epi ScD but got a better financial package elsewhere, and have been told that quality of education at UNC and Hopkins is better than Harvard. What made you pick Harvard?

Hi there, can't speak for International Health, but I was offered 100% tuition for the duration in the Epi doctoral program, but no stipend. Also I'm told the class schedule is pretty brutal so working is hard, and loans are not an option for my personal situation. Unless something magically appears I will probably decline.

I heard from repro/perinatal epi ScD at Harvard. Hang in there!

Bummer Umm, yeah, WTF does that mean? My stats so far: U. of Washington: PhD Global Health/Implementation Science - had interview a month ago, not a word since (not optimistic) Harvard ScD epidemiology: Accepted with full tuition, no stipend Hopkins PhD epidemiology: Accepted with full tuition, no stipend UNC PhD epidemiology: Accepted with full tuition + RA-ship for 1 year, afterwards no guarantee Don't know where I'll end up...

Hi everyone! Congrats on all the acceptances, and those who've already decided where to go! I know lots more are still waiting to hear about acceptances/waitlists, but am wondering if anyone admitted to Hopkins doctoral programs has heard anything? Other than the letter on the website I've not heard a single thing... No email from the department or anything. Am starting to think the website was wrong

I'm so sorry about the non-specific post. Not helpful at all to others. Was trying to not boast and instead was just confusing. Yes, it was an emailed letter with a decision on my application (accepted, surprised!). I applied to epidemiology/perinatal and reproductive health track. Sent in my application on the due date, have had no communication from them since (no interview, nothing; did not speak with any professors in the department). Nothing about funding. Yes that is me who just posted on the board.

Hi all, just got an email from Harvard School of Public Health. Go check your inboxes...

Bummer Sorry to hear that.

Great idea! I like evernote but one of my biggest problems that I haven't figured out a good way for evernote to help me with is things I am waiting for other people on. Sometimes I send an email to someone to deal with something and I haven't come up with a good "tickler" system to ensure I follow up if I don't get a response.

Thanks so much! That makes me feel better. I guess they don't want to guarantee anything - but it is nice to hear that there's a good chance I'll get funding there.

Oh no! That is torture! I just experienced a similar problem yesterday with Hopkins where it said a decision had been made and to click on the decision link -- but there was no decision link! Hope it gets resolved today.

I had that yesterday, and this morning there was a link with the decision (I was accepted!) So it doesn't necessarily mean rejection.

It seems that some of the scholarships are meant specifically for people whose parents earned little money, or are from famillies where people haven't gone to college (so for instance they ask if you were eligible for a Pell grant in college)... So that's probably why they want the FAFSA

I haven't heard anything either -- it doesn't seem that they do interviews. The FAFSA isn't so bad, as long as you did your taxes last year - it only took me about 15 minutes, I just had to look up results from a few different lines and my bank account balances.

Hi pe_epi, congrats on your acceptance! I am worried because in the information they sent us on financing even the TA- and RA-ships don't provide full tuition, and the stipends are too low to live on. Maybe there are more options for people in certain tracks, but my field doesn't have a lot of "industry" support.

OK, I am getting antsy and waiting for decisions to come through, so I'll bite. Yes, the GRE is a ripoff, but compared to the exams I had to take to get a medical license and the costs for getting those scores reported it's a bargain. Also I was allowed to report my score to several schools (and SOPHAS) for free on the day I took the GRE, though of course that is only helpful if the timing is right. Many (though not all) professors at my MPH program had degrees in public health - from schools of public health, so I'm not sure where that comment is coming from. Agree that CPH doesn't mean a whole lot right now - but it may in the future. Public health is an evolving and growing field, and that's a good thing; it's been neglected for too long.

Hi blinchik, I know this isn't your specific question -- you are asking whether programs would not want to take you based on your age -- but as someone who has a few more years of life behind her than you, I just want to point out that you should ask yourself what your rush is. Going straight to grad school might be a good idea. On the other hand, working for a few years and being able to enjoy your life might be really, really great. I had to work full-time during most of my college experience, at the same time as I was trying to get the grades to get into medical school. It worked out, but there was a huge cost to pay; I didn't get to go out and socialize, go to parties, etc the way others did. I worked for 2 years before starting medical school and am so glad that I did. I was able to save a little bit of money (by living very frugally, I in fact saved enough to backpack in South America for 2 months before starting medical school!) and also got to enjoy weekends off for the first time since probably middle school! (I haven't had weekends off since then...and I miss it!) You won't have your evenings/weekends to yourself in graduate school, why not give yourself a little bit of rest? It will almost certainly make you more prepared for graduate school, will give you the chance to work somewhere that will improve your grad school application (though it doesn't look like you really need that), and you won't end up being one of those people who at 25 or 26 has never had a real job (when you're looking for a post-doc or other employment later, it starts to look bad when you are perceived as a perpetual student with no 'life experience' because there is a question about how you will react when you are in a different environment). Just some food for thought. Good luck!

Does anyone have any idea why the funding situation for public health PhDs is so grim? I guess I was naive, but I thought schools that had lots of NIH funding would have training grants, etc. Are they taking more students than they should, so they can make more money? Is it because NIH funding has been cut so there are fewer funded positions, but the schools haven't changed their admitting practices accordingly? Has it always been like this in public health? (few funded positions, most students taking loans?)

I think this is an important thing to keep in mind. Also funding seems to be a bit in flux, so even if you take out loans for the first semester a training grant might come in along the way that you would be eligible for. But 2 years of debt certainly does seem less overwhelming than 4-5 years' worth