themmases

I'm taking community college courses in biology and chemistry right now (I'm switching from history to epidemiology-- masters) and schools have been fine with it. I mentioned in my application materials that I'm currently taking those classes, and could provide a transcript if needed when they're done. So far I have 2/4 acceptances, 1/4 rejections, waiting on one, so I feel pretty good about that choice. I would really recommend talking to someone in admissions at your schools, though. Some of these schools had admissions pages that made it sound like I wouldn't even be qualified without more than I'm taking now, and I initially planned to spend a year doing these classes while working full-time. But when I talked to a human about my background and made it clear that my science coursework was limited, they were fine with it and suggested specific courses to take. If you have any work experience that suggests you can do the work of the program, even without the traditional coursework, that can help a lot too.

I'm not from that part of Chicago, but I would recommend that anyone new to the area go to one of the lakefront parks and also try to ride the bus/L and use Bus Tracker. Those are probably the two biggest Chicago-specific quality of life things, for me. In general when I'm new to a campus I go see the library, then try to figure out where people there shop, go out, and use as their third place to study in. Wander around that to see what you're working with and start recognizing landmarks for when you move there.

Found it! It's here: http://hurapps.tamu.edu/downloads/Personal%20Statement%20Invitation%20to%20Frustration.pdf

I did some research on programs where a lot of their grad students seem to have funding (all I could find was a little old and hard to confirm, but it was better than nothing and the list I came up with sounded right). I ended up with a list of 5 public schools, one private school, and an Ivy that I cut down more as I applied. I ended up applying to 3 public schools, 1 Ivy, and I have one more public school with a late deadline that I'll apply to if I don't get my top choice. In no particular order: No leaving the Midwest unless it was for money or an awesome name, preferably both. Money! My spreadsheet ranked these programs by cost. Strong quantitative coursework, and no social/behavioral/communication terms in the degree or program name. I'm a lady with a history degree who works in a children's hospital and wants to do research in poverty and health literacy, so I feel vulnerable to being stereotyped enough as it is. Also I still might work after an MS rather than go on to PhD, and I'd rather job hunt with an Epi MS. CEPH accredited, application through SOPHAS. All of my references were professional ones from PIs at my hospital with clinical responsibilities, and I really wanted to make this as easy as possible for them. An urban program is better for my research. Giant data centers are a plus.

I'm in the rejected pile for Harvard SM epi too, as of Friday afternoon. It's not a big surprise because I didn't realize until I was writing my statement (but after I'd already paid to send them my GREs ) just how little fit I really have with their program. I'd fit best in social & behavioral sciences, but I specifically wanted to avoid an SBS degree. Now to go back to refreshing UIC's notoriously unreliable results page, hoping I don't have to move...

For some reason, Chex mix. I have a giant bag of it in my office and yesterday afternoon I almost convinced myself to stay in my office, after I could have gone home, eating Chex mix and... I don't know, probably refreshing my email. I convinced myself to go home and maybe let my cat sit on my lap for as long as she wanted and watch some Netflix... But I was too twitchy/busy eating Chex Mix to actually do that. Canceled dinner. Drank wine anyway. Chex mix again this morning... Apparently I can't be trusted at the store until I know!

Ugh that makes me so nervous! I feel like I've contacted the same person in admissions so many times over this process and I'm worried I'm becoming a pest.

Public health is a huge, diverse field (with an incredible number of possible degrees, it feels like to me, even with CEPH somewhat standardizing things), so I'm curious: what areas are people here interested in going into? And do you have a specific type of job in mind when you finish your degree?

Congratulations!

I am anxiously waiting to hear back about the Epi MS, and emailed the admissions assistant director (whom I'd spoken to before) when my SOPHAS app wasn't showing up as completed in the UIC portal. I was given an estimate of hearing back around late February, after submitting the application late January. In previous years it looks like lots of people heard back right in the middle of March, though. I was told the decision could be by email or mail, but to also check the application portal because "it will update there as soon as the decision is processed by the university." Naturally that means I now check it several times a day.

Actual gchat I sent my partner an hour ago: I really need all non-schools to stop emailing me even sales do you understand? EVEN SALES Occasionally school-related emails have been showing up in my "Promotions" tab so I am forced-- forced!-- to check that too, all day.

Originally my partner and I wanted to go on one big vacation (where we do something involving more planning than driving to a different part of the Midwest for a few days), but I decided to take biology and chemistry classes at night and they ate my money. Now my big gift to myself is quitting my job early-- hopefully at the end of July-- and giving plenty of notice so hopefully people start to leave me alone a while before that. I'm applying a year or two earlier than I thought I would because of some terrible stuff that happened at my job, so this is actually huge for me. Sometimes I think at least 1/3 of my anxiety to hear back from schools is because I feel sooooo ready to give notice!

Based on his discussion of his research, I would not want to work with the OP. IMO listing a bunch of publications that are still in review comes across as resume padding at best. At worst, sharing information about an unpublished discovery with another lab would probably disqualify someone from collaborating with me forever. It's terrible, but my department has had projects we were never able to publish because a naive fellow shared data or signed over the PI role to someone they shouldn't have. If someone shared our results or that we had successfully invented something before we had even written the paper, I would see that as a huge betrayal. I also don't find it credible to claim to have been the first individual to do something-- ever, but especially if your project has co-contributors. I am also publishing with just a BA (and overseeing subspecialty medical fellows, so I must be the real genius, right? ), and IMO in that position you need to be especially clear about what you contributed and why your work specifically was needed. The OP comes off like it's just a feather in his cap to have these PhD-level contributors, rather than actually needing their contribution. That is almost never true of anyone, let alone someone like the OP. The OP just really comes across as someone I wouldn't trust to be a collaborator in research. I can't really tell if that's because of naivete or actual dishonesty, but as a researcher I wouldn't personally care to find out.

I hope you're right, because I love what I've read about their program but it would be more than twice the cost of UIC for me! That SOP was easiest for me to write because I found so many research programs of theirs I'd love to be involved in, but if they can't offer anything I'll have to just try later when applying for PhDs. OSU was fairly clear about not offering funding right away, in contrast. I applied by their priority deadline to be considered for fellowships etc., and my decision letter admitted me but encouraged me to continue seeking ways to fund my education. I think that's pretty clear (and unfortunately not surprising for a masters). Best of luck!

I did not, which surprised me because according to the website people who applied by 12/1 were automatically considered for several of the scholarships available. I don't qualify for the ones with a separate application, but the site I read is this one: http://sph.umn.edu/students/prospective/scholarships/

I hadn't been planning on attending, because it feels like such a big commitment to a program I'm not sure I'll be attending yet. One school has had current students actually call me and try to get me to go, but I work full time and I just can't do that unless it's to network at a school I know I'll attend. Given the large number of public health students coming in with work experience, I would think a lot of people are making that same calculation. I don't think there's anything wrong with contacting the department once you know you'll go and setting something up. I did this in a previous program I attended and the department head met with me in person herself.

I wish I had done that-- I waited anxiously for SOPHAS to open, not realizing how little additional instruction there would be on there for how to write the personal statement. If I'd known what I know now, I could have just used UIC's website to write it over the summer, and submitted in October! That would have been so much smarter. I saw one person on SDN who got into a UIC master's program already too, but it was an MPH and not my field. Did you apply to the MS, or MPH at UIC? Going MS made me very nervous, but everyone I talked to at those programs was encouraging so I went for it.

This has been really useful for me as I refresh my email over and over, so I'll share: OSU (MS Epi): Submitted SOPHAS 11/13 or 14, received email to finish supplemental app 11/14, completed app acknowledged by email 11/25, accepted by email 12/4 Minnesota (MPH Epi): complete as of 11/19, acknowledged by email 11/20, accepted by email (link to website) 12/19. Minnesota (MS Outcomes Research): complete as of 11/19, acknowledged by email 11/20, accepted by email (link to website) 2/6. UIC (MS Epi): SOPHAS acknowledged 1/18, supplemental app acknowledged 2/4 (I had to email them because the system still said incomplete; it was actually done right away), still waitinggggg Harvard (SM80 Epi): SOPHAS acknowledged 1/6, still waiting Good luck to everyone! I haven't heard of anyone except perhaps PhD/SD applicants hearing from either UIC or Harvard yet.