katalytik

Farm, thank you. where are you waiting for?

Join the party! I hope you get into your school........the wait is horrible. I am still waiting for two (Harvard, Michigan). My focus is the impact of information technology and policy on quality of healthcare. The harvard guys are the best of the three in this, but hopkins is my second choice, and I cannot complain.

I know that Yale interviews all people who they are considering for acceptance, so if you have not heard it may not be good, unfortunately. You should check the website for Hopkins, as all the people are getting their decision there also. Go all the way to the bottom on the first page after you sign in. I still have not heard from Michigan or Harvard, both for the PhD. Feel free to PM me if you want to chat etc.

No specific bent. I'm hoping to hear from all of you guys about other ways to interesting "ways" to admit grad students........... everything/anything is welcome. Game on!

Scorpions sound good to me! We can team up and judge technique......... the better the technique, the better the advisor you can get if you become a grad student.

Had I been on an adcomm, I would make the applicants do an eating contest of foods from Andrew Zimmern's show on Food Network. The last 10 applicants standing without puking are in! Of course with full funding........can't deny crazy and driven people funding, you know.

Most useful: adding novel knowledge to human understanding Least useful: not adding anything useful to society

Actually, all may not be lost. Why don't you call the department and ask if you can still come on another day? I don't see why they won't accomodate you...... if they are somewhat understanding.

Harvard, as any cliche goes. They are the best at what I want to do and this may help me, but I have heard diddly squat from them, but they also don't interview everyone they accept. I got into my second choice, so this is all icing now.......I am very grateful.

I got in for the Phd also, and will be going on March 12 also.

I think this sort of probability assessment is great math, but as others pointed out that the probability is not equal for each of your choices. Lots of variable are not being counted, and even if we took them into account, its still almost impossible to predict the outcome. Someone on the adcomm may simply not like something specific and then veto the candidate. So unfortunately, its just not even possible really.....

make sure you avoid asking anything that you can find elsewhere (like the department website etc.). They are looking for students to ask non-superficial questions. For example, you can ask how a student can work with other departments (if you are doing more interdisciplinary work). This is not going to be listed anywhere and it may show to faculty that you are considering important issues in your education.

I agree with the others. Its now their marketing their program.......to get you to come there.

Another good point about "positive peer pressure". You guys are overall giving me good advice about how to deal with the grad school decision.

Great point about access. Smart students do need to struggle just do get to cutting-edge work, which is a lot easier in branded schools....

I definitely agree with this. There is no guarantee, but it helps a whole lot to be "pedigreed". It is a sad fact, and I don't necessarily agree, but that's how it is. I would prefer that the cachet was with the researcher and his/her team, and that the schools would be fighting just to have them join their university. Now, that would be cool!! I think this does happen to some extent, but I wish there was more "brand power" in the researcher and team.

I applied to the Harvard health policy track, which is partly housed in the Business School. But I have heard nothing yet. It seems some of the strategy guys have already gotten in or have gotten a decision on the results page. Maybe we are a bit later, but maybe it is also a bad sign.

Yes, that definitely adds to it. I told no one at work except my LOR people, so that does make it a bit easier. It must be a lot harder when people continue to ask...... would drive me crazy. I probably would simply say "no plans yet" and go hide in my office.

I was pretty confident in the application process of getting in somewhere, but with all this information that I find in this forum and hearing about other acceptances.......I have lost almost all of my confidence. I am at a stable job, and I am luckier than most who are depending on an acceptance to continue their career trajectory. Yet, it's amazing to me how quickly my hopes have turned into fear. I've seen some of the more prolific posters also come into this situation. And the questioning becomes all too common: 1. I am good, but is there someone that much better? 2. What if they didn't like the way I dressed? 3. What are these committees weighting? We start at all different places and end up in the same fearful boat......... I have in the past two weeks gone down the drain.

When is visit day at Hopkins? I had an interview from the dept. I applied to (Health Mgmt. & Policy), and I think their group will probably let us know this coming couple of weeks.

You know, after hearing this story from others, I have stopped putting hope into things until I see an acceptance letter. The director of the program was very excited and said I was "competitive" etc. But when I write her a followup email (after several she replied to fast) asking about interviews, it was complete silence. I know it really does suck, but its best not to assume anything until you have that letter of acceptance. Good luck with the rest of the apps.

You know I don't think Hopkins and Harvard have a formalized interview program, but I do know Yale does. Someone mentioned that Harvard, and Hopkins will interview people they want to know more about, but some may get accepted without even a conversation. So I hope that is true........ I hope. Maybe we still stand a chance. I did not apply to Yale, but did the other two.

Oh good. There is still some miniscule glimmer of hope!

You know it would be nice if they would provide feedback, but I am not sure if any of the programs would tell you. I would like to know about mine also.

Someone posted that Harvard has invited people to interview for this program. I did not know this. Anyone else can comment on this? I also did not know if any of the Public Health DSc programs interview either. I thought it was just yay or nay based on the application information.