FrozenFreshMeat

This is interesting. I asked a professor in my masters program and he suggested that he would not prefer PhD applicants to have a very specific idea. (It was a program with rotation in the first 2 yrs). The reason is that he found that those came in with specific things always changed their focus. Also he is willing to work with students who are more flexible with their research plans.
However, when I consulted my resommenders this year, they suggested me to narrow it down on my SOP. So I did it and got good attentions from POIs - really good conversations during interviews with them (even research plans). Despite that, I didn't get in to ANY of those programs ???
The two programs who offered me admission at the end: one actually didn't emphasis "matchness" at all,  the other is the one that I submitted a SOP with a board idea (I wrote individualized SOPs).
That's why I feel it interesting: at the end after all the preparations, we just need a bit of luck…

This is interesting. I asked a professor in my masters program and he suggested that he would not prefer PhD applicants to have a very specific idea. (It was a program with rotation in the first 2 yrs). The reason is that he found that those came in with specific things always changed their focus. Also he is willing to work with students who are more flexible with their research plans.
However, when I consulted my resommenders this year, they suggested me to narrow it down on my SOP. So I did it and got good attentions from POIs - really good conversations during interviews with them (even research plans). Despite that, I didn't get in to ANY of those programs ???
The two programs who offered me admission at the end: one actually didn't emphasis "matchness" at all,  the other is the one that I submitted a SOP with a board idea (I wrote individualized SOPs).
That's why I feel it interesting: at the end after all the preparations, we just need a bit of luck…

Congratulations! Guo ran hai shi hui qu ha fu a!

Thank you!! Called them yesterday and confirmed that there is a funding package.
I am now more towards Harvard ????
 
OMG 2days left!!

Thank you!! Called them yesterday and confirmed that there is a funding package.
I am now more towards Harvard ????
 
OMG 2days left!!

Just off HSPH waitlist…No funding info though.
Now I have 3 days to decide?
Any funding info/school visit feedback/suggestion is much appreciated!!!!
 

Just off HSPH waitlist…No funding info though.
Now I have 3 days to decide?
Any funding info/school visit feedback/suggestion is much appreciated!!!!
 

My two cents:
The difference between a "top" and "OK" program can be a bit messy. US News rankings, based on a limited sample of academics' opinions about other programs will only get you so far. The amount of research output and citations also comes with its limitations. I don't know if there are rankings based on student perceptions for public health grad programs, but even those data would come with a certain degree of self-selection. My point is, for doctoral training, the totem pole is not so well defined, and who is to say that the ok program will not provide as good or better training than the top program. 
My approach is to see if the faculty are engaged in research that I like; if it seems well aligned with my interests. Then to see if there seems to be a good fit with a potential mentor at the school. Can u see yourself doing good work here? 
What are the red flags, and are they deal breakers? 
Finally, what is your level of acceptable risk with regard to funding? For me, I have a very low risk tolerance as I am an international student from a developing country who will be taking a dependant with me. I can't afford to move across the world on the hope of securing funding year to year, so full funding is my choice. Your level of acceptable risk could be different which should also be considered.
Good luck!

I just got an offer of admission to Johns Hopkins!

I didn't apply to Columbia EHS but I actually work there! Basically, they have sent acceptances and are waiting to hear back from the applicants. I would say that if you haven't heard back, you are on the "unofficial wait list" i.e. the list of applicants they will admit as they hear back from students.

Got into BU's Environmental Health Science PhD! 3 out of 3 so far...waiting on 3 more!!

Ahhhhhhh got accepted by USC's population, health and place program without interview!!! ???

I don't think so-not necessarily anyway. Schools (i.e. administrations and faculty) are generally still working when spring or summer break is going on. You can pretty much expect not to hear anything from December 23rd-January 2nd, but outside those dates & MLK Day, President's Day & MAYBE Easter Monday I think anything goes!

I'm so sorry to see your post…just want to give you a big e-huge. Don't feel bad since you don't know what will happen before the infamous April 15th. 
This is my application cycle #2. At the time when I got full rejections, I was determined to try again. It was not until I had been rejected did I realize how much I want to pursue a PhD. So…on the other hand, it may be a good sign for you to pursue the real life you want. A PhD is never equal to susccessful careers anyway.
Hang in there & Don't take rejections too hard & Glad you are figuring out your choice by this exploratory journey & my e-hug
 
 
 

I'm so sorry to see your post…just want to give you a big e-huge. Don't feel bad since you don't know what will happen before the infamous April 15th. 
This is my application cycle #2. At the time when I got full rejections, I was determined to try again. It was not until I had been rejected did I realize how much I want to pursue a PhD. So…on the other hand, it may be a good sign for you to pursue the real life you want. A PhD is never equal to susccessful careers anyway.
Hang in there & Don't take rejections too hard & Glad you are figuring out your choice by this exploratory journey & my e-hug
 
 
 

Thank you for the encouragement. My first reaction was to apply for another cycle if I got rejected this round, but then I realized not much about my application would change. If anything my application would be even weaker 1 or 2 years down the road as my career becomes more "corporate". I left my research job 1.5 years ago because of finances and from a graduate program perspective, I can't imagine this being looked at favorably no matter what my reason was. Being in NYC also doesn't help haha. 

I'm so sorry to see your post…just want to give you a big e-huge. Don't feel bad since you don't know what will happen before the infamous April 15th. 
This is my application cycle #2. At the time when I got full rejections, I was determined to try again. It was not until I had been rejected did I realize how much I want to pursue a PhD. So…on the other hand, it may be a good sign for you to pursue the real life you want. A PhD is never equal to susccessful careers anyway.
Hang in there & Don't take rejections too hard & Glad you are figuring out your choice by this exploratory journey & my e-hug
 
 
 

I'm so sorry to see your post…just want to give you a big e-huge. Don't feel bad since you don't know what will happen before the infamous April 15th. 
This is my application cycle #2. At the time when I got full rejections, I was determined to try again. It was not until I had been rejected did I realize how much I want to pursue a PhD. So…on the other hand, it may be a good sign for you to pursue the real life you want. A PhD is never equal to susccessful careers anyway.
Hang in there & Don't take rejections too hard & Glad you are figuring out your choice by this exploratory journey & my e-hug
 
 
 

Emailed to check Harvard application status. Rejected. That's it for me this cycle - but I'm really happy and excited for my UNC epi acceptance

Re: Columbia SMS and maybe all doctoral stuff.  Emailed the Assistant Director of Admissions (she had previously emailed me months ago to clarify something on my app) last week for a status update.  She just got back to me and said that "doctoral decisions will be released shortly."  Hopefully that means this coming week.  I highly doubt I will be getting anything other than a rejection, but I would really like this admissions cycle to be over already!

Sorry for the confusion that caused by my post!!
I was checking on my smart phone and couldn't see the whole decision. I saw "thank you" at the beginning and "we sincerely hope …" as an ending, then falsely assumed it as a rejection?
So…turns out that I'm on the wait list…????

Now placed us on an even harder waiting game…

Sorry for the confusion that caused by my post!!
I was checking on my smart phone and couldn't see the whole decision. I saw "thank you" at the beginning and "we sincerely hope …" as an ending, then falsely assumed it as a rejection?
So…turns out that I'm on the wait list…????

Folks check your mailbox! My Harvard rejection is there lol (PHS, EH) (link to check online for decision)

Sorry for the confusion that caused by my post!!
I was checking on my smart phone and couldn't see the whole decision. I saw "thank you" at the beginning and "we sincerely hope …" as an ending, then falsely assumed it as a rejection?
So…turns out that I'm on the wait list…????