phd_hopeful_2021

Last year I heard from Hopkins first and then UNC. Both were in late February.

For those who applied to Emory, I received an invitation to interview today. They are hosting virtual only interviews the first week of February. 

I also think that there has been general advice for applicants to apply to more programs this cycle. And, as mentioned, it is a bit easier and more cost effective since the GRE is largely optional. I agree that there are more applicants this year, but I'm also suspicious that the number of applications is additionally being inflated because people are applying to more programs this year than in past years. 

I keep checking my email too ? lets hope there is some good news waiting one of these days! Good luck!

Just wishing everyone the best of luck now that most of us have submitted our applications!! It's in fates hands ?
Some last minute shuffling around, my final list of programs:
Harvard - PHS - ID Epi John Hopkins - ID Epi Univ. of Washington - ID Epi (though I may have accidentally selected general track by mistake. need to correct that... whoops) UCLA - Epi UNC - Epi

Hi all! Excited that I found this thread! I'm applying mostly to SBS PhD programs, and one Epid bc my interests lie at the intersection of SBS and social epi.
UG GPA: ~3.3ish (BA from top ranked public school)
Grad GPA: 4.0 (MPH from top ranked school)
GRE: not every strong - I think around 310-315 cumulative range - but i don't have the energy to retake & honestly have never been a good test taker so not sure it'd increase much; only sending them to the schools that require it
Conferences: 3 small scale presentations (2 from my gap year research & 1 in grad school that won a poster presentation award)
Publications: 1 mid-author, working on a few more as mid-author but those won't be submitted before apps are due
LOR: 3 faculty from my MPH - 1 strictly academic letter, 1 both academic/professional, and 1 strictly professional
Other: first gen, POC, worked for 2 years between UG and grad
Interests: neighborhood factors and built environment impact on adolescent health outcomes (mental health & violence prevention) in urban centers, particular interest in racial and ethnic disparities
Applying: Michigan (HBHE), Yale (SBS), Brown (SBSS), Tulane (SBPS), Berkeley (Epid)
I did speak to faculty and students at each school earlier during the cycle, which made me feel more confident but obviously PhDs are competitive in nature and especially right now!

Hi, everyone!
Hope everything is going smoothly while we all finish up our applications! Is anyone willing to share which schools they applied to and how confident they are feeling about all of them? I’ll start.
I applied to Yale, NYU, U of Arizona and Indiana U.
Yale is a long shot, and all the others I’m thinking could go either way! 

I agree with CatMeow1234. One thing to add: You should contact this professor, and a backup, now. Like today. Apps are due in 3 weeks and we have a major holiday in that time window. The longer you wait, the less likely anyone is to say yes because there is going to be such a time crunch. 

Don't stress about it. Years ago I applied to the same schools for masters and doctoral programs. I wanted to go straight into my PhD but understood it was a longshot. In my personal statement, I clearly communicated that I wanted get my PhD at the school and that the masters would prepare me for it. Admissions committees are familiar with this scenario.

How has reaching out to PIs gone for everyone? 

So many publications!! Sounds to me that advisors would be crazy to not accept you!

So many publications!! Sounds to me that advisors would be crazy to not accept you!

I emailed one back in may and she got back to me and we had a phone call. Our interests were identical and she was even astonish at the similarities. I reached out again a month ago and she hasn't replied. I just sent another email. Since our last chat, I spoke to students and the program director, to make sure it was a right fit overall. Now I can't get a hold of her. It's the only school I need GREs for and if she's not getting back to me, I don't wanna take my GRE and waste my money. 
I emailed 3 others and no one has gotten back to me. One of them I've worked on research with about 2-3 yrs ago, and the other one I had spoken to last year-again very similar interests and she was even doing research on a similar topic I had done my research project for mph on. 
 
I should mention, I'm looking to apply to public health, health psychology, and demography programs. Unfortunately demography might have to wait until next year because just found out that they are not accepting applications this cycle. 
I'm feeling very discouraged and thinking I should wait until next year to apply.  

I reached out to 4 PIs. Two I had fairly thorough email exchanges with, 1 I had a Zoom call with, and 1 I did not hear from. You? 

Your experience is so incredible and impressive! Sounds like you can offer some perspective and ask unique research questions. I also sometimes worry that PhD admissions is merely a numbers game, but try to stay optimistic. I imagine PIs want to work with motivated and passionate students, not merely someone that has gotten good grades with limited life experience. Good luck! 

Just one opinion, but I think you should submit! Your verbal score is phenomenal and I think will definitely stand out. I wouldn’t worry about your quant score. It is high enough to be competitive and it sounds like you have plenty of other experience demonstrating your quantitative competence. Good luck! 

Thank you for the encouragement!!

I believe also WashU st.louis and Tulane