Hey all. Admissions season is wrapped up for me with acceptances to 4/5 programs: accepted to Michigan Epi, Emory Epi, UNC Epi, and Harvard EH! Rejected from Columbia EHS. Feeling incredibly lucky especially seeing how difficult this admissions season has been for so many very qualified and deserving candidates. Once we learn where my spouse matches, hopefully some spots can open up when I decline offers!
It's interesting how funding varies between schools. Of the schools I have been accepted to, Harvard has by far the best package with your funding guaranteed for 4 years with no obligations to teach or do grant-related research other than a 1 semester TA requirement (if you TA more after that, you get paid additionally). In contrast, at Michigan I would need to work 20hrs/wk doing research related to the grant I would be funded on.
Overall, I was very impressed with Emory's visit days-- the "vibe" of the program seems incredibly welcoming, friendly, and supportive. Michigan also seems laid back/friendly. Without visit days, I haven't felt that I have gotten a good impression of the "feel" of the program at Harvard or UNC.
Adding the info I have learned to this:
- Brown: 36K guaranteed for 5 years, TA required all semesters
- BU: 36k guaranteed for 4 years, no TA required
- Columbia (Mailman): 35k guaranteed for 5 years, TA required for 1 semester
- Emory (Epi): Just under 32k, guaranteed for 5 years. First 2 years funded through graduate school (not tied to professor) with 2 semesters teaching, 2 semesters rotating in labs. 3rd year on funded through various mechanisms usually connected to a professor.
- Harvard: 36.6k guaranteed for 4 years through graduate school (not funded through professor), TA required for 1 semester.
- JHU (Hopkins): just tuition guaranteed~24k stipend for 4 years but NOT guaranteed, (TA requirements unknown)
- NYU: 25k??? for 5 years but only for 9 months/year, no TA required (@teabunny do you or anyone else remember the exact amount from the NYU interview day?)
- Penn State Uni: 31k for an unknown duration, (TA requirements unknown)
- Tulane: 25k for an unknown duration, (TA requirements unknown)
- UCSF: ~40k guaranteed for 4 years, (TA requirements unknown)
- U Minnesota: 24-25k for unknown duration, (TA requirements unknown)
- University of Michigan (Epi): 34k, funded through professor, training grants, or institutional awards. Guaranteed for 3 years but easy to fund through 5th year, TA requirements unknown
- UNC Chapel Hill (Epi): Stipend normally about $25k, funded through variety of mechanisms (training grant, working for professor or as TA, funding NOT guaranteed). Say "everyone who wants funding gets it" but admit sometimes people don't know until right before starting.
- U Penn: 34k stipend for an unknown duration, (TA requirements unknown)
- Yale: 38k guaranteed for 5 years, TA required for 2 semesters