PhD/DrPH Applicants: Fall 2021

[IAAJ]

Hi,

I feel so late in the game. I took the GRE and BOMBED the quantitative portion. However, I know that my LORs are strong, and my experience is also strong for a DrPH.

Would anyone be willing to read my SOP? I feel like this is where I need the most help. If you're willing, I can send you a PM with my SOP.

Thanks all! Good luck everyone!

[HopingForGoodNews]

For anyone like me who has been panicking about submitting to SOPHAS too close to the December 1 deadline to be verified - my second letter of recommendation was submitted yesterday (Sunday afternoon) and my application was verified in less than 12 hours! 

Good luck to all  

[CatMeow1234]

Thank you so much @HopingForGoodNews for sharing your experiences with verification! I had a similar timeline although my first deadline was in November. So SOPHAS seems to be super fast!

I have applied to 5 programs and am hoping for the best. There is one more I may submit for. It’s tough to navigate this uncertainty over the next few months, but I am telling myself that I have given my absolute best and I cannot control COVID’s influence on the application cycle. Anyone have tips on navigating the waiting game? Hope that everyone gets in where they want to!

[AnxiousKronk]

To share my bit of experience with SOPHAS (and pretty much other apps) - the process was much faster than expected and honestly didn't seem as anxious as I thought it would be. Either way - good luck to all of us! Let's hope we'll get in to our dream school :D 

[Aman_Ratta]

Hi all. By which month do the admission committees contact the applicants for interview?

[EHEPI_PHD21]

Hi future colleagues! So happy to have found this forum - I can't wait to hear back from the programs I applied to this cycle.  

UG Degree and GPA: BS, 3.88 from small private university nationally ranked for program 

Grad Degree and GPA: MSPH, 4.0 from top 5 program 

GRE: Sub-par TBH. I only submitted to Colorado, which still requires scores to accompany application. 

Conferences: Presented at all: Obesity Week, ID Week, University's Department of Medicine Research Day 

Publications: 1 mid-author and A LOT in preparation 

LOR: 4 very strong recommenders (2 with global recognition) who can attest to research and academic accolades

Interests: -omics and systems biology; reproductive, perinatal, and pediatric exposures; cardiometabolic disorders and chronic metabolic diseases   

Applying: Emory (EHS), Colorado (EPI), Harvard (PHS-EH)

I met with faculty ~*virtually*~ for 2/3 programs and the other forwarded me to the GSA. I think I have a compelling application, so fingers crossed a program takes interest/has funding for me!

 

Of note I already submitted my applications (just waiting on a final LOR) and Emory sent out an email stating they will review in December, release interview invitations in January, and conduct virtual interviews in February. Good luck everyone  

[worldpeace]

On 11/25/2020 at 11:06 AM, Aman_Ratta said:

Hi all. By which month do the admission committees contact the applicants for interview?

around the first or second week of jan

[Aman_Ratta]

59 minutes ago, worldpeace said:

around the first or second week of jan

Thanks a lot worldpeace..

[IAAJ]

On 10/2/2020 at 5:28 PM, CatMeow1234 said:

I have 2 questions regarding SOPHAS that I could not find online. Thanks in advance!

• For the "Achievements" section, the 2 categories are "Awards" and "Honors." I wanted to list publications here but it does not fall under "Awards" or "Honors," so I thought perhaps they don't belong here. What are others putting in the "Achievements" section?
• For the "Experience" section, it asks for # of weeks worked. Let's say you worked for 1 calendar year but were given 15 work days off (the equivalent of 3 work weeks) for Holidays/Leave combined. Would you put 52 weeks or 49 weeks?

Question: Are these sections really necessary if we are adding our CV?

None of the schools I'm applying to say it's a part of the application. How do you go about adding to this section?

This is like doing a job application that asks for your resume, and then makes you input your entire work experience into a separate format. It feels redundant.

[CatMeow1234]

3 hours ago, IAAJ said:

Question: Are these sections really necessary if we are adding our CV?

None of the schools I'm applying to say it's a part of the application. How do you go about adding to this section?

This is like doing a job application that asks for your resume, and then makes you input your entire work experience into a separate format. It feels redundant.

I would definitely fill it out! I know it is redundant but from the school’s perspective, these forms allow for standardization and easy reviewing whereas each individual’s CV has different formatting. I think of these sections as - same information, different way of presenting it. It’s ok to copy and paste here too!

[HopeFaithandDrPH]

Best of luck to everyone this cycle! I applied to 3 DrPH programs. Let the waiting game begin. 

[DrPHwanted]

Hi everyone! I've lurked around the 2019/2020 DrPH threads, and I'm happy to see that this one was started for 2021!

I'm only applying to Hopkins' DrPH program in Health Equity and Social Justice. Mainly because I think the professors/course work best align with my career goals. Some stats about me:

• Undergrad GPA: 3.6
• Grad GPA: 3.9
• GRE: V-70th %, Q-50th %, W- 85th %
• LOR: direct manager, program director, and former professor

I have my MPH from a top 5 and am CHES certified. I feel pretty confident in my application, other than the fact that I fall on the lower end of the spectrum of years of experience (I have exactly 3 post-grad, and will have 3.5 by the time I start the program if I get in [fingers crossed]). I've tried to counteract some of this by networking a bunch with current students/professors, so I'm hoping it will turn out favorably! Excited for the opportunity regardless!

[HopeFaithandDrPH]

1 hour ago, DrPHwanted said:

Hi everyone! I've lurked around the 2019/2020 DrPH threads, and I'm happy to see that this one was started for 2021!

I'm only applying to Hopkins' DrPH program in Health Equity and Social Justice. Mainly because I think the professors/course work best align with my career goals. Some stats about me:

• Undergrad GPA: 3.6
• Grad GPA: 3.9
• GRE: V-70th %, Q-50th %, W- 85th %
• LOR: direct manager, program director, and former professor

I have my MPH from a top 5 and am CHES certified. I feel pretty confident in my application, other than the fact that I fall on the lower end of the spectrum of years of experience (I have exactly 3 post-grad, and will have 3.5 by the time I start the program if I get in [fingers crossed]). I've tried to counteract some of this by networking a bunch with current students/professors, so I'm hoping it will turn out favorably! Excited for the opportunity regardless!

Hi @DrPHwanted! I also applied to the HESJ track at Hopkins. Maybe we will be classmates ?. 

[PH_Doc2025]

So glad to see this thread. Applying to Hopkins DrPH program and just took the at home GRE last night. Afraid to say it did not go well 148V and 136Q -   Prior much better scores are older than 5 years. Wish there was time to retake.

[AnxiousKronk]

Do we know when to expect first emails re: interview invites? From last years posts, I saw some programs sent notifications as early as December 20th (for both acceptance and interviews).

[dr_megaevil]

7 hours ago, PH_Doc2025 said:

So glad to see this thread. Applying to Hopkins DrPH program and just took the at home GRE last night. Afraid to say it did not go well 148V and 136Q -   Prior much better scores are older than 5 years. Wish there was time to retake.

I did GRE myself yesterday. Luckily, I was able to cram two GRE exams in a month but It was hell!!! 

I scored a little better this time it but I wish my Quant score was better. I may schedule another exam in January but I hope I have the energy to keep studying for this stupid exam!!! Argh!!!

By the way, nice to meet you all! I have been lurking on this forum for a while but never had a courage to post anything. Everyone's credentials seem so intimidating, I feel like I have no chance of getting accepted anywhere. However, I have decided to give it a try and see how it goes. It's just... Agghhhh.. It's been SOOOO stressful preparing for the applications and balancing work/family obligations. I am so tired mentally and physically!! 

I am applying for 4 DrPh programs in total, one of which is the Hopkins HESJ program - it will be cool if we could all become classmates next year!.  Anyway, I have to finish editing my SOP for Hopkins since today is the deadline - Yikes!! I can't believe how last minute I am and usually I try to not put myself into this situation but it couldn't be helped this time...   

Good luck to everyone and wishing you all the best  

[AnxiousKronk]

Thought to share mine now:

UG Degree and GPA: BS, 3.44 medium-sized university

Grad Degree and GPA: MPA, 3.47, top-5 program

GRE: None

Publications: 1 mid-author 

Letters of Recommendations: 3 strong letters from renowned faculty and employers

Experience: 5+ years of experience in research and health policy, and 1 year of global health consulting experience

Applying (all PhD programs): Harvard (Health Systems), Johns Hopkins (Health Systems), UNC, Duke (Population Health), NYU, Boston U, Brown, Rutgers

[PubHealth2020]

11 hours ago, AnxiousKronk said:

Do we know when to expect first emails re: interview invites? From last years posts, I saw some programs sent notifications as early as December 20th (for both acceptance and interviews).

Hey! I am a current DrPH student and thought I could lend some insights since I relied on this forum heavily last year.

I heard back from one school in late Dec about an interview (my top choice and current program), and the other two schools the first and second weeks of February. I heard back about acceptances the March 13-14th from all three schools. All three programs offered scholarships and job offers in March as well. 

I did get rejected from Harvard and that was sent on Feb 18th. 

Overall, by mid-Feb you should start hearing back so no need to stress before then  I wasted a LOT of time compulsively checking this forum. 

Good luck ya'll! 

[EpiNYC]

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

[Epiiiiiii]

Just wanted to say that Harvard PHS started on their admissions review earlier this week! Good luck to those who applied!

[EpiNYC]

2 hours ago, CancerEpi2020Fall said:

Just wanted to say that Harvard PHS started on their admissions review earlier this week! Good luck to those who applied!

And now the panic begins!! lol ?

[michellerubadub]

Random question, how heavily do you think schools way GPA's in the decision process? When I applied through SOPHAS I did not realize I had to include some transcripts from when I was in high school taking college classes. I have two undergraduate degrees one is a 3.2 overall and my second one which is more recent I have a 3.68. Plus my MPH GPA is a 3.95. When I was reviewing my verification my overall from all of my degrees combined was a 3.3 ad I am worried this will hurt my chances.

[EpiNYC]

31 minutes ago, michellerubadub said:

Random question, how heavily do you think schools way GPA's in the decision process? When I applied through SOPHAS I did not realize I had to include some transcripts from when I was in high school taking college classes. I have two undergraduate degrees one is a 3.2 overall and my second one which is more recent I have a 3.68. Plus my MPH GPA is a 3.95. When I was reviewing my verification my overall from all of my degrees combined was a 3.3 ad I am worried this will hurt my chances.

So I can't say for certain -- but what my mentor told me who is a professor at a major university that some of y'all have applied to and sits on the doctoral admissions committee ... the longer ago your undergrad (or even grad) was, the less weight it will have negatively. So if you graduated over 5+ years ago, the professors won't hold some bad grades against you, because they understand that was some time ago... etc... 

[CatMeow1234]

1 hour ago, michellerubadub said:

Random question, how heavily do you think schools way GPA's in the decision process? When I applied through SOPHAS I did not realize I had to include some transcripts from when I was in high school taking college classes. I have two undergraduate degrees one is a 3.2 overall and my second one which is more recent I have a 3.68. Plus my MPH GPA is a 3.95. When I was reviewing my verification my overall from all of my degrees combined was a 3.3 ad I am worried this will hurt my chances.

You have good grade progression - ie higher grades as time goes on. That’s exactly what they are looking for. If they ask about your 3.2 you can explain why it was lower and how you improved whatever you did to get higher marks. 3.95 is excellent for your MPH and it’s clear you’re a great student!

[epi2be]

Hi everyone! Good luck to all that applied. Is there a forum for responses for Fall 2021 matriculation? Thank you!