PhD/DrPH Applicants: Fall 2021

[nervousphd2021]

10 hours ago, brightbluebirds said:

I was accepted to University of Pittsburgh last week and UT Health this week for PhD in Epi. 

Congrats...that's amazing! Pitt is one of my top choices.

If I may ask, when did you submit your application to Pitt? Do you also mind including your stats? Thank you! 

[EpiPHD2021]

Hi! I have applied for UCSF, Emory, Stanford, NYU, UMich, and UFL (Epi program). Does anyone hear from these universities?

I just got an invitation offer from UFl this week.

[dr_megaevil]

Wow congrats to those who have been accepted already (and so early!!??)! 

I hate the waiting game.... Trying my best not to think about my applications... ?

[brightbluebirds]

8 hours ago, nervousphd2021 said:

Congrats...that's amazing! Pitt is one of my top choices.

If I may ask, when did you submit your application to Pitt? Do you also mind including your stats? Thank you! 

I submitted the application on 11/23. 

Undergrad gpa: 3.6

MPH gpa: 3.8

Work experience: almost 2 years as data analyst fellow with lots of research experience

1 first author publication, 4 first author in prep and 4 second author in prep

Definitely did not submit my GRE because I didn't do well and took it 4 years ago lmao.

[AnxiousKronk]

Did anyone hear back form NYU Grossman / NYU Vilcek (previously NYU Sackler)? I've applied to their Population Health track... Historically all interview invites were sent out around Dec 19th. This is one of my top choice.

The waiting game >_<

[Laura_epi]

I was wondering if anyone knows the deal with interviews. I’m applying to PhD programs in epi. Is it competitive to get an interview, or do schools interview a lot of their candidates? In other words, should we feel confident about getting admitted if we’re invited for an interview? I have heard from some friends in PhD programs in other fields that if you get an interview you’re pretty much in. But I’m not sure if that’s the case for public health? 

[epi_2021]

Additional Q -- is it standard for there to be interviews for Epi PhDs? Like in other sciences? Thanks for any insight anyone can provide!

[HopingForGoodNews]

2 hours ago, Laura_epi said:

I was wondering if anyone knows the deal with interviews. I’m applying to PhD programs in epi. Is it competitive to get an interview, or do schools interview a lot of their candidates? In other words, should we feel confident about getting admitted if we’re invited for an interview? I have heard from some friends in PhD programs in other fields that if you get an interview you’re pretty much in. But I’m not sure if that’s the case for public health? 

I think it depends on the school and program. At a BU Health Services Research webinar this fall a faculty member said that a large fraction of applicants will have a 30 minute phone interview with a pair of faculty in January, then a subset will be invited to an interview / prospective students day in mid-February. He guessed that last year they invited 23 students and 8 were accepted. 

[EHEPI_PHD21]

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

[drunkenduck]

3 hours ago, Laura_epi said:

I was wondering if anyone knows the deal with interviews. I’m applying to PhD programs in epi. Is it competitive to get an interview, or do schools interview a lot of their candidates? In other words, should we feel confident about getting admitted if we’re invited for an interview? I have heard from some friends in PhD programs in other fields that if you get an interview you’re pretty much in. But I’m not sure if that’s the case for public health? 

 

I'm sure it varies by program. For the first program I interviewed for, there were 7 interview spots to select from and they told me they'd accept 5-9 students. For the second program I interviewed for, there were 11 interview spots to select from, and they told me they'd accept... I don't remember exactly, maybe 7-10, but that it partially depends how many students the other programs in the department want to accept.

So basically, in general, I think you have a better than 50% chance of getting the offer, once you interview.

[michellerubadub]

2 hours ago, keekohs said:

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

What track did you apply for at Emory? I applied for global health and development.

[EHEPI_PHD21]

45 minutes ago, michellerubadub said:

What track did you apply for at Emory? I applied for global health and development.

I applied to EHS. Hopefully other tracks release invitations soon, too! 

[prettykool1990]

Question for every PhD applicant:

guaranteed funding - yay or nay

how important is funding for acceptance to PhD programs? So one of the professors at a good Uni I worked for and got a new grant. He offered me a job but I told him I prefer a funded position as student. He said he would be happy to pitch for me at the DEPT. Hes at the same DEPT as my dream research and he’s willing to speak with people at the DEPT. Should I even have hopes? Or is it too much that admission committees are open to such scenarios?

 

would they be ok to take a student with a decent background, MPH from a top 5, great recommendations, and already guaranteed funding OR not? 

[tommec]

On 12/18/2020 at 5:32 PM, keekohs said:

I applied to EHS. Hopefully other tracks release invitations soon, too! 

good luck! 

[IAAJ]

On 12/1/2020 at 5:39 AM, 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 also had an all over the place score for the GRE... But if you have great grades (which I did not - cummulative that is), great letters of recommendation, and a great statement of purpose... Why not you?

This is how I approached all of my applications. In speaking with faculty from each of the schools, they've said they think I have an excellent research/practicum idea and career objectives. 

So sure, there are candidates that are more qualified than I am on paper, but if given the chance to get in front of someone for an interview, you better believe I'm bringing in everything I've got.

So again, why not me?

And why not you! Be confident... Because if not this year... Then we do it again next year! One way or another, it'll happen for us. Be encouraged!

[DarkPassenger]

Hi everyone,

Has anyone heard back from Hopkins PhD in Public Health? I submitted my app on Dec 1, and I received an informal interview invite from a department member (not an official e-mail). This seems pretty quick - is this common practice? Any insight would be much appreciated.

Thanks.

[srp10215]

13 hours ago, DarkPassenger said:

Hi everyone,

Has anyone heard back from Hopkins PhD in Public Health? I submitted my app on Dec 1, and I received an informal interview invite from a department member (not an official e-mail). This seems pretty quick - is this common practice? Any insight would be much appreciated.

Thanks.

Hi! Which track did you apply to? I applied to the HPM program at Hopkins and was informed that they don't require interviews as part of the application process. 

[DarkPassenger]

1 hour ago, srp10215 said:

Hi! Which track did you apply to? I applied to the HPM program at Hopkins and was informed that they don't require interviews as part of the application process. 

HPM!

[CurrentGHD]

Folks, any updates? This silence is killing me!

[HopeFaithandDrPH]

2 hours ago, CurrentGHD said:

Folks, any updates? This silence is killing me!

Killing me too! I expect things to be pretty quiet until after the new year. 

[Scm2558]

Hello all! Applying for PhD in Nutrition/ Nutritional Sciences. Applying in Tennessee and North Carolina. UNC is my top choice.  Anyone heard anything from schools in these states? 

[phd_hopeful_2021]

19 hours ago, CurrentGHD said:

Folks, any updates? This silence is killing me!

Agreed! I think things will start to pick up mid January, which currently seems dreadfully far away.

[Rka]

Hi. Anybody heard from USF. Interview.. decision???

[DrPH2025]

2 hours ago, phd_hopeful_2021 said:

Agreed! I think things will start to pick up mid January, which currently seems dreadfully far away.

 

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

[drunkenduck]

5 hours ago, Rka said:

Hi. Anybody heard from USF. Interview.. decision???

No, but at my interview they said they'd make their decisions "in January".