Am i good enought for grad school?

[phinxd]

I'm an undergrad senior and applying for MPH Epidemiology programs in about 6 schools but I'm afraid I'm not good enough. My GREs are 460V/730Q/4.5W and my gpa is 3.42 (math is 3.67 and psych is 3.76).

I'm a research assistant in one of the psychology labs at my university. This is new but I like working here.

I've volunteered in 3 different department of a hospital over the course of 2 years, one of which matches my research interest.

Do you think my odds are good? I really want to get into Hunter College

Edited February 2, 2012 by phinxd

[CarlieE]

I'm an UG and applying to a PhD program. I've gotten really good feedback from my professors and they feel I am capable and ready for it. What do your professors think of your chances in grad school?

The advice I've been given is that acceptance into a grad program is not just about our stats, it's about the compatibility of our proposed research.

[slaNYC]

MPH, MPP, and MPA programs tend to be very applied. I'd argue that the best candidates are those with some relevant work experience. PhD programs, on the other hand, are more academic and one can more easily transition from undergrad directly into a graduate program. With that said, it's difficult to comment on a person's chances of being admitted as that is very school-specific and depends a lot on your statement of purpose and letters of recommendation.

In response to the comment above about compatibility of research, I disagree. I'd say that's certainly true for PhD programs but not an MPH necessarily. I think admission committees are looking for a demonstrated commitment to the field and what they have done to be ready for the program/will do following the program. The vast majority of MPH folks will never do independent research.

Edited February 2, 2012 by slaNYC