PhD in Public Health

[mmajum01]

jordanhina - A lot of the time, funding information is made available on the department website for prospective graduate students. I've been under the assumption that unless the department makes public that all accepted students are fully-funded, an accepted student isn't guaranteed full funding. this doesn't mean that full-funding isn't possible, though - in those cases (JHSPH Environmental Health springs to mind), fellowships, TAships, and RAships are an option and often provide both tuition remission and a living stipend. they're just not necessarily guaranteed. for some, students have to apply for separately; for others, the decision committee (or POI) must nominate students.

 

this all said, I think it's probably appropriate to ask your POI at a given program about funding details after an interview or acceptance. sometimes, funding information will come right along with your acceptance letter, too. hope this helps.

[Panache]

I spoke with the grad coordinator in that department who I suggest you should call directly. They provide some funding and for a very limited number of students, full funding.

[Nolamagpie]

Any fellow Tulane applicants out there?  Any have you heard anything?  I know that the first round of rejections went out a few weeks ago and I've been assured that I'm still "on the list" but I have an acceptance elsewhere that would like a decision by March 15th so I don't know how much longer I should wait on Tulane to decide whether they like me.  Anyone else in the same boat of waiting on a top choice school that obviously has you on the dreaded wait list?  I feel like I'm going to go insane!

[mmajum01]

I want to ask a general question to the forum.

 

What are everone's general expectations for funding? Are people limiting their schools to avenues where funding can be secured or is there a general acceptance that if a school say offers to cover 60-85% of tuition than it is acceptable. I am curious because programs like U Minnesota and Hopkins have programs that do not guarentee funding and in fact provide partal tuition coverage.

 

I have also applied to a number of schools in different disciplines where it is the convention to provide full funding with a generous stipend and health insurance coverage.

 

What are people's thoughts about this? I am already carrying a substantial debt load from gettiing two masters prior to this so I am trying to be as frugal as possible.

 

I would love to hear some guidance.

Hi Panache - I think this is a really relevant question that is on a lot of our minds. Thanks for bringing it up.

 

Each of us are in a unique space financially, and when it comes to taking out loans for a higher degree, it's very important to figure out how quickly one can pay it off after getting a full-time job out of school. MammaD is probably wisest to speak about this, but I found it useful to set up a sort of budgetary spreadsheet with current debt, big life expenditures that I expect in the coming 5-10 years (kids, buying a home, that sort of thing), yearly cost of living, as well as how much I can reasonably expect to earn in my profession of interest in 5-7 years (and what my husband will be earning after he completes his MBA, as we are a dual-income household). Average income for many occupations is fairly easy to ascertain thanks to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (at least for those of us who wish to work in the USA). Once I made a spreadsheet, I was able to assess when my family would break even and when we'd have enough in savings to move ahead with buying a home and having kids - approximations, but still worth something in the life-planning department. For our family, when these pivotal moments occur depends on how much of my tuition will be covered, as well as how much living stipend is offered by the program. My husband will be doing his MBA for the first two years of my PhD, and though we have a good amount in savings for now, it's possible that it'll be depleted by the time he's back to work depending on the program I attend (and the financial package it offers). As is the case with most MBA programs, we'll be paying his tuition out of pocket as it is. With all this in mind, we found that being able to compare timelines - by varying the amount of PhD tuition remission and living stipend I might receive in the spreadsheet - was really helpful for us. Those timelines will definitely influence where I choose to go to school.

[miss_d]

sharing what i've heard regarding funding for 2013 -

 

from what i've been able to glean from the interviews, it sounds like some programs are planning to fully fund for at least the first two years (tuition, insurance, stipend), and then students are expected to find a group to work with or obtain a dissertation fellowship to continue the funding.

 

i have a good friend at UNC epi who has full funding for her entire program, friends at hopkins that struggle to constantly find funding, and a very mixed bag of funding from those I know at Columbia (T32 teaching grants to completely supported on investigator grants). 

 

i'd be happy with two years of full funding with option to work for a research team for the rest of the support.

[strongerthan]

Quick question to the forum: is there any advantage to accepting admission to a program earlier, rather than waiting to hear funding offers from remaining applications? Does accepting admission make you eligible to additional funds that you may not have been notified of in your initial offer?

 

Harvard (my top choice) offered to pay my full tuition for two years (no living expenses). I'm still waiting to hear back from two other programs, but I'm pretty much sold on Harvard. The only thing holding me back from formally accepting is the antsiness I'm feeling about how to cover the rest. 

 

Any thoughts?

[acdelco]

sjohansen I didn't apply to Tulane, but if you have to make a decision by the 15th I'd definitely recommend getting in touch with Tulane and explain your situation to them it may get them to hurry along. 

 

For anyone interested academic coordinators at the following schools told me the info below: 

 

Hopkins HBS--decisions will be out this week, they don't conduct interviews but it looks like they've notified accepted applicants (her nice way of telling me I didn't get in) 

UCLA CHS- anytime between now and March 15th, was told they do not conduct interviews 

Michigan HBHE- most decisions have already been made and final decisions will go out by Friday

Columbia SMS- within the next two weeks, also no interviews (DrPH) 

Edited February 25, 2013 by acdelco

[Nolamagpie]

Thanks acdelco.  I reached out to Tulane (in January and again today) and explained to them my situation, but i keep getting the run around ("one more week" "things are going slower than expected" etc) I was initially told back in January that I would be contacted by the end of Jan for an interview (phone), mid Feb for an interview (in person) with final decision by the first week of March.  As they haven't contacted me for any type of interview but say I am still on the list, I think I'm on their back-up choice list and of low priority to hurry things along.  I have a good offer on the table from elsewhere....perhaps I should go with a school that was more eager to have me than wait for my "dream school" that seems to have some organizational problems that may translate to a slow moving PhD program!

[Gael]

Hi All,

 

Acdelco: Thanks for sharing information about the various programs you contacted. Since I haven’t heard from Hopkins HBS, I guess I also wasn’t accepted. However, since no one has posted acceptances on the Results Page, I want to remain hopeful!! If someone was accepted who is reading these posts – please speak up!

 

As far as funding expectations, I need tuition support and stipend to help pay for childcare for my two young children. I view my decision about doctoral programs as a two step process: 1) where will I get accepted; and 2) who will give me the most funding. I struggled with whether to apply only to programs that fully fund all of their students or instead prioritize programs that seemed to be the best fit for my interests.  In the end, I focused primarily on the best fit and hoped the rest will follow. So, it’s rather bittersweet that at this point I have been accepted into the Social and Behavioral Sciences Department at Harvard but no word on any funding (except offering me unsubsidized loans!).  So close yet so far……

[duepeak]

Phone just rang during class from a number I didn't know.  Heart raced and adrenaline kicks in...it was an old friend that wasn't saved in my phone.  Ug!

[belafish]

@ sjohansen: sounds like a tough situation, but at least you have an acceptance   If Tulane is really your dream school and your top choice, I would definitely suggest that you wait to accept your other offer.  Schools are technically supposed to give you until April 15th to make a decision, so depending on how strongly you feel about waiting, I might even contact the school you were accepted to and ask if you could have a few more weeks to make a decision.  You want to make the most informed decision possible, and the schools want you to, too.  It's not like they will take away their offer of admissions or lower your funding if you ask for a bit more time.  [i was in this boat when I was applying for MS programs - I had a great offer from Pitt but was waiting to hear back from Columbia.  Pitt was really nice about giving me more time... and I ended up getting accepted at Columbia.] 

 

I think one of the influencing forces here is that this whole waiting process is so freakin exhausting that I'm sure we all just want to get decisions/make decisions and be done with it.  PhD programs are 4-7 years of your life, though, and if you're still waiting on your dream school then don't accept another offer!

 

@ strongerthan, I don't think there is an advantage to accepting earlier... I would think that having any terms like that would at the very least be frowned upon and at most be illegal.  But I'm not sure.  Sounds like you have a pretty sweet offer - congratulations!

 

@ acdelco: thanks for passing on the information!  I'm also waiting on Hopkins HBS but am surprised that offers have been made and none are showing up on the results page.  Still not losing hope, either.  Waiting to hear back from Columbia SMS PhD any day now, during my interview they said by the end of February.... uuughhh. 

 

Also really eager to hear from UNC's Health Behavior department.  Anyone have any info?  And what about Berkeley HSPA?

[Panache]

Belafish, I think you put it nicely when you say that this is an exhausting process. The good part is that we are so close to being done.

 

I was accepted over the weekend to Hopkins HBS program.

 

To everyone who applied, CHECK THE WEBSITE they do not always send and e-mail of notification that a decision has been reached.  In my case I received notification from the program coordinator and then it was updated on the website but there was no e-mail to tell me a decision had been reached!

[Gael]

Panache! Congratulations!!!!!

[juliajulia1020]

Seems like Hopkins has made decisions already. I applied for two PhD programs.. heard nothing from them... checked website.. still nothing... very upset.

[Panache]

JulliaJulia - e mail them see if they reached a decision, I know that Hopkins has a waitlist. How long I am not sure but I am aware that they do have a waitlist.

[Panache]

i saw an acceptance posted on the boards this morning also.

Edited February 26, 2013 by Panache

[belafish]

congratulations on your acceptance, panache!!!

[epidemiwhat]

Berkeley DrPH program told me they will send acceptances out by March 1. That's this Friday-- eek!!

[suubi78]

Hi, if anyone out there has any information about when the decisions for the following schools (phd health policy) will come out, please let me know. I will greatly appreciate any information.

1. Ohio state

2.University of Iowa

3.University of Pittsburgh

St. Louis University

Thanks

[mpheels]

This morning I received an email from the director of the PhD program informing me that I've been accepted! Yesterday I received an email to confirm the campus tour at Hopkins this Friday. I requested the tour months ago, but never heard anything. Fortunately, I was already planning to be in the area visiting family, and can just hop on the train for a day trip. I emailed the admissions coordinator and asked if I could meet with faculty as well, even though I was still on the waitlist (not for long...). She was very helpful and set up a half day of meetings. Then I got the acceptance emial this morning. They congratulated me on my perfect timing in requesting the tour. There is an admitted students day in March, but it's the day before I'm scheduled to run in an 8K (I've been training for months, not missing it!), so I don't think I can make the official visit day. Instead I'm going to have my own private/makeshift visit day. I'll get to meet my future advisor and at least one current student. So excited! I will not be fully funded, but close to it - 75% tuition, a stipend (independent of working), and I can work 15-20 hours/week.

[mmajum01]

So much great news today!!!

[phorangecounty]

for those accepted into Hopkins HBS, were you guys guys SD applicants? Not sure if it matters whether you are SD, PhD, or DrPH   

Edited February 26, 2013 by phorangecounty

[duepeak]

Has anyone heard anything about release of decisions from UIC?

[Panache]

I was a phd applicant to the HBS department.

 

 

Let's go already Columbia, even though I am pretty certain I got rejected there because I did not get an interview- I would like to know !! ahhhhhh

 

Do you think that Columbia SMS interviews everyone they admit?

Edited February 26, 2013 by Panache

[drglasner]

I applied to Columbia for Epi PhD, didn't get an interview. despite the fact they sent out an email regarding a financial aid survey, I'm guessing that was just a mass email. I'm not getting my hopes up and assuming the worst.

 

rejections from 4 of my other schools, but still waiting to hear from my top choice (long shot most likely). and if all else fails, the adcomm at UCLA recommended me for the MPH program (not the PhD), so that's always a possibily to boost my credentials and resume (since I have an MS and extensive wet lab research, but no real epi experience).

 

anyways. needed to brain dump a bit there - sorry!

 

congrats to everyone who has received acceptances already - that's totally rad! and for all of us still waiting, hang tough!