PhD in Public Health

[acdelco]

Any one going to or gone to admitted students days? have any good information or tips

 

happy weekend!

[cawarnock]

I've been unofficially informed by my POI about my acceptance to Waterloo in Health Studies and Gerontology, PhD. Full funding, plus TA/RAship and a job offer at a health policy institute in the summer. Dreams come true.

Any other Canadian applicants out there?

[MammaD]

Friends,

It is March 18. My program website says:

All Doctoral (Residential) applications received by December 11 will be reviewed by the admissions committees. We must receive all materials by this deadline for you to be considered and nominated for a Graduate School award. While we continue to review applications beyond this date, we urge you to apply early. Admissions are conducted on a rolling basis which informs the ultimate closing date for admissions.

Decision dates:

Most decisions are made between January 15 and March 15. The Graduate School will mail the official decision letter no later than July 1 for fall admissions.

This was updated on December 4, 2012. Rolling admissions? Does this mean bad news for me at this point?

Should I email the graduate student services coordinator who is listed on the other Web page that says "allow 4-6 weeks for review of your application" (it has been 12 since the deadline and I was in 3 weeks early)?

I'm at the end of my rope here. What should I do? Should I email?

[juliajulia1020]

Friends,

It is March 18. My program website says:

All Doctoral (Residential) applications received by December 11 will be reviewed by the admissions committees. We must receive all materials by this deadline for you to be considered and nominated for a Graduate School award. While we continue to review applications beyond this date, we urge you to apply early. Admissions are conducted on a rolling basis which informs the ultimate closing date for admissions.

Decision dates:

Most decisions are made between January 15 and March 15. The Graduate School will mail the official decision letter no later than July 1 for fall admissions.

This was updated on December 4, 2012. Rolling admissions? Does this mean bad news for me at this point?

Should I email the graduate student services coordinator who is listed on the other Web page that says "allow 4-6 weeks for review of your application" (it has been 12 since the deadline and I was in 3 weeks early)?

I'm at the end of my rope here. What should I do? Should I email?

Hello MammaD, I think at this point (March 18), you'd better ask whatever people you can reach to since as you mentioned yourself, the decision making time is from January 15- March 15. Let me know how it goes! good luck

[acdelco]

Mamma D they are really putting you through the ringer! At this point I would definitely call the program and ask, just let them know your situation and that you would really like an update. Fingers crossed!

[mpheels]

Mamma D, I would email. They aren't going to change their decision because you emailed to ask. They will either say yes, no, or still considering. And you will at least get an answer. When I emailed UNC HPM I went with a generic "I have heard from all other programs and need to make a decision" statement. I heard back within minutes.

[MammaD]

Thanks, everyone. I wrote to the faculty member who I'm hoping to work with. Maybe she knows of some internal hold-up (and she's said more than once "let me know how I can help" but she's not on the adcom).

My problem is I put on the application that I only applied to two programs at the one school ... so they know I'm not holding some other program up and they know it. I am, however, going to consider jobs if this doesn't pan out, so I'm definitely ready to know what's up.

[MammaD]

I just emailed the department. Now I'm going to take a shower, do a load of darks, work on my thesis, and eat some expensive prosciutto I bought yesterday in an effort to cheer myself up (it works). I'll let you all know if I hear anything back.

[MammaD]

I'm on the wait list. Big sigh.

[acdelco]

ugh MammaD I feel your pain more waiting! Here's hoping people make decisions soon and there is some wait list movement.

[MammaD]

It's a tiny program. I'm more hopeful than I was, but still a waiting game. I never thought I'd still not know at this point!

[acdelco]

Yea glad you are remaining positive. Sounds like you would only need 1 or 2 people to decline their spot which is totally feasible. I've been going crazy with my wait list status so I definitely feel for you--try to remain optimistic and not go crazy! 

[lynsie86]

Hi all,

 

Have any UIC epi PhD applicants heard back? I applied to their MS epi program and am still waiting. I'm assuming PhD and MS decisions are released around the same time. Please let me know if you've heard anything.

 

 

Thanks!

[mmajum01]

I know it's stressful time with some still waiting and others making decisions. I just wanted to let everyone know - especially those interested in Columbia EHS - that I won't be accepting their offer. I was an engineer in undergrad, and after getting my MPH, I really wanted to work at the interface of these two fields. Though Columbia would have provided some opportunity to do that, I attended an Open House for MIT's Engineering Systems Division last Friday and am now convinced that staying in Boston is a better choice for me. Best of luck to everyone else, and I hope that this will open up a seat for an exceptional candidate that's better-suited for the position than me! Columbia EHS is an incredible program; it was - and continues to be - my top choice for public health. I just wanted something more quantitatively-based, and I can get that at MIT. Good luck again everyone!!! Can't wait to see where everyone else ends up!

Edited March 20, 2013 by mmajum01

[acdelco]

Congrats on making a decision mmajum01! MIT's program sound like a great fit for you.  And I'm sure if there is someone wait listed for Columbia's EHS program they really appreciate you declining the offer relatively early. 

[loopsonflowers]

Has anyone heard back from the Brown epidemiology PhD program? 

 

It's my understanding that they've sent out initial offers, and expect to hear back from those offers soon (or else already have) and will be reaching out to the waitlist depending on what they've heard from the initial offers within the nearish future.

 

Good luck!!!

[duepeak]

Hi all,

 

Have any UIC epi PhD applicants heard back? I applied to their MS epi program and am still waiting. I'm assuming PhD and MS decisions are released around the same time. Please let me know if you've heard anything.

 

 

Thanks!

I heard back last week and did not get into the PhD program, but got into the master's program.  They said that without a masters or public health experience, I was ineligible for the PhD program.  Its ok though, at least I have a backup.

Edited March 20, 2013 by duepeak

[drglasner]

so I got a bit of a surprise this morning...Berkeley (Infectious Disease and Immunity) called and said they're still making decisions, and they're still pretty interested in me. there's going to be a phone interview sometime in the near future. that was the last thing I was expecting, considering I thought I struck out on all my schools and was already planning for the future (applying to other jobs in the public health field, working on extending my contract in my lab, etc.).

 

I'm so thankful for the opportunity, but I have no idea how the funding situation will shake out even if I do get accepted. my parents were pretty upset that I wasn't going to go to school in the Fall, but now they're pretty upset that it may be to California (we're east coasters through-and-through). I had also come to terms with the fact that I'd be staying in the DC area for a while longer, and I wasn't hating that idea. this is the first place since going off to College that has really, actually felt like home. whenever the time comes, it's going to be so difficult to leave.

 

but there are still hurdles in front of me anyways. still have to get past the interview, still have to get in, etc. I really just needed to type this out somewhere and dump the thoughts swimming around in my mind.

 

I'm keeping my fingers and toes crossed for those of you still waiting to hear! and congrats to everyone who has been accepted/made their final decisions!

[acdelco]

congrats drglasner! I got my MPH from Berkeley and moved here from DC, the bay area is great and there are a bunch of east coast transplants out here so I think you'd enjoy it. Leaving DC was really hard for me but I have grown to love the bay area and now the idea of leaving here is tough. Good luck with your interview if you have any questions about the bay/Berkeley let me know! 

[wtng]

Hi all - new to this thread but would love your advice on my situation. This year I applied to just one program - a DrPH program that seemed like the best fit career-wise that wouldn't have required me to relocate my family. 

 

I planned out my application carefully, starting 2 years early: met with faculty, talked with current students, etc.  My GRE scores are 163V, 163Q, 5.0A, have a BS and MS from top schools w/ 3.8 GPAs, several publications including 1 as first author, and have 10+ years public health experience - am currently  working at a program director level. I talked with a number of faculty and although their research didn't "perfectly" align with mine, they encouraged me to apply. (I got the impression that for the DrPH program, students don't need to align their research with existing projects as much as with a PhD, etc.) 

 

I never got a decision from the department. When I contacted the Admissions Coordinator 2 weeks ago, she told me I was on the waitlist due to limited funding. Yesterday I received an automated response that I had been rejected. I'm a bit discouraged now and would love feedback on how to interpret this. Is there anything wrong with my qualifications? I thought that having more work experience and being a bit older (mid-thirties) would be an advantage for a practice-based program like this, but now I'm fearing that it might have been a drawback somehow...? I'm still waiting for a call back from the AC so I can ask her for feedback.

 

And if anybody successfully got into a DrPH program (congratulations!) would you be willing to offer advice as to what factors might have helped? I am trying to decide whether to re-apply next year or look elsewhere if my particular background isn't a good fit for the program. 

 

Thank you!!

[drglasner]

congrats drglasner! I got my MPH from Berkeley and moved here from DC, the bay area is great and there are a bunch of east coast transplants out here so I think you'd enjoy it. Leaving DC was really hard for me but I have grown to love the bay area and now the idea of leaving here is tough. Good luck with your interview if you have any questions about the bay/Berkeley let me know! 

 

thanks! I got the acceptance today, completely and totally unexpected. but life works in really weird ways, and I'm nothing but grateful and excited! there's still a slight chance I choose to go another direction, but this feels right.

[MammaD]

Congrats drglasner! Best wishes to you!

[acdelco]

Oh man 21 days until April 15th...hope the decision making goes well as we survive this final waiting period. Would love to hear where everyone ends up after the dust has settled.

[Gael]

Hi all - new to this thread but would love your advice on my situation. This year I applied to just one program - a DrPH program that seemed like the best fit career-wise that wouldn't have required me to relocate my family. 

 

I planned out my application carefully, starting 2 years early: met with faculty, talked with current students, etc.  My GRE scores are 163V, 163Q, 5.0A, have a BS and MS from top schools w/ 3.8 GPAs, several publications including 1 as first author, and have 10+ years public health experience - am currently  working at a program director level. I talked with a number of faculty and although their research didn't "perfectly" align with mine, they encouraged me to apply. (I got the impression that for the DrPH program, students don't need to align their research with existing projects as much as with a PhD, etc.) 

 

I never got a decision from the department. When I contacted the Admissions Coordinator 2 weeks ago, she told me I was on the waitlist due to limited funding. Yesterday I received an automated response that I had been rejected. I'm a bit discouraged now and would love feedback on how to interpret this. Is there anything wrong with my qualifications? I thought that having more work experience and being a bit older (mid-thirties) would be an advantage for a practice-based program like this, but now I'm fearing that it might have been a drawback somehow...? I'm still waiting for a call back from the AC so I can ask her for feedback.

 

And if anybody successfully got into a DrPH program (congratulations!) would you be willing to offer advice as to what factors might have helped? I am trying to decide whether to re-apply next year or look elsewhere if my particular background isn't a good fit for the program. 

 

Thank you!!

Hi, I don't think you should be discouraged! You seem more than qualified. I think that sometimes the stars aren't aligned.

 

I sent you a much longer note to your mailbox. 

[VBD]

Hi all - new to this thread but would love your advice on my situation. This year I applied to just one program - a DrPH program that seemed like the best fit career-wise that wouldn't have required me to relocate my family. 

 

I planned out my application carefully, starting 2 years early: met with faculty, talked with current students, etc.  My GRE scores are 163V, 163Q, 5.0A, have a BS and MS from top schools w/ 3.8 GPAs, several publications including 1 as first author, and have 10+ years public health experience - am currently  working at a program director level. I talked with a number of faculty and although their research didn't "perfectly" align with mine, they encouraged me to apply. (I got the impression that for the DrPH program, students don't need to align their research with existing projects as much as with a PhD, etc.) 

 

I never got a decision from the department. When I contacted the Admissions Coordinator 2 weeks ago, she told me I was on the waitlist due to limited funding. Yesterday I received an automated response that I had been rejected. I'm a bit discouraged now and would love feedback on how to interpret this. Is there anything wrong with my qualifications? I thought that having more work experience and being a bit older (mid-thirties) would be an advantage for a practice-based program like this, but now I'm fearing that it might have been a drawback somehow...? I'm still waiting for a call back from the AC so I can ask her for feedback.

 

And if anybody successfully got into a DrPH program (congratulations!) would you be willing to offer advice as to what factors might have helped? I am trying to decide whether to re-apply next year or look elsewhere if my particular background isn't a good fit for the program. 

 

Thank you!!

Work experience and being older is actually NOT a drawback for a DrPH applicant. Some programs even look for only applicant with many years of relevant work experience. I think what they said, re: funding is just that. They'd love to have you, but funding issues. If you can (ie. if your current job/family matters allow it) I think you have a strong chance next year. Never lose hope!

Also, Congrats Drglasner on the surprise acceptance. Sometimes the best things in life are what you don't expect Follow that gut feeling of "it feels right"