Is it worth the price tag?

[olamiss]

I am in the process of feeling filling out my SOPHAS. I know I know I am little late in the game but this is my last year and  I have a full-load this semester and on top of that I am studying for the GREs (which I will take again. I am a bad test taker). Anyway I've been through my SOPHAS list over and over, my major GPA is a 3.2 while my overall GPA is 2.83. It's low and I am aware of that I hate my school system classes that are 3,4,5  credits at other schools are 4,5,6 credits here like I was taking a science class or something.

 

Anyway, I went to my preceptor and she said your GPA is low and no graduate school would accept that, so you should just work to gain experience. To tell you the truth my confidence I had just demolished into billions of pieces. She is aware that I am considering global health so she said I should just go to the peace corps or americorps to gain work experience for a year then apply. My complex director told me that she is wrong for saying that to a student and that I should not listen to her and apply. And I am doing so, I am maintaining a A avg in 3 out of my 5 classes, the other 2 is a B avg I am determine to leave this school with a 3.2 or 3.3, which will include my summer internship, which is a 5 credit class.

 

 

My work experience isn't as far vast as most of you guys

I am a founding member of Alpha Phi Omega @ my school (Petitioning Group)

I served as Chapter Activity Representative for APO

I am a Certified Peer Health Educator

I am in the Public Health Society 

I am RA (Resident Assistant)

I worked at Starbucks for 5.5 years 

I worked as a CATI (Computer and Technology Interviewer

 

 

Schools that I am applying to

Northwest Ohio Consortium for Public Health (NonSophas)-CEPH accredited

University of Florida

University of South Florida

 

 

My question is Drexel really worthing the money? I did get accepted for their undergraduate degree when I graduated from community college. With the price tag at $62,500 including everything they only gave me half of that in financial aid and scholarships. The sucky thing about is their B.S is 180 credits so that would be another 3 yrs  and $90,000+ debt. Now for graduate public health school their $47,000 +$14,000 for living expenses I think is for the year for 2 yrs $122,000 

No thank you. 

 

I hear they are going to lower there tuition or except more people. Why don't they just do both? I don't think it's worth it. My friends want me to go their so we can all be together . I am going by what is affordable and won't give me anxiety .

 

Does anyone know any other school still accepting applicants? I'm quite behind

Edited March 18, 2014 by olamiss

[mahmad]

Off the top of my head, Tulane and Mt. Sinai have rolling admissions

Edited March 18, 2014 by mahmad

[themmases]

While your GPA is low, it's not necessarily true that public health grad schools won't accept that. I think there is a sub-3.0 thread on this board somewhere and people are still getting in.

 

If you're still working on applications, I would really focus on the health and research-related experience that you have, even more than your leadership experience necessarily (they'll still be on your application, just maybe don't spend a lot of time writing about them in your SOP). Schools I applied to emphasized that they wanted applicants with an interest and experience in public health specifically, not even just a medical setting. Your health educator experience would be great for that, and possibly the interviewer position, I can't really tell.

 

That said, work experience is important in public health and your advisor is right that Peace Corps or Americorps would help your application if you're not happy with where you get in. So would finding a research assistant position for a year or two, or finding the most relevant bill-paying job you can and doing relevant volunteer experience during that time. That type of thing can be a huge boost to not-great stats or an irrelevant major.

 

Personally, I don't think private school tuition is worth it in this field because most people are there for professional degrees in a field that is healthy, but not exactly where people go to get rich. My rule of thumb has been not to borrow more than I could reasonably expect to make soon after earning my degree-- say, the average of my first five years working again. Most MPH holders won't be making $90K right after they get out of school. Professional degree holders also benefit a lot from smaller, less known schools having a good reputation in the area they're located-- there's no need to get a Harvard professional degree unless you're in a profession like law where the job market is terrible. That's not true of public health. A public health degree also involves training in valuable skills like statistical analysis where people care a lot more about the skill than where you obtained it (focus on those skills once you get in!). Take a look at the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports on the types of jobs you want/expect to be qualified for, and maybe do some further research on what a new person in those fields can expect to be making. I also recommend clicking around to the related jobs to see if you will be qualified for and willing to do any of them, as a backup.

 

What is worth it is trying to go to school in the general geographic area you think you'll want to work, especially if you will be going to a smaller school or an unaccredited school (which I'd think twice about unaccredited, but it depends on your career goals). If you don't have a good selection of places you would be willing to go to school and then work, it really might be better to take a year or two off, work or volunteer, and have a totally polished application ready to send wherever you want for a later application cycle.

 

University of Iowa is one great, affordable public program that I believe is still accepting applications through June. Best of luck!

[nalevunim]

HI 
I am applying for August 2014, I want to know if it is very risky to apply for non CEPH accredited programs in MPH? Is online program worth spending money on? I live in Virginia and there are only 2 schools, Univ of Virginia and VCU. I can afford only in state tution fee of around 18,000/yr. Is there any school with a lesser or same fee? Pls help

[olamiss]

I think it's risky. Applying to a non CEPH is a waste, because most jobs look to see if your MPH is accredited. It does sound tempting though. Marshall University has a Public Health program that isn't CEPH accredited but they are in the process. Who is to say when you graduate the program isn't accredited still. From what I know if your going to go to a non accredited school your best off with a non profit MPH program, an article that I read says that companies pay MPH holders more salary with a non profit degree. Idk how factual that is.  

 

Do those school have what you want to major in? Just because you an afford it means nothing if it does not have what you truly want to study.

I say look at Florida, someone mentioned University of Iowa to me, they said its affordable. Again how far are you willing to go for your education and I think you should be realistic with the budget, just my opinion. 

 

Affordable Universities in my opinion

 

Eastern Stroudsburg University (PA) (this is a bargain)

Northwest Ohio Consortium of Public Health (Bowling Green State University and University of Toledo) (offer dual major)

University of Florida

West Chester University (PA)

 

If i see anything else I will post it.

Edited March 19, 2014 by olamiss

[olamiss]

Good thing about online programs, you don't have to submit your GREs. It's also somewhat cheaper.

[themmases]

HI 

I am applying for August 2014, I want to know if it is very risky to apply for non CEPH accredited programs in MPH? Is online program worth spending money on? I live in Virginia and there are only 2 schools, Univ of Virginia and VCU. I can afford only in state tution fee of around 18,000/yr. Is there any school with a lesser or same fee? Pls help

 

I would be very cautious about choosing an unaccredited program. There are lots of accredited programs out there, not all of them are overly expensive, and some do offer online options (I wasn't considering online, but the ones I've seen were also cheaper than on-campus options).

 

This FAQ from CEPH explains the practical implications of not getting an accredited degree: http://ceph.org/constituents/students/faqs/#3 Some employers (including the US Public Health Service) specifically require that your degree be from a CEPH-accredited institution, as do some fellowships. You'd also be disqualifying yourself from taking the National Board of Public Health Examiners exam, which credentials public health professionals. CEPH accreditation is not retroactive, so even if your school gains accreditation later, your degree will never be accredited. So you're disqualifying yourself from those opportunities forever, unless you want to go back later and get some additional related degree from an accredited program.

 

Searching the CEPH site brings up lots of MPH degrees you can earn online. It's worth researching the cost of attendance at each school separately. I was very surprised by how affordable some of my top choices were, while other schools were definitely over-charging for the size and recognition of their program-- some so much so that I decided not to apply. Also, at some schools MS credits are less expensive than MPH credits. If you're interested in a subspecialty where an MS is offered, and can meet the requirements, that can also be a slightly less expensive option.

[olamiss]

While your GPA is low, it's not necessarily true that public health grad schools won't accept that. I think there is a sub-3.0 thread on this board somewhere and people are still getting in.

 

If you're still working on applications, I would really focus on the health and research-related experience that you have, even more than your leadership experience necessarily (they'll still be on your application, just maybe don't spend a lot of time writing about them in your SOP). Schools I applied to emphasized that they wanted applicants with an interest and experience in public health specifically, not even just a medical setting. Your health educator experience would be great for that, and possibly the interviewer position, I can't really tell.

 

That said, work experience is important in public health and your advisor is right that Peace Corps or Americorps would help your application if you're not happy with where you get in. So would finding a research assistant position for a year or two, or finding the most relevant bill-paying job you can and doing relevant volunteer experience during that time. That type of thing can be a huge boost to not-great stats or an irrelevant major.

 

Personally, I don't think private school tuition is worth it in this field because most people are there for professional degrees in a field that is healthy, but not exactly where people go to get rich. My rule of thumb has been not to borrow more than I could reasonably expect to make soon after earning my degree-- say, the average of my first five years working again. Most MPH holders won't be making $90K right after they get out of school. Professional degree holders also benefit a lot from smaller, less known schools having a good reputation in the area they're located-- there's no need to get a Harvard professional degree unless you're in a profession like law where the job market is terrible. That's not true of public health. A public health degree also involves training in valuable skills like statistical analysis where people care a lot more about the skill than where you obtained it (focus on those skills once you get in!). Take a look at the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports on the types of jobs you want/expect to be qualified for, and maybe do some further research on what a new person in those fields can expect to be making. I also recommend clicking around to the related jobs to see if you will be qualified for and willing to do any of them, as a backup.

 

What is worth it is trying to go to school in the general geographic area you think you'll want to work, especially if you will be going to a smaller school or an unaccredited school (which I'd think twice about unaccredited, but it depends on your career goals). If you don't have a good selection of places you would be willing to go to school and then work, it really might be better to take a year or two off, work or volunteer, and have a totally polished application ready to send wherever you want for a later application cycle.

 

University of Iowa is one great, affordable public program that I believe is still accepting applications through June. Best of luck!

 

Wow!! Thank you I really appreciate you replying to this post. You did not have to and I am glad you did. 

[olamiss]

So, I checked Iowa they didn't have want I want to study. It wasn't as affordable as I thought it was going to be.

Thank you though