MPH 2019: Applied, Waitlisted, Accepted!

[el.mo19]

Although I am really confident in my decision in which school I want to attend, I'm still VERY nervous for some reason to accept my offer and decline the others. Does anyone have any advice???

I was very confident when I started declining schools that I knew I wasn’t considering, but once it came down to my final three - it was really hard to actually click the “submit” button bc I was afraid I might start second guessing myself.

I actually waited to accept my offer until I declined all other ones. BUT I think if you’re really confident, you shouldn't try worry yourself more

My partner gave me the advise, that no program will ever be absolutely perfect, so as long as you’re excited and confident in your decision why keep tempting yourself with last minute back and forth?

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[el.mo19]

Are you currently in any debt? If it's crazy amount of debt, is it worth it? I'm in the same pickle. Maybe the question we should ask is if you'd will regret the debt or missing out on going to your dream school.

^i second this question! I think if you’re heart is set on a school, you may find yourself “regretting” not going and as long as you’re comfortable doing it it might be worth it. A lot of people do have to take out money for master’s, but there should definitely be a limit to how much bc it isn’t the highest paying job.

I went into the app cycle thinking that I’d have to take out the entire COA in loans, and was shocked to be offered funding from programs. I still really considered a program that would have cost me ~60-70K while my other options were significantly cheaper bc I really liked it.

At the end of the day, I ultimately opted for a program that will still cost me a pretty penny more than it’s competitor bc I saw myself thinking “what if” more if I went to the other program based on the pro/con list I had made.

 

[el.mo19]

Hi everyone! The deadline is fast approaching and I have yet to make a decision so any advice would be greatly appreciated!!!

I am deciding between UMich (Global Disease Epidemiology) and Columbia (MPH w/ certificate in Global Health). Future plans are undecided, ranging from MD to PhD to working as epidemiologist for the CDC etc.

Pros and cons for each:

UMICH:
Pros: larger alumni network, ability to collaborate with other strong schools (business, medicine, etc), cheaper COL, specific program
Cons: not as "prestigious" of a name to those outside of public health, in a smaller city, weather

COLUMBIA:
Pros: NYC w/ many opportunities for internships, better "name", closer to home, small cohorts
Cons: COL, heard that the school is shabby and outdated, facilities not as nice

These schools gave me the same amount of money in aid so the difference in cost is only housing. I am having issues finding more info about them since I was unable to visit either for admitted students day. Could anyone provide more insight? I know TA/RA positions are reserved for 2nd years at Columbia but what about at Michigan? Is one program better than the other in preparing students?? Any advice greatly appreciated!!

I didn’t apply to Columbia for personal reasons, so unfortunately I don’t know too much about it!

But I will be attending UM so I can speak about it generally (bc I will be a different department)!

I would argue that UM is actually a pretty well respected name in general. It has really strong graduate programs (I believe most are ranked within the top 10 for their respective field?) and its one of the best public universities in the US for undergrad recognition/prestige (sorry i did undergrad at another public uni, so I know this random fact). I think Columbia still ranks better, but UM is still well respected!

At admitted student day, a lot of students spoke about having research positions with faculty! UM does have GSI/GSRA positions (provides tuition reimbursement) but those are harder to come across as they’re mostly reserved for PhD students in SPH, but students mentioned being able to secure at the undergraduate. Unfortunately, I’ve heard most positions like these are posted the semester before, and fill pretty quickly. So if you’re looking to work in Fall, you may need to take up an hourly position.

I’d be happy to pas along other general facts from their admit day via PM! There’s also another webinar tomorrow from Kristen McCarthy and a current student I believe? They sent an email this am!

 

[MPAfya_19]

Although I am really confident in my decision in which school I want to attend, I'm still VERY nervous for some reason to accept my offer and decline the others. Does anyone have any advice???

I accepted the offer to the school I picked on a Friday, then gave myself the weekend to allow it to sink in and see if I had any major regrets. Then the next Monday/Tuesday I officially rejected the other 2 offers I was mulling over. I figured if for some reason I totally regretted it, I would only be out a few hundred bucks. I think no matter what though, it's a nerve-wracking thing! But trust yourself and the decision that you've made.

 

[Dr.debby]

Hi everyone! I have committed to Columbia and am considering living on campus at the graduate housing there. Does anyone have any insight on living on campus? Pros/cons?

Hi I'd like to discuss about Columbia on campus housing too.

 

[ac2019applicant]

Is there anyone who has declined their offer to Harvard in favor of another school that is technically ranked "lower"? I am really struggling to make that final decision. My gut is pushing me towards Emory - they gave me a hefty scholarship, I really liked the Atlanta area, and the strong ties to the CDC are a plus. I do have genuine reasons (beyond simply financials) that make me feel like Harvard might not be right for me (program seems fairly rushed, I get the vibe that the curriculum is more content-based and has more of a research focus than a practical focus [I am not planning to pursue a PhD right away]). But even with my gut telling me Harvard isn't the right move, I haven't been able to bring myself to decline it yet. It seems like everyone who was accepted plans to go - no matter how much money they were offered - and I worry maybe I am making the wrong move by not doing it for the name/network... Is anyone else feeling similarly or does anyone have any insight on how you made your decision??

 

[Pubhealth4405]

Finally decided: Emory BSHE!

 

[wwmmkk]

Is there anyone who has declined their offer to Harvard in favor of another school that is technically ranked "lower"? I am really struggling to make that final decision. My gut is pushing me towards Emory - they gave me a hefty scholarship, I really liked the Atlanta area, and the strong ties to the CDC are a plus. I do have genuine reasons (beyond simply financials) that make me feel like Harvard might not be right for me (program seems fairly rushed, I get the vibe that the curriculum is more content-based and has more of a research focus than a practical focus [I am not planning to pursue a PhD right away]). But even with my gut telling me Harvard isn't the right move, I haven't been able to bring myself to decline it yet. It seems like everyone who was accepted plans to go - no matter how much money they were offered - and I worry maybe I am making the wrong move by not doing it for the name/network... Is anyone else feeling similarly or does anyone have any insight on how you made your decision??

For a lot of applicants and students, for a lot of complicated reasons, name and rank mean a lot. But often, once you're in the field, very few people actually care that much. More care about what skills you have, what you accomplished during your program, and how prepared you are to do work contributing to the issue you care about. So if Emory is going to give you all of that for less money, don't second guess yourself!

 

[oacljv]

Is there anyone who has declined their offer to Harvard in favor of another school that is technically ranked "lower"? I am really struggling to make that final decision. My gut is pushing me towards Emory - they gave me a hefty scholarship, I really liked the Atlanta area, and the strong ties to the CDC are a plus. I do have genuine reasons (beyond simply financials) that make me feel like Harvard might not be right for me (program seems fairly rushed, I get the vibe that the curriculum is more content-based and has more of a research focus than a practical focus [I am not planning to pursue a PhD right away]). But even with my gut telling me Harvard isn't the right move, I haven't been able to bring myself to decline it yet. It seems like everyone who was accepted plans to go - no matter how much money they were offered - and I worry maybe I am making the wrong move by not doing it for the name/network... Is anyone else feeling similarly or does anyone have any insight on how you made your decision??

Just my 2 cents, but in your position, I would 100% go with Emory. While there are definitely some people who are impressed by Ivy League names, these aren't the people who are going to be hiring you. And it sounds like Emory will give you more opportunities to build your resume, which is something that people hiring you WILL be looking at.

 

[kinasekinasekat]

Hey! Any insights on Columbia vs. Hopkins?

I would ideally like to work in either Health Policy or Management and would ideally like to do bits of both.

I visited both student days and very much felt the difference in terms of Columbia being more business focused (more for me) and Hopkins very medical - but also very strong in Policy. I also felt Hopkins was more 'academic' in general and would provide stronger hard skills.

Its also 2yrs vs 1yr for Hopkins which is making me want to choose Hopkins over Columbia.

Any insights on deciding between these 2?

Any help is appreciated!

I chose Hopkins so i'm a little biased - the one year program is *huge* for me. It's less time out of the workforce and a huge immersion into the experience. I've started emailing faculty whose research I'm interested in and they have all responded within 12 hours which is crazy to me. I've heard great things about the hard skills you learn at Hopkins and also CoL is cheaper in Baltimore than NYC. Just my two cents!

 

[PrestonNotBurke]

Officially committed to Harvard! Though I'm going to need $25k in loans, I have no regrets. They were the most generous amongst all my choices and their program suits my interests very well.
Good luck to everybody who is still to decide. Hopefully somebody will be given the $$ I had been offered by Columbia and BU.

 

[Greentree1]

I chose Hopkins so i'm a little biased - the one year program is *huge* for me. It's less time out of the workforce and a huge immersion into the experience. I've started emailing faculty whose research I'm interested in and they have all responded within 12 hours which is crazy to me. I've heard great things about the hard skills you learn at Hopkins and also CoL is cheaper in Baltimore than NYC. Just my two cents!

Messaging you for some more details

 

[Greentree1]

Messaging you for some more details

I chose Hopkins so i'm a little biased - the one year program is *huge* for me. It's less time out of the workforce and a huge immersion into the experience. I've started emailing faculty whose research I'm interested in and they have all responded within 12 hours which is crazy to me. I've heard great things about the hard skills you learn at Hopkins and also CoL is cheaper in Baltimore than NYC. Just my two cents!

OK turns out I cant msg you - can you please message me? Thankyou!

 

[celis29]

I just received an interview with Dartmouth ...I’m so excited! Can someone give me advice as to what kind of questions I should expect ? I would like to hear about your experience! Any tips ? Thank you !

 

[annizizi15]

This may be late for most of you but if you are like me and are holding out until the last minute (NOT my fault I swear, I STILL have not heard back from UNC. It was supposed to be today and now they are saying monday. My heart is actually exploding.) BUT anyways request a waiver for your enrollment deposit!!! I just did with Columbia today (since I was eligible for application fee waivers) and there were no issues- saves me $500 if I commit/get rejected/don't hear from UNC.

Also quick UNC vs. Columbia chat anyone? Or anyone who has committed to either school that wants to talk? Guess it may be more beneficial monday when I find out where I'll be going....

 

[MuppetLord]

Hi guys! Could anyone answer a couple of questions about Columbia?

• Is it possible to switch from Epi to Health Policy within the first semester of enrollment?
• How is social justice integrated into the MPH curriculum?

Thank you for reading and best of luck with final decisions!

 

[Cassatrass]

Is there anyone who has declined their offer to Harvard in favor of another school that is technically ranked "lower"? I am really struggling to make that final decision. My gut is pushing me towards Emory - they gave me a hefty scholarship, I really liked the Atlanta area, and the strong ties to the CDC are a plus. I do have genuine reasons (beyond simply financials) that make me feel like Harvard might not be right for me (program seems fairly rushed, I get the vibe that the curriculum is more content-based and has more of a research focus than a practical focus [I am not planning to pursue a PhD right away]). But even with my gut telling me Harvard isn't the right move, I haven't been able to bring myself to decline it yet. It seems like everyone who was accepted plans to go - no matter how much money they were offered - and I worry maybe I am making the wrong move by not doing it for the name/network... Is anyone else feeling similarly or does anyone have any insight on how you made your decision??

I was in your exact position last year (see my signature-- I was accepted to Hopkins, Harvard, etc) and I haven't regretted choosing Emory a bit! It was the best fit for me and getting CDC internship was a dream come true. I think you'll love it here!

 

[klt18]

Anyone else still deciding!? I am completely on the fence between Hopkins (MSPH SBI) and Harvard (HSB)!

 

[deleted909012]

Is there anyone who has declined their offer to Harvard in favor of another school that is technically ranked "lower"? I am really struggling to make that final decision. My gut is pushing me towards Emory - they gave me a hefty scholarship, I really liked the Atlanta area, and the strong ties to the CDC are a plus. I do have genuine reasons (beyond simply financials) that make me feel like Harvard might not be right for me (program seems fairly rushed, I get the vibe that the curriculum is more content-based and has more of a research focus than a practical focus [I am not planning to pursue a PhD right away]). But even with my gut telling me Harvard isn't the right move, I haven't been able to bring myself to decline it yet. It seems like everyone who was accepted plans to go - no matter how much money they were offered - and I worry maybe I am making the wrong move by not doing it for the name/network... Is anyone else feeling similarly or does anyone have any insight on how you made your decision??

For me it came down to, I want to go to a great school and public health is not the only thing I am interested in learning. My interests are diverse, I see my self taking courses in at least two other graduate schools. I am interested in conferences, hackathons, pitch competitions that might be offered through the greater university not just the school of public health because I want my career to be interdisciplinary, entrepreneurial and interesting. Harvard is not just for the name, I'm going for the chance to take a class at the Kennedy school and do work through the Harvard iLab, for the Africa Business Conference the Harvard Business school hosts which attracts a lot of people thinking about African development and for the numerous research partnerships between Harvard Chan and universities worldwide which will allow me to have a truly global health experience. I am fine never telling anyone that I am going to Harvard or that I went there. In fact, right now most people in my life just know I am going to grad school. I don't need reactions or prestige, I want the skills, experience that I can use to build the career I want.

 

[oxytocin16]

Anyone else still deciding!? I am completely on the fence between Hopkins (MSPH SBI) and Harvard (HSB)!

I didn't apply to Harvard (HSB) but some folks here mentioned that the program is very content-based?

I was deciding between SBI and GDEC at Hopkins and got a chance to chat with a lot of alumni from both programs. Everyone in SBI absolutely loved it- it's a very skills-based program. You will have training in both quality and quantitave skills. Of course the strength of the program is qualitative but there are plenty of space in your schedule to take more quant courses too. Alumni also mentioned that they still find their class notes from SBI useful for their work/PhD !

I chatted with both the program director and coordinator and they really cared about what I was interested in and helped me make the right decision, whether it was Hopkins or somewhere else. I'm super grateful to get that mentorship even just as an admitted student.

Overall I was super impressed by SBI and plan to take a lot of courses with their professors, perhaps working with them too. I ended up with GDEC since the schedule allows me to take more classes that aligns with my interests, but I have nothing against SBI.

SBI cohort will probably be younger (median age:24) than HBS at Harvard since the MSPH program accepts staight-out-of-college students. However, everyone that I met at admitted students day had been working for 2-3 years since they graduated.

 

[Hf_50]

Is there any intel on average age of students at Columbia epi vs Mich global epi?

 

[MPGainz]

Just committed to GWU Health Policy for the Fall! It’s going to be a cross-country move, but I am stoked!

 

[kinasekinasekat]

Is there any intel on average age of students at Columbia epi vs Mich global epi?

I don't know about Columbia but everyone I met at Michigan at admitted student's day was right out of college (including the current students who went straight on to their MPH)

 

[wwmmkk]

I don't know about Columbia but everyone I met at Michigan at admitted student's day was right out of college (including the current students who went straight on to their MPH)

Might be worth asking an admin for that info. Events like admitted students days often attract younger people (both prospective and current students) who are less likely to have jobs/family responsibilities/etc. that prevent them from taking time out from their schedule.

 

[jclaire_4]

Anyone else still deciding!? I am completely on the fence between Hopkins (MSPH SBI) and Harvard (HSB)!

I'm in a really similar boat! Between Hopkins MSPH PopFam and Harvard HSB! Leaning Harvard but still so torn!! If anyone on here is in either program or has thoughts on the merits of both that would be super helpful!!

 

[oacljv]

Just committed to UCLA and turned down my other offers. The earlier nerves about making the decision have definitely settled down and I feel like this will be the best program for me in several ways!

It's also time to unsubscribe from Emory's emailing list, because I'm waking up to emails about their program every day

 

[klt18]

does anyone know if we have to decide tonight by midnight or do we still have tomorrow to decide? Lol really putting off this decision.

 

[Hf_50]

For those that are still undecided, departments are fairly lax about extensions! You can call/email admissions and they will prob give you a longer deadline!

 

[dubbz09]

Hey guys! Just made it official! JHU in June! Thank you all for your support on this crazy crazy ride!

 

[MPAfya_19]

Congrats to everyone on making it through this process and making decisions!! It's been great to be a part of this supportive forum, and I know you will all go on to do awesome things wherever you are headed in the fall. I feel like there needs to be some kind of secret signal to identify other SDN-ers in the real world , as I'm sure some of us will cross paths in the future!

 

[Ramaq Chishti]

Can we make our SDN MPH thread, fb group? There are many I would like to know better perhaps.
Would add to the diversity!

 

[CLib1214]

Just submitted my deposit for Yale! Turning down Columbia was hard but ultimately I think I made the right choice for myself. Good luck to everyone and happy decision day!

 

[armchair_cosmonaut]

I have been a bit quieter as options became more solidified (this forum was a way for my to communicate with ANY applicants--now that I've gone to some admitted student days and met others applying, I haven't felt the need to share as much!), but I wanted to provide an update!

Basically, I thought Columbia was set--I really liked their visit day, and thought that it would be worth it to attend due to the excellent prospects post-graduation. My boyfriend also got a job offer there, so we were planning our lives out, thinking about what area we'd like to live in, etc... However I was still playing the long game and hoping that as people declined offers, schools might be willing to send more funding my way. I had sent a few emails out but wasn't really expecting anything.

Long story short, last week I got FULL TUITION at University of Michigan! It was a complete surprise, but an amazing one, and a big weight has been lifted off my shoulders now that I know I can graduate debt-free (and still with savings). Yale also increased my scholarship, but I turned it down and hope that someone else was able to get extra funding!

I haven't officially hit the accept button yet, but I will be joining the wolverines come fall!

For applicants in future years--leverage your offers! Schools are competitive, and they want the best students, and some schools are willing to negotiate to entice you to come. If you have shown your interest and make it known (tactfully) that increased funding would change your mind....

A hearty congratulations to all as we near the end of this very long process. CHEERS to all--I know we all deserve a good drink!

 

[plsmphepi]

Accepted Columbia's offer! Thank you so much to every single person in SDN, for asking questions I never thought to ask, and to those who responded -- you guys helped me along this almost year-long journey!
I would love it if anybody who is deferring admissions could reach out to me by the way, especially to Columbia's MPH in Epidemiology program!

Or really, to anybody who deferred, I just want to know about funding and scholarships - now that I have one more year, do you guys think I should be able to find a way to get scholarships, etc., to contribute towards tuition? Anybody here who would like to pass on wise words about obtaining funding aside from saving up job salary?
(Not leaving SDN without milking a few more answers, as you can see )

 

[JDGBruin1317]

Accepted Columbia's offer! Thank you so much to every single person in SDN, for asking questions I never thought to ask, and to those who responded -- you guys helped me along this almost year-long journey!
I would love it if anybody who is deferring admissions could reach out to me by the way, especially to Columbia's MPH in Epidemiology program!

Or really, to anybody who deferred, I just want to know about funding and scholarships - now that I have one more year, do you guys think I should be able to find a way to get scholarships, etc., to contribute towards tuition? Anybody here who would like to pass on wise words about obtaining funding aside from saving up job salary?
(Not leaving SDN without milking a few more answers, as you can see )

Congrats on accepting your offer to Columbia! I deferred last year and will be attending school this fall and can answer some of your questions! I'm unable to message you for some reason, so shoot me a DM!

I believe another gives you a lot of time to search for scholarships and extra funding!

 

[jes3dz]

Just made my deposit at GW. It's official!

My reasons:

• Location - the majority of my friends and family are in the area and having that support network will be great. I will also be living at home and saving on the general COL in DC, minus transport costs. DC in general has tons of opportunity and GW is the only school in DC, so they claim there is little competition for jobs/internships. It also seems like there are at least a few students at each institution every year that help pull in students in newer cohorts. Being blocks away from the PAHO was quite impressive and I look forward to making the most of having these institutions so nearby.
• Work - Given that all of their classes start at 3pm or later, there is ample time to work full- or part-time which will be great to help offset tuition costs and get more experience.
• Faculty - Though their faculty is definitely more policy-oriented, their more recent hires had research interests that were much more aligned with my own and that was a big pull. I'm also interested in getting to try more policy-oriented research and gauge my interests in it.
• Academics - Even though it's not the highest ranked program (and I think there is too much emphasis placed on this), GW is still a top academic institution and I still expect the highest levels of academic rigor and learning standards.

Even though I was offered more scholarship money at other institutions (WashU, Emory), the structure of GW's program really encourages/allows you to work during school which was a big factor since I figured I could come out on the other side almost breaking even which may not have been possible at other institutions. Despite GW not being as "highly ranked" I still think the faculty are exemplary and it seems like no matter what program you ultimately choose, you really get out of it what you put in. Ultimately, if I do decide to pursue further education (PhD) where funding will be less of an issue, then perhaps I can go after the greater name recognition. For now, I'm very happy with my choice.

 

[MAgirl]

Officially Johns Hopkins MSPH in Global Disease Epidemiology and Control Would love to chat with others who will be there as well!!

 

[oxytocin16]

Officially Johns Hopkins MSPH in Global Disease Epidemiology and ControlWould love to chat with others who will be there as well!!

Yay Congrats! I will be at Hopkins for GDEC too! Can't seem to send you a message though

 

[annie51]

Happy decision day and happy marathon Monday to all my fellow Bostonians on here. I have officially committed to Columbia SMS and would love to chat with future classmates about moving plans, classes, etc!

 

[MuppetLord]

Officially Johns Hopkins MSPH in Global Disease Epidemiology and ControlWould love to chat with others who will be there as well!!

Also headed to Hopkins for GDEC!!!

 

[MuppetLord]

Writing this up for future applicants because I wish I had more resources to navigate the decisions process.

I ended up placing Johns Hopkins, Columbia, and WashU St. Louis on my list of top considerations - all others were simply not the best fit for me at this time. I ended up consulting some epidemiology professors, including a director of a big NIH epi study, for their opinions at each of the schools. All stated that I wouldn't go wrong with any of those choices, so it came down to a matter of fit. I ended up selecting Hopkins. Here is the evaluation:

Brown School of Washington University in St. Louis - MPH (Epi/Biostat)

• Visited school as part of their merit scholars day.
• All teaching faculty, first and foremost, are educators. You can tell that these people are at the Brown School because they genuinely care about mentoring students. In fact, many students report that faculty mentors have been instrumental in recommending them for research and practicum opportunities.
• Since the MPH program is only 10 years old, it does not have the full resources of a school of public health. Career services expertise is stronger for the Brown School's MSW students, however, public health students fair well overall (due to honing the professional network of the public health professors). Furthermore, the MPH program bears the ideas of the social work program (social justice, public policy, etc.). I would argue that this is a strength of the program as there is an emphasis of translating public health knowledge into practice while maintaining a drive toward social equity.
• The program has some of the nation's experts in implementation science. Oftentimes, public health researchers leave their research up in the ivory tower of academia, so it takes a while to actually utilize that stuff for real world impact. Putting theory into practice is a strength of WashU's program as you can see from their abundance of research centers dedicated to serving the St. Louis community (you can also get involved in this work as a masters student).
• The Brown School tends to be SUPER generous with their financial aid (just look at my signature). At risk of coming off as cocky, I did receive scholarships at a bunch of other schools, but I met plenty of students with lower stats and less experience than me who also got a good amount of merit aid.
• Research is pretty easy to get here. Faculty readily invite students into their research teams. You can also do research at WashU's medical school, which is pretty great.
• I loved this school! My only concern was the small number of epi/biostats faculty. I studied economics and applied math in undergrad and wanted continued quantitative rigor in my graduate education. I got wind that the Brown School is hiring a bunch of new epi faculty, so this is likely to change in the future.
• A PhD candidate told me that "St. Louis is cheap as ****."

Mailman School of Public Health of Columbia University - MPH (Epi), Certificate: Undecided

• I didn't get a chance to visit this school, so I have less info here.
• Students tend to enjoy this program. One student told me that the negative reviews tend to come from students who have the entitlement mindset. Grad school is what you make of it - do not expect anything to be handed to you.
• I'm intrigued by the Core Curriculum. As public health professionals in training, we need an interdisciplinary understanding of our work, and the Core Curriculum does that pretty well. Additionally, transdisciplinary problem solving, leadership training, social justice, and communication with the public are emphasized the program, which is also very cool.
• Transdisciplinary research centers and programs bring together professionals of different disciplines (public policy, sociology, economics, public health fields, journalism, law, etc.). This is how public health should be practiced in the 21st century.
• Certificate allows you to take you public health discipline and apply that knowledge to a certificate to hone in on a particular interest.
• New York City cost of living is $$$$. But if you can get into graduate housing, you can get rent at a reduced rate (~$1100/mo).
• Due to the intensity of the first year, Graduate Research Assistantships and Teaching Assistantships are only reserved for second year students. Overall, you need to be persistent to get a research opportunity. This was ultimately the dealbreaker. I intend to pursue a PhD following my masters, so developing a solid research portfolio from year 1 is very important to me.
• However, I like NYC so much that I almost accepted the offer just on location.

Bloomberg School of Public Health of Johns Hopkins University - MSPH (Global Disease Epidemiology and Control)

• Visited during official admitted students day.
• The resources here are UNPARALLELED. Like, wow...
• Every student and alumni I spoke to did not regret choosing Hopkins (though I'm sure there was some cherry-picking). I know that Hopkins is terrible about giving any sort of financial aid, so I asked students how they were paying for the program. I'm sure I hit a sore patch since they insisted that having Hopkins on your resume is worth the loans.
• The epi and biostat methods you get here are reshaping the field of public health. Hopkins has internationally recognized leaders in every field of public health. I'm interested in pursuing work in mHealth, and one of the WHO's mHealth leads is faculty in my department.
• Research opportunities are abundant (every student who wanted paid research was able to get it within the first two terms). Also, Research Assistantships tend to pay $20-25/hr. Can maybe use this to pay off living expenses.
• Lots of international students in the MPH program, adds diversity of perspective.
• Hopkins does not have the best reputation among Baltimore's denizens - the university does not do enough to invest in the community.
• MSPH degrees tend to be fairly specialized, so know that you are really interested in the MSPH discipline before applying. The Hopkins MPH has a more generalist vibe, but requires 2 years of health-related experience to apply (and yes, you are able to count any health experience done in undergrad as "health experience"). A good amount of people go straight into the MPH from undergrad (though I've been told this is a mistake because the reduced MPH practicum is not sufficient enough for fresh grads to be competitive for the job market). The Hopkins MPH is designed as a supplementary degree for people who are already professionals in their field, and want a public health qualification.
• A major selling point of the MSPH program is the practicum, which takes up the second year of the program. I'm coming straight from undergrad, so having more practical experience is appealing.
• Global Disease Epidemiology and Control has a very skills-based curriculum, so you can translate your skills to other jobs as well.
• If you want to work internationally, going to a school with a well-known global health program helps a lot (Hopkins, Harvard, Emory).
• People at Hopkins are actually pretty friendly. The environment is collaborative rather than competitive.
• Many felt that Hopkins tends to move you through the program and equip you with your degree as soon as possible. Not exactly the most nurturing program (if you want nurturing, apply to Emory and WashU ).
• Baltimore is affordable to live in, but not cheap as ****.

So these are some of my thoughts. When it came down to comparing Hopkins and Columbia, I found that Hopkins will allow me to develop a wider variety of skills in addition to equipping me with a strong quantitative skill set. When you pursue an MPH/MSPH, emphasize skill development over topical courses to improve your chances of employment for competitive jobs. Now for the issue of cost. Hopkins comes out as my most expensive option (as long as we don't talk about Berkeley). However, I'm fortunate to be coming of undergrad without student loans, so I'm willing to take on the expense. Had I been burdened with significant undergrad loans, I would have definitely enrolled in WashU. Visiting Hopkins made me realize that Hopkins was the best fit for my educational and research ambitions.

This post is a bit lengthy, but I hope it helps you MPH hopefuls down the road. Best wishes and I look forward to being your colleague in the future!

-Darth Kermit

 

[BeHappy97]

Officially committed to Yale SPH for health policy!

 

[acn2019]

Hi I'd like to discuss about Columbia on campus housing too.

I applied for on campus last night, but will only accept if I get apartment style, unfurnished. I think it would be so helpful not to have to go to New York to look for housing or deal with brokers and getting my parents to be my guarantor, but I’ve been out of school for a little bit and I don’t want to live with a kitchenette and dorm furniture. I’m wondering about how to go about finding a roommate to look for off campus housing with. Do we have a Facebook page for that?

 

[doc_tfk]

I can only speak for my school, but in my experience, I would say the formality level is between college and business casual for just normal classes. Most people don't wear sweatpants anymore, but a clean pair of jeans are okay. I have seen people in leggings but not often, and typically it's clear that they're going to or from the gym.

And like someone else said before me, if there is an event like a poster session, people do tend to wear business casual or, if it's something really important, even a level above that.



My school teaches Stata mainly, but here's my impression of the three packages from a year of study:

• Stata - Very easy to pick up with a lot of online tutorials and support, but less common in the "real world"; many teachers say they can read Stata code but don't work in it themselves. Personally, I like Stata a lot. Not free, as wwmmkk said.

• SAS - MANY people here use SAS in their day to day work. Not Apple/mac compatible. Can't speak to how difficult or hard this is to learn.

• R - Many people have commented that they think people are moving towards R in the future. Free. The barrier to entry is high, though - "R makes easy things hard but makes hard things very easy", is how I've heard it described. I definitely intend to take an R programming course in the future.

• Python - A few of the more statistically-oriented people I've met here (PhD students and professors) have mentioned wanting to pick up Python. Don't know much more about it than that.

Does anyone know what sort of programs harvard teaches? Also, if I have apple ios, will I need to buy windows for SAS?

EDIT: So I had to change the formatting so that my question didn't appear in the original post

 

[TreeTrunks]

Does anyone know what sort of programs harvard teaches? Also, if I have apple ios, will I need to buy windows for SAS?

EDIT: So I had to change the formatting so that my question didn't appear in the original post

HSB students mainly learn STATA from what I've heard. An epi student I talked to actually learned all SAS, STATA, and R. According to someone's post on the admitted students' Facebook group, the school will help you set up a virtual desktop so you have free access to all software needed for your classes. So don't go buy a PC!

 

[annizizi15]

Committed to Columbia! Let me know if anyone wants to be roommates or talk about school!

 

[sammph]

Any thoughts on the Tulane Epi program? Anybody committed to Tulane?

 

[brokenboujie]

Committed to Columbia! Let me know if anyone wants to be roommates or talk about school!

Me too!! What program are you in?

 

[brokenboujie]

I applied for on campus last night, but will only accept if I get apartment style, unfurnished. I think it would be so helpful not to have to go to New York to look for housing or deal with brokers and getting my parents to be my guarantor, but I’ve been out of school for a little bit and I don’t want to live with a kitchenette and dorm furniture. I’m wondering about how to go about finding a roommate to look for off campus housing with. Do we have a Facebook page for that?

I don't think we specifically have a Facebook page(although that would be so helpful!) but I am a part of the "Columbia University Off Campus Housing" page which has different people posting about apartments near campus

 

[doc_tfk]

HSB students mainly learn STATA from what I've heard. An epi student I talked to actually learned all SAS, STATA, and R. According to someone's post on the admitted students' Facebook group, the school will help you set up a virtual desktop so you have free access to all software needed for your classes. So don't go buy a PC!

Thanks! I wonder if I could take additional coursework in SAS/R as part of an elective.

Also, tangentially, does anyone have any opinions about Shattuck House at Harvard? It seems like expensive, but then again, Boston is $$$...