Decision Thread - 2011

[Awapi]

So, it's still early for a lot of people, but I know a few have made their decision for the Fall so I thought I'd get this thread started! I was thinking this could be a good place for people to figure out others going to their school who might need a roommate, etc (I won't need one since I'm married, haha). So include info you find relevant!

My decision:

Emory!! Global Health (Infectious Disease) - Master's International - with Merit Scholarship!


Stats:
3.4 GPA, graduated cum laude, Environmental Science/Biochemistry major
630 V, 720 Q, 5 AW GRE
2 years working as an Environmental Specialist then 2 years as a Peace Corps Volunteer in non-health related job sector (but all of my secondary and some of my primary projects were devoted to water/sanitation, HIV/AIDS, and reproductive health). President/co-founder of some clubs in undergrad, president of the volunteer advisory committee in Peace Corps, other volunteering.

Applied to: Tulane, Emory, BU

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[JMM051]

Congrats on the decision Awapi! I'm sure you'll enjoy your time at Emory!

 

[GladifImakeit]

Old news, but I'll be going to Hopkins!

Applied to Harvard, Columbia, Yale, UCB, BU, Emory and Tulane as well.
700V/760M/5.5W, 3.4 GPA
medical student, homeless clinic volunteer, etc.

 

[Seci]

Emory Global Health ID

Applied to Tulane, Emory, USF, UA.

600V/660Q/5.5W GPA 3.05 med micro
RPCV, lots of public health/epi internships, speak a couple languages, etc....

Awapi, we'll definitely have to start an Emory housing thread in the next couple months.

 

[RAJINDIA]

Decision made: EMORY MPH ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH

 

[chriskyk]

Hey guys I've decided to go to Yale and my track is social and behavioral science with global health concentration

 

[MPHOrthoSurg]

Congrats on making your decisions!

I have decided to go to Brown. I'm so excited... Is it August yet?

 

[pyleela]

Columbia Sociomedical Sciences - Global Health! So excited to go to the city!

 

[deleted379552]

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[jh2723]

Peregrinus, how did you find out about your merit scholarship at Mailman? At this point, I know I obviously have not received one but I'm curious how you even got that info!

 

[Tee7]

Congrats on making your decisions!

I have decided to go to Brown. I'm so excited... Is it August yet?

Congrats on Brown!!! I'm seriously considering Brown as an option. What made you decide on Brown?

 

[GlobalDisease]

3.5GPA 750Q 650V 4W
Spent a year in Haiti post earthquake...what an eye opener

Applied to:
Tulane, BU, USC, South Carolina and USF...Got into all of them, debating between Tulane and BU
Either way, I'm moving!

 

[deleted379552]

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[jh2723]

Thanks so much Peregrinus! That's so interesting that there's still a chance for me! That would be so so great.

And as of now, I am deciding between Yale and Mailman --- but I think I'm leaning toward Mailman. Financial aid is a huge factor but for me, at least, Mailman is a semester shorter program (health management) which plays into the money factor, obviously.

Why'd you choose mailman?

 

[kc711]

I'm waiting to check out some schools during their admit days and hear about about financial aid packages before making my final decision, I'm but leaning towards Columbia's MPH in Sociomedical Sciences-Aging and Public health track. i got a merit scholarship there and love the program, so it's probably where i'll end up!

 

[AmbiCious]

Thanks so much Peregrinus! That's so interesting that there's still a chance for me! That would be so so great.

And as of now, I am deciding between Yale and Mailman --- but I think I'm leaning toward Mailman. Financial aid is a huge factor but for me, at least, Mailman is a semester shorter program (health management) which plays into the money factor, obviously.

Why'd you choose mailman?

I am actually debating between Yale (Social and Behavioral Sciences w/ Global Health), Columbia (Health Management and Policy w/ Global Health track) and John Hopkins (1 year MPH). And I am leaning toward Mailman as well. The program seems great and the career prospects are nice. Yale was my top choice before but I realized that I want to do healthcare consulting or management work so i am not sure the SBS program at Yale would be a good fit. And for Hopkins I am a little bit skeptical because the program is mostly for physicians so I am worried there won't be enough focus on post-grad career opportunities.
PS: I actually did not know the HPM track at Mailman was a semester less.
Haven't heard any financial aid info from any school (I am an international student though).

 

[miamigal03]

Decided on Columbia HPM with Healthcare Management track!!! I actually haven't heard back from a 2 more schools but it was between Columbia and Emory and I think the opportunities at Columbia for hospital management will be more beneficial for me. I also haven't heard any financial aid from them though, which is why I have not officially accepted the offer.

 

[RAMPA]

I am actually debating between Yale (Social and Behavioral Sciences w/ Global Health), Columbia (Health Management and Policy w/ Global Health track) and John Hopkins (1 year MPH). And I am leaning toward Mailman as well. The program seems great and the career prospects are nice. Yale was my top choice before but I realized that I want to do healthcare consulting or management work so i am not sure the SBS program at Yale would be a good fit. And for Hopkins I am a little bit skeptical because the program is mostly for physicians so I am worried there won't be enough focus on post-grad career opportunities.
PS: I actually did not know the HPM track at Mailman was a semester less.
Haven't heard any financial aid info from any school (I am an international student though).

You'll have a better shot at healthcare consulting via Columbia's HP&M track. McKinsey, Deloitte, Pwc, and a few other firms hold informations sessions/interview at Mailman. The cost of Mailman still makes me weary. In total it would cost me around $95,000 to attend.

 

[deleted379552]

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[MPHOrthoSurg]

Congrats on Brown!!! I'm seriously considering Brown as an option. What made you decide on Brown?

Where do I begin? I really like their "hands-on" learning philosophy. Students can take advantage of a number of great research opportunities (jobs, scholarships, etc.). Also, Brown is very "student-centric", so the class sizes are small and profs are approachable. Their curriculum is flexible, so once you take a few core courses, you can take electives that are most in line with your interests. I'm interested in a very specialized area of public health, and Brown is the only place I can really focus on this. They work closely with the local hospitals/Rhode Island Health Dept, etc., so that's very appealing to me. Also, Providence is a neat place to live and isn't nearly as expensive as some of the other major cities.

More importantly, I got a great "vibe" when I visited their campus. Everyone that I met seemed brilliant, friendly, supportive, and happy to be there. The MPH program and the Grad School Financial Aid Office thoroughly answered all of my questions and have been helpful in finding me opportunities to offset the steep costs of my education.

Good luck with your decision-making process... And maybe I'll see you in the fall.

 

[AmbiCious]

I decided on Columbia's MPH in Health Policy and Management with a Global Health concentration. Half-tuition merit scholarship. Very excited.

3.8, 700Q, 600V, 5.0W. I applied to Hopkins (MPH), Columbia (MPH), and Harvard (MPP with Health Policy concentration). I've been working in Asia for the last few years in the non-profit sector and am primarily interested in policy development. Good luck to everyone still deciding!

Would you mind sharing your impressions/opinions about the school? Besides the half-tuition merit scholarship (congrats!), what made you choose Columbia? What attracts you to the program?
I was accepted to the MPH in HPM w/ Global Health concentration but I am not sure I would like to remain in the GH concentration. Even though I heard the GH concentration was quite competitive, I think I would want to switch to the management track. Hopefully it is possible to switch. I am not sure I want to spend 6 month abroad again, as I have already traveled quite a bit these past few years.
Anyways, please share your opinion Thank you.

 

[AlanP]

So, it's still early for a lot of people, but I know a few have made their decision for the Fall so I thought I'd get this thread started! I was thinking this could be a good place for people to figure out others going to their school who might need a roommate, etc (I won't need one since I'm married, haha). So include info you find relevant!

My decision:

Emory!! Global Health (Infectious Disease) - Master's International - with Merit Scholarship!


Stats:
3.4 GPA, graduated cum laude, Environmental Science/Biochemistry major
630 V, 720 Q, 5 AW GRE
2 years working as an Environmental Specialist then 2 years as a Peace Corps Volunteer in non-health related job sector (but all of my secondary and some of my primary projects were devoted to water/sanitation, HIV/AIDS, and reproductive health). President/co-founder of some clubs in undergrad, president of the volunteer advisory committee in Peace Corps, other volunteering.

Applied to: Tulane, Emory, BU

Hi Awapi. Congrats on your admission and merit scholarship.
I am an International Medical Graduate who was also admitted to the Emory Global Health MPH program but I'm yet to be notified about any scholarship.

My stats:

MD with 5 years of clinical experience
GRE V:660; Q:730; AW 4.0

Does it mean International applicants are not eligible for merit awards or perhaps the time of notification is different since it is unlikely we will be able to attend the Vist Emory program for obvious logistic reasons?

Also admitted:
JHSPH MPH (International Health), Drexel MPH (HPM with 10k Dean's Fellowship), Texas @ Houston MPH (Policy and Mgt) and Purdue University MPH.

Funding is the major factor to determine where I eventually go

 

[aaftmb]

gpa: 3.4 , gre: 550 V, 750 Q, 4.5 AW
Accepted: Harvard (SM2 Epi) , Emory (MPH EPI), BU (MPH EPI)
got significant merit awards from all

Decision: Harvard. I've just been more than impressed by everything they've done for me, as an applicant. I am really excited to be going there and working with their faculty members.

SOPHAS timeline

School/ Date Submitted/ date sent by SOPHAS

Harvard School of Public Health 12/02/2010 01/05/2011
Emory University Rollins School of Public Health 12/06/2010 01/05/2011
Boston University School of Public Health 12/29/2010 01/05/2011

Dates accepted
Emory: 02/14/2011--> checked admission status on OPUS
Hsph 02/18/2011 --> emailed by the dean of admissions
BU: 02/22/2011 --> received snail mail from USPS

 

[underg]

Decision: Harvard (SM2 Epi). Quite excited!

Accepted: HSPH, BU & GWU

 

[GladifImakeit]

gpa: 3.4 , gre: 550 V, 750 Q, 4.5 AW
Accepted: Harvard (SM2 Epi) , Emory (MPH EPI), BU (MPH EPI)
got significant merit awards from all

Decision: Harvard. I've just been more than impressed by everything they've done for me, as an applicant. I am really excited to be going there and working with their faculty members.

Just curious, what do you think was they key to getting merit awards? In other words, what did you do to shine in their eyes? Good job by the way.

 

[olse2206]

I'm going with Tulane Global Health Systems and Development.

I was debating between Emory and Tulane and finally went with Tulane because I felt their program was a better fit for me.

Accepted: Tulane, Emory, BU, Arizona, Colorado State

Anyone else going to Tulane?

 

[ksmph]

I'm going with Tulane Global Health Systems and Development.

I was debating between Emory and Tulane and finally went with Tulane because I felt their program was a better fit for me.

Accepted: Tulane, Emory, BU, Arizona, Colorado State

Anyone else going to Tulane?

I'm also going to Tulane for Global Health Systems and Development.

 

[wanthony86]

Harvard MS Biostats and UW MS Biostats are still both in contention at this point, but now I'm strongly leaning towards Harvard. I'm about 90% sure.

 

[RAJINDIA]

Going to EMORY MPH ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH.....ANYBODY TO EMORY FOR EH?

 

[mybliss]

I'm deciding between going to Tulane and GWU, both in epi. I will be visiting both campuses this month to help with the decision.

 

[Epi2013]

I'm deciding between going to Tulane and GWU, both in epi. I will be visiting both campuses this month to help with the decision.

Are you visiting during their Open Houses? I'm going to visit both of them in the next couple weeks as well, but I was unable to get reasonably priced packages for the Open House weekends so I'm going other times. They're still giving me a tour and everything, but I wonder if I'm going to miss out on a lot by not being there when everyone else is.

 

[mybliss]

Are you visiting during their Open Houses? I'm going to visit both of them in the next couple weeks as well, but I was unable to get reasonably priced packages for the Open House weekends so I'm going other times. They're still giving me a tour and everything, but I wonder if I'm going to miss out on a lot by not being there when everyone else is.

I don't think you will be missing out on too much. I think as long as you get to see the schools you should get a good idea if they will be a good fit or not. I'm guessing the open houses will just have more presentations and what not.

 

[OHlivia]

GPA: 3.51 in psychology with biology minor
GRE: 530V, 570Q, 5.0W
Accepted: UT-Houston, Pittsburgh, Tulane, St. Louis

Attending: Pittsburgh for Infectious Diseases MPH

 

[MLR871]

Finished MPH from Texas A&M
GPA 4.00, V 420, M 750
Got full funding as well. I am so excited to join HSPH

 

[olse2206]

I'm also going to Tulane for Global Health Systems and Development.

Hey that's great! Nice to see another person for Tulane on here. Have you heard anything from the financial aid office yet?

 

[ksmph]

Hey that's great! Nice to see another person for Tulane on here. Have you heard anything from the financial aid office yet?

Yeah, I haven't seen too many of us for GHSD on here either! I sent in my financial aid information last week, but I haven't heard anything yet.. I thought I read somewhere about how they will be doing interviews for scholarships in August during orientation, but I could be mistaken.

 

[deleted379552]

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[AmbiCious]

Hi, AmbiCious. From what I can tell, Columbia's HPM program is strong and well structured. I wouldn't worry about switching concentrations. For Mailman, I was very impressed by the quality of the faculty and how responsive they are to students. One of the faculties at Columbia actually called my cell phone to discuss the HPM program. However, I noticed that you also got in JHU. I wouldn't discredit JHU too quickly. It's #1 in the rankings for a very good reason. Their network is equally as impressive, if not more so, than Columbia's. JHU was my top choice, however I wasn't offered funding, and couldn't justify taking out additional loans when I'm already so deeply in debt from undergrad and med school. Definitely, don't worry about going to school with med students (which is one of your worries from another post). I think different perspectives on health is always a good thing and may lead to very lively debates (though I do agree that med students can be hard to get along with at times, myself included ^.^). You'll just have to forgive us. But to be serious, a broad network of colleagues could do more good than harm for future career prospect, and both Mailman and Hopkins are equally diverse in their student body. Good luck in deciding.

Hey Peregrinus,
Thank you for your response. Your post was so helpful! You were absolutely right I discredited JHU way too quickly. It's funny right before reading your post, JHU came back as a top choice on my list. I looked carefully at the curriculum and was quite impressed by the courses and the concentrations. I also like the idea of the capstone project. I wasn't exactly bothered by the number of physicians in the program lol, but my main concern was that the program would be geared toward/"made for" those who have gone to medical school and have a solid medical background. In addition, I did not know if the career services would be active since physicians already have a job lined up for them lol! But 50% are not physicians so I am sure this is a wrong assumption on my part. I am now leaning toward JHU. This decision process is hard.
By the way, how you do know you haven't received any funding from JHU? I thought decisions regarding scholarships were not out yet.
Thanks again for your help!

 

[Tee7]

Where do I begin? I really like their "hands-on" learning philosophy. Students can take advantage of a number of great research opportunities (jobs, scholarships, etc.). Also, Brown is very "student-centric", so the class sizes are small and profs are approachable. Their curriculum is flexible, so once you take a few core courses, you can take electives that are most in line with your interests. I'm interested in a very specialized area of public health, and Brown is the only place I can really focus on this. They work closely with the local hospitals/Rhode Island Health Dept, etc., so that's very appealing to me. Also, Providence is a neat place to live and isn't nearly as expensive as some of the other major cities.

More importantly, I got a great “vibe” when I visited their campus. Everyone that I met seemed brilliant, friendly, supportive, and happy to be there. The MPH program and the Grad School Financial Aid Office thoroughly answered all of my questions and have been helpful in finding me opportunities to offset the steep costs of my education.

Good luck with your decision-making process... And maybe I'll see you in the fall.

My exact sentiment on Brown. I am visiting them next week to get a feel of the program and campus! If all goes well, I will probably see you in the fall! =)

 

[jaya88]

Regarding Tulane, I've narrowed it down to Yale and Tulane. However, I haven't heard financial information from either one which makes it hard. What made you pick Tulane? I'm visiting in a few weeks.

 

[aaftmb]

For everyone who's decided on their school:

have you released your offers from all of the other schools that have accepted you?

I'm just asking because i am starting to get calls about attending open houses and whatnot... so i think this week is the week to make it official and let them know i won't be attending the open house/school.

which kind of makes me sad, but at the same time, i know it'll release spots for everyone else waiting! ah.

 

[solide]

Waiting on Uminn...

But most likely UPitt for MPH Behavioral & Community Health Sciences

 

[OHlivia]

For everyone who's decided on their school:

have you released your offers from all of the other schools that have accepted you?

I'm just asking because i am starting to get calls about attending open houses and whatnot... so i think this week is the week to make it official and let them know i won't be attending the open house/school.

which kind of makes me sad, but at the same time, i know it'll release spots for everyone else waiting! ah.

I haven't sent any yet. I'm visiting my first choice on Monday, and even though I've pretty much made my decision, I feel like it'd be premature to set things in stone before visiting.

Has anyone gotten any "prodding" sort of e-mails? I got one today that seemed to be asking me for my decision, which I found a little odd since the acceptance letter said I had until 15 April.

 

[E24Gose]

I haven't sent any yet. I'm visiting my first choice on Monday, and even though I've pretty much made my decision, I feel like it'd be premature to set things in stone before visiting.

Has anyone gotten any "prodding" sort of e-mails? I got one today that seemed to be asking me for my decision, which I found a little odd since the acceptance letter said I had until 15 April.

This is a bit off-topic, bit I received three e-mails from Drexel in a row on Monday. The first one said I had been accepted to the program (which I had already received this formal notification and thought it was weird they were sending it again). The second e-mail was one rescinding my acceptance. I had a minor heart attack because I was worried something in my background was wrong and the other schools I had been accepted to were about to do the same. The third said, "we're really sorry. Please ignore the previous e-mail. It was sent to applicants by mistake." I had a bit of a laugh and then found myself needing to have a glass of wine.

On topic now, I am going to go to Brown. This is contingent upon UC-Denver though. If UC offers me a serious scholarship, I will take it. If its minimal or just not significant enough, I will go to Brown.

 

[may3545]

For everyone who's decided on their school:

have you released your offers from all of the other schools that have accepted you?

I'm just asking because i am starting to get calls about attending open houses and whatnot... so i think this week is the week to make it official and let them know i won't be attending the open house/school.

which kind of makes me sad, but at the same time, i know it'll release spots for everyone else waiting! ah.

I just declined UCLA's MPH offer. I will decline USC's MHA program soon. I'm leaning towards Harvard, but I want to wait for all the financial aid packages for UC Berkeley, Yale, and Columbia before I make final decisions.

 

[Lord Voldemort]

got into TULANE in international health......guess its called global health systems and management.....

rejected university of florida....!

 

[MPHDeuce]

Congratulations to everyone on your acceptances!!

I've decided to attend UMich- MPH HBHE. Anyone attending the upcoming admitted students day?

Applied: OSU, UMich, BU
Rejected: OSU
Still waiting on BU but it was my last choice anyway so my mind's pretty made up.

 

[wanthony86]

Harvard SM2 Biostatistics.

 

[deleted379552]

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[GladifImakeit]

Just received my financial aid package from my top choice, Harvard. I'm getting a full-ride scholarship ($60k first year) covering tuition, room/board, health insurance, books, etc. Should I take it?

Too bad they can't pay for modesty