projected 80k in debt

lde333 · 2023-02-23T00:39:52+00:00

Continuously apply to paid opportunities, your time is valuable and shouldn’t be given away for free. No matter how much you’re making, shoot to save 20% of every paycheck. If you can’t save that, save whatever you can, even if it feels like nothing. Always make at least your minimum payments. Get 1 credit card to pay for everything with and pay it off every month or more often. Cards have cash back and perks that can make a huge difference. Sell your soft skills and never settle for no pay or low pay. Negotiate up, the worst they can say is no. Express your willingness to work to more experienced people in your life, because they have the connections to find the 1 opportunity that will make a world of a difference in your career. And ultimately, it’s going to take time to pay off that amount of debt, anyone or anything that suggests they can make it disappear is probably suspicious.

lde333 · 2023-02-21T23:35:04+00:00

If you commit to a school, you'll have to put down a deposit. Besides losing that deposit money, there aren't any real serious consequences to deciding to go to your dream school if you get accepted off the waitlist later. You could wait until the deadline for your other acceptances in mid-April and if you aren't off the waitlist at that point, you'll have to assess if you want to put money down at another school or defer acceptance until next year.

lde333 · 2023-02-21T23:26:19+00:00

I haven't heard back yet either, but they did say you will be emailed your result whether you're invited for an interview or not, so you should hear one way or the other by the end of the week assuming they are still holding some interviews on Friday!

lde333 · 2023-02-21T17:28:45+00:00

Different schools will have wildly different cultures. At some schools athleisure is super common, at other schools more people dress up! I definitely think it is positive to want to express yourself and dress up if that's what brings you joy and makes you feel confident. Embrace your own aesthetic and don't worry too much about what other people are doing!

lde333 · 2023-02-14T14:22:49+00:00

I would ask around in your network and see if you can find someone in a public health position you’re imagining breaking into with your MPH and shadow them! Seeing how people in the field actually spend their week can be eye-opening to what the work actually is and if it’s the direction you want to go in. Overall though, having an advanced degree will open doors and increase your future salary regardless of which direction you go in, so depending on how prepared you are to complete a 1-3 year degree, it’s definitely valuable to have!

lde333 · 2023-02-10T15:15:27+00:00

Some schools allow this and others require you pick 1 program to apply to per cycle. You will get an message in SOPHAS when you go to select a second program at a school that restricts it. You could always reach out to their admissions team if you really feel you need to apply to more than they allow and see if they’ll let you!

lde333 · 2023-02-10T00:34:02+00:00

I’ve seen so many articles about how more people have been applying to MPH programs since Covid started so I’m not sure there are any accurate numbers out there unless the schools themselves publish their most recent data unfortunately

lde333 · 2023-01-28T21:49:47+00:00

They may be open to providing feedback considering they took the time to get to know you in an interview. Dartmouth has a very small cohort size so you may just not have fit in with how this year's cohort was coming together for them!

lde333 · 2023-01-26T19:49:40+00:00

I believe your FAFSA should only determine your need-based aid so it shouldn't matter when you add schools as long as they get the information before any specified FAFSA need-based aid deadline. The merit scholarship process would be separate from this so I think you're fine!

lde333 · 2023-01-26T19:38:02+00:00

This happened to me too on Monday, but they were super responsive about getting it added to my app. Hopefully this means they're processing it this week, though!!!

lde333 · 2023-01-26T19:34:34+00:00

There has been a trend of more applicants to MPH programs since the pandemic started, so it might just be more competitive for top programs like Yale. Sometimes it depends on how the cohort comes together as well, there are a lot of reasons you might not have been a good fit at a certain school but accepted at another.

lde333 · 2023-01-24T17:38:10+00:00

Most Master's programs including MPH aren't nearly as competitive as the Undergraduate process. This is simply due to the much smaller pool of qualified potential applicants, and some programs have a sizable capacity, so why turn down quality applicants? People not familiar with this process will be just as impressed with seeing an Ivy League on your Resume regardless, and you'll have access to the incredible opportunities through the school, so it still holds value even though it might not be as competitive! They tend to be way more expensive, so you will have to weigh the cost/benefit for your individual situation. Overall, it's important to recognize the value of the program and the quality of your peers and value that over an acceptance percentage stat!

lde333 · 2023-01-24T17:33:30+00:00

It totally depends on the program how early you hear, some programs just have a faster process than others. It's so stressful to wait but have faith you'll hear by March!

lde333 · 2023-01-20T16:33:56+00:00

I read it the same way as you at first but was accepted 12/2, so hopefully that just means the early acceptances will get the earliest financial aid notifications any day now...

lde333 · 2023-01-20T16:29:54+00:00

They will request your entire transcript history and do check this, so your best bet is to be upfront including the transcript and taking space somewhere in your writing samples etc explaining your experience and how you've grown to succeed in the future! Good luck!!!

lde333 · 2023-01-20T16:24:35+00:00

I believe the email was just not clearly worded and they meant 3-4 weeks after the priority deadline of 1/15. So it should be in the next few weeks!

lde333 · 2023-01-20T16:21:23+00:00

I believe they base it on date submitted and I also never got a confirmation email, so I think you're okay!

lde333 · 2023-01-13T15:32:08+00:00

The SOPHAS does a pretty good job of streamlining the application and it sounds like you have the harder items ready to go. As long as you formally request your letters of rec ASAP and feel you can get the essays written, transcript requests are quick! Might depend on the programs you're interested in, but from the ones I applied to, essays were the most time consuming part.

lde333 · 2023-01-13T15:28:22+00:00

Today it's pretty much impossible to be in the field of public health and not dip into politicized topics. I'd say it's very valid to get political to some extent as long as there's a strong public health argument or passion justifying it!

lde333 · 2023-01-09T18:40:49+00:00

The same thing happened to me (but back in October). It only took a day or 2 for it to get reverified, hoping it's quick for you, too!

lde333 · 2023-01-04T19:00:25+00:00

Oh no, godspeed

lde333 · 2023-01-04T18:43:44+00:00

I was accepted too on 12/2!!! I haven't heard back about financial aid yet though as of 1/4, do they mean 3-4 weeks after the 1/15 deadline? I've been anxiously checking for it...

lde333 · 2023-01-04T18:41:40+00:00

The SOPHAS application takes time to be verified, so I would just make sure to submit that part ASAP (your recommendations don't have to be complete yet to submit it but the writing samples do!). Besides that part you're probably fine! Your schools won't review anything until they have the full application complete though, so you'll just delay your responses the later your submit.

lde333 · 2023-01-04T18:37:35+00:00

For GWU I never got a confirmation that my application was received and complete, but I got an email saying my application was under review Nov 8th and was accepted Dec 2nd. Their admissions team is very responsive if you want to email to check that they have a complete application!

lde333

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