1
Tell a story with your Statement of Purpose
This is your chance to play up your strengths, explain any weaknesses in your background, talk about your interest in the program, and describe what career goals you have. Don’t be afraid to make your purpose statement personal while still keeping it professional. It’s here where you can let the admissions team get to know you and why you want to attend their program. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health recommends including specifics about career plans, and what you have done to prepare for a future career in public health
2
Pursue the right concentration
Most in-person and online MPH programs will want you to apply within a specified concentration/track. Depending on the program, this can be changed after acceptance, but for the sake of the application, it’s best to have a specific concentration in mind. Applying for a specific concentration doesn’t mean you need ample experience in that concentration. For example, if you’re interested in public health policy, it’s okay if you don’t have a perfectly tailored resume with policy experience or relevant coursework. There are many concentrations within public health, so choosing the right concentration is an important component.
3
Strategize who to ask for a letter of recommendation
Certain programs will want letters of recommendation from a mix of professors, academic mentors, and professional colleagues while others may ask for just one or the other. If the program you are applying to is catered to working professionals, job experience may be required. According to George Washington University, it’s ideal to ask potential recommenders at least six to eight weeks in advance of your application deadline. It’s also helpful to provide an outline of information regarding the program you are applying to, as well as relevant information about you, such as a paper you wrote for their class.
4
Reach out to current students or alumni in the program(s) you’re applying to
Some MPH programs will have a portal dedicated to reaching alumni of the program before you apply so you can ask questions or get a better understanding of career options available after graduating. This can also be helpful when looking to network after graduation. Another way to reach out to alumni is through networking sites like LinkedIn where you can search for people through your school’s page, or mutual connections. Alumni may be able to shed light on how the application and interview processes work, whether there’s no GRE requirement for the MPH program, and more. It can also be potentially useful to connect with these professionals later on down the line if you decide to continue advancing your career with a doctor of public health online.
5
Keep an organized and up-to-date timeline
The last thing you want is to realize you missed a crucial piece of your application, or misread a deadline for a letter of recommendation. Keep an on-going checklist and organized timeline that clearly highlights your application due dates, requirements, and status changes. For an MPH application, keep track of the length of the program, whether it’s part-time or full-time, which concentrations you are considering, and any financial aid options. If you’re a student interested in a public health scholarship, it’s key to align your program start date with when you’re funding will be available. If the program(s) you are applying to all use SOPHAS, the centralized application service for public health, you can apply to all your schools with a centralized application. It’s also better to begin your application process early so you can buy yourself time should any hurdles come up. Remember, when creating your organized timeline, you don’t need to get fancy. A simple Excel spreadsheet or Word document will suffice. Northeastern University offers great advice on how to make the most of your time, so the application is as streamlined as possible. For example, consider using a dedicated email address for things like letters of recommendation requests, program inquiries, and financial aid information.
6
Look into the types of statistical programs you might use during an MPH program
Although this tip isn’t crucial until after you’ve been accepted into a program, it doesn’t hurt to be prepared. MPH courses in biostatistics and/or epidemiology will usually involve one or more statistical software packages, such as SPSS, STATA, SAS, or R. Make sure you have a laptop or computer that is capable of installing any statistical software packages required for your courses. While your MPH program will most likely give you access to these software packages for free, be sure that your operating system is up to date and can handle downloading/installing these packages without any problems. While it’s not entirely necessary to look into this during the application process, it’s better to find this information early on, rather than realizing half-way through a class that your laptop doesn’t support the software needed.
