Word Limits

Here are some important word/character limits to remember.

• Statement of Purpose- 1,500 words. Keep in mind that some programs have their own limitations/requirements. Please see our Essays webpage for details.
• Personal History Statement- 4,000 characters.
• Letters of Recommendation- 700 words.

In addition to the word/character limits applicants should be aware that word processor character do not translate into text correctly. We encourage you to compose your statements in a  text-only word processor (e.g., Notepad, not Word), then cut and paste the final edit into the text box in SOPHAS and the Berkeley-specific application.

Admissions Cycles

UC Berkeley's School of Public Health only offers Fall admissions. You will want to apply one year before you plan to start graduate school. Those applying now will be accepted to start in Fall 2012.

Should I apply to graduate school straight from my undergraduate institution or should I take time to work for a year or two?

When weighing the decision to apply to graduate school straight from your undergraduate institution or gain work experience, it is a good idea to research the programs you are interested in applying to. Some programs will find work experience quite beneficial, some may require a minimum number of years of work experience, while still others may say that work experience is completely unnecessary. I highly recommend contacting the program coordinators for the program you are interested in as the are invaluable resources when it comes to knowing exactly what makes a competitive applicant.

When should I submit my application?

We are often asked if there is any advantage to submitting an application early and my answer is that the advantage is entirely to the applicant. Preparing to submit your application early will give you the time to check for completeness and give you a buffer should anything be delayed. There is no advantage in terms of how the admissions committee will view you. This is because SOPHAS will not release your application to us until after the application deadline. Once the deadline passes, SOPHAS will verify your information and then release your application to UC Berkeley's School of Public Health. So my advice is start preparing early, double check everything and submit by the deadline.

Merit-based funding support

I see that you have some merit-based support. How do I apply for those awards?

At UC Berkeley's School of Public Health we have a handful of merit-based scholarships available to those who have shown academic excellence. How do I get nominated for one of these scholarships you ask? Well, there is no specific nomination process or extra work needed to be nominated. When the admission committee is reviewing files, they are also looking for possible candidates for financial aid. They already know what pools of money they have available to them and will mark applications as being good for this scholarship, or good for that fellowship. So the quick answer is....submit the strongest application possible. This includes submitting a focused statement of purpose, strong letters of recommendation, good GRE scores and good grades. 

Letters of Recommendation

This week I received 3 questions for the blog all on Letters of Recommendation so this post will be a overview.

One of the most commonly asked questions is, what to do when you've been out of school for a while and don't have professors to write letters for you. In this case you're likely a working professional, or even volunteering so use what you have. Letters are not required to be written by professors. Often we see letters from supervisors, graduate TA's and  other academics. What you want to keep in mind is what information the letters will provide. Typically, you want to try to have at least one letter from someone who has seen you in an academic setting and can write to your academic potential. This doesn't necessarily mean a professor. If you're working in the industry, have a supervisor write to your potential in the industry or your research potential. Catch the theme yet? It's all about potential. We want to know your potential and how you've done so far. Now if you're debating between a professor who you  don't have a strong relationship with you, or a TA who you have worked closely with all semester, consider your other letter writers. If you already have two strong letters of recommendation from professors, one from a TA will likely be acceptable.

Now what about the actual number of letters. Most schools require at least three Letters of Recommendation, but some people wonder about submitting more. My recommendation is that 3-5 Letters of Recommendation are acceptable. Beyond that and there can be the potential that the admissions committee will question the need for so many. If you feel that your letters are not as strong as you'd like you don't want to add more to compensate. Work on the relationships themselves, don't add more. If you feel they are all strong this is great, but don't want to come off as bragging. And keep in mind the committees are reading hundreds of files and they always appreciate a well prepared, succinct application. 

Lastly, this year SOPHAS is only accepting Letters of Recommendation electronically. If you send a hard copy to us or to them there is no way for us to add this to your application. Keep this in mind when asking your letter writers for a recommendation. Make sure they have someone who can upload the letter if they are not comfortable with email or computers. Additionally, SOPHAS will not release your application to us unless they have received at least two letters electronically. As always once you've submitted your application be sure to log back in periodically to check your items are being received. It is ultimately your responsibility for the completeness of your application.

PhD Applicants: What to know before you apply.

Though each program is different, and I recommend talking to an individual program coordinator, there are some generalities when it comes to filling out the application.

1. Research - Have an idea what you would like to do when you get here. It doesn't have to be a fully formed thesis, just know what direction you'd like to explore. Which leads nicely to...
2. Faculty - It's a good idea to research the faculty and have a couple ideas of who you'd like to work with. Make sure they are doing research which falls in line with what you'd like to be doing. I like to say that you'll be using their research as a springboard for your own.
3. Statement of Purpose - This is where you let us know about who'd you like to work with and what you'd like to do. This helps the admissions committee direct your application and shows you've done your homework.

So what if you have many faculty who you'd like to work with, or a handful of ideas that all seem really promising as research projects? This is where I recommend talking to the program coordinators. They will know their faculty best, and be able to help you think critically about who and what you'd like to do while at Berkeley. It may even be possible to be co-advised or pursue an interdisciplinary track to your research.  Remember, we understand you're in the application phase and fully expect that your ideas may change throughout your graduate career, you just need to consider the best fit for yourself.

Funding for PhD Students

How am I going to pay for this?

It's a question you're asking yourself as you research graduate schools. And if you're a PhD student this question becomes especially important since they time involvement is greater. Each PhD Program will have their own support model which may include campus fellowships, teaching and research assistantships, departmental funds, and other sources. Please contact the program coordinator of the program you are interested in for more detailed information on their specific support model.