I've been receiving many emails asking about SOPHAS processing time and whether you need to turn your application in early to compensate for this time, and the answer is NO.
SOPHAS does mention this processing time so that's applicants have an understanding that there is not an immediate turn around when submitting the application, however this is also creating some confusion. The only deadline date you need to remember is December 2, 2011. We are aware of this time and have built it into our review process. Keep in mind that all materials need to be at SOPHAS by this date but there is no need to submit early to compensate for processing.
UPDATE: 9/28/12- Due to several issues last year we are now recommending turning in the SOPHAS application by early November, if possible. There is no penalty if you turn in your application on December 3rd (the 2012 deadline) however if SOPHAS does need to to fix something on your application, with the initial 3-4 week verification time and an additional 3-4 weeks after you fix the problem then it can too late for review by the time we receive your application. Please note turning it in early does not mean we will review your application before the December 3rd deadline, only that it will allow you time to make sure your application is received on time.
Monday, October 24, 2011
Thursday, September 29, 2011
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.
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.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
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.
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.
Monday, September 12, 2011
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.
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.
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