Admissions Blog

Johns Hopkins

May 19, 1795 – December 24, 1873

It’s national Bike to Work Day!

Are you planning a two-wheel commute today? Lots of folks are. And it’s not just today. It seems more and more people are commuting by bike every day.

Prospective students often ask if Baltimore is bike-friendly.  I’m afraid I can’t speak from experience. I live a fair distance outside the city and haven’t tried it. But a number of our current students ride their bikes to campus and use the sheltered bike racks located in the deans’ garage under the Wolfe Street Building (accessible from Washington Street).

An unofficial poll of these students confirms that Baltimore is better than many cities at making room for our two-wheeled friends. And there are plans for making it even better!

But don’t take my word for it. Check out these resources.

• Profiles in Green: Biker Bob
• Baltimore Metropolitan Council Bike to Work Day
• Bike Baltimore
• Bike Maryland

Happy Cycling!

Our most recent posts were directed toward admitted students beginning their Bloomberg School education in the 2013-2014 Academic Year.  But even as we in Admissions prepare to roll out the red carpet for incoming students, we are also preparing to guide another batch through the 2014-2015 application.

I can’t believe I just typed “2014-2015,” but it is indeed just around the corner. In fact, the application for degree programs beginning summer or fall of 2014 will open September 1, 2013.

That’s just four months away!

What can you do now?

1. Review “How to Apply,” the application requirements and deadlines and our FAQ.
2. Subscribe to this blog and stay informed about changes to the application, application process and any upcoming deadlines.
3. Arrange to take the GRE or other appropriate standardized test.
4. Begin the credentialing process if you have international academic records.
5. Schedule an English Language Proficiency Exam if you’re required to take one.
6. Come visit and take one of our scheduled campus tours.

And as always, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us.

Welcome to another edition of our monthly series, “What You’re Asking.”

Just to recap, here’s how it works: I scope out emails sent to admiss@jhsph.edu and tally the most frequently asked questions. I choose the most common questions to answer in a blog post.

This month, there was a stand-out question I’ve decided to address in detail.

Are GRE scores required when applying to the Master of Public Health (MPH) program?

Before I answer that, it's important to talk about:

What’s in a degree name? Would an MPH by any other name smell as sweet?

Many times, in the midst of answering an inquiry, we realize the prospective student is confused about the name of the degree they're inquiring about.

The Bloomberg School offers a Schoolwide MPH, plus eight degrees from ten academic departments. The alphabet soup of master’s degrees (MPH, MHA, MHS, MSPH, MPP, ScM) can be confusing and different degrees mean different things at different schools. So, we have a few recommendations. Do your research. Compare curriculum. Look at faculty research. Talk to the program coordinator. Make sure you have a program that fits your interests and career goals.

Now we can talk GRE.

ALL our degree programs require applicants to submit standardized test scores as part of the application process. The GRE is the most universally accepted, but some of our programs are willing to accept a few other common standardized test scores (GMAT or MCAT for example). Application requirements vary by department, degree and even degree track. So first, know your program. Second, know your program’s requirements!

The MPH program will accept the GRE, GMAT, MCAT or LSAT to fulfill the standardized test score requirement. The MPH program is the only one of our programs willing to review applications without standardized test scores IF you have an advanced degree (master’s or doctoral) beyond the baccalaureate.

It’s important to note, if you submit an MPH application without test scores, you may put yourself at a significant disadvantage if the rest of your admission materials don’t clearly demonstrate significant quantitative and analytical skills. This is particularly true if your advanced degree is a medical degree earned outside of the U.S. You should also know, applicants who request to have their materials reviewed without standardized test scores will likely not be awarded a scholarship.

I hope this answers your GRE questions, but if it hasn't, please email us and we'll be happy to talk more!

Those of us working in admissions are not public health professionals. 

We’re data administrators, communicators, project managers, recruiters, event planners and much more. Not one of us has an MPH.

But it’s hard to work here among all the dedicated public health folk and not want to contribute. Each of us participates in our own projects and a few University-wide initiatives, but a few years ago we instituted an office event: the Admissions Day of Service.

Each year, we close the office for a day and volunteer our services to a local organization.

We helped rebuild a neighborhood playground destroyed by arson. We served a meal to the hungry at a center that has done so without interruption for 32 years. We pulled weeds at an urban farm where fresh vegetables are grown to combat inner city food deserts. We pulled trash choking an otherwise beautiful city stream.

Yesterday, we volunteered at the Ronald McDonald House.

Among other things, the Ronald McDonald House provides families with a place to stay - “a home away from home” - while their seriously ill or injured children receive treatment at local hospitals.

A few of us organized and disinfected a playroom.

Others sorted through children’s craft supplies.

Still others sorted through bins and bins of metal tabs for recycling.

The proceeds from the tabs are used to pay for shuttles transporting families to and from the hospital.

Each of these volunteer experiences has touched us in some way.  They make us pause and think. They help us understand why our students and faculty are so passionate about public health. And there’s always something we personally take home.

In this case, it was the desire to collect tabs.

Our office will be collecting pull tabs for the Ronald McDonald House. Next time you splurge on a soda in the Wolfe Street building, bring us your tab!