One of the biggest concerns most students have is whether or not they’ll need to take entrance exams for an MPH program. While these exams can cause quite a bit of stress for most students, the reality is that the vast majority of Master of Public Health programs do require an entrance exam for admission. In most cases, students will be required to take the Graduate Record Examination, or GRE. The GRE is the most common exam required by graduate programs, and features both verbal and quantitative sections designed to challenge a student’s critical thinking skills and demonstrate their aptitude for high-level graduate work.
The GRE: Typically Required, with Exceptions
There is a bit of good news for students who are apprehensive about taking the GRE as a condition for MPH admission: The test can sometimes be waived or substituted. The most common way of substituting the GRE is simply to submit scores from a similar admission test. Many MPH programs will accept GMAT scores, for instance, and some will even accept LSAT scores from students who had considered law school. While this might seem like cold comfort, it’s worth noting that each of these tests has a different way of asking questions and assessing aptitude, and this could allow students to take the test that they feel they will allow them to perform best.
Also see:
While not as common as substitution, some MPH programs and schools also allow for a full waiver of the entrance exam requirement. This waiver is typically granted to students who graduate with a high GPA after they complete their undergraduate course of study. In some cases, a waiver may be granted to students with a large amount of relevant work experience or to students who already hold at least one other advanced degree. Though waivers are hard to find and even harder to qualify for, they’re certainly an option for students who fear the prospect of sitting for the GRE.
Retakes of the GRE Are Allowed and Encouraged
Many students find that they actually score higher on the GRE, and many other standardized tests, if they take the test a second time. This is because most students spend their first interaction with the test mastering its pacing, its style of questioning, and its quirks. By the second time they take the test, they’ve mastered their exam strategies and are able to maximize their eventual score. Colleges and universities take only the highest score, and they do not frown on retaking the GRE as many as five times prior to admission.
Beyond the Exam: Applicant’s Are More than a Score
A very important fact to consider before applying to a Master of Public Health program is that most admissions committees will look beyond a GRE score when considering whether or not to admit an applicant to their incoming class. The typical application for a graduate program asks students to answer an essay question, submit their resume and official transcripts, and occasionally schedule a professional interview with an admissions counselor. All of these additional requirements are designed as ways to get the full sense of an applicant’s achievements, qualifications, and long-term potential as a degree candidate. Strong showings outside of required GRE scores can more than compensate for a low score on the entrance exam in most cases.
Entrance Exams are Required, But They’re Not Scary
Students considering an MPH degree need to move past their initial fear of the GRE requirement and instead embrace the test as a way to demonstrate their potential in the program. By studying hard, scheduling an optional retake, and creating a well-rounded application, the requirement of entrance exams for an MPH can easily be reduced to just one small component of a successful admissions effort.