When SOPHAS was launched, one of the most anticipated benefits was the potential for applicant data. Data from cycle two has been analyzed, providing second annual snapshot of the SOPHAS applicant pool as well as a look at the beginning of trend data.
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Quick facts and figures:
Total SOPHAS Applicants: 8,499
U.S. Citizens = 72%
Permanent Residents = 4%
International Citizens = 24%
Men = 30%
Women = 70%
Average number of schools applied to by SOPHAS applicants: 2.47
Matriculation figures (based on applicants applying to spring/fall 2008 programs):
- 76% of applicants were accepted by at least one SOPHAS school
- 46% matriculated to a SOPHAS school
- 24% were offered admission but did not enroll in a SOPHAS school
- 6% postponed enrollment
- 4% were not reviewed due to incomplete application materials or early withdrawals from the process
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Feeder schools
The data regarding feeder schools was very similar in cycle two to data from cycle one. Most of the applicants had previously attended other institutions with public health on campus. Out of the top twenty (20) feeder schools:
• Fifteen (15) were universities with schools of public health,
• Five (5) had no public health schools or programs.
This highlights the opportunities that schools of public health in recruiting from campuses without public health education programs, pursuing feeder programs with four year colleges and linking more closely with other associations, such as the Association of Community Colleges and the National Association of Academic Advisors.
Other Datas
Two other data points in cycle two compared to cycle one that seem to point towards a trend are:
Female to male ratio: 71:29 in cycle one and 70:30 in cycle two
Average age: 28 in cycle one and 27 in cycle two
While two years of data are clearly not enough to identify a trend, we look forward to looking at these data points after several more years to see if there is a trend in increasing female to male ratios or a trend in decreasing average age.
The diversity of applicants in terms of citizenship and ethnicity was robust but this is most likely not a surprise to most schools.
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National % |
SOPHAS Applicant Pool |
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White |
59% |
54% |
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Hispanic |
9% |
5% |
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Black |
11% |
12% |
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Asian |
12% |
12% |
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Native American or Alaskan |
1% |
1% |
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Native Hawaiian/Pac. Islander/
Other/Mixed Race |
8% |
16% |
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International applicants made up of 24% of the SOPHAS applicant pool. These applicants were citizens of 119 different countries. The ten countries with the most applicants were: India, China, Nigeria, South Korea, Canada, Taiwan, Japan, Pakistan, Ghana, and Kenya.
Future data analysis
Several new fields have been added to SOPHAS which will be an important source of information for future data reports. Answers to the question added in cycle three “How did you hear about Schools of Public Health” will allow the SOPHAS schools to better focus their recruiting efforts on a national scale. A new question in cycle four will be: “are you a first generation college student” which will also provide interesting data, particularly when cross-analyzed with the question “how did you hear about Schools of public health” and feeder schools.
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