Thanks for sharing your experience. This is very helpful.
As for the MSW/PhD, that is unfortunate.
Your experience in the MSW program is what I feared, your candor is appreciated. I noticed you mentioned that you got funding for your masters, was that an MSW? I was under the impression that you needed to pay out-of-pocket for an MSW.
My goal is to do research in the field of counseling and social welfare and at the same time have a small clinical practice. My understanding was that getting a PhD in social work would be the best for this (so say my Profs), as a professor can: teach, research and practice. I am also applying for PhD in clinical psych although I have been told that the academic market is even harsher for these positions (and the research interests are slightly different than mine). Thus I am focusing on social work graduate programs.
Although this is going of topic, but you seem very knowledgeable in this area so I will ask anyways! I know for typical cases getting your MSW at a top school does not matter but does it effect your chance of getting into a top PhD program after? i.e is it worth the cost if you have ambition for a PhD? From what you have said that it seems that that these schools do not do much and it would be better for me to stay at my home school and publish with the prof that I know and then apply for a PhD elsewhere (and possibly not in social work).
I do not have a background in economics or political science but I will look into Michigan's social work PhD programs.
Thanks again!