briefinterviews Posted March 9, 2014 Share Posted March 9, 2014 First, can I just say--Jill Berrick is a total rock star; an amazing woman. As a MAP student with no interest in pursuing direct practice, I cannot speak to what the clinical practice folks' experiences are in the program--but I have never regretted my decision to pursue my MSW at Berkeley. I was also accepted to UCLA, UW, and four other programs, and chose Berkeley for its reputation, smaller cohort, field placement process, and research focus. Although the Bay Area is not my scene and I will definitely be returning to Los Angeles post-grad, I have had opportunities here that I would not have been afforded elsewhere. I've been given a lot of exposure, and provided a tremendous amount of learning and experience that is laying the foundation for the rest of my career. Honestly, the coursework is as intense as you want to make it--many of us make it through the program without doing much (if any! :x) of the assigned readings, and are able to focus our energies on the areas and activities that compel us most. There is a lot of group work, and that can get pretty time-intensive depending on the course. It is also a very research-oriented program, which some folks (like me) love, and others--well, don't. If the academic side of things is important to you, you can load up on classes in and outside of the department and go nuts. But if you want to delve into research, fieldwork, or other activities, you can take a lighter load and scale back the time you invest in coursework. I have mixed feelings about the quality of instruction within the department, especially within the foundation courses required in the first semester. The general trend appears to be (at least among MAPpers) that the farther along in the program, the more students are satisfied with their experience and classes. Overall, faculty are open and supportive, and there have been a handful of courses in and outside the department that played a big role in reframing and refining my thinking, and have given me a lot of practical tools and skills to use in my work. You will not be able to do it all, and everyone in the program (including faculty) concedes to this. You are responsible for your own learning, setting your own priorities (and boundaries), knowing your limits, and determining what it is you want to get out of your time here. The more proactive you are in that regard, the more you will reap--but it is very easy to get pulled in a lot of different directions, and to get overwhelmed and burnt out. There are a lot of passionate, hardworking, ambitious folks here, although many of us certainly suffer from some degree of impostor syndrome. Also: I suspect the conservatism rumor stems from the fact that Berkeley is not the breeding ground for activism and social justice it was decades ago. When talking about power and privilege, diversity and -isms and social justice, the program falls remarkably short--and the cohort often needs to take responsibility for facilitating meaningful conversations around these topics. Every program has its pitfalls, and Berkeley is no exception. It is important to really manage your expectations. People tend to think that MSW programs are some panacea, and then they wind up disappointed or angry when they're not. This is but one phase in what is a lifelong learning process, and MSW programs are not immune from the brokenness plauging the very systems we seek to remedy. Hold on to your ambition and idealism, but understand that this field is fraught with its own complications that will certainly test your preconceptions about social work--and your role in it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guyinshortsallday Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 Are you asking about scholarship or Title IV-E program? Wondering because I was just contacted by Berkeley today to schedule interview for Title IV-E. Hey sorry for being super late in replying but yep that is it. Lets see what happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ontheswpath Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 @guyinshortsallday - good luck For those of you who have been accepted - have you received any financial aid information yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happyclam Posted March 20, 2014 Share Posted March 20, 2014 No, they are making us fill out a form to determine our residency status. Once that's been completed, they said they will be sending us financial aid information. That is likely to be in May of this year. Best of luck to those having interviews and to those on the waitlist!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ontheswpath Posted March 20, 2014 Share Posted March 20, 2014 Thanks for the info happyclam! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaojinli Posted March 28, 2014 Share Posted March 28, 2014 Those of you who just interviewed at Berkeley for Title IV-E the last few weeks, have you heard any news? The wait is finally driving me nuts. Was hoping we might hear today, even though we were told next week! Good luck all! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swrker14 Posted March 28, 2014 Share Posted March 28, 2014 Those of you who just interviewed at Berkeley for Title IV-E the last few weeks, have you heard any news? The wait is finally driving me nuts. Was hoping we might hear today, even though we were told next week! Good luck all! I interviewed yesterday and Dr. Ralph said they'd be making calls today. I haven't even had to wait as long as anyone else and I'm going nuts! loll Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaojinli Posted March 28, 2014 Share Posted March 28, 2014 Hi, thanks for letting me know. I thought we might hear today, at least if it's good news, which is why I'm starting to get nervous. When you hear, would you mind sending a note? Though if you don't feel like it, I understand. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swrker14 Posted March 28, 2014 Share Posted March 28, 2014 Ya of course, if I get a call, because I believe they're only calling those they accepted and sending denial letters over the weekend. My stomach is on knots! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaojinli Posted March 28, 2014 Share Posted March 28, 2014 Thanks. Hang in there, and I see you got into SFSU, so that's great. Congratulations! You have something to count on! I only applied to Berkeley so if this doesn't work I'm stuck for a year. Fingers crossed mutually! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guyinshortsallday Posted March 28, 2014 Share Posted March 28, 2014 Let's hope for all of us... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaojinli Posted March 28, 2014 Share Posted March 28, 2014 has anybody heard yet? starting to get late! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaojinli Posted March 28, 2014 Share Posted March 28, 2014 sorry, i'm being obsessive, but i'm assuming at this point i didn't get in. but wondering, has anyone gotten a call today, b/c i'm hoping maybe they're not doing it until monday. perhaps foolish, but...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ontheswpath Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 I got a call today from prof Ralph at around 4pm and she wasn't even halfway through the list! So don't lose hope! She will prob make calls on Monday too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swrker14 Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 anyone on the waitlist that is eagerly waiting for that call?? yesterday was the deadline for those accepted to submit their intent to register, hopefully some of us will hear some good news soon as spots open up! guyinshortsallday 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luv2bootscoot Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 anyone on the waitlist that is eagerly waiting for that call?? yesterday was the deadline for those accepted to submit their intent to register, hopefully some of us will hear some good news soon as spots open up! I am! It's making time go by soooo slowwwwwly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amina26 Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 I just got an email from the admission committee around 3pm that there is space available for my application to be recommended to the community mental health concentration...."we are able to recommend you to the Graduate Division for admission to our program"...................................... I immediately replied back that YES I am definitely still interested. Have yet to hear back. This does not feel like real life right now. In shock. Does that even mean I am accepted though...?! Good luck to everyone else still waiting....and keep us updated on things you hear ontheswpath 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ontheswpath Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 I just got an email from the admission committee around 3pm that there is space available for my application to be recommended to the community mental health concentration...."we are able to recommend you to the Graduate Division for admission to our program"...................................... I immediately replied back that YES I am definitely still interested. Have yet to hear back. This does not feel like real life right now. In shock. Does that even mean I am accepted though...?! Good luck to everyone else still waiting....and keep us updated on things you hear Congrats! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swrker14 Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 I just got an email from the admission committee around 3pm that there is space available for my application to be recommended to the community mental health concentration...."we are able to recommend you to the Graduate Division for admission to our program"...................................... I immediately replied back that YES I am definitely still interested. Have yet to hear back. This does not feel like real life right now. In shock. Does that even mean I am accepted though...?! Good luck to everyone else still waiting....and keep us updated on things you hear nice!! let us know once its official! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now