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Yes, I have well over 500 hours volunteering with legal aid agencies serving indigent clients in the areas of family, immigration law, and veterans.

None of the MSW programs on my list require the GRE (Penn, Temple, West Chester, Widener, and Rutgers-Camden). I am poor standardized test taker (164 LSAT), so I am avoiding schools that require the GRE.

Do I need to take the GRE if both my undergrad and grad GPA are above a 3.0? I did not voluntarily leave law. I was forced to withdraw for medical reasons. Now I am doing fine health-wise.

How are MSW programs in terms of academic rigor? Are social work courses graded on a forced curve like law classes? I got a 3.006 in law school, so I am worried about doing similarly poorly in another graduate program. I know that if you get below a 3.0 in MSW programs, you're put on academic probation.

I can definitely demonstrate a commitment to public service/"fit". After undergrad I served in an AmeriCorps program called City Year, working as a tutor and mentor to at-risk teenagers at an underperforming inner-city high school. After that, I worked as a domestic violence crisis hotline advocate. All of my law internships were with legal aid agencies offering pro bono services to indigent clients. I have worked with inmates, victims of trauma, immigrants, and homeless veterans. I am also fluent in Hindi and Spanish, which I hope will help strengthen my application. Another quick question (I know I have been asking a lot!) Are 2 page resumes OK for MSW apps? My 2 page version contains all employment/volunteer work from summer 2007 onwards; my 1 pager is just legal work experience from 2012 onwards. My biggest worry when submitting MSW apps next year is that I'll be seen as a "quitter".

Bryn Mawr College offers an MSS (Masters in Social Service). Is that equivalent to an MSW? It is a commutable distance from my home. Is a 3.82 undergraduate GPA good enough for Penn MSW? Had a bad first three semesters in undergrad, but almost straights As from fall 2007 to spring 2010. In addition, does ranking of MSW programs matter in terms of job opportunities? Will I have more options with a Penn degree as opposed to an West Chester? Penn is hella expensive!

Just discovered Rutgers-Camden's MSW program. That is doable from suburban Philly. I don't think I could stomach a 3 hour daily commute both ways! I am bipolar and I have to stay in the metro-Philadelphia region because all of my treatment providers are located here.

Will it look bad if I only completed 58 credits of law school?

Thanks. I am specifically looking at Penn, Temple and West Chester. I must stay in the greater Philadelphia region for health reasons. I am just worried that my disciplinary history at the law school will screw me over, even though I have done everything I possibly could to atone for my past misconduct.

Are social work courses graded on a forced curve like law school? I hated that aspect of law school.

I have extensive experience, legal and otherwise, working with underserved communities (immigrants, victims of trauma, inmates, etc.) through paid employment, internships, and volunteer work. AmeriCorps alum. Fluent in Spanish and Hindi. I was forced to withdraw from law school for mental health/disciplinary reasons, and I am not sure whether they will take me back. So social work is my plan B because I am so passionate about public service.

Will a low law school GPA (3.006) hold me back from MSW programs? I did much better in undergrad (3.82, magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa). Sociology and Anthropology major with a Spanish minor.

Will a crappy 3.006 GPA from law school keep me out of an MSW program? I have a strong undergraduate record (Phi Beta Kappa and magna cum laude).

In fall 2013, I was placed on University Probation. In addition, the aggrieved individuals lodged a University Stay Away Order against me. In spring 2014 the probation was lifted and the University Stay Away Order was lifted for almost all the individuals. In fall 2014, my school charged me with disorderly conduct, failure to comply, community disturbance, and property damage. The police trespassed me from campus. In addition, while the investigation was ongoing I was placed on Interim Suspension. Subsequently, after a mandated evaluation by University Counseling Services I was given the option of withdrawing voluntarily for medical reasons. I am eligible to reapply to law school for the fall 2015 semester under the condition that I undergo mental health treatment in the intervening period. . I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. My treatment providers have linked my prior disruptive behaviors to manic episodes that were untreated. Now I am under the care of two psychiatrists (an outsider and my mom), a psychotherapist, and a support group. What are my chances? Undergrad GPA is 3.82 (magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa). Law GPA is a 3.006. I have a longstanding commitment to public service through employment, internships, and volunteer work. Lots of work with immigrants and survivors of trauma. AmeriCorps alum. Want to apply to Penn, Temple, and West Chester.

Temple asks for an explanation though. I was disciplined for acting manic, but the bipolar disorder is now under control thru meds and psychotherapy.