awright228
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Posts posted by awright228
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It was a huge heartbreak and disappointment for me to find out that I didn't get accepted to any of the five MSW programs that I applied to this past spring. I'm going to try again this year, but I'm wondering if anyone has any tips to make my application stronger.
I graduated with a BA in English about ten years ago with a GPA of 2.5. I've been working with Ameri.Corps for two years and about to do a third term with the same program. While it's an education based program, I'm getting hands-on experience with working by volunteering at the foster home and homeless shelter. Recently, I took classes at a community college and got a 4.0 for that semester.
What else would you suggest?
Did you take the GRE? I know a lot of schools don't require it, but some will still allow you to submit it. I would suggest this if your undergrad GPA doesn't reflect what you are capable of at the graduate level. Also in your admission statements don't ignore the fact that your undergrad GPA is one of your weaker points in your application address the reasons why it's lower, why you believe you can achieve higher academic standards at the graduate level ect. It will be good if you can bolster that with proof from more community college courses/a high GRE score.
I would suggest that if the schools you talk to say that your UGPA was a weak point or negative factor in your application.
Keep trying! You can get in!
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I've only been out of school for a couple months and I want to apply for next fall (2014) to go back to school. Not too much luck on the job front, and I'm more and more convinced that this is the field for me and don't want to wait around any longer.
My biggest piece of "relevant experience" is 6 semesters of service learning teaching/mentoring in urban school. It ends up being around 200 hours classroom time and another 100+ hours with peers and professors in the program. I have a strong recommendation to back up my work here and its relevance to the field of social work, but I'm just unsure of the perceived connection of teaching to the field. Additionally, I'm unsure of if this limited amount of hours is really enough.
Is my experience too limited? Too tangential? Would it be enough to volunteer part-time this fall while applying (currently working full time in a completely unrelated job/field), or do I have to wait another year or two to apply until I get more work experience?
Has anyone else applied with "relevant experience" like this that can chime in?
I think you have a lot of good things there to work with! And volunteering even if it is just one Sunday a week at a soup kitchen is never a bad idea. I really don't think I had a lot of experience when I applied, but I had 'something' I could talk about in my personal statement and tied it into what I want to do, like, the last poster said.
I think MSW programs def. want some experience, but it's not like you have to have a TON if your other credentials are good/solid as well.
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I've spent the past 10 years as a public defender. For the first five years I represented clients who were charged with capital murder or on death row. For the past five years I have represented clients charged with or convicted of federal felonies, mostly in appellate and postconviction proceedings. I have always loved working with my clients: interviewing them, visiting them, counseling them, listening to them, piecing together the stories of their lives, especially their biopsychosocial histories. I am a good defender, but researching the law, drafting memoranda and briefs, and arguing in court do not provide the same personal and professional satisfaction that I get from my client interaction. In fact, I enjoy being a CASA Volunteer more than I enjoy being a lawyer.
To be honest, I went to law school because I wanted to make a difference and chose the law based upon the erroneous assumption that it would allow me to have the greatest impact. Having succeeded in the face of so many obstacles, I felt a need to help those who had not. I was also drawn to the financial security it provided, which was very important to me as the first person in my family to complete the tenth grade. If I had it to do over again . . .
I can't, but I can make a difference and do what I love by becoming an LCSW and providing mental health services to those who are at risk of becoming offenders and the children of incarcerated parents.
My fear is that my professional experience will be viewed negatively. So I am seeking guidance on how to avoid that fear being born out. In addition to working as a CASA Volunteer, I spent two years in VISTA pror to law school working as a Communities in Schools site coordinator and program coordinator for a daytime homeless shelter. So I have human services experiences outside of the legal field. And I know that my legal experience does not equate to social work experience and that I will have to reorient myself and immerse myself in my education. You have to know what you don't know to learn and advance. For that reason, I plan on going to school full-time.
So what can I do in the application process to minimize the likelihood that my experience as a public defender works against me? And, as a follow up, how can I make my experience work for me and not against me while in school.
Any input is greatly appreciated.
I'm just a lowly law graduate (not an attorney) and all the schools I applied to looked VERY favorably on my legal education and the little legal experience I had (clerkships and clinic experience). It also helped me get the GA position I got! So I imagine with all your experience, most MSW programs will love to have you!!! I really can't see ANY program holding it against you!!
Congrats on your decision to enter a new field and good luck!
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Good points, all. For those of you that were awarded scholarships or grants, were those primarily "need based" or were they awarded regardless of financial situation. And, in the case of merit, any idea what that criteria was based on? As someone whose FAFSA is going to look much better in the year I apply than when I'm actually going to school, I'm curious what drives the decision to lower tution costs.
I think the best idea to get the most bang for your buck and the best options is to apply to State schools if your state has a program you like and ALSO big private schools with a good reputation for giving merit based aid -- they do give a lot of merit aid if you have the credentials. After you line up the scholarhips you have gotten with the tuition cost, I would take my top three choices (least expensive options) and apply for any GA position that I thought would remotely aid my study.
That's what I did when I got my J.D. and now as I am going back for my MSW and I had a lot of affordable options. I went to Michigan State University Law on a full-ride (not the best law school in the country but climbing the ranks and def. got a great education) and I'm going to BC for my MSW w/ $20k tuition remission and a GA position that will cover the remainder of my tuition plus a stipend. I had to apply to alot of positions at various schools..it was basically like a part time job trying to find positions that would work with my program and would cover the remainder of my tuition not covered by scholarships. I ended up having several options in by the time May rolled around and I went with BC because it was gunna be free of cost and it was my first choice.
I just think applying to both State schools and private schools gives you a lot of options as far as tuition range and chance to get merit aid or other unique scholarships...also at huge univeristy's you have the opportunity to apply for GA positions or teaching assistant positions. I was a TA at MSU for 2 years which helped me not take out many loans for living expenses.
Best of luck to all!
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Awright228-
Why did you chose BC as opposed to BU?
How much did BU offer you in scholarship aid? And what is your focus/concentration?
Just curious I am struggling with a decison of going to BU or not...
Hi SofieCat,
BU I just had the option of government loans. But BC gave me 20k in scholarship -- so hopefully, I can use some loans and then work at the same time to cover the rest of the cost. I have my JD already, so my career goals are to work with children and families in the legal system ie: guardian ad litem, custody, adoption, ect...I want to use the MSW to inform my legal practice and get the clinical trianing and experience that I don't have.
Congrats on your acceptance! What are the other options besides BU for you? What is your focus?
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I recently got in, which was a surprise... (i'd elaborate more on that part in PM)
I already accepted BU and will be up there next week so I was thinking about stopping by. A lot of it would depend on money...but I should go in with an open mind.
Where are you deciding between? Why do you like it?
Hey yeah, I think I am going to BU just bc they gave me the most $ and I really like boston and the program seems solid to me. Boston or Western Mass. is also where I would like to end up eventually. I am not thrilled about the cost of living there, but I think it will be okay.
CONGRATS on getting in to BU!!! That is so exciting. So are you going there over BC bc you already accepted?
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Bumping this up...how was your visit? Anyone else have thoughts?
I think I will be going to BC! You still deciding?
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Just out of curiosity, how is everyone planning to pay for social work school? Do you have money saved up? Will your family be helping out?
I got my various acceptances, but am really struggling with the financial part of it. I don't have any money saved up, and my parents aren't really in a position to help me out, either.
NYU: got a $12,000 scholarship, didn't really get info on work study, annual tuition $36,000ish. I decided to let the response deadline come and go.
Columbia: got a $13,000 scholarship for the coming year, and $4,000 work study. I hear that's on the higher end of things. Except annual tuition is around $40,000 not counting living expenses. Even if I take out the max in federal loans which I think is capped at $20,500, I will still have to get private loans just to even cover the tuition, never mind living expenses. I probably would have to pay off $60,000 in loans at the very, very least, probably closer to $70,000. Which probably translates into several hundred dollars of loan repayment a month.
Hunter: in-state annual tuition is $12,000 a year. The federal loan would cover my living expenses as well as tuition, as I will be commuting from home. I would have loans of less than $40,000 to pay off, which probably translates into more like a couple hundred dollars a month.
Meanwhile, I hear the average entry-level (clinical) social worker in the NYC area (which is where I plan to stay) makes $45,000 a year, if that.
I think I could afford Hunter. But I am not sure I can afford Columbia, even though it's high on the prestige factor.
Of course, I have less than a week to officially decide...I hate the price of school -- I think it's totally unfair that education is so expensive! So when I started to go for advanced degrees I decided a long time ago I would not go anywhere that wouldn't pay for the whole thing or extremely close to it. When I went for my J.D. I moved across the country to accept a 100% tuition and I worked during my time there to make up for living, but I borrowed a little bc I could not work full time. Now, that I am going back for my social work degree I got 20k from BC and I am looking for work or a grad assistantship to pay for the rest. I will not borrow another dime from the government -- if I don't find any gainful work or a grad position, I will defer my admission or apply to more schools next year and see if I can get more $ somewhere else.
I think that most MSWs that I know or work with think that w/e they borrowed was worth it bc they are in careers that they truly love. I just don't want to borrow anymore on personal protest!
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Has anyone applied to and/or received a reply from Rutgers in regard to their MSW application? I have spoke to admissions and was told that they are still reviewing applications? Also any current students have any input or feedback regarding the program?
I got a response that I was accepted, but I'm not attending. GOOD LUCK!
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Hi I am no expert at getting into programs. But overall, I do not think your grades are that bad and I think it would be wise to take some classes online...maybe you could take some social work classes, like, BSW or MSW credits...I know a lot of schools allow for visiting credits. And it would not be a waste of time/$ because you could likely transfer these credits.
I also think you can volunteer MANY places that would take you even with a gap in volunteer experience such as local soup kitchens, ect., even this level of volunteer experience would show to MSW programs that you are serious about your future in human services. I think they understand many ppl. must work that's why volunteering 3hrs on a sunday is sufficient if your 9-5 schedule and other commitments wont allow for more. I feel that I had very little human service experience when I applied compared to many ppl. on these boards.
Then, in your letter of interest/personal state, you can explain a lot of this to the committee in a positive way if you take classes online you have even more back up for your statement, you know? Not everyone is a traditional student that goes from BSW to MSW right away and graduate programs value diversity.One thing I would caution is NOT saying the reason my grades were low is bc I went to an incredibly challenging and top program for my major...bc every social work program tends to think their program is challening, so you are saying I don't succeed when I am challenged -- Just bc you got a lower grades in your major of study does not mean you are stupid and you do not need to justify it by saying my program was challening (though I'm sure it was), you can show you are smart in other ways --- Just state it plainly that you recognize and take responsibility that your grades were not that good and here is why I think I struggled (ie: I was not as good at journalist as I was at say sociology, I had X, Y and Z going on and now I have delt with X, Y, Z as evidenced by my success in taking X and Y course online at UNC and this has shown me that I am excited to pursue this career along with my volunteer experience at X and Y yadda yadda). You know, I'm just summarizing thoughts -- I think this shows maturity and growth which are all positive aspects of your story.
Personally, I think your story is really interesting and you would be a great MSW candidate and I'm super excited for you. You can always talk more to specific programs and see waht else you can add to your application to make it more competitive usually professors on admissions committees are helpful.
BEST OF LUCK!
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Ya I will definitely ask about it for you! Are there any other specific questions about the program you have? I would be more than happy to ask for you when I go to visit. I will be sitting in on a class as well. I think it is going to be a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy class. Are you looking to do a macro or micro track? I am very interested in the school, but the price is just so high!
Hey texasgrad, no I don't have any other real questions, but thanks so much for being so helpful. I was accepted into micro. -- What abotu you? I love Boston and I am pretty familiar with the area. I did talk to the admissions ppl. about the hispanic-latino track basically they said that if you pass a proficiency exam you can take 4 classes in spanish (they are regular courses but just taught in spanish) and I would be really interested in that. It is def. a unique aspect that they just added. I don't think it is a formal concentration, but just something extra you can do, so many jobs require you to be bilingual now that I thought it would be a great thing.
Anyway, def. let me know how your visit goes. I am sure you will love the campus. Did BC give you any $ or did any other schools? Apparently, there are a lot of GA positions you can apply for in other schools at the univeristy, maybe they will speak more about that at the visit program?
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I havent chosen either way yet. I am going to visit the campus and sit in on a class next week. I am looking forward to learning more about the program before I decide. Are you leaning towards BC?
Yeah, right now I am. If you find anything out about their new hispanic-latino track let me know. There is this new option to take some classes in spanish if you pass a spanish exam and I'm trying to get more info from admissions.
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Did anyone choose Boston College that got in?
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Hello all. While both Columbia and Michigan are wonderful institutions, I am having a hard time deciding which program is right for me. My heart tugs for Columbia. Not only is the program ideal for its' curriculum flexibility and emphasis on macro social work and research, I've always been smitten by the university's history and culture. My practical side leans towards Michigan for its' #1 ranking, strong program, and ultimately, tuition and living is a LOT cheaper! If you can shed some insight on either of the programs, I'd very much appreciate it. Thanks for your time!
Michigan all the way! I go to state right now for law school and I think they are also ranked pretty high for SW, but UMICH is such a great MSW school, the faculty has so many connections there and they are constantly doing things in the government and doing excellent research it's like a tier 1 research institution and that's very hard to be.
AND if it's cheaper for you...there is no doubt in my mind you will be making a smart choice and not scarificing your education at all. I am actually from New York idk where you are from, but I would choose Michigan for school over NYC, it just makes sense.
However, w/e you choose be glad that you have to great options! Very excited for you.
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I just got an email saying I was accepted to BC! My boyfriend lives in Boston so I would love to go here if they offered my money. It said there was an info packet to come, is this where you got funding information?
Yes!
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What factors are people considering in order to make their decision on BU by Friday? I am really struggling with making this decision so soon and before I have heard from many of the other programs I applied to.
Just price for me....BU offered me $0 and BC offered me $20k, so BU got eliminated and BC stands for three more weeks unless another school comes in and that's cheaper!
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I visited BU today and liked it a lot more than I expected to. Definitely going to make my decision a lot harder.
Question- people who applied to BC- how long did it take you to hear?
I applied for the early deadline I think and I got my official BC acceptance in the mail today w/ funding...I am so happy and humbled. Good luck to all BC ppl!
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How were you contacted about BC? Just curious because I have been waiting on mine.
Well I was contacted by e-mail a couple days ago with an unofficial message saying congrats I was accepted, but that an official acceptance would be "coming soon"
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Yea I also just got in, but no money! I got money to another school so I may see if they'll match it.
good luck! i'm still waiting on decisions from other schools, so i don't think I'm going to make their 2 week decision timeline anyway, which I hear is pretty firm since they get so many applicants. Oh well, I'm humbled to have been accepted so i should be happy with that.
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Well, I found out yesterday that I got in! Waiting to hear back from a few schools, but I'm really excited about BU!
congrats!!
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I guess they didn't process my withdrawal e-mail. I got in to BU and they've given me the most funding out of every school I've applied to so far...
ha ha! Well at least you got some $$ though...BU didn't give me anything
-- There are my number 1 choice, but I don't think I'll be going bc it's just too expensive so I might continue to work a couple more years and see if I can't try again down the road. -
Just curious about the type of experience people have. We all know what a good gpa looks like, but what about experience? It would be nice to kind of guess where you stand in terms of 'average' experience, but I have no idea what that is! Anyone want to share what they've got in terms of type of experience or months/years doing it?
I consider myself to have very little experience. I have average volunteer experience through organizations I was a part of during my graduate studies, and then has far as practical experience I currently am working at an organization that works for the Friend of Court and does custody evals, guardianship evals, home visits, ect...I've been doing that for a semster as part of the clinic program at our school. Through my current program (I'm getting my JD) I was able to take some graduate level social work classes so that's been good.
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HEY! Don't fret! I just got a voicemail from the Dean of Admissions saying "He had good news about my application." Hope it's not that it's complete....hahah!
I called back today and I was accepted. Dean said that any info on funding/aid should come by the end of the week (hopefully).
Congrats to all and gluck to everyone waiting!
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Does anyone know much about Boston College? Campus? Location? Pros? Cons? I'm trying to narrow down my choices. Thanks!
I think BC has a BEAUtiful campus. I love the camus and I love boston. The biggest con about boston is it's expensive to live there (But, I have lived in Michigan for the last 3 yrs so I'm spoiled with a low cost of living...when I think about he damage it will do to my wallet going back east...I get very sad).
Otherwise, I think the biggest con of BC itself is its huge price tag!
Applying to MSW : is my volunteer experience enough?
in Social Workers Forum
Posted
I think it is important to know that schools do look at applications as a whole...so if you are weaker in one area and very strong in another your application will balance itself out.
ie: not much volunteer experience, but very very good grades in a diverse and challenging liberal arts degree.
The committee will look at the application as a whole and you have the opportunity to address strengths and weaknesses in your personal statement and put a positive (but truthful) spin on it.
When I applied, I didn't have NEARLY as much experience as others so I talked about how my biggest weakness as I would need to be socialized into the profession of human services/sw. And I drew on my relevant experience to explain why I was ready and excited to do that...highlighting my strength (I do have some experience), but addressing that it's not my strongest foot to stand on (ie: showing self-awareness...important part about becoming a SW) -- So don't be discouraged just think how you can present yourself as a well-rounded and self-aware professional that is ready to take on graduate level work.
Even with how competitive applications are no one has everything....you have something no one else has (or very few people have), so think about hat it is and highlight that and run with it, but don't ignore weaknesses.
Gluck!