nugget

I see you're in Canada. So in your case, you wouldn't enroll in a PhD program like in the US, but go for a masters (with the expectation you will go on to a PhD). If you have a change of heart, break it to your supervisor that you no longer wish to go for the PhD and will end after completing your Master's.

What is your area of interest in social psychology? Social psych can overlap into other fields like marketing/advertising, politics, etc. This can have significant implications on your ability to find employment and may not necessarily be a good predictor of the job prospects of the people you've been talking to. Have you considered living and working abroad, at least temporarily for a few years, after completing your studies? If you'd be willing to consider europe and other continents (and not necessarily limit yourself to English speaking countries; I'm pretty sure Germany and Sweden, for instance, offer university programs in English) then I'd consider the job market on a global level as well when making a decision. I'm not in your field, but in social work, I've come cross job postings for social workers in China for English speaking foreigners, so you may be surprised at what you find overseas. Also keep in mind that the economy will change in 7 or 8 years and no one can say with absolute certainty what the job market will look like then. Will the people in this field who are currently unemployed still be trying to enter the field 7 or 8 years later causing the applicant pool multiply every year, or will they move onto something else and not be willing to change careers again when the job prospects improve?? That's the big question. Are these changes in the job market temporary or part of a larger, long-term trend? I think that if you can find a feasible, appealing plan B (or even plan C) career option that you could get into with the same educational background then the risk isn't so great anymore. If this is the only kind of work you could ever imagine yourself doing and you would be miserable doing other work, then you owe it to yourself to give it a shot. If this isn't the case, then it's great that you're taking this decision so seriously and giving it so much thought. You could also consider enrolling in a PhD program to give it a try and get some more clarity about the field and downgrade to a Master's if you don't think it's worth the time and risk. A master's isn't a big risk as it's only a 2 year commitment and it could prepare you for a career in research, if anything, and sharpen your data analysis skills.

I don't get jealous often. In a situation like this, if I thought as you do about marriage and family, I'd think that someone else's marital status has no bearing on my own. There are enough men to go around, there is no shortage. They did not take the last single men around that could have gone to you. So if someone else is married and has a family, II'd be happy for them. Their marital status doesn't mean that yours is doomed. I'd think that my unhappiness (if I was in your shoes and unhappy) does not mean everyone else should be unhappy too. Ideally, we would all be happy and get what we want in life. For some people it just takes a bit longer to get some things they want in life.

You make a good point about Lakehead, However, I would wager that the Lakehead waitlist moves more than most MSW programs as the HBSW is a backup plan for people who also apply to MSW programs. It i also possible that most people who apply to Thunder Bay are from there considering that it is in a remote location and Orillia is a lot closer to other larger cities applicants come from like Toronto, Mississauga, Hamilton, etc.

I think it really depends on where you live as figures will vary greatly. Where I live, a $13 wage is $2 more per hour than a new employee at McDonalds. When I was in undergrad, anyone wishing to tutor who was registered with the Office of the Dean as a private tutor in good academic standing was advised to charge $20 per hour as a 3rd or 4rd year undergrad, master's students $25, and PhD $30. At my current school, I recently saw a job posting for tutoring positions at the office for students with disabilities and the pay scale was the same.

Evidence-based practice (basically using a working model that is based on research) is far stronger than anecdotal evidence (which is based on the experiences of one person that may or may not be replicated if used with another person). I think it also depends on the context. If briefly sharing your experience is done entirely for the benefit of the client, then there are differing opinions on this, some social workers are for and others are against. But when disclosure goes into detail or is done to partially satisfy some sort of conscious or unconscious need of the person sharing the information (ie: validation, empathy, etc), then it generally isn't advisable to share it with clients. As for writing an SOP, all books I've read and workshops I've attended run by academic advisers generally advise against sharing health information information (particularly mental illness), as you don't want admissions committees to think you want to do the program as part of your treatment or healing process, you are unprofessional, you will buckle under pressure or struggle if your health takes a turn for the worse, and some may question your ability to deal with clients' emotional trauma if you have your own unresolved issues to sort out. On the other hand, social work is a little different from most departments and there is probably some leeway in sharing this information (for social work programs only) depending on the way that it's done. Social work is about wanting to help disempowered people become more empowered in their lives, to have equal access to opportunity, etc... So theoretically, social work committees should not discriminate based on your health history. However, I believe that if there is evidence that your current level of mental health may hinder your ability to succeed in the program, that you are still in need of personal healing,or if this information is explained in a way that doesn't highlight your strengths or explain how this experience makes you a stronger candidate, then I wouldn't suggest including it. I personally believe the answer depends on the reasons mentioned above and your whole package as an applicant. Go with your strongest arguments as to why you should be admitted. So if having a mental illness is one of the best arguments you've got, consider including it. If you've got lots of professional experience in social services, a research background, took pertinent courses in undergrad, or have other demonstrated abilities, character traits, personal philosophies, etc that show that you are well suited for the profession, then your case might be made stronger by focusing on other points instead.

Have you considered applying to U of Windsor as well? They have campuses closer to Waterloo than Toronto, such as Mississauga and perhaps elsewhere that would be worth looking into.

Can you even crash a conference? Usually there is a registration table at the entrance, someone confirms you are registered and you get a name tag to pin on your shirt before you go inside. At least, this is how it was done at all of the conferences I've attended. Perhaps volunteering is a good way to get access to some of the talks. Once your job has been completed, just walk into the conference area and catch the rest of the talks. Or you can inquire about paying a smaller fee to attend half of the day rather than a full day. The organizer might be receptive to that if you explain that it's for a small group of grad students in your lab.

I have a new pet peeve.... People who keep on asking questions about things that are really obvious that can be found on the internet in a matter of seconds. Now I can understand when people aren't well educated, don't speak much English, or have limited access to the internet, for instance. But when someone is applying to grad school and keeps on asking silly things about admission requirements for various grad programs that can be easily found on each school's website, it really makes you wonder if grad school is the best decision for that sort of person. WWhhheewww.... glad I got that off my chest. Now I feel better.

They may simply be asking to find out who their competition is. So if they ever want to make changes to their programs, change their focus or plan where to invest some of their funding, it may help to know who the competition is and what they offer to their students so they can do something different or make it better than the competition.

Do you meet basic admission requirements in terms of the number of hours that you currently have? This is important because having related experience shows admissions committees that you are interested in the field (sometime students think they are interested in something but they aren't after they try it out) and have a basic skill set needed to succeed at school. If you do not meet minimum requirements, you may want to try explaining why but realize that this strategy may backfire if applications are initially weeded out based on minimum entry requirements. If you meet minimum requirements but are simply lacking extra hours to stand out as a stronger applicant, consider speaking to some of your references about this. If any of them are aware of your health issues, perhaps they could strategically and tactfully mention this in a reference letter. This could stregthen your application depending on how it's framed and your story will also be more credible if it comes from your profs. If this isn't an option for you and you still wish to mention it in your SOP, I'd try my best to frame it as a strength rather than an excuse. Could your health challenges have helped prepare you for this program in some sort of way? ie: influenced your research interests, etc... (sorry, I'm not in your field so I can't offer much in terms of suggestions). Focus on the benefits of your health challenges rather than the problems it created to strengthen your application.

Try giving them an update on what you've been doing since you graduated, briefly mention your new goals and interests and that you plan to apply to grad school. Then ask if they could provide you with a reference letter and let them know you'd be more than happy to provide them with a copy of your resume, SOP, or anything else they might need to help them do that. I'd be brief and write a few sentences explaining all of this and see what happens. Good luck!

Since you are applying to Concordia in Montreal, you may also wish to consider McGill, which is a top notch school. I don't think you will need to focus on multicultural cities. Is there any reason you think this could hinder you in any way? As long as you have the right training, knowledge and skills, your race should not get in the way of you being effective at doing your job well. If you still have doubts, keep in mind that your year long internship in your final year could end up being anywhere in North America. Internships are highly competitive and Canadians and Americans alike apply and interview at sites in both countries and there is no guarantee your internship will be in the same city as the school you attend. So I would encourage you to apply to any schools that you are interested in.

If you include that in your SOP they might think you are more interested in going to school with your friend rather than attending that particular program. So no, I wouldn't include that information. Ask your friend to proofread your SOP and to help you point out which strengths and qualifications should be emphasized that they would most interested in. You have an advantage over some of the other applicants because of your connection. Best of luck!

Fuzzylogician brings up a great point. It might also be done to notify other schools in the rare event that a student lies about their credentials so that they can keep each other abreast about such applicants.

Thanks for the stories everyone! I enjoyed reading about all of your mentorship experiences.

I'm pretty sure Penn State has one.

If you do an accelerated BSW in Canada (for people with a bachelor's in another field) they can be done in as little as 1 year or as long as 2 years depending on the school. The MSW will then take 1 year to complete. If you do an MSW with a bachelors in another field, the MSW will take 2 years in Canada (5 semesters to be exact, except for U of Victoria which is 6 semesters over 2 years). So it can take the same amount of time to complete, depending on where you do your BSW. You are correct that most MSW programs in Canada are advanced standing 1 year programs. However the opposite is true in the US and 2 year programs with a foundational year are much more common, to my understanding. If you are intent on doing your degree completely online then your options are limited in Canada, as you say. U of Waterloo and U of Manitoba have online MSW programs while U of Victoria and U of Manitoba offer online BSW programs. U of Victoria offers a 2 yr MSw and the 2nd year is entirely online, but I think that's about it. So it sounds like in your case, US schools would be a good option to consider. (I'd still recommend trying to get into the Canadian online schools as well if you want to have lower tuition). But if there is any chance you could do an on campus program, I'd recommend Canadian programs if you intend to live in Canada for the long term. (For instance, Lakehead U offers a 12 months honours BSW program and St.Thomas U offers a 15 month program, then you could do a 1 yr MSW afterwards). Keep in mind that you may need to take extra courses if you do your degree in the US to meet licensing requirements in Canada. I'd strongly recommend double checking with the provincial social work association in the province you want to work in and ask them which MSW programs are the most easily transferable from the US and go from there, if they are able to provide you with that information. Otherwise, give them a short list of schools and ask about what grads have had to do in the past to meet licensing requirements (as I don't think they'll do all that research and legwork unless you put in a formal request to have the program you graduated from assessed). Good luck!

Both the 2 and 3 year programs seem like good options. Your decision will depend on where your priorities lie. If you studied part time, would you be alright with doing a placement at your current job or do you seek a wider variety of professional experience? There are some advantages to diversifying your resume or gaining experience in a different area you'd like to pursue after graduation. On the other hand, if you study part time you can save some of your education fund for another investment in the future, like a new car or a down payment on a home one day. As a fulltime student, you will have more opportunities to meet and get to know your classmates who will be part of your network after you graduate. As a part time student, you will wear the hat of employee and student part of the time and not be fully immersed in either role. This isn't necessarily a bad thing. Some people thrive on variety and like having two different roles. Not to mention, you may have more time to thoughtfully ponder the course readings if you study part time, as the work load is quite heavy if you study full time. No one can really tell you what the right decision will be. Only you have that answer. But if you aren't sure by the time deadlines start to approach, apply to both full time and part time programs to give yourself more time to figure it out.

Anyone?

If you are interested in children, mental disorders, learning disorders, and working in schools, consider an MA in Counselling through a department of education. U of T, McGill, and U of Ottawa offer such programs, among others. If you don't want to write a thesis they also offer a MEd program in Counselling which is a terminal degree (although these programs generally aren't funded, but they are easier to get into). Keep in mind that with this type of degree you wouldn't be restricted to working in schools or with children, however most in your cohort and faculty will have these interests. An MSW is a very broad and marketable degree and you could do counselling with only a masters. U of T, York, Wilfrid Laurier, U of Windsor and Carleton offer 2 year MSW programs in Ontario, and there are others in BC and Alberta. If you consider doing an MSW, I would recommend that you closely examine the curriculum to see if you would be interested in taking this route. There is a lot of overlap with sociology and fewer courses in counselling than you might think. A lot about counselling is learned at internships (as these programs are internship heavy) and much of the course work is focused on social issues, poverty, advocacy, human rights, etc But based on everything you've said so far, I think you'd be better off going with either Clinical or Counselling Psyc or applying to both and deciding after the offers come in. (Perhaps a PsyD would be a good option as a backup plan depending on your future plans and interests). There are plenty of programs to choose from, if you've willing to move to a new city or province if needed.

I've been thinking about mentorship lately and was curious to hear from others who feel comfortable sharing....Who is your mentor and why? In what ways does this person act as your mentor? How did the mentorship role come about?

That sounds like a lot of heavy life events to deal with in a short amount of time. Maybe starting off with a couple of counseling sessions will help you figure out what you need to do to get out of this funk. Here is what I'd suggest trying....Start small and gradually increase your workload. You've been out of your routine for a year and experienced some difficult life events. Cut yourself some slack. If you put in 20 minutes of work in one day, that will be progress. Give yourself a pat on the back for that at the end of the day. Then next time try 30 minutes and gradually increase it over time. Rather than focus on what you didn't get done in your day (and feeling worse about it in the process), focus your thoughts on what you did get done, even if it was only one thing. Your list of completed tasks will slowly get larger over time as you get back into the rhythm you had before.

That sounds like a lot of heavy life events to deal with in a short amount of time. Maybe starting off with a counseling session or two will help you figure out what you need to do. Has anyone come up with anything that works to get out of the slump / rut / funk?? I need to make some progress and get this PhD. soon. Please help! any advice would be appreciated.

If you want a clinical position in a hospital one day, go for a PhD in Clinical Psych. With this degree you can do counselling, research and assessments and work in a hospital, or have a private practice. It's a more prestigious degree to have and can give you a wider range of job opportunities (and sometimes a higher salary). If you don't want a clinical position in a hospital, don't have a strong interest in research and simply want to open up a private practice, Counselling Psych is probably a better fit. Two of the biggest differences between having an MA and working as a Psychological Associate and going for a PhD and becoming a Psychologist are the rates you'll be charging and the length of time spent in school. Sometimes people get their MA and work part time as a Psychological Associate while completing their PhD or take time off to work before returning for the PhD. In Clinical Psych, there is a strong expectation that you will continue on to do a PhD (as previously mentioned) and in Couselling Psych it is not unusual for students to stop after the masters. You could drop out after a masters in Clinical Psych, you are by no means obligated to continue, but this is rarely done and could potentially be a sore point between you and your supervisor (but doesn't have to be if you have a good reason for not continuing and leave on good terms).