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gradschoolmom

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  • Gender
    Female
  • Location
    Philadelphia
  • Application Season
    2013 Fall
  • Program
    MSW

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  1. FINALLY! It took six months worth of waiting and acceptances (and one rejection) but I received my last acceptance today and am happy that I can finally say: I am going to Boston University! 3 year part time track, clinical. SO RELIEVED that this is over!
  2. Unfortunately, I haven't found a truly affordable online option. That said, I haven't found a truly affordable local option with the exception of one school (that I didn't apply to) and it would require at least a 60 minute commute each way on a good day. Edinboro was the cheapest online option but it is not a 'general' MSW or a clinical one. I think the cheapest clinical one was probably BU and that wasn't cheap. Know that online classes tend to require a lot more writing than an in-seat class. And every program will require some amount of scheduled time in front of the computer. I find three days per week (particularly when we are likely doing 2 days per week in field) to be excessive, but most programs require 1-2 times per week.
  3. I don't have a lot of experience, and I'm pushing 40. I'll be attending part time so I can stay home with my kids and work/volunteer, so it's not a choice for me necessarily. However, I talk to MANY folks who are in this age bracket who are attending. You're not alone!
  4. Don't forget about the options for repayment that are available. This does not mean that it makes sense to get into that kind of debt by any means. If there's one thing I've learned , it's that where you get your MSW (for the most part) doesn't matter NEARLY like it does for an MBA. Just some thoughts: 1. Income-based repayment; there is a lot of info if you google. Caps your payments based upon a percentage of your salary (and yes, your payments can theoretically be "zero") and after 25 years of payments, your remaining loan balance is forgiven. There are stipulations (such as you must consolidate upon graduation) and you re-certify every year, but it's a thought. 2. Public Service Loan Forgiveness. Available to mental health clinicians; 10 years of documented work with a non profit or government agency (you can combine with Income Based Repayment), you make 10 years of payments, remaining loans are forgiven. 3. National Heath & Human Services loan forgiveness - highly competitive but if placed in a high need area and work full time, you can receive serious money for your efforts. You will work hard for it. Bottom line: Don't let the name brand 'get' you, IMO. Instead, choose a program that you feel fits you best (including financial). If you really believe a Columbia or something will be the best fit, there are creative and helpful ways to manage that debt. I applied (and was rejected) to UPenn. I'm sorry I was because I loved their program, but I'm not sorry to have to manage that debtload. Of course, USC is hardly affordable either! But Edinboro is, so I have at least one affordable option.
  5. I'm considering Edinboro (online) and was accepted a few weeks ago. It is a CSWE-accredited program. The school is located in the same state I'm in and bears a modest reputation. I would not call the admissions process terribly competitive. If you have the basic stats (GPA, etc) you can get in. Online MSWs receive mixed reviews, though I find those reviews come from people who have rarely or never engaged in an online curriculum that is rigorous. Edinboro uses Desire 2 Learn as their learning platform, which is a user-friendly platform (I used it for three years in my current program) but I don't find it to be terribly robust. Thus, I would expect the online component of EU's MSW to lack some multimedia depth, in contrast to, say, USC, which certainly maximizes the custom platform. If you are seeking an online degree because you feel it will be easier, you will be very disappointed. I have worked harder in my undergraduate online program than many of my in-seat counterparts. Where it is possible to drive to a class and daydream for an hour or so, this is not the case in an online environment. What you lack in face-to-face contact, you will make up for with more reading, more writing, more discussion, and more papers. CSWE has approved a limited number of online MSWs at present. If you trust in their criteria, you must assume that these online programs adhere to the same standards as their bricks-and-mortar counterparts. Social work is a people profession, and you will interact with people online as well. All of the online programs require in person field placement. At EU, you will be responsible for finding your own field placement and then working with the field office to have it approved, etc. If you prefer to have your school locate a suitable placement, programs like Boston University Online and USC will do that. Field will be in your geographic area - this is a big part of where you'll learn to work with people. Additionally, most programs have synchronous components (meaning you have to be online at a certain time, using a webcam, etc). I don't know for sure if EU does this, but most of the other online programs do. You could be asked to create video diaries that are critiqued by students, you can and will be asked to work in groups, and so on. EU's program and school in general is pretty small, but it is an affordable CSWE-accredited program. Online MSWs in general expand accessibility and allow people in rural environments to access an important education that might not otherwise be available. However, the decision to engage in a face-to-face program vs online is probably more a matter of preference. Are you a good time manager? Can you complete your work with less intervention from a professor? Do you prefer the in-seat format? Answering those questions might help you decide. You have time to determine your educational goals because you are definitely young enough. Do you need flexibility or an alternative format? Then an online MSW might work for you. Fundamentally, the exchange of ideas, the course content, and the field requirements will be identical to an in-seat MSW. The delivery method will be different. Some folks seem to think that if it's online, it means "anyone" can get the degree. Not so. An online MSW that is accredited should be no more or less valued than a more traditional one.
  6. Got accepted for fall cohort at MSW@USC! Not sure I will bite on the steep price tag, but real happy to have some options.
  7. Got accepted at Edinboro U of P, relief that I now have a program. Waiting on USC VAC answer...almost 7 weeks! Was told I made it past first review but not sure when I will hear at this point. So much for the 2-6 week wait quoted. Next up: Bryn Mawr, Temple, & BU!
  8. Def have to agree with 2011...locally among some of the professionals here that I interact with, there is a lot of head scratching about the DSW and its need. It seems to be more for people who want to teach social work at the university level and not much more than that. Because it's not research funded like a traditional doctorate, it tends to lose some respect. For teaching, I suppose it's useful but most people I speak with still consider the MSW to be the terminal degree.
  9. This is an age-old question asked by many of us pursuing degrees in helping professions. Generally speaking, IMO, the MSW is far more versatile. You may feel you want to do counseling but if you decide to take other helping roles, the MSW is a degree that you can use in those areas. What if you want to run the counseling center, for example? Not to say you could not do that with another designation, but this is considered the "gold standard" in versatility. Additionally, the MSW designation is nearly always insurance reimbursable. LPC is likely as well, but you may have some struggle. When you are insurance reimbursable, you are golden!! Will your LPC credentials translate to other states should you move away? These are some of the questions to ask I think and I'm sure others will add more. I've looked into the LPC program and there is a lot I like about it but am choosing the MSW for versatility, universal acceptability, etc. I'm looking at an MSW with a clinical focus.
  10. Have to agree. I also know certain colleges that might allow you to take one or two classes in their MSW program as a non-matriculated student, which might help. You also might find master's level classes that could transfer in - most schools allow 2-3 classes to transfer in to their program if they are equivalent. Experience is important so you can spend your time beefing that up also.
  11. I contacted my admission adviser and was told by her that I have made it past the initial review stage, but that's it. Wednesday will be the six week mark since I was submitted. Have you heard anything yet? Has anyone else for any cohort admission?
  12. I was rejected at Penn for likely the same reason (it wasn't an academic reason, that's for sure!) It looks like experience/academics is the right combination. Sorry you were rejected; I was glad to be considered at Penn but there are other options!
  13. I'm also waiting on USC VAC. I applied almost the same time as you, Harmony. I applied for a fall 2013 cohort start. I was told I would hear in 2-6 weeks. Right now, I am entering week 5 of my wait, and if your timeline is what it is, I'm not sure when I will hear at this point!
  14. What's interesting is that when I attended one of the info session, a person who is in the field of social work already (and was looking for her MSW) specifically questioned several members of the staff about their program, stating that she had heard in her profession that Penn's clinical focus was incredibly weak and that macro was a bit better. I think there is a thought shared by some that what you learn in the Penn program is not always practical. The price is definitely outrageous; thankfully they seem reasonably generous with scholarship funds. But for an Ivy, you'd expect a bit of a higher overall ranking for their program, though I admit those rankings are often based on dubious information... I'm sorry I didn't get accepted but I can see where there are positives as well. I'm waiting on USC, but they are supposedly incredibly backed up with applications presently. I also want to hear from Bryn Mawr but I need to schedule my interview as soon as my app is complete. Edinboro is my back up and is pretty affordable - no prestige but the price tag is right!
  15. Since a lot of people don't update, I wanted to...I received the expected rejection from Penn yesterday. Was decidedly unimpressed with the extremely curt, unsigned rejection letter, but no rejection letters are good. I think the low level of experience I had coupled with the completion of my degree in an online program were detractors. I also don't think my age and status as a person with a disability helped me very much. From speaking with my interviewer, there seems to be a grave disconnect in the rigors of an online program, particularly one like mine that had a high level of synchronous components and proctored exams. When my disability was in remission, I was going to transfer to an in-seat program but would have lost far too many credits to finish, so I remained in my current program. Unfortunately, there are still some in academia that believe an online degree, even from a reputable school, is cheapened. I conferred with my recommenders and all of them were very surprised given my academic performance, life experience, and other intangibles...but it's not the end of the world. I have applied to online and in-seat programs and I'm certain I'll find the right match, even if Penn was not it. Crossing my fingers through this application season, congrats to all who have been or will be admitted to Penn, and good luck to everyone else!
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