patty-O

Hello everyone! I am so glad I came across this page!!! I am currently looking into applying for a MSW. However, so many things are going through my mind!!! I am hoping I can get a valuable insight from all of you! A little about me: I am 30, a single mother, and work full time. I earned my BA in Liberal Studies. I feel my degree hasn't taken me anywhere. It has taken 6 years to finally decide what I want to do. As am I looking where to apply, I have decided that my choices are Cal State L.A., Long Beach, or Dominguez Hills. I WOULD LOVE to apply to USC but my undergrad gpa is not great AND the price tag is not suitable for me! As I'm looking at the requirements, I am having a hard time to write a personal statement! As I said, it has been 6 years since I have wrote an essay or anything like it! Any ideas on how to get started!? Are there many types of MSW? I am looking in working either with the county or would like to work in a hospital setting. I remember when I had my child, the social worker was such a wonderful person and helped me a lot! (My child was in the NICU). And are any of you going for the LCSW? How many of you are planning to juggle work and school? I know there are field practices done while working on the MSW and this is a great concern for me! I need my job in order to pay for things and for my child's needs. Any advice on this? Tuition is another great concern. I see a lot of you have received scholarships and loans! How do I get informed on getting scholarships and loans? I know I should go to the Financial Aid department, but when I go I feel I am not being helped at all. And how did many of you get scholarships over $10,000??? Also, I noticed that on the applications, it states if I am interested in CALSWEC and IUC programs? Is it a good thing to apply for these stipends? I do not have any volunteer service. I have been working in one place my whole life....a school setting. And it has finally hit me that I NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT MY LIFE!!! ESPECIALLY FOR MY CHILD!! Will this affect my application? I'm sorry if my questions are irrelevant or dumb! I just feel so new to this school thing! I hope to get some advice from all of you!