apple MSW

Thanks so much for this. Unfortunately as I took a course last year my student number is not changing and ROSI is showing me as an undergrad. I"m going to call my college cause I want to know ASAhumanlyP

very true. Can I ask how you are checking ROSI? I tried it just told me my student # is not valid....is that how you check? Thanks and good luck to all. It will be a tough month...fingers crossed ROSI lets you know sooner.

Thanks I_C. What you wrote above was part of what inspired my interest in doing an MSW in the first place vs. a Psychology Masters or other helping professions. Let's hold on to our hope and wait for one more month. I hope the best for everyone!

Okay I need to let this go because I did not go all the way back to high school or even university on my application...Still I wouldn't have hit 700 hours.

Last year I was waitlisted with ~100 hours. This year I think I have ~300 hours. Still well below that cut-off. That cutt-off is news to me. The hard thing with hours is that there is not a ton you can do about them short of quiting your job to work/volunteer in the field, which I actually offered to do to the Director of Admissions and she said that was not...I'm not sure if she said expected or necessary - looking back on it those 2 words carry very different meaning. I don't know about everyone else applying for the 2 year program, but this is my second career and unfortunatley my first career (in Business) did not care about volunteering, but tons and tons of work experience leaving me with not much volunteer. I have lots of life experience that is relevant (I was primary care-giver for my mother which led to my desire to change careers) and all I can do is hope that they take that into account. Fingers crossed...may the odds be ever in your favour.

Last year I did push for a call with the Director of Admissions. If you are waitlisted you have to wait until the list closes and it did take time as she is very busy. She was very nice, didn't say a lot, but she did give me some advice on improving my references (she cannot speak to the letters). What is hard is she said I had a great application and am a contender, it's just when they have so many strong applicants it is just a numbers game really. I did exactly what she said and I'm hoping I get in this year, but it does seem like the competition is steep so who knows.

Hi l_c. It is good to hear from someone without a background in social work, I'm also coming from outside the field and have only my volunteer and life experience to keep me in consideration, my GPA is B+, but that was good enough to get waitlisted last year so I am hoping this year I'll get in. The major reason for me that I have not looked at the post-degree BSW's is that they are 2 year programs and many require prerequisits...of which I have none. That's why I opted for the Lakehead HBSW program as my plan B which is only 12 months and no-prerequisits.

It's awesome reading everyone's excitement at getting in to the advanced standing...fingers crossed that will be us in 5-6 weeks. Last year I got my waitlist letter on April 16th. Here's to hoping the acceptance comes sooner this year.

This waiting does play mind tricks. My best self care is trying to do some yoga everyday even if it is just 5-10min. I find my head spinning thinking about what will happen if I don't get in OR what if I get in, what will I have to do to prepare. I'm doing my best to keep my attention on the moment, but the future is so enticing. You are so right that at the end of the day this decision is out of our hands AND their decision does not define us, only we can do that. Another month and a half for us U of T 2 year waiters...

CONGRATULATIONS!!! It's great to hear good news...hopefully in less then 2 months I will be just as happy as you are now.

I guess it depends on what you want to do specifically, but I attended the Laurier information and I can't remember all the stats, but the vast majority of graduates (like 80%) had full time jobs after graduation and the majority of the remainder were part-time or contininuing school with only small unemployment. The average salary was ~50k just after graduation. I hope that helps.

It occured to me this weekend that this waiting is driving me crazy. I applied last year and was wait listed, which it turns out was okay because I could work and save for another year, but now I am anxious. If I don't get in I have no plan B. I work out of the field (Business) and am trying to change careers I really don't think I can stay in a field I don't like for yet another year. It's such a wierd helpless feeling just waiting to find out what your life will hold for the next two years. And we have over 2 more months of this. Is anyone else feeling like they are losing it a bit?

No email yet. I'll check tomorrow. OMG I didn't even think about what I would do if I got waitlisted. Though the U of T waitlist barely moved last summer. Fingers crossed.

Does anyone know when we find out about the Lakehead HBSW program acceptance. I'm also applyin to the U of T 2 year and that is my first choice, but I don't know the timing.

I'm feeling a little crazy with the wait as well almost 3 months. A lot of decisions have to be made as soon as I find out. This is my second time applying, last year I was waitlisted. I think this year is worse as I do not want to have to apply a 3rd time!

Hi Jaylynn, I haven't prepared as of yet, I planned to just use the written personal statements from the past and augment them. I figure with what I have already written it shouldn't take me too long, but I may prepare for one of the questions specifically on Social Work as I have never taken a Social Work class and don't want to sound silly. Fingers crossed it does not take 3.5 hours.

Sorry I meant thank you poppy_MSW

Thanks Jaylynn I am also going to use this advice

Thanks everyone for the advice about BSW programs! I looked into Dalhousie and it is 2 year (I don't have 2 years), Waterloo has a number of required courses and I have called Lakehead and am waiting for confirmation whether or not they have required courses (it refers to them in the FAQ, though no mention on the program requirements). One thing I have learned in this process is read everything multiple times. If there are no required courses I will apply to Lakehead. Thanks so much for all your advice.

When I spoke to Laurier yesterday they said 3500hours was the minimum...you may still get in with other aspects of your application!

Thanks for your reply smpalesh! I am just going to apply to U of T. I've toyed with doing the Lakehead 1 year BSW, but I think I will just run into the same problem if I apply for a 1 year MSW as even after another year I will probably have only 1,000 hours experience. Seriously how is one to hold down a job that is not in social work and get those experience hours. I guess that is what competition is all about. Good Luck everyone!

I have been following for over a year now and here is my big question to the community. I am applying to the 2 year MSW at U of T (waitlisted last year) and was planning on WLU, but I have only 500 hours of experience and apparently the WLU average is 3500 hours. I called and they were very doubtfull of my aceptance, but nicely said I could still apply. Does anyone know of a situation where a person had such few hours? I've also heard that for York the average required is an A, I have an A- and again don't have a ton of volunteer experience. If I have no chance at the other schools I'd rather my references focus on the one applicaton. I'm becoming very nervous having all my eggs in the U of T basket, though that is my first choice.