Lifesaver

My graduate thesis advisor (who ironically has an MSW himself, though he taught/worked in criminal justice) told me at the beginning of admission season that many MSW programs are quicker to admit the older student with a few years of work and life experience under their belt. I would venture to guess that my work experience really boosted my application, and I'm sure it will yours. So, definitely work, work, work. Prove that you can work under pressure, multitask, etc. Those were all things brought up in my interview. I think retaking the GRE would be beneficial, as well. Tone down the SOP and make sure you're asking the right people for LORs.
 
And above all else, don't be discouraged. I've found that a lot of my "rejections," literally and figuratively, have been blessings in disguise.

*KABOOM*

Clearly the logic of someone who needs more Xanax.

No email, yet again? I think to myself... NYC schools, why are you such slackasses?

I swear, if one more person mistakes UPenn for Penn State, I'm going to explode.
 
I'M NOT GOING TO PENN STATE, DAMNIT.

If you're still waiting to hear back from six other schools, then wait?

If you can only walk 20-30 paces in between breaks, you need to get your health on track. Picking a grad school shouldn't be your top priority.

You're definitely on the right track! Any kind of related work experience, especially volunteer experience, is very important for an MSW applicant. Don't stop!
 
A lot of MSW programs do not require applicants to take the GRE. Some schools will allow you to send scores if you have them, others don't want you to send them at all. I took the MAT (Miller Analogy Test - an alternative graduate entrance exam) for my first masters degree, only because my undergrad GPA wasn't great. So, if the programs you are looking to apply to don't require exam scores, don't take the exam. It's a huge waste of money. The test itself is expensive and sending your scores costs money after awhile. You can call each school you're interested in and ask if they require the GRE/MAT. If they do require an exam, and they accept the MAT (it's becoming a lot more popular now) and you're not good at math (like me!) take the MAT. It was very easy. That being said, I didn't send my scores to any of the 7 schools I applied to.
 
Another thing to consider is location. Where do you want to live? Do you want to stay in your home state or do you want to leave? Would you be more comfortable paying in-state tuition, or are you okay taking a huge loan for Ivy League tuition and sky high NYC rent? With your GPA, you may not be overly competitive for funding from top 15 schools - which NYU, Columbia, and VCU are, to my knowledge. On the topic of finances, familiarize yourself with the federal loan repayment programs for social workers; specifically income based repayment and the public service loan forgiveness program. Google will give you all of that information.
 
Think about your focus. Do you want to be a clinical social worker or do you want to focus more on macro-based things such as research and policy? Some schools have stronger programs for clinical social workers, while others have stronger macro programs. Do you want to do something a little different in the realm of social work? For instance, Tulane has a certificate program for disaster mental health, and the University of Denver has an animal therapy program. Check out each school's program - some of them have really unique stuff.
 
When it comes time to apply (next fall if you want to go straight from undergrad to grad school), don't put all of your eggs in one basket. Make sure you have a safety school if you are determined to go straight into a graduate program without taking time off. A lot of times, people overshoot and apply to a handful of elite universities without keeping in mind that the admissions process can be extremely arbitrary. Some people firmly believe that they can't get rejected. Don't be one of those people, lol. Put yourself in a position to have options. 
 
In summation, build your resume as much as possible, make connections with professors because you'll need two to write letters of recommendations for you (and the more personal, the better), study hard and get good grades for the duration of undergrad, do a lot of research on schools, and give yourself plenty of time to fill out your applications and hassle those professors for the letters of recommendation. Professors can drag their feet like no other!
 
If you have any questions, please feel free to PM me.

If you can only walk 20-30 paces in between breaks, you need to get your health on track. Picking a grad school shouldn't be your top priority.

#butthurtontheinternet #notworthit

Are you going to PhD school straight out of undergrad? Personally, I'd advise against that, if you were asking my opinion. I know very few people who did that, and I know some very successful folks. I graduated college in December (a few years ago), started a masters in August (honestly, because I was bored in a new city and wanted to make friends), and I will say that I've grown and changed a TON since I graduated college. My values, priorities, and life goals have REALLY changed. I can't even imagine coming out of college and starting a PhD. You'll be surprised how much you change between 21 and 25 years old. Again, if you're asking me, I'd defer a year and do some soul searching.

I don’t know how you function. You're so neurotic! Calm down and just go with the flow. Life isn't one big sorority mixer.

Long story short, I'm having a hard time deciding where to go to school in the fall. I applied to seven schools and have been accepted to four so far with no rejections as of yet. That said, I've been accepted to, what I believe to be, my first and second choices, but I'm really concerned about experiencing the "shoulda, woulda, couldas" either when I get there and/or graduate. For science majors, it's an easy pick - you go to the school with the lab doing research you're most interested in, with the PI you adore, who have wonderful contributions and publications. Art majors, same thing. Us? How do we pick? How can you determine who makes the best helpers/doers/therapists/policy changer? Sure, I could look at the USNews rankings, which I did, but who says they're right? Do I pick the school with the best name to look pretty on my resume? Do I pick the school in the city in which I'll be most comfortable? Do I pick the school with less prestige that gave me some funding? How are you guys going about this? 
 
Help.

We may be the same person.

An admissions dean at one of the school's I applied to has a blog. On said blog, he wrote that we shouldn't, under any circumstance, bring up acceptance at another school. Apparently they really don't appreciate hearing about it. To us, it makes sense in terms of competitiveness, but I see his point, too. You don't want to sound ungrateful and/or desperate, you know? I'd keep it to yourself for now. If you're meant to be at Harvard, you'll get there.

We may be the same person.

Maybe you should refrain from making those kind of comments then. There are thousands of universities in the United States, and many of them are very specialized and prestigious in certain fields and unknown for others. It doesn't mean that they are not worth going to just because you haven't heard of them and because you don't know what their strengths are, especially when your knowledge is limited to so few US institutions in the first place. Your comment is unnecessary and irrelevant, and just comes across as ignorant and elitist.

I don’t know how you function. You're so neurotic! Calm down and just go with the flow. Life isn't one big sorority mixer.

Seriously, how can you expect to attract a mate/be happy in a long term relationship when you're SO wound up?! Nobody wants to be with someone who is anxiety ridden and constantly freaking out over every last little detail of life.
 
Haven't you heard the old proverb? "Man plans and god laughs."
 
Put yourself on a good path (which it seems you already have) and follow it. Let everything fall into place as it may. You'll appreciate it later.

I don’t know how you function. You're so neurotic! Calm down and just go with the flow. Life isn't one big sorority mixer.

Seriously, how can you expect to attract a mate/be happy in a long term relationship when you're SO wound up?! Nobody wants to be with someone who is anxiety ridden and constantly freaking out over every last little detail of life.
 
Haven't you heard the old proverb? "Man plans and god laughs."
 
Put yourself on a good path (which it seems you already have) and follow it. Let everything fall into place as it may. You'll appreciate it later.

Stick it out!! In the grand scheme of life, five years really isn't a long time.
 
I was born and raised in New York City and decided to go to college in Louisiana. It was a HUGE change! I spent the bulk of my free time exploring the state/nearby states, and really embracing all that they had to offer. On the surface, your small college town may seem pretty dreadful, but I guarantee there are cool things for you to check out within a few hours. I firmly believe that everyone needs a mental health break (ie: weekend away) in order to reset and regain focus on what's important. Even if it's going home (their home, not yours) with a friend overnight, do it. Get away. It's good to have a change of scenery.
 
If you need suggestions on where to go and what to see, let me know. I've traveled fairly extensively in the south during the past few years.

This is SaraElyse, I just changed my user name for a little more privacy.
 
I've been accepted to three schools thus far, so no, DU isn't my only option. DU did offer me a scholarship, but nowhere close to a full scholarship. I've recently been offered admission to an ivy league school with the same pricetag as DU (almost down to the penny), but I haven't heard if they're going to offer me any money yet. Even if they don't, I'm going to have a hard time convincing myself that turning down an ivy for a little scholarship money is worth it. It makes me a little nauseous thinking about it, still...

Just a little food for thought here. My stepmother had her first (and only) child at 44 years old. You don't NEED to procreate by 20 years old anymore. Just wait, a lot of your married young and teen mother friends will be divorced in a few years. I promise, you will see it happen. I was engaged at 18 years old, but I quickly woke up and realized that would have been the biggest mistake of my life.
 
Don't stop dating. You'll have time to do some of that, don't worry. But seriously, you need to take it down a lot of notches. Your rush rush rush mentality may be what's driving men away, causing your lack of serious relationships.

Mercy me. Girlfriend, you have TIME! Stop trying to plan your life down to the minute. Haven't you learned that life doesn't EVER go according to plan? Or is that something that you realize after 22? Yes. It must be. Life didn't start smacking me in the face until after I graduated college, so don't worry, your time will come, too.
 
I'm 25. I'll be 26 by the time I start school in the fall. I'll be an MSW student myself, but this will be my second master's degree. I'm single, childless, and don't really have much on the horizon, given that I'm moving 13 hours away for school in the fall. Would I LIKE to meet someone soon because I'm tired of coming home to an empty house? Sure. Am I going to school again because of that? No.
 
Figure out who you are first, then take on a spouse. Right now, you've still got a lot to figure out. You will be surprised how much growing and maturing you do between college graduation and 25. Trust me on that. And stop rushing.