mr.architect
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Posts posted by mr.architect
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I personally have a serious hatred for the CUNY system (I went there for a brief time in undergrad). Their whole organizational system is behind the times and insanely difficult to navigate. Their administration isn't stellar, and the red tape is abundant. However, for the price, I may suggest that some people deal with all of the headaches.
^
this.
I went to Baruch undergrad….academics were great, the admin/CUNY system-at-large was fucking atrocious.
I'm loathing going through it again, but that 25K price tag is looking oh so sweet. My hope is that once you're past the admin crap, things run smoothly and you get a great education.
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The campus is in a great area, close to Central Park and Lincoln Center, and both appeal to me. Almost all of the MSW classes take place on one floor; it felt like a community there, for sure. The undergrad business and arts schools occupy some of the other floors....I'm not super excited about being around undergrads, but they seemed fine haha. Overall everyone seemed very welcoming though.
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Got word from all my schools: In at NYU, Hunter, and Fordham. Out at Columbia.
Fordham has been great with the communication, I've spoken/emailed extensivly with the faculty, and taken a tour of the campus.
Hunter? lol...I've called and left messages repeatedly, emailed them four times, and even went up to the campus twice to try to talk to someone...they wouldn't let me upstairs to talk to someone because "I didn't have an appointment".
But it hasn't been for lack of trying.
I know Hunter is cheap. Hell, they may not have the facilities to have somone on staff to accomodate walk-ins. But I'm getttign fed up with their lack of communication. I'm concerned it'll be just as bad once I begin classes there.
I just received word about NYU, so I don't have much to say about them.
I hear a bulk of acceptence emails for NYU are going out this week, so good luck for those still wating.
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I'm going to call Fordham and NYU. I can't wait any longer!
Edit:
Fordham says: You should hear by the end of this week or the beginning of next week.
NYU says: You'll hear sometime in mid to late March. Why so late, NYU? Because they've had a "backup" of applications. There's been "a lot of them." Cutting it a little close, my friends. Might it have something to do with your portal system always being down?
Thanks, Lifesaver. End of March? Super frustrating
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Thbansk hiclub2...It's gonna be a long day lol
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There are a few reasons I'd like to transfer from Fordham to Hunter. The biggest reason is that Fordham is so much more expensive. Even with an AmeriCorps scholarship that matched my Segal Education Award, and an expected need-based scholarship, it still will be hard on my future pocketbook to pay back the loans.
The second reason is that I am very interested in Hunter's community organization method. After taking a few classes at Fordham, I'm pretty convinced of my interest in anti-oppressive, critically-aware social work based within communities. I feel my communication and interpersonal skills could benefit from clinically-focused education, but ideally I would like to work on policy change, program development, and grassroots community organization and development. Fordham has a specialization in Clinical/Community macro practice, but I've really enjoyed everything I read about Hunter's community organization track.
The third reason is that a good portion of the student body at Fordham seems very immature and unenthusiastic about putting in the effort appropriate for a graduate social work program. Fordham accepts around 80% of applicants (one professor let me know it was probably more), and I feel that I personally suffer in the program because I want to learn from my peers, and when they are unwilling to participate I lose out. Maybe this happens in all schools? I'm not sure. I just know that if one school in New York City accepts 30% of applicants, and almost all of the other schools in NYC accept around 70-80%, I will try my best to get into the one that is more exclusive because that student body will, on the whole, be more motivated and willing to participate.
All of this being said, there was one professor at Fordham who motivated the entire class to participate and discuss policy, issues of oppression and social justice with fervor. My experience at Fordham may have been due to a small sample size =) because this professor was great, and brought the ideas out of everyone's brains and into the classroom! She wasn't magic or a genius or anything, she just asked us to read a lot, then spoke about the readings and asked us how we would define specific terms and ideas. The three other professors weren't as good at inspiring conversation. So, my experience at Fordham might have been less about the student body and more about the teachers I chose to take. This professor's name is Dewan - you may not like her as much as I did but I just have to cry her praise.
All in all, school is what you make of it. If I don't get into Hunter, I will take every class Prof. Dewan teaches, and I will develop relationships with professors like her so I can make the most of my time at Fordham.
After reading this over, I feel like maybe I'm being too harsh, or coming to judgement too quickly on the students and my experience at Fordham. Perhaps I'm struggling because I haven't made many connections with my fellow students, and I haven't found students with my interests and experiences similar to my own. As a returned Peace Corps volunteer, and as a student that has been out of school for four years, I'm a bit different than those straight out of undergrad. I really would love to connect with fellow students and professors that want to discuss policy reform, community organization and development, and many other issues and ideas floating within our profession. Whether at Fordham or at Hunter, I will work harder to make those connections so I don't have to whine on an internet forum about my experience =). I hope this post helps someone in some way, not just cathartic venting for me
Message boards are meant for venting lol
Experience and age will def put you in a different place than someone straight out of undergrad. When I did the hunter group interview, I was surprised and impressed by how young a few of the interviewees were. I was still eating my boogers at 20. Hunter does sound like a good match for you. good luck!
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Got the email from Fordham 2/15...I think I submitted my app the middle of January
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Got acceptence email from Fordham last week, waiting on CSSW, NYU, Hunter.
Need. To. Know. So bad.
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I'm sorry to hear about the rejection, Lifesaver. I was rejected last year, but I'm applying again after attending Fordham's MSW program part-time. I received great grades at Fordham, so I'd like to think they might reconsider me. Also, I've learned much more about social work and my potential place in the profession from my time there. Good luck wherever you go, and if you or anyone has questions on Fordham's program let me know.
Senegal, why are you trying to transfer from Fordham to Hunter? I've been accepted to Fordham, but I'm still waiting on Hunter. Lifesaver, bummer about Hunter, good luck with the other schools though.
Hunter non-responsive administration/admissions
in Social Workers Forum
Posted
I wanted to make a separate post about this because I feel so many people were having problems. So I called and left messages (three), emails (two), and finally someone got back to me to schedule a sit-down and walk through of the school.
The student ambassador (SA) I met with was great. She told me that only SA's are available for sit downs/walk-throughs, unless a specific issue needs to be addressed by the asst. dean or admissions rep, etc. There are only a few of them, they're in school full time, and their availability is limited, I think only Tues/Thurs 12 - 5 or something (don’t quote me on that). They just don't have a lot of time to respond to messages/emails. Also, and this is important, they cannot return calls to long-distance phone numbers. So if you have an out of state (maybe even out of city) number, you probably won't be getting a call back. She also affirmed what many of us assumed and have been experiencing; that getting in contact with the school is a total PITA. But once your matriculated, the heavens of Hunter Silberman open up and most in the administration are very accessible!
So those of you that are having difficulty; hang in there! Send follow-up emails, they will get back to you. It's a GREAT building (just a few years old), the student body seemed way more diverse than other schools in the area, and the students seemed very happy to be there; they were engaging and open. IMHO, it's the best school for urban clinical social work in the area.
I applied to and got accepted into Hunter/NYU/Fordham. I'm pretty sure I'm choosing Hunter. I hope this helps any of you that are on the fence and frustrated with the process.