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I've decided I will be attending this program in Fall 2014! Any one else going? or already a student there? I would love to gain some insight into the program!

No way! Congrats!!!!

Hey guys, Can someone help me understand the importance of accreditation by either CACREP or COAMFTE for Marriage and Family Therapy programs in California? None of the MFT programs I applied to and have been accepted to are accredited by either... I didn't realize that this could be an issue until after I applied. The programs were on the Board of Behavioral Sciences website, so I thought they were okay... I'm really confused! What are the implications of going to a non-accredited program? Does being accredited by these associations have an effect on licensure in CA? Thanks in advance!

I spoke with the department today and I was told we should be hearing something about the IFG concentration within the next two weeks.

I actually didn't apply to Cal because of their research based program/GRE requirement. I'm still finishing my undergrad and won't be done until June, and at the time when I was applying, taking the GRE wasn't really an option. SFSU has my hopes low too, and the wait is making me super anxious. It sounds like if you're open to relocating, you should check out some of the faculty profiles and start exploring professor's interests. Maybe that will give you more of an idea of who you'd be working with at each program and help your decision.

Have you read the mission statements of the different CSU programs you applied for? That might be the best way to get a feel for the differences between the goals of the programs. As for CSUs, I applied to SJSU and SFSU. From what I gather it seems like SJSU has a trans-cultural focus, which stuck out to me as a little different from the rest of the CSUs. My top choice is SFSU (still painstaking waiting to hear from them), and I applied to their Individuals, Families and Groups concentration. Part of my desire to go to SFSU has to do with cost of the program and location, as a bunch of the other programs I applied to are really expensive. I plan to work in mental health in the Bay Area, and the IFG concentration (combined with the opportunity for the CalSWEC Mental Health Stipend Program) seems to be a good fit for me personally, but their selectivity worries me. My understanding is that location is really important when choosing a school in this field because of the networking opportunities for employment after graduation. A social worker I know at UCSC who attended USC told me that the fieldwork component of these degrees is what lands you a job when your classwork is finished.

Has anyone in any of the California MSW programs received a CalSWEC Public Mental Health Educational Stipend? My understanding is that you can only apply for your second year in a given program (one of the 21 schools in CA that offer this). Just wondering if anyone here has any experience or information about the program and/or working to 'pay back' the stipend. Thanks!

Here is some data from 2009, it is the only semi-current data I've been able to find. In a 2009 study, ranked by admission selectivity, Kirk, et al. found that the top 10 MSW programs were: 1. SFSU (17.4%) 2. UCB (27.5%) 3. BYU (28.6%) 4. Southern Connecticut State (33.2%) 5. UNC (34.3%) 6. U of Utah (34.7%) 7. Hunter College (35.1%) 8. Rhode Island College (40.9%) 9. Portland State U (42.3%) 10. UCLA (42.4%) According to the same study, the 10 least selective MSW programs (that provided data) were: 119. Washington U (86.2%) 120. Washburn U (87.5%) 121. Howard U (87.5%) 122. Missouri State U (87.6%) 123. Gallaudet U (88.9%) 124. U of Kentucky (89.7%) 125. Alabama A&M U (91.2%) 126. Our Lady of the Lake U (91.4%) 127. Case Western Reserve (95.3%) 128. Walla Walla College (96.8%)

I got a $7,000 a year scholarship to USC, which isn't enough for me to attend the program. But other than that I haven't heard anything about financial aid from any of the programs I've applied to. Does anyone know when financial aid offers typically come out?

Not yet. Still checking the mail constantly.... Sorry about your rejection from Cal. You're not alone, this wait has been super tough!

Hey guys, Does anyone have any information about University of San Francisco's MFT program or CSPP's MFT program? I've been accepted to both and am still waiting to hear from SFSU (my top choice). But am trying to figure out a backup plan.

Also, Bzmac, here is a list of accredited MFT programs in California, hope this helps. There are some that don't require the GRE. http://www.bbs.ca.gov/app-reg/mft_schools.shtml

I was just accepted to Alliant's Couple and Family Therapy Master's Program in San Francisco. During my interview with the program director, it seemed really legitimate, but It has been really hard to find honest information about the school. Some say it is an expensive diploma mill with a questionable reputation, and some say its a quality accredited program. So I'm pretty confused about the legitimacy of this program as well. Does anyone have any information from reputable sources?

That is my understanding. I've had a hard time finding accurate and current data on the acceptance rates for most MSW programs, but everywhere I look seems to say that SFSU is extremely selective.

Yay! Congrats on the acceptances! I applied to the IFG concentration. SFSU is my top choice, and the last school I'm waiting to hear from. The wait is *killing* me. Has anyone else heard anything or care to post stats?