IAmMPH

For those who have not heard back from UofT, do not give up, Angela did say that acceptances will be going out until mid-April. There is still another 2 weeks! Always have faith and be positive!

I felt compelled to address this comment -- I apologize if it is out of place with respect to this thread's subject matter. I'm currently awaiting a response for the UofT 2-year MSW. I was waitlisted last year. Best of luck to everybody.
 
As for the comment: with all due respect, your logic is absolutely preposterous. For one, psychologists/psychiatrists/etc. apparently do not need to suffer from mental illness(es) themselves to have their professional legitimacy questioned. We need effective clinicians, not clinicians who can merely "identify" with clients. This trend towards oppression-as-currency makes me gag. That professor you described is an anti-oppression expert because he knows more than any putatively "oppressed" people about their oppression. Unlike theory and professional experience, personal experience is not a language that anybody else can understand. A depressed person doesn't necessarily know more about depression than someone who studies it meticulously and who deals with depressed people every day. In fact, depression by its very nature tends to preclude strong self-insight. Granted, though, someone with both personal and professional experience would be more likely to make an incredible clinician, e.g., Marsha Linehan, R. D. Laing. 
 
For the record, I'm a "white boy" who was raised for the latter half of my life, along with my sibling, by a single mom's under-100K salary. Both me and my sibling suffer from chronic autoimmune diseases. Being stifled into voicelessness because I'm a "white boy" merely constitutes a reversal of roles, not an elimination of discrimination. Maybe I should just milk the fact that I'm Jewish in my applications, since Jews are historically the most oppressed minority in the world? Or maybe I should actually show some integrity instead? 
 
If any programs are obligated to fill diversity quotas, something has gone horribly awry. 
 
P.S. Social work is 90% female. Technically, "white boys" are the minority in the field; if anybody should be "benefiting" (*gag*) from this arrangement, it should be white boys. But most men are just too insensitive to want to pursue education in social work, right? 

oh dear - 
I am not equating oppression with currency. I am saying that there are barriers for marginalized peoples within the social work profession. This is important when you consider the damage the profession has done and continues to do (overrepresentation of Native and Black kids in child welfare, institutionalization of disabled people) – social workers were and continue to be complicit in this. The key word in social work is SOCIAL, not clinical, or psychological, or medical. If the people from communities impacted by social issues are not adequately represented in the profession and in schools, this means that a lot of important knowledge that could inform clinical practice is being excluded. These issues will also impact your experiences as a grad student as well.
 
PS while males are underrepresented in social work, take a wild guess about what the gender and colour of those in upper level management are in social work?  

I generally dislike getting involved in these conversations on the internet, but I fear I must shake off my hesitation to address this particular comment: “...that professor you described is an anti-oppression expert because he knows more than any putatively "oppressed" people about their oppression...”
 
I am still reeling from disbelief at your statement, so I apologize in advance for any lack of tact this may induce on my part.

First of all, you cannot be so deluded as to say that a proclaimed expert could know more about an individual’s oppression. I cannot even agree with that as a proposed generalization, so I am hoping that you were being slightly facetious with your perspective. If not - what? Seriously, what? Ever heard of the power of lived experience? Granted, this professor has certain credentials after his name that indicate his cognitive superiority (perhaps) and critical thinking skills (again, perhaps). However, by no means do those credentials discredit an oppressed person’s ability to completely comprehend the systemic and structural barriers that hinder their growth (educated or not; trained or not).

Secondly, I personally know this professor, and I know that a solid potion of his knowledge is derived from the people who experience oppression everyday; essentially, his heightened understanding is achieved through a two-way COLLABORATION over anything else (even meticulous studying).   

Lastly, for a group who is considered the “minority” in social work, many of the white boys sure do take up a lot of space in the higher echelons of leadership. The difference, you see, is that your minority status still does not take away your unadulterated source of societal power.
 

And I literally just got a call from Angela. And I could barely say yes through my tears.
 
Is she monitoring this board? haha 
 
wow... in shock

Hi all,
 
I have been recommended for admission to the University of Alberta for the Health Promotion on-campus stream.
 
I was also accepted into UVic's MPH.

Received an offer of admission to Waterloo  

You have made some interesting points there. But I don't know how "Around 70-80% of the class is immigrants" is relevant to the actual program. If anything, it brings diversity and perspective, something that the field of Public Health supports and advocates for. 

Gathering from what you are saying, I guess every single program and university in Canada is for "spoiled little rich kids". Saying this program is for "spoiled little rich kids" is a false claim as Canada provides financial support to students who need it, i.e. OSAP/student loans. Canada has the highest rate of students graduating from Post-Secondary in the world and it's not because this program and other graduate programs are just for "spoiled little rich kids".

700 for usask! yikes 
 
guess we wont be hearing from them until april. ughh

I completely agree with you. Even if there are individuals who are immigrants or international students in the program, which I believe there should be, it should not be considered as something negative. As I mentioned previously, it brings perspective and diversity.

I completely agree with you. Even if there are individuals who are immigrants or international students in the program, which I believe there should be, it should not be considered as something negative. As I mentioned previously, it brings perspective and diversity.

You can do your practicum in States or Europe. That is only benefit. Otherwise, it is a money grabbing program for spoiled little rich kids. And yes most are immigrants, because immigrants have to PAY MORE MONEY!!!!! AKA INTERNATIONAL STUDENT= MORE MONEY!!! 

Thanks for the feedback