KNik

Hey, marina415, thanks for the post! Right now, I've scheduled a visit to see Columbia at the end of the month, and am planning to see how the financials work out. Penn has a leg up right now since I've already visited, and they've offered me an academic scholarship. Logistics aside, I really love Penn's interdisciplinary focus. I am planning to do a dual degree in Social Work and Bioethics to examine mental health at both the clinical level, as well as the macro level in terms of solving the issue of providing access to adequate mental healthcare. However, every site I visit always seems to list Columbia as a top notch program, and I have to admit, it is definitely giving Penn a run for their money. Should I go to Columbia, I plan to get a dual degree in Social Work and Public Health (Columbia doesn't have Bioethics). I hope students from both programs will see this and offer up their thoughts. Then after I visit, I can compare the two schools side by side and make a decision. Fortunately, I can't go wrong either way.

hiclub2, there's really no reason to lose hope. The reality is, you seem to have applied to a lot of really selective schools who probably reject plenty of quality candidates. My advice is this: 1. consider broadening your search. Maybe apply to some schools that are a little less selective and accept a greater variety of students. 2. If you have your heart set on a more difficult school, take some time to improve your application. If your GPA is weak, take more undergrad classes, or try to gain some more experience and volunteer or research to try and makeup for a lower GPA. Don't spend your time staring at a closed door when you can spend it looking for an open window. Best of luck!

Hello Everyone, I'm currently in the process of trying to debate which MSW program to attend in the fall and I'm between Columbia and Penn. Does anyone have any thoughts on these programs or are there any current students who could give me some insight? In retrospect, I've also been accepted at Pitt and USC and am waiting on hearing from NYU, Wisconsin, and Michigan. So any thoughts on those programs would also be appreciated. Thanks!