ediblestranger

Just focusing on you post what are these "unearned advantages"? What exactly were you taught in these women's studies classes?

Just the fact that by virtue of my race, class, etc I have better opportunities in life. For example, I was able to seek help for my issues financially and had family support. Someone of lower socioeconomic status or different cultural norms about the stigma of going to therapy might not have been able to do that. Seems pretty important for a social worker to recognize when working with diverse groups but I'm not really looking to debate you especially since you apparently don't believe any of that. Was just curious what your vague comment meant. 

Well, there are lots of positives here.  Admissions looks favorably on an upward trend in GPA, which you demonstrate.  Your work history may also help justify your grades.  You have several highly relevant volunteer and work experiences, which is something admissions looks for in applicants.  You have 2/3 strong letters that you know of, and might be able to get a third.  And you have personal life experiences that have informed your interest in social work, which can definitely be construed as an asset in your application as long as you can relate those experiences to your interest/passion/knack for social work.  I'd say that overall, you have a pretty strong application.  My application was very similar in each of these aspects, except a higher GPA (but also with an upward trend) but I only had one strong letter - and I got into all of my top choices.  Most people aren't perfect and have deficits in one area or another.  I think it's pretty much okay as long as overall, you seem like someone who will succeed in the field - and you definitely do!  And I wouldn't really worry about lack of research experience, especially if your focus is micro/clinical.

That makes sense. Honestly, if Michigan admitted me with a scholarship, I would have attended because, like you, my program was so tailored to what I wanted to do (Global Social Work). But coulda, woulda, shoulda. We are in great positions and I'm sure we will do fabulous things in the future. Good luck at UM!

This is what I have: http://www.amazon.com/Lenovo-S41-14-Inch-Laptop-80JU000UUS/dp/B00WR286FU?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00
It meets most of your criteria as far as being inexpensive (less than $600), lightweight (3.7 lbs), and having a decent processor (i5-5200U).  The battery life is not great (around 4 hours), but it sounds like it's better than what you have currently.  There is no DVD drive, but I have never had a problem using an external drive.  It also has 8GB RAM and 1TB HD.  There are better laptops out there, but I think this one is the most balanced in terms of being powerful, lightweight, and cost effective that you can find on the market at this time.  Anything lighter you are going to end up paying a premium for, especially if you are looking for something with similar tech specs.

@ediblestranger Thanks for the reply. I will be sure to look into loan forgiveness and income-based repayment. I've applied for more scholarships and reached out regarding research assistantships and graduate assistantships in other departments. I think I will end up in a decent position once it's all said and done. And please do let me know when you find out about health insurance. That would be amazing!
On a side note: I committed to U of Michigan today and will be in the advanced standing program! This is the school that my mind was set on and I've had good vibes during the entire application process. I can't believe I finally made a decision, but here we are! I'm very excited. And I am looking forward to meeting several of you.

I was notified that I received the Leadership Fellows scholarship! That is a full ride so it looks like I'm heading to Case Western! I am just in shock.

@BrendonSW I don't know much about Michigan's overall receptivity toward the LGBTQ community, but I did come across these which I think is promising:
http://www.housing.umich.edu/gender-inclusive
https://spectrumcenter.umich.edu/article/classifieds
Granted, every school should have resources like this, but still.

I would like to take a moment to validate the concerns and anxieties others in this thread have about the homogeneity of UMichigan as a whole.  I too worry that Ann Arbor will lack the level of diversity that I am comfortable with.  I am particularly concerned about the lack of diversity in terms of socioeconomic class, since I am from a very low socioeconomic background which is a part of my identity and affects the way I relate to others.  The lack of racial and ethnic diversity is pretty troubling to me as well, since it will make commuting to/from Ypsi or Detroit for field placements much more likely.  I too considered commuting from Ypsilanti to Ann Arbor, but like you do not want to add another element of frustration to the rigors of grad school.  In the end, I decided to attend because program-wise it is the best fit, even if that means feeling alienated outside the School of Social Work.  I will do this in the spirit of Pierre Bourdieu, the sociologist from a low SES background who did not allow himself to be pushed out of academia by its subtle but real favoritism toward middle-classness [end rant].

Very understandable! When I read your comment, I immediately felt the need to validate your experience. 
I think that's what puts me on pause about UofM as a whole, the homogeneity of the student body and surrounding campus area. I think those social dynamics will end up reflecting on the class cohorts and discussions, and it's an issue that is ever important to address holistically in social work and policy.

@ljo377 Thanks for the reply! I really wish I could visit beforehand, but it's not possible right now. I extended my date to enroll/commit, so we'll see. I'm very hopeful that the area is diverse and friendly because I'm a trans man. I live in Tennessee right now and face a high level of oppression for it, especially from lawmakers. 

Yes, for sure. I went to UNC-Chapel Hill for undergrad, which is certainly far from perfect as far as homogeneity, but does better than a lot of schools (Chapel Hill the town is another story, much more like Ann Arbor). I thought UMich would feel very similar, but it was definitely more reminiscent of private schools like Duke or WashU to me as far as resources and types of students. Many students from NY/NJ because they have around 40% from OOS. The School of Social Work itself felt more diverse, FWIW...

@BrendonSW, I am going to PM you the name & contact info of the student I met with as he is involved with LGBTQ communities locally!

Worst comes to worst, the GradCafe crew who end up attending this fall can support each other! 

I've declined Chicago, Michigan, and Boston College. I should hear back from the Case fellowship this week or next at the latest. I am not holding my breath. Unless I get that, I should be headed to WashU! They actually gave me a little bit more money which will help out.

Congratulations on deciding!!! That's so awesome! I've only heard good things about the program and I'm sure it will be awesome for you!!

FINALLY. I signed into the portal just now and received my application decision: accepted.
Well, shit. Guess that all worked out for the best.

Although Michigan was not my first choice initially, I have decided to accept considering the financial aid I've been offered and the alignment of my interests with the special program I've been admitted to.  Without scholarships, it would have been impossible and probably very unwise to attend.  I have some reservations about the social environment, the high rents, and the brutal winters, but program and career-wise Michigan is the best choice for me, which is the most important consideration.  I like that it's only a 16-month program too, i.e. no wasting the summer juggling multiple jobs to make ends meet.

First of all, congrats on both acceptances and scholarships! Both schools are wonderful and it seems that they're both wanting to invest in you, which speaks volumes in the grad school world. Here's my take on this... 
I applied to four schools that are all very far away from me; I live in Tennessee. I've been wanting to live in a new place and experience more cultures so badly that I didn't even apply to a school in my state. I think this is a time in our lives to explore and be adventurous, to take risks. I would sit down and write a list of reasons you want to go to each school but leave the financial part out of it since you've been offered pretty good packages at each school. Then I would re-research each program and really assess which one is the best fit for you. If you think Chicago has the better program for your goals and you have more reasons to attend, then I would think that's your answer. For me, I would choose the best program that fits what I want/need. I also recommend reaching out to faculty at each school and maybe even touring to get a feel of where your comfort lies. 
I know money is a huge factor, but you've been offered a good amount from each school and I, personally, think you need to follow your heart on this one. 

I did some research on various schools’ outcomes as well as alumni surveys solicited by said schools. Many schools do have alumni networking/organizations, events and publications which are on their respective websites, but do not seem to solicit surveys to their graduates to gauge where and what they are currently doing. However, the larger schools (with larger endowments and budgets) seem to be more engaged with their alumni and in retrieving this pertinent information. Even then, this information is dated, has not been updated and recent graduating classes have not been contacted for information. 
I also contacted a lot of schools, but many of them told me they don't have any up-to-date information on this or have solicited a survey in years. They did refer me to current students I could talk to and direct me to the website for more information. Graduate schools of social work need to make this information more readily available and more transparent. Furthermore, as future social workers, we also need to be proactive and advocate for these things (and also anticipate lots of obstacles and challenges along the way).
Schools with alumni employment surveys:
1) Social Policy and Practice Career Plans Survey Class of 2012 
http://www.vpul.upenn.edu/careerservices/files/sp2survey2012.pdf
2) Portland State - Class of 2011
https://www.pdx.edu/ssw/sites/www.pdx.edu.ssw/files/MSW%20Alumni%20Survey%20-%20Executive%20%20Report%20(2012)_0.pdf
3) Rutgers - Class of 2009
http://socialwork.rutgers.edu/prospective/Surveys/MSWSurveys0910.aspx
4) DePaul - 2012
http://las.depaul.edu/academics/social-work/about/Documents/Alumni_Survey_2012_Summary_for_web.pdf
5) Dominican University - 2012
http://socialwork.dom.edu/sites/socialwork.dom.edu/files/documents/2012AFS_GSSW_Results(1).pdf
Schools with information on selected alumni who are successful:
1) NYU
http://socialwork.nyu.edu/alumni/alumni-in-action/stories-of-alumni-in-action.html
2) Michigan SSW Alumni Employment Data
http://ssw.umich.edu/offices/career-services/employment-data
3) WUSTL
https://msw.wustl.edu/your-experience/alumni-experiences/
4) UW-Seattle
http://www.washington.edu/alumni/partnerships/socialwork/201002/alumni.html
5) Berkeley Alumni In Action
http://socialwelfare.berkeley.edu/alumni-in-action
6) Chicago SSA
http://www.ssa.uchicago.edu/alumni-profiles
7) Boston College
http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs146/1110936526727/archive/1120240094586.html
8) USC
https://sowkweb.usc.edu/alumni/success-stories

I got accepted to UW too!  Waiting on scholarships/fellowships/etc. will be a drag.  I will probably put my deposit down elsewhere and then opt out if I get a great offer from UW.

I just received my acceptance letter from Case Western as well.  Just waiting on OSU at this point, which I am not too concerned about.  That's five, possibly six schools to choose from.  Deadlines for accepting/declining offers are all over the place, despite applying for early decision around the same time for each.  Extensions are pretty easily extended but unfortunately may compromise scholarships in most cases.  So in many ways hearing back from schools was only half the battle as far as reducing stress.  We have our work cut out for us!

I second this.  If they weren't still considering you, they would have rejected you outright.  Don't give up hope just yet!  I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of admitted students end up declining, especially out-of-state students, given the high costs of the program.  Heck, I received a 32K scholarship from Michigan (and acceptance into a special program) and I'm still not sure I'll be accepting, since the program and living expenses will still come to over 95K.  For out-of-state students who didn't get funding from a special program or one of the mere like 3 assistantships positions they have to fill, that's about $130,000, which I can't imagine a lot of prospective MSW students are willing to spend.

They estimate 6-7 weeks' processing time, so you should be hearing back soon!  I received an email first and then the portal was updated, but it sounds like not everyone saw an update on the portal.  If you call the school, they can give you your application status over the phone as well.
For those of you who have been accepted, how long did it take between receiving your acceptance email and receiving scholarship information by mail?

I just received an email from the school that I have been awarded a 32K scholarship over two years, including the Integrated Healthcare Scholarship (20K) and a Michigan Opportunity Grant (12K).  I am thrilled to have been accepted into the special program but this is going to make it much harder for me decide where to go as I was on the verge of ruling UMich out!