green_dots21

Nope! And many papers are group papers, which means you are only responsible for one or two sections of it. There is a LOT of writing, but it is not as intimidating as other programs. All the social work classes I've taken only required 2-3 papers and a group assignment.

In advanced level courses, I had to write upwards to 15 pages, which is not much compared to other graduate courses I've taken. You can go to writing centers on campus if you have difficulty with writing papers. I also encourage you to speak with professors if you feel your writing skills will be an obstacle in obtaining high marks.

You should be fine long as you are able to write long papers and understand statistics. But that is only one part of being a successful MSW student.

Many schools won't open their applications until September 1.

Yes, definitely. And, at the same time, it is a matter of your field placements and how well they prepare you for any post-MSW fellowships. If you are this unsure about the program, I would hold off for a year to apply for others.

The MSW is more versatile than MFT. If you are passionate about clinical work, you should focus on programs with strong clinical aspects. I know plenty of LCSWs who have their own private practice, and they continue their education with the breadth of post-MSW workshops and training available. It seems there are more possibilities for post-MSW clinical fellowships and internships than MFT, but I haven't looked in that direction. Either way, you can get what you're looking for. Try the program and switch if you aren't feeling it, but I only suggest that if you wouldn't lose out on money.

CSUs tend to be harder than other programs, so you should focus on getting more experience in the next year or two before applying. Some programs will accept less experienced students and stick them with lots of debt, so the more experience you have, the better your chances at funding. (This depends on the program, as some have more money than others.)

Depending on the neighborhood, you should be able to find a bedroom for $400-600. I have only heard of studios as low as $625 in Uptown, other places would be $700+ but under $1k. I don't think there's any reason for anyone to pay more than $600 for a bedroom in Chicago if they have more than one roommate. At the same time, some people have more safety concerns than I do and might opt to live closer to a train stop. As a single person, I used to spend $30-40 a week on groceries, sometimes less. Don't shop at Whole Foods or Trader Joe's if you want to save money. There are plenty of great grocery stores if you pick the right neighborhood, especially if you are in Rogers Park, Edgewater, Uptown, Logan Square, and nearby areas. You might have to hop on a bus, but most people do. During summer, your electric bill will be high with A/C. During winter, your gas bill will be high with heat. Make sure you save more than you think you'll need, especially if you are living alone. Internet is pretty cheap.

I used to commute to UIC from Logan Square/Avondale. It's super easy, but CTA (from Damen to Logan Square) gets annoying in the morning with the crowds. You can also take the Metra two stops to Union Station and hop on the bus to UIC, it takes about ~35-40 minutes with waiting included. The 157 will take you from East campus to West. You can find a bedroom for $400-600 almost anywhere off the blue line, even Wicker Park if you do a well enough search.

Race, class, gender, sexual orientation, religion - especially if any of those are part of marginalized demographics. It doesn't have to be a marginal identity; how do you live your life? Who are your people? What or whom influences your political ideologies? E.g bisexual, African-American, working class, Muslim

Welcome to Loyola!

I decided not to go to Michigan for a bunch of life reasons. I hope one of you gets the funding they offered me!

From what I've heard about other SW programs, students across the board have similar issues of not having diverse faculty or faculty who are up-to-date on appropriate language, especially regarding gender. At the same time, the faculty who are rad are SUPER rad. My classes have been racially diverse, and the conversations were informative. Many professors are great at incorporating students' field placements into the curriculum and providing space for students to decompress and chat. Most of social work is really about doing the work. I think that shapes students' experiences in the program (and really, most social work programs) because if you are going into the program with zero experience, you are going to feel un- or under-prepared no matter what whereas having some experience will allow you to think more critically about the field and how to incorporate new practices you've learned. That's not to say students with less experience are not skilled, but that having experience vs zero experience will shape people's expectations around readiness. Edited to add: I say my comments above as someone who has worked for non-profits and directly in my field for over five years. My reason for pursuing a MSW is to move up in my career rather than getting my foot into the door.

Currently at Loyola! I am doing the MA in WSGS but got into the dual-degree program and might stay for SW portion. Many of my classmates are dual-degree students and love the option. I've taken two social work classes so far, so let me know if you have any questions.

Did you fill out FAFSA? If so, financial aid packages usually arrives separate from offer letters. A department or program will make an offer of scholarships and/or grants or other funding but loan offers are dependent on your FAFSA application. I'd let them know you are considering multiple programs and while you are definitely interested in their program, you need more information regarding financial aid and scholarship offers to make an informed decision.