Bettyg

I agree. You're in a very different place than us, already knowing you've been accepted. Personally for me, this wait is excruciating as I am living abroad and will need to leave the country in June, but at this point I have no idea where in the world I will be going. I can't book flights yet or anything. Even if I hear back a week early, that's still an extra week to make a decision on where I am going, make travel arrangements, look for apartments, and apply for jobs (although hopefully this won't be necessary!)

It's the same job I've been working at for over a year. My resume has the dates as until present so I'm sure they assume I'm still there. But the extra 480 hours wouldn't hurt.

Seriously? What have they been doing with our applications this whole time? If they weren't starting until now, I wish the due dates just would have been later. I could have added another 3 months of full time hours to my experience profile!

Congrats to everyone who has been accepted! And my heart goes out to those of you who have been waitlisted or rejected. Has anyone else applied to the Q year at Mcgill? I haven't seen many posts about it. Anyone know how many applications they receive/accept? I think it's a definite long shot for me but I have always wanted to live in Montreal so I just applied anyways. It's the only school I applied to that required a stats course as well as research methods. I have an A in research methods, but I had to take 2 semesters of stats for my undergrad degree and I did very very poorly. Like... very poorly. Math is NOT my strong suit. There was no minimum stats grade on the admissions requirements as far as I could tell but I think that will probably make them toss out my application in the first round. Oh well, no harm in trying I guess.

Congrats to everyone accepted so far!! Very exciting. I've applied for 2 year so I still have a bit of a wait. I currently live abroad but my friend from home is coming to visit next week so that will help me pass some time. We did undergrad together, and she is currently in her second year SLP masters so I'm hoping some of her grad school vibes will rub off on me Also, since I am living abroad I wonder how it will work with the letters. I've given them my England address, but unless they send it express, snail mail takes aaaaaaaages to get here. I've also put my mom's address as a Canadian address, I wonder if they will send it there? I would hate that actually, because if it's disappointing results I would rather know by myself instead of my mom breaking the news to me!

I'm so happy you all relate! it's good to know I'm not the only crazy one on this forum I'm currently on a work visa in London england that expires at the end of June. So my plan b is completely up in the air. I could explore with my employer about staying on and having them sponsor me, but I work for the government so I'm not sure if that's even allowed/they have a budget for it. I'm ever so slightly home sick, so I could move back to Toronto and get some more canadian work experience. But to be honest I'm not sure I'm done with my adventures abroad so I'm considering getting a work visa to another commonwealth country. I've also thought about working in France to learn French, or teaching English somewhere in Asia. Who knows! It's just stressful knowing I have no idea where in the world I will be in 6 months. To pass the time I'm trying to enjoy my last few months in London. I have a few trips coming up... Paris, Greece, Edinburgh so far. So trying to put it out of my mind as much as possible!

The wait is killing me!!!! Some days I think I'm OBVIOUSLY going to get in, I am amazing, how could they not want me?! Some days I think actually I don't even want to do grad school, So screw them I am moving to Thailand and don't even care If they accept me or not. Some days (today) I think I'm never going to get in and I am devestated because my life has no other direction. It's torture! Hurry up April!

All the deadlines for my schools have passed, so now the waiting game officially begins! Anyone have strategies for not stressing about it for the next few months?

I did email them and they responded already! In case anyone else has the same question, they said to put it in the volunteer section of the experience profile.

Question about the Laurier 2 year application. I completed 2 practicums in my undergrad in the BASc program at Guelph. The experience form has a space for practicum, but the instructions say to leave it blank for the 2 year program. Do you think I should I fill it out anyways since I have completed relevant practicums? I don't want to seem like I am not following the instructions... Or am I totally over-thinking this?

I am somehow MORE stressed now that I have actually submitted my application, how will I last until April?!. I keep thinking of how I could have made it better and things I should have added. I also just got accepted into a training course through work today regarding child protection skills for new practitioners which would probably look quite good for me, wish I had have known about that last week! Oh well, at least I know I am not alone

Anyone else cutting it close with the U of T deadline? I have been so busy I just haven't had the time to sit down and really work on this, I've been sneaking in time at work when it's quiet! Fingers crossed for everyone!

I can't imagine it would ever be looked down on. If anything it just proves your commitment, and you will be better prepared for the program than you were without that diploma. Maybe try to tie it in to your personal statement to explain why you have chosen to do that program.

Sorry, I didn't mean to say it is easy to get in because I know it's not and I know you worked very hard to be accepted! I just meant my chances would be higher than the MSW programs, because those are a long shot for me. I have to ask my references if they would be willing to do one more for me, but I am thinking if they agree I will go for it. Thanks!

I am trying to decide if I should apply to the HBSW at Lakehead Orillia. I think my chances of getting accepted are very high, but it would kill me to live in Orillia for 6 months. I am a city person, and I don't own a car or anything. Does public transit even exist in Orillia? If I don't get into any of my other choices, I will kick myself for not applying to Orillia, but I am struggling because it's $200 for the application.

I think you have really interesting experience that is very different than what a lot of us are applying with, so that's an advantage to you! I would say to just really use your personal statement to highlight why this experience makes you right for the programs and you have a good chance

Thank you! I was actually wondering about the CV and how far to go back with it. And I was also wondering if I should include jobs that aren't really relevant. For example, for about 6 months after graduation I was working as a receptionist in an office. Not at all related to social work. Do they want us to include things like that?

Thank you I know none of us can predict who is going to get in but at least I know there are other people out there stressing with me! I am taking my laptop to a cafe tomorrow and working on my statements all day. Hopefully by the end of it I will feel better.

Hi everyone. I'm doing my applications right now and I'm freaking out a bit. Does anyone have advice/encouragement? I graduated in April 2013 with a bachelor of applied science from Guelph, major adult development, minor child and family studies. My average is alright. If you just calculate 300/400 level, it's a-, but I took two 200 level courses in my last year which brought me down to a b+. I have applied to the 2 year program at u of t and Laurier, and the qualifying program at McGill. My experience - one year working as a classroom assistant in a special needs school, 9 hours a week - 2 summers full time working as a case work assistant at CAS, doing everything from mentoring young people at risk of coming into care, assisting SWs writing reports, coordinating the summer camp program for vulnerable children in the area, supervising contact visits, basically anything they needed someone to do. I also did a lot of shadowing (investigations, counselling sessions) but I'm not sure if that counts for anything - 3 semesters of coordinating a program at my university for crown ward students, both supportin crown wards already attending and encouraging crown wards in high school to attend post secondary (10 hours a week) - I have now been working in London, England for 8 months at a Central London social services child protection department. My job title is social work assistant, I work front line/intake, risk assess all new referrals, provide information and advice to parents, liaise with other professionals, as well as parents and young people, to create safety plans. I think this is probably my strongest experience as I don't think I would be able to have this much responsibility as an unqualified worker in Ontario. I'm also hoping that working in a hugely diverse inner city department in another country will work in my favour but I am not sure. - I also have 2 semesters of practicum placements, first was 12 hours a week at a program fostering the relationship between vulnerable families and schools, and second was 16 hours a week working in a food bank/ poverty outreach center. Again I'm not sure if these count as they were practicum placements. I I'm so stressed about finishing my personal statements. And I'm also wondering if I should apply for the hbsw at lakehead? I feel bad asking my references to write me a fourth one. I feel like I'm not going to be able to sleep properly until April. I don't have a good feeling about my applications. Can anyone offer any advice or words of calm/encouragement? It's been helpful reading through the posts here!