artsy16

Reviving this thread instead of posting a new one... I'm conflicted on whether to include a short addendum about my first year grades. I know this is something often talked about, but in the fall of my freshman year I suffered a concussion from sports that severely impacted my grades. This was also on top of me choosing the "wrong" major, and being miserable/ill-suited also negatively impacted my grades. Sophomore year I switched and performed much better, although today, as a rising senior, I still experience effects of the concussion (mild, really annoying temporary memory loss episodes). I was thinking of spinning the concussion as a learning experience - that because the injury occurred a couple weeks into school, I should've withdrawn and waited until I was better. Although I was able to get through the year, it really wasn't a wise/mature decision to keep going, which undoubtedly slowed healing. How does that sound? I'm worried about adcoms thinking that my concussion might negatively impact my graduate school performance (but i got mainly As and B+s after the 1st year of undergrad). Maybe it's a silly worry.

If you're interested in counseling, check out clinical social work masters programs. You can do PT work in community health centers, hospitals, etc to get experience.

Thanks cedarsprig! I've definitely been paying close attention to curricula-I've seen lots of MPH "policy" programs that focus on management/administration and not policy analysis. My skills/experience are more suited for MPH programs, but not many that are within my financial doability have strong policy focuses. I'm considering one or two MPP programs but know I'm more underprepared for those. My top choice is UMass Amherst. I like their MPH program, and it's the most financially viable place (if I got in, it would be ridiculous to turn it down for how little it would cost me over 2 years).

Congrats! Happy for you

Haha, thanks so much! I'm excited for you! I can't believe that it's almost my turn I will be spending the summer doing soul searching and writing statements of purpose. MPH was the *first* ever graduate degree I considered, then transitioned to loving MSWs, then MPP. I do think an MPH with a policy focus makes more sense for me. I just need to hear things I already know from someone else glad I got the GRE out of the way this past January. I didn't need it for MSW, but I was thinking of MSW/MPH dual programs and needed it for MPH. I told myself to just take the test because I would regret it later on. Lo and behold, if I hadn't taken it I would be really anxious right now.

Thank you! Looking at plans of study for the different programs, some overlap so much! I'm leaning more toward MPH programs, but I really want a policy focus. I hoe to work in government or consulting, and from what I hear, an MPP is more useful for that? I'm worried that I won't have as much policy analysis training/knowledge, but I guess that depends on the program. But the MPH program being structured around health really appeals to me as a psych undergrad major. Good luck in your program! I hope to see some of your posts about your experience when you get there

Bump please help

UIC is notoriously late with application decisions. I wouldn't say the long wait means you're rejected or wait listed.

Also - what are some advantages and disadvantages of both (doing an MPP with a health focus vs doing an MPH with a policy focus)?

Hey everyone, I've been going between MPH, MPP, and MSW and have some questions about the MPH on comparison to the MPP. How geared toward policy analysis is an MPH program typically? Looking at various programs, a mix of MPP and MPH components seem to best fit my interests more than any one program, but I'm not really looking to do a dual degree program. Are there any current or past MPH students that have gone onto policy analysis? I'm interested in health disparities. Thanks!

Thanks everyone! I was worried that AmeriCorps and similar programs wouldn't have the research aspect - the ones I've found so far are more direct interaction with populations. I have PLENTY of that through my job and extracurriculars, so I'm really looking for a job that would allow me to do quant/policy stuff, at least to get a window into what it's like. I want to take a break from direct interaction with populations stuff and get into more MPP oriented things. I'll look more into AmeriCorps VISTA, hopefully I just missed the more research ones you're talking about (or maybe the descriptions of AmeriCorps workers isn't very clear?) Thanks again! hopeful88 - I definitely will message you over the weekend. PS - i just found that the AmeriCorps stipend is based on federal poverty level & is ~$12,000 before taxes (varying with region). I think that's ridiculous to give for someone to live on while doing FT work! My university has public service fellowships with different organizations, and those orgs are required to offer at least $30,000 in order to participate in the agreement with my school. I will definitely be looking into those over AmeriCorps or similar programs that pay similar amounts. I think it's ironic that AmeriCorps offers near poverty level wages when they have service members working on poverty reduction programs.

Bluefit - through the Fulbright (that's why I commented in this thread )

So recently I've been thrown for a loop and would appreciate advice from those applying now or already in grad school! I'm thinking of MPP programs, but this is a new thing for me because until two days ago, I was dead set on a clinical MSW. Lots of things have been happening recently (including the ending of my junior spring) that have thrown me for a loop. MPP's are attractive to me because I feel like I will actually be contributing to change on a more macro scale (as opposed to clinical MSW where my change is on an individual level). All of my coursework and experience has been practical though, geared toward a clinical MSW, and I'm at a loss for what I could do to get experience in the kinds of things I would be doing as an MPP grad. I prefer to go to grad school right after graduating next spring, but would also be open to a job. With a job though, I'm worried that I don't have the skills/knowledge to get a job that could be an accurate representation of what an MPP position would be like. I will have a psych degree, and my quant coursework is from freshman year and not great grades because I also suffered a concussion that year (2 weeks into the school year!). I can *do* quant stuff, but I didn't particularly enjoy it because I didn't see a bigger picture of how I could apply that to helping people. I never really knew that MPPs existed, or what policy proposal/making entailed outside of being an actual politician. I'm just looking for advice on what I could do to get some experience (what kinds of agencies/jobs would you recommend?). I'm interested in health policy, namely racial/socioeconomic inequality affecting health. My GRE scores are 159V/155M/5W. So far I like the programs at GWU, American, and Georgia State. Thanks so much!

Hey everyone! I'm planning to apply to do an LLM in the UK!

community mental health, preferably with adolescents

For MSW programs, you are never guaranteed an internship at a specific place. You have to apply just like everyone else, although your school will help you (this is what they mean by "place"). You WILL have a field placement if you don't screw things up, which you likely won't.

I only want to apply to one school too, but am too afraid to do that haha. I'll be applying to 3, which is scary for me. Does anyone know anything about Texas? That's my top destination.

Um, because it makes the claim that people who are racist, etc are "living in the past". Aka discrimination is something that is old and can be "left behind" in a friggin time period. Social workers have to understand that discrimination is systemic and ongoing in the present day. Not something of their parents' or grandparents' generation. It's not accidental, it is deliberate and very much modern. And that's all I will say on this.

This is so terribly offensive. Discrimination is not a thing of the past. I'm concerned that a future social worker would approve of this. From their page: "The “Y’all Means ALL” campaign is a grassroots movement of people living in the South who choose not to live in the past."

Hi Truffula! Are you from CT or the surrounding area? I was born and raised there, and I can tell you that SCSU as a whole doesn't have a great reputation for academics. I don't know anything about the MSW program, though.

You can submit letters online using a dossier service. Mine is actually through my university which makes things easier than an outside company, because they can still be uploaded online. Unfortunately lots of schools require a sort of assessment along with the letter than each recommender has to fill out.

Has anyone successfully used a dossier service when applying? My school has one, but it seems like no MSW programs allow you to submit that way because they want your recommender to fill out a survey (such as 'rate their readiness for graduate school on a scale of 1-5'). For those who don't know, I'm not sure how professional ones like Interfolio work, but my school's registrar will collect letters for you any time during your 4 years, and will send them for you when you apply! I have been in contact with some schools, but they have no idea what I'm talking about and I've gotten some condescending responses accusing me of trying to be exempt from certain admissions requirements (???). Thanks!

Hey, I'm applying this fall as well! I am thinking of applying to Pitt because of their auto acceptance thing, but for health reasons I can't live in a cold/snowy climate (I am suffering in New England right now...) I am not nervous about the application process, but I hate asking for letters of recommendation. My school uses a dossier service, but none of the schools I am applying to allow me to use it. Which sucks, because I was planning to gather all my letters this spring and just have them all sent off in the fall.

It depends on your program. When you fill out FAFSA, the summer is included. You should check with your program; some programs only give grant aid in the summer if for some reason you have leftover from the regular academic year. If your program starts in the summer and you'll be fulltime, you should get aid but again, check with your school (or schools of interest). Good luck!

Thanks! Someone else told me they got $26,000, but $16,000 is super generous for out of state! I'm only applying to state schools and plan to apply for residency for my 2nd year anyway. I'm hoping to go to school in a warm state so I can stay there