magfish

Hi all! Good luck on your applications. Just wanted to drop a line and say if you have questions about the York 1 year program, I’ve just started and am happy to try to answer them. I can also talk about St Thomas’s 15 month BSW! Let me know and good luck. I know how much of a nightmare this process can be (holy shiiiiit) but remember that an acceptance or a rejection does not determine who you ARE, nor how good you could be as a social worker. Most of the time it’s a shitty numbers game. I know that isn’t that helpful, but you have many months of stress left to go - try not to burn out on it too early!!

I know this is a probably assumed conclusion, but as an update for future applicants: I received an official rejection from Carleton Monday the 17th by email. Hilariously, I got it while sitting in a class and had to stop from rolling my eyes and saying “duh”. But I suppose that’s the date where it’s too late to actually enroll so they just officially rejected the rest of us ‘still waiting’. Good luck to future applicants! Feel free to hit me up if you have questions about York (or St Thomas & their 15 month BSW!)

Hey all! I was just wondering if there's anyone in this thread (or knows anyone who could maybe message/email me or get in touch) who's a current student at York who'd be willing to answer some questions about the program? Specifically - do students tend to take electives during the school year or the summer? Are there even any good elective choices in the summer?? Trying to decide if I should hold out or just take them, it doesn't honestly seem like it'd be too bad of a workload to take three mandatory classes in the fall plus one elective, especially if I could then have next summer off! (Speaking of - do we need to finish the graduate paper by the end of winter or do we work on that in the summer too?) I'm really not thrilled by the options for electives listed on the site right now so any insight into how good the classes are, what's worth taking (I'm looking at social administration and not really sure what it would entail!), and what isn't. Also - if anyone knows anything about the directed readings and if that's actually a viable option worth doing, that would be useful too! Thanks friends!

Heads up - this is the thread specifically for MSW programs! Congrats, but this isn't really related to this thread specifically.

Hi all, A couple quick updates re: York and Carleton, for 1 year students looking for more insight! So, I got accepted off the York waitlist yesterday and was immediately able to view my offer in the myfile "decision centre". It looks like it comes with about $16,000 funding which is incredible - I believe $10,000 of that everyone gets and then there's another $6,000 scholarship for good grades (I finished my BSW with an A average, I believe). The grad assistant explained that this does NOT come with the need to TA, in fact they recommend MSW students do not so they can focus on their studies. Pretty good deal if you ask me! I emailed Carleton as well just in case they know of any movement on the 1 year program waitlist. It doesn't look good - the response I got from Stephanie (the graduate administrator) says: "There is no movement on the waitlist as we have are above our target. If we move to the waitlist at all, it would most likely be in August. I am sorry I do not have better news for you." So, that's not ideal news... If you're waiting on Carleton I would suggest making other plans. I'm not sure how much more movement York will see but hopefully this means they're moving on the waitlist now so maybe some more of you will hear! Anyways - just thought I'd let everyone know in case other people were confused about the funding (it was written very weirdly) or still waiting on Carleton. Good luck all!

Hi all - long time no talk!! I just got off the York waitlist for the 1 year MSW!!!!! Got an email - I don’t have any more information yet but will keep you all updated. My myfile has changed to “admitted” as well!!! ❤️ Thanks for all of your support and good luck to everyone else waiting too!

My York myfile still says “no decision yet” though I also can’t check physical mail till I’m home tomorrow. I’ll keep you updated!

Forgot to let everyone know - a friend got her offer for Waterloo's MSW yesterday via email. Also mentioned that Waterloo ONLY does electronic offers, so keep an eye on your inboxes everyone! Good luck!!

Hahaha - I have had the same thought I think their system may be slow but who knows. I have no idea!! I’m not even sure where I heard 40, just that I did. It does seem odd and too high... i keep telling myself that maybe a lot of people use carleton as a “back up” and end up at u of t instead? So maybe they have quite a bit of movement???? But I’m not sure how true that really is. It’s so hard to say. I might get desperate and email Stephanie and ask.... I’m still mostly trying not to process this (as a social worker i recognize that that is unhealthy but also have so much other things going on I just can’t deal with this) so I also might not. But I’ll keep you updated!

hey smntoronto - hope you're holding up. question (since you're the only other waitlisted person I know) - has your status changed on carleton central yet?? the email said it would change to "hold for recommendation" but mine still says "review in progress". I dunno just seems weird!

I’m not sure. I feel like I’ve HEARD 40 floated, which would be double the program size? Some schools do half (U of T) but I’m not sure for Carleton. :/ Thanks! I’ll keep yall updated.

Well, it’s official. Just got the waitlist email from Carleton. My status hadnt changed yet but I’m assuming it will (as the email says) in the next few minutes. Congrats to everyone who gets in!! And I guess letms all cross our fingers that it moves at least a bit.

Is anyone else still checking all the portals even though it’s a long weekend and nothing is going to happen??? I can’t help myself, hahaha.

So - Carleton has always been one of the weird ones who send out one year and two year basically around the same time. In the midst of a biiiiit of anxiety over all of this I read back through the last three or so years threads (well, I searched them for "carleton") and then did some skimming. The way I (think) it mostly works: rejections for both one and two years go out first, via email and also are updated on carleton central. They all tend to go out around the same time, which makes a bit of sense. If you don't even meet their "bare minimum" or whatever they have decided they just reject you. Those went out at the beginning of the week and if you haven't gotten one by now that is somewhat of a good sign. Then, in previous years, both one and two year candidates started to have status changes. Most people who reported a change from "by department" to "by grad committee" (or whatever) then later (within a few days) got an acceptance. They seemed to send out one and two years more or less indiscriminately. Alphabetically doesn't make sense nor does anything else anyone could guess as to. My assumption is they send out a chunk of each one day, then roll out more in waves. I assume at some point they will stop with the "initial round" of acceptances (which I'm going to assume also involves at least a few fast rejections whose spots then get sent out to someone else). Then, in the next little while I'm guessing the rest of us will see our waitlist letters too. I THINK it's possible that acceptances happened on either side of weekends (including the long weekend) in previous years. Again, this makes sense. This process can't just all happen at once, at least I don't think so. At this point we're well past end of day in Ontario so I'm going to guess nothing now means we should all try to abandon checking the site every ten minutes until at least Tuesday. I'm going to go ahead and do my best to hope that a few more of us are going to hear positive things early next week. Beyond that... I'm going to hope lots of people who get in also get in other places they would rather go, and that the waitlist has more movement than U of Ts does. Anyways. The admissions committee is human just like us, and I'm doing my best to think that maybe we will still hear good things next week. <3 Fingers crossed for all of us still waiting!

Mine is still "review in progress by department" - but I would take that change as a great sign! The other people who've said theirs changed to what yours did seem to have all gotten their acceptances as well! Hopefully you hear back soon with good news. Not sure what you mean? I haven't had the second status change - it still says "review in process by department". I think you're right that the change to "review in progress by faculty of graduate affairs" is a good sign towards acceptance. I haven't been rejected yet either, but I'm feeling pretty sure that the lack of change means I've probably been waitlisted. Which I mean, maybe not... but no change so far doesn't seem to be the best sign. Has yours changed to the second one?

No emails and mine says the same thing. Uggggh and it's the long weekend in Ontario so we won't hear until Tuesday at the earliest. Fuck.

I’m waiting for York too!! Though honestly it was kind of a last minute decision for me and I’m not expecting much. I am also not sure if I’d go - my partner will be in Ottawa next year and my heart can’t handle more long distance (I know, Toronto to Ottawa isn’t THAT bad, but now I know what living together is like I don’t really want to give it up). But I’d still like to know soon!! Phew! I know that’s about the two year program but I’m going to hope that one years are coming out in waves too and I might still have a shot. Good luck!!

Oh for sure!!! It’s such a tricky little piece of writing and experience can only help. Plus don’t forget Carleton only takes 20 students!! Other schools take way more (u of t’s two year program is closer to 140, I think!) and that helps with things too. like, getting rejected doesn’t mean your application was BAD. I think we ALL forget how competitive some of these programs can be, and if nothing else the experience of applying can only help improve your applications more. where else did you apply?? I’m still waiting to hear from york as well. Ahhh why can’t this month be over!

So sorry to hear that socialhopeful!! I hope you hear better news from other schools in then next few weeks. So sorry to hear that, @Aspiringmsw2320! But - here's the thing. Every program has a different set of standards for applicants. No two selection committees are ever going to judge things the same. And every selection committee has to base things off the pool of applicants they received. So - maybe you weren't the right fit for Carleton this year, but, every school is going to be different. There is no real "formula" to this, as much as they all want us to think there is. A candidate might fail one year and apply with the exact same application and be first or second choice the year after. So much of it is timing and honestly a lot of it feels like a lil bit of luck too. Not getting into one school has honestly no impact on your applications for others, so I think you should try and find at least a LITTLE hope left in there. <3 If you want to talk about rejection and just the feelings associated with it all I am here if you need someone. Haha okay. I'm in a different time zone completely (currently living in BC). I don't know if they send all the emails at once, or honestly anything about how this all works. So my heart is dropping quite a bit but I am trying trying to be at least not super upset until I know more. Cool!! STU was certainly an experience. I have to say I wasn't the biggest fan of New Brunswick or a lot of things about the school (and even the program, honestly), but I will also admit that I think I got some opportunities there that I never would have had elsewhere. And I still maintain that it was better than suffering through Thunder Bay. (no offence to anyone who went to lakehead!!! I have heard good things!! I just hate winter! not that new brunswick was better!!) I know you've stressed two years but Carleton is one of the only schools that does a lot of the one year and two year stuff pretty much together. So, I don't really know if it helps but my one year application also says "review in progress by department". The only alternate status I have seen in this thread is ihatewaiting_ who had theirs change to "review in process by grad committee" and were then accepted the next day. I am still holding out hope that no news is good news - they sent both one year and two year rejection emails out yesterday so if you didn't get one of those there is still hope. I think. Good luck!

Wow - congrats!! Did you get an email or see it on carleton central? Or both?? I’m trying not to lose hope here but I’m now pretty convinced I’ve been waitlisted. Fuuuuuuck.

Hey julsmsw! We have a lot more activity over in this thread: Come say hi! As far as it goes, I don't think anyone has heard anything other than UBC-O. Hopefully we all start to hear soon, and good luck!

Hey Meemoo! We have a lot more activity over on this thread: - come say hi!

I applied to the one year and mine says that as well! So I'm not putting much stock into the statuses, honestly. Just under the 1500 - like 1470 or something. I answered it as one long piece rather than separating each question but I'm guessing I was just under 500 for each "piece" if you broke it down like that!

Yeah! It would be great to know you had something. I'm not sure honestly. I didn't apply last time around but I probably should have? There seem to be less people in general than the big GTA schools which makes sense. And I HEARD that Carleton was more forgiving (for 2 years) with if you were short on experience hours. Even the one year program makes a note on the page that they recommend x many hours BUT it also depends on the application. Which is why I probably should have applied, because lack of hours was a part of my application that was missing. They're also not a research based clinical school - much more structural (yay!) and thus I hope their process is more holistic than I found U of T and Laurier's to be. But I didn't know. It's so hard to tell, because like I said on these forms most people seem to be aiming for U of T, Laurier, York... there's always a few Carleton people who pop up as well, but this isn't really a good place to actually track numbers. Most schools just won't give out their rates other than "we accept x many students" and "in previous years have had around x many candidates". So, it's hard to say. Either way all we can do is cross our fingers and wait!!! I maybe went back through some more old threads last night (I have a problem oops) and it seemed like Carleton always tends to release 1st and 2nd years around the same time - trending towards the middle of February. It also sounds like they send out rejection emails to a bunch of people the week BEFORE. Which, I mean, you never know what's actually going to happen, but every day that I don't have a rejection email is a good one for me. And, at the very least, not long now!

I just looked back at my timeline for last year and it looks like Carleton was one of the only programs where not only did the 2 years hear BEFORE the 1 years, BUT also heard much earlier than others - Feb 23rd was the first one on last years form!!! Wow! So maybe you don't have much longer to wait after all. Good luck!