pippapants

Arizona State, Marriage and Family Therapy, Masters
 
"Luckily, I've already been accepted into Hogwarts, School of Wizardry & the University of Narnia's School of Doesn't Exist, so I guess you can say I've got options. NO TEARS HERE!!!"

Other things to consider:
A doctoral program is not an achievement in and of itself.  It's training for a completely different career - research and academia (and people wash out because of the pressure, the stress, and the criticism).  In that sense, your dissertation is not the culmination of your career, it launches your career, sets you on a path, etc.  You can't really look at your research as something you want to do simply because it's personally relevant to you -- it has to fill a gap in the the scientific literature for you to get anywhere with 1) publication and 2) funding.  Your productivity and ability to secure funding will in large part determine your attractiveness as a researcher, though you can boost that with expertise in clinical experience or even quantitative research methods.  It's very important that you can convince other social scientists (potential colleagues, journal reviewers, funders, etc.) that your research is novel and innovative. Following from that, use your time in your MSW to immerse yourself in the scientific literature so that you know what has been established by other researchers in that area (and I would guess that there is a lot of research there) and what gaps exist.  At that point you'll have a better idea where your interests fit, the methods you'll need to learn, etc.  It's really too early to define your dissertation. I would encourage you to be open-minded about your interests, your methods, and your research agenda.  If you take a definitive approach to your research too early on, you may find yourself disappointed when it comes time to apply to a doctoral program.  You may find it difficult to identify a faculty fit (someone whose interests in content, population, or methods align with yours and who will mentor you) -- particularly if you are unwilling to re-locate for your PhD.  You may find that faculty tell that your stated research question 1) adds nothing significant or novel to the literature or 2) will be difficult to secure funding for, based on your stated interest in qualitative methods (sad, but true).  Be open-minded, and you will have a better experience.

I had an EXTREMELY rough internship for the last year of my MSW, due to problems with my supervisor.  We had different philosophies about a lot of things, and she was a terrible communicator.  (Other staff under her immediate supervision had the same experience.  She was passive aggressive, hard to read, defensive, and unsupportive.)  I was an MSW intern doing the same tasks as LSWs at the agency (assessments and case management; nothing related to counseling, program development, policy, evaluation, etc.), and I had days in which I had 5 hours of free time, doing nothing at all.  I asked her if there were any additional projects at the agency that I could meaningfully contribute to and would support the development of necessary competencies, and she took it as me saying that I was too good to be doing two assessments a day and sitting around on my *** the rest of the day.  She torpedoed my grade at semester because she disagreed with our field director's grading system.  (She felt that I should be graded on clinical-readiness all year, rather than using the field director's rubric stating that we be graded as mid-year MSW interns in the first semester;  so she gave me a D a midterm and a B at semester, while other students got As).  I had a breakdown when I had to go back after winter break. I was miserable.
I met with my field director to discuss my concerns, that I didn't feel that I was meeting my goals or developing my skills, and she told me that other students would be grateful for the opportunity to have time to complete homework.  May you have a better conversation with your folks than I did with mine, because nothing changed, I was made to feel bad about "complaining," and I ended up feeling unprepared for clinical practice (maybe it's a good thing I went straight into a doc program).  Other students had full caseloads of counseling clients.  I had one counseling session all year.  DISASTER.

Arizona State, Marriage and Family Therapy, Masters
 
"Luckily, I've already been accepted into Hogwarts, School of Wizardry & the University of Narnia's School of Doesn't Exist, so I guess you can say I've got options. NO TEARS HERE!!!"

I am hoping someone can normalize my stress and tell me I'm not crazy.
So, last fall I applied to several programs and was offered full funding and a fellowship at the one I chose.  We bought a house in the new state and arranged to move.  I found out over the summer that I might carry a genetic problem that will limit our ability to have healthy children, so I had a blood test and waited for the results.  In the mean time, we moved to our new state and I petitioned to take on a quarter-time research appointment (above the 12 credit hours of courses) with a very successful faculty member.
The week school started, I got the results of the test, which confirmed I have the genetic problem.  I was concerned about what that would mean for us and thought about withdrawing then, but I was encouraged to stay the course and "take one day at a time."  We had planned to wait until I was finished with coursework to try to start a family, but I am in my mid-thirties, and a genetic counselor told us in September that if we wanted a family, we needed to start now, as it may take a few years or more.  We could try naturally with likely recurrent miscarriages, or we could try IVF with genetic screening.
I talked with my program director about family planning and was told I absolutely should put it off.  When I relayed the concerns about my genetic status, I was told to do what I had to do, and I would be supported.  Forgive me if I feel that was not supportive.  My research adviser has been more supportive but is extremely demanding.  My quarter-time appointment is more intense and stressful than some people's half-time appointments.  I traveled three times last semester for it.
We elected to start IVF in November, and it's been awful.  IVF is a physically, emotionally, financially draining process with no certainty afforded to anyone -- least of all, people like us who produce a large percentage of chromosomally abnormal gametes.  The hormones are awful, and with each step there is an agonizing wait to see how or if you will proceed.  If you eff up any one step (too few follicles recruited, too few eggs retrieved, too few eggs fertilized, too few embryos make it to genetic screening, OR no viable embryos), you have to start over, seek a second opinion, etc.  I struggled to finish the semester, taking an extra week on a large paper.  (That said, I was praised for my work.)  I missed an opportunity with my research group last week (and several classes) because I had a procedure.
This semester, I have a higher course load than last (14 units) (on my adviser's suggestion), plus my research, plus genetic screening of embryos, a possible transfer, or another IVF cycle.  I was hoping to have some certainty on the fertility front by now, but it hasn't happened.  I am struggling to concentrate and get stuff done.  Maybe I'm silly, but I can spend hours reading articles about people with my status, how to optimize an IVF cycles, statistics related to treatments, etc.  I spend hours waiting by the phone for results, hoping I will somehow find some certainty or answers to what the next month will hold.
I am concerned I will not make it through the semester.  I know I need to tell people in my department that I'm struggling, but I'm afraid of their reactions (since not everyone has been supportive).  I don't think I can reduce my course load to a manageable amount without forfeiting my tuition waiver and stipend.  I think I would rather withdraw or take a leave of absence.  Relaxing and bingeing on Netflix sounds so much more appealing right now than conquering 5 classes and research.
Bottom line:  Am I crazy?  Has anyone else been through this?

I am hoping someone can normalize my stress and tell me I'm not crazy.
So, last fall I applied to several programs and was offered full funding and a fellowship at the one I chose.  We bought a house in the new state and arranged to move.  I found out over the summer that I might carry a genetic problem that will limit our ability to have healthy children, so I had a blood test and waited for the results.  In the mean time, we moved to our new state and I petitioned to take on a quarter-time research appointment (above the 12 credit hours of courses) with a very successful faculty member.
The week school started, I got the results of the test, which confirmed I have the genetic problem.  I was concerned about what that would mean for us and thought about withdrawing then, but I was encouraged to stay the course and "take one day at a time."  We had planned to wait until I was finished with coursework to try to start a family, but I am in my mid-thirties, and a genetic counselor told us in September that if we wanted a family, we needed to start now, as it may take a few years or more.  We could try naturally with likely recurrent miscarriages, or we could try IVF with genetic screening.
I talked with my program director about family planning and was told I absolutely should put it off.  When I relayed the concerns about my genetic status, I was told to do what I had to do, and I would be supported.  Forgive me if I feel that was not supportive.  My research adviser has been more supportive but is extremely demanding.  My quarter-time appointment is more intense and stressful than some people's half-time appointments.  I traveled three times last semester for it.
We elected to start IVF in November, and it's been awful.  IVF is a physically, emotionally, financially draining process with no certainty afforded to anyone -- least of all, people like us who produce a large percentage of chromosomally abnormal gametes.  The hormones are awful, and with each step there is an agonizing wait to see how or if you will proceed.  If you eff up any one step (too few follicles recruited, too few eggs retrieved, too few eggs fertilized, too few embryos make it to genetic screening, OR no viable embryos), you have to start over, seek a second opinion, etc.  I struggled to finish the semester, taking an extra week on a large paper.  (That said, I was praised for my work.)  I missed an opportunity with my research group last week (and several classes) because I had a procedure.
This semester, I have a higher course load than last (14 units) (on my adviser's suggestion), plus my research, plus genetic screening of embryos, a possible transfer, or another IVF cycle.  I was hoping to have some certainty on the fertility front by now, but it hasn't happened.  I am struggling to concentrate and get stuff done.  Maybe I'm silly, but I can spend hours reading articles about people with my status, how to optimize an IVF cycles, statistics related to treatments, etc.  I spend hours waiting by the phone for results, hoping I will somehow find some certainty or answers to what the next month will hold.
I am concerned I will not make it through the semester.  I know I need to tell people in my department that I'm struggling, but I'm afraid of their reactions (since not everyone has been supportive).  I don't think I can reduce my course load to a manageable amount without forfeiting my tuition waiver and stipend.  I think I would rather withdraw or take a leave of absence.  Relaxing and bingeing on Netflix sounds so much more appealing right now than conquering 5 classes and research.
Bottom line:  Am I crazy?  Has anyone else been through this?

Also, Columbia is not one of the more selective MSW programs (their acceptance rate is like 70%-ish?).  In fact, a lot of state schools are a lot tougher to get into.  I think you'll be fine.

Hi TurquoiseTurle, 
I don't really think a second Bachelor's is necessary. It's a much cheaper alternative to register as a non-degree seeking student and begin taking graduate-level classes in your area of interest. This will give you a couple things you're lacking: recent grades, proof that you can handle graduate-level work, and likely, more relevant letters of recommendation. Alternatively, since your goal is in education, you might see if there any certificate programs that would be beneficial to your career trajectory--which would boost your application in a similar way. 
 

The book that I believe Catlovers is talking about is by Dawn Apgar, and she is one of the individuals that teaches the NASW workshops, so she knows what she's doing and the book is extremely helpful. The exam is broken up into four sections and Dawn breaks it all down for you. In addition, there is a practice exam on NASW's website that is so important to take prior to the test. This will show what categories you need to work on and give you an example of how the exam will look on test day. Remember the exam is general, not state-specific so you will need to know a lot of broad information that would be applicable in the "ideal" social work world, not necessarily what you would do or what you should do in your state. 

If you are studying for the masters level licensing exam, I would highly recommend getting "Social Work ASWB Masters Exam Guide: A Comprehensive Study Guide for Success".  It is essentially a study guide along with a practice exam, and many people swear by it.  It includes tips for how to answer the questions, as well as a review of content areas.
I also attended a day-long training provided by NASW, which was helpful, and the book was included with the cost of the training.

I wouldn't worry too much about spending app money safety schools; you're very likely to get in to at least one of those schools, if not several -- if that's where you want to go.  MSW programs have some of the highest acceptances rates of any graduate programs, and acceptance rates do not correspond to "rankings" in anyway (I'm not actually sure what "rankings" correspond to).  As I mentioned in another post, some of the highest ranked and most expensive schools have the highest acceptance rates, because their actual yield is so low (i.e. very few people can actually afford to attend, so they accept large pools of students knowing that most will turn the offer down).  Something like only 30%-40% of the MSW students admitted to Boston U, BC, NYU, Fordham, and Penn actually end up there.  I don't have stats for all the schools you listed, but Chicago's acceptance has been up around 70%, same as the University of Michigan and Washington University in St. Louis.

I'm also applying MSW/MPH for Fall 2016.  I have too many schools: nine.  I like them all for various reasons but a common problem I have is that I will really like the SW program but then the MPH program will be generalist or not have a concentration that excites me, or vice versa. I also think I should be applying broadly because my academic record is not that great.  I'm working on my essays now.  I am taking the GRE next month. 
My goal is to get micro/direct practice training on the SW side, along with the population perspective of the MPH.  I will be going FT, am a career changer, and very worried about the cost as well!  It seems only expensive schools offer the MSW/MPH.  I have one cheap in-state that offers it, but they force you into administration and management for both.  It would be cheaper for me to do the two degrees separately at this university over four years in the concentrations that I want. That's an option.  There's no way I am going $100K + into the hole for this and I think it's ethically suspect to charge that kind of tuition for a social work degree!  Subsequently, Columbia is not on my list, nor is USC (University of Southern California).  

I am not in this field so maybe I am coming at this all wrong. But I have worked with similar topics at schools in the past and I think some of my thoughts about application materials might apply across many fields. Another resource to tap, if you haven't already, is to talk to your professors in your undergrad department to see what they think. After all, they likely also read admission essays and they can let you know how they would feel if an applicant wrote about their school!
With the caveats above, some of my thoughts are:
1. You say that your main goal is to communicate that you are knowledgeable about the school and the campus. If so, I think there are a lot more effective and less risky ways for you to demonstrate this than to tackle this issue in the analytical essay.
2. I mention that this is risky. In my opinion, I think choosing this topic does not have a very high chance of helping you, but it has a chance of hurting you. Because this is a controversial issue, there is a chance that someone making the admission decision might strongly disagree with you. If so, that could really hurt you. However, if there is someone making the decision that strongly agrees with you, I don't think it would help you very much. 
3. I also think this is risky because you are still an "outsider". I don't know your current affiliation or status with UC Berkeley, but if this is an issue that the school is currently working on, they might already have a plan in place and are working towards that. I think it would seem a little arrogant for someone external to just come in saying "this is how I would fix it!". It's one thing to write about this at some other university (e.g. your own, where you have experience, or some neutral third party) but it's another to write to the people who might already be involved in working on a plan and saying this is how you would do it instead. Similarly, when people apply for jobs, they don't criticize the company/organization they plan to work for and come in with all these ideas. Instead, people generally are expected to join the organization, take some time to take stock of what the situation is really like and then develop an action plan that works for that organization. 
Of course, #3 here doesn't apply if you are actually already fully familiar with Berkeley. In that case, I think this is a big strength and you would be very valuable to the department so you should demonstrate that. However, if you are not already part of the "solution" in place at Berkeley, I would think it is less risky for you to wait until you arrive and assess the situation from within before you tell the people who work there (and may already be working on the issue) how you think it should be done instead.
Also I guess it is clear that I'm giving you this advice from a risk-adverse perspective. I just think it is a high risk with little chance of a "gain". But each person's level of acceptable risk is different, so I hope my thoughts here help you determine how much risk might exist in choosing this topic and whether or not it is worth it to you!

I agree with the advice given above! Also, this is something that is likely already on your mind, but make sure you do research on resources available at the university. Universities of California have changed drastically and new programs are in the process of being implemented this fall semester. I don't know how much is available online so you might have to directly contact Student Affairs or a similar department. You wouldn't want to talk about change you want implemented on the campus when there's already specific changes underway. 
 

I currently commute 12 hours a week for my MSW program and work 20 hours per week on a graduate assistantship that is paying for my second year of school (meaning I will graduate with 20k in loans).
 
My advice: DO NOT DO IT. I *hate* it. Between 24 hours a week in internship, 20 hours a week in assistantship work, 12 hours a week in commuting, and about 30 hours a week in classwork (not to mention attempting to train for a marathon), I'm going about 90 hours a week right now. I'm lucky that I have a partner who cooks and cleans, because otherwise I would be eating fast food and living in a trash heap at home.
 
It really takes a toll on everything. I don't have time to invest myself fully in anything, including my schoolwork or in my relationship at home. If I had those extra 12 hours a week, I would be sooooooo much happier. I cannot even describe it.
 
I would say that financial considerations are really important when you are considering a career in social work. Sure, there is IBR and loan forgiveness programs, but carrying that much debt will impact your ability to take out other loans (for cars or homes), particularly because you won't have the salary to compensate for it, no matter where you graduate from. And loan forgiveness programs limit the types of jobs you can take.

I have heard this about TX.  My mentor from my MSW is from there and despite the fact that she is a full-time, tenure track professor who no longer practices, she has maintained her licensure in Texas.  If it lapses, she says, it would be a bear to get it back.

At least you had an interview and have heard things from them! I applied mid-January and have not heard a thing except a link to check my application status. I'm assuming that's bad news for me. Oh well!
 
I have asked the "is it worth it?" question to a few of my social work professors and they all said "No." The common response was that since our field isn't as competitive as say...... medical school...... the prestige of the program in social work is not worth $40,000 a year. They all went to state schools and have very good jobs! So I think I'll go for a cheaper option, since I have heard back from my other schools and got into all of them!

swgirl23, do you know of "College Confidential"? (http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/) That site is not just a grad student forum, but for everything college, with heavy focus on undergrad, which is the type of major a BSW is. May I ask why you feel going for a BSW despite already having a bachelor's degree is a better option than going straight for an MSW? In my opinion, doing that will result in you taking many introductory courses in a broad range of disciplines all over again rather than simply focusing on the field you want to go into. It is not necessary to have a BSW in order to get into an MSW program (I got into a few MSW programs with only a BA in Psychology, and I am also 21 years old now), so I think it may be a more efficient option to simply go for an MSW program since you already have a bachelor's degree.

Arizona State, Marriage and Family Therapy, Masters
 
"Luckily, I've already been accepted into Hogwarts, School of Wizardry & the University of Narnia's School of Doesn't Exist, so I guess you can say I've got options. NO TEARS HERE!!!"

I think it's really hard to justify a huge financial investment in a social work education, because you won't see the pay-off on the other end. In some fields, the reputation of your institution will bump your salary, but social work is not one of those fields. Unless you're absolutely okay with student loan debt impacting your financial future (and your family's, if you're planning on having one) in terms of home buying, car buying, monthly loan payments forever and ever, etc., you really have to consider what you are getting yourself into. So many professors at different institutions have told me that MSW programs are really quite equal across the board, in part due to CSWE curriculum requirements. I'm not sure why we all go so nuts over name recognition and ranking.
 
All-in-all, though, I think banking on a loan forgiveness program is not a wise decision. Too many If's.

I think it's really hard to justify a huge financial investment in a social work education, because you won't see the pay-off on the other end. In some fields, the reputation of your institution will bump your salary, but social work is not one of those fields. Unless you're absolutely okay with student loan debt impacting your financial future (and your family's, if you're planning on having one) in terms of home buying, car buying, monthly loan payments forever and ever, etc., you really have to consider what you are getting yourself into. So many professors at different institutions have told me that MSW programs are really quite equal across the board, in part due to CSWE curriculum requirements. I'm not sure why we all go so nuts over name recognition and ranking.
 
All-in-all, though, I think banking on a loan forgiveness program is not a wise decision. Too many If's.

I honestly do not feel as though ranking matters in MSW programs in any way, shape or form. You want to go to a program that fits your needs and goals. If you want to specialize, you'll need to choose a program that offers that specialization. If you don't, then choose a program that is generalist in its philosophy.
 
I know most people here don't really care about student loan debt, but that should bear more consideration than ranking. Student loan debt is no joke. It's a hole that people dig themselves into without any real understanding of what it takes to get out. In social work, going to a "highly ranked" school won't earn you a higher salary when you come out. You'll still be offered the same $35,000 job that my friend just got offered, WITH a Master's degree. Once you pay out your IBR student loan payment, that doesn't leave a lot for food and rent.
 
As far as doing a PhD goes, getting accepted has more to do with what you do at your school (research, a GRA/GTA, writing/pubs, presentations) and what you do after school, etc. than the ACTUAL school you attend for your MSW. I am starting a PhD and my MSW program is ranked in the 100s. Granted, my undergrad is from a top 5 institution, but I also did a ton of work at my MSW program to build my resume. When I interviewed, the feedback that I got was that "It is nice to see a social work student so interested in research," not "Why didn't you attend a more highly ranked program? Your school is bunk."
 
Someone else from my school got accepted to (really, was recruited to) a top 5 PhD program last year, and she did undergrad and MSW both there, so I really don't think ranking means anything.
 
So in short, I would consider your needs, their curriculum, affordability, and opportunities for research and publications over ranking.

Arizona State, Marriage and Family Therapy, Masters
 
"Luckily, I've already been accepted into Hogwarts, School of Wizardry & the University of Narnia's School of Doesn't Exist, so I guess you can say I've got options. NO TEARS HERE!!!"

Arizona State, Marriage and Family Therapy, Masters
 
"Luckily, I've already been accepted into Hogwarts, School of Wizardry & the University of Narnia's School of Doesn't Exist, so I guess you can say I've got options. NO TEARS HERE!!!"

Arizona State, Marriage and Family Therapy, Masters
 
"Luckily, I've already been accepted into Hogwarts, School of Wizardry & the University of Narnia's School of Doesn't Exist, so I guess you can say I've got options. NO TEARS HERE!!!"