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MSW-hopeful-2016

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    Canadian Universities MSW. The waiting game 2017 admissions

    in Social Workers Forum

    Posted · Edited by MSW-hopeful-2016

    Hi Everyone, 

    I guess since this thread has slowly begun to start up again, and It's almost that time to start thinking about our applications, I will share my experience and hope others can do the same.  I was waitlisted last year for the 2 year-MSW program at UofT. It was the only program I had applied to. 

    I have my Honours BSc in Psychology. My GPA in my last year was 3.9. I got an A in research methods, and an A+ on my honours thesis. 
    I currently work as a research assistant at a chronic pain clinic, but aside from our own research, we also take on clinical trials in various areas (nicotine dependence, asthma, diabetes, etc). Before this position, which I started in April, I spent 5 years working at a retirement home, as a front desk concierge. Prior to this, I was a camp counsellor for 2 years. I'd like to think that working with both seniors and children has strengthened my abilities to be patient (haha!). 

    I have volunteer experience at:

    • Bellwood Health Services (300 hours) - presently volunteer here
      • this is my most substantial experience in terms of volunteering, as it is an addiction and rehabilitation facility not only for substance use and alcoholism but for eating disorders, sex addiction and gambling addiction, allowing me to experience addiction in a multi-faceted lens. I hope to be able to get my MSW and use it to practice addiction counselling in minority populations.
    • Canadian Mental Health Association (250 hours)
    • Greenview Lodge Senior Care Residence (200 hours)
    • Toronto General Hospital - eating disorder outpatient clinic (50 hours)
    • Pride Toronto (12 hours)
    • Town of Richmond Hill (300 hours)

    I have practicum experience from my undergrad (about 84 hours), where I was partnered with a child with a DSM-5 diagnosis in a classroom setting, to provide peer mentoring and assistance with school-related activities. 

    I believe the missing piece to my puzzle last year was that I had not had any research experience and had yet to finish my thesis. I was truly upset and in shock for a few weeks after realizing that I most likely wouldn't be getting in that application session. So my advice to those applying straight from undergrad, as I had, do not take anything but acceptance as a failure, take it as a gift and as a lesson. A year off to work, strengthen your application and have some time to yourself is not a bad thing (trust me!!!). 

    Having said this - good luck to everyone this coming year - and I hope this thread will be as active as last year. It was nice sharing the stresses of applying with similar minded individuals. 


     

    Canadian Universities MSW. The waiting game 2016 admissions

    in Social Workers Forum

    Posted

    1 hour ago, notafortuneteller said:

    I'm also job hunting and if I don't get in, I am going to take a couple of the intro to social work courses from either Thompson Rivers or UVic and apply to the distance UVic BSW program and possibly the Lakehead one in Orillia. Would have to talk to my parents about staying with them for a few days a week if I do the Orillia one (I'm from Orillia but live in Toronto). Then once I have a BSW I will reapply to the U of T 1-year MSW programs for the geriatric specialization. That's my plan. I am determined to become a geriatric social worker no matter what it takes. I want to focus on helping trans older adults and ensure they have safe spaces to live and turn to when they need support.

    That is really so awesome :) we need more people like you who want to help such a vulnerable minority population! My goal is to help LGBTQ+ youth and adults who struggle with substance use. Too many people from the community turn to drugs to help mask their suffering and trauma, and I find there is not nearly enough support for them. The fact that CAMH was the only gender identity clinic for 3 provinces in our country is so wrong....

    Canadian Universities MSW. The waiting game 2016 admissions

    in Social Workers Forum

    Posted

    2 minutes ago, notafortuneteller said:

    I'm staying on it and hoping for the best. Already emailed them my response and got a reply right away that they received it. Just wish they would tell us more about how the wait-list works so we would know our chances of getting into the program.

    I did the same thing, emailed the day of and Angela was very quick to respond. However I've already started job hunting / looking for research positions. 
    With the amount of people they waitlisted, hoping for the best is kind of hard. But it has given me motivation to improve my application

    Canadian Universities MSW. The waiting game 2016 admissions

    in Social Workers Forum

    Posted

    1 hour ago, Eveileb said:

    HEY EVERYONE

    I made a survey so we can track how many of us in this forum have been put on the wait-list for UofT's 2-year MSW. I'm sure everyone's checking every hour to see how many more people are coming forward. WELL let's ease our minds/cry about what we're up against hahaha :)

    https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/G2HV7WH

    critical thinking, like a true researcher haha!! :) I like the idea.

    Canadian Universities MSW. The waiting game 2016 admissions

    in Social Workers Forum

    Posted

    13 minutes ago, Paarthunax said:

    Hey everyone, 

    Long-time lurker here. I also got wait-listed for the MSW program at UofT. It's the only school that I applied to. I don't really understand the point of keeping a massive wait-list. Maybe 50 would be reasonable, but beyond that, it would be ridiculous. It's not like a hundred of the successful applicants might get abducted by aliens in the next few months. Why are they not disclosing the exact number of people in the wait-list? And on top of that, they will keep it open until the first week of September. It's ironic how the institution that advocates mental health awareness puts so much stress and anxiety to the poor wait-listed people. 

    There will be an information session on Thursday, May 5th. Is anyone interested to come? We might be able to dig in some more information from them in person about how the wait-list really works. 

    I would be interested in attending. I'm going to be downtown that day anyways (going to the blue jays game :)). 
    I was told by a friend of mine that even though we are told that the waitlist isn't ranked, if you call in and ask, they can tell you about your application. 
    I'm thinking of trying this next week. 

    Canadian Universities MSW. The waiting game 2016 admissions

    in Social Workers Forum

    Posted

    6 minutes ago, Ed07ti said:

    Hey everyone, 

     

    I got waitlisted at u of t aswell. I honestly thought i would get in lol and was surprised by this must be very competitive. 

    I have two ba honors; 

    Western - Politics (deans list)

    York U - Psychology (8.6/7) cumaltive GPA ( got A+ in stats 1 and 2 , A in research methods, and A+ in advanced research methods)

    Currently working as a Supervisor of a homeless shelter that houses 50 individuals. 

    was an addictions counsellor in the past with Youth. So in total 2 years of experience working with the homeless population. 

    I dont have time to volunteer since i work 80+ hours every two weeks. But did tutor stats at York and did some research assistant work for Child Development institute. 

     

    In regards to the waitlist it says it is not ranked? So how do they determine who they will pick off the list? Is it just a random name pulled out of the hat lol? Seems pretty sketchy to me. 

    Thanks.

    What I understood from the letter is once spots open up, they review everyone's app's again on the waitlist and determine it from there. 
    However I truly think the applications on the waitlist are ranked, and they're just saying they're not so they don't receive 50+ phone calls. 

    Canadian Universities MSW. The waiting game 2016 admissions

    in Social Workers Forum

    Posted

    2 minutes ago, notafortuneteller said:

    Seeing that people have recieved letters from UofT makes me want to go home to check the mail. Really hoping I made the wait list since I haven't been accepted yet. Do they tell you how many people are on the list or where you are on the list?

     

    They say the wait list isn't ranked and that as people reject their offers they look at all applications collectively, and will contact you by mail/telephone. We have until May 10th to let them know if we wish to remain on the waitlist. 

    Canadian Universities MSW. The waiting game 2016 admissions

    in Social Workers Forum

    Posted

    24 minutes ago, msw.ang said:

    Wow!! Your experience sounds amazing. Have you been checking ROSI? I was also rejected from Laurier, I think because I have under 3500 hours of relevant experience but I was just accepted to Toronto a few days ago. I wouldn't give up hope because you're definitely competitive! It's so hard to know what schools are looking for, but I would definitely think you'd get in before me based on what you've said so keep checking !! :)

    thank you for the kind words! I have been checking ROSI. As far as I know I think the lack of research experience is what's holding me down and I really am kicking myself in the butt about not looking for RA work the last 2 years and focusing more on volunteering and my grades. However i'm not going to lose hope till I find out for sure! 

    Congrats on the acceptance :) it is such an accomplishment!!!! 

    Canadian Universities MSW. The waiting game 2016 admissions

    in Social Workers Forum

    Posted · Edited by rachberks

    1 hour ago, heatherandedwin said:

    thanks rachberks! may I ask what kind of experience/grades you have? also, do you know of people being rejected from U of T and York already?

     

    A little background on myself; I'm interested in addiction and comorbid mental health in minority populations, specifically LGBTQ+ populations. I applied to collaborate in addiction studies and showed interest in the mental health and health stream. 
    So at the time of submitting my app, I had about 1000 hours of unpaid volunteer work in the social services, 250 specifically in a rehab facility which I mainly talked about in my statement. 250 hours volunteering with the elderly at a retirement home, 200 hours with the Canadian Mental Health Association, some hours leading a program with at-risk youth (involved with drugs/the law) and some doing community outreach events. I had about 60 hours as an admin assistant in the eating disorder clinic at Toronto General Hospital and the rest of my volunteer hours were from doing summer camp stuff. 

    As for paid work I've been a front desk concierge at a retirement home for 5 years and accumulated over 3500 hours, however I know it doesn't directly relate to social service work and the area I want to focus in, but I tried to tie in how working with seniors has opened my eyes to a lot of things and how its made me more resilient and allowed me to develop some of the qualities necessary for social work.

    My grades are my strongest, I have a 90% average in my last year (4 A+'s and 4 A's). 
    Research wise is where I fall short, as besides my A in research methods, I only have my thesis which I just completed so when I submitted my applications it was halfway done and all i could do was talk about my hypothesis and why I chose my topic. 
     

    Canadian Universities MSW. The waiting game 2016 admissions

    in Social Workers Forum

    Posted

    1 hour ago, heatherandedwin said:

    hey everyone! long time creeper, first time poster. I figured I would finally join the conversation because the waiting is unbearable and I'm driving myself insane. I applied to the 2-year programs at U of T and York and haven't heard anything from either. going into this, I was really confident because a U of T MSW alumni told me my application was really strong after helping through the process. I have a 4.0 GPA (I think, I'm not from Ontario but my average in my final two years was 85% [found the gpa conversion chart on the U of T website]), I was the Director of my university's students' union Women's Centre for two years, I have almost 3000 volunteer and work hours,  and I published a paper in my university's undergrad research journal. it wasn't until I found this forum that I became extremely nervous about my chances (everyone is so qualified!).

    I'm starting to think I won't be accepted to either program and will have to try again next year, or find a different path for my continuing academic/career aspirations. what I'd really like to do if I don't get accepted is find a job related to social work/women's issues/LGBT issues/sexual health so I can gain more experience before applying again. since moving to Toronto in September I've found it impossible to even get an interview! to anyone living in Toronto and currently working in the field, what advice can you offer in getting your foot in the door and finding a job!?

    good luck to everyone who hasn't heard yet, and congrats to those who have been accepted!

    Wow your experience is amazing! Very surprised you haven't heard back yet. 
    I'm still waiting too, but at this point as there seems to have been 3 waves of acceptances, I believe the rejection and waitlist letters are coming up :(

    But we never know. I believe people still received acceptances up until the 2nd week of April last year. 
     

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