Purple-Elephant

Hey! I am only in my first year of the two year program, so can't speak to the whole thing as we are just finishing up term 2/3 for first year. But for the first semester, we had class three days a week (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) with packed days, but Mondays and Fridays off. Definitely seems like a dream schedule, and it is helpful because you will need it for the work load! It is a lot but manageable if you put the time into it with the free days you're given. 
Second semester we have had placement from Monday-Wednesday, and classes Thursday and Friday. More physically exhausting for sure.
For our third term placement is now increasing to Monday-Thursday and classes on Fridays. 
For placement, they offer them all around in many different cities so you may be able to get one close to your current home. I know many people who only rented a place from September-December then moved back home once placement started, and only commuted on class days. (I am not one of them so I can't speak to how that is - I personally like being near the campus so I am near both school libraries, the school gym, professors for help, and classmates to study/take a break with). 
Hope that helps  
 

King's markets itself as a clinical program, whereas Laurier focuses a lot on being critically reflexive. Maybe King's isn't mentioned when people discuss clinical schools just because the program is smaller/less known? King's probably has less placement opportunities because there are far less students. I do have a friend who did the 1-year program at King's, and a few other classmates from my BSW who went through their program as well. I actually sat in on one of their classes once with a BSW colleague who was in their program, because I always had my heart set on going there! The people I have talked to really liked the courses and the professors there. 
You may not have been offered a funding package up front, but Laurier in general has MUCH BETTER scholarship, award and grant opportunities that you will be able to apply for over the next two years as a student. Laurier in general has a LOT OF money! I have heard they have so much money because they are a business school. I did my BSW and undergrad both at Renison (UWaterloo), but grew up in the London area. KW seems to have a better network of social service agencies, to be honest. It is more progressive and has more opportunity than the London area.
I think visiting the schools is going to be a game changer for you! 

King's markets itself as a clinical program, whereas Laurier focuses a lot on being critically reflexive. Maybe King's isn't mentioned when people discuss clinical schools just because the program is smaller/less known? King's probably has less placement opportunities because there are far less students. I do have a friend who did the 1-year program at King's, and a few other classmates from my BSW who went through their program as well. I actually sat in on one of their classes once with a BSW colleague who was in their program, because I always had my heart set on going there! The people I have talked to really liked the courses and the professors there. 
You may not have been offered a funding package up front, but Laurier in general has MUCH BETTER scholarship, award and grant opportunities that you will be able to apply for over the next two years as a student. Laurier in general has a LOT OF money! I have heard they have so much money because they are a business school. I did my BSW and undergrad both at Renison (UWaterloo), but grew up in the London area. KW seems to have a better network of social service agencies, to be honest. It is more progressive and has more opportunity than the London area.
I think visiting the schools is going to be a game changer for you! 

King's markets itself as a clinical program, whereas Laurier focuses a lot on being critically reflexive. Maybe King's isn't mentioned when people discuss clinical schools just because the program is smaller/less known? King's probably has less placement opportunities because there are far less students. I do have a friend who did the 1-year program at King's, and a few other classmates from my BSW who went through their program as well. I actually sat in on one of their classes once with a BSW colleague who was in their program, because I always had my heart set on going there! The people I have talked to really liked the courses and the professors there. 
You may not have been offered a funding package up front, but Laurier in general has MUCH BETTER scholarship, award and grant opportunities that you will be able to apply for over the next two years as a student. Laurier in general has a LOT OF money! I have heard they have so much money because they are a business school. I did my BSW and undergrad both at Renison (UWaterloo), but grew up in the London area. KW seems to have a better network of social service agencies, to be honest. It is more progressive and has more opportunity than the London area.
I think visiting the schools is going to be a game changer for you! 

I’m not the person you’re replying to but I got my BSW first and am now starting an advance standing MSW in September! Some benefits are that you get more placement hours, chances to build close relationships with social work professors (who make good references), a degree that better allows you to practice in the field before going for your MSW than a BA typically does, higher chances of acceptance to the MSW as opposed to 2 year programs, and it shaves off half the time from your MSW anyways so you don’t lose any money or time. The con is that you have to apply to two programs instead of just one and doing a 2 year MSW. 

I’m not the person you’re replying to but I got my BSW first and am now starting an advance standing MSW in September! Some benefits are that you get more placement hours, chances to build close relationships with social work professors (who make good references), a degree that better allows you to practice in the field before going for your MSW than a BA typically does, higher chances of acceptance to the MSW as opposed to 2 year programs, and it shaves off half the time from your MSW anyways so you don’t lose any money or time. The con is that you have to apply to two programs instead of just one and doing a 2 year MSW. 

I’m not the person you’re replying to but I got my BSW first and am now starting an advance standing MSW in September! Some benefits are that you get more placement hours, chances to build close relationships with social work professors (who make good references), a degree that better allows you to practice in the field before going for your MSW than a BA typically does, higher chances of acceptance to the MSW as opposed to 2 year programs, and it shaves off half the time from your MSW anyways so you don’t lose any money or time. The con is that you have to apply to two programs instead of just one and doing a 2 year MSW. 

I’m not the person you’re replying to but I got my BSW first and am now starting an advance standing MSW in September! Some benefits are that you get more placement hours, chances to build close relationships with social work professors (who make good references), a degree that better allows you to practice in the field before going for your MSW than a BA typically does, higher chances of acceptance to the MSW as opposed to 2 year programs, and it shaves off half the time from your MSW anyways so you don’t lose any money or time. The con is that you have to apply to two programs instead of just one and doing a 2 year MSW. 

I’m not the person you’re replying to but I got my BSW first and am now starting an advance standing MSW in September! Some benefits are that you get more placement hours, chances to build close relationships with social work professors (who make good references), a degree that better allows you to practice in the field before going for your MSW than a BA typically does, higher chances of acceptance to the MSW as opposed to 2 year programs, and it shaves off half the time from your MSW anyways so you don’t lose any money or time. The con is that you have to apply to two programs instead of just one and doing a 2 year MSW. 

I agree with all of this. Most of all we have to remember: MSW programs are SO. COMPETITIVE! It is an accomplishment to even complete the prerequisites and going through a daunting application process (gaining experience, finding references, writing personal statements, etc.) Everyone pursuing this career has a good heart and are going to help people, no matter what path gets you there.  

I agree with all of this. Most of all we have to remember: MSW programs are SO. COMPETITIVE! It is an accomplishment to even complete the prerequisites and going through a daunting application process (gaining experience, finding references, writing personal statements, etc.) Everyone pursuing this career has a good heart and are going to help people, no matter what path gets you there.  

I agree with all of this. Most of all we have to remember: MSW programs are SO. COMPETITIVE! It is an accomplishment to even complete the prerequisites and going through a daunting application process (gaining experience, finding references, writing personal statements, etc.) Everyone pursuing this career has a good heart and are going to help people, no matter what path gets you there.  

I agree with all of this. Most of all we have to remember: MSW programs are SO. COMPETITIVE! It is an accomplishment to even complete the prerequisites and going through a daunting application process (gaining experience, finding references, writing personal statements, etc.) Everyone pursuing this career has a good heart and are going to help people, no matter what path gets you there.  

Congratulations to everyone who has received offers to their choice schools!!! Happy for each of you! And to those who are still waiting...self care and best wishes! But mostly I wanted to post to those who have received a rejection. How disappointing! And Im sorry! But please please recognize this doesnt reflect on you as a person! Once you have processed, then I hope you can view it as an opportunity...an opportunity for a different direction for 2019/2020. You each have shown tremendous dedication and hardwork to get to this point. Please celebrate your successes! Cast your mind over feel good moments of the past and recognize the value you each have! Do not let this affect mental wellness which is far more important than school. Cheering you each on to whatever the next year holds! Be mindful. Be present. Love yourself. Enjoy the spring!

Thanks for your response! I am just finishinh my hbsw and immediately prior did my ssw diploma so it has been a longtime since I was able to work fulltime excepting summers so I have zero savings. And lots of months I hit up the food bank too so I may have to wait. King's sadly does not let you drfer so I would need to reapply. Well who knows. Maybe I will get rich over the summer lol unlikely. On the bright side if I cant think of something or osap doesnt up their money, then relinguishing my spot gives someone else a place! We all have our "time" still gonna bask in the fact Western chose me however lol

I’m not sure how their actual amounts compare to other programs. But I know that they offer various entrance scholarships along with a few Teaching Assistantships! 

Just received an email with an acceptance to Western/King's advance standing starting in September! I am excited to have been offered acceptance at every program I have applied to. I don't see any funding offers at all though from Western, so I believe I will be declining the offer and accepting at Laurier for next fall. Good luck to everyone else who applied there and if you were waitlisted you have some hope through me. I feel positive given that they only accept ~15 people each year

Yes, from what I have read they have a much larger program (around 150 students) whereas Western accepts 15, and Laurier not much more than that either. However, you have to think about how many people live in Toronto and how many applications they receive too. Not sure what their admission % is. I would be interested to know though!

Just received an email with an acceptance to Western/King's advance standing starting in September! I am excited to have been offered acceptance at every program I have applied to. I don't see any funding offers at all though from Western, so I believe I will be declining the offer and accepting at Laurier for next fall. Good luck to everyone else who applied there and if you were waitlisted you have some hope through me. I feel positive given that they only accept ~15 people each year

Just received an email with an acceptance to Western/King's advance standing starting in September! I am excited to have been offered acceptance at every program I have applied to. I don't see any funding offers at all though from Western, so I believe I will be declining the offer and accepting at Laurier for next fall. Good luck to everyone else who applied there and if you were waitlisted you have some hope through me. I feel positive given that they only accept ~15 people each year

Just received an email with an acceptance to Western/King's advance standing starting in September! I am excited to have been offered acceptance at every program I have applied to. I don't see any funding offers at all though from Western, so I believe I will be declining the offer and accepting at Laurier for next fall. Good luck to everyone else who applied there and if you were waitlisted you have some hope through me. I feel positive given that they only accept ~15 people each year

I was admitted into UofT's MSW advanced standing program last year and I'm currently in the program. If I told someone my GPA and years of experience at the time of my application, even I would admit that it didn't sound very impressive compared to some people. In my personal experience, I find that many MSW applicants focus a lot on GPA and years of experience when there are many other (and perhaps easier) ways you can stand out as well. I'd like to take some time to share my experience to hopefully help out you and other people on this forum. 
Here are my initial stats: I did a BA with mediocre grades. I immediately followed it with a 1-year BSW, and my grades were in the low/mid 80's on average (which was class average for the program). In terms of social work related experience at the time of application, I did a few casual volunteer positions at homeless shelters, my 10-month BSW practicum, and I was about 4 months into working my first full-time social work job. So my grades were decent but I was definitely light in terms of experience. 
How did I make my application stand out? 
- My goals were different than most other applicants - I want to be a health researcher. In my application, I wrote a lot about my research goals, research interests, issues/gaps in the current literature, etc. I talked about how I wanted to do the thesis option, what i would do it on, and which supervisor would fit my interests. Even if you are not interested in research as a career, any UofT applicant can benefit from writing about why research is important, how better research would inform your work, etc. 
- I had really good references. When I went to the MSW information session, Angela said that we would be surprised how many negative reference letters they receive. Towards the end of my BSW, I ended up building really good relationships with some of my professors. I ended up working on some projects with them and this led to really strong academic references from well known professors.
- I did my research and read between the lines to figure out who the program wants. In my opinion, you can figure a lot about who the program wants by researching the program. For example, UofT has a focus on evidence-based social work practice, so discuss that in your statement. Another example, ask about the program’s educational pedagogy, and in your statement, discuss how that aligns with your performed mode of learning. Key point here is to learn about the programs main values. 
Also, some food for thought. There may be somethings that the schools look for that they don’t explicitly ask for. Some examples I can think of include emotional maturity, professionalism when dealing with difficult/disrespectful clients, experience working in a large variety of social work roles, academic literacy, etc. I suspect that schools read your application to look for these things even though it’s not explicitly asked. 
My point in all of this is to take a broader view of your application. Don’t focus on just the numbers (GPA and years of experience). As social workers we often like to take a holistic view of things, so take a holistic view of your application as well  Best of luck!

With respect that is quite a negative and verging on rude outlook. While I haven't read every page of this forum it seems like people have been very positive and supportive of one another. At the same time, no one has posted their personal statements so it is impossible to determine someone's 'WOW' factor as you put it. I find that kind of judgement pretty harsh. I believe everyone here has worked very hard towards their goal, but everyone is at different places along their journey towards that goal.
Personally, I applied back in 2016 with what I thought to be a good amount of experience along with a solid application and I got rejected from every school I applied to. Over the past few years, I logged a lot more hours and worked hard to get where I am today. 
In this forum just like in life, we have no idea the path other people have walked. And any comment, regardless of its original intent, that minimizes people's efforts and disvalues what should be a celebration of their hard work is not okay in my books. 
I agree that this kind of forum can have a negative impact on personal well-being as it becomes easy to compare ones-self to others and make it seem more like a competition. For me, it's important to recognize that different schools are looking for different things based on their values and mission statements. And there are grossly more applicants than there are spots UofT and Laurier for example last year were only able to accept 17% of the applicant pool. 
I believe its important as future social workers for us to know our own limits, so if you feel this group isn't a positive space for you then follow that instinct. However, that doesn't mean it is okay to discredit other's accomplishments.
I wish you all the best where ever your journey takes you.

Of course I believe you should apply no matter what! but MSW programs (especially 2 year ones) are extremely competitive. There is so much competition that the minimums schools list are very much “low balls.” You can still apply and follow your back up plan, working a few years would definitely help. 
I also suggest applying to 1-year postgrad BSW programs as well, if you’re able. It shaves half the time off of your masters degree so it wouldn’t be any extra time in school, but would give you a lot more experience and training for your masters. BSW programs are quite competitive too, but less so than 2 year MSWs!

Of course I believe you should apply no matter what! but MSW programs (especially 2 year ones) are extremely competitive. There is so much competition that the minimums schools list are very much “low balls.” You can still apply and follow your back up plan, working a few years would definitely help. 
I also suggest applying to 1-year postgrad BSW programs as well, if you’re able. It shaves half the time off of your masters degree so it wouldn’t be any extra time in school, but would give you a lot more experience and training for your masters. BSW programs are quite competitive too, but less so than 2 year MSWs!