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Amanda87

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    What do you wish you knew when deciding?

    in Decisions, Decisions

    Posted · Edited by Amanda87
    typo, oops

    17 minutes ago, DBear said:

    That's my main choice right now, too - a bigger department with more funding or a smaller department. Being at a smaller department, I feel like the faculty will have more time to take interest in my research and academic success and I'll never be just one of 100 students. On the other hand, the larger school may translate into a larger alum network once I graduate.. but then again, would a large group of alums (who I don't know) be more helpful than a couple of faculty that will work really hard on my letters of rec or using their own networks to help me get a job? There are pros and cons, but I really do think it's good to know how excited a program is about you. Even if it's a big program, maybe you're really on the faculty's radar.. Unfortunately, we don't really get the answer to this question all the time.. 

    All of this is such great information to know, now if I could just stop my mind from going a mile a minute constantly over all the pros and cons! I should only have a couple more weeks though til I make a decision, luckily. 

    What do you wish you knew when deciding?

    in Decisions, Decisions

    Posted

    On 2/2/2017 at 7:54 PM, DBear said:

    I think, if possible, I'd like to know how excited the school is about me. Was I their first choice and there are faculty members really looking forward to working with me? Are my potential advisors or professors easily available? 

    I think this is a really great point, especially about the school being excited about you. My big decision is going to be between a medium size program and a really large program, and one of the things I keep thinking about is, even though the bigger school is a top 10 program, the smaller school would probably give me a better shot at more opportunities. I wouldn't be competing for field placements against so many people in my program, even though the medium-sized program is still really good. 

    Fall 2017 Applicants

    in Social Workers Forum

    Posted

    6 minutes ago, alisham said:

    BC would basically have to cover most of my tuition with scholarships and work study for me to able to afford it.  I would then have to take out loans for living expenses, at least until I can find a part-time job. I've been looking into graduate assistantships and I read in one of the MSW handbooks that the school of social work tends to only give them out to second year students.

    Honestly, I won't be too bummed if I can't make BC work since I researched all of the schools I applied to extensively and both like and can see myself in any of them.  So, at this point, I'm going with whatever school is cheapest.

    That's basically where I'm at too. I've decided I would have to get a 75% tuition scholarship to consider attending BC. This is of course assuming I'm accepted since I haven't heard yet. The BC assistantships also only provide $4,000 tuition remission (I think that's accurate, it's pretty low) and a small stipend, so even if I was able to get one that wouldn't help very much. I'm just anxious to hear from them and be able to make my decision and start to plan for moving and field placements. 

    As far as BC vs SSU goes, I know I'd be happy at either. From what I've read on here from previous years and some other forums, SSU students are placed at many of the same organizations as BC students. The one major downside is that SSU doesn't offer a trauma certificate. 

    Fall 2017 Applicants

    in Social Workers Forum

    Posted

    12 hours ago, bquinn said:

    I grew up (and currently live in) Western Mass, but I lived in Boston for my first year of undergrad- it's SO expensive! It's the reason I didn't stay there, despite the city being so great. 

    Do you think Salem is a better cost of living? From everything I can tell, it would be. 

     

    12 hours ago, alisham said:

    This might be a moot point since I'm still waiting for Boston College's financial aid info to come through, but Boston's cost of living is freaking me out a little. The studio apartments seem crazy expensive (from a CT standpoint) and having roommates only knocks it down about 200 bucks or so.  Plus, I'm bringing a dog, so I don't even know if roommates would be feasible in that situation.

    I'm wrestling with the same thing, though I haven't heard from BC yet. I've already set a pretty high minimum award I'd have to get from them to consider going there. Basically, it would have to lower the cost to below Salem State, plus some extra because I know the cost of living would be more in the city vs in Salem. I honestly think my chances are very slim of getting the amount of money I would need to go to BC, which I'm fine with because honestly SSU was a close second for me. I don't know what I'll do though if I don't even hear from BC in the next two weeks, since I only have 3 weeks to respond to SSU. 

    What were you doing when you received your acceptance?

    in Waiting it Out

    Posted

    I was at work both times. It was really hard to contain my excitement since my work doesn't know I'm leaving yet (I'm still going to give them 2 months notice, but until then I want to keep it quiet). The first acceptance was for my backup school so I was really happy, but when I got the notification from the second school I was in tears. I grabbed my phone and went to the bathroom to happy-cry and text my mom and everyone else who knows I'm going through the process. I'll probably be at work whenever I hear about the last one too, and jeez I hope it is soon. 

    Fall 2017 Applicants

    in Social Workers Forum

    Posted

    1 hour ago, Mhinsh said:

    I checked my portal last night at 8:45 pm and had been accepted to UT Austin! An email came through around 10:30pm telling me to check my portal. And then another official one from the Director of Admissions this morning! My application was marked complete on January 4th and in review with the Graduate committee since January 18th. They gave me until March 9th to decide! Good luck everyone! 

    Congrats!!

    Boston Area MSW Fall 2017

    in Social Workers Forum

    Posted

    15 hours ago, alisham said:

    I'm in the same boat.  I have 10 days to let UConn know my decision and send in my deposit, yet I'm still waiting for 3 schools to get back to me.  At this point, I think I'm going to have to send in the deposit, just in case.

    Yeah, I'll do that if I have to, but at this point it's probably going to be deciding on BC or SSU so I'll have less to manage at least. 

    Any Older (30+) applicants out there

    in Waiting it Out

    Posted

    Hi everyone! I'll be turning 30 in July, right before I'll be going to school. Luckily it's just me and the dogs that will be moving, and I'm ready for a big change. This will be a change in location for me, as well as a new career path. I think depending on which school I go to, I might not be much older than a lot of the other students. MSW programs have a lot of career changers, so that is helpful too. 

    Boston Area MSW Fall 2017

    in Social Workers Forum

    Posted

    6 hours ago, HaleyWantstobeaTherapist said:

    Yes, but I did a cost breakdown and its basically financially impossible, even with the merit award and grant they offered. I've pretty much ruled it out already.

    It's okay, though. I'm pretty happy to have even been accepted. Looks like I'll just keep waiting on that financial package from BC to come in the mail and I'll evaluate that option.

    Oh okay, I'm sorry to hear that! That's exactly how I feel about BC too, but BC does seem to give much more money than Smith. 

    Fall 2017 Applicants

    in Social Workers Forum

    Posted

    15 hours ago, Jessicagroupwork said:

    Congratulations to everyone who has received offers! I am waiting to hear back from Portland State for the 2 year MSW program. I will be relocating to Portland with my husband so I only applied to this one program. I've joined this forum for moral support while waiting for the admissions decision. I'm wondering if anyone has any inside information about the timeline for this? The website says that they will begin notifying applicants in April. I checked the results from last year and it looked like some folks were admitted/rejected as early as February while others were admitted/rejected in April. What's up with that? Do you think they might roll out some decisions before April or no?

    I've been looking at the past few years for guidance of when decisions will come in too. I think that's the only thing you can go on other than just waiting, which is terrible. Im trying to keep in mind that no news is good news until you know it isn't...I don't know if that helps. I'm really anxious about hearing from BC and seeing that other people has already heard is making me on edge. Mondays always do give me a little hope though because I imagine committees might meet on weekends. Hang in there!!

    clinical MSW - Am I taking the wrong route?

    in Social Workers Forum

    Posted

    I think you have to take anything you read online with a grain of salt. Can you talk to your advisor about your concerns? Your advisor probably knows you and the situation better. There are a lot of people that use MSWs to counsel people, and I think it probably depends on what you want to focus on in counseling clients if an MSW is the best way to achieve that. This might also be something you can ask the schools you've applied to once you're accepted. Maybe they have certificate programs that would address the specific population you want to work with? Maybe there is some way you can tailor your coursework to give you more of a background with individual counseling? I wouldn't start freaking out about what one person has told you online vs the guidance you've gotten in real life from people you know and trust. I think you should take that information as an opportunity to examine what school is going to be a best fit for you and how you can use your graduate education to counsel clients. 

    Good luck with everything!

    Boston Area MSW Fall 2017

    in Social Workers Forum

    Posted

    25 minutes ago, HB824 said:

    Yeah I received an email and they said a formal letter will come soon! If you only have a few weeks to respond to your other school you could email BC asking them when you will hear or you could ask SSU for an extension. Some schools are really great with the extensions, I got one at NYU because their timeline was really quick and I was still waiting to hear from some schools! Good luck!!

    Thank you!

    Fall 2017 Applicants

    in Social Workers Forum

    Posted

    38 minutes ago, KaylaJay said:

    I have heard that some people get into contact with their top school about admission when a backup gives them a time crunch to respond...seems like it's hit or miss with whether that gets them a faster answer.

     I have to wait to hear back until March, and regardless I am still checking the sites every other day *just in case*. 

    Excited for you with Boston, Amanda! I almost applied there as well, but decided it was just too expensive with tuition and cost of living. It seems like an absolutely wonderful place to live though! I kind of regret not going for it, but then maybe eventually I'll end up in Boston anyways. 

    Thank you! I'd have to get a lot of money to be able to afford BC, but I feel pretty confident I should get into SSU. Students at SSU still can have their field placements in Boston though. I hope we all hear soon!

    Fall 2017 Applicants

    in Social Workers Forum

    Posted

    Has anyone else been planning out when to call regarding application status if you don't hear soon? Both the schools I'm waiting on said I should hear within 6 weeks, and for both 6 weeks would be February 28 (I'm counting from when the semesters started since my last letter of recommendation was sent in during the winter break). Does that seem to early? I think I should hear this month, but I kind of want to have a game plan ready, especially if BC only gives 3 weeks to respond. 

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