lindaMSW
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Posts posted by lindaMSW
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2 hours ago, tnt92 said:
@lindaMSW Please don't feel discouraged that you did not get on the wait list and were rejected in February. I am sure that there are many people who were rejected in February. The thing about this forum is that we're maybe ~50 out of a possible 800 or so who apply to the program. If they rejected you from the 2 year MSW in February, you must not have met some minimum criteria and you should inquire as to what that may have been to improve your chances for next time.
I think it is really important to look at what UofT's program is looking for. Look at their mandate for the MSW program and see if you can get experience in line with that. Try to upgrade courses because they do heavily weigh research experience/grades, but do not forget they also equally care as much about your experience and how you articulate it (I have minimal research experience but had high grades in my research class, and had a ton of experience that were out of the box).
Put yourself in a position where UofT (or any grad school you are trying to get into) would be a FOOL to turn you down. Hit every mark they're looking for and excel in it. And make sure they are aware of how lucky they would be to have you and your experience. It's not what they can do for you or what you hope to gain from them -- because they know they are a top tier school -- it's about what you can bring to them. Whether that is your experience, grades, lived realities, USE IT in your SOP. Make your SOP as true to you as you can, and get it proof read. I had a friend in law school read over my SOP and ripped it to shreds, but it forced me to be intentional and think deeply about not only why this is important to me but why I am important for them. The finished product brought my professor to tears and she said it was the most heartfelt SOP she had read -- not for sympathy reasons, but for the risks I've taken and experiences I had that makes me an ideal candidate for them. For anyone struggling with the decision that UofT made, think of it as a second chance to take some risks and become a candidate they cannot turn down.
Thanks for your advise
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On 3/29/2017 at 9:45 AM, c.dizzle said:
i feel like uoft doesnt reject people and ends up lumping us all into the waitlist giving us false hope tbh.
That makes me feel really bad now, because I received a rejection letter in February
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On 3/7/2017 at 9:05 AM, MSW2MD said:
You can find your own placement as long as your supervisor has a MSW or an equivalent degree ( unlike u of t where the school matches you with an agency and your supervisor could be someone with only a BSW degree, I was actually matched to a crisis "call center" and then I just dropped out .lol ) , but to be honest, the placement office is not the greatest and it doesn't really advocate for its students. If you are looking for a placement in hospitals then you may want to utilize your professional connection and network.
Just curious, did anyone who actually attend U of T had a placement supervisor without MSW degree ( especially those of you who did placement in community centers)? Thanks
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17 hours ago, wishingonuoft said:
(Obviously can't speak to UofT2015's experiences but wanted to throw in my 2 cents).
I did my undergrad in psychology and minored in gender studies, the majority of people in the 2 year program do psychology or sociology undergrads but there are lots of other academic backgrounds as well. In terms of transition, it was an interesting one. I went straight from undergrad to grad school, my undergrad was all about memorizing textbooks to write exams, grad school = all papers, no memorization. The first semester of the MSW program is definitely considered to be the most challenging of the 2 years, with lots of papers/assignments due constantly. Second semester tones it down a bit but is still quite demanding given the course load (5 courses, 2 major papers due for each one, = 10 papers).
In terms of the transition from undergrad to grad school, one thing that myself and my friends found was that while the program is demanding during the first year...it's not hard. I'm queen of writing full paper's the night before the due date and have not gotten a grade lower than A- on anything (and I'm by no means a great writer). The stakes are very low. In undergrad the stress is SO REAL because every paper you write and exam you take makes you freak out about how the mark may affect your chances of getting into grad school...but in grad school, it's pretty much the end goal (unless you want to do your phd one day), and that makes it more relaxed.
Also, to be honest, a sentiment that I hear expressed over and over and over again from my peers is that you don't learn a whole lot from the courses. I will be finishing the program in a couple of weeks and I'm a completely different person from when I started it, I've learned SO MUCH and feel super confident entering the world of Social Work...but 90% of that learning and skill development came from my 2 practicums. Classes give you some foundation, but they're really not central to your learning in the MSW program, there's only so much you can learn from a book.
TL/DR: first year of the MSW program is demanding, but the stakes are low which makes it more relaxed and profs are easy markers. Get excited for practicums because that's where most of the learning happens!
Pictured below is a pic I just took from my agenda from 1st year of the last few weeks of October.
Wow!!! That is an amazing work !!! Do you have friends in the one year program? Is their school schedule as intensive as the two year MSW cohort? thanks
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20 hours ago, rosee12 said:
Hi there. I felt the exact same way, so I was very surprised that my acorn status says invited. It does seem like a lot of people that get into the program have very competitive grades/experiences. However, I believe that with determination, devotion and passion, anyone that meets the bare minimum admission requirements can get in.
I personally had quite mediocore grades myself. Last year gpa 76.5% and cgpa about a 3.2 (my half credit research methods course grade was 89%). I had about 1000 hours of direct social work experience through volunteering and about 1000 hours of extracurricular/leadership experiences from undergrad. I spent an immense amount of time and thought on my statement and assume that my references must have been strong.
If you want to pm me, I'd be happy to talk
Congratulations!!! You just lighted up my hopes again
I completed my BSW in 2014 and applied to U of T three years straight after that. I really hope I can get into ANY MSW program next year.... Thanks for your positive response !
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21 hours ago, UofT2015 said:
Hi all,
I'm currently finishing up the 2nd year of the 2 year program at U of T and will be graduating in June. Please let me know if you have any questions and I'll do my best to answer them!
Thanks UofT 2015, I am wondering if hospital placement is guaranteed for advanced standing student at U of T ? I will be doing my research internship at Sunnybrook hospital this summer and hopefully I can get into MSW program next year with this research experience
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Awwww!! Everyone has perfect grades and tons of professional experience, no wondering I was rejected by U of T again this year
I feel that I will never get into MSW program in Canada ......Anyone here applied to schools in other countries? -
11 minutes ago, thelionking said:
This is a public forum that anyone is invited to part take in. As prospective master's level students, everyone on this forum should research any information they receive or fact check before making any important career or vocational decisions based on information shared on the internet. If anyone is unable or unwilling to do so, I would question their ability to succeed in graduate level programs which call upon students to research, fact check and ensure that their sources are reliable when completing all research and assignments.
Errors can happen on the forum - either accidentally or intentionally. This is not a peer reviewed journal. The onus is on everyone to make sure what they are reading is valid and reliable. I think the professional thing to do is to privately PM anyone you would like to speak to about issues that are unrelated to the main topic of conversation. Putting someone on the spot publicly can lead to embarrassment and defensiveness which make it rather difficult to create a dialogue that is open and honest with another person that you are experiencing difficulties with. Some food for thought....
I hope that anyone who has more to say on this issue will have the courage and assertiveness to privately and directly address the situation with the person(s) involved while respecting the main purpose of this thread.
I wish everyone the best of luck as you await final decisions and congrats to all who have been admitted!
Well said and thank you! If anyone had personal clashes with MSW2MD, please deal it privately! This thread is meant to be used for MSW discussion, not a place where you hold a personal grudge against someone. I don't want to see this thread gets locked again!!
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My friend's sister is also accepted to York advanced program last Thursday and she was rejected by U of T in the beginning of the month.
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Congratulations to people who are accepted into U of T !!! I didn't make it this year but I still feel very happy for you wonderful people who have made it!!! But I am still bothered by the fact that some crooks with corrupt mind got into MSW program so easily and use it as a steppingstone to get into medical schools; yet many of us who are genuinely dedicated in helping people don't even get a chance...... I just feel angry and disappointed with the educational system.
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u of t has 140 spots for two year MSW program while York only has 20
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3 hours ago, nicoleMSW said:
Hey! I applied to York's 2-year MSW program. I'm not quite sure if my credentials are up to par, but I feel that it's always difficult to judge your own credentials... no matter what I do it never feels like it's enough experience! That being said, I would say that if you want to be a social worker then just go for it. I know that the applications are a lot of money, but my thinking was that if I don't try then for SURE I'm not getting accepted... so may as well give it a try, see where you stand, and if you don't get admitted then use that as motivation to keep improving! That's my plan anyway
Thanks Nicole
I will give a try next year !!
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Anyone here applied for York MSW -2 year program this year? I heard it is super difficult to get in so I didn't even bother to apply. What credentials ( GPA, work experience, research etc) do I need to have if I want to give a try next year? To people who have graduated/doing their MSW at York, do you have any suggestion on how I can improve my chance of get into the program? Appreciate for your input
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18 hours ago, SW15 said:
It's still possible to get a hospital placement with any school--just the specific hospital varies. Hospitals inside the University Health Network only take U of T students, hospitals that are not in the network are more flexible and will take other students (i.e. St. Michael's, St. Josephs, Bridgepoint (maybe on this one). I wouldn't put any credence into what this person said, super trolling comment, unless you know the head of social work at a hospital or someone with huge decision making power who can get you in then it really is about the school's connections. Most MSW programs have a practicum portal where they list available placements, while you are probably welcome to secure placements outside of it it is VERY difficult given how most placements are already set up prior and it would be a matter of asking social workers who didn't commit to being field instructors if they would be open to taking on a student. I'm currently at a hospital that has a few York students but they are more on the research/policy side of things rather than clinical. My friend is at a hospital with a few non U of T students who do have clinical placements, so it varies.
TL;DR: It's possible to get a hospital placement at any school, the options however might be limited depending on the specific hospitals and which placements your school acquired!
Thank you
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I was crying the whole day after receiving my rejection letter:( I still feel sad now
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5 hours ago, SW15 said:
I am so so sorry to hear this, what a discouraging situation. Please take care of yourself and as stated by many others, please do not let one troll have ANY bearing on your feelings. Thinking of you and sending all the good vibes in this difficult time <3 I hope you are feeling supported right now and please reach out if you need support from any of us. My inbox is always open <3
Thanks for your encouraging messege and genuine support!!! I applied only to U of T this year because I heard the same thing about hospital placement opportunity. I am wondering if I can still get a hospital placement if I was a York/Ryerson/Windsor MSW student? MSW&MD said that finding a placement is really about your personal connection with the hospital authroity not the school's reputation, I don't know if it is true or just another trolling comment from him.
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I just received the rejection letter from U of T 2 year program, I was crying the whole day and had to cancel tonight's V day dinner with my boyfriend. Anyway, I feel happy for those of you who get accepted to a MSW program, I also feel angry and disappointed because this is the third time I am applying to U of T! I was placed on the waitlist last year but this year I didn't even make to the waitlist. I don't understand how some people with hideous moral standard and responsibility can get into the program so easily ( Like the person who brags about how he was accepted to by all universities in Toronto when he was 23 and is now doing his MD) and I have tried so hard and so many times with no success. Sorry for listening my rants, my self confidence is totally destroyed today. I hope everyone else has better luck than me this year.
Canadian MSW Applicants 2018
in Social Workers Forum
Posted
I just got off the U of T waitlist today!!!
Feel super excited and I literally cried for a hour ! I had been rejected by the university THREE TIMES and I finally made it into this year!!