doctormelody

Tbh I wouldn’t bother with Simmons, I had a really negative experience with them last year.

I plan on it! I’m a little sad at how dead this forum seems this year, it was a real comfort to me last year during the waiting game, haha. I guess I didn’t start really checking it until like late February though - maybe things will liven up around then.

Fortunately or unfortunately, I took no math classes in undergrad as none were required for my major. Thank you though, it was a good thought!

Wow, you have an amazing background! I’m sure you’ll get great funding offers at other schools too! Just curious, did you apply for the Integrated Health track at Pitt?

Agreed!

Dang, that’s pretty good though! Congratulations! Would you mind sharing stats at all?

No, you’re fine, I didn’t think the formatting was intentional! I was just laughing at myself for reading that sentence and totally not absorbing it, lol. Thank you so much, you’re so kind!

According to the thread I linked earlier from last year, the earliest anyone heard about money (at least on here) was March 1st. I don't think there's a thread for 2017 (I could be wrong), but in 2016, the earliest was February 18th. So probably late February/early March? I'm sorry @bloome, I know that's probably not what you were hoping to hear.

Hey, I know you were asking @harpert1 but that seems really early to me. Have you tried asking them for an extension? Also, do you mind sharing how much you were offered in scholarship? I'm considering adding Case to my list and I remember something last year about everyone being guaranteed at least 20k but I couldn't find anything about it on the website and didn't know if that was still being offered.

Anybody out there anxiously awaiting results?! I know I am!

Hopefully at least that! Thank you for the positivity; it is much appreciated.

This is very inspiring, thank you. I just already have a lot of debt from my undergrad so it's really more like 95k and that would be without interest. I'm not the type of person that always has to have the newest, shiny thing, but I would like to have a house one day, y'know? At the same time, though, I've made no more than 12,000 a year since I graduated undergrad, so any salary bump would help, lol.

You're too kind! And thank you so much for the info - you know, I believe I even read the above sentence on the website as well but simply didn't process it because my brain doesn't work well before 8 AM.

There's also this directory that I found on the Council for Social Work Education's website: https://www.cswe.org/Accreditation/Directory-of-Accredited-Programs/Online-and-Distance-Education If you scroll down a little you should see Master's programs. Also, if you search for "online" in this forum or "online MSW" more generally, you should find some useful info. Hope that helps!

Hi, I went by this list last year when I was doing research. Never hurts to double check, but you'll be safe with the big name schools, at least. I don't know anything about schools that offer specializations in oncology or geriatric social work as it's not my focus, sorry! https://www.bestcolleges.com/features/top-online-masters-social-work-programs/

Long story short, I just calculated the amount I would have to take out in loans for tuition alone assuming a small scholarship and it's over 30k. Add loans for living expenses to that, even assuming I'm incredibly frugal and my partner is helping to support me, and I feel like I'm looking at 50k in debt for this degree. Feeling really down especially seeing as I already have over 40k in debt from my useless undergrad. This is what I want to do with my life and I don't want to get discouraged, but damn. I thought I was being smart by waiting a year and trying to get in-state tuition, but $50,000 is no joke. Is anyone else out there struggling with the price tag before even being admitted?

Lol, you're right on the money with that one, @Rosyposy. I have no idea whether it's credible or not... I suppose some brave soul could contact an admissions rep and ask, but I doubt they'd give a straightforward answer.

@harpert1 @Rosyposy Thanks so much to both of you! My worry would be that even with a very generous scholarship of $20,000, which I feel I am unlikely to get given my credentials, tuition alone is over double that cost and the limit one can take out in graduate PLUS loans is $20,500 a year. Does anyone know how people deal with this situation? Are there other loans (besides private) that people regularly take out? Not that I want to be $60,000 in debt for an MSW, but Chicago is an expensive city and I don't know how people can afford to live there with no income. I seem to remember Columbia offering me more than that in loans last year, now that I come to think of it. Also, does anyone know if aid is merit- or need-based, or both? Edit: I'm sorry, I mean unsubsidized loans. I now realize that I have answered my own question with my mistake. I'd still like to know the answer to my second question though, if anyone happens to have that information.

Hey, does anyone know if Chicago still gives decent aid if you apply by April 1? I'm considering applying to more schools but there's no way I'm gonna make it by January 15th...

What did you do while in undergrad if you didn't volunteer or have an internship? Your GPA is not high, so you don't have the excuse of saying you spent all of your time on coursework. Did you have a job? Were there mitigating circumstances? Honestly, you are probably worrying too much - I got into three MSW programs last year and was waitlisted at another with a 3.5 GPA and almost no relevant experience. However, I did volunteer some in undergrad and I've been working since I graduated. It is definitely going to look strange to not have any experience doing, well, anything, which I feel like is not what you meant, but you also haven't given us enough info to say one way or the other really.

Bumping this thread because I am questioning myself again and also I’m just curious - does anyone have any experience with transferring between MSW programs? Do recommend it? What were the circumstances that led you to transfer - or even to consider transferring, if you ultimately decided against it?

I hope so too! Thank you so much for the link - I was having a little trouble finding it on their website.

Thank you so so much!! I will definitely look into it.

Thank you so much for your reply! I think you are right. I know that things will improve once I start school, and I think that the combined effect of my tendency to second-guess myself and the negative impacts of my current job on my mental health just really did a number on me today. I was thinking of it as 2 1/2 years of drudgery, but really, it's only 8 months. It's just hard because I really want to be in school already and I hate feeling like I'm wasting a year of my life. But none of that has to do with the program or even the city, really, and I think you are absolutely right that I should try my best to go into this program with an open mind even if the location is less than ideal. Anyway, thanks again for the great advice. I'm feeling much better now.

Hello all. I was just wondering if anyone had any advice about the advisability/feasibility of transferring between MSW programs? I know I'm jumping the gun a little since I haven't even been admitted yet but the only program I have applied to is in my current city and... yikes. I don't know how to say this without sounding mean, but I just moved here in August and I really do not like it here. It's a shame because the program here seems amazing, but I don't know if I can take 2 and 1/2 more years of this. My partner thinks I am insane and is upset with me for even bringing it up, but I just can't get this idea out of my head. The thing is, it wouldn't make sense to transfer to a less well-regarded program, which leaves me with limited options. I also fear alienating my professors and potential advisers if I apply to transfer but then decide to stay. Has anyone here gone through this process? Are any of you already attending an MSW program but intending to transfer? I know the most logical thing to do would be to simply apply to more programs for this year, but as my partner pointed out, we almost certainly can't afford to move again in August and if he gets a job here in the next 6 months it would be so unfair to ask him to leave. Also, I can't handle asking my references for any more recommendations this year. Idk if any of you have seen my previous threads/freak-outs, but that was a f***ing odyssey. However, the prospect of applying to grad school for the third year in a row, even if I am already attending, also strikes me as pretty bleak! Thoughts? Do I just need to put my big girl pants on and accept that even if this isn't my ideal place to live, it's not forever? The other point that my boyfriend made is that I may not even be happier someplace else since the two of the other cities with similarly-ranked MSW programs are also in the Midwest, which I apparently despise! Who knew! (I knew. Even though I had hardly ever been here. I knew.)