doctormelody

Got accepted to DU today as well with a 21k scholarship! Still hefty, but costs about the same as NYU with both scholarships.

I got my acceptance to Denver's advanced program yesterday as well! Such a relief to hear back finally!

Thank you, my friend.  Your path will lead you to somewhere great; and I hope to hear about it one day. 

Thank you! ?

Yep, assistantships! Those seem so hard to nail down but if you successfully get one, you’ll be pretty much set. And I’ve also been looking at scholarships and you’re right, the criteria usually are so narrow or the deadlines have passed....unfortunately if you’re applying to any now, it’ll likely be for the next academic year (as far as I can tell). But maybe it’s a matter of taking on a lot of loans your first year and then finding more external aid for your 2nd. And perhaps there are scholarships available for current students to apply to? The infosession might tell you more. 
I wish you the best with all of this too. It is definitely not an easy decision to make.
 

Never heard of that acronym either, but love it!!
Congrats on making your final decision to go to Pitt. The debt is definitely a real concern and very scary. I’m sure you’ve done your research already, but now that you know you’ll be going there, one way to alleviate your financial concerns is seeing if there are external scholarships you can apply for (which yes, will be stressful to do, but at least you’ll feel like you’re making some progress in this area of concern!) or see if any GSSA positions are offered or part time jobs on campus, etc. This is a big investment into your future, but hopefully it will be well worth it. 

Lol I am glad

Another Pittsburgh transplant here! I've lived in PA for about 10 years now, but I grew up in Charlotte, NC, so I totally get where you're coming from in terms of missing the mild weather and scenery. I can't say we're in the exact same boat as I moved here as a teenager with my family and had more opportunities to build relationships through the built-in socialization that high school provided, but I totally sympathize with how hard the adjustment is to make. Not gonna lie, I hate PA too - once you start getting into bland farmland outside the city it's just not for me, but the people here can be some of the warmest, kindest, and most generous I've ever met once you get to know them. I was depressed for at least the first two years that I lived here (which I know doesn't really help, but I came from an even warmer climate than you did where winter was basically non-existent, so I attribute a lot of it to the weather), but it does get better, I promise!  

I got into UC Berkeley! Anybody else hear back from them?

Ooh, this is good info. May end up using this.

I just got admitted to USC this afternoon, they want my decision by February 12th. They're part of the April 15th resolution so I'll look into that too, that's a quick turnaround.

This is fascinating. Thanks so much.

-My undergraduate major was psychology and I graduated with a 3.9 gpa 
-I was a research assistant for 2.5 years where I worked on collaborative research projects with undergraduate and graduate students examining constructs related to aggression, sexuality and substance use. I was also project lead for one research project. 
- I interned at center for family services where I worked as an advocate for victims of sexual assault and domestic violence. 
-I spent a summer with AmeriCorps where I was a volunteer for a summer camp in eastern Kentucky. 
 
Those are definitely my key points in my application. I also waitressed and worked several jobs since the age of 14. 

Thank you! I will be financing my education with loans. In undergrad I have 20,000 in loans, which I feel is less than many others have. If I went to NYU, I would be living with my mom and commuting about an hour and a half via the path train. Rutgers would be about 18,000 a year and temple would be about 25,000. Rutgers I am in state and an hour away from, temple I am out of state and slightly over an hour away from. Temple will be getting back to me this week with scholarship information and NYU is helping me to appeal for more money But the cap is only 15,000
If i get into Stockton, I also applied for a assistantship, which would cover the costs of several credits. However i did not get in yet. 
I know I need more information from schools before I make a decision, but I am wondering if the name of a good school like NYU should take presidence over cost? 

That’s amazing, @Adelaide9216. You should be really proud.

Yes! So for the moment, my university pays for my fees for 12 semesters which is 4 years. Plus, I get à research or teaching assistantship!

I don't know how many applied and the person I was talking with about this didn't know as well. But he told me that many many people apply. I did not realize it was so difficult to get into this program! I'm really happy that I made it! 

This is not a super annoying question. I think we all share similar anxieties about being good enough for admissions to graduate programs. I can speak from my experience someone who was admitted to HDS, but ultimately decided not to attend and instead pursued an M.A./PhD program.  I don't know what happens behind close doors during admissions committee meetings. My response is based on my own application experience and on conversations with admissions and students. 
You are right that applicants to HDS are already a self-selecting group. I don't think you need to worry about taking courses at a community college or local university unless your grades in humanities classes were particularly weak. Your GPA is adequate for HDS but not stellar (I say this with all due respect, speaking from the imagined perspective of someone in admissions). Therefore, I think shooting to have a verbal score on the GRE of 160+ will boost your chances. I truly do think HDS takes a holistic approach to the admissions process, so if you can demonstrate that you have a compelling reason or pursuing an MTS and an interest in religious studies, that will count for a lot. Make sure that it is well-written. I am assuming that the "unrelated" field you majored in was a non-humanities field. Consequently, they will want to see that you can write well. 
It seems that you have a sincere desire to go into religious studies. Highlight that and explain why! Best of luck!
I want to be clear that this is just one person's perspective based on going through the application process at HDS and being admitted. But then again, much of what we do on this forum is purely speculation. 
 
 

Congratulations!!

I think you have to determine how the anxiety over the cost will impact you during the program. If you think it will cause guilt/anxiety and that it will not ease then perhaps consider an online program. I know UCFs online program is excellent and I'm sure they work with you on placement as best as an in person program would. At the end of the day if you have a huge focus on the cost then you cannot focus on academics, internship, work, and self care. 
If I was in your position I would begin applying to online programs in case you cannot ease the anxiety of cost. Social work professors put a huge emphasis on self care and that is difficult to do if there is a constant anxiety (money) being held above your head. You want to be in the best position to learn, grow, and get as much out of the program as possible. 

Thank you so much, this is really helpful!

First, I'm sorry to hear about your struggles! Being in your twenties is difficult enough because there is so much (unrealistic) pressure to have it all figured out, but when you add on mental health concerns or physical barriers, it's all the more exhausting. I agree with your friend, most people even at 25 don't have it all together. And those that seem to, probably don't as much as they act like they do. Social work is an incredible field but I also think it's a field that you can only succeed in if you are 100% passionate about it. It's not sustainable if you aren't happy to be there. I know you mentioned self esteem issues that have held you back from pursuing work outside of retail/food, but I would encourage you to seek an entry-level position or volunteering in social work. There are a lot of jobs in the field that you can work with a bachelor's (including a bachelor's in something other than social work) and even though they don't pay plenty, it sounds like it wouldn't likely be a pay cut. Look into the non-profits in your area and see what types of roles they hire for and are available. Even positions that are not directly related to your career goals/interests might expose you to the professionals who are in that field and can also help you develop skills you will use later. I did not study social work in undergrad, but pursued a job that falls under the field of social work after school to take time before graduate school. It completely changed my course and affirmed my desire to get my MSW when I previously thought I wanted a PhD in clinical psychology. Working in this job has given me COUNTLESS opportunities, exposure to a multitude of skills and experiences, and has made me feel 100X more prepared for graduate school and confident that an MSW is the right fit, more so than any undergrad education could have. Building on this experience and taking advantage of those types of opportunities might make you feel more confident about starting an MSW program, the potential debt, and your ultimate goals. Or, it might make you realize it's not the right fit and save you thousands in debt. I think a lot of people experience impostor syndrome, especially young people, but the only way to combat it is to try to do the work and grow! It's not likely that getting your MSW will magically make you feel qualified, that's something that you have to work on within yourself, little by little.
I wish you luck and hope you don't beat yourself up too bad! I know these are really huge decisions and it's intimidating to make a life changing decision, but even if you make a choice that doesn't work out for you, you'll probably still gain a lot along the way and it can inform wherever you head next. And also, career changes are completely normal and going to graduate school later is completely normal! My boss who is now the director of a program at a mid-size non-profit has a degree in journalism and never got her masters. She's had a very successful social work career nonetheless. Even the "wrong" choices can still get you where you need to be.

For me, I think going in person is important although everyone is different. for me, I like the support and sense of community I get from going through a process with others. If the $ is a deal breaker then I would start to reach out to places you may want to become involved with through field placement and ask if they have volunteer positions. That is a great way to get your foot in the door, show you are committed and regardless to make relationships with those in your community and learn. I volunteer at a crisis shelter 2x a week ( about 6 hours a week)  in addition to working at a substance abuse treatment facility full time. 

Your question isn't annoying, it's just a bit hard to answer with detail without knowing more.  The short answer is, if you can afford to apply and you want to, why not? 

In general, most programs are going to look for something they would call "fit." Capacity to do the work (which stats can but don't necessarily indicate) is an important part of that, but they also want to know if your interests and strengths align with those of the faculty, if you're asking interesting questions, etc. 

I would imagine that there are a lot of people with your stats and background that get in to high quality MTS programs, but I don't know the numbers beyond anecdotal evidence. 

I don't know that classes at a community college / local university (mileage varies a great deal with the quality of faculty) will be helpful to build your resume/stats, but they might help you write a better personal statement and have a better sense of the field as you enter, helping you narrow focus for what you want to study and enter with a better working vocabulary for the work you'll be doing.  

It never hurts to call admissions offices, ask them if they have minimum requirements/what it takes to be competitive, and learn more about the admissions process. That would probably be one of the best places to start if you want a more direct answer about whether it's worth your time.  

do you know when we will find out about scholarships? it is supposedly guaranteed with priority applicants