lincoln.hawks

Eloise, how did things turn out?

Hey Drunken Duck, I am/ was a LCSW running a clinical mental health program and was in the same boat having received the same feedback in 2017 that you received this year. Applied again and am now finishing (need to stop procrastinating) the first year of the DrPH. It is a specific question which I believe I can shed some light on. look for a private message

So this is the most important part of your post. Taking care of yourself and experiencing a lot of growth are the reasons you are going to be successful at whatever your next step is. Your mind/ body/ soul won't be dealing with the drag of these unresolved issues, allowing you to better spend your energy on your priorities. You had to hit that wall to get past it. Your psychological issues will probably come back, they always do for me. But you yourself said you've done a lot to learn how to overcome them. Your circumstances are different than undergrad so expect different results. It will be hard, but you can do it. I recommend coming up with a wellness plan to keep you moving forward. Often we, I mean me, realize things are bad only once we are deep into the shit. It's hard to pull myself out when I get completely beat down by life and my own negative thoughts. Much better to have some plans in place to help you when you start to struggle and head it off. Check out the Wellness Recovery Action Plan model. You don't need to be a mental health professional to make one: https://mentalhealthrecovery.com/wrap-is/ Mental health professional in a doctoral program with a lot of successes after a TERRIBLE (GPA: 2.27) undergrad showing here. Serious mental health challenges continue to impact my life, but it is not as bad as when I was 20. I am able to be successful, which is a struggle to see many days, by being a little less hard on myself and doing a little more to take care of myself every year. Assessing our progress and growth, not comparing ourselves to an imaginary standard existing only in our heads, is perhaps the best way to take a measure of a man or woman.

Just found this thread. I am leading a panel at a conference this month for the first time. It's helpful to see other people felt nervous about it. It's my first noteworthy "academic" accomplishment so I am pretty excited.

Hi Adelaide, I'm halfway through this book and have put it aside until the end of the semester (May 20th or so). I am going to pick it up for the summer.... Wow sounds like I am making all the excuses that the writer highlights in his book! can you private message me your email or a better way to contact you than this forum?

It's good to see people talking about this. I am coming out (hopefully) of a serious depressive episode right now. My professors have been incredibly accommodating. The key was talking to them before the assignments were do. I felt myself slipping so talked to a few of them. Worked out alright. My best advice is take care of your health (treatment and self-care), be proactive when you are starting to slide (easier said than done), and get a support system. Life's hard. Adding grad school on top of that is a lot. Best of luck, all!

It sounds like you are not prior-service military. I don't recommend adding this kind of commitment to your life right now. The recruiter's version of what the Reserves are is probably very different from the real situation. While there is relatively little utilization of Reserve units now, that was not the case 10 years ago. I knew reservists that were getting called up for deployments (3-6 mo training + 12 months+ overseas) every other year. Also do not expect to easily transition from a deployment back into the PhD world. I did 4 yr AD and have worked as a mental health professional serving veterans and AD for a dozen years. The military can be a fulfilling experience - my service most certainly was - but I don't recommend adding this to your plate while you are in a PhD program. It adds too much stress and uncertainty to an already busy life.

I also wonder if scholarships are for in-person students. Give the admissions or financial aid department a call and emphasize that cost is a determining factor...

Columbia looks better on the resume and will open doors anywhere. If you can afford it, go there. If you really want to live in Denver right now, come on out. If you can wait 2 years, go to Columbia and come on out in 2021. Also, the campuses have very different feels. I'd recommend visiting on accepted students day. Factoring in your total student debt is very important. Social Work positions do not pay well, he said stating the obvious. I have multiple friends who are being crushed by their debt which is impacting their decisions across all areas of their life.

I assume you got into other, better programs. If so, good choice. I don't think it's worth the cost for a school with a regional, but not national, reputation

DrJack… 1st-year DrPH student here. I am kind of in rut with seeing a long 3 years ahead of me. Any advice on how to keep focused and successful in the early years?

Good advice Brittany. I was also rejected my first year. I came from a Social Work background and don't think I really understood what PH was or how I would use the DrPH to meet my goals. Some of my advice may be specific to those without an MPH/ PH background: - really clarify my vision and how the DrPH was a necessary part of getting there. - built relationships with faculty and students is a must. Name recognition can really help. - engage in events with the school: webinars, on-campus events, whatever you are able. - If your GREs can be improved, do that - Take any feedback you received seriously and show you have addressed it. - gaining admission may be a 2 or 3 year process so don't get discouraged. - research experience if you can get it - get a new job that is closer to what you want to do with the DrPH Don't give up!

Current DrPH student at Colorado School of Public Health. I echo what Epiapp… said. The cost of GW is outrageous and a degree from there doesn't necessarily guarantee the contacts and access I'd assume you want. CSPH isn't cheap either for out-of-state students but you can get residence after the first year. Denver has a fair amount of NGOs and students are making overseas practica work. Off the top of my head, I have two friends that completed practica in Belize and with the UN in Switzerland. They are also both Community and Behavioral Health concentrations, so assume Global folks would have higher percentages of international experiences. Colorado's location may be a plus as many students do come here for the quality-of-life then stick around after they graduate. Cost-of-living isn't terrible and recreation opportunities abound. That said, this is a regional school with a growing national and international reputation. If you want to work for a fancy NGO, and can handle the debt, GW is probably the way you want to go. I don't have a lot of student loan debt but many of my friends in the professional world do and it is crushing their lives and stifling their choices - career, family, location and otherwise. Also consider whether the MPH will get you to where you want to go professionally. It is still a generalist degree and you will be competing with many others for entry-level positions. I recommend heavy engagement in extracurriculars from the start that take you toward your desired next step. Good luck!

Congrats on your admission. So I didn't attempt to publish during my MSW but have hired MSWs for internships as well as real positions. Freshly-minted MSWs are in a tough position when they enter the job market. They don't have a lot of experience or skills, usually, and it is hard to differentiate one from another. Essentially, new MSWs are commodities. In discussions with other managers, we talk about how we make hiring decisions for entry-level positions. We all came to similar conclusions in that we look for indications that the candidate has gone above and beyond. Publications, presentations, serious volunteer work, awards, work experience are some of the indicators that set candidates apart from their peers. I recommend any MSW student create a plan before they even start to have a certain amount of extracurricular activities on their schedule. Try to use extracurriculars to craft a trajectory that aligns with professional goals. The hardest job for a social worker is her first job. Give yourself options by being an all-star. Just by asking this question months before the start of your program indicates to me that you have the attitudes that are necessary to be successful. message me if you have any other questions or want to bounce some ideas around. Be awesome,

Congrats to both of you. Thanks for sharing your story