Erin32796
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Posts posted by Erin32796
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23 minutes ago, cat_not_kitty said:
I totally get your frustration, Erin – so many incredibly qualified candidates and an inadequate number of spots
. Usually, there would be the caveat that these numbers need to be kept in line with employment outlook for positions, but the Job Bank report for social work – across much of Canada and specifically in Toronto – calls for growth in the sector...
https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/LMI_report_bynoc.do?&noc=4152&reportOption=outlook
This is so crazy to see! The outlooks in Ontario are good for social work, 3 stars according to the job bank. That is very bizarre that universities wouldn't consider the employment outlook for Social Work positions in determining how many spots they can accommodate for Social Work programming. If growth is needed in the sector, universities should want to accept as many qualified candidates as possible, but I guess that will remain a fantasy lol. I am just trying to cling on to cautious hope that I make it off the waitlist, and that others who have been waitlisted have that chance too. I guess we probably won't find out until around May or June though, so all of us waitlisters will need to continue crossing those fingers
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1 hour ago, MSW2018applicant said:
Having a thesis looks really good on your application. Have you presented your research at conferences yet? I feel like presenting at conferences helped me strengthen my application because not everybody who works as a research assistant presents at conferences.
I think presenting at conferences will help you whether or not you get off the waitlist. If you get into U of T this year it'll look good on your resume when you look for a part-time research assistant position. If you have to try again next year it'll look good on your resume, too.
My prof said that U of T probably wants a variety of students since they accept a large number of students (for a graduate program); some students may get accepted based on their outstanding experiences while other students may get accepted based on their outstanding research & academic records (plus a bit of experiences). So I think social work experiences aren't a must.
Also, remember that being waitlisted is already an accomplishment because there isn't just enough space for all qualified applicants. My professors often tell us not to take it personally even if we get rejected from grad schools. Even my professor who is super smart said she got into only one of the graduate schools she applied for when she was a student. The competition today is even worse...
I also think whatever the final result you'll get, everything happens for a reason. Although I'm just finishing up my undergraduate degree I'm a mature student (I didn't include my work experiences prior to my undergraduate in my application though). I also spent some extra time figuring out what I really wanted to do in my undergraduate. Taking the extra time really allowed me to gain many valuable experiences and skills, which will help me in my graduate degree. As long as we keep working toward our goals we'll eventually get there, and things happen at the right times for us.
I really hope you get off the waitlist though!!
I hope I get off too!
I haven't presented at conferences yet because I am still in the process of finishing up my thesis. But I do plan to do so if that is an opportunity. I just want to finish writing the thing!
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50 minutes ago, cat_not_kitty said:
Thanks so much for calling in and sharing this updated info, spers!
For 1-years, this is a seriously substantial shift down in acceptance rate! According to the Self Study on their website, they received ~250 applications in 2014 and accepted 95, for an acceptance rate of 38%. According to the updated numbers provided by them today, they've had a 40% increase in applications received AND have lowered the number of accepted students, shifting acceptance rate to between 23-26%!
There already aren't enough spots for qualified applicants...sad to see acceptance rates going DOWN instead of up. The number of 2-year students accepted also went down from 145 to 130, for an acceptance rate of 16%
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To be honest, I find it quite annoying and really ridiculous to only accept so few students. U of T can handle taking on more students for this program, and it is very clear by this forum that so many of us are qualified and missed out by the slightest little thing. My only theory is that U of T wants to maintain their status of exclusivity and opulence.
- 2 Year MSW and _Nomad_
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1 hour ago, _Nomad_ said:
@Erin32796 thank you! I feel like I am giving up the idea to get into UofT ...ugh
If it's something you really want to do don't give up!
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8 minutes ago, lastsupper said:
I'm wondering the same thing, to be honest. I'd like to think that it's simply a lack of spots, since being waitlisted is definitely distinct from being rejected. There must be particulars to the accepted applicants that made them stand out slightly more, and unfortunately it can't be a completely objective process. It must be hard being on the admissions committee, because sometimes you have to pick based on seemingly insignificant factors, since two applicants can be practically identical. When I talked with a graduate advisor who was going over my application, she said to put in as much into my resume as possible (even jobs like janitorial work or retail experience) since those reviewing your application could have some affinity to those who had those experiences. A friend of mine got a job in a tech-related field because he wrote he had construction experience on his resume, and the hiring manager happened to really respect applicants who did blue-collar work in the past.
My lurking suspicion is that maybe a lot of this year's applicants showed a particular interest in one realm of social work (typically it's mental health and health, but maybe social justice & diversity is getting more popular?) and they wanted a balanced incoming cohort so when choosing your specification in 2nd year one stream doesn't get too clogged. That's only a theory though, I don't know if that's true or not.
That's an interesting perspective. It is quite hard to be objective in this type of process. Although I must say my area of interest is in Children and Families.
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1 hour ago, hannahdaviidson said:
I got into UofT and I'm just finishing up my undergrad. If it makes you feel better, there's someone else in the same situation as you. I have many friends who did the 2 year msw program right after their undergrad and they had no complaints.
For those who get waitlisted from U of T, is it simply because there aren't enough spots, or is there something we are missing that the accepted applicants had? I am noticing a couple people getting accepted right out of their undergrad with similar qualifications to mine, yet I was waitlisted. I am hoping some people reject their offers so I have a chance of getting in this year, but it is kind of disheartening to see people who are almost of equal qualifications to you getting accepted. Makes me wonder what exactly U of T is looking for.
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21 hours ago, MSW2018applicant said:
This list looks very helpful! I was also not very sure what experiences I was expected to have when I was applying.
I notice that many people here are discussing about how to meet the experience requirement for MSW when you're coming straight out of your undergraduate. So I'd like to share my experiences:
I got into U of T (2 year) without any work/volunteer experiences directly related to social work. But my experiences are classified as "teacher's assistant" and "research assistant" mentioned in the list. So my experiences were probably still deemed "social services experiences" in a broad term.
When I wrote my admission essay, I also tried my best to present my experiences as applicable to social work. I did the same for my CV. I think the ways we present in our admission essays are quite important. I'm still finishing up my undergraduate and don't have a lot of free time. So I applied for only U of T to spend all my free time on my U of T application. As the information ms_teacher shared says, our life experiences are also relevant (I used that in my admission essay, too!).
Also, I presented my research projects at many conferences. It may have looked good on my CV. For those of you who have fewer social work experiences, but have many research experiences, I'd recommend you to present your research project at conferences. People who have a lot of social work experiences don't always have research experiences. So if you can stand out for your research experiences, it may make up for your fewer social work experiences (especially for U of T since U of T seems to value research skills). Another advantage of working as a research assistant/teaching assistant is you can get really strong reference letters from your professors/supervisors. I believe the three really strong reference letters I got from my professors who were also my supervisors made a huge difference in my application.
Based on my experience, it is not impossible (although it is challenging) to get into MSW (especially U of T because they seem to be less strict with experience requirement compared to other social work programs where experiences are essential) without a significant amount of direct social work experiences if you can strengthen other part of your application and have some sort of "social work experiences".
Your qualifications sound very similar to mine. I was waitlisted but I have a lot of experience as a research and project assistant and I am also completing a thesis which has a direct relation to social work. I am also just finishing my undergrad. Hoping I get off the waitlist this year!
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8 minutes ago, cat_not_kitty said:
I'm so sorry that you didn't get the news you were hoping for today, Erin
– but, as many others have said, being waitlisted is a huge achievement, especially when you're applying straight from undergrad. I have to say, your application is incredible and very well-rounded – I think you have an excellent chance of making it in off the waitlist. Obviously, proceed with cautious optimism to protect your heart, but it's NOT over.
Moreover, I'll say this: if this year isn't the year, I don't think you necessarily need to be looking into college programs at this point. Your application is SERIOUSLY solid – I really believe that if you bulk up your social service experience (via paid or volunteer work – it doesn't matter), you'll be a shoe-in. I read that you've applied for victim services aide and youth probation assistant positions – those have competencies that are 100% applicable to social work, as long as you contextalise them in your statement. I think you'd see equal or better results from spending all the hours you'd dedicate to a post-grad diploma/certificate to volunteering in positions that include direct work with clients (e.g., Hospice Toronto, Philip Aziz Centre for Hospice Care, Toronto Distress Centre, Victim Services Toronto, Community Living, etc.), regardless of the paid work you end up securing. Only my opinion, of course, but though I'd share it to give you more to chew on.
Hope you have something special planned this weekend for your birthday, to get your mind off of this for now!
I really do appreciate your support and encouragement @cat_not_kitty and I will maintain hope that I will get off the waitlist, but I will definitely take your advice regarding gaining more work experience within the field. I think it is important to add more hours to my resume as it seems like this may be one of the reasons I was not accepted right off the bat. I will look into some positions that are more permanent, as the ones that I have already applied to are temporary summer positions, which are great, but as it says, temporary. Truthfully I would rather not have to take more schooling, but if I do decide to go that route, I plan to find a program with a field work practicum/placement so I can gain experience that way.
When I applied for the MSW, my thesis wasn't as solidified as it is now, and I have garnered amazing results with the focus group I conducted with social workers. As such, I will have more to discuss on next year's application as it pertains to the results of my thesis, if I don't get taken off the waitlist this year. Thanks for recommending all of these organizations too, I definitely have a lot of research to do.
You have been so amazing with everyone on this forum, and you have definitely made me feel even more confident in my abilities. You are going to make an exceptional social worker, and I am very happy to hear you got accepted! Maybe we will cross paths in September, if I get off the waitlist, or next year in Fall 2019. 
We're going out for dinner on Easter Sunday, so I am ready to have a delicious medium rare steak to celebrate 22 years
- cat_not_kitty and karisma
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10 minutes ago, Nervousme said:
Thanks so much for all of this information, these things are definitely very helpful and something that I will look more into!
@Erin32796, I am currently in a very similar position. My undergraduate degree is in health (more science-based) with a minor in psychology, so in order to get more experience I would have to figure out additional education more closely related to social work. I do have so paid and unpaid experiences in human services, as well as research related to social work, but apparently it was not sufficient to get in this year. What kind of jobs would you recommend seeking out? Also, I will probably be looking at some certificates or a BSW next year, but I am currently unable to relocate which makes it a bit tricky. Does anyone know of any post-grad certificates that are still open to applications and are online?
I worked at Durham Children's Aid for a couple summers but as a camp coordinator, so while in the field, I wasnt actually gaining as much experience working directly with children and youth. I have applied to be a victim services aide and youth probation assistant but that's again not quite related. So I think I am going to take a look and see if any jobs allow BA students who dont necessarily have an academic background in social work.
As for programs, I was doing some quick googling and many of the programs are showing as still being open for Durham College in ADMH and other colleges in SSW. I will keep doing some research but it seems like there is still hope for applying to other programs. Maybe we will end up classmates if we choose the same program haha.
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9 minutes ago, SwagMaster said:
It's quite rare to get into your MSW directly from undergrad, but there's so much you can do to improve your application. Here are just a few ideas for anyone to improve their chances at the UofT program that I've picked up throughout the years:
- Get more related experience (obviously). UofT really cares about the number of hours (as opposed to the number of months/years), so you should really try to get more direct experience where you can, paid or unpaid.
- boost your stats mark if it's low. At the information session, they kept pushing that no one got in the past couple years with a stats mark under a B. They recommended retaking it if you need to. (Angela typically mentions Athabasca university, as you can do it online)
- College programs. There are lots that you can try. They seem to really like people who have done a SSW diploma (and i think that some have a placement as well?).
- Research experience. UofT's program is very research oriented -- you can tell just by reading the course descriptions. In past forums, people often talked about how much UofT values research experience (related to SW or not!). I often find some organizations around my community that are recruiting research volunteers.
- BSW. This makes it way easier to get into an MSW afterwards. I did mine at uWaterloo (Renison). The 10-month program is not online actually. To get in, you need 10 prerequisite courses or equivalent, most (if not all) can be taken online. It can be a bit of a gamble, because you need to pay and take the prereq courses for a chance to get in. I can speak more to this if you have more questions.
- References. People so often neglect the importance of references, but they are so so SO important and you should take them seriously. At the last information session, Angela said that we would be surprised by the number of reference letters they get that are not positive! Here's my tip: When asking for a reference, always ask if they have the time to write you a positive reference. Better to know then than to submit it in your application.
- Do more research about what kind of applicant they are looking for and what the program values. This point is really about program fit, and how you can convey that to the admissions committee. For example, UofT values research, so one tip I got from a previous student was to mention what research topics interest you, or say that you would want to do the thesis under the supervision of professor X. Another example is to look at the course description and explain why this program's courses interest you because of your previous experiences.
I hope I didn't forget anything, but this is the list I had in my head when preparing for my applications. I hope this helps you!
Thanks for this information! It was very thorough, and I will definitely look into some post grad programs and employment that is related to social work, but without necessarily needing social work qualifications, since my BA is in Criminology (specialized in Youth, Crime, and Justice) with a minor in Forensic Psych.
I do have a lot of research experience and I am in the process of completing a thesis in perceptions and treatment of children and youth in care, and I have an A+ in stats so I think where I must be lacking is academic and work experience that is more closely related to social work. Problem is I need to take some college courses like an SSW program in order to be qualified for a job within this field. Otherwise, for someone wanting to shift and broaden their career path from criminology to social work, it is quite difficult. I guess I have some research to do on these college programs!
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16 minutes ago, Corrina_22 said:
I just wanted to say that getting waitlisted right out of your undergrad is incredible because these are very competitive programs. You should look at the waitlist as a huge accomplishment, and for sure apply next year because with a little experience under your belt you will have it! If you wanted an awesome program the ADMH through humber or durham college is awesome
Thanks, I appreciate your encouragement. I will look into the ADMH program. Not sure if it is too late to apply. I am just a bit down right now, but I am definitely happy I got waitlisted at the very least...hopefully they call me to invite me but if not, I can build my experience for next year.
If anyone else has any online or college programs they know of related to social work/youth work that would be greatly appreciated.
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24 minutes ago, Nervousme said:
I'm completely with you there! I don't know whether I've been waitlisted or rejected, but I know that I wasn't accepted so the past couple of days have been a little though
did you apply anywhere else? And did you have a plan b in case you don't end up getting off the waitlist (which I'm really crossing my fingers you Do!!)?
U of T was the only MSW program I was interested in. So I have applied for various summer jobs related in the criminology/social work fields as I am just finishing up my BA in Criminology. I guess I will have to see about some other programs I can take to enhance my experience in youth work or social work to make me more competitive for next year, if I dont get taken off the waitlist. Anyone know any online based courses I can take for social work. I have been hearing a lot about Renison...is that strictly online? Maybe I will look to some colleges too and see what they offer. Good luck to you though, hopefully you get accepted, or at the very least waitlisted. ?
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20 minutes ago, Nervousme said:
Do you live in Toronto? I live in another city in Ontario and hoping that the letter made it to my mailbox as I don't want to spend the long weekend not knowing
did they give any information at all about the waitlist and how many people are on it? Also, waitlist is a great accomplishment as well, so congratulations and fingers crossed that you get in soon Yeah I live in Toronto so thats probably why it came quick. The only thing they said is almost 800 applied and only 130 spots were available. They claim the waitlist is not ranked, and as such they can't disclose any particulars about it. I am glad it isn't a rejection but I cant imagine a lot of people would reject an offer from U of T, so it seems my chances are slim for getting off the waitlist. I appreciate your congratulations though, I was just hoping for an acceptance.
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56 minutes ago, zip said:
Just got mine today! Waitlist here we go
I just got my letter from U of T as well. I was placed on the waitlist...They only accepted 130 applicants this year which seems ridiculous to me. Hope some people reject their offers so I can be considered but who knows. :/
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Oh god I am so scared. I really hope the letter from U of T says I got accepted. Crossing my fingers that we all get our packages asap!
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I really appreciate everyone's kind words, and thank you @cat_not_kitty for some reassurance! I hope to hear soon, but for tonight, looks like I am signing off. Goodnight everyone! To hopefully another day of invites to U of T tomorrow.
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5 minutes ago, MSW2018applicant said:
Happy birthday, Erin32796! As many other people already said, they will still continue sending out acceptance letters. So I hope you get a belated birthday present from U of T soon.
I hope so too!! Thanks!
I have quelled my nerves in some chocolate cake! -
13 minutes ago, cat_not_kitty said:
Ah, no – tell me it wasn't your birthday today! If it was, I'm SO sorry you had to go through such a terribly stressful day ?. I really believe there will be more acceptances!! In past years, there have been multiple rounds. Big hugs ?.
Yeah today is my birthday! Thank you for the kind words. It was a mixture of stress and excitement for everyone! I have survived today, so I will keep pushing and hoping for an acceptance in the days to come.
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@SW Sevante Thanks!! I am trying to maintain hope! I feel confident that I am a good candidate. 4.21 GPA out of 4.3, I almost have my BA in Criminology with a specialization in youth, crime, and violence. I am also doing a minor in forensic psych. I dont have a lot of work experience specifically in the field because I am so young, only 22, but I have worked as a project assistant for a PhD student and I have worked as a camp coordinator for Durham Children's Aid Society for 2 years. My thesis also revolves around perceptions and treatment of children and youth in care, which is widening the scope of research surrounding this population. I am proud of these achievements, and I hope I get in. Everyone who has been accepted so far has had such a breadth of academic and work experience it is like the Olympics of Social Work in this forum! Lol. Im just going to keep crossing those fingers, toes, and butt cheeks for an answer soon. ?
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Congratulations!!! Wish I had heard back today, would have been an awesome birthday present.
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15 minutes ago, karisma said:
The week isn't over yet! Anything can happen in the next few days and maybe they're not done with sending out acceptances? Who knows right?
I hope not!
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@cat_not_kitty thanks for finding that out! Oh god not many people!! Let's not lose hope!!!
Canadian MSW Applicants 2018
in Social Workers Forum
Posted
I scanned the slip attached to the letter and e-mailed it as an attachment, but I also wrote in the e-mail that I would like to remain on the waitlist.