cafelatte08

If you submitted your FAFSA on time you should be able to see a preliminary financial aid award letter. You will receive a new message on your SJSU account which gives you a link to Next Steps. Once you log into the Next Steps page there is a tab that shows you your financial aid. When I looked at mine, tuition and cost of living was around $29,600 or so. I was offered $5,000 in work study, $11,400 in loans. I was expected to pay the remaining amount or take out a grad plus loan.

Did they match?

Hi all! I was admitted to the On-Campus 2 year/full-time program! My online portal still says "Referred to Grad Dept", but I got an email from the School of Social Work, and the Director Peter.

Congratulations! Are you going to accept?

My friend is finishing up her degree from Columbia right now and said the debt ($80,000) she incurred was worth it. She said the pedigree is invaluable and allows her to network with people from the likes of Harvard and Yale. That being said, she is currently looking for employment and people are offering her a meager salary that equates to $23-25/hr. I do not have my MSW and am being paid significantly more than that. However, I know she has the skill set to get a good paying job in the long run. That is what will boost the effectiveness of her degree from Columbia. I have a friend who graduated from NYU, and moved to California afterwards. He lived in a rent controlled apartment and was employed where I work now. He received his licensure, which increased his salary, and stayed at our organization for 5 years before he left to work for a government agency. For him, the school was worth it because it has a very good clinical program. However, he also told me MSW Programs are very similar and he could have gotten a similar education for cheaper elsewhere. Overall, I think where you receive your education will be highly valuable if you are looking for a government job or a very prestigious/well known organization. But having the proper skill set and work experience will be more valuable in the long run. If you do opt to go to Columbia, don’t just cruise on through and expect the prestige to land you a job. Really take advantage of your networks, school resources AND develop your skill set.

What other schools are you considering?

I applied on the last day of the January deadline and was accepted March 15. The website says it typically takes 8 weeks to review applicants. I also got a notice that I must accept/decline by April 15. Once the school gets all those decisions they will probably start sending out more admission letters. Stay positive!

I would ask yourself why you are seeking an MSW and what is most important to you in your education. Is it the curriculum, the field placement, networking, opportunities, etc. Each of those things will be impacted depending on where you go. If you feel that a particular school has a very unique curriculum that suits your specific goals as an LCSW, and can also give you amazing field placements, I would say go for it. But if you can find everything you are looking for at a more affordable school, I would opt for that. The field of social work is not a lucrative position. You should take into consideration how your pay will increase with your degree, as well as how much you would owe in loans. Most students who attend U Penn and Chicago are in a significant amount of debt after graduation. Based on the information you provided, it looks like Michigan is also quite expensive. I know several social workers who have gotten their degrees from NYU and Columbia, and all agree that it was not worth the debt. I was accepted into U Chicago but ultimately opted not to attend for this reason. Although U Chicago has a program unique to my goals, going into a debt of nearly $100k was just out of the question. I would be paying back $1100-1300/mo for 10 years! In reality, obtaining this degree will not really increase my salary all that much either. I live in California, and would move back after I graduated if I were to attend Chicago. It is extremely expensive to live in the SF Bay Area, and if I took into consideration the cost of living plus my student loans, I would have very little to live off of each month. As someone who has vetted employees for a social service agency, I can attest that employers care more about work experience than where you received your education. For example, we once had someone who graduated from U Penn with a 4.0 apply for a position as a social worker, but besides verifying she had obtained an MSW from an accredited school, we gave priority to applicants who had an extensive work history in the field and demonstrated they had the skillset we were looking for. As I am also attending school this fall, my agency is gearing up to look for my replacement. One of my Board members asked me who would take my position, and I told her I knew a great social worker who has a law degree from UC Berkeley, and is finishing up her MSW at Columbia. She flat out said "None of that matters if she can't do the job". That is not to say all agencies operate that way, but it is something to think about. Anyways, I would really weigh out the pros and cons. The type of program the school has to offer, field placements, location, cost, etc, as well as where you plan to live after you graduate. Don't go to a school where you won't be happy and you feel is not a good fit. Which ever school you choose, be confident in your decision. All the schools you have mentioned are great schools. I'm sure you will do amazing wherever you end up going. Best of luck to you!

I am in agreement. I am trying to be practical, and if I do the math, I will pay about $1300/mo for the next 10 years to pay everything off. That just sounds awful...

For those who have accepted admission and are attending this fall, what compelled you to go? I'm trying to decide between going to my dream school (U Chicago) or being fiscally conservative by going to CSUEB where tuition is only $8,000/yr. I really love everything about the program at U Chicago and feel the Social Service Administration focus strongly aligns with my goals in ways that other programs do not. I visited the school last year and I fell in love, I just don't know if the cost of tuition is worth it. I got a $15,000 scholarship, but that means I will still have to take almost $100k in loans by the time the program is over. I have spoken to my colleague who attended NYU, and although he liked the program's clinical focus, he said the price tag was not worth it. He also said that he could have gotten the same education at another school. One of my duties at my current employer is hiring new employees. When doing so, we take more value in an applicant's work experience and personality during interviews than what school they attended. But I can see how other agencies may take a different approach and think highly of applicants who have attended schools like U Chicago. Thoughts? I'd really value any input I can get!

I applied Jan 17!

@HannahRae Thanks! Will do!

I would also like to ask for more. May I ask who you sent the email to?

I applied to CSUEB, San Jose State and U Chicago. I have been accepted into CSUEB and U Chicago! Still waiting to hear from San Jose State but I probably won't be going there. I had a 2.8 undergraduate GPA so I'm pretty much in shock. Hard work really does pay off. Best of luck to everyone who is still waiting to hear from schools!

Hi all! Silent lurker here. I just saw an update to my application on the portal (I didn't receive an email saying there was an update). To my surprise, I was admitted and received a $15,000 scholarship!