blueeyedblonde

@hopefuldoctor Hello! I haven't applied yet, but I am working on my application (may aim for a Fall 2023 start). Which schools are you applying to?

@itswingless Yup, I'm still around! I believe it was a 2 week break (last week of August, first week of September).

Anyone out there applying to Canadian PhD programs for Fall 2022?

I wrote the exam back in 2016, so it may have changed, but it was basically a combination of essay and short-answer type questions. From what I remember, they weren't hard, but it was very time consuming. We were allotted 3 hours and I needed the entire time to thoroughly answer all the questions. Feel free to privately message me if you have any other questions about it, or about the HBSW program in general.

@itswingless Yes, still around! I recall the class size being around 18-22 people. Quite honestly, I am not sure how competitive the program is. I applied with very high marks, but little to no social work volunteer/work experience. I put a lot of effort into my application and had very strong, supportive references. I was very stressed about the competitiveness of the program, but in hindsight I truly wished I had not worried about it so much. I envisioned everyone else applying having a 4.0 gpa and extensive social work experience, but that really didn't seem to be the case. I also heard that applying to both the Thunder Bay campus and the Orillia campus will increase your odds of being accepted. I only applied to the smaller of the two campuses and was still able to get in without any issues. I hope this helps! Please reach out if you have any other questions.

@7astrology-- When it comes to transcripts, I believe you need to send a copy along with your initial application (so they can assess your marks) and you'll need to send them again once you complete your degree (to show proof of graduation). I am unsure if unofficial transcripts will be sufficient at any point in the process, but if you are reaching out to Lakehead anyway then they should be able to tell you.

I'm so sorry to hear this. I just checked as well and was not accepted either. I really didn't expect to be once I learned how competitive the program is (and how few students they accept), but it is still disappointing.

Congratulations!!

Here's hoping this week is the week that decisions finally go out. I feel like I've been waiting an eternity and at this point I just want to know, one way or the other.

@tsunarmi When I applied to the HBSW program I was under the impression it was fairly competitive and I found the application process quite stressful. I am unsure how many applications they receive, but by applying to both campuses your odds will likely increase. Of course competition with other applicants will vary year to year, but once I actually started the program I felt that the competition was not as scary as I imagined it to be. My first degree had nothing to do with social services and my work experience was only loosely related, I also did not have much volunteer experience. For these reasons, I didn't have a lot of confidence when applying to the program, but I was accepted unconditionally. Looking back on it, I wish I hadn't stressed about the application process as much as I did. The application considers a number of factors, only one of which is your previous marks. Overall, I think it is worth a shot for anyone trying to get into social work. The majority of people in my class seemed to have a lot of volunteer experience, so that might be a way to boost your application. I also did the program as an easier way to get to an MSW and it worked out well (I am just starting my MSW now). Having a BSW allows you to apply to the advanced track MSW programs, which is really nice. I felt that the HBSW did a good job of providing foundation theoretical knowledge that I could take into an MSW program. It's also a great opportunity to boost your gpa before applying to the MSW programs. Hope this info helps a bit!

Haven't received anything unfortunately. If I remember correctly, when I read through last year's thread, it seemed like decisions didn't roll out until late October or November. Quite a long wait considering the deadline to apply was May. I hope the decisions are out earlier this year, the wait is agonizing.

Thanks for looking into this! I had noticed something seemed different when I checked LORIS yesterday. I hope their decisions are out soon, the wait is agonizing. I'm starting a different MSW program in a week but am still kinda hoping for Laurier.

The HBSW program at Lakehead is only about a year. You need a degree to apply, but it does not need to be in a field related to social work (I would know, my degree was far from being social service related and I was accepted into the program). They offer the program at their Thunder Bay and Orillia campuses.

Thank you! I got into the University of Windsor's 16 Working Professionals program. It starts next month, so odds are I will just be going ahead with that program unless Laurier gets back to me before then (which I doubt).

Thanks for the info! The odds are depressing. I've been accepted into another program but I'd much prefer Laurier. Did they give you any idea about how many months you'd be waiting before decisions go out?

I was unsure of this as well. After reading the instructions about 800 times, I opted to write an essay rather than answer the questions individually. However, I tried to write it in the order of the questions (i.e. paragraph 1 = question #1, paragraph 2 = question #2, etc.). Getting it to flow together seamlessly was a bit of a process. I'm not sure if this is what they were looking for, but given my uncertainty, I was trying to play it safe. Unfortunately, I still haven't received a decision (I applied for the January 2020 start date). Best of luck!

Yes! That's where I'll be as well. Nice to meet you!! ?

Just got accepted into Windsor's advanced MSW program and it feels good! ?

I don't remember exact numbers, but I was also told they get hundreds of applications and only take a handful of people (I thought it was 30, but it may have been less). I don't have high hopes of getting in, but it was worth a shot. ?

Yes! I gather the page where we uploaded our documents changes once a decision is made.

Yes! I applied to this program too and find myself checking my application status almost daily. Realistically it seems like we won't get any news until August (at the earliest), but I can't help but keep looking. The wait is driving me nuts.

Awesome!! Congratulations!

Hey! I just applied to this program (since they extended the application deadline to June 1st). A friend of mine, who applied much earlier, had already gotten an acceptance for the September 2019 start date. I'm guessing it depends on when you applied. I believe she was notified of her acceptance 2-3 weeks ago.

From what I remember, HBSW program students are e-mailed directly when they can select courses and are provided specific info pertaining to them. I always got the impression that Lakehead handles their HBSW students a little separately from the rest of the student population. For instance, I would get generic e-mails that were relevant to all Lakehead students, then get something that was more specific to just the HBSW students. If you haven't gotten any info about course registration yet, I wouldn't worry, I'm sure it's coming soon.

I am so glad I could help! I am currently in the process of applying to MSW programs right now, so I cannot say how much this program has really prepared me, however I did feel that the profs expected that we would all want to go on to pursue MSWs after the program and they were very supportive of this. Generally, I felt that the HBSW program focused a lot on theory and there was an unsaid expectation that we would gain more practical experience by working/volunteering in the social work field. Some of my classmates came to the program with lots of prior SW experience, but I did not. Once I finished the program, I still did not feel entirely prepared for frontline work, but I do think that I gained a lot of foundational knowledge about SW theory and research that could be expanded upon in an MSW program. I hope that helps a bit!