Laurabeth79
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Posts posted by Laurabeth79
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17 hours ago, LuminousOcean said:
It was no problem! I have gotten a lot of amazing advice from this forum in the past so I thought I would pay it forward. And feel free to message me if you have any questions!
Thank you again so much...greatly appreciated! And I am very appreciative of being able to message you....it's a little daunting moving back to Ottawa (I did my undergrad at Ottawa U about 17 years ago) after all these years, and I have no clue about anything around Carleton. Many thanks again!
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6 hours ago, LuminousOcean said:
Hi! Ottawa native here. There are a few neighbourhoods in Ottawa near both universities that are great and there are others to be avoided. The vast majority of Ottawa is safe and accessible by public transportation and by bike in the the spring/summer/fall. Though there has been A LOT of changes recently to city transportation due to the LRT expansion, which has been a pain but hopefully it will come to an end soon. I am going to list all the neighbourhoods I think are the best and the worst/not ideal below and give a quick pro/con to all of them.
Best neighbourhoods for UOttawa:
Sandy Hill- Known student area that is close to downtown and very close to campus. This neighbourhood is best if you want to be able to walk to everything you need rather than bussing anywhere. There are a few dive bars with a lot of charm in this area which are student watering holes and a great place to meet people.
Centertown/Golden Triangle- This is the neighbourhood directly across from the university on the other side of the canal. It is filled with heritage homes and newer developments making an awesome place to find a unique apartment. It is close to Elgin st which has a ton of bars and restaurants, and is one of the hubs for Ottawa nightlife. Though I will say that Elgin st will be closed for the next year to replace water mains, so that might be a possible source of inconvenience, but I think the location is worth it and all of the local businesses in the area are still open during construction and need all the help they can get!
Downtown/Byward Market- This neighbourhood teeters in between being a neighbourhood that I would recommend and one I would not. Reason being, the Byward Market is super close to Uottawa and is in the heart of downtown and close to the action. In my opinion, it might be too close to the action, as it can be loud and the crime rate is slightly higher than the rest of the city, but that is to be expected from the downtown core. Also, most of the condos downtown are very expensive which is a drawback for me, especially when there are some many cooler places in other close neighbourhoods.
Neighbourhoods to avoid/are not ideal:
Vanier/Overbrook- These two neighbourhoods which sit right next to each other if you are looking at a map of Ottawa, have a reputation for elevated crime rates and run down homes. Vanier has become the next project for the City who is investing $50m into revitalizing the neighbourhood, so I think in the next 10-15 years this place might be a good place to look at, but currently, I would not recommend.
Orleans- I have seen many people argue that Orleans is 20-30 minutes drive from Downtown, and that might be true for driving during non-rush hour. But if you are driving during rush hour or if you are taking the bus at any time of day you are looking at an hour plus commute, which isn't great.
Kanata- Kanata has a similar problem to Orleans. In theory, it is 20-30 minute drive to downtown. In reality, you are so far away from downtown that public transport will take forever, and if you are caught in rush hour, good luck. Ottawa traffic can be awful, especially on the 417, so it's best to live closer to campus to avoid the hassle.
Moving on to Carleton neighbourhoods!
Best neighbourhoods for Carleton:
The Glebe-The Glebe is one of the better known neighbourhoods in Ottawa. It has many local restaurants, bars, and small businesses which are all great and it is home to Landsdowne/TD Place where you can go to concerts/music festivals, or go see a football, hockey, or soccer game. The rent will be more expensive in some parts of the Glebe due to this neighbourhood being an upper-middle class neighbourhood. Also with this upper-middle class status sometimes the locals can get a little pretentious. Recently, there was an uproar over a McDonalds wanting to open a new location in the Glebe ? Barring that, the Glebe is a gorgeous area with turn of the century homes and lots of parks. Though, I will note that the closer you get to Bronson, the more student friendly the prices become because it is closer to Carleton. But, this part of the Glebe is further away from the local businesses which are mostly on Bank st.
Old Ottawa South-This neighbourhood is an ideal place for students who want to be close to campus but also be close to things to do. Old Ottawa South is very close to Landsdowne and has a ton of local businesses that are unique. Also, this area is ideal because it is connected to the main bus routes the 6 and 7 run all the way downtown. The 7 will be your bus of choice as it is a direct line via bank st from Carleton to Rideau. The rent is slightly elevated (though not as bad as some in the Glebe) so you are paying a slight premium, but you can still find good places to rent for good prices.
Little Italy/Chinatown- This is a great place to live if you love to eat. There is a ton of different restaurants of different flavours and it is located close to the O-train line which makes it a convenient spot. Also, this neighbourhood is really close to LeBreton Flats where Bluesfest is held every year in July. The lineup has already been announced for 2019 so I would check that out if you are in Ottawa by then. Unfortunately, the O-train is being shutdown in 2020 for construction so there will be changes to transportation which will impact your commute, but there will be accommodations made by the city to make sure that there isn't too much of an impact. Though, I have heard terrible things about the student apartment buildings in this area, LIV is one of them, so I would be very hesitant to rent from those places. Also there is a bunch of new construction occurring close to Dow's Lake so I would look at places away from that area if you don't like the sounds of constant construction.
Hintonburg- Hintonburg is a hipster haven, filled with artisan shops and cool hangout spots. It is close to Little Italy, so you can still access all of the good eats but pay slightly cheaper rent. Again, Hintonburg will suffer slightly from the O-train construction but it won't be anything terrible.
Meadowlands/Experimental Farm Area- This is another area that I am on the fence about. Firstly, it is on the other side of Carleton on the other side of the Canal which makes it harder to access downtown in a convenient way. Also these areas are largely residential (or open fields) so there is not a whole lot to do. There is also rougher spots in these neighbourhoods, which can be avoided by renting in other locations.
Neighbourhoods to avoid/are not ideal:
South Keys/Greenboro- Again, this is another in between neighbourhood. It is very close to public transit, big shopping malls, and typically you get more bang for your buck in terms of renting. However, it is pretty far from Ottawa nightlife and is a solid 30 minute bus ride to downtown if the bus is on time and not in traffic. Also, as previously mentioned, the O-train is going to be temporarily unavailable for a year in 2020 which makes this area even more inaccessible as this was a direct line from this neighbourhood to Carleton. But please be aware, just like Meadowlands/Experimental Farm area, there are rough patches in this neighbourhood so please be careful when renting a place and do your research!
Mechanicsville- Mechanicsville is definitely a neighbourhood in transition. it used to have a bad reputation but it has been gentrified over the past decade which is improving its reputation. However, it is super close to Hintonburg which has more things to do, so if I had to choose, I would choose Hintonburg over Mechanicsville.
Westboro- Westboro is also close to Hintonburg area but I think it is a little too far from campus unless you have a car or a stomach for long OC Transpo communtes. Also, this is where some of the rich people live so the rent might be elevated in some places. Otherwise, there is great boutiques and higher end restaurants to enjoy.
Ditto for Orleans and Kanata
I hope this list helped! And welcome to Ottawa
Holy this was amazing! I cannot thank you enough for taking the time to put this all together! Super helpful and gives me so much information for the best places to be looking for housing. If I have any other questions, I might shoot you a message if that's cool? Thanks again....looking forward to getting to know Ottawa!
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16 hours ago, Golden10 said:
Just wondering - those who have been accepted to Laurier 1 year advanced standing - is there anyone not accepting?
I'm declining my offer as I've accepted an offer from Carleton (better location for me and some more funding). Hope that helps!
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51 minutes ago, MirandaVC said:
I haven't heard anything from Ryerson yet.
I've already accepted an offer to Carleton, but I did apply to Ryerson and have not heard anything either. No email and nothing on RAMSS (or whatever it is).
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1 hour ago, SocialWERK2019 said:
Thanks for the info!
By the way, I've heard good things about Carleton, and of course Ottawa is beautiful
congrats!
You are quite welcome! And thanks for the encouragement about Carleton! It was a tough decision, but I really do like Ottawa
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1 hour ago, French_MSW said:
Thanks for the quick response and the small sliver of hope!
Which program did you decide to go with instead?
No problem! Glad to help
After MUCH consideration, I decided to go with Carleton. They offered me a great funding package, and while it doesn't have the prestige of U of T, the location and the program structure works better for me. Plus money is kind of a thing for me right now! I'm not entirely sure I made the right decision (lol), but it seemed like a better fit. All the best to you!
- N_D and SOCIALWERK2020
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15 minutes ago, French_MSW said:
I'm also interested to know the answer to this question! Does anyone that got accepted into the UofT advanced standing MSW have an answer ?
U of T wants an answer by March 19th (for me anyway). My letter was dated Feb 19/19 and they want an answer within four weeks of the letter. Hope that helps! Also, I'm turning down my offer there as I've been offered funding elsewhere so there will be a spot open! Best of luck
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24 minutes ago, Adelaide9216 said:
I am moving in the area at the end of the summer! I don't live there yet. I also don't know where to live.
Me too! I'm hoping to arrive end of August/start of September from the west coast. I did my first undergrad there MANY years ago (graduated in 2001 from UOttawa) and lived in Sandy Hill. It was a fun place to live but lots of partying undergrads (of which I was one haha), so that's really the only area off campus I have limited knowledge of. Plus it was a long time ago! It was close to downtown which was great, and easy for transit. I have no idea where to even begin to look for Carleton! Perhaps we could keep in touch and if we hear of some decent areas/apartments we could pass them on to each other?
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On 7/27/2018 at 9:59 AM, Adelaide9216 said:
Anyone here moving in the Gatineau/Ottawa region in Canada for Fall 2019?
I am! I will be attending Carleton for my MSW starting in Fall 2019....I've applied to residence but won't know about that until June...are you attending Ottawa U? I really have no idea where to live!
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41 minutes ago, SW-kNM said:
If you can arrive at the same destination with your schooling paid for then I would attend the school with the most funding available. At the end of the day it really does not matter what school you attend. You will end up with the same crudentials and access to the same employment. When you have interviews for future employment it will be based on you!!!! Not the school you attended.
Thank you! I needed that reminder! Greatly appreciated
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1 minute ago, Purple-Elephant said:
How much is the funding difference? Honestly this is the first I've heard of "second tier" schools! If an MSW program is CASWE accredited I would be lead to believe it is a good program. That being said I did not go to Carleton so I don't have first hand knowledge. Congrats on getting multiple offers though! Maybe I will see you at Laurier should you choose it
Hey
Funding difference is about $3000 which is substantial for me! And honestly I had not heard of second-tier schools either until someone on a board somewhere mentioned it, and I started wondering! Carleton is CASWE accredited, and I appreciate you reiterating that for me! And thank you! I was totally shocked to be accepted to a few places as I honestly didn't think I would have much of a decision to make! And yes, our paths may cross...cheers!
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7 hours ago, Roosterduck said:
When someone looks at your resume, they will see what you have done at your placement and hire people according to that. You can go to U of T and have an average placement (and I know students that do)- Employers would not take someone just based on the little university emblem they are representing over someone from Carleton that has had a superb placement and a CV that reflects that.
You seem passionate and driven. Good luck in your choice and just remember - the school doesn't make the social worker, you as a person does (my friend at U of T told that to me when I was deciding between accepting Carleton MSW and U of T).
I can't thank you enough for all your responses and encouragement! You've helped me with my decision-making process and to feel better about where to go from here. You make excellent points and so correct...the person does indeed make the social worker! Thanks for the reminder and all your responses. Much appreciated
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1 minute ago, Roosterduck said:
Don't worry about the prestige. I came to Toronto for that and was LET DOWN. Some of these students are dummies man. After 2 years of working no one will care where you did school unless you want a PhD...but even then with practice you can apply for good programs even if you go to Carleton. I'd say focus on where you will secure a placement (Ottawa is a bigger city than your options) as that will be your bridge to a future job where it will pretty much negate where you went for MSW. I got a hospital placement at a good hospital and that was worth shitty MSW classes and being robbed by rent.
Thank you so much! You just really helped set my mind at ease and I'm grateful. I do worry about where a person gets there MSW having an impact on future job prospects, so I appreciate the thoughts around that. And yes so true about the prospects of placement...that is so important! Again, thank you so much. I've been agonizing over this decision for some time and don't want to make the wrong one....your input has been super helpful!
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9 minutes ago, Roosterduck said:
You have 2 research courses, 2 electives and 2 (intervention or policy) - the prof that teaches intervention is relatively new to the faculty (he has a Japanese last name). Some of the profs that teach electives are kinda mean, but the core faculty are pretty chill. I really liked a Roy Hanes and Sarah Todd is an amazing prof (friends had her for BSW). You can work too because the placement is in the summer while courses during the year and there are a lot of job opportunities close to campus.
I do like the way the program is set up...especially having practicum in summer as I will need to work. I'm not excited about profs that are kind of mean lol....however having a core faculty that's chill is important. Thanks for giving me some names of profs to look for...I don't want to sell myself short by accepting at Carleton when other school do have more prestige but the funding is a hard thing to give up....
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5 minutes ago, Roosterduck said:
I got accepted to Carleton MSW, and went there for my BSW. The profs are okay.... it's a small program and there aren't many profs to select from. My friend did (advanced standing) it last year and a friend is doing it now. They think it's okay, no complaints. I would recommend the other programs, tbh but Ottawa is a good student city and there are a lot of placements in the city.
Thanks! I really appreciate you getting back to me...I do like Ottawa a lot!
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Is anyone on here currently attending Carleton MSW Advanced standing program? I only have until tomorrow to accept my offer and I can't seem to find out if it's a worthwhile program or not. I just got accepted to Laurier, but they are offering far less funding, and U of T is offering nothing. Money is really an issue for me at this point so I'm struggling with turning down a great funding package based on the fact that people tell me Carleton is a second tier school. Just looking for some guidance...don't hear much about Carleton on here so if anyone has any insight I would be forever grateful! Thanks and big congrats to everyone who has been accepted so far! Exciting times
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1 hour ago, WaitingEndlessly said:
For York ,last year they called n showed it on myfile thing
Did they call around this time, or closer to the middle of March/April? Thanks in advance
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1 hour ago, hellohamilton said:
checked online and have a few updates! received an offer from waterloo and was declined from u victoria. c'mon laurier!
Congrats about Waterloo! I'm still waiting on Laurier too...anxiously lol!
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47 minutes ago, Back to School said:
That is ridiculous that they make the deadline so soon. They do it in an attempt to secure applicants, but that us just shady. They know most schools haven't sent out their offers yet.
I'm in a similar boat...I heard back from Carleton on Feb 14, and need to let them know by March 6...it's nice they gave me three weeks to decide but I'm not going to hear back from everywhere else by then...I just wish they all came out at least around the same week. So hard to make a decision when I've not heard back from everywhere!
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Hello everyone,
This may have been answered so please forgive the repost, but does anyone have an idea when York starts rolling out acceptances? I just wish they all came out at the same time! Agonizing over making a decision before I've heard from all the schools....
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1 hour ago, FK@UofT said:
Is that a thing? Having post BSW experience .. because if thats a thing, I really hope it isn't...Maybe, stressing over that is pointless at this point - (but I'm stressing). May the wait be over, sooner rather than later.
From what I know some schools do require post-BSW experience (UVic is one of them), however, I asked Angela at U of T about this specifically and she replied as follows:
To address your question: we do not specifically require work experience post-BSW; as part of the application process you will be required to submit a detailed Resume. Your Resume should include all work and volunteer experience, both related and unrelated to social work. Please see the detailed Resume instructions posted on our website at: https://socialwork.utoronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/MSW-RESUME-INSTRUCTIONS-2018.pdf
Hope that helps
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41 minutes ago, Anniemsw said:
Hey I think it's last week of Feb to early march!
Awesome, thank you!!
Canada MSW 2019
in Social Workers Forum
Posted
Hey everyone,
Anyone out there attending Carleton for their MSW starting in September 2019? Or currently attending Carleton's MSW? Looking to connect with some people, so feel free to DM me! Thanks