SMLDC

Nothing yet. Hoping it hits when I'm not even thinking about it. That's what happened this past Saturday evening when I received a decision from UChicago with a glass of wine in hand

Mine came through on a Saturday (1/25).

They sent an email whose subject read, "Application Status Update - The University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration." You're prompted to check the website and see the admission decision. I submitted my app on 12/1, so it might be that they're just behind in processing. Fingers crossed - waiting is not fun

I should also add that I was accepted to the MicroMasters program (12 months). That could maybe impact the timeline I was given.

I received my official letter last week, and my letter says March 30. Re: financial aid, maybe reach out to the SSW financial aid folks to talk through that situation?

No word on UMich scholarships or other financial aid.

This weekend, I was accepted at UChicago with a half-tuition scholarship. Still haven't heard from most places and only have 1 scholarship decision so far. Seems like there's interest in seeing timelines for submission to acceptance, so I'm sharing my roster, which is in line with what we've heard from others. All are MSW programs (clinical) with the exception of George Washington University, which is a MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Accepted: UChicago (applied 12/1, accepted 1/25), UMichigan (applied 12/1, accepted 1/13), Ohio State (applied 12/1, accepted 12/13) Waiting to Hear Back: GWU (11/22), Columbia (12/1), Smith College (1/5), Boston Univ (1/10), University of Pittsburgh (1/20), UPenn (1/25)

Did you just check the application status page? I don't see any update. I did submit my app late on 12/1 though.

This afternoon, received official notification of U of M acceptance with email/PDF letter after receiving a plain-text email acceptance two weeks ago.

Just wanted to throw this question out there: How much does financial aid impact your decision of school? For me, this would be a second master's degree (already have my MPH), so scholarship coverage is a critical distinguishing factor. And if all my options are veering on $80-100K of additional debt, I might defer or pass altogether. I am excited to be receiving acceptances -- of course! that's the fun part! -- but I keep telling my friends that the ultimate decision point will be around $$. Just a word of advice to those who are just leaving undergrad or only have a few years of work experience: Think carefully about the amount of debt you are willing to take on for this degree. I accumulated six figures of debt for my MPH fresh out of undergrad, and there is a big part of me that regrets not being more judicious or conservative. I had reasons for going that soon (didn't have much health policy experience to get started in the field, wanted to eventually get a master's degree, academic inertia forward, etc.), but I was admittedly not deterred by the price tag. Probably because I was originally looking at law school, which would have been even more expensive. Plus, I saw value in having a graduate degree from a more prestigious graduate school than my undergrad, and all of my options in that echelon of program were similarly priced. I'll also add that I feel this way even though I've been able to make progressively more money in my 8 years since graduate school. It is still not enough to pay for non-income based repayment payments... Many in my age and income cohort are in a similar boat. You'd have to be making well beyond $100,000 to do that. I'd argue close to $150-200,000 if you live in an expensive city. As we all know, social workers and even therapists do not make nearly that much. I just wanted to offer this friendly advice from a mid-career professional who does not want others to saddled with too much debt if there is any way to avoid it. Just something to think seriously about, in addition which program/city appeals to you most.

This thread is pretty active for MSWs:

Hey everyone, Thanks to all who have been posting tips and intel about various programs. They've been helpful as we all anxiously await admissions decisions. I wanted to share that this afternoon, I received an email offer of admission to University of Michigan's MSW program. I submitted my application on 12/1 (early decision deadline). I applied for U of M's 12-month MicroMasters program for mid-career professionals, and I chose Interpersonal Practice in Integrated Health, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse as my program pathway. The email said I would receive a more formal letter of admission in the next few weeks but that they wanted to share the decision more immediately. No details on scholarship applications or financial aid just yet. Keeping my fingers crossed on those pieces, but thrilled to get into my top choice. Did anyone else hear back from U of M? Anyone hear about scholarships/financial aid?

I received a response from Ohio State swiftly. I found their application process to be the most cumbersome (the way they do not notify your recommenders until AFTER you've submitted the application, for instance), but the decision was quick. Hopefully you have heard back. I had lower GPAs for undergrad and grad but was offered admission to the program.

Awesome! Good to know...

Oh, this is very helpful! Even this context from a few schools keeps UC and BU on my list. I think U of M is my top choice, though my decision will largely be based on financial aid. Let me know if there are any questions you have about programs. Not sure if I can be helpful, but it's worth a shot.

Hey everyone -- I am planning on applying this cycle for MSW programs starting in Fall 2020. This will be my second master's degree; I previously graduated with an MPH. With this being my second professional graduate degree, I am hoping to keep out-of-pocket expenses much lower than my MPH, which I completed fresh out of undergrad. I have been trying to narrow my list of schools based on a number of factors, including the number and perceivable generosity of merit scholarships. Any perspective about the following MSW programs with respect to merit aid (not loans) vs. cost of attendance would be much appreciated! (Feel free to also use this thread to vet other schools on the same topic.) University of Michigan Smith College University of Chicago University of Pittsburgh Ohio State University Boston University University of Pennsylvania Washington University in St. Louis Thanks!

Noted. I have had the PsyD program at George Washington in my head. Their typical length is between 4 and 5 years.

I want thank you all for taking the time to answer so many of my questions -- and thoughtfully! So wonderfully helpful. A few responses -- Re: PsyD vs. Master's -- I do have some interest in being able to conduct assessments and more generally have an interest in clinical psychology as a field of study. That said, the time commitment of a PsyD might be the biggest barrier for me. Having worked full-time for 7 years since my first master's degree, it would be hard for me to sacrifice a steady income, especially in a city like Washington, D.C., where I currently live alone downtown. (I know it would only be for 3-4 years for that degree, but that's in the middle of my 30s...) One person asked about my interest in research. It's actually quite strong -- I have some specific interests and projects in mind -- so I am going to look at what all is possible for master's students (e.g. independent study? research labs?) and if a PsyD is at all feasible given my interest in part-time school. MSW vs. Other Master's -- Helpful to hear from a couple people that an MSW is maybe the best fit for my interests. This is what I've heard from a couple therapist friends of mine -- "best bang for your buck" as one said. Curious to compare specific curricula/classes across programs to see if content fit is better. (Some MSW programs seem very macro-focused vs. clinical.) I have heard that a Master's in Psychology would not be the ideal degree if I want to practice immediately. Specific Programs -- I've been most interested in the following master's programs given their proximity and flexibility: George Washington University's Clinical Mental Health Counseling Master's Degree (in person, evenings), Columbia University's Master of Social Work (online with local placement), University of Maryland School of Social Work (in person, part-time), and Catholic University School of Social Work (in-person, part time). I'm also open to any venerable online MSW programs like Columbia's -- open to suggestions there, especially ones where D.C. professional placements are possible. (USC advertises theirs a lot... thoughts?)

Hey everyone -- Just browsing this forum has been helpful as there is a lot of bad or misleading information online about various psychology/social work/counseling programs. I was hoping others could help with some advice about my specific objective and situation. Application competitiveness aside, I'd appreciate any thoughts about/answers to the questions below. Thank you in advance! Objective: I'd like to become a clinical psychotherapist, transitioning out of my work in public health (social determinants of health, more specifically) to direct clinical practice. Situation: Ideally, I would like to complete a master's or doctoral program part-time (nights/weekend/etc., or distance) while maintaining full-time employment/income. I have lived in DC for 7 years and would like to remain here for the entirety of my program. I already hold a Master of Public Health from Emory University (Policy Concentration) and a Bachelor of Arts from Penn State University (English/Writing and Health Policy) I have been told by several therapist friends (ranging from MSWs to PhDs and MDs) to pursue a (second) master's degree as that is all that is needed to practice as a therapist. They have all emphasized that you can earn a significant amount in private practice, especially in a market like D.C. I would qualify as a non-traditional student in that my professional and academic background are outside of social work, psychology, etc. I have worked in health policy (4 years total, including some mental health policy work and nonprofit board service) as well as entrepreneurship (founded and ran a startup for 3 years). Questions: Are there any venerable part-time and/or online PsyD or PhD programs that I should consider? If I could complete a doctoral program in a reasonable timeframe (likely a PsyD given my primary focus on practice), that might be preferable to a master's programs. The challenge I've seen is that most of the programs I've researched require full-time students (i.e. no evenings or weekend classes). Among the various MSW/MA/MS programs in clinical social work, mental health counseling, etc., do you have any recommendation if my end goal is clinical psychotherapy? Given my above objective and situation, do you have any other thoughts about vetting programs for fit (i.e. things to look for as I research programs)? Is there any possibility that I could acquire merit-based aid for master's programs like these or a part-time PsyD? Given my location in DC, are there any specific programs/departments you would recommend? Again, many thanks for any help you can provide!