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Aweeeee snap! You have nothing to worry about, bilingual candidates and international social work and a multicultural background? You’re already a very diverse candidate!! I have 0 doubts in you getting in, as long as your LORs and SOP are spot in. But you already seem to have a clear understanding of what you want to do :). I also got the same email! I signed up for the event ad well and requested travel funds - as I’m in chicago. Fingers crossed. However, I know they are looking for more black and Hispanic candidates to fly in based on the flyer. (Which I’m neither). From my experience and feedback so far - FASFA awards do not disburse until feb and schools do not award school scholarships (merit or need) until feb/March. Good luck! as far as missing priority deadline - I’m unsure if when you’ll hear back. I applied 11/7 and my app still says under review by committee. Also - I haven’t received any green with my letters, but the schools i heard back from stated they do not send awards until March, after they get the majority of the acceptances back. But I’ve read for other schools such as UC and NYU , BU and BC they offer funding in the offer letter. Which makes sense as most of the schools are private and also make their offers closer to Jan/Feb.

UC said they will release decisions mid Jan to early Feb for applicants who applied Dec 1. I wish we could know sooner, because that’s the last school that is holding up my decision on where to go! ( I got this information today from an admissions contact at UC.) UIC has already been reviewing applications and sent their first batch of acceptances on Dec 2nd. I believe they will either start to send them as they accept students or send a final wave in Jan. However, I do know they review applications every Friday and are about 3-4 weeks behind. So if you wait at least 3 weeks and call to ask the status, they will give you the decision over the phone, assuming they reviewed your app. But will not notify you via email until the second wave. I happened to call back in Early Nov and found out I was accepted before the email a month later!

Yes I’m going to be in that campus as well! How is it there? I know nothing of NJ or New Brunswick, but the school has a great program so I’m highly considering it. Does your partner like living there, how do they like the school?

Yep, this is the communication they personally provided me based on when I applied.

From experience I heard back on the 6 week mark from UMD. They are pretty on time with the applications! Some stats the admissions team told me are that they accept about 450 students a year and have spots for about 300-350 to accept. I never received a status update on my application. It never even went to " under review". I just got an email 6 weeks later saying a decision was made and to check to portal. Your background is very diverse and I love that! You seem to be a great candidate for MSW programs and to eventually get into research. Your publishing experience will tie in well with that. Good luck and send a friendly reminder to your reference when you have a chance!

Good luck! I think its also great that you're applying to a ton of schools not mentioned on too many threads here on gradcafe. I imagine you will not have issues being accepted. Most programs are very understanding and just want to see why you are interested in an MSW. I feel like most of the "popular" MSW programs - are the same exact ones we all apply for, so you will have competitive advantage for sure!

Good luck! I really hope you get in, I am not sure when they send out decisions, but here is a thread from last year. It may be helpful to skim through. I think Columbia can have a greater acceptance rate because it may have more resources dedicated to this program, and not everyone accepts their enrollment that applied once they weigh out the costs of the program. $100k just for tuition in NY, isn't very attracting for a MSW lol. I think a lot of students bank of scholarships of some sort.

Isn't that the best? I wish a lot more schools had rolling admissions!

Some random bits of info. If you applied by the Dec 1 deadline, Columbia will be releasing decisions Mid Jan - Early Feb. Boston College will start releasing Jan 1, 2020. Boston University - End of Feb.

I actually did not apply to any advance standing programs - I am a career changer and am a financial analyst. Thank you much! Yes, I am overwhelmed with excitement, I was a bit concerned I may be overlooked with my professional experience, being quite different. However it has been great to hear so much positive feedback from admissions. I put ALOT of effort into all my applications and I think it really showed. Are you familiar with Rutgers or the NJ area? Could you provide any information on what living there would be like? I'm in the Midwest and I hear it is a completely different feel than the east coast. My top choices are : University of Chicago, Rutgers, University of Illinois (Chicago), and University of Maryland. So it really worked out well that those are the first programs I heard back from! Basically these schools have programs that are more catered to what I want to study and have a city where I could see myself living. UC and UIC being better options, because I already live in Chicago. I also really liked Boston College and UT - Austin. However, these locations would be a little tougher to move to for me.

@LivtheLeo

Thank you, and so sorry about that. Good luck for all your apps! Hope you get into all the programs you apply for!

Whoops sorry! I didn't realize this thread was for Pyschology.. For Fall 2020, MSW programs. Clinical Counsiling. (2 year track). George Mason University, University of Maryland, University of Illinois at Chicago, and Rutger's University.

Double Space, 12 pt. Times Roman, (Unless Stated Otherwise), and keep within the word limit. I did this for all my SOP's and didn't have an issue. I also used a title page for all of them and added the program and school name and my name. i've been accepted into 4 schools so far, no issues.

Thank you!!

What school are you apply into?

Yay! Just got accepted into Rutger's University! Is anyone from the NJ area??

So I actually applied to UIC on 10.11.19 (just checked my submission date). I anxiously called back on 11.01.19, and spoke with the Dean (Marybel Flores) in the MSW program, she had literally just reviewed and admitted my application within that 30 minute time frame! Must of been fate, so she said I was accepted, but they wouldn't notify students until TG. I received my official acceptance email 11.26.19. And then today 12.02.2019, I received my actual decision letter and my activation I.D to set my UIC email up. I haven't decided if I am accepting yet (most likely will). I am waiting to hear back from UC and a couple other schools. Also looks like we will not hear back in regards to FASFA awards until Late Feb. Good luck!! I hope you get in :). Let me know if you have any questions. I did go to an info session. What track did you apply to?

Awesome, thanks. I have heard back from three schools about being accepted for Fall 2020 MSW, but have not recived a FASFA letter, does that come from them as well? I want to make an informed decision in regards to Tuition Fees before I submit a depoist. I find it odd that they did not provide the award letter with the acceptance letter? Is that common?

Yes, lets for sure keep in touch in regards to our apps. It's good to know when others start hearing back. 70% seems extremely high, I am so surprised! A good tip I received in regards to word limits, just write everything out, and go back and remove and rewrite, it will help you make your paper more concise. I had to sit on a couple of SOP's for several days, to come back and reread it and find better ways to convey my statement.

Yes, I met with an advisor and she mentioned the first year is the generalization year, which a good amount of programs do. You typically do not start your specialization until your second year, so the first year field placement is general. My SIL told me columbia does it that way as well. But good to know, are they enjoying their experience at UMB so far? Did they mention any cons?

Yes.

Alot of grad programs consider your last 60 credits to calculate your GPA As well. Is that any higher? If you should a positive growth in your more formative years, it will help greatly.

Yeah, they just get too many apps to review them all and decide from that pool. So they review as they come and once they fill their spots, they decline the rest. Apparently they get about 900-1000 apps a year.. I’ve heard from lots of people about how great NYC is. Sucks that it’s so expensive. Yeah I can imagine how nothing would feel the same after, and yes making friends as an adult is very difficult. Also hard to find decent people. And if you do - they already typically have their circles set. I think the relationship through grad school are nice too. So hopefully you meet some people in your program, wherever you decide to move. I just visited balitmore yesterday and actually liked the campus area and downtown! I previously lived in downtown Detroit, so it reminded me in some ways of that. I think it gets a worse rep than it actually Deserves. There will be crimes bad violence in certain areas etc, but it’s not an unsafe area (where the school and downtown is) IMO. Chicago is a good place to live - but you will have to deal with brutal winters, and seasonal depression. The winters here are very very depressing. The summers make up for it - so most try to make the most of every moment in the summer.

@simon_says Just set aside a day or afternoon to hone in on the application and you should be set by Dec 1! I know that’s difficult with TG tomorrow etc. You definitely have the background for it, so you’ll have a solid chance! Just make sure you SOP is spot on. I didn’t have SW experience, but my SOP and LORs were strong and I believe the reason I’ve been accepted into programs.