MCSW23

Hey there! I think our MSW program experiences depend pretty heavily on field above all else. Classes are all the same curriculum across the board for streamlined approaches, so it's important to research professors before taking any section. Honestly, my last semester was BAD due to bad field placement and some dry professors, but this semester is a 10/10. It waxes and wanes; plus they say first semester is the hardest at CSSW. I waived out of statistics, but I do know people who went through it and everyone made it through! I promise it's very elementary level. And yes! I appealed my financial aid even in the middle of the year and was rewarded more money.

In case anyone had any lingering questions. I was accepted for Fall 2020, deferred to Fall 2021 and am currently in my second semester, but declared everything for my second year.

Hi! I'm AGPP at Columbia with my specialization in Contemporary Social Issues, so it's pretty similar. What will happen is when you declare CSI for your specialization year, you'll be paired up with the corresponding field advisor for CSI (Jenny Crawford). From there, you will rank your top 3 choices out of 700+ different possible advanced placements- so to answer if you're guaranteed a social justice placement, in short, yes. You have the reigns for that second year. But for the first year you don't get much of a choice at all and oftentimes people will find themselves in placements that they aren't stoked about or aren't in their field of interest, but it's about experience year 1. Now onto the classes- all classes at CSSW have some type of social justice lens to it with most focus leaning on PROP (power, race, oppression and privilege). But if you choose CSI as your specialization set, you will end up taking a class clearly titled Contemporary Social Issues. In it you will cover topics like the carceral state, LGBTQ+ issues, race relations, etc. So if that's what you're interested in, you will get it. Edit: I didn't see the professor question before, so here is that answer. I definitely think it depends on who you are taking the class with. Research your professors before enrolling. It really depends entirely on who is teaching. To the total other point of the type of people here- I want to say that almost no one comes from an Ivy League background to be here at CSSW. I went to state school in the midwest and had the same worries. My reality has been, though, that CSSW is pretty normal and diverse (for a PWI), especially compared to the rest of the Columbia. And you really won't interact outside of the social work school. So don't let that really hinder you from choosing Columbia if you think it's right for you. I have tons of other thoughts, but feel free to message me on those. This is just my most objective info.

Last year, I actually found one of my roommates via a facebook (msw 2020 cu cohort) new roommate chat we all got in on, and then another I met via this forum.

I'm really fluid to living wherever, it's the finding roommates I'm more concerned with. Especially with no new student group on Facebook yet?

Honestly, I really wanted a program specific to immigration work, or a program that could translate easily over to other countries should I decide to move (my partner is dead set on Berlin one day). Overall, I liked NYU the best. I loved it's location, I loved the personalities, and their offices seemed communicative and kind at all times. Columbia ticked me off time and time again, and still struggle with communication on all fronts. ie: the accidentally leading all of us to believe we were accepted, them accidentally scheduling me interviews for field placements for this spring semester even though I'm deferred until fall, then not getting back to me when I asked how to handle these interviewers when I couldn't take their offers, etc. People are NOT happy in the 2020 cohort Facebook, to say the least, either (unqualified professors for the new PROP courses, also the new tuition strike, but that should be the same everywhere). But, quite frankly, the name value and highly specialized/specific programs is what took the cake for me. They offer research fellowships, too, which I didn't come across as widely with other schools. Also, the main campus really is beautiful and it feels kind of magical to just be there. There's also a Dunkin' like right next to the CSSW building which may have swayed me, if only slightly. I also come from a family of teachers (my stepdad included- a dean of a university) and so they seemed largely unenthused that I wouldn't choose an Ivy League which probably did play a little into my decision. Would I change it now? No. If I knew then what I've realized in the past year? I may have chosen differently. But I'm not unhappy with my choice, either. It's two years, and I know that the name alone will help me secure spots in the spaces I want to hold. I hope this helps! All options have their flaws. It's just which you can handle easier for the short time you'll be there and if the pros outweigh the cons. Oh! And on price of living, with COVID- a lot of rent has dropped in places in NYC! + Denver, Seattle, other MSW cities have started to raise rent to around the same price. We just can't escape the price gouging anymore.

We didn’t have interviews last year with CU, only Penn

The field placements for NYU and CU are practically identical. We’re all competing for the same spots no matter which school because it’s the same location. I visited all schools in March on one trip and here are my takeaways: NYU is LOVELY. They aren’t pretentious, they have clear lines of communication and is in such a fun part of the city. But it is a city campus. And it doesn’t have the Ivy League prestige, but it does have pretty good name recognition. The programs are great though for both macro and micro, and has a ton of opportunity built into the programs. It honestly was my top choice in the end, but ultimately I ended up swayed by the wow factor of Columbia, hoping it would increase my hire-ability. Columbia is a little stuffy, I won’t lie. But on warm days, everyone sits out on the lawn and hangs out and it feels like something out of a movie. Beyond that, the SW building isn’t situated directly inside campus. It’s a tall building about a block outside of campus, so you still know you’re in the city. Columbia is best for macro focus, but offers really immersive training for micro SW and their programs feel highly customizable. Honestly, just being their feels ~fancy~. Penn is also fancy feeling but in a historic kind of way. Big old buildings. Everything is actually a campus. It feels like it isn’t even in a city. And it has so much greenery, which is nice. The program itself didn’t do much for me. They don’t do research at all for MSWs. Less custom opportunities. But they do have an extra day of field work- which is nice. And they do feel really clinically focused if your end goal is clinical MSW and therapy. Regardless, they’re all good programs and you’ll be doing field work so much of the time that you really won’t even be on campus that often. It isn’t like undergrad.

Just popping in again to say that I applied to priority deadlines with Columbia on Dec. 1 and didn't receive my acceptance until like March 5th. I was freaked out for many-a-months thinking it meant I was like shadow waitlisted. The reality is, they get to everyone's applications at different rates so be patient. I called their office probably 4 times making sure I didn’t miss anything, too, because last year they accidentally allowed all of us access to the admitted students seminar scheduling. Talk about false hope. UPenn responded the fastest by far, offering me admission the day after my interview. UWashington got back to me in like mid-April after I'd already accepted CU's offer. Every other program took on average 3-5 weeks I'd say. I went totally insane waiting, but most schools update around 5pm their time on weekdays, so I paid specific attention at that time and it rarely yielded results. Try to make sure you aren't hyperfocused, you'll find out eventually (I deferred to 2021 due to COVID)

Has anyone joined a 2021 new student group chat? I’m still in the 2020 one but trying to find one with my new cohort.

Just popping in again to say that I applied to priority deadlines with Columbia on Dec. 1 and didn't receive my acceptance until like March 5th. I was freaked out for many-a-months thinking it meant I was like shadow waitlisted. The reality is, they get to everyone's applications at different rates so be patient. UPenn responded the fastest by far, offering me admission the day after my interview. UWashington got back to me in like mid-April after I'd already accepted CU's offer. Every other program took on average 3-5 weeks I'd say. I went totally insane waiting, but most schools update around 5pm their time on weekdays, so I paid specific attention at that time and it rarely yielded results. Try to make sure you aren't hyperfocused, you'll find out eventually

I'll be there

Hey there! I was accepted to Columbia for Fall 2020 but deferred due to COVID19 and decided to randomly pop on and see what people were asking this go round. That said, I'd submit a CV, especially if it shows diverse interests. I didn't personally put any skills, but did list the languages. I would just list everything in bulleted ways. If you want to message me, I could always show you my CV I applied with.

Hi! Sorry I have been in chaos mode as I’m sure most are right now. Basically I went back to visit CU a few days later and it was sunny and everyone was out on the big steps to the library and the walk didn’t seem as far anymore and I kind of just felt like this was the call I needed to make. I was so tired of stressing about it and felt I’d have the most opportunity there so I said aaaaah screw it lets do this thing.

Ok y’all I’m making a call so I can finally log off this forum for good and save any semblance of sanity I have left... I’ll see you at Columbia in the fall ? Good luck to everyone still waiting and making decisions. I hope for morning bus the best for all of you. This is the best community.