optimisticSW

Got my USC and UCLA rejections, my UCI app just says "submitted". After seeing the acceptances I'm assuming I'll just never get a formal rejection but damn, can't they? I just want to close this chapter of applications. NVM just got the official rejection.

Got my UCLA rejection which was the only school that doesn't "require" interviews so I'm assuming that with UCI/USC I'm out too. I'm less disappointed than expected but still super envious of those who got in. Congrats!

This is so odd to me. If I was going to mentor someone for 4-6 years I'd sure as hell want to know a little bit about them, and also vice versa. UCLA is my last hope, as well as the off chance to USC chose not to interview me for whatever reason, but realistically I'm just assuming I'm out.

Welp, I see enough UCI acceptances and USC interview requests to assume I'm out of the running there. UCLA is my last hope but I am not feeling very confident considering I had zero interest from the other programs. Their website says the department accepts 100 PhD students per year though so maybe there's still a chance... Hope y'all are maintaining your cool.

The results page has a posting that says one person had an interview with them. Hopefully they come here to check in. I read that their program has rolling review of applications, so maybe they're working their way through? That's me trying to be optimistic because both UCI and USC say they require interviews for all admitted students; UCLA doesn't require an interview for acceptance. Where'd you apply?

I just saw a post that someone has an interview with UCI's program. You in here? How'd it go?

YES! Good luck! I applied to higher ed programs: UCLA (HEOC), UCI (epsc), USC (UEP).

If you want to teach in SW you don't need a PhD, unless you want to teach research based courses or theory. Even then, many MSW programs hire practitioners for clinical theory courses- I began teaching at R1 MSW programs as an MSW. The same goes for your private practice/ center. A Clinical Psych PhD would be the degree that would afford you the opportunity to research your specialization and be an "expert" on it; however, it is not necessary to open a practice by any means. In fact many of my colleagues would lose close to half a million dollars of income if they went back to school to pursue a DSW. There are MANY thriving and lucrative practices run by LCSWs, esp if you're willing to run a group practice and take ASWs or MFTIs. A DSW would be helpful after years of work in the field. It's largely a practitioner's degree-- Most reputable programs I know of are essentially "executive" degrees and targets established leaders in the field. Other programs will accept anyone who is willing to pay for their tuition. What courses would you be interested in teaching? Do those courses require a PhD?

Program Coordinator at a non-profit does sound like a social work job that is 100% attainable with an MSW, and even more so with licensure. While I am currently contemplating transitioning from Social Work to Education, I can tell you that the MSW degree has been incredibly versatile for my career. I've done macro social work (research, evaluation), clinical social work in many different settings and with many different populations, and I've done lots of advocacy work as a job and at each job I've had since graduation. If your focus is in education then I think a Masters or PhD in Education might be more appropriate. Most social workers I know that are in school based settings focus on counseling, programming, and folks might occasionally work in administrative roles but my friends in those roles all have Education backgrounds -- purely anecdotal.

I am not sure about their Education department specifically but USC is widely known to have very strong connections with student veterans, and some programs offer optional certifications for working with this population. The Social Work department has research opportunities with this population and several faculty who specialize in working with vets-- maybe not in the exact way you want to, but that might make it a more symbiotic relationship. It might make your application stand out if you are able to integrate your knowledge of opportunities to grow your training and interest in this work on campus with the higher ed component of the Education program. https://dworakpeck.usc.edu/research/military-and-veterans-programs/research/areas-of-interest