EMWC

@T.O.hopeful will you be my social worker? You are making me feel much better!

Congratulations!! What a good feeling!

You are sweet, thank you for that ❤️ Do you ever worry about looking good on paper but then in real life are disappointing? This is my anxious state right now! The result came as an email with redirected me to the portal where there was a yellow banner that said an update had been made to your application - when I clicked that there was the PDF letter available on another page. I know the ITR stream releases results much quicker then the regular MSW - but good news I guess is that my status never seemed to change in the portal, still says "submitted". So might not change before results are released for the MSW.

Just heard back from UofT for the MSW Indigenous Trauma and Resiliency program, didn't get in. Curious if anyone else on here applied to this stream? I was very grateful to have gotten an interview but definitely felt very nervous during and I don't think was able to put my best foot forward as I wanted to..

Oh so cool! It sounds like you made the best decision to me I am really going to give consideration to Carleton, I just put together a spreadsheet today to lay out the costs for school and the Carleton's funding package is tempting... Can I ask what your cohort was like? Pretty diverse in terms of people's interests?

This is actually super helpful, thank you so much. I can appreciate that the past two years must have been super weird because of COVID - though it sounds like you've really made the best of a bad situation. Can I ask what made you choose Carleton specifically (other than they seem to be the ones giving out the $$$) and whether you were considering any other programs and why?

This is so interesting! I've never gotten a scholarship before so it was a nice suprise. I am so curious about the Carleton program and how you found it - what is the culture like? The involvement of profs? I am interested in the intersections of social service/cultural sector from a post-colonial/decolonial perspective and honestly would be willing to go to any school that has a prof who is doing work somewhere in this intersection - I wasn't sure based on the profiles of the profs at Carleton, but I love the idea of a small cohort and Ottawa's proximity to large cultural institutions.

I thought funding packages were for thesis-stream programs only! It's been so long since i've been in school, all this stuff is so novel. I am guessing some schools give you scholarships/awards as an incentive and also depending on donors/endowments?

This is such sound advice! ❤️

Of course! I do think my background is unique and could be encouraging for some. Last year I didn't apply to a single MSW because I thought I was unqualified. My background is in the arts and cultural sector, I have a BFA (Bachelor of Fine Arts) and graduated with a 3.6-3.7 GPA (4.3 scale). I have over 6 years professional working experience as an arts administrator/programmer - about 8000hrs. I also have over 1000 hrs of volunteer experience (various social justice, environmental, and arts related initiatives). I am 30 years old so I am sure I am coming in at an older age then some I have no formal social service experience, but there are overlaps with the work I do in cultural programming and my past volunteer history. I think the strength of my applications have been from my experiences outside school (again - I’m 30 years old) and a strong personal statement (helps when your friends have PhD's and can review your work!). My area of interest is also a little unique, which I also believe has given me an edge (I’m interested in the social service potential of cultural institutions through a specifically post-colonial lens). I am so proud of everyone on here for their commitment to themselves and their education, I found this forum to be really encouraging and I am excited for how diverse the student body in social work seems to be. If anyone else is applying from the cultural sector I would love to chat!

Congratultions!!

I got into Carleton - and with a funding package, that's a first for me! What's the deal with funding packages, do some schools do it and others not?

It does feel strange - but I guess if there are many applications it would take a lot of administrative energy to get everything out at once!

I'm sorry to hear this I hope you hear back soon about your other applications!.I have a friend who had to apply to Carleton three times before getting in - it's a hard one!

Thank you! I still haven't heard anything yet, so I will be patient until tomorrow ..

I am not sure but wouldn't assume so - maybe offers will come through tomorrow. Looking through past forums it looks like they might be staggered a bit (by a few days!).

My last name starts with a C so definitely early in the alphabet!

Hello team Looks like Carleton may have updated the portal, my application status now reads "Review in progress by Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs"

Aha! This is very good to know, thank you!

I was actually wondering the same! I thought only Dal sent physical letters now I am thinking other schools do as well..? I found some information online for a few schools. Carleton: Successful applicants will be notified by email from the Dean of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs. You can check your application status in Carleton Central. The School of Social Work will submit admission decisions by the end of February. WLU: Admission into a graduate program is a competitive process. Notifications of offers of admission are sent via email to the email address you provided in your application. UofT: Admission offer letters will be sent out from mid-February to mid-April. As decisions are mailed out, your status on the On-line application will be changed to 'Decision made'. By mid-April all decisions will be sent out.

Glad your friend was able to get an exension! I will definitely ask

Thank you! Eeep, I truly do not want to spend the $200 deposit for Dal if I do not have to, fingers crossed we're notified soon!

Received my official acceptance email from Dal today and looks like deposits need to be in by March 8th. Any idea when UofT and Laurier sent out acceptances for their 2-year program in past years?

I'm sorry to hear your application was not successful this year If it's helpful, I also had a 3.7 GPA (out of a 4.3 scale) and no direct experience in social work - I come from an arts administration background and have Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting. I spoke to one of the profs at Laurier this year and she told me they have quite a few graduate students without social work backgrounds, but a key factor in their acceptance in the program was how strongly they were able to link their existing experience with social work.

Hahahahaha! I can't believe they just didn't send the mail... then again though, why does Dalhousie still send mail!?