wannabetherapist

Thought folks might find it interesting that my OISE portal was updated on Thursday, but I still haven't gotten an email. Check your portals, everyone...

Also got a no from U of T (on the portal, no email yet). Stay strong, all. This is hard.

I'm going to try again to see if I can set up ACORN.... no luck the first time.

Omg… I’m a W ??

Wow, it seems totally piecemeal. Strange. I am also surprised so few people have heard, and that no one here has been accepted. There are some terrific candidates here!!

I'm on the waitlist for UBC MEd - haven't heard anything.

MSWs are a fabulous option! Definitely a bit trickier to find programs if you don't have a BSW - and my experience is that those are just as competitive as counselling programs. Or you can go the two-year BSW route, then the one-year MSW. It's complicated but there are possibilities to expand your reach. We only need one yes :)

This is so, so hard. We just have to keep at it while we wait for more resources put into these programs so they can accept more students—the need for practitioners is so obvious, and there are so many talented people willing to do the job! The only missing piece is the opportunity to train. I know we’ll all get there, but I hope that structurally things can make it easier down the line.

I just got a waitlist notification for UBC MEd. Letting other folks know that those seem to be going out

It's super frustrating for sure. And ultimately, they lose out on great candidates because folks accept somewhere else!

I don't think anyone has heard yet. I know lots on this thread have applied, but no one has anything yet!

I’m going to assume rejection from UBC too then… my portal still says submitted. Would the folks who were admitted mind sharing their background? I’m curious what a successful applicant looks like ?

Congrats! Hopefully they're still going out for today!

This is a general shout out to anyone waiting to hear from OISE and UBC. Having heard *nothing* is absolutely brutal. Those are the only programs I applied to, and I'm definitely feeling it. We're getting close! Even if it feels impossible to wait!

Congrats! I'm eagerly awaiting any news from UBC - fellow West Coaster here, from Vancouver

Thanks for letting us know! I can never seem to log into Acorn... I set it up, but the connection goes dead every time I click "log into Acorn." I guess I'm stuck with the application portal, lol.

BRILLIANT idea. So happy to hear this.

the waiting game is really hard! But time is moving. Best we can do is take care of ourselves while we wait!

Hi there - I'm a fellow applicant to grad programs, but I've worked in undergraduate admissions and have read a *lot* of essays for undergrad admission, so I feel I may have some helpful tips to share here. Frankly, I wouldn't be concerned. Maybe it's different at the grad level, but what you found from your research seems right to me -- using a mental health challenge as an excuse for poor grades is never a great angle, but I think it's okay to disclose, and especially in this context! Let's be honest... most people wanting to become therapists have either had struggles themselves, or have been close to those who have, so you're hardly alone in this. I would venture that the majority of statements have some sort of personal experience, and I include myself in this - I'm recovered from anorexia and wrote about that in my statement. With my experience reading essays for admission, it seemed exactly right. At the end of the day, they want the right people for their programs, and folks who have "been through it" often care the most. And despite it all, if you've already submitted, it's done, and I would encourage you to accept that it's out of your hands now

I would honestly encourage you folks to collaborate on the Guelph reports. Someone who got a letter/email saying they're not accepting applicants, and someone who got a letter/email saying they were denied admission--send those together to the bodies I mentioned above. That alone shows inconsistency, which is unethical. If you can grab screenshots of the website too, all the better to fight your case. For context.... I didn't apply to Guelph, but I've worked for almost a decade in admissions and it's so, so disheartening to see this type of thing happen. This process is so vulnerable and challenging for applicants regardless of the program or degree level, not to mention folks making life plans based on it! Misleading potential students is never okay, and while I understand that things happen (faculty get sick and go on leave, or take sabbaticals, and aren't available to supervise, etc), Guelph has messed this up royally in a lot of ways. Those emails are despicable--where is the basic customer service, never mind tact and consideration for folks trying to do good in the world? Ugh. My heart is hurting for you all. I hope we can collectively hold them accountable.

For anyone affected by the Guelph news: I encourage you to keep reaching out and complaining to as many bodies as possible. I've worked in (undergrad) admissions at schools in both Canada and the US, and I can tell you that Guelph's actions are highly unethical by literally any standard that exists anywhere--and there are tons of ethics boards/requirements that would want to know. I'd start here... https://oucqa.ca/what-we-do/what-we-do-in-quality-assurance/ https://cou.ca/ https://www.nacacnet.org/ https://www.ouac.on.ca/ You could also try the Ombudsperson for U of G-- they also have an ethical mandate to be impartial. Sorry this happened to you all. Unbelievably disappointing, and they deserve to be held accountable for taking your money and time.