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MSWhelper

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  1. MSWhelper
    Yes, schools of social work love when applicants integrate some research in their personal statement. I always tell people to remember that it's a personal statement and not a full-on research paper, you want to sprinkle in a bit of research to back up your points, demonstrate critical thinking skills, and show off your research abilities- so if you need to modify the formatting to meet the requirements that's no problem. Most applicants would not include the reference page as part of the page limit, so if McMaster's limit is 4 pages you can write 4 pages + a reference page. I would also try to stick to APA formatting for the references / in text citations since this is what we use in social work. There's a lot more I could talk about/nuance with this so if you have any questions send me a message!
  2. MSWhelper
    Hey! I help MSW applicants with their personal statements, and I can tell you that I've seen people get accepted even without 2 years experience. I find that it's more of a guideline, and what they're looking for when asking for two years of experience is for you to demonstrate your ability to think critically and contribute to the field. Also, you can sometimes make a case for your other experience as valid experience. For example, when I worked in a call centre I was helping people solve problems and navigate high stress situations which is directly applicable to social work. Also, you can count things like volunteer experiences, internships, and other experience even if it's not necessarily paid experience. It's all about how you frame your experience!
  3. MSWhelper
    Hey @verynervousstudent - I totally get how nerve-wracking it can be when schools have specific requirements and you're not sure how strict they stick to those guidelines. I can tell you that I applied to grad school right out of my BSW with no paid social work experience and I got accepted to several programs. The biggest thing schools of social work are looking for are your ability to think critically and your potential contribution to the social work field. If you can demonstrate both of those things it doesn't matter how much experience you have. Check out this post that goes into more detail
  4. MSWhelper
    Sounds like you have good experience and grades! I totally get how stressful the application process is- you want to make sure you package your experience in way that stands out and showcases your strengths. Have you joined the Facebook group posted on the 1st page? In the FB group we go into more detail about how to write an effective MSW personal statement. Feel free to join us
  5. MSWhelper
    Hope this helps. Master of Social Work Personal Statement Help
  6. MSWhelper
    Hey @Lovey1115, that’s a good question! It’s a balance for sure. Social workers often enter the field because of their personal experiences, so it’s completely valid to talk about that in the personal statement (especially the part that specifically asks about personal and professional experiences!) If you choose to speak about personal experiences, it’s important to make sure that everything you’re saying has the purpose of answering the question being asked (so be sure not to digress or trauma dump all over your personal statement). You also want to think about connecting your experience to the bigger picture (Do you want to help others who experienced the same thing? How will you do that? What does the research say?) In short, it’s a balance, and it’s different for everyone. Schools want to see critical thinking skills, and life experience is valid experience that social workers gain wisdom from. Here’s a post that goes deeper into it.
  7. MSWhelper
    Hey! It sounds like you have a good mix of experience through work and volunteer experiences, a relevant bachelor's degree, and good grades. Based on that I think you do have a good chance of getting in to an MSW program! I will say in my experience many people report that it can be harder to get into online MSW programs (which makes sense, because way more people apply). That said, if you can write a really strong personal statement that can increase you're chances of getting in. If you have any questions feel free to send me a message!
  8. MSWhelper
    Exciting! Definitely don't delay your application if you're worried about having enough experience. I applied with a BSW and I know many other applicants have as well.
  9. MSWhelper
    Hello, Here is a Facebook group dedicated to MSW applications & writing the personal statement. Lot's of helpful tips!
  10. MSWhelper
    It sounds like you have good grades and experience. In my opinion the personal statement is the most important part of the personal statement, because you can use it to highlight your strengths and help you stand out. For example, lets say someone applying had decent experience but they barely make the cutoff for grades. At the surface level someone might think they aren't a good applicant. However, they use the personal statement to discuss that the reason WHY they had bad grades is because they had to take care of a sick parent and work full time while in school. Although their grades suffered they still graduated and became more resilient, empathetic, and will be a better social worker because of it. Here's a post that goes into more detail about this. Basically, it's alllll about how you frame it, and you can actually turn any deficits into strengths. Hope this helps!
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