Dr.EJM

Thank you, good luck to you too!

Are there any USC DSW students out there? I would love to get to connect with someone else still (or previously... or potentially?) in the program!

Ah, I'm glad I said something. The macro track at NYU is one you apply to when you are in the program. I would say it is not as robust as I have heard some others to be due to the fact that you are not starting off your first set of class' in the macro track as all tracks have the same foundational education. When in the macro track your internship and I would say 1/3 (please don't quote me on the percentage) of your class is automatically changed to systems/leadership/development and you have options of using your electives to round it out. My practice course when from being lead by a clinician (and PhD) to an executive in residence (and former CEO of one of the leading social agencies). If you are 100% sure you want to be all macro and you are not interested in micro or even mezzo level work the first year would probably be annoying to you. I think on of the biggest advantages you would have if you went to NYU and joined the macro track would be the amount of access the school can give you. None of the other schools I have seen talked about here are anything at all to shake a stick at however there is a bit of a monopoly between CU and NYU for internships and grabbing up the most notable names in the area. I hear that half the time when going in for an interview the person conducting it is a Violet as well, but that's hearsay. I think my best advice I could give would be to contact the school and ask for information on the macro track (they might call it the micro-macro track, I can't remember) and ask about the current professors for it, along with internships or whatever sparks your interest and if they would say it is a good fit. I'm sure they will shy away from answering that last part too openly but hey, we are social workers, why not be blunt and go after what we want. Personally I loved it. I did not pick the school for it, but after a number of years working with high needs youth I saw big problems in the system and thought I would go clinical to create my own way to help. The macro track brought me right back to why I was there in the first place. I'm not sure how much help that last part is. I will wrap up by saying that the macro professor I had at NYU was one of my references in applying for my doctorate and also gave me a big leg up there too. The access is great, although maybe less so if all internships being currently held online. It is not a full on macro program, but a strong macro program when you are in it (I only went to one MSW program so I don't know what I think I am comparing it to... still I stand by it, it was a good building block for the DSW I am in, where I am focusing on leadership and program development). I hope there was something of use to you in there. I am happy to clarify or answer anything specific if it would continue to help.

I second the idea to ask how their admission work. I know some are also now doing waves of admission, with spots held for each wave. I am personally not a great resource on when, I applied a couple days before the deadline, if they like you I believe you just jump in before the people on the waitlist are informed. I would say the bigger thing from my experience is to have everything that is out of your control taken care of. References early, transcripts being digital now are easier, but still worth taking care of with extra time and then get your writing completely dialed in. Social work especially picks people on how they are more so than any other part of the application. (IMO)

perhaps I will point out I came here to add to the macro thoughts as I went to NYU and took the macro track (really enjoyed it) but as the price tag is that of Columbia and I'm months late joining the conversation I figured just some support. if you are by chance interested in NYU for any reason, please ask away.

good luck to you both, I'm rooting for you!

Congrats! How's your program going so far?

I am very curious if we can get more conversation generated here, it would great to hear peoples takes on the differences and reasons for picking them. I am in a DSW program right now and am getting a lot out of it. In hearing why others are in my program the reasons were all over the board, however almost everyone sees a specific goal at the other end and are building it into the program. That said I am at USC and the structure is made for program development and leadership, unlike the mainstay goals of the NYU's and UPenn's where clinical research and a career someplace in academia is the probable outcome. As far as the idea that a PhD is more marketable, probably true. If nothing else it is a more known degree and the US educational system puts a lot of stock in those letters after a name. The country as a whole is probably more into the letters before a name though, anyone with Dr. is good in the eyes of the general public. I say get the degree that matches your goals. I know I am not saying anything new here, but if you want to teach at a tier 1 university and retire doing it, getting a PhD from one of them is the most direct way to get there. Everything is accessible just fine with both a DSW and PhD though, I had plenty of professors with tenure at NYU who's doctorate was a DSW, it was all about publishing and experience. I too have heard the thoughts of a DSW being a cash cow for universities. Seemingly it is. That just doesn't make it a bad decision to get one. I have specific goals and see how I can get there faster, easier, and with more support having a DSW, so for me it is in no way a useless degree. I think the big downside is if you are getting a DSW hoping it will workout like a PhD in half the time you may be disappointed. From my looking at both I would say that if you are sure you want to stay clinical, it is probably a more useful degree than a PhD as most universities tilt the majority of the DSW coursework to everyone clinically tracked. Also it is of course it takes half the time. And if you are young it will almost certainly help you build a practice or gain the trust of clinicians to supervise faster (and here in NY people will definitely pay you more).

If you are going to school with the goal of becoming a clinician I would highly recommend going to the school with the best clinical training. Secondary thoughts go to where you live and if a school will give you specific connections during your schooling or access to advance your career post graduation.

Congratulations everyone!

Thank you! the DSW is the practice version of the PhD in SW. More leadership and program development vs research and teaching (not that you couldn’t teach with it of course)

Im stating the DSW program this month, anyone else starting at USC?

Im in for my DSW at USC!

Hi all, I’m waiting to hear from USC on my DSW application, they said I will be informed by the end of the month. I was wondering if anyone else is in the same or similar boat. Although I know it’s normal for my application timeline it feels late in the game to still be waiting with most people already knowing how their future looks. Also I don’t remember seeing any USC DSW acceptance response in here, has anyone decided to attend? (sorry if I missed a previous post)

Hi FlyingGoldFish, I am going to second that you don’t need to go to campus unless it’s a really easy trip. In two rounds of grand school applications I’ve sat down with 1 professor and I live 4 or 5 miles away. They are typically busy and email is a quick and normal part of their day, (some will prefer it over face to face). If you have a good relationship with #1 they could be a help with information that profs want when being asked for a rec within your field of study. My personal experience in my masters application was that being very pleasant and offering to send them a few paragraphs on what I’ve done and and what I want for my educational future was plenty. I would just say be concise. Also I wouldn’t worry about a year off. I took 6 off and 5 off. Even if you need to remind them of who you are, they are teachers, they are into higher education, they get asked all the time for LOR’s and tend to be excited to have people looking to advance. Best of luck!

I just applied. Did you accept/are you attending? I’d love to hear how it’s going if you did.

Did you get in? im looking at Penn right now

NYU is quite clinical. Im looking at NYU PENN & USC myself. Although USC is not very clinical

I’m looking at DSW programs for the fall (NYU, Penn, USC). How’s everyone doing/enjoying their programs so far?

I moved with my significant other as well, but from the west coast. That said, I'm not sure that I am someone to answer as I truly and not sure how it was that I made the move. It can be hard to find apartments, and as we all know, not cheap. Past that I would recommend looking at the NYC thread somewhere on here.

HI!

Hi everyone! as my first year is nearing its end I thought I would see how everyone was doing/enjoying NYU! I'm loving it but I'm also excited to only have 2 classes for the summer session. Hope everyone is well. Ethan

Bump, with hopes of finding some gradCafe folks.

Silver School of Social Work orientation is today! anyone on here going to be there? or people just want to have a coffee sometime and say hi? Ethan.

Thank you! I'm still not sure what program but another view and opinion helps. At some point I want to live in NYC, but to pay to live there, and pay for school is making me nervous seeing as how I'm not sure if I will mesh with the city long term. If I knew for sure that I would love it there, I would go in a hart beat. How do you think the schools stack up if I was to move to LA, or Austin or somewhere unrelated to the schools in the country? Do you think the name of NYU or the ranking of UW will hold more weight long term?