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I cant really say if your experience is enough but is does sound like you have a good starting point. Paid employment is always better but when you are in undergrad I think that it is generally understood that most experience will come from volunteering. In your statement, try your best to draw out the skill set you've developed (even with supposedly limited experience) and clearly articulate how it ties into your future career as a social worker. Make sure you have strong references--not just a collection of people who will say nice things about you but people who understand what social work is and can vouch for you accordingly. The bottom line is that most people have areas that aren't as strong as others. The important thing to do is to focus on your strengths rather than your weaknesses while also making sure you note how you plan on building up your experience...in my humble opinion, it all counts. Best of luck!

I'm just starting but from what I can tell, there is A LOT of work. It consists of reading, monster essays, presentations, and some reflective papers. My feeling is that although it is a bit mind numbing to look at it now, once you get going, it should be manageable. I mean, many people have managed before us and will manage after us. Also important, there doesn't seem to be any tests so when you are doing your readings, you will not need to take as detailed notes as you would for a course with content exams.

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That does sound like you did your best. The only other thing you may want to look at is your references. Did you feel that they were strong? Were the people who wrote them knowledgeable? If the answer is 'yes' and 'yes', then I cant imagine what else you could possibly do. You haven't been sitting back this past year so you have some good things to add which will only strengthen your application.

lol, yes I totally get the frustration! Sorry, I didn't mean to imply that you haven't done all that already--you sound like you are on the ball and clearly want this very much. When I went over my statement for my second time applying, I did make some changes. I deleted or updated some areas that were less relevant a year later and I changed other areas with better wording. It was a little different for me because nobody read my first submission but I still knew it could be improved. Did you receive constructive feedback from the people who reviewed it? Are they in the field or in a different area all together?

Thank you so much DreamingMSW, what a kind compliment! **disclaimer** --The following is just my opinion. I have no experience on an admissions committee, nor have I spoken directly with someone who has been on one. I'm just basing this on my own experience and from my own readings on the subject. It sounds like you have a really great list of accomplishments and have a firm handle on what you'd like to do as a Social Worker. I would suggest that you go over your statement and make sure that you've been able to clearly articulate how these experiences have made you realize what you need to work on to achieve your goals and how the school can help you do that. This demonstrates knowledge about the program and also tells them that you you've done your research on what being a social worker entails. Make sure your statement has 'flow'. By this I mean that even though U of T asks 5 different questions, you may want to ensure that there is a general theme that loosely connects all of your answers. It is less likely to sound all over the place and makes it easier for the reader to follow your train of thought. I would also take it to your school's writing centre and have someone edit it for grammar. I also find that having friends read over it is nice (I mean, they will rarely criticize you) but it wont help you as much as getting feedback from a prof will. Now is the best time to have someone look over your last statement before they get bogged down with their own classes and wont have time.

As awful as it feels to be in this limbo, it is good to know that you aren't lacking in anything. Basically it is just a matter of too many qualified people & not enough spots (I recall Angela saying that much during the info session I attended last year). From the orientation session I attended earlier in the spring, it seems that the students admitted were fairly diverse. Is there anything you can do to draw out a unique experience in your statement? For instance, have you worked with a particularly vulnerable population? Do you speak a different language? Have you worked with certain ethnic/religious communities that highlight your ability to work with diverse groups? etc etc.. Reflect on how you have improved since last year and make sure you note it as well.

Unfortunately the email was not that specific. It was sent out by the School of Graduate Studies. Here is the link to the 'important dates/deadlines' page. http://www.sgs.utoronto.ca/currentstudents/Pages/Sessional-Dates.aspx I find that the more you look at it, the more you realize how vague it all is. On one hand it seems that Sept 13th is a firm deadline. But at the same time, you could be assessed late registration fees--not sure if that means you can still register or not. Very confusing!! However having said that, yesterday was the tuition deadline. I'm guessing that most people would know by now if they qualify for OSAP or not. I guess the good news in all of this is that the torture will be over by the end of the week. If it doesn't work out, start working on your application now. The questions have not changed at U of T so look over your statement and see what you can improve on/update. Incorporate any new experience and have some knowledgeable people read it. If you think gpa might be an issue, enrol in some classes and boost your marks. Did you call U of T and find out where you can improve?

Just FYI, a general email received from U of T basically names Sept 13th as the deadline to register/arrange fee payment. If the waitlist closes at the end of the next week, it seems that it is not based on registration and tuition payment deadlines. All the best for those still waiting.

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