MSW13

Congratulations on making a very important career decision! Although unfortunately I cannot speak to many of your questions (because I am not located in the US) but there are some suggestions I would like to make. Firstly, you will write your personal statement differently than you would an essay. It will sound more conversational than academic. However, don't take this to mean that it shouldn't sound professional. You absolutely have to make sure that your grammar/spelling is correct. Give yourself a good month or two to work on it. Based on the questions, start jotting down ideas and put it aside if you get writers block. Come back to it in a few days and keep building on what you've written. The worst thing you can do is try to get it done in a week. Although some can manage that well, I would say that most need more time to feel comfortable with what's been written. Secondly, you mentioned that you do not have any volunteer experience and have only worked in one setting. This is definitely a very important area that you can expand. I would suggest that you start looking at areas to volunteer that reflect your MSW interests. For instance, if you like the idea of working with sick kids, perhaps volunteer at a hospital? You should have clear career goals or at least be able to articulate your interests well. It isn't enough to say that you want to be a social worker. However, you can say something about how you were inspired to pursue this career after your child was in the NICU. You saw how valuable a social worker can be and aim to offer similar type of support, etc, etc. You are off to a great start and best of luck!

Congratulations!!!

Welcome and congrats for getting waitlisted! I haven't heard (or read about) anyone recently coming off of the waitlist. Did you check the results page? As far as I know, U of T calls waitlisted students prior to mailing out an acceptance package. I don't know if this helps at all but I have received a couple of calls from U of T and each time the name was displayed on my phone. As well, they are really good about leaving messages.

You are definitely in a good position for being at the top of the waitlist! I know that the stress can be overwhelming but hang in there. There is still plenty of time to get admitted. Plan B can be as simple as volunteering at different organizations and getting more experience under your belt. It could be taking relevant courses to buff up your gpa. The bottom line is that if the worst happens and the waitlist stops moving, you have plenty of opportunity to better your application for next time. Believe me, as much as it sucks to have to wait another academic year to get your dream started, it is not the end of the world. Have faith that everything will eventually fall in to place. All the best and good luck!

Whatever the reason you had to retract your acceptance, that must have been an incredibly hard decision. If you don't mind me asking, were you accepted elsewhere or did you decide that an MSW is not the best career direction for you?

Hello! I'm not sure if there is an official way to proceed but from what I've read, at this point it cannot hurt. Of course, there is a fine line between reiterating interest and being pushy. As long as you can send a *brief* professional email stating that you are still very interested in their program, I honestly don't see the harm. Anecdotally, I've had one friend who called a few times while being waitlisted and was ultimately accepted. Mind you, this was a few years back. Basically, what I took from it was that it didn't hurt her because she was expressing interest but not being annoying. Also, we are almost into July so I suspect that the admissions dept is slowing down considerably. If it was still April or May, it might be a different story. Good luck!

Did you contact UofT and reiterate your interest?

That's awesome Beth! Congratulations! Will you be choosing Windsor or Laurier?

Nicely said! I think that often, we aren't even aware of the connotation of the words we use. I am sure that Jenste used the 'r' word without realizing how offensive it can be. I took a Disability Studies course and was astounded by the amount of derogatory language many of us use on a daily basis. As future (and current) social workers, we definitely need to be very mindful of what we say.

Jenste, I totally feel your pain. I have a 4yr degree but remember quite well when Ontario universities gave the option of graduating in 3. Although I understand that some universities receive hundreds of applications and have to be ruthless in some areas just to whittle down the applicant pool, it still doesn't sound very fair. Especially now when many more 'mature' students are returning to the classroom, it would be great if universities could update their admission criteria to reflect the full spectrum of students who are applying. Thankfully you have already been accepted to Laurier so this will not affect your academic career.

hmmm...perhaps I wasn't clear in my post. My point was that an MSW program in Canada is very intense with a heavy workload (I imagine that an American program would be similar). You can also manage a part time job/other commitments but with anything, if you stretch yourself too thin, something is going to suffer. Again, if you are going to take this route, practice self care and be mindful of when things are getting too overwhelming. Remember, social work is not a field of rainbows and lollipops. You are dealing with people experiencing very emotional situations. It can take its toll if you are not careful and you will easily experience burn out. It isn't about 'discouraging hopes and dreams', it is about being realistic.

Wow, you certainly have a lot on your plate! It sounds like acting is your first love and you have found a great way to make a more profitable career out of it through an MSW. I think that no matter what combination of work/school/social life you put together, it is going to be a very intense next couple of years...but something has to give. The key is to pace yourself and practice self care. It sounds like you are used to working fast and furious but this also means that you are more susceptible to burn out. I'm not sure what the workload in in American MSW programs but here in Canada, it is very intense. People can manage a part time job with full time school but it is not easy by any means. Being a full time student, a part time employee, and a working actor may be a bit too much. Remember, grad school is different than undergrad. There is a lot more reading and assignments can be longer than what you are used to and more research based. What I'm not quite understanding from your post is whether you have prioritized your goals in a way that you are comfortable with. You say that you don't want to 'shortchange your current career or future schooling' but can you truly do both at 100% while being a full time student?

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Eager, you are totally awesome! Congratulations!!! And of course, a big WOOOOO HOOOOOOO for you, you so deserve it!

What a thoughtful thing to say, thank you so much for the kind compliment. I'm looking forward to reading on here that you have gained admission--if not this year, then next year for sure

I hope things work out for you and that you wont have to reapply. I recall when I attended last year's info session at U of T, the person said that the reason people often get waitlisted is simply a case of too many qualified candidates and not enough spots. It isn't always a case of an applicant lacking in something. They consider many different factors when deciding who to admit which goes beyond gpa such as creating a diverse group with mixed experience etc. However, if you are on the lower side of a B+, improving your gpa may help. Hang in there DreamingMSW. You seem very passionate about pursuing your MSW and if it doesn't work out this year, the next application season starts in a few short months. I applied twice and believe me time goes quickly.

Congratulations Scotto! Sorry, I don't have an answer to your question. Have you already paid a deposit?

Firstly, I think it was a great thing to go out to U of C and get an idea of what went wrong. That was a very strong thing to do. It sounds like you heard some really 'hard' truths (kind of like repeated kicks to the stomach) and it takes a lot to wrap your head around it all. Honestly, I feel your pain. Perhaps U of C may not be the best choice for you based on this assessment but that doesn't mean that this career is wrong for you. Actually, I think it would be helpful to broaden your selection of schools. Not all MSW programs are that focused on experience. It sounds like you cannot get around improving your gpa. When you are taking courses outside of your degree, it doesn't really matter where you take them. You just need to make sure you meet the requirements of the school you are applying to. For instance, at U of T, you need to take all upper level/senior level courses in order for them to 'count' towards gpa improvement. Regarding your statement, what exactly made it 'not very good'? Is it something you can improve on? I would suggest talking to some of your profs and see if anyone would be willing to critique it for you. Maybe it didn't really mesh with the program? That is, you cannot underestimate 'fit'. At the end of the day, nothing this person told you is outside of your ability to correct. Everything is fixable! When taking courses for gpa improvement, try your best to pick courses that reflect your career interests. For instance, if you are interested in working with the elderly population, take a course in gerontology. If you are interested in addiction work, take courses in psychology focused on addiction or mental health. That way you can tie it into your statement and demonstrate how you have improved your knowledge and reaffirmed your passion, etc. Best of luck. I know it will take a little time to pick yourself back up but please, don't stay down for long. This is one obstacle. It is difficult but not impossible to overcome by any stretch! (of course I speak from experience

lol, it happens! I just up-clicked it up so it is back to neutral

CONGRATULATIONS!!! I am so very happy for you MidnightRose! Awesome!

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Sorry to hear that...it has been agonizing for you! The good news is that you have a few solid options. I strongly suggest that you do go in and review why it didn't happen this year. It will help you decide what plan B is best for you to pursue. It would be a waste to do an entire BSW degree if all you really need is to beef up your gpa or get a little more targeted experience. Best of luck!