MSW13

I would probably just rent the first year texts.  I say this because once you understand the foundation of social work, anything you will need to review in the future can easily be found on the internet. Also, if you find that the text is really amazing, you can always purchase it at a later date.  I competed my BSW years ago and bought all of my texts (theory, group work, etc). I think I opened them up maybe twice afterwards only to find the examples to be dated and no longer relevant to the world we live in today.
However having said that, I am entering the one year MSW program (advanced standing) and plan on buying the majority of my textbooks.

My husband just brought in the mail and with a big grin handed me this big fat envelope from U of T.  I had tears streaming down my cheeks as I read the acceptance letter out loud to my husband.  My young son sitting on the couch was not nearly as thrilled as he asked me to stop blocking the tv.

Got off the wait-list for Laurier today!! 

I think we all wonder if they monitor how often we check! If they did do that, they would likely learn that the vast majority of applicants suffer from temporary obsessive-compulsive disorder that spontaneously resolves once the program posts their freakin' decision!

Thought I would start a new thread for the upcoming application cycle!
 
Short intro about me:  My name is Shawna, I graduated with my BSW in June of 2014.  I applied to both Laurier and UofT for the Fall 2014 cycle and I was waitlisted to Laurier and accepted to UofT.   Unfortunately due to personal reasons I was not able to attend UofT this year but thankfully they were very accommodating about deferring my acceptance to Fall 2015.  So my current status is that I am already accepted to UofT for the advanced standing MSW for Fall 2015.  I have also decided to re-apply to Laurier and hope my waitlist turns to an acceptance this time because I have children and ideally I would rather be close to home for my MSW.

I just got accepted yesterday off the U of T 2 year MSW wait list - this was my second year waitlisted.  I shook for like an hour afterwards! 
 
I guess talking to Andrea last year after not getting off the wait list worked.  My advice for those waitlisted is to ask for advice on your application and then take it no matter how small it sounds.  Last year Andrea told me I had a very nice application, but  it would be good both my work references to be Social Work related (at that time I only had 1, the other reference was in business) she told me my grades were good (B+) and my experience was good, but I could have more (I had about 150 hours - I was volunteering with Hospice Toronto and had volunteered in a Candian Development Fund International Development program years ago I also had expeirence as primary care giver for my mom while she was dying - I didn't include these hours in my original resume in 2013 and 2014 but sent it in after I was waitlisted this year - I estimated down by way more then 1/2 on these hours and it still got to 1,700 hours). 
 
I took her advice and got a reference from Toronto Hospice (I'd been there a year) and applied to volunteer as a  grief support group facilitator for Bereaved Families of Ontario and improved my hours to ~400 and added my care for my mother to my resume and after 3 months of waitlist I finally got off. 
 
Good Luck to all of you on the wait list!

Thanks Jenste, you are too kind! and thank you for the encouraging words regarding the job search. I've had a few interviews and a job offer (which I declined) so I'm not too worried (yet! )
 
Regarding job finding for new grads, I'm not sure I'd say that advanced standing students have an easier time of finding jobs than 2yrs.  After all, if the graduate is young, chances are that they haven't had that much more time to accumulate paid experience that many employers want.  I know plenty of 2yrs who graduated with me that are already employed while I'm still looking. If you aren't too picky, you are likely to land a job quicker.  Also, a lot depends on where you are applying. If you are sending your resume out to jobs that you don't really qualify for, you will likely be disappointed.  
 
Enjoy your summer!  

BTW, congratulations on your graduation! Hope you're enjoying a well deserved summer break.

Thank you so much for your feedback that was really helpful!!

I don't know much about Ryerson. So I can't comment on safety, which is why I didn't. (But I did comment on the neighbourhood that York U is located in).
 
I took a workshop at Ryerson once many years ago in high school and I really liked the campus and its location. Hopefully security is better in study spaces around campus, such as the library. I always feel safer walking out in the evening in busy city centres like downtown Toronto compared to more remote areas such as where York is located. The way I see it, there are lots of witnesses around in downtown Toronto, but if someone mugs you near York and no one is around to see/hear you, no one will be able to help you.
 
I didn't know if you would need to relocate near campus, drive or rely on public transportation. As a carless person, I was commenting on the fact that the York area is not so safe. If you don't have a car, one of the biggest intersections nearby is Jane and Finch, and you would most certainly need to take a Finch bus to Jane and walk back to campus to do stuff like go to your internship, grocery shopping, meeting up with friends, etc... While York's campus is huge and has lots of amenities (if I remember correctly, a hair dresser, grocery store, dentist, etc) you would still need to leave the campus from time to time. But for people with a car this isn't so much of an issue.
 
Anyhow, you've decide to go with Ryerson. I think it's a great choice. All the best on your studies!

Well, at least the waiting is over. Notified this morning that I wasn't admitted the Windsor's Masters of Social Work program. While I am extremely sad and a little disappointed, at least I know. I do plan on applying again, as well as looking in to other options, and in the mean time increase my experience. I know I want to work with people, and this little bump in the road won't stop me. Thanks for the support, everyone. Good luck to those still waiting, congrats to those who were accepted, and to those who didn't get in: try, try again! If this is something you are passionate about, you will do it by any means. Good luck <3

And I literally just got a call from Angela. And I could barely say yes through my tears.
 
Is she monitoring this board? haha 
 
wow... in shock

I've pretty much given up all hope but you know as they say "it's not over til it's over". Based on gradcafe I think 3 people were accepted last week so I guess that's that for now. 
I am super pumped to make my application better this Fall for next year and I wish it were time to apply again ahah

I just called Angela - can I say she is so lovely - and she told me that the selection committee is meeting this week and as people are selected they will be contacted.  So there is no hard firm date (boo) and it looks like if people are selected it may even be next week.   I also asked how many people are on the wait list and she said they will not disclose that.
 
Personally I am moving my "I am not holdng to hope" date until the end of next week - last year the wait list bearly budged after June.  But after that I have to let this go and move on...even though I don't like the situation I am moving on to.  
 
I'm so happy to have this forum.

Congrats! I also just found out I'm off of the waitlist for Orillia!
I had sort of wrote the whole school thing off cause I thought it was a lost cause. Now I have to re-think what I'm doing this summer

Just got accepted to the Dalhousie BSW! Still waiting on hearing back about Occupational Therapy and then I'll make my decision. Anyone else doing a BSW at Dal?

I don't think it's hard to maintain a B average in an MSW program. If your grades are good enough to be accepted that means they believe you are capable of handling the work. If you put in your best effort you should be fine.

Hi soapaddict,
 
I can't comment on all the questions you're raised but I'll answer what I can. U of T is more research based and also has an excellent reputation in training qualified social workers. I'm not sure what the employment stats are for U of T but something to consider is that if grads aren't willing to leave the Toronto area this could impact post-grad employment rates. I've heard that many job offers in Toronto require at least of couple of years of full time social work experience which would make it difficult to find employment in the area immediately after graduation, if this is actually true. (A quick search on a couple of job boards would confirm whether or not this fact I've heard is true).
 
I don't want to burst your bubble, but if you don't have a lot of volunteer or work experience it will be very difficult to get into Laurier. You need a minimum of the equivalent of 2 years of full time experience in a related field to be a competitive candidate. U of T is a good option for students with little professional experience and strong academic performance. Out of all the 2 year MSW programs, I would wager that U of T is the most forgiving of people coming up short on the number of work hours (at least from what I've heard on this site and through other people who have been accepted and refused). Windsor is a generalist program (they gear their focus on the interests of the incoming class) but it can be a good back up option. One thing good about this program is that they seem to go through a lot of people on the wait list. For this reason, I get the impression that Windsor tends to be a back up plan for a good number of applicants (perhaps because of geographic reasons??). Far more people get called off the wait list at Windsor than Toronto.
 
Personally, I'd apply to all the programs you are interested in if application fees aren't a problem for you. Better to give it your best shot and see what happens than to wonder what if and not give it a try. But if fees are an issue, I'd wait until you have at least 3000-3500 hours of experience before applying to Laurier because they like to pick students with lots of experience.          

Hi everyone
 
I found out on Tuesday that I got accepted into the Fulltime Advanced Standing program at Laurier. I had been on the waitlist. I also know of someone else who got accepted the same day from the waitlist for the part time Advanced Standing program. I still have not heard from Waterloo or Western (wait listed at both), but I have already accepted my offer at Laurier. Good luck to everyone!

To those who have been recently posting about University of Calgary's 2 year program:
I have been accepted into this program but into the Clinical stream. I got the acceptance email last Wednesday the 2nd. This school was my top choice so I have already accepted the offer. In the email, it said that I had to let them know by April 15th whether I would accept/decline the offer. So seemingly, those on the waitlist would start hearing back after April 15th. However it seems as if they sent out the acceptance letters according to which stream you chose, so not sure if the ICD letters would have been sent on the same day as the Clinical ones. Anyway, hope this helps  

I've been wait-listed for U of T.The only school I applied to. D'oh. A word of advice, apply to more than one school. Lesson learned. 
 
Anyways...I got my letter yesterday and I feel accomplished for making the cut. 
 
Has anyone been able to get out of Angela how many are on the list this year? It looks like a number of us were put on it. I read someone say 70 last year. Just curious.  

Just received my U of T admission package!! Yay!!! Can't wait to meet everyone!!

Hey, 
I also have yet to hear and am super frustrated because I'm now convinced this means rejection or waitlist. Hoping for a good spot on the wait list. Fortunately, I already work in the field and have gone the post-grad college route (Social Service Work). College won't boost your GPA because they look at the last 5 full credits of 300-400 level. U of T recommends going back and taking more courses at the University level to boost your GPA. or do the BSW advanced standing program.  
 
In my opinion, if you have a decent GPA B+ or higher....then boosting experience is your best bet. In any way that you think is related and makes you most excited. 

I got an acceptance email today from the University of Calgary for the 2 year clinical MSW. I am so shocked! And so excited! Have you heard anything yet? Fingers crossed for you  

Just checked my status on ROSI.... Status: Invited.
 
Slightly freaking out!! Not sure if this is an acceptance or what?
 
(2 year MSW program)