acb1023

Hi all! I'm a current first year Interpersonal Practice in Mental Health student at the University of Michigan. The schools I applied to are in my signature. If you have any questions about the process, experience prior to applying, or about U of M, let me know!

Michigan

I viewed a model apartment at Traver Knoll & Shoreview today and was really impressed. Traver Knoll was enormous and had huge walk in closets, which is hard to find in Ann Arbor! If you mention you are affiliated with the university, they deduct $25/month from your rent. I was really impressed with the quality. For $800/month, you get 800 square feet, a dishwasher, huge closets, a huge walk-in closet, and a patio/balcony. I live at Island Drive Apartments right now. I pay $819/month for a third-floor one-bedroom, that's close to the AATA bus stop across the street. If you don't have any complaints with the apartment, then it's a great location and a fine place to live (right across from the UM Hospital, and about a 10 minute bus ride to campus, and a 20 minute walk to campus). However, once you start dealing with the leasing office (which is inevitable), then you start to see why it has an abysmal rating on apartmentratings.com [http://www.apartment...partments.html# ]. Also, for someone who detests house centipedes and huge spiders giving birth in my shower in the wee hours of the morning, this past summer in this apartment gave me daily anxiety attacks. After viewing Traver Knoll, I viewed Shoreview. For $730/month, it's not bad, and it's definitely the cheapest option in the area. However, like roxyshoe, I just wasn't feelin' it. Perhaps because the bus doesn't run as regularly back there, or perhaps that it was smaller (650 square feet, I believe). I'd rather pay the extra $70/month and live at Traver Knoll for an additional 150 square feet. That being said, I paid the $99 security deposit + $25 application fee for Traver Knoll. I was really excited about it, until I read the horrendous reviews (http://www.apartment...Apartments.html) about the place when I got home (mildew/mold problem, theft, horrible and incompetent management [which is the norm in AA, unfortunately], assault, and a pedophile was arrested there a year ago). All this makes me think I was a bit rash in my excitement over seeing the model. I'm starting to wonder if I should have just stuck with Island Drive and put up with weird hybrid bugs & centipedes for another year or two.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but leasing in Ann Arbor is brutal. The majority of people sign leases for the following year in December or January, so there isn't much left over come the summer time. Finding a place close to campus = a lot more money, unless you're willing to share a house with five other people. Most one bedrooms near campus (within walking distance/a short bus ride away) run at around $725-$950 per month (most of which do not include all the utilities); studios are slightly cheaper. From my experience, landlords do not negotiate and do not lower rates. Unfortunately, students are a captive audience in AA, and landlords will charge a lot for less than stellar apartments/rooms in houses because they can always find someone who is willing (read: desperate enough) to pay their price. My friend who is living in a one bedroom apartment in downtown Chicago pays $150 less per month than me, and all of his utilities are included. My other two friends live in one bedrooms in downtown DC and pay less per month than I do, and I'm definitely not living in swanky digs here. It's infuriating, to be quite honest. Your best bet is to find a place sooner rather than later, and definitely shop around. Most places here are run by slum landlords who are only concerned about getting your money each month. Definitely do your research on the management companies and the reviews of the complexes (if you're looking at apartments). Sorry to be a downer, but 7 years of housing in Ann Arbor has made me slightly bitter =\ Good luck, though!

My thoughts exactly. Reading your posts, it sounds like you have essentially made up your mind

I've never visited/lived in Boston, but my cousin did his PhD at MIT, and he hated it. Said the people were rude and had a chip on their shoulder. I get this consensus from a lot of people. I feel like with Boston, you either love it, or hate it. I'm partial to NYC -- more opportunities, and there's always something to do there. Then again, the cost of living is absurd. Either way, it's a personal preference.

Another 2 years at Michigan for me!

Samesies =\

Congrats mapletree! Are you a in-state or out of state?

Agreed. $133,762 for a MSW is a bit steep, if you ask me. Especially when they only give out $7-$12K in scholarships... http://www.columbia....cost/index.html

If I get in, I'm going! Can't wait to find out. Good luck everyone

This wait is slowly killing me =\

Correct.

I submitted 11/29, I received my app status email from Michael McDermott on 1/12, and I received my acceptance on 2/15.

If your Enrollment Deposit Deadline was extended, then your SSW Financial Aid Acceptance/Decline of award date will also be extended to match the date of your new Enrollment Deposit Deadline.

I submitted on January 15, and was notified of my acceptance via email on February 17 at around 5:30 PM EST. They gave me until March 17 to make a decision. Their financial aid package was less than stellar. As much as I would love to go to Columbia and live in NYC, I frankly cannot afford to shell out that much money for a degree that will not yield a huge salary increase =\

I'm leaning towards Berkeley. My boyfriend is out there, and I plan on working in the Bay area after graduation, anyway. Although Michigan's program is a better fit for me, I think Berkeley would make more sense in the long term. Plus, Michigan didn't offer much in terms of financial aid, so that's not a motivating force to stay in Michigan. Plus, I went to Michigan for undergrad and have been in Ann Arbor for 7 years -- it's time to move on! Good luck! The waiting is slowly killing me

Are you guys leaning toward one school or the other or is it still up in the air?

Same here! If I get into Berkeley, it's going to be a very tough decision between Michigan & Berkelely =\

Michigan has a very strong clinical focus. They offer a lot of clinically-focused electives each term. That's the main reason Michigan is one of my top choices.

That happened to me too! NYU said my application was incomplete because they didn't have my transcripts, even though I had verified with my undergrad that my transcripts were sent in November! ughhh so frustrating.

I called last week and the woman on the phone said they'll be notifying people the first week of March.

Thank you! I really appreciate it

Renay, is that true of the other concentrations, in terms of a lack of adequate clinical training? I'm getting the sense from other posts that Berkeley does not particularly value clinical training. I applied to the Community Mental Health concentration, and I'm worried that Berkeley will not provide the needed training I will need as a mental health social worker. If I get in to Berkeley, it will be between: Berkeley: overall great school, great location, and other factors - boyfriend lives there, plan on living & working out there after MSW, been in Michigan my entire life & went to Michigan for undergrad; I need a change of pace! Michigan: strong program, plenty of courses on clinical training, CBT-oriented program, already have residency, already know the area Just by comparing the course offerings alone in the concentrations, it is clear that Berkeley is not as clinically focused as Michigan. Do you have any insight on this matter? Thanks!