flusty

I just checked myWindsor and it says "accepted final". I will be declining it as soon as they tell me how so someone else can have that spot. 
 
Also, I declined UVic, U of Calgary, and Laurier, so a spot should open up soon for someone on the waiting list.

Hi Everyone,
 
I just wanted to tell you all to check your mywindsor (for all those waiting on it). I just checked mine and my status has changed from  "referred to department" to "accepted final".
 
Good luck to everyone!

It's not over yet. I know it sucks to wait but good news may be in store for you. I wouldn't get down too quickly.
 
Both U of T and Laurier combined accepted 230 students. This is the same amount of students that applied to Windsor. I bet some of these students were accepted to Windsor and will be turning down their spots fairly quickly.
 
People from Toronto have a tendency to want to stay in Toronto (or close by) and many will not want to move to Windsor since it's so far away and it's not a big city. There will be a few more rounds of offers. I am certain of it. 
 

Same here....
 
 
***Update: Mail was at my old address....I got accepted to Ryerson!!!!

Jax14, I know how you feel.  Last year I was rejected by all 3 schools I applied to.   It is completely demoralizing and embarrassing to not get in. It rips apart your sense of pride in your accomplishments and makes you question if you really are 'worthy' of higher education.   I also have my BSW and over 10yrs of solid full time social work experience.  Although it felt awful to get rejected, I was honest with myself and knew that I was lacking in a specific area and if I worked on it, I stood a much better chance of getting in.
Over the next few days/weeks/months once you have had a chance to process what has happened, I sincerely hope that you don't give up and instead call up your schools and ask how you can improve your application.  As hard as it is, don't take it personally.  As you can see from this forum, many very qualified people have gotten rejected/waitlisted.  
Also, Jax please take a step back and look at the situation as it is.  You have one waitlist and you are still waiting to hear back from Ryerson.  The waitlist from UofT should tell you that you ARE a great candidate. Unfortunately you were shut out because there just aren't enough spots for every qualified person.  Also, it is not a catastrophe to not get in. You will get a job in social work (if you don't have one already) and you will become a much stronger candidate just by accumulating more experience.   Honestly Jax (and anyone else who feels like it is the end of the world to get rejected), this is just one disappointment. In the larger scheme of things, you will win some and lose some--that is life.  As you get older you will realize that everything happens for a reason and everything has a way of working out for the best no matter what.
 
I hope you do not read this as me minimizing your disappointment and hurt.  I honestly know where you are coming from. I just hope that you don't throw away 4 hard years of university over one lousy application cycle. It isn't worth it...not even for a second.

Do NOT give up hope! Honestly if this is your dream keep at it. Nothing worth having comes easy.

I read somewhere that the reason a student thinks that they've been rejected/admitted is often very different from the reality.  It could have been something as simple as 'fit'.  For instance, they could have read your essays and thought, 'wow, this is a strong student but I'm not sure our program will meet their learning goals. Perhaps they would be much better suited for the program at Laurier etc...'.  

Flusty, 
Each school is looking for something a little bit different. You met the Laurier profile and got in and that's wonderful. There are many others who didn't get into U of T, they just haven't posted here. I hope you won't let the result of one application diminish your accomplishments.
 

You are so kind thank you. And no I have three friends who were rejected. I am sure people are just not talking about it. But you got into Laurier! What a feat!!!

For those who have been waitlisted for UoT....dont give up just yet....I have seen at least from the results page on this forum that there is a lot of movement....I know having to wait a couple more weeks can hurt but stay positive... i have read here that it may be a  good idea to send a "very very" short email re-emphasizing your continued interest in the program... Good luck!  BTW it seems am the only one that got rejected on the forum?   all am seeing is acceptances and waitlists....

I got an admissions package as well!
 
I am happy I got in considering it was completely unexpected, i was afraid to open my mailbox!
 
To ka86, the envelope is a plain brown envelope and it will have  a sticker with your name your address in the front, and another sticker that says University of Toronto. It is a big envelope. I hope that you are also accepted and good luck to everyone still waiting, hope to see many of you in the fall!

Hi everyone,
 
If you live in the Toronto area, I would check your mail! I received an admissions package from U of T this morning!
 
Good luck!!!

 

Just received my offer in the mail from U of T!!!! I am still on shock - didn't think I had much of a chance considering Carleton and Laurier both wait listed me. Just goes to show you that each school is looking for something a little different. Thanks everyone for being so supportive and positive this is truly such a great group. Best of luck to everyone

So I called U of T and was told that we will hear back by END of next week >:T

Here is my two cents...
 
Make sure you have solid references. I thought I did (always participated in class and asked good questions), but 2 years after graduating I was surprised how hard it is to find academic references. Some teachers say they're too busy, don't know you well enough, too many students have been asking and they can't write any more, etc... If you're not in their class anymore and you are no longer entitled to office hours, it's surprising how difficult it can be to get a university professor's free time, esp if you are applying to a lot of schools. 
 
Also take advantage of any workshops your school has on applying to grad school and writing reference letters. Go one year early if you can because they might be offered too close to your application deadlines. Also, have a writing specialist at school experienced in proofreading grad school applications to edit your essays, a social worker or SW student and someone who is excellent at grammar.  
 

I completed my undergraduate degree at the University of Ottawa - I grew up in the city. It's one of those places that you can't really fall in love with unless you've grown up there and it's kind of boring, but that depends where you're from too. U of O is located downtown close to the market and the Rideau Centre so it's quite convenient and the campus, despite having rarely any greenery, isn't bad. It has a lot of students and a major university vibe and there's always something going on (especially with the Telfer School of Management Kids and the Communications Students Association).

In terms of going out, Ottawa's nightlife is meh. I used to venture out to Bank Street to Babylon and Barrymore's. Sometimes for shows, sometimes for Mod Night. There's also Zaphod's (although I heard lately it's been pretty awful), the Manx on Elgin and The Dominion. You should avoid the market clubs at all costs, unless you like guys with spiky hair, white shoes, and too much testosterone.

Centretown is a nice neighbourhood. Ottawa has loads of coffee shops - try Bridgehead, everything they serve is fantastic. Other ones of note: Wellington West Village is really up and coming, lots of theatre, nice shops, walkable (unlike most of Ottawa). Preston (Little Italy) is also great. Sussex Drive is nice for a walk and there's some nice shopping there. Stop by the courtyard and go to my favourite cafe in the entire city "Planet Coffee". It's well known, kind of hidden, nice patio, but the bad part is they have no internet. Go for the vibe not the coffee.

If you're looking for some shopping, there's a few shops down Dalhousie Street. The area is still in the midst of gentrification but you may find some great pieces by some Canadian and other intl designers at Victoire Boutique.

The one great thing about Ottawa is galleries - there are tons of them. The National Art Gallery, Cube Gallery, Gallery 101, SPAO, there are so many out there and sometimes you have to dig to find them but that's part of the fun

Another great thing about Ottawa is food: Le Cordon Bleu school ups the standards of the place, and chefs here are wonderful. I know you're a student but if you'd like to indulge once in awhile, head over to Beckta, Domus, Wellington Gastro Pub, Absinthe Cafe, and Black Cat Bistro. These places are fantastic!

Ottawa has a large population of Lebanese and so the shawarma is considered to be the top in Canada (I can attest to this, I've tried it almost everywhere!). There's one place that you MUST visit. It's known in the city as the best place. It's known across Canada actually, it's called SHAWARMA PALACE, on the corner of Rideau and Chapel. Everything on the menu is awesome and well priced for the amount of food you get.

In the summer, stop at Piccolo Grande in the Market for some gelato.

Make sure to go watch a movie at the Bytowne.

Think that's my list. One thing I loved about growing up in Ottawa is the ability to be bilingual. It is truly the only city in Canada where you'll hear the same amount of English as French.
Ottawa is really a beautiful city scenery wise. It's great for cycling, has tons of parks and greenery and festivals in the summer. But you really have to go out and discover for yourself.
Hope that helps!!

This is just a Thumper86 appreciation post (thank you ).  And you are all wonderful.  Fingers crossed for us all!

I guess U of T really is waiting until April 15th to send out their acceptances...I was hoping that April 15th would be the last day and that all first round offers would have been out by then, but I guess not :T

Ironically your work experience was probably the strongest than you give yourself credit for.... although your grades are awesome as well..... working with vulnerable ill elderly persons is very much direct social work .... IMHO

PS honestly everyone in this forum should get in. If you are determined enough and care enough to constantly follow-up on a forum like this then you display the passion and drive that social workers should have. Each one of you will be a fantastic social worker. Please, if you do not get in this year (and that would be the institution's loss) do not give up. The world needs more individuals like you as social workers.

I'll just add to my previous comment about this post... This is long post.
 
When you write your letter, I was advised to present myself as a unique candidate and show what I have to offer that is different from other people. Classroom discussions are an important part of the learning process and most grad programs don't want to take students who are all similar to one another with similar backgrounds. They get a bunch of applicants who meet the minimum requirements of a B+ avg and 2 yrs of experience or more. So you need to convince them that you are special and can make a positive contribution to the classroom and the profession that someone else wouldn't do in hte same way.
 
What makes you different and what makes you stand out?
 
When you write about your experience and interest in the program, your story should fit together and make sense. There should be a progression leading up to wanting to get an MSW and all the experiences you have thus far. For instance, perhaps you want to further learn about or explore a social work related issue that you regularily encounter at work or volunteer work and this can only be done by pursuing an MSW.
 
When you tell your story, remember to show and not simply tell. We all know some of the things the admission committe would like to hear. But how does your history reflect what you are saying? You need to provide evidence for what you say or you will not sound very credible or convincing.
 
You may also want to point out the similarities between your program of study and social work, particularly if the connection isn't too obvious. While they probably get a lot of psych and sociology majors applying, if your degree is in another area, point out the similarities and the ways that this area of study has prepared you for social work. Also mention any specific courses you took if you find them especially beneficial. ex: Psychopathology course if your interest is in mental health. Fortunately, I took an elective course that required a social work textbook and I discovered that my program was like social work in some ways. I was sure to point this out in my essay.
 
Remember to clearly make links to what you want to say. Write very clearly so everything you want to say is obvious. They are reading hundreds of essays and let me tell you they aren't taking their sweet time doing it. Your essay will be read over very quickly. Be very direct in everything you want to say and don't assume they will put 2 and 2 together because there's no time for that. You can practice by having someone read your essay very quickly for the first time and see what they remember about it and what stood out for them when they read it.
 
Finally, if you don't have real research experience but took a research course and did mock research assignments in class, put that on your resume. I mentioned every research assignment I did as my class was very hands on (as well as theory based) and I was surpised to discover how much research experience I actually had without ever working in a research lab. 
 

Hi Erin,
 
I'm not sure why I was successful to be honest, but I'll speak briefly about my experience here.  The entrance requirements for social work in particular seem hard to gauge because they put so much weight on the more subjective parts of your application (personal statement/preparation/apparent motivation and work/volunteer experience).  I'll apologize in advance for what is going to be a long post.
 
Last year, I applied to 3 schools (Calgary, Laurier, and York).  I was accepted into Calgary and Laurier, and waitlisted and ultimately rejected by York (who took an absurdly long time to give any notifications). 
 
I actually think my work experience was the weakest part of my application: I had about 8 years of working with vulnerable people (ill elderly persons) and a bit of not-for-profit experience, but nothing directly related to social work (though I now do).  I also volunteered as a case worker with a local politician for a few months, but that was really about it.  
 
I did have pretty decent undergraduate grades.  My overall average was between an A- and an A, and I had a solid A average in my last three semesters.  I also did a double-major, which meant that pretty much all my 3rd and 4th year courses were upper level ones (which I have been told by profs looks pretty good on a grad school application).
 
I think the strongest points of my application were my references and my personal statement.  My referees gave me glowing letters and I feel that in my personal statement I was able to very clearly describe both my motivation for pursuing social work and how my personal, academic, and professional experiences had informed my decision to apply to an MSW program.  I also had a friend of mine who is currently in grad school look over my personal statement and give me feedback.  
 
Finally, I also contacted a couple of school prior to applying to see if I would be a good fit in their program.  I also studied the faculty at each school with an eye towards who I would like to work with and even emailed a professor whose speciality is very similar to my own interests.
 
One other point, because of the current economic situation and because of the glut of persons, like myself, with generic BA's, ALL graduate schools are becoming harder to get into.  Being rejected isn't necessarily a negative reflection on yourself, your experience, or your application; it's just really hard to get into professional graduate programs at the moment.  
 
Sorry for the long-winded reply, I hope this makes sense and that it helps you in some way.  Good luck next year if you decide to reapply, LOTS of people get admitted into graduate school after initially being rejected, so don't lose hope.

Happy Easter to everyone!

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! have just been accepted into Laurier 's 2 year MSW! via email!

Hey all! 
 
Just got an email that I've been put on the waitlist at Laurier! WOW! I feel like I've been accepted...wasn't expecting this at all!