Nervous about chances for Hunter College MSW

[rtayb94]

Hi everyone,

I've recently discovered this forum and have been obsessed with it for days, which is good and bad because I learn so many useful things or see reassuring advice, but I also worry about getting to excited and hopeful and having my heart broken by being rejected.

I am an undergraduate senior at the University of Illinois at Chicago. My major is psychology, minor is sociology and I've applied to 5 MSW programs for the fall of 2018. UIC's Jane Addams College of Social Work, Depaul University, Loyola University Chicago, the Institute for Clinical Social Work, and lastly the application that was submitted just yesterday, Hunter College's Silberman School of Social Work. So far, I've been accepted in UIC, ICSW, and still waiting to hear back from LUC, Depaul, and Hunter.

I originally only choose to apply to the four programs in Chicago because I thought moving out of state would be way too expensive and I was kind of scared that I couldn't live out of state on my own. When applying in December-January I briefly contemplated applying to programs in New York because I've always wanted to live there but I quickly gave up on the thought because I told myself it was too expensive to move/no one in my family would support me moving/and I was already struggling with applications fee and transcripts order fees for the few programs here in Chicago. I recently fell in love with Hunter's program and just knew I had to apply, so I scraped together money for the application fee and asked my recommenders if they wouldn't mind sending their letters to just one more school.

I'm worried slightly about my chance of getting into Hunter this late in the season. I mean everyday from hour to hour, I tell myself it's all good, I'm a decent applicant and other times I feel like a complete loser and like Hunter is out of my league. I guess I just want to vent and also ask if any of you think I could swing it? I haven't really told anyone about applying to Hunter except my best friend and my recommenders, of course and I'm sure my friend is tired of hearing me blather about it all day haha.

So like I said I'm at UG senior here at UIC, I transferred here two years ago after getting my AA in psych at a community college back home in Champaign. My GPAs at UIC are 3.0 overall and 3.2 for my major. GPAs at CC were 3.0 overall and 3.5 for my major. I have not taken the GRE because none of the programs I applied to required it, including Hunter. I've worked as a resident assistant at UIC for a year now, but have also kept a steady job since starting college in 2013,  I was on the executive board of a community service and volunteer organization on campus called Alternative Spring Break, I've cheered on the university's competitive cheerleading team, I volunteer every holiday season with the Salvation Army with my mother who is a case worker for them in Atlanta, I worked for a year early on in my time in CC as an AVID tutor. If you're not familiar with AVID, it's a college readiness program for high achieving middle and high students from backgrounds less likely to go to college. I was also a student in this program in middle school so it was a personal honor to actually be involved as a tutor. I haven't worked in any research here at UIC or worked as a research assistant but I'm hoping all my other extracurriculars and volunteer work show that I am able to handle many things on my plate and am prepared for the challenges of graduate level coursework.

Also in my time at UIC, I've been given the opportunity to help with administrative and registration tasks in preparation for the JACSW Training Institute for school social workers every summer since moving to Chicago in 2016. In addition to prep, I also assist in administrative tasks during the training institute and have been able to sit in on quite a few sessions, talked with a lot of school social workers in the field, and just get my foot in the door slightly when it comes to social work. I work primarily with one of the assistant clinical professors who puts on the event and her phd student that works with her, both of whom are 2 of my recommenders.

And last but I hope not least, I recently was nominated and won UIC's 2018 Annual Chancellor's Student Service and Leadership Award so I hope that looks nice on my applications.

I've noticed a lot of people on here when they speak about their Hunter interviews emphasize how important diversity is to Hunter. UIC is quite frequently ranked as one of the most diverse universities in the country and it's something the university is very proud about celebrating. In my time at UIC I can say that I have benefitted so much from the diverse student and faculty population here, especially within the campus housing department who is the largest student employer on campus and I have worked for my entire time here at UIC. So I think when it comes to speaking about diversity, I have a leg up, because it's all that's surrounded me for two years and something UIC is always focusing on.

So I know that was a lot, thank you if you read it all haha. Do you think I have a shot at Hunter? Even if I applied this late in the season?

[rtayb94]

Also my Hunter app just went from complete to incomplete because it's saying my transcripts were not received. But it says directly on the application not to send in official transcripts until you are offered admission and I double checked to make sure my scans of the unofficial transcripts were still upload, they are. Could I be receiving this incomplete notification because no one has reviewed the application yet?

[GoTeamGo]

Hey! I found this site not to long ago and totally get what you are saying. I'm going to say yes - you have a shot and I hope you took it. They are really into the personal statement, I know that much. Also, I think the drop dead is the 20th but you should check it out. 

If you have questions on your application, you should give them a call. The student advisors that answer the phone are great. I've called so many times I feel like I need to disguise my voice!

Best of luck. 

[rtayb94]

16 hours ago, GoTeamGo said:

Hey! I found this site not to long ago and totally get what you are saying. I'm going to say yes - you have a shot and I hope you took it. They are really into the personal statement, I know that much. Also, I think the drop dead is the 20th but you should check it out. 

If you have questions on your application, you should give them a call. The student advisors that answer the phone are great. I've called so many times I feel like I need to disguise my voice!

Best of luck. 

Thank you so much for replying! I decided to take a shot and submitted my app and everything is complete. Now just comes the wait. My application status has been pending program decision for a few days so idk what that means when it comes to the interview. I know I read on their site not all applicants are asked to interview, whether they're accepted or not. I'm just happy I haven't been rejected yet. I feel like I was really able to get across why I'm interested in social work and answer all their questions in my personal statement so I'm feeling very optimistic. No I'm just nervous about the decision deadlines coming up for my accepted schools, but I guess that's a good problem to have. I'm grateful to have gotten into any schools.

[CelestialJenkins]

On 4/20/2018 at 10:29 AM, rtayb94 said:

Thank you so much for replying! I decided to take a shot and submitted my app and everything is complete. Now just comes the wait. My application status has been pending program decision for a few days so idk what that means when it comes to the interview. I know I read on their site not all applicants are asked to interview, whether they're accepted or not. I'm just happy I haven't been rejected yet. I feel like I was really able to get across why I'm interested in social work and answer all their questions in my personal statement so I'm feeling very optimistic. No I'm just nervous about the decision deadlines coming up for my accepted schools, but I guess that's a good problem to have. I'm grateful to have gotten into any schools.

Programs are also generous about extensions so you can make a good decision.  These schools make a lot of money off these programs and they want us to go there.  Some of them might be competitive,  but once they accept you they want to make you happy and to make informed decisions.  If you’re in danger of crossing a deadline, just ask for an extension.