Your honest thoughts? Do I have a chance?

[JoeJoe85]

My husband says I should stop worrying.. I was hoping some fellow applicants on here might be able to tell me, in their honest opinion, what my odds might be? Like, do you think I might have a shot at this or not? I have a complicated back story, so here goes...

I am originally from Australia, where I completed my Bachelor of Social Work with First Class Honors, the highest grade for an honors program. In Australia, a BSW is all you need to work as a social worker, practically anywhere in the country, but now I've immigrated to the US (for love!), I'm looking to complete my MSW. I can't get advanced standing, unfortunately, as I completed my BSW more than 5 years ago.

During my honors year, I undertook research in addition to required coursework and internships, compiled as a 15,000 word thesis. My research findings were later published in a peer-reviewed psych journal. It was my intention to return to university to do my PhD a year after graduating, and I was accepted with a full tuition scholarship and living stipend, but the timing wasn't right, as I was more interested in working and getting more skilled.

In my BSW, I completed two 500-hour internships. My first internship was at a technical college as a student counselor. Here, I provided personal counseling, career counseling, learning support (tutoring), assisted students apply for scholarships and grants, and also organized classroom accommodations for students with disabilities. Occasionally, I mediated between students and professors. The college kept me on as a paid counselor once I finished my placement, and I kept working there until I completed my degree.

My second internship was with the child protection department, where I worked in the child abuse investigation team. I managed my own cases and undertook an investigation, compiled court reports and attended court and supervised access. The department kept me on at the end of my placement, when I graduated, and I moved over to the long-term team, where I worked for about 6 months.

I then moved to a job as senior social worker in a hospital emergency room. In this job, I undertook psychosocial assessments of patients, provided trauma and grief counseling to patients and their families, and to hospital staff, sourced emergency accommodation for patients affected by domestic violence, assisted families plan for care services for aging relatives (gerontology), amongst other things. I loved my time here! Incredibly challenging.

I have also worked on a college program for disengaged teens, where I taught them in a classroom setting, provided career counseling and organized vocational courses for them to undertake. I was also a volunteer counselor for the LGBT center in my city, and elected as a board member.

Overall, including the internships and paid experience post-graduating, I have about 4-5 years human services experience.

I'm applying to UCLA, CSULA and CSUN. I would be happy getting into any! I've visited each one for their information sessions, and I found them all very inspiring.

There are a few oddities with my application, obviously, but I've been assured by the abovementioned schools not to worry about them. Firstly, I can't really tell them what my overall GPA is as Australia uses a completely different GPA system, and they don't use letter-grades either. I have done some coursework at the local community college when I first moved here, and CSUN and CSULA will consider that, I believe. And I found a degree evaluation service's conversion guide, this service is actually used by CSULA when evaluating foreign transcripts, I believe, and my equivalent GPA is about 3.85.

I've also had my BSW evaluated by the CSWE and they said it is the equivalent of a BSW issued in the US. So I'm including the letter I received from them with my application, which I think will be handy for the admissions staff.

All my recommendations are done and submitted, and I've submitted my CSUN and CSULA applications, just working through the UCLA one now. I think my recommendations are fairly strong, I got two old bosses and my honors supervisor to do them, and I ticked the box not to see them, as I understand that's how the schools like it.

Do you think I have a chance? I am super nervous. My husband keeps telling me I have decent odds, but I can't help but worry! I attended UCLA's diversity day on the weekend and absolutely fell in love with the place, I was so inspired! But I feel that way about CSUN and CSULA too, I would be happy at any of them.

[loves_kwaito]

@JoeJoe85 I honestly think you are what the admissions committee is looking for! You have  experience working in various arenas of the social work field, and this  aligns with the generalist program. You are not going into the program "green," so I think your personal statements are probably incredibly informed by both your experience (practical) and passion for social work . Your GPA from what you have explained is way above the threshold that is required for the CSUs and even UCLA. Your peer reviewed article, and fully-funded PHD scholarship highlights the fact that you are able do well in a graduate program, especially in research classes. I think this will sits quite well with UCLA, since after all they are a research university. Aside from you merit-based qualities (extremely important) , I think the fact that you are originally from Australia sort of contributes to the diversity element that most admission committees value. You are able to bring a perspective that others can't.

Your husband is absolutely right! I believe(in my humble opinion) that you are a very competitive candidate, and that you will get into all the programs you have applied for. Your biggest worry in a few weeks will be to choose one school from the lot of acceptances, since they  all have their advantages.

All the best!!

Edited December 4, 2018 by loves_kwaito

[JoeJoe85]

@loves_kwaito Thanks so much for taking the time to reply, you’ve helped calm my nerves! ??

Just working through my UCLA statement of purpose now, the last thing I need to do, and my brain feels so fried, decided to take a day or two off!

Best of luck to you, and thanks again - you’ve even given me a few ideas for my statement of purpose.