MSW Applications Fall 2020

[simonsays]

@Nai23

That all sounds so amazing - I actually worked in menstrual health and menstrual equity for a lot of my undergrad! Luckily, they also said there's no GPA cuttoff at the information session I attended, and it seems like your experiences makes up for it. Fingers crossed for both of us! 

[Madsby]

Just to confirm, for applications due Dec 1st they are  due by 11:59pm on the 1st, correct??

[mswanxiety]

@Madsby yeah I have the same Q but am just planning to submit today to be safe...

[IvySWCu]

On 11/28/2019 at 2:56 PM, Nai23 said:

I did my undergrad in Psychology and I've been working as a social worker in children's welfare for the past 6 months. Before this, I've worked part time with a behavior change communications organisation, as well as one NGO that works on education for underprivileged children. In my college, i used to work extensively on gender issues and currently doing a fellowship on menstrual health management. My concern is that my GPA is low (2.9) so my chances of getting in are low I think. I am applying for the clinical (health, mental health and disabilities) track but also considering the child welfare one. 

Alot of grad programs consider your last 60 credits to calculate your GPA As well. Is that any higher? If you should a positive growth in your more formative years, it will help greatly. 

[IvySWCu]

5 hours ago, Madsby said:

Just to confirm, for applications due Dec 1st they are  due by 11:59pm on the 1st, correct??

Yes. 

[IvySWCu]

On 11/28/2019 at 8:36 AM, LisaOh said:

Just a heads up to everyone applying or accepted to UMB:

There are 2 students doing field placements where I currently volunteer. Yesterday, I talked to the first year about the field placement process. Turns out that you don't get to select your first field placement! They just give you one regardless of your interests. So it's likely that you'll spend you're entire first year in a field placement outside of your interests. It also sounded like the process in which they do this is a mess.

Just an fyi!

Yes, I met with an advisor and she mentioned the first year is the generalization year, which a good amount of programs do. You typically do not start your specialization until your second year, so the first year field placement is general. My SIL told me columbia does it that way as well. But good to know, are they enjoying their experience at UMB so far? Did they mention any cons?

[MSW-violetta]

Hello Everyone,

I am applying for ASP, my concentration is SEA. I have my BSW with a cumulative GPA of 3.8.

I was an AmeriCorps member for a year at Court Appointed Special Advocates program. Which is a program that works with foster youth. I completed my internship at the California Department of  Child, Adult, and Family Services, Child Protection Services Emergency Response Unit for one year. After graduation I got hired at my AmeriCorps site CASA as a Transition Age Youth Coordinator. I developed and oversee our Transition Age Youth Program. I had this position for a year and a half now. 

What do you think my chances are for getting in?

Also, I went over my 500 word limit on some essays, at the virtual info session they made it sound like it's okay to go over just not too much. 

[Nai23]

12 hours ago, The Finance Girl said:

Alot of grad programs consider your last 60 credits to calculate your GPA As well. Is that any higher? If you should a positive growth in your more formative years, it will help greatly. 

Oh, alright! Thank you for the suggestion

[LisaOh]

22 hours ago, Madsby said:

Just to confirm, for applications due Dec 1st they are  due by 11:59pm on the 1st, correct??

Double check the application website for the school. Some are not at 11:59 pm, and some vary by time zone.

[IvySWCu]

On 11/28/2019 at 1:16 AM, simonsays said:

@Nai23 @The Finance Girl

Thank you! I'm plugging along, but it's definitely hard to keep anything to the 500 word limit! Let's definitely keep in touch re- Columbia admissions. It's the first app I'm submitting so it's nice to speak with someone else going through it

I also attended an info session and they said they have about a 70% admissions rate, so fingers crossed! I'm not sure exactly when we're supposed to hear back, but February feels like a good bet. That being said, I remember looking at CU admissions posts on this forum last year, and some people heard back really late and inconsistently, regardless of whether they were accepted. 

Nai23, what's your background? Also, what track are you applying to? 

Yes, lets for sure keep in touch in regards to our apps. It's good to know when others start hearing back. 70% seems extremely high, I am so surprised! A good tip I received in regards to word limits, just write everything out, and go back and remove and rewrite, it will help you make your paper more concise. I had to sit on a couple of SOP's for several days, to come back and reread it and find better ways to convey my statement.

[LivtheLeo]

On 11/4/2019 at 9:50 PM, The Finance Girl said:

Hello All!

 

I am currently in the application process for MSW programs for Fall 2020. I applied to 7 schools and have heard back from 2 so far! I created this post to discuss the application process, decision, stats and any insight anyone can share. How is everyone else's applications going? 

Schools I'm applying to:

 

George Mason University - Applied 10/01/2019 - Accepted

University of Maryland - Applied 10/04/19

Rutgers University - Applied 11/3/19

Boston College - Applied 10/29/2019

Boston University 

University of Illinois - Chicago - Applied 10/01/19 - Accepted

University of Chicago

University of Texas - Austin - Applied 10/23/2019

When do you receive the notification about receiving an acceptance towards UIC? I literally just submitted mind and I am anxiously awaiting for a response already.

[IvySWCu]

So I actually applied to UIC on 10.11.19 (just checked my submission date). I anxiously called back  on 11.01.19, and spoke with the Dean (Marybel Flores) in the MSW program, she had literally just reviewed and admitted my application within that 30 minute time frame! Must of been fate, so she said I was accepted, but they wouldn't notify students until TG. I received my official acceptance email 11.26.19. And then today 12.02.2019, I received my actual decision letter and my activation I.D to set my UIC email up. I haven't decided if I am accepting yet (most likely will). I am waiting to hear back from UC and a couple other schools. Also looks like we will not hear back in regards to FASFA awards until Late Feb.

 

Good luck!! I hope you get in :). Let me know if you have any questions. I did go to an info session. What track did you apply to?

[IvySWCu]

Yay! Just got accepted into Rutger's University! Is anyone from the NJ area??

[IvySWCu]

On 12/1/2019 at 1:25 AM, MSW-violetta said:

Hello Everyone,

I am applying for ASP, my concentration is SEA. I have my BSW with a cumulative GPA of 3.8.

I was an AmeriCorps member for a year at Court Appointed Special Advocates program. Which is a program that works with foster youth. I completed my internship at the California Department of  Child, Adult, and Family Services, Child Protection Services Emergency Response Unit for one year. After graduation I got hired at my AmeriCorps site CASA as a Transition Age Youth Coordinator. I developed and oversee our Transition Age Youth Program. I had this position for a year and a half now. 

What do you think my chances are for getting in?

Also, I went over my 500 word limit on some essays, at the virtual info session they made it sound like it's okay to go over just not too much. 

What school are you apply into?

[Nai23]

3 hours ago, The Finance Girl said:

Yay! Just got accepted into Rutger's University! Is anyone from the NJ area??

congratulations!!! 

[IvySWCu]

1 hour ago, Nai23 said:

congratulations!!! 

Thank you!!

[djoh215]

Hi, I am currently interested in applying to WashU's MSW program. I was just wondering if anyone knew how competitive it is, or average entrance GPA's.... thanks!

[IvySWCu]

On 12/2/2019 at 8:15 PM, The Finance Girl said:

So I actually applied to UIC on 10.11.19 (just checked my submission date). I anxiously called back  on 11.01.19, and spoke with the Dean (Marybel Flores) in the MSW program, she had literally just reviewed and admitted my application within that 30 minute time frame! Must of been fate, so she said I was accepted, but they wouldn't notify students until TG. I received my official acceptance email 11.26.19. And then today 12.02.2019, I received my actual decision letter and my activation I.D to set my UIC email up. I haven't decided if I am accepting yet (most likely will). I am waiting to hear back from UC and a couple other schools. Also looks like we will not hear back in regards to FASFA awards until Late Feb.

 

Good luck!! I hope you get in :). Let me know if you have any questions. I did go to an info session. What track did you apply to?

@LivtheLeo

[HarmReducer]

Hi there,

I'm just about finished with my MSW applications for Fall 2020. Just waiting on my last (slow!) recommender to make time to write the last two letters.

• Ohio State (online) - last piece submitted 12/2
• LSU (online) - waiting on last recommender
• UMD Baltimore (in person) - waiting on last recommender

I know that on Ohio's website it says that admissions are rolling, with an average notification time of 3–5 weeks. The UMD website doesn't give a time frame—it just says basically "keep checking back every week after completion." And I have no idea at all about LSU.

A bit about me:

• 38-year-old career changer (from publishing—last degree in 2012)
• Areas of interest: substance abuse; harm reduction; family systems; trauma; psychedelic therapy; marginalized communities
• 3.67 undergrad GPA (B.A. Communication / B.A. English)
• 3.74 graduate GPA (M.A. Linguistics)
• 4.0 GPA during my recent return to community college the past 3 semesters to gain relevant coursework
• GRE: 170 V / 155 Q / 4.5 AW
• Crisis line and harm reduction volunteer work

Ohio is my first choice because they have a substance misuse specialization and there's a professor there whose work I admire. Plus,  I'd rather do online than in-person. UMD is second because I am hoping to move back to my hometown of Baltimore at some point in the next little while anyway, plus it has proximity to the research at Johns Hopkins (for which I have vague hopes for some kind of externship or volunteer research assistant position there eventually). LSU is third because they are affordable and fulfill my basic criteria of being asynchronously online, with enough of a generalist bent that I could hopefully kind of make it what I want it to be.

Right now I am mostly focusing on mentally willing my professor to finish my recommendations, plus obsessively checking my Ohio portal because it says "in review."

[Holygiant]

Hi!

I am applying to UC Berkeley which I am extremely interested in and USC which I am less interested in.

Does anyone know how long UC Berkeley usually takes to respond to apps?

Also I've done a ton of research (or tried to) and what I can see is that Berkeleys acceptance rate is around 20% and Columbias is around 60%.   Given that they are similarly ranked, this seems crazy to me...am I missing something?   =

Thanks!

[HarmReducer]

For anyone who is curious, I just heard from LSU that once the application is complete, unless there are any missing pre-reqs, they usually process them and notify within two weeks. So that is good—and speedy!

[Carolina310]

Hi everyone! I’m also applying to MSW programs for fall 2020. I have been out of school for about 3 years. Here is my list. If anyone is from the area/applying to these schools lmk :) the worst part is waiting!! I probably won’t know until late March/early April 

Stony Brook University- submitted 10/26 this is my top choice in state (NY)

SUNY Albany- submitted early November 

SUNY Buffalo- working on the application 

Portland State University- working on the essay 

MSU Denver- working on the essay (top choice out of state) 

UTSA- have not started the application since their deadline is in April 

Good luck everyone! 

[Carolina310]

On 12/5/2019 at 1:04 PM, The Finance Girl said:

Yay! Just got accepted into Rutger's University! Is anyone from the NJ area??

Congrats!!  Did you apply for advanced standing programs? You received notifications so early on. Do you have a top choice ? I’m from the NY area 

[IvySWCu]

10 hours ago, Carolina310 said:

Congrats!!  Did you apply for advanced standing programs? You received notifications so early on. Do you have a top choice ? I’m from the NY area 

I actually did not apply to any advance standing programs - I am a career changer and am a financial analyst. Thank you much!  Yes, I am overwhelmed with excitement, I was a bit concerned I may be overlooked with my professional experience, being quite different. However it has been great to hear so much positive feedback from admissions. I put ALOT of effort into all my applications and I think it really showed.

 

Are you familiar with Rutgers or the NJ area? Could you provide any information on what living there would be like? I'm in the Midwest and I hear it is a completely different feel than the east coast. 

 

My top choices are : University of Chicago, Rutgers, University of Illinois (Chicago), and University of Maryland. So it really worked out well that those are the first programs I heard back from! Basically these schools have programs that are more catered to what I want to study and have a city where I could see myself living. UC and UIC being better options, because I already live in Chicago.

I also really liked Boston College and UT - Austin. However, these locations would be a little tougher to move to for me.

 

[IvySWCu]

Some random bits of info.  If you applied by the Dec 1 deadline, Columbia will be releasing decisions Mid Jan - Early Feb. Boston College will start releasing Jan 1, 2020. Boston University - End of Feb.