Fall 2020 PhD!

[BrendonSW]

7 hours ago, PsycAdvocate said:

Wonderful, congratulations!!! Mind if I PM you? 

Not at all! ?

[jimmygreenmft]

Hi all! 

I’ve been lurking for years, and this was the first time I’ve applied to doctoral programs.

I’ve been accepted to the AM/PhD program at UChicago a couple weeks ago and a day after a phone interview with a faculty member on the search committee.

Stats: 

BA in Sociology; law and society with 3.8 GPA and MS in Counseling; option in Marriage and Family Therapy with a 3.8 from State university in Southern California.

Volunteered as a graduate research assistant doing LGBTQ youth research and school-based family counseling.

4 years of practice experience as a MFT, school counselor, and violence prevention educator. 

Taught for two years as an Adjunct in my former grad program.

158 V/ 146 Q/ 4 A (I’m as shocked as you). 

So aside from this one social work program, I applied to the Social Ecology program at UCI, Population Health and Place program at USC, Community and Prevention Research program at U Illinois- Chicago. I was rejected by USC and Illinois, and accepted by UCI, but with significantly less funding. 

Id love to hear what you all know about the SSA program at UChicago. I’ve read a lot about it, both on this site and their site, and it seems like a great fit. However, I’d be leaving my life in Los Angeles, so I want to learn as much as I Can from the visit day and gradcafe. 

[LisaOh]

16 hours ago, jimmygreenmft said:

Hi all! 

I’ve been lurking for years, and this was the first time I’ve applied to doctoral programs.

I’ve been accepted to the AM/PhD program at UChicago a couple weeks ago and a day after a phone interview with a faculty member on the search committee.

Stats: 

BA in Sociology; law and society with 3.8 GPA and MS in Counseling; option in Marriage and Family Therapy with a 3.8 from State university in Southern California.

Volunteered as a graduate research assistant doing LGBTQ youth research and school-based family counseling.

4 years of practice experience as a MFT, school counselor, and violence prevention educator. 

Taught for two years as an Adjunct in my former grad program.

158 V/ 146 Q/ 4 A (I’m as shocked as you). 

So aside from this one social work program, I applied to the Social Ecology program at UCI, Population Health and Place program at USC, Community and Prevention Research program at U Illinois- Chicago. I was rejected by USC and Illinois, and accepted by UCI, but with significantly less funding. 

Id love to hear what you all know about the SSA program at UChicago. I’ve read a lot about it, both on this site and their site, and it seems like a great fit. However, I’d be leaving my life in Los Angeles, so I want to learn as much as I Can from the visit day and gradcafe. 

I am super jealous! I applied to the same program, but I was only accepted to the AM program. 

[LooseConsideration]

Did anyone else apply to any programs in Canada? I am dyyyyying waiting for them to get back to me, and it's hard to respond to the US schools when I still don't know what's going on with about half my apps.

[jimmygreenmft]

5 hours ago, LisaOh said:

I am super jealous! I applied to the same program, but I was only accepted to the AM program. 

Sorry to hear that! I read your stats and you are incredibly competitive. Will you take Wisconsin?

I can't speak to why exactly I got in, but I do have similar research interests to many of the faculty and a few of the research centers (youth violence prevention; school-based research; community-based action research), and my practice experience as a clinician has been really solid. I'll be going to visit days this week, and I'm going to have to make a really tough decision. Stay near home at UCI, with all of my family, friends, and jobs/professional connections, or travel to Chicago for 5 years for one of the best programs/universities without knowing ANYONE. ?

[SocWork2020RG]

20 hours ago, LooseConsideration said:

Did anyone else apply to any programs in Canada? I am dyyyyying waiting for them to get back to me, and it's hard to respond to the US schools when I still don't know what's going on with about half my apps.

I am. To UofT and McMaster. I haven't heard anything from either.  How about you?  This wait is so so hard.

[LooseConsideration]

1 hour ago, SocWork2020RG said:

I am. To UofT and McMaster. I haven't heard anything from either.  How about you?  This wait is so so hard.

U of T and Wilfrid Laurier. Still no word from either for me, too.

[SocWork2020RG]

2 minutes ago, LooseConsideration said:

U of T and Wilfrid Laurier. Still no word from either for me, too.

Well, at least it's not just me in this abyss of waiting. LOL. Good luck. Let's keep each other posted...

[SocWork2020RG]

On 3/3/2020 at 3:56 PM, SocWork2020RG said:

Well, at least it's not just me in this abyss of waiting. LOL. Good luck. Let's keep each other posted...

I just found out that I didn't get into UofT. Even though not my first choice, I still feel disappointed. I got one of those " you had a strong application but you need to publish more and work more and write a better proposal."  Blah blah. Anyway good luck.

[LooseConsideration]

24 minutes ago, SocWork2020RG said:

I just found out that I didn't get into UofT. Even though not my first choice, I still feel disappointed. I got one of those " you had a strong application but you need to publish more and work more and write a better proposal."  Blah blah. Anyway good luck.

I got a similar response: increase work experience, better proposal. I'm not surprised -- I know funding can be slim for international students -- but rejection still isn't fun.

[Logodds56]

Happy to report that today I received my first acceptance from the University at Buffalo! Was notified via email, and just waiting in the official acceptance letter. Still waiting on Case Western. 

[Logodds56]

More great news's today! I received notice from UB that I won a "presidential" fellowship which bestows me a an extra 8k stipend for a total of 28k per academic year! I am in disbelief and so grateful! 

[LisaOh]

On 3/2/2020 at 11:02 PM, jimmygreenmft said:

Sorry to hear that! I read your stats and you are incredibly competitive. Will you take Wisconsin?

I can't speak to why exactly I got in, but I do have similar research interests to many of the faculty and a few of the research centers (youth violence prevention; school-based research; community-based action research), and my practice experience as a clinician has been really solid. I'll be going to visit days this week, and I'm going to have to make a really tough decision. Stay near home at UCI, with all of my family, friends, and jobs/professional connections, or travel to Chicago for 5 years for one of the best programs/universities without knowing ANYONE. ?

Wisconsin flew me out this past weekend for admitted students day. It has left me with a lot to think about.

I also found out that PhD admissions are a crap shoot based upon the advisor you would work with (like if they are planning a sabbatical) and a number of other things. So that has made me feel a bit better. I am still waiting to hear from 3 schools, so it is early for me to make a decision.

[alfgrape]

Has anyone heard from UNC? I saw someone was just waitlisted - does anyone else have updates or have you checked in with the office? I'm on the verge of accepting another offer but did hope to hear from them first. Can't decide if I should email or sit on it a little longer. 

[anelab]

4 hours ago, alfgrape said:

Has anyone heard from UNC? I saw someone was just waitlisted - does anyone else have updates or have you checked in with the office? I'm on the verge of accepting another offer but did hope to hear from them first. Can't decide if I should email or sit on it a little longer. 

I emailed them 2.5 weeks ago and they said they were aiming to have decisions out by the end of last week-- but that was before everywhere was affected by COVID-19. I was the waitlisted person. You could email Dr. Chapman.

[123PhD]

I hope that y'all are receiving good news in this final stretch! 

[ebjc87]

On 2/6/2020 at 9:17 PM, ninja650r said:

Applied to Upenn DSW and awaiting interview hopefully! 

I applied as well. Interviewed beginning of February. I contacted then beginning of March as I received an acceptance from another school and wanted to understand their notification date. I am told the admissions committee is meeting 4/13

[BrendonSW]

On 3/28/2020 at 4:23 PM, ebjc87 said:

I applied as well. Interviewed beginning of February. I contacted then beginning of March as I received an acceptance from another school and wanted to understand their notification date. I am told the admissions committee is meeting 4/13

Wow, this is really close to the 4/15 deadline. Most schools want responses by then. I’m wondering if programs are extending this deadline due to covid-19? 

[Foctest]

On 3/23/2020 at 12:59 PM, alfgrape said:

Has anyone heard from UNC? I saw someone was just waitlisted - does anyone else have updates or have you checked in with the office? I'm on the verge of accepting another offer but did hope to hear from them first. Can't decide if I should email or sit on it a little longer. 

I heard back from UNC on 2/5/2020 & accepted the offer. Thanks.

[ebjc87]

On 3/29/2020 at 8:02 PM, BrendonSW said:

Wow, this is really close to the 4/15 deadline. Most schools want responses by then. I’m wondering if programs are extending this deadline due to covid-19? 

My understanding is they used similar timeframes last year. Those accepted received phone calls between 4/13-4/15 and then packages mailed with a 4/15 date received a few days later.

Interviews were first two - three weeks of February and deadline for application was 2/15 so I was hoping to hear earlier but I'll cross my fingers for a call the week after next.

[anelab]

How's everyone feeling with the decision deadline coming up? Anyone still deciding?

[LooseConsideration]

On 4/9/2020 at 9:56 PM, anelab said:

How's everyone feeling with the decision deadline coming up? Anyone still deciding?

Sort of? I ended up waitlisted at Wilfrid Laurier because of their limited funding for graduate students, and Portland State deferred my acceptance to 2021 because of COVID-19. I'm not sure what will happen still, which feels about par for the course for the general uncertainty in the air these days.

[anelab]

1 hour ago, LooseConsideration said:

Sort of? I ended up waitlisted at Wilfrid Laurier because of their limited funding for graduate students, and Portland State deferred my acceptance to 2021 because of COVID-19. I'm not sure what will happen still, which feels about par for the course for the general uncertainty in the air these days.

Woah, the school deferred? I didn't know that could happen. How did that go down? (also Stephanie Wahab and Susanne Klawetter are both fantastic)

 

Also, sorry that all the uncertainty is impacting you this way.

Edited April 13, 2020 by anelab

[ninja650r]

On 4/2/2020 at 5:49 AM, ebjc87 said:

My understanding is they used similar timeframes last year. Those accepted received phone calls between 4/13-4/15 and then packages mailed with a 4/15 date received a few days later.

Interviews were first two - three weeks of February and deadline for application was 2/15 so I was hoping to hear earlier but I'll cross my fingers for a call the week after next.

Any word yet for Upenn? No call as of today 

[LisaOh]

I received my UPenn decision awhile ago.

Final decisions everyone?

I decided to pass on the MSW/PhD program at Wisconsin. I am enrolling in University of Chicago's AM program with a huge scholarship and hoping that'll mean I will enroll in their PhD program in a year or two.