MSW Applications Fall 2021

[LML2021]

7 minutes ago, gradschoolsocialwork said:

where can i find more info on this? i had not heard about this until now!

The professor spoke out against CSSW on all of their social media (iHartEricka), specially on Twitter & wrote an article on medium as well. 

 

 

https://ihartericka.medium.com/columbias-school-of-social-work-is-racist-to-black-students-and-faculty-spoiler-2602c707276c

 

they also called out this professor who still teaches at the school and is open about their heroin use https://www.wnyc.org/story/professor-drug-use-addiction-students/

Edited February 18, 2021 by LML2021

[Gradguy11218]

8 hours ago, Piffler said:

Just got accepted to BU. Boston College offered more for financial aid so I’ll be going there. Good luck everyone ! 

whatever program you feel is a better fit, and whoever offers more tuition assistance 

[Gradguy11218]

6 hours ago, LML2021 said:

Question for anyone applying/ waiting for Columbia. Does the news today of the black, queer non-binary school of social work professor being fired for speaking out against a racist- transphobic student change your mind about the school? 

I’m from NYC & have had friends, work colleagues and even school personnel while getting my BSSW warn me of the school’s very privileged, condescending environment. I’m struggling with finding anything about the program ~good enough to support an institution that perpetuates the systemic inequities and stigmas we are hoping to change. 

“it’s Columbia...” just doesn’t feel like a good enough reason anymore 

would just love to know anyone else’s opinions on this. 

In this field going to a school just for the name is not good enough anymore. We have ppl struggling to survive and they need our help. I've had co workers in the past complain after they left NYU they didn't feel like they were ready once they got into the work environment. They were working with homeless and MH population and believed NYU was very privileged and didn't prepare them. I've been at privileged Universities and dint feel like I belonged. This is why Hunter is my top choice. I need to be around a diverse student body and progressive like minded people. The world will never change if we don't require all SW to be on the same page. Its sad to hear what happened, but in reality people are going to go to Columbia because when they add that school to their resume it will be seen. Just a quick note to all future SW i work for a family therapy program here in NYC working with kids in Juvenile justice. I have coworkers who went to hunter and acquired 20k debt and some at Fordham who acquired 120k debt .....WE ALL WILL END UP IN THE SAME PLACES. Private practice is something different after we get our LCSW but until then lets really try to change this messed up world we live in.

[cp98]

9 hours ago, MSW_2021 said:

I just got accepted into BU as well! Did anyone get any scholarship money from them? They only offered me loans.

I also only got loans! I'm kind of upset about it because BU was my number one choice but I'm probably going to go to BC because they gave me a lot of scholarship. I've heard BU is known to be skimpy on money. I'm thinking about appealing for more money, but I don't want to commit to BU and then have them deny my appeal.

[cp98]

10 hours ago, MSW-hopeful said:

I actually have a question on financial aid that might be so dumb. What is the difference between tuition remission and a Tentative Federal Unsubsidized Loan?

Okay I might be wrong but this is what my friend told me. Tuition remission is scholarship money that gets applied to your tuition, not housing or fees. Then Tentative loans are what the school anticipates will be the maximum amount of loan money you will be allowed to take out for the year. 

[lichen_]

10 hours ago, MSW_2021 said:

I just got accepted into BU as well! Did anyone get any scholarship money from them? They only offered me loans.

 

3 minutes ago, cp98 said:

I also only got loans! I'm kind of upset about it because BU was my number one choice but I'm probably going to go to BC because they gave me a lot of scholarship. I've heard BU is known to be skimpy on money. I'm thinking about appealing for more money, but I don't want to commit to BU and then have them deny my appeal.

Also only got offered loans, and have also heard BU doesn't give many scholarships (and the ones they give aren't as high as some other private institutions).

[sjk155]

Does anyone know about if Penn is generous with financial aid? Also, any advice with trying to appeal for more money? 

[Sarah77]

11 hours ago, LML2021 said:

Question for anyone applying/ waiting for Columbia. Does the news today of the black, queer non-binary school of social work professor being fired for speaking out against a racist- transphobic student change your mind about the school? 

I’m from NYC & have had friends, work colleagues and even school personnel while getting my BSSW warn me of the school’s very privileged, condescending environment. I’m struggling with finding anything about the program ~good enough to support an institution that perpetuates the systemic inequities and stigmas we are hoping to change. 

“it’s Columbia...” just doesn’t feel like a good enough reason anymore 

would just love to know anyone else’s opinions on this. 

 

I was really disappointed to hear about Ericka Hart's experience, especially as a nonbinary person of color myself. It's horrifying. Unfortunately, I wasn't very surprised. I think if I had the intentions of staying in New York long-term, I probably would have gone to Hunter because their values as an institution seem to align better with my own, not to mention financially it is a significantly better decision for me vis-a-vis loans.

Not sure if this is a pessimistic view, but my sense is that any institution like Columbia (for example Penn, which is the other school I am weighing against Columbia right now) that is predominantly white and immensely powerful is going to be like this. I went to an elite PWI for my undergrad and now, 3 years out, feel a lot of love for the place - mainly its people, and its physical location - despite having a really mixed experience while there, marred by similar experiences of the institution acting in outright racist ways. So now I'm choosing my grad program based on the expectation that there will be professors I can work with / learn from whose values align with mine, that I will meet great people within my program, and based on where I'd want to live. But I think it's a very personal decision what factors come out as most important for you in your grad decision. 

To be clear, I don't necessarily think that all social work programs will practice their values in the way that Columbia is. But I do think of the more "prestigious" schools as interchangeable in terms of their power and how they use it.

I'd be down to chat more via DMing if you'd like to... Don't want to take up too much space in this public forum with my internal process haha. 

Edited February 18, 2021 by Sarah77

[Sarah77]

1 hour ago, sjk155 said:

Does anyone know about if Penn is generous with financial aid? Also, any advice with trying to appeal for more money? 

Hmmm I'm not sure what would count as generous. On paper my offer from Penn sounded nice - it was a $32K scholarship over the 2 year program - but that will still leave me with another $100K or so to cover in loans for tuition and living costs.

I appealed with an email explaining why my financial situation will be what it will be, and naming specific numbers that I can contribute and what I would need from them to commit. I also discussed an offer I got from another school, naming the numbers for that program. I just sent this in a few days ago so not sure what will come of it. A 2020 grad told me that the folks she knows all took a minimum of $50K-80K in loans even after appealing for more money, so I am worried that the $32K is actually on the upper end and that I won't get much more to make a meaningful dent in my future debt.

Hope this helps!

[Futuremsw.1]

Hey all! Just wanted to share this link to a new msw admissions + school discord. If folks have been looking for a more directly conversational platform + one with an easier app: https://discord.gg/93ASYZxE

[MSWNYC]

Hey, all - 

First time posting on this thread! 

I applied to only three grad SW programs, because I want a well-rounded SW education, but I ultimately want to focus on community organizing, planning, development. I applied to Fordham, Hunter/Silberman, and Stony Brook Manhattan extension. Got accepted at Fordham, but as has been posted above, the debt load would be high, not ideal. If I don't get Hunter (1st choice), how is the Stony Brook program? Anyone have insight there? Thanks, good luck, everyone! 

[j.peg]

18 hours ago, Piffler said:

Just got accepted to BU. Boston College offered more for financial aid so I’ll be going there. Good luck everyone ! 

Hi, congratulations to you! I was wondering if you have already told BU that you declined the offer? I am stuck on the waitlist and BU is my first choice. Thanks!!

Edited February 18, 2021 by j.peg

[MSW-hopeful]

2 hours ago, Futuremsw.1 said:

Hey all! Just wanted to share this link to a new msw admissions + school discord. If folks have been looking for a more directly conversational platform + one with an easier app: https://discord.gg/93ASYZxE

Hey! Its telling me the link is invalid? Is there a different way to join?

[Piffler]

5 minutes ago, j.peg said:

Hi, congratulations to you! I was wondering if you have already told BU that you declined the offer? I am stuck on the waitlist and BU is my first choice. Thanks!!

Not yet. I heard from them last night and plan to send that out tomorrow on my day off. 

[j.peg]

4 minutes ago, Piffler said:

Not yet. I heard from them last night and plan to send that out tomorrow on my day off. 

Thank you for letting me know! I really appreciate it. Good luck at BC

[Futuremsw.1]

5 minutes ago, MSW-hopeful said:

Hey! Its telling me the link is invalid? Is there a different way to join?

https://discord.gg/xuj5wQrJ let’s see if this one works!

[anxiouslywaiting2021]

3 hours ago, MSWNYC said:

Hey, all - 

First time posting on this thread! 

I applied to only three grad SW programs, because I want a well-rounded SW education, but I ultimately want to focus on community organizing, planning, development. I applied to Fordham, Hunter/Silberman, and Stony Brook Manhattan extension. Got accepted at Fordham, but as has been posted above, the debt load would be high, not ideal. If I don't get Hunter (1st choice), how is the Stony Brook program? Anyone have insight there? Thanks, good luck, everyone! 

Hey! If you don't mind me asking when did you apply/hear from Fordham?

[MSW-hopeful]

20 minutes ago, Futuremsw.1 said:

https://discord.gg/xuj5wQrJ let’s see if this one works!

Got in!! Thank you so much

[lichen_]

Has anyone heard back from UIC yet?

In one of their admissions Zooms they said they don't really have a timeline estimate for when people will hear back on decisions. Does anyone have any more up-to-date info from the admissions office/personal experience?

[MAV_MSW_2021]

21 minutes ago, lichen_ said:

Has anyone heard back from UIC yet?

In one of their admissions Zooms they said they don't really have a timeline estimate for when people will hear back on decisions. Does anyone have any more up-to-date info from the admissions office/personal experience?

Yep, I received an acceptance from them on 1/7/21 by email. I applied on 12/19/20. 

[eMSW21]

Has anyone called Columbia this week or heard anything about when they'll release decisions?

[nettyspaghetti]

11 hours ago, Gradguy11218 said:

In this field going to a school just for the name is not good enough anymore. .....WE ALL WILL END UP IN THE SAME PLACES.

Thank you for writing this! This is exactly how I feel. Prestige doesn’t really matter in a field like ours (unless you’re going into an MSW with the intention of doing private practice with affluent clients only, which, no judgement but... judgement). Everyone should make decisions based on the strength of the program, the aid they offer, and where you geographically want to live and work! 

[njenni]

I got a call earlier today from UCLA offering me admission for their MSW program! They informed me that I was nominated for the GOFP (graduate fellowship) so I'm not sure if they're calling about the fellowship first, but I thought I would share the news here since some people had been asking about UCLA

[MSWNYC]

5 hours ago, anxiouslywaiting2021 said:

Hey! If you don't mind me asking when did you apply/hear from Fordham?

I applied on 2/1, and heard on 2/10 - Fast turn-around, I was really surprised. Now the waiting seems longer for others...

 

[oddfully]

Hi all! I'm a longtime lurker but I finally decided to post!

I'm from CT and applied to only CT schools - SCSU, SHU, and Quinnipiac University. 

 I applied to one of my schools (Southern CT State University) in late December and am looking to hear back late this month/early March. I checked my portal today and the status changed to “complete” to “submitted - under review.” There also added a picture about submitting immunizations. When I clicked on the Next Steps tab in my portal, it said “Please click on the application tab to view your decision and to accept or decline your offer” but nothing was there. Is this a good sign? I’m not really sure what to think