MSW Applications Fall 2021

[aqueeroz]

47 minutes ago, Naya said:

I just got notified by Berkeley that I didn’t get into their MPH program

I just got notified too  I didn’t get in either. I’m so sorry to hear you didn’t. I was more worried about not getting into the MSW program tbh. My background is more in health education and health promotion. Where else have you gotten into? Are you gonna consider going to Berkeley in the fall and applying to the sph again?

[Msw246]

Hello fellow MSW applicants, 

I am no stranger to visiting this page, but this is my first time posting. I am amazed by the support and quality applicants found on this page and am glad to be surrounded by such kind people. I applied to UCLA, USC, SDSU, and SJSU! I found out last night at 11 pm that I was accepted to UCLA. I applied around the middle of December, if I remember correctly. I wanted to know if anyone else has been accepted and when the deadline is to commit because I am still waiting to hear back from the other programs. 
Best of luck y'all! Thank you for any help! 

[Naya]

11 minutes ago, aqueeroz said:

I just got notified too  I didn’t get in either. I’m so sorry to hear you didn’t. I was more worried about not getting into the MSW program tbh. My background is more in health education and health promotion. Where else have you gotten into? Are you gonna consider going to Berkeley in the fall and applying to the sph again?

I applied to BU’s MSW/MPH, BC’s MSW, WUSTL MPH, UMich’s MSW/MPH, and Berkeley’s MSW/MPH. Everyone accepted me. The only school that rejected me was Berkeley’s MPH program. I am strongly considering Berkeley’s MSW program because of in-state tuition (with or without any aid it will be the most affordable school for me). I would love to go to Michigan since I really love their programs but the out of state cost is the only thing holding me back. But yes, if I go to Berkeley, I’ll definitely apply again. I just hope the GRE doesn’t come back haha What about you?

Edited March 4, 2021 by Naya

[msw222]

26 minutes ago, Msw246 said:

Hello fellow MSW applicants, 

I am no stranger to visiting this page, but this is my first time posting. I am amazed by the support and quality applicants found on this page and am glad to be surrounded by such kind people. I applied to UCLA, USC, SDSU, and SJSU! I found out last night at 11 pm that I was accepted to UCLA. I applied around the middle of December, if I remember correctly. I wanted to know if anyone else has been accepted and when the deadline is to commit because I am still waiting to hear back from the other programs. 
Best of luck y'all! Thank you for any help! 

Hey! I'm new here too. Congrats on UCLA! I'm still waiting to hear back but I know they have spoken openly about the national decision deadline being April 15th so you should be fine. I submitted my application at the end of November so now I'm extra nervous I haven't heard! Did they email you to have you check the portal? And do you know if your portal ever changed from "submitted" to "under review," or did it go straight from "submitted" to "decision?" Anxiety getting the best of me over here! 

[annadreams]

1 hour ago, sweetater said:

Anyone torn on NYU vs Columbia? I'm looking for a clinical focus, but have heard you can find that at either school via specialization. Struggling with what the best decision would be as I am unable to visit beforehand. I'm also planning on moving back to California a couple years after I graduate, and don't know which school would make this process easier 

My understanding is that NYU is more clinically focused of the two, but of course both MSW degrees are considered equivalent and can be used for the same paths of licensure and yes, you can absolutely make a more clinical path at Columbia. I would not put a ton of stock in "reputation" in your decision, but for what it's worth they both have a very good reputation within New York City. 

I've been offered admission to NYU and was recently talking with a current second year student hoping to work in private practice eventually - she was originally making the same decision that you are now, NYU vs. Columbia. Part of what helped her make the decision was that NYU seemed more psychodynamically oriented while Columbia's program seemed more into CBT, or more evidence-based theories of change, in her point of view. This is one person's impression, but it also has been echoed in conversations with other people I've talked to in the field. Columbia more macro, more public health oriented; NYU more clinical, perhaps more social justice oriented?

You're going to get a very good training at either school; you're going to get similar field work experiences, which may be fairly luck of the draw (especially for first year) in either school; both schools have good relationships with good partners in the field; and you're going to graduate with the same MSW. There are happy students and less than happy students in both programs. Both are large universities with a lot of bureaucracy to navigate but also a lot of resources.

Look at the electives offered, look at the professors you would want to work with, look at the overall support or advising that seems available within the university, talk to current students, talk to recent alums, and seriously weigh the financial implications of your offers. Try and get a sense of the classroom experience, and how students have an easy or hard time getting what they need. How does this all align with your desires? Those are the things I'd be looking at to compare more than anything else. 

Then, the California relocation aspect - neither program has any advantage in this arena, I wouldn't think?? This is straying away from the grad school discussion a bit but I'll give you a bit of context, from my impressions: If you were to be awarded your LMSW license in New York State, and then you were trying to transfer that over to the state of California, it doesn't matter what school you went to for getting that Masters of Social Work degree (both schools are CSWE accredited). You'll have to figure out how the hours you accrued as a student in NY carry over to the license you're testing for in CA, and/or how any supervised hours post-degree in the state of NY under supervision would then get counted when transferring it all to CA. You may need to do more hours in California unlicensed than you would if you were getting licensed in NY with those hours/you may or may not need to kind of "reset the clock" when you move. Also, you may end up wanting to test for an MFT in California instead of an LCSW, and you'd then need to figure out how those rules fit with what you've completed in New York. I doubt that either school will have any kind of top secret tips on how to navigate the fine print of all of this. Their priority in any career preparedness stuff will be much more focused on navigating your field placements and the AWSB exam itself, not in helping you map out this process 2 years post-grad. I think you're going to have to be a bit of a squeaky wheel to find your answers in this endeavor regardless of the school you go to when the time comes. But there is a way, and there will surely be faculty and alumni of either school who got degrees and licenses in other states - so many people have done this! I just wouldn't include this aspect in your decision here.

[leilanib]

19 hours ago, SWStudent2 said:

Hi I didn't apply to UCLA but I wanted to say I'm with you on the second guessing and intimidation. I ended up putting all my efforts into my top choices (UMich, UCB, UChicago, University of Washington) and submitted those by the first priority deadline and submitting the others at one of the later deadlines (Columbia, Washington University, PSU). So I totally get that and I'm super excited for everyone getting into Columbia on this chain but accepting the fact I'm prob not gonna hear back for a while. Crossing my fingers for you!

Thank you so much! Wishing you the best of luck! 

[leilanib]

6 hours ago, nlr said:

Oh, I very much did the same thing (for all my apps, really) for UCLA. I was so obsessed with reviewing and re-working my statements that I put it off until the very last date and submitted on 1/15. Let me know when you hear from them! I am equally anxious ?

You're not alone! I feel ya. I will update on here when I hear back, please keep in touch when you find out. Wishing you the best : )

 

[doievenknow]

34 minutes ago, msw222 said:

Hey! I'm new here too. Congrats on UCLA! I'm still waiting to hear back but I know they have spoken openly about the national decision deadline being April 15th so you should be fine. I submitted my application at the end of November so now I'm extra nervous I haven't heard! Did they email you to have you check the portal? And do you know if your portal ever changed from "submitted" to "under review," or did it go straight from "submitted" to "decision?" Anxiety getting the best of me over here! 

hi!! i'm also super nervous about ucla decisions, as it seems like so many people are hearing back and here i am just waiting :')) wanted to send you good vibes and the best of luck!! 

[msw222]

3 minutes ago, doievenknow said:

hi!! i'm also super nervous about ucla decisions, as it seems like so many people are hearing back and here i am just waiting :')) wanted to send you good vibes and the best of luck!! 

aww thanks! you too! 

[leilanib]

4 hours ago, fiofarrell17 said:

I submitted mine on the due date ? I was going to wait until the next application cycle and then decided about two months before that I was going to apply this time around. From what I've heard, it doesn't quite matter when you submitted it! Sounds like you put a lot of time and effort into your application though so I'm sure it will be fine!

Thank you for your assurance, I'm kind of freaking out because I'm seeing people who applied later than me get interviews/acceptances already and I haven't heard a thing. I had the same idea as you to wait until the next application cycle but here we are! We will never know if we don't try. Hoping you get good news soon!

[Msw246]

39 minutes ago, msw222 said:

Hey! I'm new here too. Congrats on UCLA! I'm still waiting to hear back but I know they have spoken openly about the national decision deadline being April 15th so you should be fine. I submitted my application at the end of November so now I'm extra nervous I haven't heard! Did they email you to have you check the portal? And do you know if your portal ever changed from "submitted" to "under review," or did it go straight from "submitted" to "decision?" Anxiety getting the best of me over here! 

Thank you! I did not hear or receive anything from UCLA until I got my email telling me to check my portal. Awesome, thank you for that insight. My portal never changed. That has actually been a common theme for each of my portals for all the schools that I applied. 

[msw222]

Just now, Msw246 said:

Thank you! I did not hear or receive anything from UCLA until I got my email telling me to check my portal. Awesome, thank you for that insight. My portal never changed. That has actually been a common theme for each of my portals for all the schools that I applied. 

got it! yeah - it seems to vary between schools. that's good to know! thank you!! 

[Msw246]

Just now, Msw246 said:

Thank you! I did not hear or receive anything from UCLA until I got my email telling me to check my portal. Awesome, thank you for that insight. My portal never changed. That has actually been a common theme for each of my portals for all the schools that I applied. 

I am sending you positive vibes. Try not to stress out too much. You have done everything you can and have every reason to believe you can get in. 

[leilanib]

Just now, Msw246 said:

Thank you! I did not hear or receive anything from UCLA until I got my email telling me to check my portal. Awesome, thank you for that insight. My portal never changed. That has actually been a common theme for each of my portals for all the schools that I applied. 

CONGRATS TO YOU! Did you attend UCLA for your undergrad? I'm curious as to how you can check the portal. I haven't had any luck on accessing it. I've been assuming that I will receive a decision via email.

[msw222]

2 minutes ago, Msw246 said:

I am sending you positive vibes. Try not to stress out too much. You have done everything you can and have every reason to believe you can get in. 

thank you so much!! sending positive vibes back! 

[Msw246]

1 minute ago, leilanib said:

CONGRATS TO YOU! Did you attend UCLA for your undergrad? I'm curious as to how you can check the portal. I haven't had any luck on accessing it. I've been assuming that I will receive a decision via email.

Thank you! No, I attended UC Berkeley. You should be able to use your UCLA ID that was provided for you. I got am email to check my portal and it took me to the same page that I submitted my application on. 

[leilanib]

5 minutes ago, Msw246 said:

Thank you! No, I attended UC Berkeley. You should be able to use your UCLA ID that was provided for you. I got am email to check my portal and it took me to the same page that I submitted my application on. 

Oh ok I see! Thank you.

[nlr]

32 minutes ago, leilanib said:

You're not alone! I feel ya. I will update on here when I hear back, please keep in touch when you find out. Wishing you the best : )

 

YOU TOO! Sending you good vibes! 

[fiofarrell17]

1 hour ago, catmama89 said:

Hi everyone! This is my first time posting It's been so helpful to tap into this community (even shyly as a lurker from the sidelines lol). I really appreciate all the camaraderie, support, celebration, and compassion on this forum. To all those who've been accepted to programs, sending y'all the hugest congratulations! To all those facing rejections, my heart goes out to you!! And I feel your pain - I was just rejected from my top choice (Berkeley) but trying to stay positive as I await to hear back from SFSU. The feeling really sucks, there's no denying it... BUT trying to remind myself that no university can determine my worthiness or my aptitude for greatness - something I hope we can all hold true in our hearts. We will all be amazing social workers some day, if we choose to continue on this path! I believe with every fiber of my being that this year was a BANANAS year to apply to MSW programs, I believe the applicant pools were more competitive than ever before given the pandemic and everyone being flipped on their bottoms, making big life moves, and entering into school and going deeper into helping professions as a response to the crisis. 

I'm wondering if anyone who's applied to SFSU has heard back yet? And if so, were you title IV? My understanding is that Title IV applicants probably hear back sooner, as they also have an interview involved (I did not apply for Title IV). I've found less info floating around from SFSU applicants. Thanks in advance for any insight! Crossing my fingers for everyone still waiting on decisions, and sending y'all lots of love! ❤️ 

 

 

Hi! I also applied to SFSU and have also had a hard time finding information/people who have applied. I actually reached out to them last Monday and they let me know they were going to be starting to release decisions in early march and continuing through the month. He also let me know they had room for 40 people in the program and received about 350 applications this year. Alsooo I saw on another thread that title IV recipients were already notified and they had to make their decision on attendance by today, 3/4. So, I'm hoping that means regular decisions will start rolling out really soon! Keeping my fingers crossed for the both of us on getting in!(:

[nlr]

1 hour ago, Msw246 said:

Hello fellow MSW applicants, 

I am no stranger to visiting this page, but this is my first time posting. I am amazed by the support and quality applicants found on this page and am glad to be surrounded by such kind people. I applied to UCLA, USC, SDSU, and SJSU! I found out last night at 11 pm that I was accepted to UCLA. I applied around the middle of December, if I remember correctly. I wanted to know if anyone else has been accepted and when the deadline is to commit because I am still waiting to hear back from the other programs. 
Best of luck y'all! Thank you for any help! 

Congratulations on UCLA!! That's amazing. Also HA 11PM?! Now I really won't be able to stop checking my email at all hours of the night ?

[Msw246]

Just now, nlr said:

Congratulations on UCLA!! That's amazing. Also HA 11PM?! Now I really won't be able to stop checking my email at all hours of the night ?

haha I know right? The email notification caught me off guard. Now you have to be prepared to hear at all times of the day and night 

[fiofarrell17]

25 minutes ago, leilanib said:

Thank you for your assurance, I'm kind of freaking out because I'm seeing people who applied later than me get interviews/acceptances already and I haven't heard a thing. I had the same idea as you to wait until the next application cycle but here we are! We will never know if we don't try. Hoping you get good news soon!

Yeah I definitely feel it, waiting it out while seeing everyone else hear responses is definitely stress inducing. Whether it's good or bad news, I just want to know haha, I'm sure that we will hear in the next 2 weeks so the anxiety waiting game will soon be over! Fingers crossed for us(:

[njenni]

Hi everyone! I appreciate all the support that goes around in this page. I hope everyone hears good news soon from the schools they are currently waiting for! Sending positive vibes your way. & huge congrats to everyone's acceptances! 

For those who have gotten accepted into UCLA, have you received a letter from the department yet? The letter that was on the portal said "the deadline to accept this offer of admission was indicated in the letter you received from the department to which you applied to" but I have not received any letter other than the one on the portal. 

Any insight is very much appreciated! And again, thank you for all the support ya'll! 

[Msw246]

1 minute ago, njenni said:

Hi everyone! I appreciate all the support that goes around in this page. I hope everyone hears good news soon from the schools they are currently waiting for! Sending positive vibes your way. & huge congrats to everyone's acceptances! 

For those who have gotten accepted into UCLA, have you received a letter from the department yet? The letter that was on the portal said "the deadline to accept this offer of admission was indicated in the letter you received from the department to which you applied to" but I have not received any letter other than the one on the portal. 

Any insight is very much appreciated! And again, thank you for all the support ya'll! 

I had the same question and I posed it earlier to the forum. A fellow applicant responded saying "April 15th" as the general deadline. I am still waiting on the letter too. I sent an email to an admission officer hoping to gain some clarity on the matter. I will share any news once the officer responds. 

[njenni]

Just now, Msw246 said:

I had the same question and I posed it earlier to the forum. A fellow applicant responded saying "April 15th" as the general deadline. I am still waiting on the letter too. I sent an email to an admission officer hoping to gain some clarity on the matter. I will share any news once the officer responds. 

Awesome, thank you!  Also, huge congrats on your acceptance! ?