MSW Canadian Applications Fall 2023

[saf09]

Hi Everyone! Firstly, congrats to those who got accepted into an MSW program this year. Wishing you the best of luck in your journey ahead. I received offers of admission from both Western and U of T-- I plan on attending U of T in the fall. I wanted to share my experience and some helpful tips in the application.

In terms of experience, I took a 2-year gap after I completed my undergrad in psychology. I spent a lot of time volunteering and working with various organizations, particularly those that serve newcomers. I helped lead wellness workshops for newcomer adults; supported leadership development programs for newcomer youth while working as a Youth Worker. I also spent an amazing year facilitating peer-support groups for young adults needing a place to talk about their mental health--a very reflective experience. Altogether, I probably had around 2000 hours of combined volunteer and work experience. I also had a publication and research experience. My GPA was about an A-.

With that being said, how you write these applications is more important than the experience. Some people have gotten in with only a year's worth of experience. Social Work committees really value the lived experiences and identities of applicants. I encourage you to incorporate that in the application. Don't be afraid of showing your personality, as well.  It's also important to speak about WHAT you have learned from your various volunteer/employment roles. What did these roles teach you? How can you link this to social work practice? I spent a lot of time reflecting on these questions. As an example, while speaking about providing peer support, I wrote in my application that this experience helped me to better understand the lack of choice racialized youth face over their mental health care while navigating the mental health system. 

I struggled a lot to answer these application questions, and it helps having a friend and or someone in the field to give some feedback. Please be kind to yourselves and DONT give up! I honestly did not expect to get admission into any school. Use this time to reflect on the experiences you currently have, and how you can tie this together during the next application cycle.

I hope this helps! I will try to answer any questions you might have.

 

Saf

Edited March 29, 2023 by saf09
typo

[saf09]

On 3/27/2023 at 4:05 PM, ManukaHoney said:

Hi all! Congrats on those who have been accepted, and to those who still did not get accepted, or are still waiting to hear back, don't lose hope!! Your worth is not defined by an acceptance or rejection. 

I am looking for some input as I am in a dilemna. 

 

I have been accepted to 3 programs and am trying to choose between them. I have spoken to alumni and made pros and cons list, but feel so stressed as I realy can't make a deicsion so ANY input is helpful!!!!

I have been accepted to the following programs:

1. Masters of science in pschotherapy @ Mcmaster.

2. Masters of Education in counselling and psychotherapy 2 UofT (OISE)

3. MSW (mental health stream) at UofT. 

 

what would you advise me to pursue? For context, my long term goal is to do therapy (private practice) but want to leave the door open to other oppertunities as I know from many therapists that burn out is real in this field. I know that an MSW allows you to do many things, other than therapy, but just wondering what your thoughts are. 

A masters of science really stands out to me as well, and I like Mac's program as it seems very clinical. Also during my interview @ mac, the staff seemed so friendly and it looks like a wonderful and supportive program. However, I am not sure if I can do a PHD after with an MSC ?

At this point, I am really not looking to do a PHD but again, just wanting to leave the door open. would love your input as I am drowning in my own thoughts/doubts about the best decision to make!

 

 

Hi, congrats on getting accepted to 3 programs! That's amazing!

My goal is to also provide counselling, and social-cultural support for newcomer youth and families. A social work degree gives you lots of flexibility in terms of careers to pursue. For example, you could work in a hospital setting, university/college, community-based organization, etc. Sky is really the limit. Psychotherapy is much narrower in scope, in my opinion. By that I mean, if you're goal is for sure providing psychotherapy, this is the career for you. But if you're looking to leave the doors of possibility open, social work is for you. 

Not sure if that helps!

I also received admission to the MSW program at U of T

 

 

Edited March 29, 2023 by saf09

[SearchForMeaning]

2 hours ago, saf09 said:

Hi Everyone! Firstly, congrats to those who got accepted into an MSW program this year. Wishing you the best of luck in your journey ahead. I received offers of admission from both Western and U of T-- I plan on attending U of T in the fall. I wanted to share my experience and some helpful tips in the application.

In terms of experience, I took a 2-year gap after I completed my undergrad in psychology. I spent a lot of time volunteering and working with various organizations, particularly those that serve newcomers. I helped lead wellness workshops for newcomer adults; supported leadership development programs for newcomer youth while working as a Youth Worker. I also spent an amazing year facilitating peer-support groups for young adults needing a place to talk about their mental health--a very reflective experience. Altogether, I probably had around 2000 hours of combined volunteer and work experience. I also had a publication and research experience. My GPA was about an A-.

With that being said, how you write these applications is more important than the experience. Some people have gotten in with only a year's worth of experience. Social Work committees really value the lived experiences and identities of applicants. I encourage you to incorporate that in the application. Don't be afraid of showing your personality, as well.  It's also important to speak about WHAT you have learned from your various volunteer/employment roles. What did these roles teach you? How can you link this to social work practice? I spent a lot of time reflecting on these questions. As an example, while speaking about providing peer support, I wrote in my application that this experience helped me to better understand the lack of choice racialized youth face over their mental health care while navigating the mental health system. 

I struggled a lot to answer these application questions, and it helps having a friend and or someone in the field to give some feedback. Please be kind to yourselves and DONT give up! I honestly did not expect to get admission into any school. Use this time to reflect on the experiences you currently have, and how you can tie this together during the next application cycle.

I hope this helps! I will try to answer any questions you might have.

 

Saf

I strongly agree with you, Saf. 

This has been my first year applying for an MSW, and I was also thankfully accepted at U of T.  On a certain level, I feel  humbled (yet weirdly audacious?) for applying and having been accepted, despite coming from a different educational background (undergrad in poli-sci + law degree) and practically zero social work-related experience... especially when I hear how much direct social work-related experience many people on this forum have.

I am positive that what got me in was not so much my resume or grades or professional work experiences by themselves, but how I was able to relate my past experiences to my present desire to practice social work, and the unique ways in which the "unique I"  would be useful to the profession....I think that being able to clearly articulate this will necessarily come from the personal experience and reflection that you do for your own personal career planning, moreso than being just something you say in an application to improve your chances of getting in....

Anywho, If the admissions committee relied solely on my grades + resume, I am 100% sure I would have been declined if only because nothing about me "on paper" has anything remotely to do with social work. 

I think that making a compelling case for why you want to be in social work, and how your experiences/skillset/insights would make you a valid contribution to the profession, is really what makes the difference in your application moreso than your experiences themselves.

[Liv987]

6 hours ago, mswgal3 said:

Hey! I was actually in a similar situation as you when I was first contemplating getting my BSW or just applying to the two year MSW program. This is just my opinion and people may not agree with me but I think in your case you should not get a BSW and, instead,  take a year off to gain more human services/ social work experience. Your marks are amazing, the only thing that has probably prevented you from getting into your MSW is your experience. I would say 4,000 hours and up is usually more competitive (combined human service i.e. camp counselling, mental health hotline; and combined direct social work i.e. counselling, working at a homeless shelter, etc.). If you don't have your BSW it's hard to get a direct social work job but certainly not impossible you could work full time at a homeless shelter or at a community centre and rack up those hours. 

My experience with my BSW was not the best. The BSW actually brought down my average and it was extremely stressful for me. And your BSW average will likely take precedence over what you have now. 96% average is insane and really hard to duplicate in the BSW. I was getting high 90s in my university courses but dropped to mid 80's in my BSW. Honestly, you seem like a super strong candidate. If i were you, I would apply to the CMHA support line for volunteering to get some hours and then work full time in a social work related job (cross cultural centre, community centre, homeless shelter, non for profit organization, swis worker, etc.). Once you accumulate those hours, I think you will be highly competitive. Not to mention, the BSW is two years which is a lot of time and commitment. You'll be busy completing school work and writing long essays (eek i hate long essays lol). 

The extra practicum hours won't matter if you take a year off and work full time (as you'll accumulate more hours than in your BSW). 

What i've heard is that the regular track and advanced standing MSWs are pretty even in terms of level of difficulty to get in. I know a number of friends who have been rejected to multiple schools post BSW.

The benefit of the BSW of course is that you can actually start practicing as a social worker and get direct social work experience. But because your marks are already so high I honestly believe you're a shoo in to get into your MSW once you increase your experience. So I would just focus on gaining those hours this year.

Sorry for the long reply, I hope this helps!

Thank you! My degree is in community social services with a diploma in social service work. I can definitely get direct social work experience with the degree I’m about to finish. I do have some direct experience (2 practicums, volunteering on a distress line and at a hospice) but I guess it’s not enough. It would’ve been nice to know how much the hours are a deal breaker before applying!

[Liv987]

3 hours ago, saf09 said:

Hi Everyone! Firstly, congrats to those who got accepted into an MSW program this year. Wishing you the best of luck in your journey ahead. I received offers of admission from both Western and U of T-- I plan on attending U of T in the fall. I wanted to share my experience and some helpful tips in the application.

In terms of experience, I took a 2-year gap after I completed my undergrad in psychology. I spent a lot of time volunteering and working with various organizations, particularly those that serve newcomers. I helped lead wellness workshops for newcomer adults; supported leadership development programs for newcomer youth while working as a Youth Worker. I also spent an amazing year facilitating peer-support groups for young adults needing a place to talk about their mental health--a very reflective experience. Altogether, I probably had around 2000 hours of combined volunteer and work experience. I also had a publication and research experience. My GPA was about an A-.

With that being said, how you write these applications is more important than the experience. Some people have gotten in with only a year's worth of experience. Social Work committees really value the lived experiences and identities of applicants. I encourage you to incorporate that in the application. Don't be afraid of showing your personality, as well.  It's also important to speak about WHAT you have learned from your various volunteer/employment roles. What did these roles teach you? How can you link this to social work practice? I spent a lot of time reflecting on these questions. As an example, while speaking about providing peer support, I wrote in my application that this experience helped me to better understand the lack of choice racialized youth face over their mental health care while navigating the mental health system. 

I struggled a lot to answer these application questions, and it helps having a friend and or someone in the field to give some feedback. Please be kind to yourselves and DONT give up! I honestly did not expect to get admission into any school. Use this time to reflect on the experiences you currently have, and how you can tie this together during the next application cycle.

I hope this helps! I will try to answer any questions you might have.

 

Saf

Congrats on your success! I was waitlisted for both programs, I was wondering, what is the deadline to accept your offers? I am wondering when I can expect some movement on the waitlist 

[saf09]

27 minutes ago, Liv987 said:

Congrats on your success! I was waitlisted for both programs, I was wondering, what is the deadline to accept your offers? I am wondering when I can expect some movement on the waitlist 

The deadline to accept the offer with U of T is within 4 weeks. For Western, it’s within 1 week.

 

Saf

[ManukaHoney]

I will most likely be declining UofT's MSW-2 year program as I will be accepting MEd OISE's counselling program. So for those of you on the waitlist, there is hope  

[justoneofthem]

Do people know anything about scholarships at UofT? Do people receive scholarships as they are being offered an admission?

[Liv987]

For those who have been accepted to Western or UofT (regular track), if you’re comfortable sharing, what number of hours did you apply with?

[DD2021]

3 hours ago, justoneofthem said:

Do people know anything about scholarships at UofT? Do people receive scholarships as they are being offered an admission?

Current uoft student! They do not offer scholarships at admission. However based on your marks, you may receive an award in September (between 1-4k). We also have an internal awards application in October where you can receive scholarships, but those are granted in February of the academic year. 

[justoneofthem]

2 hours ago, Liv987 said:

For those who have been accepted to Western or UofT (regular track), if you’re comfortable sharing, what number of hours did you apply with?

I've been working as an allied health (therapy) since 2019 in various medical settinfs, and also have been working full time as a healthcare researcher in a big hospital for about a year. I think....4500 hours? I'm not sure if hours matter though. I mainly spoke about how my personal experiences motivated me to pursue social work studies, and how my professional experiences prepared me for the program + the field of social work.. 

[Liv987]

50 minutes ago, justoneofthem said:

I've been working as an allied health (therapy) since 2019 in various medical settinfs, and also have been working full time as a healthcare researcher in a big hospital for about a year. I think....4500 hours? I'm not sure if hours matter though. I mainly spoke about how my personal experiences motivated me to pursue social work studies, and how my professional experiences prepared me for the program + the field of social work.. 

Thank you! I did the same for my personal statement, I’m thinking my hours was my weak point for sure.

[justoneofthem]

4 minutes ago, Liv987 said:

Thank you! I did the same for my personal statement, I’m thinking my hours was my weak point for sure.

No worries at all! Ahh, I see. I'm sorry that you were waitlisted. Don't lose hope though; it seems like people certainly get accepted in from the waitlist!! (Unless you are headed elsewhere this year). 

Edited March 30, 2023 by justoneofthem

[Liv987]

1 hour ago, justoneofthem said:

No worries at all! Ahh, I see. I'm sorry that you were waitlisted. Don't lose hope though; it seems like people certainly get accepted in from the waitlist!! (Unless you are headed elsewhere this year). 

Thank you:) still waiting to hear from two more schools so we will see!

[Pertino29]

Has anyone who got waitlisted to UofT's Advance Standing gotten off the waitlist yet? Just wondering, I know my chances are pretty slim but I'm still holding on to hope lol. 

[sleepdeprived101]

7 hours ago, Liv987 said:

For those who have been accepted to Western or UofT (regular track), if you’re comfortable sharing, what number of hours did you apply with?

Hey, I got into Western! I don’t know about UofT, but hours of experience definitely matter for Western. I had over 4500 hours of social work and human services experience. Here is the breakdown for how admissions “grades” your application at Western:

•    Western gives you a score out of 100 for solely your academics 
•    A score out of a 100 for non-academic points which is comprised of both your resume/human services experience (worth 40 points) as well as how well you answered your supplemental questions (worth 60 points).

Grades are weighed the most heavily at Western, but experience is very important too and of course how well you answer the supplemental questions. I feel like you’re a very well rounded candidate! All that’s left is to try to increase those hours! I wish you the best of luck 🙂

 

[itswingless]

Hi all!

Has any domestic student heard from UBC-O's advanced standing? They emailed me saying decisions were coming out mid-March to end of April. I applied in January and was hoping that would mean I would get a reply sooner...

I did have trouble with the CWL portal where they hadn't processed my application until I reached out telling them I received no notifications. I have a tiny fear that my application might have gotten lost 😬 Right now, my file says "submitted". If anybody else applied, can y'all let me know what the status on your file is?

Good luck to you all!!

[Pertino29]

Received my notice that I was waitlisted at York 😬

[Liv987]

On 3/29/2023 at 10:32 AM, mswgal3 said:

Hey! I was actually in a similar situation as you when I was first contemplating getting my BSW or just applying to the two year MSW program. This is just my opinion and people may not agree with me but I think in your case you should not get a BSW and, instead,  take a year off to gain more human services/ social work experience. Your marks are amazing, the only thing that has probably prevented you from getting into your MSW is your experience. I would say 4,000 hours and up is usually more competitive (combined human service i.e. camp counselling, mental health hotline; and combined direct social work i.e. counselling, working at a homeless shelter, etc.). If you don't have your BSW it's hard to get a direct social work job but certainly not impossible you could work full time at a homeless shelter or at a community centre and rack up those hours. 

My experience with my BSW was not the best. The BSW actually brought down my average and it was extremely stressful for me. And your BSW average will likely take precedence over what you have now. 96% average is insane and really hard to duplicate in the BSW. I was getting high 90s in my university courses but dropped to mid 80's in my BSW. Honestly, you seem like a super strong candidate. If i were you, I would apply to the CMHA support line for volunteering to get some hours and then work full time in a social work related job (cross cultural centre, community centre, homeless shelter, non for profit organization, swis worker, etc.). Once you accumulate those hours, I think you will be highly competitive. Not to mention, the BSW is two years which is a lot of time and commitment. You'll be busy completing school work and writing long essays (eek i hate long essays lol). 

The extra practicum hours won't matter if you take a year off and work full time (as you'll accumulate more hours than in your BSW). 

What i've heard is that the regular track and advanced standing MSWs are pretty even in terms of level of difficulty to get in. I know a number of friends who have been rejected to multiple schools post BSW.

The benefit of the BSW of course is that you can actually start practicing as a social worker and get direct social work experience. But because your marks are already so high I honestly believe you're a shoo in to get into your MSW once you increase your experience. So I would just focus on gaining those hours this year.

Sorry for the long reply, I hope this helps!

 

11 minutes ago, Pertino29 said:

Received my notice that I was waitlisted at York 😬

Was this for advanced standing or regular track?

Edited March 31, 2023 by Liv987

[Pertino29]

24 minutes ago, Liv987 said:

 

Was this for advanced standing or regular track?

Advanced standing

[ShaDiMSW2022]

In search of advice: 

I got wait-listed to U of T for the second year in a row. This year I put everything I had into that application. My GPA is 4.0, my two academic references were amazing, I got a lot of people, including a paid professional, took a look at my application, and.. I was... pretty confident. My employment reference.. well.. the person who wrote it thinks that she wrote an incredibly strong reference, but my work is so weird, and I wasn't even able to read it. 

I've been working at a homeless shelter since April. My experience only really adds up to 2000 hours, which doesn't seem like a lot comparatively.

I'm just... not really sure what else to do. Maybe I should just abandon U of T and apply more elsewhere.

IDK what I can really do to make my application any better. 

[Liv987]

10 minutes ago, ShaDiMSW2022 said:

In search of advice: 

I got wait-listed to U of T for the second year in a row. This year I put everything I had into that application. My GPA is 4.0, my two academic references were amazing, I got a lot of people, including a paid professional, took a look at my application, and.. I was... pretty confident. My employment reference.. well.. the person who wrote it thinks that she wrote an incredibly strong reference, but my work is so weird, and I wasn't even able to read it. 

I've been working at a homeless shelter since April. My experience only really adds up to 2000 hours, which doesn't seem like a lot comparatively.

I'm just... not really sure what else to do. Maybe I should just abandon U of T and apply more elsewhere.

IDK what I can really do to make my application any better. 

Don’t give up completely on UofT yet, there’s still hope. The hours do seem to matter more than anything else, I would definitely try again next year, and apply to as many other schools as you’re able to as well. It sounds like you’re in a very similar position as me (high GPA, great references & personal statement) so idk if it’s helpful at all but I do get it.

[Sunlit21]

3 hours ago, ShaDiMSW2022 said:

In search of advice: 

I got wait-listed to U of T for the second year in a row. This year I put everything I had into that application. My GPA is 4.0, my two academic references were amazing, I got a lot of people, including a paid professional, took a look at my application, and.. I was... pretty confident. My employment reference.. well.. the person who wrote it thinks that she wrote an incredibly strong reference, but my work is so weird, and I wasn't even able to read it. 

I've been working at a homeless shelter since April. My experience only really adds up to 2000 hours, which doesn't seem like a lot comparatively.

I'm just... not really sure what else to do. Maybe I should just abandon U of T and apply more elsewhere.

IDK what I can really do to make my application any better. 

I was waitlisted as well, with very similar experience and references. I was really hoping to get into U of T, it was my number one choice by far. But I did get into Windsor, and while it isn't the most ideal since I'll have to move to a new city and leave my job, I'm grateful to have gotten in somewhere.

I think U of T is one of the hardest MSW programs to get into, especially for the 2 year. Depending on your priorities, it could be worth it to apply to less competitive schools, it sounds like your application is really strong!

Either way, there is still some hope for the time being🤞 Rooting for all of us on the waitlist!

[Kristine]

5 hours ago, Pertino29 said:

Received my notice that I was waitlisted at York 😬

Hi, I got rejected from York, so it could be worse. I hope you can get in!

[Pertino29]

15 hours ago, Kristine said:

Hi, I got rejected from York, so it could be worse. I hope you can get in!

Aw, I'm sorry. It sucks all around. Hopefully you get in somewhere soon!