Any info on the University of Denver's MSW Program?

[Sassafrass2]

Between all the forums and sites (that I seem to obsessively check now)... I see VERY little to no information on the University of Denver's MSW program.

This program was definitely my top pick - based on faculty expertise and my professional goals; however, the ginormous price tag is daunting to say the least!

I've been accepted to higher ranked programs, but I just don't feel the same amount of excitement I do with Denver's (although they all work out to be about 1/2 the price).

Can anyone provide any insight, advice, or recommendations for DU's program?

I need to decide in the coming 2 weeks if the hefty amount of dept (even with being given one of the larger merit scholarships) is really .... REALLY worth it?!

TIA.

[AZmsw]

Between all the forums and sites (that I seem to obsessively check now)... I see VERY little to no information on the University of Denver's MSW program.

This program was definitely my top pick - based on faculty expertise and my professional goals; however, the ginormous price tag is daunting to say the least!

I've been accepted to higher ranked programs, but I just don't feel the same amount of excitement I do with Denver's (although they all work out to be about 1/2 the price).

Can anyone provide any insight, advice, or recommendations for DU's program?

I need to decide in the coming 2 weeks if the hefty amount of dept (even with being given one of the larger merit scholarships) is really .... REALLY worth it?!

TIA.

I have similar feelings about DU. I got in and was awarded a $28,000 merit scholarship (14 per year), but that leaves about 26 grand a year just for tuition. I'll probably end up going to U of Washington myself.

As to the insight or advice you're looking for, I suppose it would depend on what exactly your professional goals are and how precisely the faculty's interests align with your own. I know that DU has one of the very few programs in animal-assisted therapy, so if you're dead set on something like that and can live with the debt it might be worth it. I personally applied to DU because they have a number of options for international social work, including international field placements. However I couldn't really justify the price tag when I can find a way to get international social work experience in other programs that aren't nearly as expensive. If there are cheaper options that would prepare you well enough to pursue your professional interests I would advise against taking on that much debt. Given the average salary in the field, taking out $50,000+ in loans isn't the most advisable course of action.

Denver is a very good school with expertise in some very unique areas in social work. If you really can't get what you need academically anywhere else and you can make ends meet, go for it. At least you'll be doing what you really love while you pay it off.

[Sassafrass2]

My sentiments exactly!

I was really only gunning for DU's program b/c of the Animal-assisted therapy portion - which is pretty unique to Denver; however, I too am pretty sure I'll be accepting somewhere else (most likely VCU) just because of the cost issue. Denver offers a very similar certificate program in the Animal-assisted therapy online for less than $3,000. I'm thinking about going to a higher ranked but much cheaper program - and then doing their certificate program online afterwards. It doesn't appear to be TOO much differen than what they offer their students in the MSW program - except they obviosly aren't going to require a practicum site in animal therapy (or monitor any practicum actually). But $3,000 for similar instruction and getting the same contact with professors, sure beats coming out from their program broke.

Well... if we both decide to decline their offer... it just means that maybe they'll offer up our merit scholarships to someone who's dieing to go there. And so it goes...

[Lola1233]

I am very interested in U of Denver as well. But costs are prohibitive. I looked on their website and it says that 90% of students recv merit aid and they have full tuition waivers. I'm curious to how common this is though. Has anyone received full or nearly full tuition waiver scholarships? I wouldnt be able to attend unless the tuition costs are down to 10k a year.

[ohgoodness]

This is completely out of context but I just received an invitation to apply to their international studies Ph.D.. They "selected" me since my TOEFL score was good enough and they want international students. The e-mail contained the exact same info about funding as you have listed but it seemed very hard to get a full funding. It sure feels like a way to get more money rather than be an attractive school. I have no interest in going there but they do seem very keen on making money from their students rather than anything else.

Just a note of info

[Lola1233]

That's helpful, thank you Cherb. For me, I'm hoping that I'm an attractive enough candidate that schools will be willing to give me a nearly free ride in order to have me be apart of the program. Im just trying to get a feel for which programs are more liberal with that idea, and which ones see their program as a cash cow. I guess the two aren't mutually exclusive.

[paige_elizabeth10]

Hello,

For those who were accepted to DU, how soon did you find out after submitting your application? Just curious since they do

admissions on a rolling basis.

[dawn321]

I applied to DU on Nov 15th...still anxiously waiting.  When I spoke to admissions he said they were going through hundreds and I would know in the New Year.I have not applied anywhere else so I am waiting patiently 

[frompassiontopaper]

These posts make me wonder even more what is required to be accepted to D.U. I applied with a 3.98 GPA and in 2 honor socieities, with flawless references and they rejected my application. I got accepted to Columbia University as well as Fordham, Boston, and Syracuse Universities, but not Denver (which was my first choice)...

[Balatro]

Regarding the costs associated with Denver, it's a private school so this is sort of moot, but attending college in Colorado, even as a resident at a public school, it's become so expensive that many opt to leave the state for college if they can't secure grants for UG and G. Most of your G programs will inform you (during orientation) that if you MUST secure Colorado residency within X-months (generally they give you 14 months). Colorado is very well known as one of the most expensive places to attend college, even public schools, so many HS graduates head to colleges in Iowa, Illinois, among others.

 

I can share from personal experience that it was cheaper for me to attend college in Iowa as a non-resident than it was to attend college in Colorado as a resident, once financial aid was factored in. For many of the people I met in Iowa who were also from Colorado, this was a common theme as to why we left Colorado for college.