Stay in LA (UCLA) or go to Boston (Boston College) HELP!

[thebigmswdecision]

I'm currently located in LA and was fortunate enough to be accepted to 4 of the 5 schools I applied to. I have narrowed my choices down to Boston College or UCLA. This final decision is absolutely killing me. I have "gone to the mountain top" so to speak, to reflect on what's best for me and sought the advice of tons of friends and family. However, I thought maybe current, former, or prospective MSW students might have some other tidbits to aid my decision.

So here's the deal: I've lived in LA for 3 years. I came out here to pursue a career outside of social work, but took some classes at UCLA and decided to make a career change. I'm originally from New England. I've been in a long-term relationship for 2 years with a SoCal native, but my entire family is back east. From the family/relationship standpoint... I feel pulled in two directions. Taking all of that out of the equation, I'm still having a tough time choosing between the two programs. I have visited UCLA many times and feel like I have a good grasp of what the program, faculty, and students are like. I've never visited Boston College (because of distance -- I'm going to see the school and meet the dean next week). The programs are comparably ranked. I know I want a clinical focus (which to my knowledge is one of BC's strong points). It would be easy for me to stay in LA and not have to upturn my life (or my relationship), but I really don't love the idea of working in Los Angeles. To be honest, I get really irritated any time I have to leave the westside of LA (yep, I'm one of THOSE LAers!). I know most of the placements/jobs/internships will not be in my desired locale. I see myself living somewhere in the northeast long-term.... but my gut instinct tells me UCLA is a better school.

I'm sure I'll have more clarity on my decision once I go to Boston and visit BC, but as an outsider observer with the given facts, does anyone have any advice?

[CK41885]

Hopefully, it isn't too late for some input from a current UCLA MSW student! Having just finished my first year at UCLA, I feel compelled to provide some honest information regarding the program to potential students; I certainly wish someone told me coming into the program. UCLA is currently going through a pretty massive overhaul of their MSW program and it has been showing in the drop in the quality of the faculty. Additionally, a significant amount of the courses are very superficial and it often feels like we are given assignments that are too elementary. I have a lot of worry that many of the students will leave the program ill-equipped for many of the monumental obstacles that are ahead. In the current state, I believe that the academic portion of the UCLA program provides minimal substance for those individuals who have had a very good psychology education or has spent time working in human services. However, the field placement portion is an extremely helpful learning experience and UCLA tries pretty hard to place you in a situation that WILL allow you to grow. Not everyone felt comfortable in their placement, but you don't grow much if you never step outside your comfort zone.

In terms of your specific situation, you should understand that if you do attend UCLA, you will most likely not be placed in the West Side. If that is a deal-breaker, that should make your decision easy. However, I feel like you are really limiting your potential for development as a clinician if you don't try some things outside of your comfort zone. It sounds like a bigger factor in your decision making process is the geographical location. First off, from what I have heard, I think that the California licensing standards for LCSW's is one of the strictest in the country. What that means is that if you go to Boston and decide to return to CA, you might have to take some additional measures to retain your license. I'm not sure exactly how it would go if you went from CA to Boston. In terms of your career goals, if you want to move to the Northeast, it would benefit you greatly to attend BC. You would have a head start in getting to learn about some of the agencies in the area, and you would be able to start building networks through your school, classmates, and placement.

Lastly, I'm sure the relationship is something that is weighing heavily on your mind. I think that is something that you need to consider carefully, and think about how it stacks up against the pros and cons of attending BC. I have tried to add some honest information about the state of the UCLA program and my view of the BC program. I think it will be up to you to ultimately decide how much the relationship means to you. Best of luck with the decision, and feel free to ask if you have any other questions about the UCLA.

[michigan girl]

You need to think long and hard where you want to live and work. Do you plan to stay in California or return to New England? Which population do you want to serve?

If your heart says Boston/Northeast, then you should go to Boston College. If you want to remain in CA for the next 5-10 years, I would recommend UCLA. If you must attend UCLA for financial and geographic reasons, try to get a field placement in the safer communities. Avoid east, north, and south LA at all costs! (I have friends who live in SoCal and recommend non-natives to stay out of those neighborhoods. Boston simply doesn't have major gang problems like LA does.)

Edited June 25, 2011 by michigan girl

[thebigmswdecision]

Hey guys -- JUST saw your responses now! I ended up going with BC. Thanks for the input - much appreciated!