Canadian Universities MSW. The waiting game 2012 admissions

[Nala851]

How is everyone holding up? While I usually welcome long weekends, during this particular time...not so much lol. It would be nice to hear from Laurier anyday now lol. I know that Easter Monday in some regards is not considered a holiday. I heard that the banks were open, but no postal service!! Regarding the social work profession, it is important to reminds ourselves of the importance of self-care....particularly at this time. Remember that your self-worth is not tied to the outcome of your application. It is not uncommon for applicants to not get in on the first try. That being said, I do hope for favourable results for the posters on this forum.

[stephanie.ms.antunes]

Waitlisted at University of Toronto! Pretty bummed today....Really scared I won't be going anywhere for my MSW this year...

[ladybug3]

Waitlisted at University of Toronto! Pretty bummed today....Really scared I won't be going anywhere for my MSW this year...

Being waitlisted is an amazing accomplishment. Think about it - there's only room for about 20% of applicants and roughly another 10% [at UofT] are waitlisted. You made the top 30% of candidates this year. The waitlist does move [how much is debatable] but even if you don't get in off the waitlst, isn't is a pretty large accomplishment just to be on it?

[Thumper86]

I'm still waiting for Laurier and UofC! I'm so nervous about Laurier, it seems like everyone has heard from them except me

[Track_22]

Being waitlisted is an amazing accomplishment. Think about it - there's only room for about 20% of applicants and roughly another 10% [at UofT] are waitlisted. You made the top 30% of candidates this year. The waitlist does move [how much is debatable] but even if you don't get in off the waitlst, isn't is a pretty large accomplishment just to be on it?

I agree, although you have to wait longer, at least you have some hope! Good luck!

[heneyka]

I agree, although you have to wait longer, at least you have some hope! Good luck!

Ditto to all of this. It is a huge accomplishment and we're sending super positive vibes your way!

[Laurie S.]

How is everyone holding up? While I usually welcome long weekends, during this particular time...not so much lol. It would be nice to hear from Laurier anyday now lol. I know that Easter Monday in some regards is not considered a holiday. I heard that the banks were open, but no postal service!! Regarding the social work profession, it is important to reminds ourselves of the importance of self-care....particularly at this time. Remember that your self-worth is not tied to the outcome of your application. It is not uncommon for applicants to not get in on the first try. That being said, I do hope for favourable results for the posters on this forum.

Thanks, Nala, for reminding us of this! I've applied to the 2-year program but I also applied for a BSW program as back up. I feel very confident that I'll get accepted into that one, so at least I'll still be on the path even if it will take a wee bit longer. I know I'll feel disappointed if I don't get accepted into the 2-year MSW but I also realize that I could still be a top contender and not necessarily make it into the top 20. We should all be proud of ourselves for having made it this far. We've got a BA, we've got at least a B+ average in our studies, and we've got experience. The field of social work awaits us, just may take a little more time than we hope And, heck, I'm 46 already, so what's an extra year or two?

Edited April 11, 2012 by Laurie S.

[V123]

Hi All,

I have been reading your posts and just thought I'd add my own experience. I applied to the UofT MSW last year, got wait-listed and did not hear from them again. I applied again this year and got an admission offer a few days ago in the mail (they sent it out on March 30th and request replies within four weeks of this date). An acquaintance of mine also had the same experience of making it in the second time around.

So, to whoever got wait listed - it definitely means that your marks are good enough, but potentially that your resume/experience could be improved to be more competitive. There is also a big luck factor - of who you are competing against each year. Don't lose hope and if you were wait listed this year I encourage you to spend this year strengthening your experiences and to reapply next year, especially if you feel like this is the best program for you.

I was wondering - does anyone know specific numbers (or where to access them) of how many applications they get and how many get offers of admission? or alternatively where to access this sort of information.

thanks and good luck to everyone!

[MSW13]

I just wanted to say that going back to school at age 46 is a great accomplishment in itself! Congratulations on taking on such a challenging task. I've been working as a registered Social Worker for well over a decade and have worked along side many new and seasoned professionals. The passion you and your fellow applicants are expressing about Social Work is fantastic! I hope you all get a chance to practice in this field. Good luck and positive vibes!

Thanks, Nala, for reminding us of this! I've applied to the 2-year program but I also applied for a BSW program as back up. I feel very confident that I'll get accepted into that one, so at least I'll still be on the path even if it will take a wee bit longer. I know I'll feel disappointed if I don't get accepted into the 2-year MSW but I also realize that I could still be a top contender and not necessarily make it into the top 20. We should all be proud of ourselves for having made it this far. We've got a BA, we've got at least a B+ average in our studies, and we've got experience. The field of social work awaits us, just may take a little more time than we hope And, heck, I'm 46 already, so what's an extra year or two?

[Laurie S.]

I just wanted to say that going back to school at age 46 is a great accomplishment in itself! Congratulations on taking on such a challenging task. I've been working as a registered Social Worker for well over a decade and have worked along side many new and seasoned professionals. The passion you and your fellow applicants are expressing about Social Work is fantastic! I hope you all get a chance to practice in this field. Good luck and positive vibes!

Well, I'm a bit of a professional student at this point. Started my BA when I was 19, completed it when I was 40 (single-parenthood intervened). Even after I graduated with my BA, I kept taking courses with the intent of getting a 2nd BA. Now, this year, I'm upgrading my 3-year BA to a 4-year honours degree. I figure it's time to leave undergraduate studies behind now ... lol. But, as mentioned, if I don't get into the 2 year MSW program, I'll be an undergrad for another 2 years to get my BSW. Figure that will up my chances of getting into grad school.

This waiting is killing me.

[Laurie S.]

Hi All,

I have been reading your posts and just thought I'd add my own experience. I applied to the UofT MSW last year, got wait-listed and did not hear from them again. I applied again this year and got an admission offer a few days ago in the mail (they sent it out on March 30th and request replies within four weeks of this date). An acquaintance of mine also had the same experience of making it in the second time around.

So, to whoever got wait listed - it definitely means that your marks are good enough, but potentially that your resume/experience could be improved to be more competitive. There is also a big luck factor - of who you are competing against each year. Don't lose hope and if you were wait listed this year I encourage you to spend this year strengthening your experiences and to reapply next year, especially if you feel like this is the best program for you.

I was wondering - does anyone know specific numbers (or where to access them) of how many applications they get and how many get offers of admission? or alternatively where to access this sort of information.

thanks and good luck to everyone!

I've tried, unsuccessfully, to find specific details about number of applications and number of admitted students. I've heard that York U gets about 400-500 applications for the 2-year MSW program and accepts about 20. And for U of T and York advanced standing MSW, I've heard they accept about 50-60 students each year. This is all "through the grapevine." The schools don't seem to post this information on their websites.

[ladybug3]

I applied to the UofT MSW last year, got wait-listed and did not hear from them again. I applied again this year and got an admission offer a few days ago in the mail (they sent it out on March 30th and request replies within four weeks of this date).

This is exactly my story as well.

From the information sessions, I know UofT gets about 600 to 700 applicants for the two year program and typically accepts 125 students. On the results board, someone said their waitlist letter stated that 140 students were accepted this year due to increased applicants. Laurier's two year program gets about 400 to 500 applicants and accepts 90. Through research I found that Windsor/York/Carleton each accept about 25 students for their two year program and get from 100 to 200 applicants.

[Taphlondapadon]

Hi guys, I was offered admission to U of T's two-year program (still waiting on York). Such a relief since I was flat out rejected last year. I'm a bit surprised as my GPA is quite sub-par.

I also encourage you guys not to lose hope even if you're rejected, as I was, apply next year. If social work is what you want to do keep persevering and don't give up. I agree with V123 that "luck" and/or the "fit" factor play a large role in acceptances. However, I think applying again will work in your favour if you've improved on your application.

Keep your heads up guys, I really hope everyone gets accepted somewhere, we've all worked hard.

[stephanie.ms.antunes]

Being waitlisted is an amazing accomplishment. Think about it - there's only room for about 20% of applicants and roughly another 10% [at UofT] are waitlisted. You made the top 30% of candidates this year. The waitlist does move [how much is debatable] but even if you don't get in off the waitlst, isn't is a pretty large accomplishment just to be on it?

That is very true! You are absolutely right! Everyone kept reacting to it so negatively, so thank you for showing me the positive side of things!

[stephanie.ms.antunes]

Also, thank you to everyone for your positive encouragement! I love the amazing support from being on Gradcafe (which is probably why I am on here so much) Good luck to you all!

Edited April 11, 2012 by stephanie.ms.antunes

[stephanie.ms.antunes]

PSS: Congratulations to all those who have been accepted! Especially those who are applying their second time around

[Laurie S.]

PSS: Congratulations to all those who have been accepted! Especially those who are applying their second time around

Yes, congrats to everyone for being accepted and/or making it this far. The important thing is to have some great social workers out there helping to make the world a better place for us all

Edited April 11, 2012 by Laurie S.

[Track_22]

Received an email from Windsor yesterday telling me I was accepted to the 2 Year MSW program. Hopefully everyone else hears good news in the future!

[Thumper86]

Still nothing from Laurier Why must they torture me? lol

[Nala851]

Received an email from Windsor yesterday telling me I was accepted to the 2 Year MSW program. Hopefully everyone else hears good news in the future!

Congrats Track_22! It must be such a relief to know that you have a definite option for September. I have heard of great reviews of Windsor's social work program.

Still nothing from Laurier Why must they torture me? lol

I hear you Thumper86, I have not heard anything from Laurier either. Fingers crossed that you get in

[heneyka]

Hi everybody,

I thought I would change the pace a tiny bit and talk about the profession itself and some of the anxieties around making a choice to pursue a career in social work. If you are insanely stressed about acceptances and don't feel like getting into this kind of discussion, please skip! I don't want anybody to be put off by it!

I was just trolling some online stuff last night about the pros and cons of the social work profession. I’ve definitely heard about the stereotypical (but still legitimate, I assume) cons: Quick burnout, mediocre pay, and an overall high level of stress without enough ‘compensation,’ whether emotional, financial, etc. When I realized a year ago that social work was the profession I absolutely wanted to pursue, I softened a lot of these cons in my mind to focus on the positive aspects that I perceived to be a part of this profession : helping others and contributing to social change, challenging myself emotionally and intellectually, having an actual profession (I have been somewhat jealous of my nursing colleagues and am attracted to that kind of professional designation), and holding a job that will enrich my life rather than just take up 8 hours a day of it.

With that being said, I had a little moment last night after my trolling session. Many of the forums and ‘ask’-type places I stumbled upon were full of social workers practically BEGGING to get out of the profession, and offering up warnings to those who wanted to pursue that work. What if I go to school for 2 years and end up hating this career? Do I really want to give up my current job where I make a fantastic salary for the potential to make $17 an hour working in much more emotionally and possibly physically difficult situations? At the same time, I realize that an MSW opens up many doors, including jobs that allow for client contact but perhaps at a less ‘drudging’ level, and the potential to make a very reasonable salary (I’ve never felt a need to make 6-figures and I see 45-65k a year as truly great living wage). I also feel like I am a fairly resilient person and could manage a lot of the stress. But I still have some fears about burnout, feeling overwhelmed, compassion fatigue, not being appreciated/respected. I still like to feel like I am ACHIEVING.

Has anybody else had these fears or thoughts? How have you managed or dealt with them? I know that part of our training through the MSW is around preventing burnout and self-care, but I fear that no amount of self-care can heal someone if they feel disengaged or incredibly exhausted at their job.

Sorry all, just freaking out a tiny bit! I still intend to get my MSW and am waiting anxiously for more news, but I wanted to get these thoughts out and see if folks had thoughts to contribute. Thanks!

[stephanie.ms.antunes]

Sorry to go a bit off topic, but has anyone heard from York recently? Or has anyone else still not heard a thing from them?

[lb01]

Have not heard anything from York yet either.

[lb01]

You can always call and see where they are at. I did this a couple of weeks ago and they said they were still in the process of going over applications....

[praying4MSW]

New to this forum, but I thought I'd share this information. I called York today and was informed that they'll be finished by the END of April

guess the wait continues.