Applications for Fall 2013!

[Inspired V]

Maybe it's a little early for this, but I've been lurking for ages and thought it might finally be time to have a place to discuss the upcoming application season. I know I've been busy doing research on schools, sifting through CVs of professors, comparing course listings and field work opportunities, and still having a hard time solidifying my list of schools to apply to.

Because of my personal schedule (moving from Africa back to America at the end of September) I'm hoping to get on application stuff as soon as it "opens" in August or September.

For any other early birds out there... let's talk!

I'm currently considering applying to:

• University of Chicago
  
• Universify of North Carolina
  
• University of Texas
  
• Washington University in St. Louis
  
• Boston University
  
• University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
  

I've been narrowing my list (and hope to get it to 5 or less) based on the apparent "fit" of the programs to my research interests and professional goals. I'm interested in international and cross-cultural issues, most specifically with refugees/asylum seekers, as well as issues surrounding violence, trauma, emergency situations, and community development.

I'd love to hear where other people are thinking of applying, and why!

[LeavingLV]

I am personally applying to the following:

UNLV

SDSU

Cal State Northridge

Cal State LA

Cal State East Bay

ASU

Portland State

My first choice is the joint MSW/MPH program at SDSU although I hear it is hard to get into. I would like to focus on substance abuse and co-occuring disorders or substance abuse related to legal issues. The schools I picked fit into our demographic (we can't move too far due to child custody issues) and price range. I would like to apply to CSULB as well but I won't graduate until summer session 1 and they seemed to have an issue with that.

[citychild]

LeavingLV -- I go to ASU currently and while not a MSW, I can usually answer general questions about the climate of the campus, etc. Don't know if that helps?

I'm an early bird too. I visited UCLA and USC, so I like both those programs and may apply to USC. I'm undecided whether I will take the GRE but I have to get on that decision soon.

Some of the schools I plan to apply to are (but am still deciding):

-- UIC

-- UMaryland Baltimore

-- WUSTL

-- U Chicago

-- Penn

[LeavingLV]

citychild- I had a girlfriend that went to ASU for nursing and she seemed to like it. Although she was single at the time and into the party scene. Honestly, I am looking for a good program that is a good fit for my interests. I would love to make some new friends as well. I haven't made many friends in undergrad. I am married with two kids and have a full-time job so I am not the average undergrad student.

I don't know that I really want to live in Phoenix but I hear ASU is a good school so I added it to my list of possibilities. I was born in Las Vegas and I am tired of the heat! How do you think Phoenix compares to Las Vegas?

Also, I would love to apply to UW Seattle but that maybe pushing the distance for our family.

[citychild]

LeavingLV -- Honestly, I don't head up to Las Vegas often. While I don't have kids, I can relate to not being the average student. I am coming with my own family too (just a bit different). Kids absolutely puts a different spin on things.

Phoenix is hot, but I am sure you are familiar with heat. Driving is nearly mandatory unless you live along the light rail (ASU Downtown is right off the rail). The summers here on campus are not terribly fun. No local coffee options within a walking radius and food is limited since the cafe downstairs has limited hours and options during the summer. The Downtown campus is unique and entirely different than Tempe. Parking is also complicated Downtown. It can get expensive, we have one $5 lot nearby but otherwise it is meters, hourly garages or parking a distance away which isn't fun in the summer. I like the experiences I have been given here but administrative staff is often overworked but I know MSWs get priority when field placements are needed.

Will you be able to transfer with work? It can be hard to find a job here. I can also say the political climate leaves a lot to be desired and while I don't want to start a huge conversation about that, it can dominate much of Arizona at times.

Depending on your family and the ages of your kids and your willingness to commute, ASU may be a good fit for you.

[Inspired V]

Sounds like some good choices out there. It's great how much personal situations factor in to what are ideal schools. Sometimes I wish I had a reason to be in a certain part of the country, because it would make it easier to narrow down my choices! I am grateful, however, that I'm free to apply to all of the schools that meet my interests and desires.

I'm still trying to narrow down potential schools so I don't have to apply to more than 5 -- applications mean a lot of money, time, and work for recommendors. One thing I've found somewhat insightful is to consider my options and focus on questions comparing my likelihood to choose a school if I was offered multiple acceptances. There's still more information I'm hoping to gather about them by communicating with professors and possibly current students, but I have a feeling that for me a lot of it's going to come down to "how likely am I to attend if offered admission".

[LeavingLV]

citychild- I am hoping that I won't have to work full-time while I am in school. Right now I work as a paralegal and do RMH services for a behavioral health care company part-time. While in grad school, I want to focus on school and get the "experience" that I didn't get in undergrad if that makes sense.

My husband is recently graduated with his accounting degree and has several years experience as an accountant at a fuel company, so I am hoping he can find a decent job wherever we decide to move.

I will be taking the GRE in October because SDSU requires it. San Diego is my dream location, but I am trying to keep an open mind so I don't end up disappointed!

Inspired V- I am envious that you can choose anywhere you would like to go! I agree, there were a few other school I was considering but like you, I don't want to spend too much time and money so I tried to narrow it down.

Edited July 19, 2012 by LeavingLV

[Emily Detert]

Hey, I wsa wondering if there are any programs that start in December? I am looking into going to graduate school much sooner than antcipated...

[Emily Detert]

And InspiredV, I would def recommend WashU STL. I'm from STL and applied and got accepted into the program, I just deferred because I was offered a job and the thought of paying off undergrad sounded nice. The profs there are excellent and they have excellent resources for MSW students... plus look at its ranking! The campus is beautiful, and Forest Park is lovely.

[citychild]

I only know BCs Macro program starts in January for advanced standing.

[LeavingLV]

Doesn't ASU have a spring start program?

[roxyshoe]

Hi all, I applied for the 2012 season, and you can see all the schools I applied to in my sig! I am happy to help if anyone has questions about a particular school's application process/why I decided to apply there. (As a side note, I will be studying mental health counseling, micro-level)

[SammR]

When is everyone applying? I know deadlines aren't until at least January (for NYU atleast) but I want to apply as early as possible. I'm still in undergrad, I will graduate May 2013 (hopefully!!) so I'm not sure how much they care about a year of in progress transcript, anyone know?

I'm applying to Fordham and NYU.

Thanks!

[LeavingLV]

SammR- I am sort of in the same position as you. I will hopefully graduate in June 2013. I am going to wait until I get my grades from fall semester to apply. Our semester is over December 8th, so I was thinking of sending mine in between the 10th and the 15th. That way I have more UD classes on my transcript for them to review.

[roxyshoe]

Honestly, I recommend that you all not worry about having transcripts for this year in before applying. It is more important to send in your app early, and then once your fall transcripts are ready, send them in! (It is very doubtful they will make a decision any time before January, no matter when you apply. But applying early gives you such a better chance).

My recommendation is to get apps in by December 1st, but mid-November is best since lots of people will be turning them in around dec. 1t. Also, trust me, it's nice to get them finished and out of the way!! They are a lot more time consuming than I had thought =[

[LaurenM22]

Hi all, I applied for the 2012 season, and you can see all the schools I applied to in my sig! I am happy to help if anyone has questions about a particular school's application process/why I decided to apply there. (As a side note, I will be studying mental health counseling, micro-level)

Hey there, I had a quick question for you. I'm currently a psych major, and until recently was thinking about applying to mostly psych programs. For complicated reasons I have decided that I want to look at masters level programs, and apply to some MSW's as well. Did you find that UMich has good clinical opportunities? What ultimately made you decide to attend there? Any info is appreciated!

[stevenm2012]

roxyshoe,

I am a Senior at Vanderbilt, majoring in Psychology and am looking to study exactly what you are(mental health, micro). I was wondering if you could say what you are interested in doing after your graduate work(what kind of job) and also if you know of any other MSW programs that have very strong mental health programs that you did not apply to.

Last(sorry, a lot of questions) did you ever consider looking into any PsyD programs or Master's programs in Clinical or Counseling Psychology? Currently, I am having a hard time deciding what degree to pursue(I want to have a private practice at some point).

Thanks!

[LaurenM22]

roxyshoe,

I am a Senior at Vanderbilt, majoring in Psychology and am looking to study exactly what you are(mental health, micro). I was wondering if you could say what you are interested in doing after your graduate work(what kind of job) and also if you know of any other MSW programs that have very strong mental health programs that you did not apply to.

Last(sorry, a lot of questions) did you ever consider looking into any PsyD programs or Master's programs in Clinical or Counseling Psychology? Currently, I am having a hard time deciding what degree to pursue(I want to have a private practice at some point).

Thanks!

I would love to hear the answers to this as well!

[Inspired V]

It's mid-September! Due to some unexpected life changes I've fallen a bit behind my planned schedule of application preparations, but I'm making progress on narrowing my list of schools and getting my transcripts and LOR in order, so I don't feel too bad.

How are you guys doing with your application preparations?

It's exciting to get started on all of this, but I can already tell that March can't come fast enough! I'm anxious to know where I'll be headed next year!

[sun519shine]

Application process is underway, I just took the GRE today, two schools I'm applying to need it. Now I'm focusing on resume and personal statement. Question: how far in advance is everyone asking for their letters of recommendation? And how many schools is everyone applying too?

[MSDubbs]

Application process is underway, I just took the GRE today, two schools I'm applying to need it. Now I'm focusing on resume and personal statement. Question: how far in advance is everyone asking for their letters of recommendation? And how many schools is everyone applying too?

I started asking for my letters of recommendation back in May. I've been out of school since '09, so I wanted to give profs enough time to get back to me and know that I am starting to apply to schools. I am glad I asked early because I learned that one of my profs is on sabbatical and it gave me an opportunity to figure out another strong letter-writer. I haven't yet gotten back to everyone with a list of schools, deadlines, or a draft of my personal statement (because I'm still working on those) but I've heard a few months is good practice and minimizes any unnecessary freakouts.

In terms of the number of schools, I have a list of about 7 I am very interested in, and a handful of others I really need to think about.

How about you, sun519shine?

[dawn321]

Hello all....I am applying to UCONN, DU, Bryn Mawr and Smith. I feel like I am all over the place but I really want to move to CO and go to DU. Their application opens on Oct 1 and I plan to be one of the first (I hear you have a better chance of a higher merit scholarship the sooner you apply)...Good luck to you all!

[Texasgrad5911]

Hey guys! What an awesome community! I will applying to the following schools..

- San Diego State

- Boston University

- San Francisco State (maybe?)

- Loyola University (maybe?)

- University of Texas at Austin

- Washington University in St. Louis

- UCLA (maybe?)

My first choice is definitely SDSU, but I am a bit concerned at whether or not I have a shot at getting in. I have a good GPA, going to have good reference letters, and some experience volunteering in human services... so i guess we will see. Anyone here get into UCLA without extensive work experience? On their website they said they prefer those with 3-5 years of social work experience?

Good Luck Everyone!

[roxyshoe]

Sorry for the slowness in responding!! Here's my input, hope it can help.

Hey there, I had a quick question for you. I'm currently a psych major, and until recently was thinking about applying to mostly psych programs. For complicated reasons I have decided that I want to look at masters level programs, and apply to some MSW's as well. Did you find that UMich has good clinical opportunities? What ultimately made you decide to attend there? Any info is appreciated!

So far U Mich has definitely proven to have great clinical opportunities. One aspect of Michigan's program that really sets it apart from the rest is that we get to choose our field placement...of course this means applying/interviewing and being accepted to the placement, but the office is super helpful with that. Most schools just assign you to a field placement, so you could get stuck somewhere really unrelated to your interests or even clinical work. There are a lot of agencies in Ann Arbor that have clinical related work, although it is somewhat competitive/difficult for your first year to get a purely mental health related placement in Ann Arbor, but there are a ton outside of Ann Arbor too if you drive. For example, I ended up getting a (great) placement at a substance abuse outpatient treatment center that works with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders...so it's not the same as maybe working at a counseling center or the psychiatric unit at a hospital, but I'm still get amazing clinical experience. And next year I will have enough background experience to be accepted to one of the more competitive placements.

In terms of courses, there are seriously a ton of clinical oriented ones. A ton, for like every kind of therapy you can think of. And they are really good about incorporating roleplaying, etc. so we get practice. Mich also offers 1 credit mini courses every semester that teach a really specific skill, like motivational interviewing.

AKA highly recommend U Mich!

roxyshoe,

I am a Senior at Vanderbilt, majoring in Psychology and am looking to study exactly what you are(mental health, micro). I was wondering if you could say what you are interested in doing after your graduate work(what kind of job) and also if you know of any other MSW programs that have very strong mental health programs that you did not apply to.

Last(sorry, a lot of questions) did you ever consider looking into any PsyD programs or Master's programs in Clinical or Counseling Psychology? Currently, I am having a hard time deciding what degree to pursue(I want to have a private practice at some point).

Thanks!

Happy to help! After I graduate I know I want to do some kind of interpersonal clinical work. My goal is eventually to open a private practice, but I hope to work for some university or community counseling agencies for a while after I graduate. This is a pretty similar goal to a lot of people I've talked to in my program. I am also currently doing my field placement at a substance abuse clinic and I'm finding I really enjoy it, so I may end up pursuing that. We'll see!

Other programs are a lot of the California schools, probably especially Berkeley but this would be a good question to ask someone from Cali. I think NYU's program is pretty good and UT Austin's, but I'm really not sure...I was so limited location-wise that I didn't heavily research too many other schools. One thing I do know is that Washington University's (in St. Louis...not University of Washington which I think actually has a really good clinical program) clinical program is NOT highly recommended, despite how high in the rankings their overall sw program is.

Also yessss, I was pretty certain I was going to get my PhD in Clinical Psych until I realized I am really not ready nor interested in a PhD at this point in my life. First of all PhD's, particularly for clinical psych are the most competitive PhD programs right now, including just getting accepted but also succeeding after getting the PhD. second, they take like 7 years to complete and are extremely research focused. There are very few clinical PhD programs that do not scowl at students who (secretly) want to take their PhD to private practice instead of continuing research and teaching (I believe University of Virginia is one school that incorporates research and practice well). Also Clinical Psych PhD do not offer a ton of hands-on experience, you get one year of work in the field to finalize your degree and that's it. It doesn't seem like enough to me.

Moreover, and this is an issue I'm finding with clinical, counseling, and PsyD degrees - there is not enough focus on the "bigger picture". Social work is really causing me to view mental health in a whole new light that I think is so, so important and the field of Psychology is just barely beginning to pick up on.

I don't know as much about counseling psych PhD programs, but I do think it is better to get an MSW than Master in Counseling Psych because an MSW provides you with a bigger range of job opportunities after you graduate. I do not recommend Psy D programs. Honestly if you are going to go to school for at least another 5 years, get a PhD. The whole PsyD degree is somewhat looked down upon and some predict the degree will just cease to exist in a few years. I also take major issue with the fact that most schools offering PsyDs are for-profit.

Hope this makes sense and helps!

Edited September 22, 2012 by roxyshoe

[lib87]

Hi everyone! I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who is trying to get an early start this cycle.

I am applying to the following programs for Fall 2013 :

-NCSU

-FSU

-WashU

-UNC-C

I'm hoping to get all of my apps in by the end of the month. Then comes the waiting game lol