Applications for Fall 2013!

[obesemuffins]

Hey,

I will be applying to:

University of Chicago

University of Minnesota

University of Denver

University of Iowa

Washington University in St. Louis

[citychild]

I applied to UChicago, advanced standing. Their application was due yesterday for the advanced standing option and they required four references. Despite all my planning ahead (and them agreeing to writing references), warning my references of the upcoming deadline, sending reminders, etc... 2 of them did not submit in time. I'm crushed.

On to the next round of applications this weekend.

[beth23]

Hi all,

So strange to be posting this after countlessly reading through forums and forums. I am a fourth year student in Canada I am applying to:

University of Toronto (still on the fence)

University of Windsor

[kiki123]

The schools that I plan on applying to include:

SUNY Albany

SUNY Binghamton

New York University

Salem State University

Boston University

WUSTL

I'm going to ask for recommendations this week.

Does anyone have any personal insight into the MSW programs at any of the above?

[CaliGirl-MSW]

Hello all!

I am applying to;

USC

CSU-LA

CSU-LB

Boston University

Smith College

NYU

Washington University in St. Louis (maybe?)

It is just the beginning, and the PS already have me worried and stressed. ha-ha

[Arpta]

Hey!

It was such a pleasure to read these posts. It makes me feel a little eased out about my application for Fall 2013. I am still in the process of narrowing down the universities and I am kind of playing on averages (avoiding the top 5 etc). :|

I've two internships with Non Profit Organizations (CHIRAG and ASHA for education) and I've worked for a year as the Program Coordinator for India Literacy Project, Hyderabad Chapter. (ilpnet.org). Work wise, I've gained decent on field experience here in India. However, I did my BA (hons) in Spanish and Hispanic Studies and therefore lack a strong Social Science background. I am not sure how big a hinderance this factor will be in my application. Any suggestions/comments?

Also, in the case of the universities that require GRE- What score will be a safe bet?

[paige_elizabeth10]

Hey everyone,

I am a Senior Psychology major at Willamette University looking to go into clinical practice/mental health.I have been a lurker for a while (first post) and since I am in the process of completing my grad apps, I figured I would contribute to the conversation!

Schools I'm applying to:

University of Washington

University of Denver

San Francisco State University

UCLA

USC

UC Berkeley

I have most of my applications completed, with the exception of the personal statements that are still looming over my head...I'm trying to get most of my apps done by early December, but the process has turned out to be really stressful (I'm a research assistant, writing an honors thesis, and studying for the GRE, so I don't have a lot of time!).

Best of luck to everyone!

[Cat Face]

Hi roxyshoe,

I'm planning to apply for the MSW program in UMich as an international applicant. After checking out the information on the school's web page，I found that the Joint Ph.D. program in social work & social science really attracted me the most. As a Chinese student with a Bachelor's degree in social work, the information i can get is limited either on the specific program or the applicaiton process. So I am wondering whether you can help provide me any advice whether on the programs of UMich (MSW or MSW/Ph.D) or the application?

Thanks a lot for you kind assisstance!

[citychild]

My UW Seattle app is done. Just waiting on the recommenders to submit. Portland State will be done soon as I get all the transcripts in (bejeebus it's expensive... $15 per transcript at my current school).

[rjose]

Hey All,

I applied this past year and am now attending Berkeley's MSW program (See my signature for all the schools I applied to and got in). I am more than happy to help if anyone has any questions. Please feel free to message me on the forum or send me a message.

Good luck all!

I wrote this right before starting my program, hope it's of some help:

• 
  
  
  • LocationLos Angeles
    
  • Program:MSW
    

  Posted 30 April 2012 - 09:30 AM

  This is a great thread, and hopefully those who are contemplating applying or re-applying next year will find this helpful. I know some of what I'm going to say below may have already been mentioned above, but hopefully folks still find my advice helpful. Mostly, I'm going to form my advice based on what I wished I had done before applying:

  1. Research, research, research. Start now! RESEARCH what schools you're interested in because EVERY SCHOOL VARIES:

  a. RESEARCH deadlines: I found out at the last minute that CSULB and CSULA do rolling admissions, so the earlier you can submit your application, the better. I think folks even started submitting their application in October!

  b. RESEARCH funding: If money is an issue, as it was for me, research beforehand the cost of tuition and the reputation/chances that the school will offer scholarships. For example: I've seen on this thread that a couple of folks have received a good amount of scholarships from Chicago, which I didn't apply to, but looking back on it, I probably should have applied. The average scholarships for UPenn are between 9-12k and for Columbia and NYU it seems like the average is 9k. Of course, each school will vary and you will not know how much money they will give you until you get in, but it's good to keep these averages in mind.

  c. RESEARCH acceptance rates: Let’s face it; knowing what your chances are will definitely help you be more prepared both when filling out your application and emotionally. For instance, I read an article that stated that acceptance rates for Columbia are pretty high while UCLA and Berkeley only accept a little over 100 applicants (last I heard UCLA and Berkeley they receive about 600 applications a year).

  i. How this helps you when applying: Knowing what your chances are, you will have a better idea as to how much time and energy you should put into each of your applications. In my case, I should have given more time/energy into my Berkeley application and probably less time into other schools.

  ii. How this helps you emotionally: I was somewhat unprepared to find that I was flat out rejected from Berkeley’s MSW/PhD program, and had I known my chances beforehand, it not only made me reevaluate who I am as an applicant, but also made me realize that maybe a path down a PhD just isn’t my passion.

  d. RESEARCH informational meetings: Go to the informational meetings or at the very least contact someone at admissions because you will definitely have questions about their program or their application process. This not only prevents you from having to spend hours on their website trying to find an answer to your question, but having that connection with someone at admissions not only helps you feel confident about your application, but it just puts your mind to ease altogether.

  e. RESEARCH two year or part-time programs. I know USC offers a full, online, and part-time program and Cal States do this as well. If you have other obligations maybe a part-time program is better for you? Weigh your options.

  2. The application itself:

  a. Have at least three folks read over your personal statement: 1 person who got into the MSW field, 1 person who is a great writer who can check for grammatical errors, and 1 person who is not in the field.

  b. If you can, read other folks’ MSW personal statement. This will give you an idea as to where to start. For instance, I always thought that a cool anecdote will help my application (make me stand out) but as I found out, you should probably get straight to the point, so I took out the anecdote and focused more on expressing what my qualifications are.

  c. Experience with people: The Masters in Social Work is a helping field, so they are going to want someone who shows sympathy, empathy and just a genuine concern for the well-being of people, so you really want to make sure this is apparent in your application.

  d. Many MSW applications ask that you pick a specific concentration – research the concentration of your choice and make sure to put WHY you picked this concentration in your application.

  e. Mention the fact that you researched their program and write WHY their school fits your interests. For instance, I researched faculty at each of the schools and put in a couple of sentences of faculty I was looking forward to possibly working with who shared similar interests. Yes, this is even more research on your part, but believe me, it pays off.

  f. Resume: A lot, if not all MSW applications, ask that you submit a resume. Ask folks to edit your resume as well. Think of it as a job application, so you want to make sure your resume is succinct and really emphasizes your past work/volunteer experience. Basically, take the resume section of the application seriously.

  3. Do not give up! The application process is stressful. Here were some of my common phrases:

  a. “What, the Cal State priority deadline is December 15^th!? It’s December 10^th right now!”

  b. “It cost that much to live in New York!?”

  c. “What’s this stipend that folks are talking about?”

  d. “Man, I have to take the GRE’s again because I totally blew it the first time!”

  e. “Dr. [Name of recommender] still hasn’t submitted his letter of recommendation!”

  However, as stressful as it was the application process in and of itself is an accomplishment, and for those who are going to re-apply, you’re heading into it with so much more knowledge that I’m sure this time around will be easier. Again, do not give up! For instance, there was a time when I was thinking of re-applying and started to enroll in classes to better my GPA, and instead of applying to 7 schools, I narrowed it down to three schools, which would have made the application process a lot easier.

  4. Take advantage of these forums! I found these forums extremely helpful and supportive because folks here are so nice and willing to help you because they are in the same boat! Take the time to read through some of the other topics and threads- you'll find that there is definitely good advice here!

  Hope this helps and again, don’t give up and believe in yourself!

[bbergstrom]

HI ALL!

So nice to hear from other pro-active people who apply almost an entire school year early!

I finished my applications on 9/29... I applied to:

NYU - very surprised to get my acceptance 10/19 with $8,000/year academic award

Fordham

CUNY- Hunter College

UCONN

University of New England

- I want to stay in the New York City area, and did not apply to Columbia because all reviews of their program focused on research, and my preference is clinical/case work.

- I am kind of entering this application process blindly.. I only had about a 3.5 undergrad GPA from a Connecticut state school, but spent two years in AmeriCorps, a summer in Africa, and had some very good recommendation letters. Not sure what the programs take into consideration most, and none of the schools I am applying to require the GRE.

GOODLUCK to everyone

[paige_elizabeth10]

bbergstrom, you finished your applications so early! Is this normal/recommended? I thought that submitting mine only a few weeks early would be ok, but I have just now started my personal statements so I'm kind of worried!

[citychild]

Uh, yea. I planned on submitting my apps as soon as I could in early October. However, I have had to go to two funerals this month and that kind of put a kink in those plans. I missed some deadlines. Now I feel confused as to what to do. I'm applying to PSU, UW Seattle, BU, and probably USC. This is a whirlwind of confusion!

[paige_elizabeth10]

Well, the regular action deadline for UW is Jan 2, so I think submitting that one in early Dec would be fine. And the priority view deadline for USC is Jan 15, so I think anytime in Dec would be ok as well. But, I've never done this before, so what do I know!

[SammR]

HI ALL!

So nice to hear from other pro-active people who apply almost an entire school year early!

I finished my applications on 9/29... I applied to:

NYU - very surprised to get my acceptance 10/19 with $8,000/year academic award

Fordham

CUNY- Hunter College

UCONN

University of New England

- I want to stay in the New York City area, and did not apply to Columbia because all reviews of their program focused on research, and my preference is clinical/case work.

- I am kind of entering this application process blindly.. I only had about a 3.5 undergrad GPA from a Connecticut state school, but spent two years in AmeriCorps, a summer in Africa, and had some very good recommendation letters. Not sure what the programs take into consideration most, and none of the schools I am applying to require the GRE.

GOODLUCK to everyone

Did you graduate already from undergrad already, or are you a senior?

[mstea]

Hi roxyshoe! I'm wondering for the MSW schools you applied to in Fall how did you go about filling out the "financial plan" section of applications and do you think/know if they factored into your aid package? TIA.

[creativesocialworker]

Hiii. I'm a 2nd year UCLA MSW. You definitely don't need 3-5 years work experience to get into UCLA. I almost didnt apply when I read that on the website. I got in straight from undergrad with only part time volunteer work experience and that is pretty typical. Also, they dont give GRE scores much weight at all, so dont let that stress you out either.

If anyone has questions feel free to contact me lstockly@ucla.edu

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

- University of Washington at Seattle

- 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!

[paige_elizabeth10]

Well. I took the GRE this morning and tanked. I wasn't expecting to do stellar, but I definitely expected to do better than what I did because I spent a lot of time studying (I think I got 152 math/153 verbal?? I can't remember because I was so disappointed )

Anyway, I have been planning on applying to UCLA and Berkeley but now I'm almost convinced that there is no way I could get in. I know that it is frowned upon to post stats and ask "what are my chances??" but I just don't know what to do. Berkeley is my dream school and UCLA is high up there as well. I have a GPA of 3.71 (advanced GPA is 3.86) and I'm writing an honors thesis for the psychology department at my university I also work as an on call residential youth counselor for a shelter program (341 hours to date) and just got hired at another shelter doing the same thing. I have also participated in two service learning trips through my university and was a facilitator for one of them (around 200 hours total).

Ugh, I just don't know what to do. How are the Cal State schools? Perhaps I should look more into those..

[MissH]

On 10/16/2012 at 3:06 PM, kiki123 said:

The schools that I plan on applying to include:

SUNY Albany

SUNY Binghamton

New York University

Salem State University

Boston University

WUSTL

I'm going to ask for recommendations this week.

Does anyone have any personal insight into the MSW programs at any of the above?

I'm in my first semester at Salem State and am happy. At an intern thing last week, I learned there were two BC students at my placement agency. The amount I pay for placement as opposed to what they pay....Field work is great, plus you can get work study for placement.

[briefinterviews]

I'm currently a first year MSW student at UC Berkeley on the macro track (Management and Planning), and am happy to answer any questions I would definitely encourage you to still apply, regardless of GRE scores. Very little weight is placed on them in admissions unless you are seeking the MSW/PhD route. There are students here from straight out of undergrad, but it is less frequent as the school strongly encourages at least 1 year of full-time work experience in the field. In fact, no one in my MAP cohort is straight out of undergrad; I seem to notice more of that happening with the Title IV-E students.

FWIW, last year I also applied and was admitted to UCLA, USC, University of Washington, University of Michigan, PENN, and Boston University.

[paige_elizabeth10]

bradley610 and briefinterviews, thank you both for your responses. I am meeting with my thesis advisor/research supervisor this week to talk about my options--hopefully that will subside some of my confusion. And congrats to briefinterviews for your admission into UCB!!

[midnight]

paige, after a quick perusal of Berkeley's site, I think you should definitely apply!

Berkeley seems highly interested in experienced and passionate people more than anything.

[Inspired V]

I think if you're passionate about your goals and you can articulate how well you will fit within a program, it's definitely worth applying! The whole admissions process seems quite holistic to me, and I don't think having one aspect of your application causing you stress is a reason not to apply to a school. It's impossible to know how an adcom will interpret your application, but if it's a school you're really interested in, it would be terrible to always wonder - it's better to apply and give it your best shot!

[kiki123]

I'm in my first semester at Salem State and am happy. At an intern thing last week, I learned there were two BC students at my placement agency. The amount I pay for placement as opposed to what they pay....Field work is great, plus you can get work study for placement.

That's good to know! Cost is definitely a huge factor for me in attending grad school. Do they offer any assistantships?

[ecb]

I finished my applications on 9/29... I applied to:

NYU - very surprised to get my acceptance 10/19 with $8,000/year academic award

Congratulations! How long did they give you to make a decision on whether or not you will attend?

Edited November 6, 2012 by ecb