Canadian Universities MSW. The waiting game 2013 admissions

[Brenda_101]

I thought it might be a loaded question   .

I'll be 31 when I enter my MSW. I needed to save money before I went back to school. I ddin't want to go into more debt.....

[Brenda_101]

does anyone know how important the research course mark is at U of T? Does it hold a lot of weight?

Yes. UofT's program is VERY reasearched based. I spoke with a couple of professors and they said they if you don't meet the minimum in the stats course they you'll probably be rejected.

[Brenda_101]

 Erin123,

 

This was my first time applying. I am 37 years old.

I'll be 31 when I go back!

[nugget]

Well then you might just need to get an extra year or so of experience to get in. If you really want to do it, then go for it! You're young and a 1 or 2 year delay won't even be remembered after you've been working in the field for 20+ years.

 

Apparently this year they were looking for 2-5 years work experience. They had a lot of applicants who met the B+ with 2 years work experience and so they took people who had more than that requirement.  And I completely agree with the references and the essay.

[Brenda_101]

I am glad to see some people in their 30s attending grad school. I guess I won't be the only one.   When I was 21, I didn't have the mindset to do a B.A., never mind grad school. Funny how life can take you on a different path.  

 

Off topic, but how old is everyone here?  I'm going to be 32 when I start my MSW and I have a feeling that I will be much older than most of my classmates.

I'll be 31 when I enter my MSW. I wonder why you get until the 18th to decide? DId you email come on the 22nd of March? I have to responsd by the 12th and UofT is not sending out any correspondence until the 15th.

[nugget]

Brenda_101,

 

It's because I got my e-mail on Thurs Mar 28, 6 days after the first batch of people were accepted. It looks like they're giving everyone 3 weeks to decide.

 

I'll be 31 when I enter my MSW. I wonder why you get until the 18th to decide? DId you email come on the 22nd of March? I have to responsd by the 12th and UofT is not sending out any correspondence until the 15th.

[DreamingMSW]

Well then you might just need to get an extra year or so of experience to get in. If you really want to do it, then go for it! You're young and a 1 or 2 year delay won't even be remembered after you've been working in the field for 20+ years.

Thank you!!!

[DreamingMSW]

Well then you might just need to get an extra year or so of experience to get in. If you really want to do it, then go for it! You're young and a 1 or 2 year delay won't even be remembered after you've been working in the field for 20+ years.

Thank you!!!

Yes. UofT's program is VERY reasearched based. I spoke with a couple of professors and they said they if you don't meet the minimum in the stats course they you'll probably be rejected.

That actually works in my favour. Hopefully my research experience will help!! I'm a bit nervous haha. As I'm sure everyone on here is.

[Laurie S.]

Off topic, but how old is everyone here?  I'm going to be 32 when I start my MSW and I have a feeling that I will be much older than most of my classmates.

I think I may have you all beat ... If I get in this year, I'll be nearly 48 years old. Meaning I'll be almost 50 when I graduate *sigh* 

[NalaR12]

I called York today to inquire about my application status and was informed that decisions will be mailed out and updated on the website "very soon". Probably in 2-3 weeks. This wait is killing me

[MSW13]

Laurie, it is so nice to see you back on here! (yes, you have me beat with the age!) I remember reading about the terrible wait you went through with York last year.  Did you go with the BSW program this year? Have you applied to the same schools for the MSW this year?

 

I think I may have you all beat ... If I get in this year, I'll be nearly 48 years old. Meaning I'll be almost 50 when I graduate *sigh* 

[nugget]

That's great! I love to see older students going back to school. They often have lots of wonderful life experience that can benefit the classroom. When people think that they are too old to return to school I tell them this: In 2 years you're going to be 50 years old (for instance) no matter what. The question is: do you want to be 50 with (in this case) an MSW or 50 without one?

 

If I end up at U of T, I hope to see you in some of my classes. Best of luck!

 

I think I may have you all beat ... If I get in this year, I'll be nearly 48 years old. Meaning I'll be almost 50 when I graduate *sigh* 

[michmenhennet]

Oh please, oh please.... has anyone else heard from University of Calgary's Leadership in Social Services track?  I'm about to chew my arm off.......

[MSW13]

Lol!

Oh please, oh please.... has anyone else heard from University of Calgary's Leadership in Social Services track?  I'm about to chew my arm off.......

[pinsandneedles]

Oh please, oh please.... has anyone else heard from University of Calgary's Leadership in Social Services track?  I'm about to chew my arm off.......

I applied to the 2 year program and I'm having pretty much the same sentiment!!

[DreamingMSW]

Even though I know that U of T results won't be sent out until April 15th I am constantly checking my file online and my mailbox in the hopes that MAYBE some magical answer will be there. This is driving me insane. 

[klehrie]

Oh please, oh please.... has anyone else heard from University of Calgary's Leadership in Social Services track? I'm about to chew my arm off.......

I applied to the clinical track but this is the response I got when I emailed them yesterday.

"Student Services has posted this on our website in regards to 2013 Graduate Admission Results http://fsw.ucalgary.ca/node/420

If you have further questions/inquiries about the Master Program please send your emails to fswgrad@ucalgary.ca and a Graduate Student Advisor will be happy to assist you."

[Peter Nincompoop]

Hello,

I recently received a letter from Laurier indicating that my application was unsuccessful. I am thinking of applying again next year. I'm just trying to gain a grasp of what I need to do to be accepted next year. Can you advise me on how long you have been working/volunteer in a social work organization? Also what was your average in your final year of study. Any insight would be appreciated.

Thank you

 

Hi Erin,

 

I'm not sure why I was successful to be honest, but I'll speak briefly about my experience here.  The entrance requirements for social work in particular seem hard to gauge because they put so much weight on the more subjective parts of your application (personal statement/preparation/apparent motivation and work/volunteer experience).  I'll apologize in advance for what is going to be a long post.

 

Last year, I applied to 3 schools (Calgary, Laurier, and York).  I was accepted into Calgary and Laurier, and waitlisted and ultimately rejected by York (who took an absurdly long time to give any notifications). 

 

I actually think my work experience was the weakest part of my application: I had about 8 years of working with vulnerable people (ill elderly persons) and a bit of not-for-profit experience, but nothing directly related to social work (though I now do).  I also volunteered as a case worker with a local politician for a few months, but that was really about it.  

 

I did have pretty decent undergraduate grades.  My overall average was between an A- and an A, and I had a solid A average in my last three semesters.  I also did a double-major, which meant that pretty much all my 3rd and 4th year courses were upper level ones (which I have been told by profs looks pretty good on a grad school application).

 

I think the strongest points of my application were my references and my personal statement.  My referees gave me glowing letters and I feel that in my personal statement I was able to very clearly describe both my motivation for pursuing social work and how my personal, academic, and professional experiences had informed my decision to apply to an MSW program.  I also had a friend of mine who is currently in grad school look over my personal statement and give me feedback.  

 

Finally, I also contacted a couple of school prior to applying to see if I would be a good fit in their program.  I also studied the faculty at each school with an eye towards who I would like to work with and even emailed a professor whose speciality is very similar to my own interests.

 

One other point, because of the current economic situation and because of the glut of persons, like myself, with generic BA's, ALL graduate schools are becoming harder to get into.  Being rejected isn't necessarily a negative reflection on yourself, your experience, or your application; it's just really hard to get into professional graduate programs at the moment.  

 

Sorry for the long-winded reply, I hope this makes sense and that it helps you in some way.  Good luck next year if you decide to reapply, LOTS of people get admitted into graduate school after initially being rejected, so don't lose hope.

Edited April 4, 2013 by Peter Nincompoop

[ossington]

Hey,

 

I've only applied to the U of T two year program and haven't heard back yet. IF I get in, I think I will be deferring for a year. Does anyone know if U of T will let you do that? I just kind of presumed they would... I don't want to have to go through this hassle again.

[Peter Nincompoop]

Hey,

 

I've only applied to the U of T two year program and haven't heard back yet. IF I get in, I think I will be deferring for a year. Does anyone know if U of T will let you do that? I just kind of presumed they would... I don't want to have to go through this hassle again.

 

I think it varies by schools.  Last year, I asked for deferrals from two schools and only one agreed.

[nugget]

I'll just add to my previous comment about this post... This is long post.

 

When you write your letter, I was advised to present myself as a unique candidate and show what I have to offer that is different from other people. Classroom discussions are an important part of the learning process and most grad programs don't want to take students who are all similar to one another with similar backgrounds. They get a bunch of applicants who meet the minimum requirements of a B+ avg and 2 yrs of experience or more. So you need to convince them that you are special and can make a positive contribution to the classroom and the profession that someone else wouldn't do in hte same way.

 

What makes you different and what makes you stand out?

 

When you write about your experience and interest in the program, your story should fit together and make sense. There should be a progression leading up to wanting to get an MSW and all the experiences you have thus far. For instance, perhaps you want to further learn about or explore a social work related issue that you regularily encounter at work or volunteer work and this can only be done by pursuing an MSW.

 

When you tell your story, remember to show and not simply tell. We all know some of the things the admission committe would like to hear. But how does your history reflect what you are saying? You need to provide evidence for what you say or you will not sound very credible or convincing.

 

You may also want to point out the similarities between your program of study and social work, particularly if the connection isn't too obvious. While they probably get a lot of psych and sociology majors applying, if your degree is in another area, point out the similarities and the ways that this area of study has prepared you for social work. Also mention any specific courses you took if you find them especially beneficial. ex: Psychopathology course if your interest is in mental health. Fortunately, I took an elective course that required a social work textbook and I discovered that my program was like social work in some ways. I was sure to point this out in my essay.

 

Remember to clearly make links to what you want to say. Write very clearly so everything you want to say is obvious. They are reading hundreds of essays and let me tell you they aren't taking their sweet time doing it. Your essay will be read over very quickly. Be very direct in everything you want to say and don't assume they will put 2 and 2 together because there's no time for that. You can practice by having someone read your essay very quickly for the first time and see what they remember about it and what stood out for them when they read it.

 

Finally, if you don't have real research experience but took a research course and did mock research assignments in class, put that on your resume. I mentioned every research assignment I did as my class was very hands on (as well as theory based) and I was surpised to discover how much research experience I actually had without ever working in a research lab. 

 

Hello,
I recently received a letter from Laurier indicating that my application was unsuccessful. I am thinking of applying again next year. I'm just trying to gain a grasp of what I need to do to be accepted next year. Can you advise me on how long you have been working/volunteer in a social work organization? Also what was your average in your final year of study. Any insight would be appreciated.
Thank you

[flusty]

I actually think my work experience was the weakest part of my application: I had about 8 years of working with vulnerable people (ill elderly persons) and a bit of not-for-profit experience, but nothing directly related to social work (though I now do).  I also volunteered as a case worker with a local politician for a few months, but that was really about it.  

Ironically your work experience was probably the strongest than you give yourself credit for.... although your grades are awesome as well..... working with vulnerable ill elderly persons is very much direct social work .... IMHO

Edited April 4, 2013 by flusty

[MSW13]

I attended one of the info sessions at U of T and this question was posed.  They said that they do but it has to be a pretty serious reason. I think they used the example of $$ and this was not good enough for a deferral. I got the impression that they are pretty strict about it. If you do get admitted, be prepared to start in September. If you cant, then unfortunately be prepared to possibly reapply in the future. I believe they mentioned that 2 people asked for a deferral the previous year and neither was granted.

Hey,

 

I've only applied to the U of T two year program and haven't heard back yet. IF I get in, I think I will be deferring for a year. Does anyone know if U of T will let you do that? I just kind of presumed they would... I don't want to have to go through this hassle again.

[Peter Nincompoop]

Ironically your work experience was probably the strongest than you give yourself credit for.... although your grades are awesome as well..... working with vulnerable ill elderly persons is very much direct social work .... IMHO

 

It was definitely helpful and it certainly helped me define my career goals (I'd like to work with the elderly and the terminally ill), but prior to applying I worried that it wasn't closely related to social work because of the type of work I was doing.  However, a couple of schools clearly disagreed with my assessment .  Still, I think my experience pales in comparison to most people posting in this thread.

Edited April 4, 2013 by Peter Nincompoop

[pbaid]

just got accepted into the PhD program in Social Work at University of Calgary. Have until April 22nd to respond but will probably decline since I already have a juicy offer from U of T. Good to have options.