Credentials for MSW/Application Anxiety

[lieblingherz]

Hi everybody!

I am an undergrad student about to complete a BA in psychology. I think psychology is too objective in their approach, so I think that social work would be a better fit for me. I know myself pretty well and I think that my passion for working with people would wilt under the clinical conditions of a research lab. I very much enjoy discussing great social injustice and it lights a fire right to the core of me. However, I am not sure if I would be accepted to any MSW programs based on the credentials I have.

I have excelled in my social sciences and taken electives in both health and sociology to supplement my psychology coursework. When I graduate, I expect to have a GPA of 3.6-3.7 on a 4.0 scale. I have partaken in several volunteer opportunities, and I am president of a club I started that focuses in on social justice in our community. I am also a student manager at my on campus job. Besides this, I have worked as a summer camp counselor, and three years ago I was promoted to being a supervisor, with a combined total of nine years experience working with children and their parents.

However, I have never worked in the field and don't have much experience working with under served populations. I have begun filling out several applications but I get very anxious because I don't feel like a qualified candidate so I have yet to finish any. I am also very worried over LOR because I suspect one of my professors will attempt to force me to stay at my undergraduate school to complete my MSW degree and write me a poor letter (they like to keep their favorite students close).

These are the schools I was looking at applying to:

Rutgers University, New Brunswick

New York University

University at Albany, SUNY

And I'm on the look out for more, if any of you are from the tri-state area, I would love to hear where you're attending school.

A lot of you guys have been accepted to very prestigious schools so I hope you have some advice for me. I admire your organization and dedication to your education. Any input would be appreciated!

Thanks everyone!

[briefinterviews]

I don't know much about the New York programs, so perhaps someone else here is in a better position to address those particular schools. However, FWIW, I do have an opinion about going straight from undergrad to an MSW program without any significant experience with underserved populations.

When I was applying to programs, across the board I noticed they all stressed 1-year of full-time volunteer/work experience in the field at the time of application. My program at Berkeley rarely concedes to this point; I can think of one or two that I know of, but none from my concentration (Management and Planning, i.e. macro). Not only does this experience demonstrate your commitment to the field and to underserved populations, but it provides you with a perspective that truly enhances what you learn in the program. By the time I entered my MSW program, I had 3 years of full-time work experience post-undergrad, and during undergrad I had 4 years of volunteer experience running programs for underserved youth. I value that time I took off so much, and I think I'm in a better position to maximize my experience here as a result. While I don't doubt that the students in my program who came straight from undergrad will make passionate, effective practitioners, I do notice that there is a discrepancy in their levels of maturity and understanding--and I don't mean this in a disparaging way at all. They just haven't yet acquired the same framework, and are at different stages in their development. That is also not to discredit their experience in the program, or to say they don't have a perspective and energy to contribute, but it's just a different path that comes with its own shortcomings.

Honestly, there's no rush. Especially to inherit all that debt. I would take at least a year to work/volunteer at a nonprofit agency, and apply the following cycle. Working in nonprofit can be--and I would even argue, flat out just is--an eye-opening experience that is often disillusioning. It really forces you to evaluate and challenge your own values, preconceptions, and beliefs about what this work is really about, and where you see yourself in fighting for social change. You either walk away disenchanted, or you acquire a more sophisticated and nuanced idealism.

Whatever you decide, and whatever your outcome, best of luck to you! It is always great to hear of someone eager to join the mix

[lieblingherz]

I don't know much about the New York programs, so perhaps someone else here is in a better position to address those particular schools. However, FWIW, I do have an opinion about going straight from undergrad to an MSW program without any significant experience with underserved populations.

When I was applying to programs, across the board I noticed they all stressed 1-year of full-time volunteer/work experience in the field at the time of application. My program at Berkeley rarely concedes to this point; I can think of one or two that I know of, but none from my concentration (Management and Planning, i.e. macro). Not only does this experience demonstrate your commitment to the field and to underserved populations, but it provides you with a perspective that truly enhances what you learn in the program. By the time I entered my MSW program, I had 3 years of full-time work experience post-undergrad, and during undergrad I had 4 years of volunteer experience running programs for underserved youth. I value that time I took off so much, and I think I'm in a better position to maximize my experience here as a result. While I don't doubt that the students in my program who came straight from undergrad will make passionate, effective practitioners, I do notice that there is a discrepancy in their levels of maturity and understanding--and I don't mean this in a disparaging way at all. They just haven't yet acquired the same framework, and are at different stages in their development. That is also not to discredit their experience in the program, or to say they don't have a perspective and energy to contribute, but it's just a different path that comes with its own shortcomings.

Honestly, there's no rush. Especially to inherit all that debt. I would take at least a year to work/volunteer at a nonprofit agency, and apply the following cycle. Working in nonprofit can be--and I would even argue, flat out just is--an eye-opening experience that is often disillusioning. It really forces you to evaluate and challenge your own values, preconceptions, and beliefs about what this work is really about, and where you see yourself in fighting for social change. You either walk away disenchanted, or you acquire a more sophisticated and nuanced idealism.

Whatever you decide, and whatever your outcome, best of luck to you! It is always great to hear of someone eager to join the mix

This is something I have put a great amount of thought towards in the last few months. I am always actively looking for open positions, entry level positions, really, anything on several job sites, as well as checking mental health clinics and hospitals. However, the few job openings there are, are usually for psychologists, psychiatrists, licensed social workers - all with years of experience under their belt. I am at a loss, because I have no idea how to break into this field. Especially in New Jersey, human services and the mental health field is particularly lacking. I really do want to test what I've learned the last four years and see if I am as right for this as I think I am.

So far, the professors I have spoken to, ones that I greatly admired, have only sought to steer me towards their particular field of study. Really, my school has a very small amount of full time professors (7 in the psychology department advising just under 2,000 students) that have time to sit and talk with me, so any information I can find on the internet from nice folks like ya'll I gobble up. I suppose I am desperate - and if I am honest, my family is pushing me to continue directly to graduate school because they are concerned I won't have good health insurance if I am not in school. Couple that with my inability to find a position anywhere, I get very anxious at the prospect I won't be able to study at the graduate level.

Thank you so much for your thoughtful response, I really appreciate your insight!

[briefinterviews]

Just an initial thought--you might want to check out Idealist.org if you haven't already, and also visit the websites of local nonprofit agencies in your area where they often post openings as opposed to trying to find a job in a public agency. You might also want to look specifically for case management or program coordinator type positions, which can often be entry-level and sound like they might be up your alley in terms of wanting to do direct practice. However, it probably won't be clinical (i.e. therapeutic) in nature, at least not officially. At least in working with homeless populations (I worked for a time as a CM for homeless youth), I noticed there's a lot of turnover for jobs like case management because of the stress and demands of the job, so you might find better luck there. But again, I don't know the job market in New Jersey or how predominant social service agencies are in your area, but it's something to look into. I also don't know what the deadlines are for it, but there's also AmeriCorps.

That initial job search out of college, to put it frankly, usually blows. It took me about 6 months from graduation to land my first "real" job, though to be honest I didn't really start searching until I graduated because I was struggling with changing career trajectories at the tail-end of my schooling. Up until that job, I interned at a nonprofit and worked as an in-home tutor under NCLB, which was rough and unglamorous and I definitely wasn't treated well as an employee, but it was an income, it was a start, and it was some insight into a poorly administered social policy. You could also become a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) for foster youth, which is volunteer, but people love seeing that and I hear it's a powerful experience. If there aren't that many agencies in your area, "breaking in" will likely heavily involve going the volunteer/networking route.

I also totally get the familial pressure to continue on to school, but remember you should do what's best for you and trust that things will work out just fine--they usually do