PhD Program Decisions?

[ashsw]

Hi all!  I am wondering if anybody else applied for PhD in social work?  I feel like it's such a lesser known degree.  I already have my MSW from BC and applied to : BC, Denver, Berkeley, WashU, and Pittsburgh.  The wait is already killing me!

[somerset]

Hi

I too have applied for PhD...in SUNY Buffalo, Rutgers, St Louis and Seattle. Got accepted to SUNY Buffalo but thats only because they have 4 deadlines and make decisions within 4 weeks of every deadline and I had applied to their November deadline....every other school i think will take until early March. The wait is killing no? And one wishes there were more people here applying to PhD!!!! So we could also share our experiences.

Best of luck!!!!

[ashsw]

It must be great to know you got accepted.  Good luck on your other schools!  I contacted Denver because they also had two deadlines, but they said they usually let people know in February.  Guess it will all just be a waiting game.

[Post-It Poet]

I have an MPH and am applying to (mainly) public health PhD programs, but I also applied to Washington University's social work PhD program because of its public health research/academics. I got an email from them today inviting me to come interview at the end of February! Other than that, I haven't heard from any other schools, and don't really expect to until the end of February or sometime in March. 

[somerset]

Ah yes! I wrote to them too...and they told me I was not short listed! Congratulations to you! It seems like a good fit for you. In case anyone here is interested Seattle UW told me that they will decide first round by Feb end and then ask them to meet and then make final decisions....sucks! feels like its going to take forever...its pretty killing the wait....im now down to waiting to hear from just Seattle and Rutgers both of which I dont think will get back to me before a month!

[somerset]

Congratulations Simonetta Seeker on Michigan State:) :) Good choice to apply to many! My problem was that it was difficult to find POIs....how are you people handling the wait? I am pretty convinced I wont get into UW or Rutgers since I have a low GRE score and I am an international applicant:( Those schools really seem to want high GREs...UW goes ahead to say that one should sign up for classes to ensure a good score! Pretty scary! How are you all doing with the wait?

[SimonettaSeeker]

The wait is driving me crazy. I had convinced myself that I wouldn't hear anything until late February or early March, but then I saw on the results page that someone got an acceptance for University of Wisconsin and that Washington University is doing interviews (as Post-It Poet confirmed ), so now I am super nervous. I had some POI issues, too, somerset. I have dual interests of sex/gender and at-risk youth, so typically if I couldn't find anyone in that was a perfect match, I could at least find someone who has research in sex and gender OR working with adolesents in some capacity. Maybe not the best strategy, but I guess we'll see! I would be thrilled to get into any of the schools I applied to and ecstatic if I have any sort of choice at all. Thanks for the congrats, but until it's official I'm still soooo nervous about it!

Edited February 5, 2013 by SimonettaSeeker

[somerset]

you should look at diane elze at the school of social work at Buffalo....i have similar research interests....and found her working in the same area...even laina bay cheng at the same place

[ashsw]

I wouldn't be too concerned about low GRE scores, unless your school specifically states they should be high.  If you look at the average social work scores, they are much lower than just about about any other program, and below the national average. 

 

Congrats to those accepted!  Most of my programs said first round decisions go out mid-February so I'm anxiously awaiting next week.  I spoke with one of the professors from my top program and he said he's "hopeful I will get in." I am also "hopeful" that is positive!

[SimonettaSeeker]

Thanks for the advice, somerset. Diane Elze is someone who I would LOVE to work with, unfortunately I am somewhat stuck in the mid-west. You are very lucky! And I think ashsw is right on target re: GRE scores. I too am eagerly awaiting mid-February, ashsw. Congrats on the positive feedback from your top program! Fingers crossed for us both!

[ashsw]

Well I got my first rejection online.  Of course nothing went out via email or mail yet, but I have been eagerly checking my statuses each day.  It was from Berkeley though, which was a reach for me.  Bad to be rejected, but no too discouraged yet!

[SimonettaSeeker]

Ugh. Sorry to hear it, ashsw. Several of my schools are reaches, I must have had a wildly optimistic day when I applied to a couple of them.

 

I'm glad to hear you aren't discouraged! There's still plenty time for the rest of them.

[somerset]

I wish schools had a staggered process of letting out rejections...like send first round when you are not shortlisted,then again when you are not short listed the second time...instead of letting everyone know together at the end of the process....

[ashsw]

Thanks Simonetta.  Somerset--I actually thought that was how schools did it, which made me feel worse.  I was thinking "wow, they thought so little of my app that I was disregarded right away."  I think every school's process might be different.

[SimonettaSeeker]

Can I just say that I cannot wait for this waiting to be over. It seems like all I am doing right now is alternating between my list of schools, college websites, the results posting area here, and this message board.  I just want to know, so I can start planning the rest of my life, but at the same time I'd rather wait if that means the likelihood of more positive results. Gah! Thanks for listening

[Post-It Poet]

I'm right there with you. The whole thing is dreadful. And I've done this way too many times before! (In my former life I was in Literature and did a Master's in that, then part of a PhD program before I realized I didn't want to be in that field! So I've done this twice in the humanities, once for my MPH and now this round. Ugh. I can't even tell you how much I hate this. In fact, I kind of with WashU just accepted or rejected. I hate the vist/ interview...or maybe I just hate having to wait until the end of February to do it. I'd rather just know one way or the other, you know? 

[SimonettaSeeker]

I admire your perseverance, Post-It. I can't imagine doing this as many times as you have! You are brave and resilient. I totally know what you mean, I just want to know!

[somerset]

it would be so much nicer if they just sent rejection emails with every round of short listing...would make our lives easier!!!

[thomasd88]

I understand where everyone is coming from!!! i'm am so frustrated with this waiting game. A few days ago i received notification from UIC that i was placed on a wait list and a about a week after that i received a rejection from Berkeley :-(.  I guess my frustration stems from the UIC wait list notification (FYI: UIC is my number one choice). All i can do now is wait for my other six schools to respond...Good luck everyone! i will keep you all posted.  

[ashsw]

I was just telling my friend yesterday that I would almost rather just get rejected than place don a waitlist.  It's so brutal to have to wait knowing you're not the top, but if enough people say no you will get in.  Obviously it's still great to be waitlisted!  The stress is just high. 

 

After Berkeley, I have three programs left.  I didn't apply to as many as I should have because I wanted to go to a city where I already have connections with the local VA Medical Center as I've worked within the system for 4 years now.  I am beginning to think I should have threw more apps out there though!

[SimonettaSeeker]

thomasd88- Sorry to hear about the waitlist at UIC, BUT at least it isn't a no! You can still have hope! Though, personally, I'm a bit tired of all of the hope and could use some answers (but depending on the answers, I may want the hope back!)

 

ashsw- I applied to a bunch, but that is because my app had several weaknesses (low UG GPA, low math GRE, smaller MSW program) and I wanted to cover my bases. I think it sounds like you made some smart choices. Good luck on the other three programs!

[Post-It Poet]

I know it's a different field, but way back when I was doing the Literature thing, I was waitlisted to my top choice PhD program, and I ended up getting in! I was the first choice on the waitlist, and someone took a different offer. Just remember that even though it's your first choice, some of the people who got the offer might have a different program they want more and are waiting to hear back from! I know the wait is horrible, but just hang in there! 

[soc13]

Hey guys!

 

I totally feel your pain on this waiting game.  Did any of you happen to apply to the Social Welfare program at UPenn?  I know it's not quite social work, but it's related. I'm guessing since I didn't get asked for an interview yet that I'm not shortlisted, but who knows. 

 

Post-It Poet - I'm also coming from a public health background! I decided not to apply to PhD programs in PH this year, just the one at Penn and sociology at Vanderbilt, but I'll probably amend this if I reapply again in a year or two.

 

Good luck to all of you!

[somerset]

Sometimes even I feel that I should have applied to more places but then feel that there is no point if i did not really want to go to those other places even if i did get in..and if i did end up going there in my mind i would still be feeling like i went to by bottom choice places....

[SimonettaSeeker]

When I was completeing applications, I honestly believed that every school I applied to was one that I would be thrilled to go to. However, the longer I wait, the more I think about it and now I don't even know. I know I've said this before, but I just want to start hearing back from schools!