Advice/Vent

[crimsonvision]

I feel the starts to the imposter syndrome I have heard.  I'm having second thoughts as I try to pull a personal statement out of my brain.  Everything I write, I delete.  It has been this way for three months.  Anyone else deal with this?

 

If I ever do actually write a statement.. is it bad to include that my tuition is already paid in full as  a benefit of being a prior Marine?  (As long as the school is a yellow ribbon which my first choice is) 

 

 

[Lisa44201]

It happens. I asked one of my advisers to give me ideas on how to structure my ideas; that helped.

 

I would not mention that your tuition is already paid for - it doesn't affect your chances of admission, nor does it give the Admissions committee an idea of how you'll fit into the program. If, however, your experience as a has had an effect on what you want to do with your MSW, I would mention your service, but not in terms of having your tuition funded.

[Lola1233]

I'd love to give you some advice for SOP -- been there myself. -- but I'm not sure what you're referring to. Can you clarify? What is imposter syndrome?

[MsDarjeeling]

By imposter syndrome do you mean reading your sop and feeling like everything is a cliche, like it doesn't sound like you, it all sounds fake?  If so then I definitely get that as I'm in the process of doing my sop now.  So here's how I'm handling it.  I just sat down one day and wrote.  I didn't delete anything.  I wrote everything I thought needed to be said to answer each prompt and didn't worry about how it sounded, grammar, spelling, length, or imposter syndrome.  I just wrote.  Then when I literally had nothing else to say I saved it and ignored it for a week.  Then I went back and read it, made a few edits, and played with the layout.  I actually did a "save as" here so that I could see the differences between the two later.  Then I ignored it for another week.  I repeated this second step and did a new "save as." 

 

Next I'm taking it to one of my editors for review.  I'll mention all of my concerns about how I think it sounds (horrible!) and what I'm aiming for.  I know it is not a great piece of writing, but that's ok because it isn't finished yet.  After I've had a few people review it and incorporated their feedback I'm sure it will be amazing. 

[jmu]

Writing statements is awkward. I've had senior faculty tell me that it remains that way for your whole career.

What helped me was having a professor who was willing to sit down with me and work through the clumsy parts.

[briefinterviews]

Try doing a free-write about what path has led you to this juncture, and why you want to now head in this direction; write for no audience but yourself.

[Guest |||]

A couple years back I read an article that interviewed people who read statements and got their perspective.  The researchers ended up coding the responses, doing some stats and giving solid advise.

 

Sadly I recall nothing from it, except perhaps the most entertaining bit.

 

One researcher commented that, do not try to be cute or overly imaginative.  As they had previously read a statement by a girl who pretended to be Dorthy on the yellow brick road to graduate school, with the scarecrow getting a Ph.D by the end, the lion a list of controversial though esteemed published papers, and the tinman a heart capable of both passion And criticism.

 

 

 

So, if that also had been your plan best change it!

[MSW13]

I would first ask myself if I'm writing what I think they want to hear or if I'm writing what I truly feel.  If you are trying to write what you think they want to hear, it can be very difficult to pen because if you are like me (and most others), you are not a mind-reader.  Plus, admissions committees can see through these type of statements very easily.  Writing from this perspective can start sounding fake because deep down you know that it doesn't truly reflect your personal views.  Similar to what Ms. Darjeeling said, I would encourage you to write down your thoughts freely.  

I see that you are applying to MSW programs.  Don't worry about having the 'right' answer, just worry about making sure that you are capturing your relevant experiences/thoughts/beliefs/feelings accurately. Once you have done this, leave it and go back to it after a few days. Now read it over and see where you can weave in what you want to learn from that particular MSW program (ie/ anti-oppressive practice, social policy, research, etc). This will tell them that you have done your research and know the strengths of the school. It will also tell them how you see yourself professionally and how you believe the school will help you get there.  Basically, you are demonstrating fit.

 

At the end of the day, just make sure that you have done your best to explain who you are and why you are choosing this academic path.  Have someone knowledgeable look it over to make sure you have answered the questions appropriately.  If you feel that you still cant write the statement, you need to go back and do more research. 

Also, know that you are not alone. When writing something as important as a SOP, writers block is common and almost expected. It took me weeks to write mine. At first I just read over the questions. When I had a thought, I would write it down. I had a collection of random thoughts that I eventually pulled together into a statement. I knew that I spoke from the heart (in a professional way!) and did my best. If they didn't accept me, I knew that I could not have done better and I would have been content with that.

[nugget]

You may find it helpful to pick up a book on writing personal statements that contain examples of statements for social work programs or reading some samples online. Perhaps if you read a bunch of well written samples you will get a sense of how to approach it and how to customize it to your interests, background and experience.

 

If you are not used to showcasing your strengths and accomplishments (and in reality, most of us aren't) perhaps if you sit down with someone who knows you really well, you could start by coming up with a list of reasons why you would make a great social worker. You could also read a book that describes the field of social work and the desirable attributes of a social worker. I actually did this and identified common personal traits that I shared and was sure to bring out these characteristics in my personal statements through real life examples at work or during my volunteer experiences.

 

You essentially need to sell yourself to the admissions committee (a little bit like what a salesperson does) and it sounds like this may be what's making a statement difficult for you to write. You may not think you do this in real life very often if you are a shy or a modest person, but we actually do it a lot more than we think. On a first date, at a job interview, or meeting future in laws for the first time we put our best foot forward. We focus on our strengths and if we have to bring up our weaknesses we put a positive spin on it.

 

I think something important to keep in mind is to give evidence for what you write in your statement - show (through the use of examples) rather than simply stating facts. This will make (you and) the admissions committee believe what you are saying. For instance, if you are interested in mental illness and took a few courses in mental illness, don't assume the admissions committee will remember this because the courses are written on your transcript. Tell them why you are interested in mental illness, how you would like to make a contribution to the field of mental illness, describe your work/volunteer experience in the area and if you have taken any courses on mental illness (and, if it's applicable, something important you've learned in those classes). If you articulate your ideas very clearly, state your professional interests and show how your education and experience has prepared you for the field, you should be on a great start to coming up with a strong personal statement.

Edited August 18, 2013 by jenste

[Lola1233]

I agree with what everyone has said. What worked well for me was to write authentically and not with impressing them in mind. Be sure to stick to their prompt and all their rules, but let your true self shine through. Because SW tends to be a "calling" rather than a just a strategic career move, I think admissions reps are keen on reading about people who have a very purposeful life reason for choosing SW. Show them that and you'll be gold.  If you're an imposter, it'll probably show in your SOP. Just tell them exactly who you are, the good the bad and your purpose in SW. They can take it or leave it, and my bet is they'll probably take it. If it makes you feel better MSW is not a very competitive program to gain admissions to -- in comparison to other professional degrees. With acceptance rates around 40%, you'll be fine as long as you have moderately good grades and you show them you're not a robot.

[MSW13]

Chrislee, I just wanted to mention that not *all* MSW programs have an acceptance rate of 40%.  In the Toronto area (where I reside), the acceptance rate is 20-25%, sometimes much lower. However having said that, you made some really great suggestions.  I would also add that it is important not to focus too heavily on what brought you to a career in social work. It is important to demonstrate 'fit' with both the school and the profession. I think too many people make the mistake of saying they want to 'help people' or that they are a 'great listener'. Although important, it does not really show them that you know what you are getting into. Make sure you write a statement that tells them why you chose SW, how your experience meshes with your career goals, and why you chose that particular program.

 

I agree with what everyone has said. What worked well for me was to write authentically and not with impressing them in mind. Be sure to stick to their prompt and all their rules, but let your true self shine through. Because SW tends to be a "calling" rather than a just a strategic career move, I think admissions reps are keen on reading about people who have a very purposeful life reason for choosing SW. Show them that and you'll be gold.  If you're an imposter, it'll probably show in your SOP. Just tell them exactly who you are, the good the bad and your purpose in SW. They can take it or leave it, and my bet is they'll probably take it. If it makes you feel better MSW is not a very competitive program to gain admissions to -- in comparison to other professional degrees. With acceptance rates around 40%, you'll be fine as long as you have moderately good grades and you show them you're not a robot.

[nugget]

Agreed. At my school, they take 90 out 500 applicants which makes the acceptance rate around 18%. I do have the impression that it's easier to get into US schools though based on some of the stats I've heard on these boards. ie: people getting in with a B average and not too much experience. Whereas in Canada, this is virtually unheard of for an MSW program.

 

So for American programs, some schools may very well have such high acceptance rates. You just need to inquire about each school's stats and find out which ones are more competitive.

 

That being said, school fit is also very important. You could get into some programs that take a smaller percentage of applicants and end up being rejected from some schools that appear to be easier to get into simply because of your perceived fit for any given school. 

 

Best of luck!!

  

Chrislee, I just wanted to mention that not *all* MSW programs have an acceptance rate of 40%.  In the Toronto area (where I reside), the acceptance rate is 20-25%, sometimes much lower.

Edited August 20, 2013 by jenste

[Lola1233]

sorry guys, didn't mean to ruffle any feathers. I should have put the disclaimer that IMO, and IME, the biggest/top MSW programs in the US have a high acceptance rate -- from the ones I've reserached, they hover around 20-40%. Just trying to give the guy some hope and words of encouragement for his SOP...

[MSW13]

Thank you! From what I've read, I actually agree with you completely regarding acceptance stats in American MSW programs. I just felt the need to make the distinction between American and Canadian universities because most MSW programs are actually quite competitive in Canada. As Jenste mentioned, it is nearly impossible to find someone accepted with a 'B' average and minimal experience (I've actually never met someone with these stats).  B+ or A- is more likely to be the unofficial cut-off. For Canadian school applicants, this is the reality and if they go into it thinking that almost everyone gets admitted, they will be in for a real let down.

Again, thank you for your clarification and I do appreciate your encouraging message and I think you made some really great points regarding the SOP:)   

sorry guys, didn't mean to ruffle any feathers. I should have put the disclaimer that IMO, and IME, the biggest/top MSW programs in the US have a high acceptance rate -- from the ones I've reserached, they hover around 20-40%. Just trying to give the guy some hope and words of encouragement for his SOP...

[MaggieDot]

Has anyone made progress?

 

How common is it for MSW applicants to mention specific professors in their PS? I feel like this is something commonplace in PhD SOPs/PS, but I can't tell if it's appropriate for us here. Any thoughts?

 

@ MsDarjeeling: How's that approach working for you? I just started really free writing rather than jotting down ideas. I feel mentally all over the place already, but feel like taking time away would help clarify things for me. 

[MsDarjeeling]

 

@ MsDarjeeling: How's that approach working for you? I just started really free writing rather than jotting down ideas. I feel mentally all over the place already, but feel like taking time away would help clarify things for me. 

 

So far so good.  I took it to my first editor a few weeks ago and the feedback was brutal as I expected.  Then I ignored it, largely to lick my wounds lol.  Now I'm working on incorporating their feedback for what will be draft 3.  I have 2 more editors to go through so I'm expected about 6 drafts total, which isn't bad.  The time away gives me a fresh perspective and renewed energy.

[MaggieDot]

Haha, I guess I should brace myself once I send it to get looked over for the first time. Thanks for responding!