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Canadian Universities MSW. The waiting game 2015 admissions


smpalesh

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Question for anyone who did the 1 year bsw at uwaterloo: I am confused about the prerequisites. Do you have to be accepted to the program to take the pre reqs online? Or can I just sign up to take them?

 

I'm 90% sure I started taking them before I was "accepted" to the BSW, but it was a couple years ago at this point, so I would definitely double-check with the contact person there.

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Also waitlisted for UofT!

 

If I remember from a previous post, around 75 people are waitlisted, right?

That is what I read on previous threads too, but I do not know how factual it is...

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Hi guys,

newbie here, I was exploring these forums over the past couple of days and they have been really helpful, espeically because I have been feeling quite down lately after getting waitlisted for the 2-year MSW program at U of T. I didn't know how steep the competition was (over 800 applicants!) and I had some false hope that I would get in. I'm still hopeful though, but I don't know if it was because I didn't have enough experience or not....

 

my stats:

Bachelor of arts in SOC (3.92 gpa in last term of studies), won some scholarships as well. I am a Board Member of an immigrant women's organization (as of October 2014)

volunteer experience: peer leader for a Women's health program (9 months) (collab with women's college hospital), Community researcher for Pathways to Education in Regent Park, and Kurdish house. Both of those were only 4 months though.

Do you guys think this is competitve enough? I'm staring to doubt my qualifications....I also applied to York as well but competition for that is even steeper given that they only accept around 40 applicants.

 

 

To be honest there's no point in stressing about it now. There's nothing you can do. Start thinking about how you could improve your application for next year.

 

Your marks definitely seem high enough. You need lots more experience. If you dedicate the next year to getting more experience (I recommend CAS) then I think you have a great shot next year. 

Thank you guys for your input, really appeciate it! fingers crossed that someone declines offers lol and we get accepted, I guess my area of improvement would need to be more experience.

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I do think that you are a competitive applicant. You have a nice GPA, and you also have some interesting volunteer and research experience. Having an A in the research course that you selected would also be helpful.

 

Other factors that you might consider are how well-written your application was (I think that this is where I might have lost out) and the strength of your references. Other than that, I think that it's an accomplishment just to get on the waitlist for the 2-year program. It certainly doesn't mean that you'll get in, but I've heard of a lot of people who entered the program from that situation.

 

Also, don't give up on York! The competition might be steep, but they will look at your application from a critical social work lens, and your volunteer experience might shine there.

Thanks so much for the motivation. I'm pretty happy with my academic work, references, and written application. perhaps my resume needed a bit more work as I do have some volunteer experience but having read other people's work, I am no where near there. Wish you the best of luck!

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For the wait list @ uoft I don't know how many people are on it because when I tried to ask last year they would not say or tell the "rank" on the list either.

But I remember one person getting in August so there's always a chance! :) take the wait list as an accomplishment in itself it means you are on the right track.

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Does anyone know how long Windsor University's social work e-mail usually takes to respond back to e-mails? I e-mailed to ask about the 2-year program and if all acceptances have been sent out already (I noticed in the search results function that some people didn't hear until mid-May on their results in previous years). It seems not many people on these forums have applied there, but if anyone has any information that would be extremely helpful (I have another offer that I have to accept by May 1 for a college, but I'm holding out until I hear back from Windsor).

Edited by Fenris70
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I think Windsor usually does rolling admissions until all the spots get filled up. So it would likely vary from yer to year, but you might be able to find out the average wait time from the secretary.

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Hi mijj_wa,

I was really set on Carleton originally, and since I was waitlisted at Carleton but accepted to Laurier, I will be attending Laurier. I'm curious to know why you chose Carleton over Laurier. I haven't been able to find a lot of information to compare the two besides the fact that Laurier has 3 placements, in comparison with Carleton who has two. Are there any specific reasons why you chose Carleton over Laurier? Personally, it was more for the location that I wanted Carleton. I'm just curious :)

Hi purplegrey, I chose Carleton largely based on location but both are very good programs and schools. I currently live in the K-W region but I'm originally from Kingston and I want to get closer to home. I think I just need a change of scenery!
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Hi guys,

newbie here, I was exploring these forums over the past couple of days and they have been really helpful, espeically because I have been feeling quite down lately after getting waitlisted for the 2-year MSW program at U of T. I didn't know how steep the competition was (over 800 applicants!) and I had some false hope that I would get in. I'm still hopeful though, but I don't know if it was because I didn't have enough experience or not....

 

my stats:

Bachelor of arts in SOC (3.92 gpa in last term of studies), won some scholarships as well. I am a Board Member of an immigrant women's organization (as of October 2014)

volunteer experience: peer leader for a Women's health program (9 months) (collab with women's college hospital), Community researcher for Pathways to Education in Regent Park, and Kurdish house. Both of those were only 4 months though.

Do you guys think this is competitve enough? I'm staring to doubt my qualifications....I also applied to York as well but competition for that is even steeper given that they only accept around 40 applicants.

 

 

It sounds like you're a competitive applicant! The one thing I would say is experience wise, both quantity and quality is important. Being a board member of an immigrant women's organization is super amazing, but the fact that as of the application time you had 2-3 months of experience with it could have been a disadvantage with your application. I know that U of T really values consistency and working for relevant volunteer(/paid) organizations on a more long-term basis would show both dedication as well as emphasize your value as a volunteer/employee.  I think that the types of experience you've listed sound amazing, and that getting more hours will help a ton for future applications (if you don't get in this time around, of course!)

 

Good luck!

 

And and and, congrats to everyone who has made the wait-list, fingers crossed for everyone!!!

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Got my waitlist letter from U of T today. Feeling happy to at least be waitlisted.

 

 

I see you've been accepted to York. I did a year of my BSW there and met a lot of the faculty that teaches the MSW program, and heard a lot of them speak. York's school of SW is under constant fire for their program not fitting the standard cirriculum, but I personally feel this is a good thing. My profs were also all HATED most of our textbooks and such but still taught them with a critical lens, and really used them in an interesting educational way.

 

York is an amazing program. If you want to do anything in government/politics, activism, research, etc, I would reccommend it!

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I see you've been accepted to York. I did a year of my BSW there and met a lot of the faculty that teaches the MSW program, and heard a lot of them speak. York's school of SW is under constant fire for their program not fitting the standard cirriculum, but I personally feel this is a good thing. My profs were also all HATED most of our textbooks and such but still taught them with a critical lens, and really used them in an interesting educational way.

 

York is an amazing program. If you want to do anything in government/politics, activism, research, etc, I would reccommend it!

 

Hey, thank you so much for sharing that!! I have been really wanting to hear from someone with experience at York.

Can you elaborate a bit more? When you say the SW school doesn't fit the standard curriculum, do you mean the CASW standards? Under fire from who (students, or CASW?) I know that York isn't a clinical program, but did anyone in  your BSW do a direct practice/clinical placement? Thanks!

To be honest I still don't know what kind of social work I want to do. I'm hoping that some practicum experience will help clear that up. I've done some direct practice work and a lot of research, social service administration, policy, etc. Not sure yet which way I want to go. I partly feel that I should get more direct practice experience, so I have more on-the-ground experience, which would provide context for any research, policy, government work I do. Does anyone have feedback on that idea?

I feel like everyone else has a clear plan of what they want to do (specific population, specific role, e.g. counselling, child protection, etc) -- Is anyone else attending in the fall and still unsure??

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I have noticed several people mentioned experience working or volunteering as a board member for various organizations, can someone with similar experience provide some insight as to what this entails or how you obtained these positions. Thank you in advanced :) Feel free to PM if preferred.

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Is anyone who has been accepted to U of T turning the offer down? Secondly, is anyone who was wait-listed at u of T not remaining on the wait-list because they are accepting other offers? Thanks everyone!

I'm likely going to take myself off the wait list but not to accept an offer elsewhere.  I got hired at an amazing agency so I'm pretty set on working for a couple years now and reapplying after that (although part of me wants to hold out hope for U of T still).

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Sorry to ask again, but is there anyone from the 2014/15 cohort of Lakehead's HBSW that can pass along the textbook list for the 1000 level summer course (or even the Fall semester, for that matter)? Just trying to get a head start on some of the theories so that hopping back into acadamia isn't such a rough transition :)

Thanks!

Edited by lickitysplit
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Hey, thank you so much for sharing that!! I have been really wanting to hear from someone with experience at York.

Can you elaborate a bit more? When you say the SW school doesn't fit the standard curriculum, do you mean the CASW standards? Under fire from who (students, or CASW?) I know that York isn't a clinical program, but did anyone in  your BSW do a direct practice/clinical placement? Thanks!

To be honest I still don't know what kind of social work I want to do. I'm hoping that some practicum experience will help clear that up. I've done some direct practice work and a lot of research, social service administration, policy, etc. Not sure yet which way I want to go. I partly feel that I should get more direct practice experience, so I have more on-the-ground experience, which would provide context for any research, policy, government work I do. Does anyone have feedback on that idea?

I feel like everyone else has a clear plan of what they want to do (specific population, specific role, e.g. counselling, child protection, etc) -- Is anyone else attending in the fall and still unsure??

 

Me!!!!

I have no idea.  I've tried a little bit of everything and have NO IDEA what kind of placement to seek out when I go to York in the fall.  I'm honestly open to a little bit of serendipity.

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Me!!!!

I have no idea.  I've tried a little bit of everything and have NO IDEA what kind of placement to seek out when I go to York in the fall.  I'm honestly open to a little bit of serendipity.

 

I feel really relieved to hear this!! Thanks for saying so. :)

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Hey, does anyone know who you email at Laurier in regards to admissions? I still haven't heard anything from Laurier and assume I've been rejected but want to be sure of this before I accept another program. Super frustrating since I live 20 minutes away from Laurier and assumed I would have got a letter by now. 

 

Thanks! 

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Try emailing: socialwork@wlu.ca or calling:

 

Graduate Recruitment and Admissions - 519.884.0710 x2617

 

Hey, does anyone know who you email at Laurier in regards to admissions? I still haven't heard anything from Laurier and assume I've been rejected but want to be sure of this before I accept another program. Super frustrating since I live 20 minutes away from Laurier and assumed I would have got a letter by now. 

 

Thanks! 

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I am also wait listed at U of T. Any one know how many people they put on the wait list?

Someone said earlier they thought roughly 75 people, which is not bad chances. However, it seems lie pretty much everyone on this forum who didn't get an offer is on the wait list, so it could be higher (or all the keeners live here?)

Again, I am reeeaaallllly curious about ANYONE who is either taking them self off the waitlist, OR who was accepted at U of T and is taking another offer??

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I have noticed several people mentioned experience working or volunteering as a board member for various organizations, can someone with similar experience provide some insight as to what this entails or how you obtained these positions. Thank you in advanced :) Feel free to PM if preferred.

 

I've been a board member for a number of organizations and generally you have to be a member of the organization first and then move up in status after getting some experience and committing time. I can't speak for all organizations though and I'm sure the rules for that vary a lot from place to place.

 

Hope those of you in school are wrapping up your semesters nicely! I'm taking 7 courses this semester so I can attend the spring convocation at my school and I'm really excited for it to be over--don't think I've left my house in a week and a half! Like actually, so much ordered pizza.

 

Good luck everyone!

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Someone said earlier they thought roughly 75 people, which is not bad chances. However, it seems lie pretty much everyone on this forum who didn't get an offer is on the wait list, so it could be higher (or all the keeners live here?)

Again, I am reeeaaallllly curious about ANYONE who is either taking them self off the waitlist, OR who was accepted at U of T and is taking another offer??

 

Yeah, I was the one who thought it was 75 people on the wait-list... I vaguely remember that number from a previous post. And concerning the people on this forum, we have yet to hear of a rejection.. So I am wondering if they didn't wait-list pretty much everyone who didn't get an offer but respected the minimum criteria they had...which would be pretty stupid tbh, but I also always wondered if they exaggerated the number of applicants... But why would they do that? I really don't know.

 

Anyways, if 75 people are wait-listed, then I expect the wait-list to actually be of around 60 by early May. :)

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