Canadian Universities MSW. The waiting game 2015 admissions

[msw22]

I am wondering if someone can possibly confirm this, but from reading the past forums and the deadlines people were given to accept offers it appears that Laurier and U of T will start contacting their wait list candidates end of May and Early June. As well, I received notification that wait list candidates for Laurier and U of T have until April 28th & May 8th to reply so that's also what leads me to believe there is potentially another 1.5 month or 2 month wait until the list actually starts to see any movement.

 

Is this correct?

[inableakvision]

I am wondering if someone can possibly confirm this, but from reading the past forums and the deadlines people were given to accept offers it appears that Laurier and U of T will start contacting their wait list candidates end of May and Early June. As well, I received notification that wait list candidates for Laurier and U of T have until April 28th & May 8th to reply so that's also what leads me to believe there is potentially another 1.5 month or 2 month wait until the list actually starts to see any movement.

 

Is this correct?

 

It makes sense. I mean, it would allow for graduating students to finish their semester and send updated transcripts.

[msw22]

It makes sense. I mean, it would allow for graduating students to finish their semester and send updated transcripts.

 

I completely forgot about students graduating, can you tell I've been out of school for awhile haha

[MostlyM]

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.

AH! That kind of bums me out to think that. But it does seem a bit ridiculous to wait list hundreds of people. It makes much more sense from almost every perspective, especially ease in narrowing down who you give offers to. Also, there has been a couple rejections on this forum. But maybe only 2? I was much happier with the idea of 75 people being on the list.  A friend of mine who is currently in the 2 yr program at U of T got in off the waitlist and she said that it seems like everyone she speaks to in the program was accepted off the wait list. That is why I am curious about anyone who may be turning down their offer or asking to be taken off the list. 

[nugget]

U of T is typically a very desirable school for MSW applicants. Perhaps all those people attending U of T who were on the wait list replaced candidates who applied to other programs like counselling or clinical psychology and the MSW was a backup. It's not uncommon for psych applicants to do this since their programs are far more competitive to get into than MSW programs and some of them like to have a back up, just in case.

[inableakvision]

I completely forgot about students graduating, can you tell I've been out of school for awhile haha

 

Hahahahhahaha, I am graduating and I even forgot about it for a while so

[SW15]

hey I haven't heard anything from U of T yet, at this point I've accepted that I've most likely been rejected, but it's my first time applying so I'm trying not to be so hard on myself.

 

I was wondering if everyone who has been rejected/waistlisted could share if it was their first time applying?

[inableakvision]

AH! That kind of bums me out to think that. But it does seem a bit ridiculous to wait list hundreds of people. It makes much more sense from almost every perspective, especially ease in narrowing down who you give offers to. Also, there has been a couple rejections on this forum. But maybe only 2? I was much happier with the idea of 75 people being on the list.  A friend of mine who is currently in the 2 yr program at U of T got in off the waitlist and she said that it seems like everyone she speaks to in the program was accepted off the wait list. That is why I am curious about anyone who may be turning down their offer or asking to be taken off the list. 

 

Well, that is interesting!!

 

Except, I wonder if last year's process sent all the first wave of offers at the same time, which would have led to 'many' seats to be filled up as people were rejecting the offers for other offers... while this year, it seems like they waited for the first wave of offers to send back their answers before sending a final wave of offers (the third one). Ok... I'm not sure I make sense here, but yeah. I think the process was different the years before. 

 

And yeah, bums me out too lol oh well. Let's stay positive!

[inableakvision]

hey I haven't heard anything from U of T yet, at this point I've accepted that I've most likely been rejected, but it's my first time applying so I'm trying not to be so hard on myself.

 

I was wondering if everyone who has been rejected/waistlisted could share if it was their first time applying?

 

Stay positive my dear! Until you get the letter, you can't assume anything!

 

Also, this was my first time applying.

[msw22]

hey I haven't heard anything from U of T yet, at this point I've accepted that I've most likely been rejected, but it's my first time applying so I'm trying not to be so hard on myself.

 

I was wondering if everyone who has been rejected/waistlisted could share if it was their first time applying?

 

Angela indicated that if you have not received an update to your application via ROSI or mail by April 15th to call her directly. This is my first time applying for the MSW programs and second time applying for Guelph's CFT program. If I am not admitted off of a wait list this year I will reapply to Laurier and U of T as well as apply to McMaster's Post Degree BSW and Lakehead's HBSW

[inableakvision]

U of T is typically a very desirable school for MSW applicants. Perhaps all those people attending U of T who were on the wait list replaced candidates who applied to other programs like counselling or clinical psychology and the MSW was a backup. It's not uncommon for psych applicants to do this since their programs are far more competitive to get into than MSW programs and some of them like to have a back up, just in case.

 

You are totally right. I am a psych student and I know of many people who applied to MSWs as back up plans!

[forbuss]

I can answer to the best of my ability! 

 

No, they are not under fire by CASW, it's CASWE. York DOES fit the curriculum and are accredited (obviously) but from what I understand from some of my instructors was that they really stray away from the clinical side of things. They do give you the skills to be able to do this, but it is not their focus. I do know people who did a clinical stream and obviously they were fine with that. They don't discourage their students from working in child protective services or clinical settings at all, but they really show you how to be critical in those settings which really elevates you above others (in my opinion). They are very skeptical of CAS and CPS because of their whiteness (for example, 50% of foster care children are Indigenous) and really prepare you to take on the micro AND the macro at the same time. 

 

From the sounds of your experience in research and policy work, this is probably why you got in - I am still in contact with one of my profs who really broke down exactly what they are looking for. You must have also shown great understanding of privilege and oppression. I have heard lots of folks talk about those things, but NONE tackled it better than York. Everything is constantly in discourse which is crucial, and a lot of the faculty is very well respected in the community.

 

You should consider going there! You hear a wide array of perspectives. Also, if you are a person of colour, York is incredibly culturally and ethnically diverse. I know that this would matter to me, I am so sick of seeing social work programs that are dominated by white folks. 

 

I hope this clarified, and sorry if I made it more confusing haha. 

 

 

 

 

[forbuss]

You are totally right. I am a psych student and I know of many people who applied to MSWs as back up plans!

U of T is very clinical!

[SW15]

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.

 

 

 

Yeah I wonder if U of T exaggerates how many people are on the waitlist and how many people apply to make the program appear more competitive than it is, but that would be so shady, idk

[forbuss]

You are totally right. I am a psych student and I know of many people who applied to MSWs as back up plans!

I actually know a few psych undergrads who did this, and ended up loving SW so much more than psych. I've also heard that it is really hard to get that clinical psych approach out of your brain though.

[inableakvision]

I actually know a few psych undergrads who did this, and ended up loving SW so much more than psych. I've also heard that it is really hard to get that clinical psych approach out of your brain though.

 

Yeah, psych is quite a solid mindset that is quite difficult to get out of. and I am not surprised that a lot preferred SW! I know I do

[MostlyM]

hey I haven't heard anything from U of T yet, at this point I've accepted that I've most likely been rejected, but it's my first time applying so I'm trying not to be so hard on myself.

 

I was wondering if everyone who has been rejected/waistlisted could share if it was their first time applying?

I was waitlisted and it was my first time applying. I am finishing my undergrad right now. Do you live far from the school? I wouldn't assume it's rejection just yet, there seems to be quite a few waitlist spots.

[forbuss]

Did anyone here do their BSW at Dalhousie, or apply?

 

I am in my second year (Gender & Women's Studies BA) and started my BSW at York. 

 

I can only imagine how much worse it is waiting for grad school results, but I am so anxious to hear back. I feel like I should get in, because my GPA is currently a 3.75, but am worried that because I don't have a degree my chances are less. I have heard from the director of admissions that around 85% of people admitted already hold a degree, and a friend in the program said there are "a few" people in the class without a degree. My references were solid (from my SW prof at York, one from the Toronto People with Aids Foundation where I volunteered, and one from my boss at a underprivileged kids summer camp) and letter was good. I am really hoping that their affirmative action policy for queer students will help push me to get accepted. 

 

Anyone have any information on Dal BSW/MSW acceptance?

Edited April 15, 2015 by forbuss

[Leah_N]

So I, like many others, have been wait-listed at Toronto.

Someone asked about people who will not be staying on the wait-list, I won't. Good luck to those still waiting.

[MSW-Waiting4It]

Finally got my letter via snail mail and I am very proud to say I have been waitlisted at University of Toronto 2-Year MSW!!!

The only downfall is my Plan B: If I don't get off the waitlist for UofT, my plan is to attend Lakehead 1Yr HBSW in JULY! This complicates things a lot, but knowing how difficult it is (and competitive), I am definitely going to wait the one out! 

It sucks that I can't 100% commit to Lakehead University, but at the same time, the thought of getting off the waitlist and going straight into a MSW at UofT is still a dream! 

Good luck to all you out there! Also, if anyone is in the same situation (being waitlist at Toronto and accepting into Lakehead), it would be nice to chat and discuss different options of what others are doing!

Edited April 15, 2015 by ShayRonee93

[AMetallo]

Finally got my letter via snail mail and I am very proud to say I have been waitlisted at University of Toronto 2-Year MSW!!!

The only downfall is my Plan B: If I don't get off the waitlist for UofT, my plan is to attend Lakehead 1Yr HBSW in JULY! This complicates things a lot, but knowing how difficult it is (and competitive), I am definitely going to wait the one out! 

It sucks that I can't 100% commit to Lakehead University, but at the same time, the thought of getting off the waitlist and going straight into a MSW at UofT is still a dream! 

Good luck to all you out there! Also, if anyone is in the same situation (being waitlist at Toronto and accepting into Lakehead), it would be nice to chat and discuss different options of what others are doing!

I am in the same position as well!

[mswmswmsw]

Did anyone here do their BSW at Dalhousie, or apply?

 

I am in my second year (Gender & Women's Studies BA) and started my BSW at York. 

 

I can only imagine how much worse it is waiting for grad school results, but I am so anxious to hear back. I feel like I should get in, because my GPA is currently a 3.75, but am worried that because I don't have a degree my chances are less. I have heard from the director of admissions that around 85% of people admitted already hold a degree, and a friend in the program said there are "a few" people in the class without a degree. My references were solid (from my SW prof at York, one from the Toronto People with Aids Foundation where I volunteered, and one from my boss at a underprivileged kids summer camp) and letter was good. I am really hoping that their affirmative action policy for queer students will help push me to get accepted. 

 

Anyone have any information on Dal BSW/MSW acceptance?

 

Hi forbuss,

I'm a recent grad from Dal's distance BSW program.  I got in with only ~1.5 years of undergrad credits...but did have significant experience in the field (e.g. running therapeutic gardening programs for at-risk youth, being a youth program coordinator at a camp for children living with (dis)Abilities, working at a group home for adults living with mental illness, and extensive volunteering in the Restorative Justice field).  I also had ~3 years experience working as a Registered Holistic Nutritionist, with a special focus on offering community-based interventions (e.g. therapeutic cooking classes at a local hospital, low/no-cost group workshops to foster rural food security, etc.) - so that may have played in my favor as well.

...Does this help answer your Q at all?  Please feel free to ask anything else you may be wondering about - whether it's related to Dal's acceptance process and/or their program in general

Best of luck!!!

[forbuss]

 

Hi forbuss,

I'm a recent grad from Dal's distance BSW program.  I got in with only ~1.5 years of undergrad credits...but did have significant experience in the field (e.g. running therapeutic gardening programs for at-risk youth, being a youth program coordinator at a camp for children living with (dis)Abilities, working at a group home for adults living with mental illness, and extensive volunteering in the Restorative Justice field).  I also had ~3 years experience working as a Registered Holistic Nutritionist, with a special focus on offering community-based interventions (e.g. therapeutic cooking classes at a local hospital, low/no-cost group workshops to foster rural food security, etc.) - so that may have played in my favor as well.

...Does this help answer your Q at all?  Please feel free to ask anything else you may be wondering about - whether it's related to Dal's acceptance process and/or their program in general

Best of luck!!!

 

Wow! It sounds like they really didn't have a choice whether to accept you or not with all that experience. Did you apply under the affirmative action policy?

 

Here is my volunteer/work experience:

 

-Ran a program that collected toys, food, and gift cards for women with children who were living at my local transition house for abused mothers. 

-Volunteered at the Toronto People With Aids foundation for 1 year in their food bank as well as their needle exchange.

-Worked for 4 months (and currently am back again) at a local summer camp for underprivileged children. I worked with children who had autism, learning (dis)Abilities, and one child with schizophrenia. 

-LOTS of work with the Canadian Cancer Society 

-I am currently working at an elementary school with their after school/lunch program, but they are basically all wealthy. This has really deepened my understanding of privilege. Since I was just hired, the school does not know this. 

 

I sadly didn't really talk about any of this in my personal letter. I mostly talked about social issues (homophobia, violence against the Indigenous community, and issues surrounding mental illness) because at the time I didn't want to just talk about my experience, because I thought that it spoke for itself. I think this was a mis-step. I also talked largely about my experience as a queer person in Nova Scotia and my passion to enter policy work to change oppressive structures that encourage privilege/oppression. I also spoke of my experience in being diagnosed with anxiety/depression and how psychology pathologizes people and makes it seem like it's a problem with YOU, where as social work has a greater scope for social issues that cause this (ie the othering of queer people). Plus my GPA and references I spoke of in my last post.

 

Does this sound like a strong application? I know some folks have much more volunteer experience with degrees and I am worried I wont get accepted because of this.

 

I guess I should just wait and see because I should find out soon. It's just hard because I just want to get my BSW and enter the workforce. I did a musical theatre program when I was 18-19 (two years), then entered university three years after that. I am 24 now.

 

Eek!

[aw22]

Hey! Does anyone who applied to the Qualifying Year at McGill hear back yet? I know on the website they said decisions will be finalized by the end of march, but my account still says "In Review" and not "Decision Made" 

[marcia]

Just got a call at home offering me acceptance into u of c for fall msw 2015.!!!... Not by email, u of c status or snail mail.. Personal phone call! Was not expecting that !!! So I am in for fall !!:)