MSW stat check in - what are you applying with?

[Read_books]

I have no idea what's "normal" - except that my GPA is low. Anyone else want to share their stats?

 

 

Low GPA 2.89

 

GRE (if needed) 154/ 145 / 4.5

 

Hundreds of hours of direct volunteer work, and experience sitting on a board.

 

3 years of related work experience that shows promotions

 

Published research, and research in process of being published

 

Strong letters of rec (professor / boss / another related boss / people I volunteer with)

 

 

SO NERVOUS ABOUT THE GPA 

[bquinn]

Hi! I won't be applying until next year, as I'm still an undergrad and want to take a year off after graduating, but I figure I'd chime in just to see!

 

No GRE yet, taking them in the spring

Current GPA: 3.71, but would like to see it go up to a 3.8 by graduation in May.

Currently working as a bachelor's level outreach worker with mentally ill teens and their families, have previous experience working in a therapeutic after school program, as well as in residential homes as a direct care staff (~2 years of experience). I'm going to start volunteering at a local language institute to tutor in ESL.

Great potential letters of recommendation from bosses, but I can't think of any professors to ask as I don't have a relationship with any :/

I'll be applying to UT Austin (CAL program), UPitt (dual degree in SW/International Development), BC (macro in global practice), and Monmouth University in NJ (concentration in international and community development).

 

My main concern is the lack of academic references, as well as my major in psychology as it doesn't exactly "fit" with any kind of international social work :/

[CJMSW]

Read_books I'm with you on the low GPA.

 

Overall GPA 2.77 Last 60 credits GPA comes out too roughly 3.6  Haven't taken a Biology course so slightly worried about that.  My degree was in Criminal Justice/Forensic Psych with a concentration in Gerontology. I also took emphasis coursework in military/veterans issues.

 

Haven't taken the GRE

 

Volunteer Experience:

-4 years working with special needs children in an urban school setting.Of those 4 years, 3 were spent shadowing Speech Pathologist and sitting on Child Study Team and 1 year of volunteering with an Occupational Therapist for early intervention.

-1 year of serving with Children's Ministry at a rural church.

 

Internships:

- Interned for 6 months with a military employment nonprofit that is part of the DOD. Did outreach, briefings, and identified companies appropriate to partner with for employment among Guard & Reserve component.

 

-Interned at my colleges Department of Veteran Affairs.  Worked with SVO President to do needs assessment of services in place for incoming military/veterans, reviewed training available for faculty relating to military culture and possible stereotypes, and wrote grant to fund position for LCSW to specifically support service members/veterans on campus.

 

Employment:

-Disaster Recovery Case Manager for national non-profit. Worked with clients to develop long term recovery plan, advocated on their behalf with government agencies & insurance companies, evaluated eligibility for financial programs, and referred to mental health staff as needed.  5 months in position

 

-Regional Program Manager for military/veterans/families department of same non-profit. Work with homeless veterans to develop housing plans and refer to additional services. Brief commands, do outreach events for military families, and sit on Deployment Cycle Committee for installation. Oversee case management staff of 7, overall program staff of 22, and supervise 2 BSW interns. Train military children on resiliency, provide military families with deployment support and reintegration skill building opportunities. Serve as Chair of Veterans Education for a county's Veterans Committee and member of local University's Military Advisory Board for their School of Social Work. Sit on Base Commander's strategic services board to spot trends in domestic violence, substance abuses, sexual assaults, and suicide attempts/completions, and develop prevention programs to create positive changes.

 

LORs:

I have an offer from a professor from my undergrad department who I didn't take classes with but had worked with. She would write a really strong letter as she's seen my academic progress and has worked with me on hands on projects. Other than that, 1 LOR from my current supervisor, and another from a former supervisor who also is a MSW professor and department head at a hospital. 

 

SOP:

I have no clue where to even start on these. I'd like to address my less than stellar academic record but I'm not sure if that would be appropriate.

Edited October 25, 2014 by CJMSW

[Read_books]

CJMSW I'll keep my fingers crossed for you too. It's crazy I've gotten complete mixed reviews on the GPA!

Stellar work experience though! We are in the same boat - hopefully it works out for us both

[Deez]

Good day all

 

I graduated in 2010 with a Bachelor in Psychology. Through the Department of Mentall Health and CSU Dominguez hills, I was able to be certified as a mental health rehabilitation specialist in 2012.

 

Recently, I submitted my applications to CSU Long Beach and Dominguez for their Social Work programs. My gpa was a 2.95 so I'm extrememly nervous about getting accepted to either program. I would've applied to USC or UCLA my obviously my gpa wasn't up to their standards so I'm going with the the Cal State's (my favorite anyway).

 

I got solid letter of recommendations (clinical supervisor,felid supervisor,academic professor) and my personal statement was legit. My only concern is the gpa factor.

[daisydukes]

Good day all

 

I graduated in 2010 with a Bachelor in Psychology. Through the Department of Mentall Health and CSU Dominguez hills, I was able to be certified as a mental health rehabilitation specialist in 2012.

 

Recently, I submitted my applications to CSU Long Beach and Dominguez for their Social Work programs. My gpa was a 2.95 so I'm extrememly nervous about getting accepted to either program. I would've applied to USC or UCLA my obviously my gpa wasn't up to their standards so I'm going with the the Cal State's (my favorite anyway).

 

I got solid letter of recommendations (clinical supervisor,felid supervisor,academic professor) and my personal statement was legit. My only concern is the gpa factor.

Did you write the statement of purpose that was required by CSU Mentor application?

[Read_books]

Hi! I won't be applying until next year, as I'm still an undergrad and want to take a year off after graduating, but I figure I'd chime in just to see!

 

No GRE yet, taking them in the spring

Current GPA: 3.71, but would like to see it go up to a 3.8 by graduation in May.

Currently working as a bachelor's level outreach worker with mentally ill teens and their families, have previous experience working in a therapeutic after school program, as well as in residential homes as a direct care staff (~2 years of experience). I'm going to start volunteering at a local language institute to tutor in ESL.

Great potential letters of recommendation from bosses, but I can't think of any professors to ask as I don't have a relationship with any :/

I'll be applying to UT Austin (CAL program), UPitt (dual degree in SW/International Development), BC (macro in global practice), and Monmouth University in NJ (concentration in international and community development).

 

My main concern is the lack of academic references, as well as my major in psychology as it doesn't exactly "fit" with any kind of international social work :/

 

Hey, you have half a year to work on your academic recommendations. Your GPA and work experience are pretty stellar though. Honestly, I walked up to a professor who I liked and had done well in his class and said (more eloquently lol) I am looking to go to graduate school and have not made any real connections with a professor. Is there any research I can help you with, or a project I could showcase my abilities... I am asking you specifically because xxxx(this class, or this publication, or your interests) I said this to 3, 1 said no, 2 said yes, after a follow up one followed through. It's worth a shot. I also kept communication with the professor during my time off

[Read_books]

Good day all

 

I graduated in 2010 with a Bachelor in Psychology. Through the Department of Mentall Health and CSU Dominguez hills, I was able to be certified as a mental health rehabilitation specialist in 2012.

 

Recently, I submitted my applications to CSU Long Beach and Dominguez for their Social Work programs. My gpa was a 2.95 so I'm extrememly nervous about getting accepted to either program. I would've applied to USC or UCLA my obviously my gpa wasn't up to their standards so I'm going with the the Cal State's (my favorite anyway).

 

I got solid letter of recommendations (clinical supervisor,felid supervisor,academic professor) and my personal statement was legit. My only concern is the gpa factor.

 

I'm applying to mostly schools with a 3.0 GPA so I'm really nervous about that :/ Good job on getting your applications done early. Thanks for sharing your stats and good luck!

[KristiBoom]

I'm super worried I'm kidding myself by applying this early, but I know this is what I want to do so I'm going to try!

 

GPA 3.84 Double major in Psychology, Anthropology with a Gender and Sexuality Minor

 

Haven't taken the GRE (question for another forum I would suppose but if a program says it doesn't require the GRE do they really mean it? Standardize testing and me are not friends and I don't feel like it would build my resume at all).

 

Volunteer History:

A little over a year working at a youth homeless shelter. Most of my time has been as a general volunteer, but I have recently shifted into an overnight supervisor role.

 

Various times where I have helped current grad students with their research, such as transcribing and coding.

 

Relevant employment history:

 

A year as a care-worker in England. Worked in people's homes helping care for vulnerable family members. I did this between my associate of arts degree and my BA.

 

Currently an AmeriCorps volunteer working as an Education and Outreach Coordinator at a women's transitional house. 

 

LORS:

3 strong ones from a professor, the shelter, and my current AmeriCorps job.

 

SOP:

Pure panic

[shania112]

Im in for a long shot. Im an English major, 2.7 GPA. Applying to CSULB and UMD for my MSW. Put myself through college working full time and was in and out of foster care my entire childhood. Hoping that will sweeten the deal and make me a more attractive candidate. Ive taken loads of PSYCH, SOCI, and FMST classes to help with the fact that I'm not a social work major… 

 

Chances are slim but might as well try. If I can't do it this year, I can always get more experience, take more courses and try next year.

 

Also logging over 200 hours with Maryland CASA which is a nonprofit assisting the courts with foster youth.

Edited November 4, 2014 by shania112

[Deez]

Did you write the statement of purpose that was required by CSU Mentor application?

No because it asks if your department reuires you to submit it to their department and I left that in the notes.

[Deez]

I'm applying to mostly schools with a 3.0 GPA so I'm really nervous about that :/ Good job on getting your applications done early. Thanks for sharing your stats and good luck!

I'm sooooooooooooooo nervous. I counting on my work experinece, certification and kick ass LOR's. I'm even down for interviews if necessary.

[Lifesaver]

If it makes anyone sleep easier at night, I applied with an undergrad GPA of 2.4 and a grad school GPA of 3.83 and got into all but one of the seven schools I applied to. Ivy included. I also managed to get pretty hefty scholarships at three of those schools. I didn't even send my [good] MAT scores, I probably would have, had I had more money. A strong application package and good interview skills go a long way in terms of MSW addmitance. Much more so than blah undergrad GPAs. Especially if a chunk of time has gone by since graduation.

[adacot]

After reading these posts and posts on other threads here, I am a little nervous about my chances of getting into a Social Work program. I have a 3.62 GPA, 165 math, 160 verbal, and 5.5 writing score on GRE (although most schools seem to not care about GRE), but my experience seems a bit lacking especially compared to others on this forum board! I just recently graduated college (July 2014), and I am currently working abroad as an English teacher. My experience mainly includes working as an AmeriCorps tutor in a school in a low-income neighborhood for a year as well as an LGBT peer mentor for a year. I also have some experience in academic peer counseling through my university as well. I want to be a school social worker and help at-risk LGBT youth. Provided I can tie in my experiences well in my personal statements and get good recommendations from past employers and professors, what are my chances of getting into a social work program? It seems as if many social work applicants are over the age of 24-25, and have tons of experience with direct practice such as working for social service agencies and such. This makes me nervous because I feel that an admissions officer may not take my application too seriously because of my lack of experience and age (I am currently 21). I am applying to UCLA, USC, CSULA, CSULB, SDSU, NYU, Hunter College, and Columbia University. Do you think I have a chance at any of these schools?

[KristiBoom]

After reading these posts and posts on other threads here, I am a little nervous about my chances of getting into a Social Work program. I have a 3.62 GPA, 165 math, 160 verbal, and 5.5 writing score on GRE (although most schools seem to not care about GRE), but my experience seems a bit lacking especially compared to others on this forum board! I just recently graduated college (July 2014), and I am currently working abroad as an English teacher. My experience mainly includes working as an AmeriCorps tutor in a school in a low-income neighborhood for a year as well as an LGBT peer mentor for a year. I also have some experience in academic peer counseling through my university as well. I want to be a school social worker and help at-risk LGBT youth. Provided I can tie in my experiences well in my personal statements and get good recommendations from past employers and professors, what are my chances of getting into a social work program? It seems as if many social work applicants are over the age of 24-25, and have tons of experience with direct practice such as working for social service agencies and such. This makes me nervous because I feel that an admissions officer may not take my application too seriously because of my lack of experience and age (I am currently 21). I am applying to UCLA, USC, CSULA, CSULB, SDSU, NYU, Hunter College, and Columbia University. Do you think I have a chance at any of these schools?

I feel you, that's my big fear. 

[paige_elizabeth10]

If it makes you feel any better, I applied straight out of undergrad (I was also 21 at the time) with only part time social work experience and was accepted to UCLA and USC. 

 

After reading these posts and posts on other threads here, I am a little nervous about my chances of getting into a Social Work program. I have a 3.62 GPA, 165 math, 160 verbal, and 5.5 writing score on GRE (although most schools seem to not care about GRE), but my experience seems a bit lacking especially compared to others on this forum board! I just recently graduated college (July 2014), and I am currently working abroad as an English teacher. My experience mainly includes working as an AmeriCorps tutor in a school in a low-income neighborhood for a year as well as an LGBT peer mentor for a year. I also have some experience in academic peer counseling through my university as well. I want to be a school social worker and help at-risk LGBT youth. Provided I can tie in my experiences well in my personal statements and get good recommendations from past employers and professors, what are my chances of getting into a social work program? It seems as if many social work applicants are over the age of 24-25, and have tons of experience with direct practice such as working for social service agencies and such. This makes me nervous because I feel that an admissions officer may not take my application too seriously because of my lack of experience and age (I am currently 21). I am applying to UCLA, USC, CSULA, CSULB, SDSU, NYU, Hunter College, and Columbia University. Do you think I have a chance at any of these schools?

[KristiBoom]

If it makes you feel any better, I applied straight out of undergrad (I was also 21 at the time) with only part time social work experience and was accepted to UCLA and USC. 

Could you describe the focus of your Statements of Intents. How were you able to convey that you were a good candidate without the experience?

[paige_elizabeth10]

I had social work experience, just not 2-3 years of full time experience. I spoke about my experience working for a youth emergency shelter part time since 2011, my social justice work at my undergrad, and my experience as a research assistant for the psychology department for two years. Even though I couldn't say that I had been in the social work field for a few years working full time, I did my best to "sell" any work that I thought was relevant and talked about the social work skills that I learned from those experiences. 

 

Could you describe the focus of your Statements of Intents. How were you able to convey that you were a good candidate without the experience?

[Applemiu]

After reading these posts and posts on other threads here, I am a little nervous about my chances of getting into a Social Work program. I have a 3.62 GPA, 165 math, 160 verbal, and 5.5 writing score on GRE (although most schools seem to not care about GRE), but my experience seems a bit lacking especially compared to others on this forum board! I just recently graduated college (July 2014), and I am currently working abroad as an English teacher. My experience mainly includes working as an AmeriCorps tutor in a school in a low-income neighborhood for a year as well as an LGBT peer mentor for a year. I also have some experience in academic peer counseling through my university as well. I want to be a school social worker and help at-risk LGBT youth. Provided I can tie in my experiences well in my personal statements and get good recommendations from past employers and professors, what are my chances of getting into a social work program? It seems as if many social work applicants are over the age of 24-25, and have tons of experience with direct practice such as working for social service agencies and such. This makes me nervous because I feel that an admissions officer may not take my application too seriously because of my lack of experience and age (I am currently 21). I am applying to UCLA, USC, CSULA, CSULB, SDSU, NYU, Hunter College, and Columbia University. Do you think I have a chance at any of these schools?

 

By direct experience I can tell you that you definitely have a chance. Don't worry! Keep polishing your application.

[adacot]

Thank you all, this makes me feel better!

[Nochal]

I feel like I'm a strong applicant overall, but this is what I'm applying with:

 

GPA 3.97 Baccalaureate of Social Work 

 

I don't plan on taking the GRE since none of the schools I'm looking at ask for it. (weird, eh?) 

 

Volunteer History:

Worked with a monthly cancer support group for families with children for about a year and a half.

Right now I'm half way through an internship at an agency providing permanent supportive housing.

 

Relevant employment history:

I've been working as a personal aide for people living with developmental disabilities for almost 3 years.

 

 

LORS:

Strong letter from the director of the cancer support place (also a MSW prof)

Another strong letter from the county juvenile court administrator (a social work undergrad prof I had)

Probably a weak letter from my manager at my job (I've never read her professional writing, but I'm sure she said good things)

 

SOP:

I worked hard on it, so *hopefully* it's good.

Edited November 8, 2014 by Nochal

[adacot]

WOAH I also believe you are quite a strong applicant. Best of luck to you I bet you can get into the University of Michigan!

[kpsychapp]

I went through applications for Msw programs last year, and I promise you all do not have anything to worry about! In your statements just talk about your experiences that relate to psychology, social work, or anything related to public service or volunteering, as well as your career goals (like what population you want to work with, whether you want to do therapy or case management or non-profit admin, etc). And if you have had any personal experiences that have led you to the social work profession, tell that story as well. They just want to get a feel for who you are in the essay. Good luck!

[esimanon]

Please sign into the google doc I made to list stats (I originally made these last year when I was applying to UCLA and UCB - but they show the stats of many people who were admitted.) Hope this helps guys! Links are below

[SaraFL]

I have to chuckle a little as I read over these posts from people, most (or all) may be less than awesome in 1 area but are totally awesome in other areas.  If it makes you feel any better, I was not a stellar student but did get in to the 1 school I applied to (state school).  My abilities are there, but school just hasn't been the main focus for me for personal reasons.  Anyway, I had:

 

- barely 3.0 GPA, lots of withdrawals and a couple F's on my transcript

- GRE verbal 163ish math 153ish (sorry can't remember exactly) and writing 3 (didn't read up on what they were looking for)

- no idea if my references letters were strong or not, 2 of them I had to write myself and they just signed it, I had no idea what the school would consider "strong" or not

- a few months volunteering

- had just started state social services employment

- possibly unique life experiences

- me writing a statement explaining circumstances and asking that they overlook my low GPA (begging LOL)

 

About 1-2 weeks after submitting my application, I got my acceptance.  There was no feedback on what caused them to accept me so I have no idea.  I was super nervous and I'm so glad I'm in and can stop thinking about it.  Just remember the state schools will give us the same degree and lead to the same license as the more expensive schools.  Also remember your transcript does not define you as a person.  Good luck and I hope everyone finds the right fit in schools for them. 

Edited December 6, 2014 by SaraFL