University of Chicago SSA - Fall 2016

[RCtheSS]

A central thread for all of us who applied to University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration for the 2016-2017 academic year. AM and PhD applicants welcome!

SSA has been alerting applicants of acceptances so far, as far as I know--I haven't seen any rejection or wait list notices on the Results page yet.

Admitted Students' Weekend is April 8-9 2016, which unfortunately is the same weekend as my friend's wedding which I'm a bridesmaid for. I still plan to visit the school this spring but it will have to be a more informal session. If anyone else plans to go, please share your experience!

[HafMoh]

I'm planning to go out there for Admitted Student's Weekend, but most likely will only be able to attend the Saturday events. 

Have you started thinking about where you are going to live? I'm not sure if staying in Grad Housing or private housing will be better. 

[RCtheSS]

2 minutes ago, HafMoh said:

I'm planning to go out there for Admitted Student's Weekend, but most likely will only be able to attend the Saturday events. 

Have you started thinking about where you are going to live? I'm not sure if staying in Grad Housing or private housing will be better. 

I'll have to chat with some of my colleagues who went there previously to get their opinion, but from the research I've done so far I'm leaning towards graduate housing. As much as I prefer off-campus living, they seem to have decent studio adn one-bedroom options.

[HafMoh]

When you  do talk to your colleagues, would you care to share the information? I'd be interested in what they have to say. I don't know anyone who lives in Chicago and feel a bit blind at the moment trying to get plans together before travelling up there.

[RCtheSS]

Absolutely! Feel free to PM me if you have any other questions you'd like answered from some UChicago grads. 

[fenetian]

Thanks for creating this thread! I think I'll be accepting my admission (AM Full-time Day Program) tomorrow and am planning to attend at least the Saturday events for Admitted Students' Weekend. I'll be sure to post on here about the experience!

I'm also working on figuring out housing options, so any insight is definitely appreciated!

[RCtheSS]

Congrats and welcome!

My coworkers confirmed that Hyde Park is the place to live for graduate students. Here is a site with the available on-campus housing options: http://rp.uchicago.edu/graduate_housing/property_comparisons.shtml

Some of the options are located super close to SSA. 

[DisasterBin]

One of my friend got accepted and another was rejected. I have no any notification now, I am so nervous!!!

 

[Lookingtothefuture]

When did everyone submit their application? I'm still waiting to hear back as well! Super nervous!

[RCtheSS]

I submitted my application January 15...and was accepted two weeks later. Such a quick turn-around, and I really didn't expect it. Sorry if that only makes you more nervous.

I went to the SSA campus visit this Monday, and I had a great experience with both the school and the university as a whole. It was my first time being in Chicago so I also chowed down on some deep dish pizza. 

[Lookingtothefuture]

1 minute ago, RCtheSS said:

I submitted my application January 15...and was accepted two weeks later. Such a quick turn-around, and I really didn't expect it. Sorry if that only makes you more nervous.

I went to the SSA campus visit this Monday, and I had a great experience with both the school and the university as a whole. It was my first time being in Chicago so I also chowed down on some deep dish pizza. 

Wow! Congratulations! My app was fully in with recommendations and all on the 20th of January, so fingers crossed I'll hear soon then. Did you hear via email or mail?

[RCtheSS]

Thanks! I was actually in kind of a panic before they extended their deadline over that weekend, because one of my LOR writers wasn't getting any of the emails from the application portal to submit her letter. We had to contact admissions to get it manually uploaded onto my application. 

I was notified via email that my application status had changed. A mail notice arrived about a week later.

[wongjcz]

Hello! 

I am like… 90% sure I'm going to SSA! *happy dance!* Looking forward to eating deep dish pizza and complaining about the freeeeeezing weather! 

@RCtheSS what made the experience "great"? 

[RCtheSS]

1 hour ago, wongjcz said:

Hello! 

I am like… 90% sure I'm going to SSA! *happy dance!* Looking forward to eating deep dish pizza and complaining about the freeeeeezing weather! 

@RCtheSS what made the experience "great"? 

Personally, I didn't mentally catalog any red flags as I was speaking with the admissions staff, faculty or current students. There seem to be enough work study opportunities available for first-years. The class I sat in on was very engaging; it was a clinical course, and even though I plan to study social administration I enjoyed the lecture and class discussion. 

After the official visit, I walked around the campus through the snow! I met with some staff at the university's Center for Identity + Inclusion and had a refreshing conversation about the university climate in all. The campus looks quite vast and very Gothic.

[HafMoh]

5 hours ago, kmerg said:

When did everyone submit their application? I'm still waiting to hear back as well! Super nervous!

My application was submitted Nov. 30 and last LOR was in on Dec 1. I recieved a notification via email on Jan. 22. Didn't see the email until 3 days later because the email was sent to junk mail. :/

 

[HafMoh]

36 minutes ago, RCtheSS said:

Personally, I didn't mentally catalog any red flags as I was speaking with the admissions staff, faculty or current students. There seem to be enough work study opportunities available for first-years. The class I sat in on was very engaging; it was a clinical course, and even though I plan to study social administration I enjoyed the lecture and class discussion. 

After the official visit, I walked around the campus through the snow! I met with some staff at the university's Center for Identity + Inclusion and had a refreshing conversation about the university climate in all. The campus looks quite vast and very Gothic.

That's great to hear! Makes me more excited to visit in April! Also thank you for the update on grad housing, I'll definitely be going that route for next year. 

[dididiva]

I'm wondering if anyone has yet to submit their application but intends to, or if folks applied later than the Jan. 15 deadline? I submitted my application March 14 and my last rec went in today. I know the final deadline is April 1, but is SSA rolling admissions? Has anyone ever heard back after the standard time?

[TheCrow]

Just as a note, you can search for an apartment on uchicago's internal version of craigslist: https://marketplace.uchicago.edu/?q=apartments&v=

[RCtheSS]

Bump! This week I've made the unofficial decision to enroll in the joint AM/MPP degree at UChicago. I'm already in correspondence with a professor in SSA about research opportunities in the upcoming year. 

I can't attend the admitted student event this weekend, unfortunately. I'm planning to travel back up in the summer to secure housing.

[RCtheSS]

Checking in with any other incoming SSA students!

I have yet to submit the field placement application; I need to take some time this weekend to think about the learning objectives I would like to achieve. I have started going through potential courses I'd like to take over the program.