Canadian Universities MSW. The waiting game 2017 admissions

[MSW&MD]

The most informative posts from last year in regard to York vs U of T MSW Program

On 3/16/2016 at 1:13 PM, serendipitous22 said:

Hi everyone. I'm currently in the MSW program at York University. I remember very well what it was like to repeatedly check my email and the various online application systems, and my mailbox... for those of you who are still waiting, hang in there! I wanted to share some information about my program that I wish I had known when I was applying, and when I was making my decision.

To be completely fair, here is a brief overview of the type of person that I think would be a good fit for the York MSW program:
- You are very interested in critical social work theories, including Marxism, critical race theory, feminism, queer theory, critical disability studies, etc. (*York does not yet have a strong Indigenous component to the program. UVic is excellent at this if that's what you're looking for. Arguably we should all be looking for this, but I digress.)
- You did a BSW that heavily focussed on clinical skills OR somehow have clinical skills already. In this instance, I actually think York would be a really good complement to your existing skills.
- You want to do macro or meso level social work practice, such as: community work, grassroots activism/organizing, research, group work, programming. York is a good choice for this as it focuses on critical social work practice, which translates well into macro/meso social work practice.
- You want to do a PhD and are very interested in theory and want to write a major research paper. U of T limits the number of students who can do a thesis, so York would be a good choice for you as every student needs to write a practice-based research paper (same as a major research paper; note that a PRP is shorter than a Master's thesis) and this is a requirement for many PhD programs.

Unfortunately for me, I don't fall into any of these categories and I have been disappointed with the program. I'm writing this in the hopes that you will have a bit more information than I did when making an admissions decision. There are a total of 20 students in my cohort/class, and we have had many extensive discussions as a group about our shared frustration and disappointment with the curriculum, faculty, and department. I would estimate that: 3-4 students have seriously considered dropping out or transferring (including me), 10-12 actively and vocally dislike/resent/are disappointed with the program, and 5-6 aren't happy or satisfied but are committed to just getting it over with. There isn't a single person in my cohort that has expressed basic satisfaction - let alone enthusiasm - for any aspect of the program, aside from the funding package (more on that later).

There were some 'rumours' that went around the forum during my application year that I can now comment on based on my own experience. York does not have established relationships with key clinical practicum agencies in the GTA. York has good relationships with a lot of agencies that would interest you if you're interested in community work, policy, research, or activism/organizing. U of T has exclusivity agreements with many clinical agencies, meaning that the agency agrees to only take on U of T students. These include many hospitals or clinical facilities such as Hincks-Dellcrest, CAMH, and the University Hospital Network. Aside from these exclusivity agreements, many clinical/counselling agencies will not accept placement applications from York students. There ARE some exceptions to this rule, but everyone at York who wants to go into clinical/counselling work then has to compete against each other (and students from other schools) to get those limited placement positions. Generally speaking it is true that U of T has a lockdown on key clinical placement sites.

If you have ANY interest in doing clinical work (counselling, working in a hospital, crisis work, trauma work, individual/family/couples/group therapy), and you are seriously considering attending another program, go there instead of York. This is the bottom line.

Secondly, even if you feel optimistic about securing one of the few clinical placements available, you should know that York does not teach any clinical or practical skills. I knew this when I was applying, but I didn't REALLY understand it. Examples of skills or clinical topics that you will not learn at York include:  developing a therapeutic alliance (this term is never used at York), building trust and rapport, phases or stages of a counselling relationship, communication skills (open-ended questions, active listening, reframing, summarizing), assessment skills, documentation skills, treatment planning, crisis intervention, counselling theories, counselling methods, ANYTHING related to mental health conditions (signs, symptoms, therapies).... you get it. There is one class on group facilitation and one class on narrative therapy (the only counselling course); both are electives.

This is because York's MSW programs draw on a wholly different knowledge base than U of T, or other clinical programs. Critical social work draws on critical social theories, like Marxism, feminism, critical race theory, queer theory, critical disability studies, etc. U of T's social work program primarily draws on psychology, the medical model, and psychotherapy as a knowledge base. This is why York's mission statement and admissions process emphasis anti-oppression and social justice, and U of T's mission statement and admissions process emphasize research, "clinical" practice, and evidence-based treatment.

To illustrate this difference, U of T offers classes on Social Work Practice in Mental Health, Social Work Practice with Individuals and Families, Advanced Social Work Practice in Mental Health, and electives related to trauma, counselling theories, cyber-counselling, child and adolescent trauma.... etc. York offers classes called Critical Perspectives in Mental Health and Critical Social Work Theories and Practice Skills. In the latter, you will learn about how and why various therapies (e.g. CBT, solution-focussed, strengths approach) are inherently problematic. You will not learn how to practice any of these therapies, OR even learn how they are done. You will also not learn how to practice any alternative treatments (in fact, you would never ever say 'treatment' at York). York focuses on critical and structural social work, so their critique of CBT, for example, would be that CBT individualizes a person's symptoms (let's say anxiety) instead of looking at the structural and contextual factors (e.g. the person who feels anxious is a racialized person living in poverty and on the brink of homelessness, so York might say that instead of medication and CBT, we should advocate for affordable housing and a guaranteed annual income). This is IMPORTANT and I have valued this, but I am not better prepared to work with someone with anxiety (meaning I still have no clue what to do). (This is why I imagine that a clinical BSW + a York MSW could be a good combination).

So, many of us are stuck and eager to wrap up the program. Some students are doing external training - which, by the way, is incredibly expensive (a one day workshop ranges from $300-$500 and a certificate course in CBT could be $2000). Don't bother thinking, "Oh I'll just take electives at U of T", because there is only a very, very, very miniscule chance that you will be allowed to do so.

One redeeming aspect of the York MSW program is its generous funding package. If finances are an issue for you, then it's worth seriously considering attending York as the funding packages are generous. In the 2-year program everyone gets a $15,000 package ($9,000 in Year 1 through a graduate assistantship (which requires 5 hours work/week) and other money, and $6000 in Year 2 through a research assistantship which doesn't require any work). If you get a York Graduate Scholarship then you get $6000 on top of this package. You will get all of this information in your acceptance letter. York also has very low tuition at roughly $1800 per semester. By comparison, the tuition at U of T is TREMENDOUSLY higher and they don't offer any funding packages. ** This is not inconsequential and despite everything else I've said, the money makes a huge difference **

/end rant

BEST OF LUCK to all of you. I know this is a stressful time -- hang in there! I hope you all end up at a school that is a good fit for you personally and professionally.

 

As a master of social work student at York University, I feel compelled to comment on the quoted post. I feel that there are a lot of assumptions in this post that are in contradiction with social work values and demonstrate a lack of knowledge of the profession.

First of all, I would like to state that, prior to commencing my MSW studies, I was highly suspicious of all two-year MSW programs and saw (and continue to see) them as an outgrowth of the neoliberal academy. I do not think two years of MSW education can adequately capture the rich learning that occurs during the years it takes to complete a BSW and gain practice experience. Through my work experience, I have encountered several graduates of two-year MSW programs and despite holding a higher-level social work degree, they seemed to lack social work knowledge and uncritically accepted medical knowledge (i.e. “clinical” knowledge) as superior to social justice perspectives, which is the heart of social work.

I was pleasantly challenged by some of the 2-Year MSW cohort at York and found many of these students do share a similar knowledge and value base, such as that which is cultivated at the BSW level. That being said, I find that they tend to be self-conscious about not having enough practice experience and often express that they do not learn “clinical” skills (this word is thrown around a lot to discursively align social work with medicine). The skills discussed in the quoted post are fairly basic and although reviewed at the BSW program, they are acquired through direct practice.I continue to encounter many of the UFT 2 year MSW students and they are hopelessly ignorant and come from erroneous backgrounds (ex. Real estate, Business, Neuroscience, and Psychology). UFT 2 Year MSW students and graduates tend to uphold neoliberal values in their practice and tend to align with medical and business (cost-saving) models rather than social work.

It's true that York does not have a lot of partnerships as UFT has unfairly made a market. That being said, as I am nearing the end of the MSW program, I find that when I am contacted by employers, they have told me that they were interested because I also hold a BSW and have some experience, and not necessarily because of my practicum or school.

I do not really have any suggestions to offer. I think that although York University’s Two-Year MSW program fosters a critical foundation for students, many would benefit by completing a BSW first to gain some foundational skills. I don't think UFT's Two-Year MSW program fosters the foundation that a BSW programs would provide and they would benefit from a BSW as well. You also have to wonder about equity issues as well; the Two Year MSW programs at both UFT and York are dominated by white people; this is not the case in the 1 year MSW program at York and Ryerson. I am glad  that York limits the number of 2 Year MSW students they accept; the situation at UFT is quite uncontrolled and this has implications on the social work profession itself as we are flooded by those who think more like real estate agents, entrepreneurs, neuroscientists, and psychologists rather than social workers. 

By the way, I am curious what program would constitute a “clinical BSW”? All accredited BSWs are regulated by the CASWE and from my conversation with other holders of BSWs, the programs are similar in structure. 

 

May 29, 2016 by cupcake 

[cupcake]

10 hours ago, Dry_Guy said:

I'm sorry to hear about your field placement experience. I understand what you mean though about not caring for their pedagogical approach. To be honest, I struggled with applying to an MSW school that aligned with my personal values. Unfortunately, each school it seems is very polarizing. After much thinking, I had to acknowledge a clinical-focus is what I require to advance my career and professional development. Sidenote though: I am often left scratching my head when I see schools of social work teaching clinical practices rooted in the dated medical model. :/ 

It is my hope after U of T's assessment report, and the introduction of their new Indigenous MSW program they are making some strong steps to adding diverse voices to their student population and educators. 

Second sidenote: From your experience in these forums, any idea why it's so quiet this year? I'm interested in seeing if applications are down this year. 

I am actually kinda sceptical of UFT's MSW Indigenous Trauma and Resiliency program. Is it a way to support Indigenous self-determination and decolonize the academy (and social work)? or is it just another way to make a buck in a time of 'truth and reconciliation'? Although there are many references to Indigenous culture in the program description, no where are the words such as "discrimination", "colonialism", or "racism" mentioned. The page is also rich in references to medicalized trauma discourse - wonder if that will reify any racist stereotypes. I wonder if Indigenous professors will be hired in full time permanent positions - as well as the elders. Or, will the resources go to support the 'clinical' whiter mainstream programs.

I dunno-  I question "clinical" knowledge. It sounds very medical and barely intelligible as social work. It's useful to have a skills set that you integrate into practice with critical thinking; however, in my encounters with UFT MSW grads (especially the 2 year McMSWs),  they just seem to just memorize and spout out psychology concepts ... How impoverished social work education is to directly import psychology! Maybe it might advance your career but I probably because it makes you compatible for an increasingly business-oriented profession that welcomes psychologists, biologists, and even real estate agents over critical thinking and advocacy. 

[hornets14]

Is anyone applying to the new 2-year MSW at King's?  Wondering what people think about the potential of this program.

[Hopeful18]

On 2017-01-05 at 5:45 PM, YWEANG said:

Not sure why  this forum is so quiet this year... maybe more people decide go for medical school instead of doing  MSW ? lol

It's still early, isn't it?  I was under the impression that those who applied for the one year wouldn't hear back until late Feb and those who applied for the two year would hear back in March.

[socialwerq]

19 hours ago, hornets14 said:

Is anyone applying to the new 2-year MSW at King's?  Wondering what people think about the potential of this program.

I am currently writing my application for the 1 year at King's (12 pages feels like a bit much but I appreciate that it's really structured with specific questions). I'm excited that they have recently restructured their program to focus on "direct practice" (as opposed to "generalist") as that is the area I see myself working in the future. A lot of their required courses and electives appealed to me as well, which is why I decided to give it a shot. There has only been one or two mentions of King's/Western the last four years on these boards so how likely one is to get in and what they are specifically looking for is a bit ~mysterious~

[2017hoping]

Just wanted to say I agree with some of these posts regarding clinical social work as I think getting a Master's is of course a way to move ahead in your career, but if you are looking for specific training in a counselling/clinical approach it's best to go to a training course or certificate.  I am also looking to go to a specific training course once or twice a year so I can stay current and fresh with different approaches.  I have been lucky in that this past year my work has sent me to some training so it's been good to have that awareness to think about what approach I would like to specialize in going forward.  So, YWEANG you make some excellent points and thank you for letting us know your perspectives.  I applied to York, however I don't mean anything against it but since I"m applying to the one year program, looking at their courses I don't think I will learn as much going there as I would in some other programs that offer more of a variety of courses.  I also applied to others outside of the city as well since I figured schools in Toronto will be much more competitive to get in.  I have a BSW from Ryerson so I'm looking to expand and learn different skills.  I applied to U of Calgary for the specialization Leadership in Human Services which offers courses more tied to human resources and I think it will offer something different than other programs so I am hoping to get into that one.  I also applied to distance programs at Dalhousie and University of Victoria so I can stay in the city and keep working.  Anyways good luck to all those waiting it out for the next few months     

[MSW.hopeful]

On 1/7/2017 at 3:05 PM, 2017hoping said:

Just wanted to say I agree with some of these posts regarding clinical social work as I think getting a Master's is of course a way to move ahead in your career, but if you are looking for specific training in a counselling/clinical approach it's best to go to a training course or certificate.  I am also looking to go to a specific training course once or twice a year so I can stay current and fresh with different approaches.  I have been lucky in that this past year my work has sent me to some training so it's been good to have that awareness to think about what approach I would like to specialize in going forward.  So, YWEANG you make some excellent points and thank you for letting us know your perspectives.  I applied to York, however I don't mean anything against it but since I"m applying to the one year program, looking at their courses I don't think I will learn as much going there as I would in some other programs that offer more of a variety of courses.  I also applied to others outside of the city as well since I figured schools in Toronto will be much more competitive to get in.  I have a BSW from Ryerson so I'm looking to expand and learn different skills.  I applied to U of Calgary for the specialization Leadership in Human Services which offers courses more tied to human resources and I think it will offer something different than other programs so I am hoping to get into that one.  I also applied to distance programs at Dalhousie and University of Victoria so I can stay in the city and keep working.  Anyways good luck to all those waiting it out for the next few months     

I too applied to the U of Calgary in the specialization of Leadership in Human Services. I have been working with my BSW for 11 years and have been in a management position for the last 2 years with a company that I believe could benefit from someone with a learning in LHS. I have been unable to find any information about when decisions are mailed out for this particular specialization but since registration for the 2017 Summer semester begins on February 4th I assume that it will happen before this date. Best of luck to you!  

[riaveda]

On 1/6/2017 at 3:48 PM, hornets14 said:

Is anyone applying to the new 2-year MSW at King's?  Wondering what people think about the potential of this program.

@hornets14 I'm applying to the 2-year MSW at Kings! Can't believe the deadline's coming up so soon 

 

[sososocialwork]

Longtime lurker here who signed up just to write this. 

I feel as though this thread is being derailed by discussions about the validity of various social work approaches, particularly one school and their program. I feel as though there are individuals inferring that those of us who are applying to U of T ( or"McMSW" as one other poster has called it) are uninformed or ignorant consumers of the neoliberal academy. Honestly, and I'm speaking for myself here, I'm just an individual trying to move into the career of my choice. Yes I find it important to reflect on my values and the values of the program, but I'm not here to debate these things. I hope we can all be respectful of everyone's choices. Although I appreciate your passion towards your approach to social work, and your concern that some of us are making the wrong choice, I invite those of you who would like to continue this debate about social work and higher education to please move to another thread. This thread is for applicants to help each other, inform one another, and to receive updates. Personally, these discussions are becoming rather toxic and I would like to continue to see this thread being used as intended. 

 

I just want to connect with other people who are applying to similar programs. We're here to help each other out, not criticize people who choose particular programs. Thanks. 

[MSW-hopeful-2016]

1 hour ago, sososocialwork said:

Longtime lurker here who signed up just to write this. 

I feel as though this thread is being derailed by discussions about the validity of various social work approaches, particularly one school and their program. I feel as though there are individuals inferring that those of us who are applying to U of T ( or"McMSW" as one other poster has called it) are uninformed or ignorant consumers of the neoliberal academy. Honestly, and I'm speaking for myself here, I'm just an individual trying to move into the career of my choice. Yes I find it important to reflect on my values and the values of the program, but I'm not here to debate these things. I hope we can all be respectful of everyone's choices. Although I appreciate your passion towards your approach to social work, and your concern that some of us are making the wrong choice, I invite those of you who would like to continue this debate about social work and higher education to please move to another thread. This thread is for applicants to help each other, inform one another, and to receive updates. Personally, these discussions are becoming rather toxic and I would like to continue to see this thread being used as intended. 

 

I just want to connect with other people who are applying to similar programs. We're here to help each other out, not criticize people who choose particular programs. Thanks. 

Thank you - this needed to be said. 

[2017hoping]

On 1/8/2017 at 9:10 PM, MSW.hopeful said:

I too applied to the U of Calgary in the specialization of Leadership in Human Services. I have been working with my BSW for 11 years and have been in a management position for the last 2 years with a company that I believe could benefit from someone with a learning in LHS. I have been unable to find any information about when decisions are mailed out for this particular specialization but since registration for the 2017 Summer semester begins on February 4th I assume that it will happen before this date. Best of luck to you!  

It sounds like you would be a great fit for the LHS program at U of Calgary!  It's great you are in a a management position as well.  I am not sure I will get in as I've been working towards a supervision/management role so we will see.  I think I expect to hear back by late February, but anytime in February or early march at the latest.  Although I would think they would let you know this month if you applied for the summer.  Hoping for you too   I hope you can come back and update us.  If someone is reading this who is already in the program it would be great to hear more about it.  

To everyone else I also wanted to say I've been reading this board every couple years too and I think it's a big thing for all of us to even be applying and putting yourself out there so all the best to everyone!      

[CG_MSW]

On 1/9/2017 at 11:09 AM, sososocialwork said:

Longtime lurker here who signed up just to write this. 

I feel as though this thread is being derailed by discussions about the validity of various social work approaches, particularly one school and their program. I feel as though there are individuals inferring that those of us who are applying to U of T ( or"McMSW" as one other poster has called it) are uninformed or ignorant consumers of the neoliberal academy. Honestly, and I'm speaking for myself here, I'm just an individual trying to move into the career of my choice. Yes I find it important to reflect on my values and the values of the program, but I'm not here to debate these things. I hope we can all be respectful of everyone's choices. Although I appreciate your passion towards your approach to social work, and your concern that some of us are making the wrong choice, I invite those of you who would like to continue this debate about social work and higher education to please move to another thread. This thread is for applicants to help each other, inform one another, and to receive updates. Personally, these discussions are becoming rather toxic and I would like to continue to see this thread being used as intended. 

 

I just want to connect with other people who are applying to similar programs. We're here to help each other out, not criticize people who choose particular programs. Thanks. 

I really hope you get into whatever school you are applying for because I think you will make an amazing social worker

[MSW&MD]

On 1/9/2017 at 11:09 AM, sososocialwork said:

Longtime lurker here who signed up just to write this. 

I feel as though this thread is being derailed by discussions about the validity of various social work approaches, particularly one school and their program. I feel as though there are individuals inferring that those of us who are applying to U of T ( or"McMSW" as one other poster has called it) are uninformed or ignorant consumers of the neoliberal academy. Honestly, and I'm speaking for myself here, I'm just an individual trying to move into the career of my choice. Yes I find it important to reflect on my values and the values of the program, but I'm not here to debate these things. I hope we can all be respectful of everyone's choices. Although I appreciate your passion towards your approach to social work, and your concern that some of us are making the wrong choice, I invite those of you who would like to continue this debate about social work and higher education to please move to another thread. This thread is for applicants to help each other, inform one another, and to receive updates. Personally, these discussions are becoming rather toxic and I would like to continue to see this thread being used as intended. 

 

I just want to connect with other people who are applying to similar programs. We're here to help each other out, not criticize people who choose particular programs. Thanks. 

Hi, thanks for raising your concern. As the OP of this thread and a similar thread for 2016 MSW applicants, it was my intention to create an information exchange platform for people who are interested in MSW education.  I firmly believe that every forum participant is entitled to freely express their authentic opinions, experiences and values in the context of MSW education.  Understanding the foundational principles of social work disciplines ( such as bio-medical approach vs anti-oppressive practice) is deemed to be critical for  MSW applicants to select a school that is most congruent to their learning objectives as well as their professional commitment. As I indicated earlier, U of T's MSW pedagogical approach and its Eurocentric, Neo-liberal and Elite- feminist institutional culture did not appeal to me at all. Nerveless, without spoke to my racialized friends who graduated from this school, I would not know about this. I was also misinformed that no hospitals in Toronto would give non U of T MSW students placement opportunities, and only found out this was completely false by reading some posts on this forum.  All in all , I highly encourage people, especially those of us who already graduated from MSW, sharing our schooling experiences with new applicants in this profession. I know some people may feel uncomfortable   when their racial/gender/social privileges have been critically challenged, in such case, you may want to attend schools that are focused on clinical teaching only, and may occasionally use " anti- racism" cliche as a narcissistic celebration of their white privileges.      

[sososocialwork]

12 hours ago, YWEANG said:

Hi, thanks for raising your concern. As the OP of this thread and a similar thread for 2016 MSW applicants, it was my intention to create an information exchange platform for people who are interested in MSW education.  I firmly believe that every forum participant is entitled to freely express their authentic opinions, experiences and values in the context of MSW education.  Understanding the foundational principles of social work disciplines ( such as bio-medical approach vs anti-oppressive practice) is deemed to be critical for  MSW applicants to select a school that is most congruent to their learning objectives as well as their professional commitment. As I indicated earlier, U of T's MSW pedagogical approach and its Eurocentric, Neo-liberal and Elite- feminist institutional culture did not appeal to me at all. Nerveless, without spoke to my racialized friends who graduated from this school, I would not know about this. I was also misinformed that no hospitals in Toronto would give non U of T MSW students placement opportunities, and only found out this was completely false by reading some posts on this forum.  All in all , I highly encourage people, especially those of us who already graduated from MSW, sharing our schooling experiences with new applicants in this profession. I know some people may feel uncomfortable   when their racial/gender/social privileges have been critically challenged, in such case, you may want to attend schools that are focused on clinical teaching only, and may occasionally use " anti- racism" cliche as a narcissistic celebration of their white privileges.      

You're making a horrible assumption that individuals choosing to apply to schools with more of a clinical approach do not understand the foundational principles of social work, or that they are not thinking critically about them. You have a very inflexible way of looking at social work; clinical = bad, anti-oppressive = good. One of the basic tenets of social work is to not make quick judgements or assumptions about our clients, or to be inflexible or closed-minded. Obviously, anti-oppressive social work is something you strongly identify with, and that is good that you find value in it and choose to practice it. But to be honest, your comments throughout this thread come across as very condescending and judgemental, and as I mentioned, they are creating a toxic discussion. I actually was afraid to talk about my U of T application because of posts like yours. 

Finally, I was always taught that different approaches (anti-oppressive, critical social work, structural, clinical...etc) have value in particular contexts, one is not better compared to the other. It is a matter of personal preference and selecting the approach that you identify with, or that best suits the setting in which you are working. You have stated your preference so I do not see the point of criticizing individuals who are choosing to go into clinical social work. 

I want to address your last sentence about how those of us who do not like when "our gender/social/racial privileges are challenged," better attend a clinical program that celebrates our whiteness. Again, you are making SO many assumptions about us. You do not know our cultural/socio-economic/gender backgrounds. You do not know our lived-histories. Thanks. 

[tnt92]

1 hour ago, sososocialwork said:

You're making a horrible assumption that individuals choosing to apply to schools with more of a clinical approach do not understand the foundational principles of social work, or that they are not thinking critically about them. You have a very inflexible way of looking at social work; clinical = bad, anti-oppressive = good. One of the basic tenets of social work is to not make quick judgements or assumptions about our clients, or to be inflexible or closed-minded. Obviously, anti-oppressive social work is something you strongly identify with, and that is good that you find value in it and choose to practice it. But to be honest, your comments throughout this thread come across as very condescending and judgemental, and as I mentioned, they are creating a toxic discussion. I actually was afraid to talk about my U of T application because of posts like yours. 

Finally, I was always taught that different approaches (anti-oppressive, critical social work, structural, clinical...etc) have value in particular contexts, one is not better compared to the other. It is a matter of personal preference and selecting the approach that you identify with, or that best suits the setting in which you are working. You have stated your preference so I do not see the point of criticizing individuals who are choosing to go into clinical social work. 

I want to address your last sentence about how those of us who do not like when "our gender/social/racial privileges are challenged," better attend a clinical program that celebrates our whiteness. Again, you are making SO many assumptions about us. You do not know our cultural/socio-economic/gender backgrounds. You do not know our lived-histories. Thanks. 

You are so wonderful and eloquent, thank you.

In response to YWEANG's last sentence as well: it is true that the foundation of (many) programs at UofT reek of colonialism, but this does not mean that there are not spaces within the institution that seek to challenge and contest it. As a former student, I found spaces, courses, people, professors, etc. that provided me with a critical education and, as such, I have faith that specializations such as Social Justice and Diversity within their MSW program will continue this education. I also have friends who have graduated in this specialization and have only good things to say, but of course there are always two sides to a story. In no sense do I expect it to be perfect, but that is part of the reason I do not shy away from it: I am comfortable and confident with challenging hegemonic knowledge and practices from within. At the end of the day, though, as sososocialwork has said, we are trying to do what we firmly believe is the best for our career and future and that, while we can appreciate the topic at hand, it has created a toxic and divisive atmosphere within this thread. I hope that, considering the applications for UofT have closed already, that we can move on from this and continue to support one another in our goals. 

As such, I would like to ask how people are doing with the WLU applications since the deadline is 4 days away! I've finally got my statement down to 1016 words (from 1500), so still a bit of tweaking necessary. I'm very interested to know about the social issue people have to talk about in their statement, as there is so limited space to fit in so much work that has been done in one area -- but I think we should wait until after the deadline to discuss this further. Best of luck to everyone applying, as well as to the many others who have deadlines approaching for their programs. 

[MSW2B]

14 hours ago, YWEANG said:

Hi, thanks for raising your concern. As the OP of this thread and a similar thread for 2016 MSW applicants, it was my intention to create an information exchange platform for people who are interested in MSW education.  I firmly believe that every forum participant is entitled to freely express their authentic opinions, experiences and values in the context of MSW education.  Understanding the foundational principles of social work disciplines ( such as bio-medical approach vs anti-oppressive practice) is deemed to be critical for  MSW applicants to select a school that is most congruent to their learning objectives as well as their professional commitment. As I indicated earlier, U of T's MSW pedagogical approach and its Eurocentric, Neo-liberal and Elite- feminist institutional culture did not appeal to me at all. Nerveless, without spoke to my racialized friends who graduated from this school, I would not know about this. I was also misinformed that no hospitals in Toronto would give non U of T MSW students placement opportunities, and only found out this was completely false by reading some posts on this forum.  All in all , I highly encourage people, especially those of us who already graduated from MSW, sharing our schooling experiences with new applicants in this profession. I know some people may feel uncomfortable   when their racial/gender/social privileges have been critically challenged, in such case, you may want to attend schools that are focused on clinical teaching only, and may occasionally use " anti- racism" cliche as a narcissistic celebration of their white privileges.      

Why do you even still post here lol you graduated move on. Your comments aren't helpful and many would agree.

[cupcake]

On January 9, 2017 at 11:09 AM, sososocialwork said:

Longtime lurker here who signed up just to write this. 

I feel as though this thread is being derailed by discussions about the validity of various social work approaches, particularly one school and their program. I feel as though there are individuals inferring that those of us who are applying to U of T ( or"McMSW" as one other poster has called it) are uninformed or ignorant consumers of the neoliberal academy. Honestly, and I'm speaking for myself here, I'm just an individual trying to move into the career of my choice. Yes I find it important to reflect on my values and the values of the program, but I'm not here to debate these things. I hope we can all be respectful of everyone's choices. Although I appreciate your passion towards your approach to social work, and your concern that some of us are making the wrong choice, I invite those of you who would like to continue this debate about social work and higher education to please move to another thread. This thread is for applicants to help each other, inform one another, and to receive updates. Personally, these discussions are becoming rather toxic and I would like to continue to see this thread being used as intended. 

 

I just want to connect with other people who are applying to similar programs. We're here to help each other out, not criticize people who choose particular programs. Thanks. 

I think you are making an assumption by accusing myself and YWEANG that the information we are posting is irrelevant to applying to MSW. I know many students at Laurier and UFT's MSW programs who are absolutely miserable as these McMSW schools tend to be an oasis for straight, middle class white women and wished that they knew this information. 

[MSW&MD]

7 hours ago, gradschool2017 said:

Why do you even still post here lol you graduated move on. Your comments aren't helpful and many would agree.

lol. my comments aren't certainly not helpful to white nationalist/supremacists.

[riaveda]

23 minutes ago, YWEANG said:

lol. my comments aren't certainly not helpful to white nationalist/supremacists.

I think it's unfair of you to label everyone who disagrees with you as being racist/overprivileged. I'm a queer disabled South Asian female & I disagree with the stance that you've taken in some of your recent posts...does that mean that I'm a white supremacist too? 

[2017hoping]

"As such, I would like to ask how people are doing with the WLU applications since the deadline is 4 days away! I've finally got my statement down to 1016 words (from 1500), so still a bit of tweaking necessary. I'm very interested to know about the social issue people have to talk about in their statement, as there is so limited space to fit in so much work that has been done in one area -- but I think we should wait until after the deadline to discuss this further. Best of luck to everyone applying, as well as to the many others who have deadlines approaching for their programs."

I had this issue too as I did one statement that was required to be around 8 pages long and then had to cut it all the way down to two pages for York.  It was hardly enough space for me to write what I wanted to but I figured talking about the research/social work issue and making sure I hit those points was the priority.  So I ended up going through my introduction and cutting that down a lot, as well as some of the write-up about my social identity and how that impacts the work I do.  For me since I work in the mental health field my issue was surrounding employment support; work training programs that have shown effective results as well as different barriers for securing and maintaining employment, and gaps in the research or areas of development.       

[sososocialwork]

Anyone else applying to Renison's 1 yr BSW? I'm applying there as well as U of T's 2 yr MSW (I was wait-listed last year at U of T). All supporting docs for Renison are due this Friday. Still working on the final touches of my personal statement! I realized that 1500 words is not enough space to cover everything I want to say :S

Good luck to everyone finishing up their applications! <3

 

[sososocialwork]

9 hours ago, tnt92 said:

As such, I would like to ask how people are doing with the WLU applications since the deadline is 4 days away! I've finally got my statement down to 1016 words (from 1500), so still a bit of tweaking necessary. I'm very interested to know about the social issue people have to talk about in their statement, as there is so limited space to fit in so much work that has been done in one area -- but I think we should wait until after the deadline to discuss this further. Best of luck to everyone applying, as well as to the many others who have deadlines approaching for their programs. 

I did not apply to WLU but U of T's application had one essay where we had to discuss how a social worker could help with a current social issue. I chose to talk about Syrian refugees and the current issues they face as most (federal) gov't funding programs expire after one year. 

[tnt92]

9 hours ago, 2017hoping said:

"As such, I would like to ask how people are doing with the WLU applications since the deadline is 4 days away! I've finally got my statement down to 1016 words (from 1500), so still a bit of tweaking necessary. I'm very interested to know about the social issue people have to talk about in their statement, as there is so limited space to fit in so much work that has been done in one area -- but I think we should wait until after the deadline to discuss this further. Best of luck to everyone applying, as well as to the many others who have deadlines approaching for their programs."

I had this issue too as I did one statement that was required to be around 8 pages long and then had to cut it all the way down to two pages for York.  It was hardly enough space for me to write what I wanted to but I figured talking about the research/social work issue and making sure I hit those points was the priority.  So I ended up going through my introduction and cutting that down a lot, as well as some of the write-up about my social identity and how that impacts the work I do.  For me since I work in the mental health field my issue was surrounding employment support; work training programs that have shown effective results as well as different barriers for securing and maintaining employment, and gaps in the research or areas of development.       

Turning 8 pages into something shorter must have been really difficult! At first I was trying to trim down the 5 pages I had for UofT and use it for WLU, but then I realized that it wasn't the flow or structure that it should have. Had to re-write the whole thing! Your social issue sounds very interesting, was it for your applications this year?

9 hours ago, sososocialwork said:

I did not apply to WLU but U of T's application had one essay where we had to discuss how a social worker could help with a current social issue. I chose to talk about Syrian refugees and the current issues they face as most (federal) gov't funding programs expire after one year. 

That is such a relevant topic, I am sure it will bode well with the admissions committee at UofT! The social issue I wrote about for my UofT application needed all 500 words to explain because it is very much tied to my experience working on a First Nations reserve. It was about the need for services to elevate their level of commitment to First Nations communities vs. visiting the community once a month. They need around the clock and accessible health services. The topic I chose for WLU is still a topic on indigeneity in Canada but still have to tweak it a bit.

[sososocialwork]

23 minutes ago, tnt92 said:

That is such a relevant topic, I am sure it will bode well with the admissions committee at UofT! The social issue I wrote about for my UofT application needed all 500 words to explain because it is very much tied to my experience working on a First Nations reserve. It was about the need for services to elevate their level of commitment to First Nations communities vs. visiting the community once a month. They need around the clock and accessible health services. The topic I chose for WLU is still a topic on indigeneity in Canada but still have to tweak it a bit.

Indigenous social issues are very important and relevant, particularly after the TRC's final report and recommendations. Community access to basic healthcare is very relevant, particularly for remote Indigenous communities. It's also really great that you had experience working with an Indigenous community first-hand. I feel like most of the MSW programs place a lot of emphasis having awareness/experience in working with marginalized groups. 

[MSW-hopeful-2016]

2 hours ago, tnt92 said:

Turning 8 pages into something shorter must have been really difficult! At first I was trying to trim down the 5 pages I had for UofT and use it for WLU, but then I realized that it wasn't the flow or structure that it should have. Had to re-write the whole thing! Your social issue sounds very interesting, was it for your applications this year?

That is such a relevant topic, I am sure it will bode well with the admissions committee at UofT! The social issue I wrote about for my UofT application needed all 500 words to explain because it is very much tied to my experience working on a First Nations reserve. It was about the need for services to elevate their level of commitment to First Nations communities vs. visiting the community once a month. They need around the clock and accessible health services. The topic I chose for WLU is still a topic on indigeneity in Canada but still have to tweak it a bit.

It's awesome to see such diversity in answers to that question. I was hoping to get a glimpse into what others had wrote. 

I talked about the alarming rates of suicide in the trans community and how the bottleneck to access care and lengthy wait times add to the crisis, and what social workers can to do aid in the process (they can - as of March 16' - act as a second referral source for surgery which is huge).