NEW Canadian universities M.S.W thread (2017)

[nicoleMSW]

Well now that I know about 3/4 schools... LET'S GO LAURIER!!! I believe in the acceptance! haha

[mcvhb]

1 minute ago, nicoleMSW said:

Well now that I know about 3/4 schools... LET'S GO LAURIER!!! I believe in the acceptance! haha

Getting so anxious about this! Like really, how many more times can I check my email, LORIS and the TWO mailboxes on my house hahaha

[nicoleMSW]

25 minutes ago, mcvhb said:

Getting so anxious about this! Like really, how many more times can I check my email, LORIS and the TWO mailboxes on my house hahaha

My logins on LORIS have definitely increased in the past few days, because I know results are coming any time now! I believe if you are accepted it shows up on LORIS right? Does anyone know if there's an email notification to let you know to check LORIS?

[mcvhb]

3 minutes ago, nicoleMSW said:

My logins on LORIS have definitely increased in the past few days, because I know results are coming any time now! I believe if you are accepted it shows up on LORIS right? Does anyone know if there's an email notification to let you know to check LORIS?

 

I'm a Laurier undergrad student and I've recieved emails to check my LORIS account before, so there should be something sent out, hopefully! 

[nicoleMSW]

9 minutes ago, mcvhb said:

I'm a Laurier undergrad student and I've recieved emails to check my LORIS account before, so there should be something sent out, hopefully! 

Okay that's good to know so I stop obsessively logging into LORIS 

[tdamaren]

I called Laurier and Lynn said all decisions will be out early April...so probably another week guys! I was rejected from U of T this week so fingers crossed

[nicoleMSW]

Officially received my waitlist letter from U of T... at least it's not a rejection!

Edited March 29, 2017 by nicoleMSW
grammar

[riaveda]

Me too! My wait list letter finally made it all the way out to London...just waiting on Laurier, Windsor, & Lakehead now 

[moh230]

@riaveda Yea I am in the exact same boat as you. lake head is being so slow and Laurier or Windsor have no specific deadline. So annoying 

 

Edited March 30, 2017 by moh230

[dallas709]

Anyone else who lives in Toronto still waiting for their U of T package? My ROSI and ACORN says invited, and I am away on vacation this week so my friend is checking the mail and it still hasn't arrived! Getting anxious....

[wishingonuoft]

23 hours ago, c.dizzle said:

how many of your friends got off the wait list last year? 

Like a dozen or so people in my cohort, people don't usually walk around advertising that they got off the waitlist though so it's hard to say how many for sure. One person got off of it literally less than a week before class started. There's movement--it's just impossible to predict how much because it's so dependent on the specific cohort and they don't disclose how large the waitlist is.

[lindaMSW]

On ‎3‎/‎29‎/‎2017 at 9:45 AM, c.dizzle said:

i feel like uoft doesnt reject people and ends up lumping us all into the waitlist giving us false hope tbh. 

That makes me  feel really bad now, because I received a rejection letter in February

 

[tnt92]

@lindaMSW Please don't feel discouraged that you did not get on the wait list and were rejected in February. I am sure that there are many people who were rejected in February. The thing about this forum is that we're maybe ~50 out of a possible 800 or so who apply to the program. If they rejected you from the 2 year MSW in February, you must not have met some minimum criteria and you should inquire as to what that may have been to improve your chances for next time.

I think it is really important to look at what UofT's program is looking for. Look at their mandate for the MSW program and see if you can get experience in line with that. Try to upgrade courses because they do heavily weigh research experience/grades, but do not forget they also equally care as much about your experience and how you articulate it (I have minimal research experience but had high grades in my research class, and had a ton of experience that were out of the box). 

Put yourself in a position where UofT (or any grad school you are trying to get into) would be a FOOL to turn you down. Hit every mark they're looking for and excel in it. And make sure they are aware of how lucky they would be to have you and your experience. It's not what they can do for you or what you hope to gain from them -- because they know they are a top tier school -- it's about what you can bring to them. Whether that is your experience, grades, lived realities, USE IT in your SOP. Make your SOP as true to you as you can, and get it proof read. I had a friend in law school read over my SOP and ripped it to shreds, but it forced me to be intentional and think deeply about not only why this is important to me but why I am important for them. The finished product brought my professor to tears and she said it was the most heartfelt SOP she had read -- not for sympathy reasons, but for the risks I've taken and experiences I had that makes me an ideal candidate for them. For anyone struggling with the decision that UofT made, think of it as a second chance to take some risks and become a candidate they cannot turn down. 

 

 

Edited March 30, 2017 by tnt92

[lindaMSW]

2 hours ago, tnt92 said:

@lindaMSW Please don't feel discouraged that you did not get on the wait list and were rejected in February. I am sure that there are many people who were rejected in February. The thing about this forum is that we're maybe ~50 out of a possible 800 or so who apply to the program. If they rejected you from the 2 year MSW in February, you must not have met some minimum criteria and you should inquire as to what that may have been to improve your chances for next time.

I think it is really important to look at what UofT's program is looking for. Look at their mandate for the MSW program and see if you can get experience in line with that. Try to upgrade courses because they do heavily weigh research experience/grades, but do not forget they also equally care as much about your experience and how you articulate it (I have minimal research experience but had high grades in my research class, and had a ton of experience that were out of the box). 

Put yourself in a position where UofT (or any grad school you are trying to get into) would be a FOOL to turn you down. Hit every mark they're looking for and excel in it. And make sure they are aware of how lucky they would be to have you and your experience. It's not what they can do for you or what you hope to gain from them -- because they know they are a top tier school -- it's about what you can bring to them. Whether that is your experience, grades, lived realities, USE IT in your SOP. Make your SOP as true to you as you can, and get it proof read. I had a friend in law school read over my SOP and ripped it to shreds, but it forced me to be intentional and think deeply about not only why this is important to me but why I am important for them. The finished product brought my professor to tears and she said it was the most heartfelt SOP she had read -- not for sympathy reasons, but for the risks I've taken and experiences I had that makes me an ideal candidate for them. For anyone struggling with the decision that UofT made, think of it as a second chance to take some risks and become a candidate they cannot turn down. 

 

 

Thanks for your advise  

[riaveda]

With @tnt92's previous comment in mind, I have a question for all the folks who have been accepted at UofT: what perspectives/experiences do you bring to the table that other people don't? What makes you unique? What factors do you think contributed to your acceptance? 

[Lindsay22156]

This wait to hear back from Windsor and laurier is killing me. Last year I got rejected from Windsor end of February.  I'm trying to stay positive but the wait is killing me!

 

[nicoleMSW]

18 minutes ago, Lindsay22156 said:

This wait to hear back from Windsor and laurier is killing me. Last year I got rejected from Windsor end of February.  I'm trying to stay positive but the wait is killing me!

 

I'm with you on staying positive! We are in the home stretch and soon we will be able to plan accordingly  

[Inspired2017]

 

With @tnt92's previous comment in mind, I have a question for all the folks who have been accepted at UofT: what perspectives/experiences do you bring to the table that other people don't? What makes you unique? What factors do you think contributed to your acceptance? 

I don't know what others are coming with, I can only speak for myself. My choice to apply to U of T was one that was not really a choice for me. You see, I looked at all of the schools offering an MSW in the region and looked at their theoretical perspectives and areas of research. U of T was the only school doing research in my area of interest. The choice was clear. 

Another thing that I think made a difference, was that all of my courses (electives), work experience, research experience all connected with my area of interest and I was able to connect the dots that pointed to U of T. I highlighted this in my statement.

I am not a person who is dazzled by bright lights and rubbing shoulders with the "elite"; it quite literally could have been any school. I would have made the choice with with my goal in mind.

I think that is where reflection is needed...does it have to be U of T? and if so, be honest with your reasons why. 

Im grateful that I have been accepted and I get to continue on my path of learning. I hope you all continue on yours as well. 

PS - I have an SSW - 4.0 GPA, BSW 4.0 GPA (last year), A and A- in research qualitative and stats, 7 years of paid employment in the field of mental health and addictions and very little research experience, mature student with lived experience. 

I hope his helps.

[tnt92]

19 hours ago, riaveda said:

With @tnt92's previous comment in mind, I have a question for all the folks who have been accepted at UofT: what perspectives/experiences do you bring to the table that other people don't? What makes you unique? What factors do you think contributed to your acceptance? 

To answer your question of what I bring to the table that is unique: 2 years working on a First Nations reserve that is remote, fly-in only, is under a boil water advisory, recovering from a state of emergency over drug/alcohol abuse, and has high rates of arson, FASD, and other mental differences.  

Contributing to my acceptance would be: my knowledge and experience with systemic discrimination, working with indigenous groups internationally, my grades (4.0), my research mark (84%), and my community involvement outside of work (coach hockey, baseball, and track on the reserve; run girls' group on the reserve; and fundraise for community initiatives on the reserve). Personally, I also think that my SOP was very different and out of the box. PM me if you'd like to know what I mean, I do not mind sharing it on a one-to-one basis. 

[SW_Student]

Just got an email from ryerson that my status has updated, but it looks like it takes a bit before that changes online to see if it's good or bad news! 

[Newfor2017]

 

To those waiting to hear back from Windsor, there's been an administrative shift at the University and I'm not sure if/how this will affect decisions being released. There is a new secretary at the graduate studies office who just began within the last week. I asked if future inquiries should be directed to her and she stated she would be in that role for the next year.  Nancy St. Onge was the former secretary and now it's Cindy Banks.  I've already been accepted into the advanced standing program there so I don't know much about when the 2 year applicants will be notified.

Good luck to those waiting to hear back and congratulations to all who've been accepted.

[SW_Student]

Turns out I was accepted into ryerson a few weeks ago. A neglected voicemail From ryerson was stored on my phone for a for weeks and I didn't notice! 

[wishingonuoft]

20 hours ago, SW_Student said:

Turns out I was accepted into ryerson a few weeks ago. A neglected voicemail From ryerson was stored on my phone for a for weeks and I didn't notice! 

Congrats...best unheard message ever!!!

[fylucn55]

On 3/30/2017 at 6:52 PM, riaveda said:

With @tnt92's previous comment in mind, I have a question for all the folks who have been accepted at UofT: what perspectives/experiences do you bring to the table that other people don't? What makes you unique? What factors do you think contributed to your acceptance? 

I think that synthesizing all of my academic and non-academic experiences into one well-articulated written statement is the reason I was accepted into the two-year program at U of T. I don't have any field-related experience, nor exceptional grades. However, I put my heart and soul into that paper. I traveled downtown and sat in the social work building while writing it. I pored over the admissions booklet and did research on every single professor at the FIFSW. I got 7 separate people to look over it before handing it in, including a registered social worker. If folks would like, I'd be more than happy to share the specifics of my personal statement--just pm me!

Edited April 2, 2017 by fylucn55

[jb12]

On Tue Mar 28 2017 at 3:30 PM, CG_MSW said:

Just got my waitlist letter from UofT. Trying hard not to get discouraged. 

I also applied to Lakehead's One Year Program though, so I'm crossing my fingers that that works out... out of curiosity is there anyone here who applied or has taken it? I was wondering what tuition was like and can't seem to find info on their site/ it was kind of confusing. 

Im finishing up the 1 year hbsw at lakehead right now if you have any questions. tuition was about 15k for the program