Social Work Programs

[mpvoxman13]

Hello,
I am currently applying to programs for a master's in social work. It is my goal to apply to at least 10 schools and I have successfully completed 5 applications and am working on 4 more right now. I need to pick at least one more school and was wondering if anyone had any advice on which school I should apply to. I am looking for a school that I have a good chance of getting in to and fits my career goals. I will include some information about my qualifications and career goals below. Thank you anyone for any advice at all.

I am interested in pursuing a career providing counseling services for children with emotional disorders. I would prefer to work in a residential treatment program as I have been doing for the last year and a half in Wisconsin. I had a 3.3 overall GPA in my undergrad and had a 159-verbal, 154-quant. & 4.5 AW on the GRE. I have worked in a residential treatment center for a year and a half, volunteer at a mental health clinic and conduct research on child abuse at a non-profit.

My list of schools that I am considering are:
Boston University
Colorado State University
Eastern Washington University
Simmons University
Howard University
University of Hawaii-Manoa
Wheelock College

Schools I have applied to already:
University of Texas-Austin
University of Denver
Portland State University
Salem State University
New York University

Schools I am in the process of applying to:
San Diego State University
San Francisco State University
University of Chicago
University of Minneapolis

Any help on choosing from that list of suggestions of other schools where I will gain experience working with kids in a counseling setting would be greatly appreciated. I want to live in a cool area (I love the coasts) so if you have other suggestions great areas to live would be much appreciated.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[submarine1991]

I feel that most of (75%) year one students in my program are placed in school settings or residential programs. In my program (and I'd venture to say most programs) the first year students don't specialize (unless your advanced standing) so your curriculum will be more generalist; policy, social work research, human behavior & the social environment, groups, assessment and diagnosis, racism, etc. A majority of schools offer a children and family specialization of some sort. That being said, I am sure that you can gain experience working with kids in a counseling setting at a majority of the schools you have listed. Another thing that you can do is tailor your electives and create a niche for yourself. If you love the coasts then place a higher emphasis on getting into schools with close proximity to bodies of water. I am from California and got into SDSU ( my top choice) and USC. My military obligations threw me a curve-ball and sent me to the east coast so I got into five schools out here and ultimately decided on Simmons. I am at my field practicum with four students from Salem State and they said that the school offers a children and family concentration as well. I'm partial to SDSU and am well versed with what they are looking for as far as admissions go. They are very competitive and accept somewhere near 45 full time two year students a year, and a handful of advanced standing, dual degree, and three/four year program students.
If you have any specific questions about SDSU, BU, or Simmons feel free to ask me. Have you contacted admissions at all of these schools?

 

[mpvoxman13]

How do you like Simmons? I didn't know residency programs were such a popular choice for social workers. I have been contacting some of the admissions offices but just with some questions about applications and a few of them about tier child/family programs. Are there specific questions they like to hear or things I should be saying to them.

 

[mpvoxman13]

I have been looking through these programs and also added Catholic University of America to the list. Does anyone know anything about their social work program? I liked the focus of the program and the curriculum of the clinical concentration.

 

[ikibah]

I haven't heard much about that program but they do also offer an online MSW in clinical social work if I'm not mistaking. Also, it looks like a lot of your options are in the DC area, why not take a look at UMD?

 

[submarine1991]

Simmons is awesome. Rigorous is an understatement. If you contact admissions ask them specific questions and they will provide you with specific answers. Also ask to be connected with current students or alumni and they may be able to go more in depth with you. Linkedin has also been a tremendous resource for me because I can be proactive and seek people out myself.