Applying to graduate school this fall. I could use some guidance.

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Khthonios

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I am looking to apply to clinically-oriented MSW programs this fall. I am especially interested in doing military-related coursework. During my search, a few concerns have arisen and I could use some outside perspective.

Firstly, I have no idea how strong my credentials are. Presently, I am working on a BS in Psychology with a minor in Sociology. I have a 3.8 GPA. Outside of school, I work (in a position unrelated to social work, but in a professional office) and volunteer. My volunteering varies, but the most pertinent is with an organization that pairs volunteers with a person who struggles with mental health issues and finds themselves without support. In my case, I am a companion to a senior who has schizophrenia and lacks familial or social support. I have been doing this for two years. Based on these little snippets about myself, what kind of graduate programs should I be applying to? Would I be outdoing myself by applying to NYU, USC, and Boston College? Should I be aiming lower and, if so, what sort of schools should I be applying to?

Secondly, I've noticed that a lot of schools want students to have prior "social work experience." Would my volunteering count toward this? If not, am I screwed?

Thirdly, how many programs should I be applying to? I was thinking that five schools would be a good number (I am very concerned about financial aid packages and want to have some room for comparison).

Fourthly, what are the differences between the terms direct practice, clinical, and generalist orientations? Are they all the same? I'm finding myself a bit stumped by some of the jargon while looking for indications whether the programs are clinically oriented or not.

Finally, is there anything else I should know? I'm an information sponge--if there is anything you wish you knew when you were in my spot, please throw it my way!

Thank you very much!

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1. Your credentials look fine -- don't worry too much about selectivity. M.S.W. programs, even really good ones, aren't generally as selective as, say, Ph.D. programs. Furthermore, private programs that have very selective undergraduate programs (NYU, USC, Columbia, etc.) have pretty high M.S.W. acceptance rates because these programs are huge moneymakers for universities. The most selective programs tend to be the better public programs (Hunter [*subliminal message: this one is the awesomest*], UW, UMich). So you can probably count on getting into the programs you mentioned, but getting into a program that won't saddle you with 50k+ debt could be trickier.

2. Your volunteer experience will certainly count. Make sure to highlight it in your application essay.

3. No idea. I applied to only two schools because my credentials were strong and I didn't want to pay any more application fees. Anyone else want to weigh in?

4. "Generalist" usually refers to non-clinical social work. These programs tend to be aimed at people who do not want to be mental health practitioners, and who want to do things like case management or administration. I believe that some of these can lead to licensure with the right combination of courses, but it varies. "Direct practice" can mean clinical work, but also can refer to other types of individual work. AFAIK, programs that use this term tend to be more generalist than a typical clinical program. If you want to be a therapist, choose a program that's specifically geared toward training therapists, and take a look at course catalogs.

One more thing: the programs you're planning on applying to are pretty expensive. If you're as geographically flexible as your school list suggests, consider less expensive public programs. (My standard plug for Hunter here. Hunter Hunter Hunter.) An M.S.W. is not worth a lot of debt.
 
Thank you so much, Qwerk! Your response was very helpful. In between the time I posted my questions and the time you responded, I actually happened to look at Hunter's website. Not only did I like their curriculum, but I definitely loved their pricing (I am a NYS resident).

The programs I listed in my previous post are only being considered because they offer significant financial aid (which is why Columbia University was not listed :laugh:). As you mentioned, I am indeed geographically flexible--I am willing to go wherever I can get the best education for the most reasonable price.

I applied to only two schools because my credentials were strong and I didn't want to pay any more application fees.
If you don't mind me asking, what were your credentials? Your signature also mentions that you graduated from Hunter, so it would be helpful to know the profile of an accepted student.
 
If you don't mind me asking, what were your credentials? Your signature also mentions that you graduated from Hunter, so it would be helpful to know the profile of an accepted student.

I had kind of a weird application, to be honest. I went to a very selective undergrad college, won several highly competitive awards, and had a decent amount of social services employment experience. However, I didn't major in a field related to social work or have much psych coursework, though I did have a fair amount of poli sci. My recommendations came from professors who had nothing to do with social work, but they all had their own Wikipedia pages, so that probably counted for something. I was also able to highlight some personal-growth-y experiences from my early adulthood in my essay.

I wish I had more to say, but I'm really not sure to what extent all of that factored into my application. The group interview went fine, and I was accepted via email the next day.
 
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