MSW & Prior Experience

[Lockett10]

I've been reading some of the boards & saw that MSW programs generally do not require GRE scores, but look more at past experience/jobs/etc. I am considering applying for an MSW program-- I am 22 & recently graduated w/ a BA in psychology from a Florida public school. In college I worked at a Autism center for a semester for my internship, but that is all I really have in the way of "experience" for a social work related field. Right now I am taking a year off to work (I do research at a public university), but I am wondering is just taking one year off enough? What is the av. age of people entering MSW programs? Do most people work for a while or go right in after undergrad? I cannot seem to find these stats anywhere!

Also, I love New Orleans & have always wanted to move there and have been considering Tulane's MSW program. Does anyone have any thoughts on that program??

Thanks :]

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[BSWdavid]

To be honest, it greatly depends on the program you are applying to. Some programs "prefer" students with some prior experience, but realistically speaking, many applicants come from non-human service positions and thus would not have experience. In my experience, as long as you meet the minimum requirements for the MSW program, you should be fairly competitive. As you are competing against a lot of applicants with non human service backgrounds, I don't think this would be much of an issue. The fact that you have any experience would put you at the top of the list.

However, please note that it will depend on the program you are applying to. The more competitive the program, the more likely the applicants will have past experience, thus more weight will be placed on prior experience. Take a look at the program(s) you are applying to and determine how competitive they are. Many MSW programs are quite large and thus accept the majority of applicants. NYU, Hunter, Columbia, or U Michigan, on the other hand, are more competitive and will no doubt place more emphasis on experience.

The best advice I can give you is: Make sure your writing sample(s) and statement are excellent. When I applied to my MSW program, I was told, "You can have mediocre grades and excellent writing skills and get in, but if your writing stinks, it won't matter how good your grades are."