MSW - Simmons vs. Salem State

[crackie]

Hi everyone. 🙂 I'm new.

I'm having a really tough time making a decision, and I'm hoping to get some advice. I've Googled for insight, but it turns out that Googling for insight isn't terribly effective.

I was accepted into the MSW program at Simmons College in Boston. After visiting with faculty and checking out the school, I was so excited. It feels like a great fit, it's easily accessible to me by local subway, and I love the strong clinical focus. However.

The total tuition for the 3-year program is almost $61,000. I was given a $6,000 scholarship, but that still leaves $55,000. The idea of taking on that much debt is freaking me out. I'm wondering now if I might be better off going to Salem State, which isn't a ranked school, but I honestly can't seem to find a straight answer on how much difference that really makes. I've worked very hard to get out of debt, and the idea of graduating with significantly less debt is very appealing.

Here's the breakdown:

Simmons:

$55,000 tuition
strong clinical focus
feels like the right environment for me
easily accessible
I'm already accepted and can start in September
has a better reputation

Salem State:

$17,000 tuition
more general focus
not ranked
would require a long commute via commuter rail (plus a bus if I can catch it, or a 40-minute walk from the station if not), which is difficult since I will be working a regular day job my first year
would require a commuter rail pass at a cost of about $2,000/year
the amount of debt acquired will not induce as much anxiety
I've missed the application deadline for fall, which means I wouldn't be able to start until spring 2011

Does anyone have any insight? I don't know what to do. I really really really don't want to take on $55,000 in debt, but is it worth it to go to a better school? Is Simmons even considered significantly better--enough to make up for the price tag? Can I afford $900/month in student loans on a social worker's salary? How realistic is it that I might be able to get involved in a program after graduation that provides loan forgiveness in exchange for working in a certain field?

If it makes a difference, I have no non-student loan debt, and I have no plans to take on a car payment or mortgage.

Thanks, and sorry for the long post.

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[meriwether]

There is no doubt that Simmons is a good school. It has a strong reputation in Boston, particularly for producing competent psychotherapists. Even so, were I in your shoes I would probably be reluctant to take on any debt that I could realistically avoid (and loan repayment programs are not really realistic options). Keep in mind, the most important part of your training will take place during your internships, not in the classroom. It's possible that Simmons has a better reputation than Salem State but I don't think that necessarily translates into giving you a leg up employment wise.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

Less Debt = The Choice

 

[futureapppsy2]

Less Debt = The Choice

+1, especially for an MSW.

One thought: You may want to hold off starting until next Fall. Unless the school regularly has a large number of Spring admits, it could create problems with course sequencing and practica scheduling.

 

[crackie]

Thank you all so much for your input.

I've been in contact with Salem State. I was wrong about the spring semester anyway; my only option would be to start in fall 2011. However, there are three classes they allow non-matriculated students to take, and those would count toward my degree once I was officially accepted into the program. My only fear is that something will go wrong and I won't be accepted, and then I'll be a year behind and out several thousand dollars.

I am still leaning toward Salem, though, and I am trying to get in with an adviser there to discuss my options.

And after almost 100% deciding to go that route, I just found out that Simmons doubled my scholarship to $12K. Way to throw a wrench in the works, guys. 😡

Thanks again, everyone.

 

[pingouin]

I'm going to play Captain Obvious here, but even at $55,000-12,000 = $43,000, you're still paying double in one year the cost for your whole degree at Salem State (17,000 x 2 years = 34,000 + 4000 for 2 years of commuting passes= 37,000 total.).

 

[crackie]

Sorry, I should have been clearer. The costs I provided are for the entire 3-year programs, not the cost per year.

Not that the difference still isn't crazy significant, mind you, but it's not $34K total vs. $150K total.

I'm still weighing my options. I work at a hospital and know the director of social work services, and she put me in contact with some of the social workers here. Several of them went to Simmons and had wonderful experiences--AND were able to get their loans forgiven. The hospital I work at is geared toward what is considered a high-risk population, and every year they are allotted 12-15 openings for loan forgiveness for LICSWs who do OP work with this population. Additionally, the Simmons alum I spoke to yesterday said that Salem is known in the field for producing SWs on the administrative side of things, while Simmons is known for being clinical. Since my interest lies on the clinical side of things, I'm still considering that Simmons might be my best option--especially if I can get into an internship at this hospital and transition into a paying job here, which actually seems likely.

Again, I really appreciate all the replies and am really considering all the advice I've gotten as I weigh my options.

 

[arb87]

I am extremely interested in this because i am in the process of probably applying to salem simmons and bu...howd it turn out...im currently working for a pretty powerful non profit but don't have 3.0 prob a 2.9 or .8 in undergrad should I take the mat...i would love all the help i can get ...simmons seems great but i too don't wanna be freakishly in debt

 

[wigflip]

Salem is known in the field for producing SWs on the administrative side of things, while Simmons is known for being clinical.

I made a similar choice--went for the fancy, higher ranked, more clinically oriented MSW. For me it was a mistake. I dropped out because my undergrad training was good enough that I knew how bad the MSW training was and that it wasn't worth the pricetag. If I'd gone to the public macro school I probably would have felt the same about the quality of training (not sufficient to do good clinical work), but would have completed.

 

[georgi]

I too went for the more expensive school. The end result is a lot of debt, which I am not exactly sure how to pay. The education Ievel wasn't that high either. So, carefully rethink everything!!!

 

[wigflip]

I too went for the more expensive school. The end result is a lot of debt, which I am not exactly sure how to pay. The education Ievel wasn't that high either. So, carefully rethink everything!!!

Yeah, my preceptor at my first term fieldwork site was an alum of my pricy school. Had graduated a decade previous and still hadn't finished paying off the loans! Part of why I quit, esp when you factor in quality of education.

 

[lucyf]

I'm a Salem State grad. It was the only place I applied due to the cost and already having one expensive graduate degree, but I found the program quite good overall. I had excellent internship options, and both my placements offered intensive clinical experience. Most professors were also good. And I have had no problem finding jobs. I do have a lot of pre-degree experience though. One word of caution -- I wouldn't assume that just because you got into Simmons you'll get into Salem. From what I've heard, it is actually the most competitive MSW program in terms of admission in Massachusetts. I know people who got into BU, Simmons, BC etc. and were not offered admission at Salem State.