USC versus CSU for MSW

[whinyblade]

Hi everyone,

I have been accepted to both USC and a CSU for my MSW, for which I am VERY grateful! I plan on continuing for my LCSW, as I would like to do therapy at least part-time.

However, in thinking about the cost of tuition, I am trying to justify paying $70K for USC versus $25K for CSU. Even with a DMH stiped, I am looking at $50K for USC out of pocket, since I do not qualify for any additional grants, scholarhsips. etc.

I know that USC has the better rated program, but does MSW program reputation matter that much in this field? I missed the deadline for UCLA (my first choice), but really want to start in Fall 2008, so waiting is not an option for me. I would love to hear from people who have been through a similar experience and/or who know about the MSW/LCSW hiring process.

This board has been so helpful for me in the past, so I look forward to hearing your responses!

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[pingouin]

If there is a specific reason to go to a specific school (ie, they have the concentration you want), then go to that specific school. MSW admissions are often rolling, so even if you missed UCLA's deadline for September/August, you could see if you could start in January.

If both programs are equal as far as both being accredited, both offering the concentration you want, etc, then I can't see a reason to spend an extra 50K on this degree. It is unlikely anyone will care about where you got your degree as much as they will that you're competent and capable. Find good professors as mentors, get a great field placement, get great experience and connections to maximize your post-graduation opportunities. The USN&WR rankings are largely based on research dollars received, so don't mean a whole lot regarding quality of clinicians produced. There was an article in Social Work within the last 2 years (don't have the reference handy) which utilized other ranking methods (ie, Deans' ranking, student rankings) that turned some of the USN&WR rankings on their head.... #1 dropped down the list and my school in the 20s moved into the top 10.

Ah, the fun of getting statistics to say what you want them to! 😉

 

[michalita]

UCLA does not have rolling admission, nor can you transfer into their program. It's very small and very selective.

Is it CSULA? What are of social work interests you? What would you like to do when you're done? (+ which stipend are we talking about -- is it a DCFS (or whatever it's called) one where you commit yourself for 2 years afterwards? Did you get a stipend at both schools or only at USC?)

 

[whinyblade]

UCLA does not have rolling admission, nor can you transfer into their program. It's very small and very selective.

Is it CSULA? What are of social work interests you? What would you like to do when you're done? (+ which stipend are we talking about -- is it a DCFS (or whatever it's called) one where you commit yourself for 2 years afterwards? Did you get a stipend at both schools or only at USC?)

Hi there,

Thank you so much for your responses. Actually, I just found out that the cost of tuition for the ENTIRE MSW program at CSUDH would be less than $10K, not $25K as I mentioned earlier!!! Now I am going to REALLY thave to think long and hard about this !

As for Mich's questions, the CSU is CSUDH. I am interested in working with families where a child has developmental disabilites, definitely in the mental health arena. Both USC and CSUDH have mental health concentrations. The stipend is only at USC, where I get $20K from DMH, and in return work at DMH for a year after I graduate. Since I want to work on getting licensure, I thought this would be a great opportunity to get paid while I get my licensure hours. However, the DMH stipend is not guaranteed (only 20 or so people get it), so even that is not for certain.

Ping, I sure wish UCLA had rolling admissions - it's where I got my undergrad, and I live so close to UCLA!!! Go Bruins!!!

Anyway, I am leaning towards CSUDH, especially given that it's even cheaper tuition than I had previously thought...I love the idea of not being in debt for 10 years after I graduate, especially since social work is not the highest paying of all fields 😉! I guess I just needed to hear that the university from which I got the degree would not matter as much as actually having the degree when it comes to getting a job and doing private therapy. I guess I am still not sure if that is true, but any more input would be greatly appreciated!!!!

 

[usdenick]

Have you also looked at CSULA? They (as well as many other cal state schools) also offer a stipend (18k per year) to about 20 people per year. This is done through CalSwec. I can't see a reason to spend so much extra money on an education in a field like Social Work. In Law or maybe medicine maybe the name of the school would matter, but I think in Social Work your field placement and concentration probably matters much more.

Also, I have heard that UCLA's program is more macro/management focused, whereas it seems you want to work directly with people, so perhaps it is not the best program for what you are looking for.

Do research CalSwec, though, if you are looking at stipends, many CSU schools offer this stipend to a select number of people in the entering class.

 

[pingouin]

Have you also looked at CSULA? They (as well as many other cal state schools) also offer a stipend (18k per year) to about 20 people per year. This is done through CalSwec. I can't see a reason to spend so much extra money on an education in a field like Social Work. In Law or maybe medicine maybe the name of the school would matter, but I think in Social Work your field placement and concentration probably matters much more.

Also, I have heard that UCLA's program is more macro/management focused, whereas it seems you want to work directly with people, so perhaps it is not the best program for what you are looking for.

Do research CalSwec, though, if you are looking at stipends, many CSU schools offer this stipend to a select number of people in the entering class.

Caveat emptor: These stipends are part of the Title IV-E program, which we've discussed on here before. They are only available for students on a child welfare track (meaning you must do your practica with CPS-related agencies) and come with an obligation of working there post-graduation or having to pay back the money you received.

 

[thepsychgeek]

I talked to one of my friends who lives and goes to school in CA, and his comment was this:

"The private schools are really good, but the CalState University schools [of which CSUDH is] are fantastic if you're planning to do any kind of applied work."

I'd go with CSU. Also because the cost is lower!

 

[usdenick]

Caveat emptor: These stipends are part of the Title IV-E program, which we've discussed on here before. They are only available for students on a child welfare track (meaning you must do your practica with CPS-related agencies) and come with an obligation of working there post-graduation or having to pay back the money you received.

Yes, this is true, I'm glad you added that caveat. I didn't mention this in my post only because I assumed the original poster was aware of this requirement since they had been looking at the same stipend at USC.

Also, in California, there IS a stipend for people in Mental Health programs as well. It works slightly different from the one of people in the the Child Welfare programs but is administered by the same organization, CalSwec. Anyone interested in this should check out the CalSwec website, they list the colleges participating in the mental health stipend program.

And, yes, the Cal State schools in California are actually the ones known as the "teaching" colleges, whereas the University of California colleges are more "research" universities. Of course, the research universities get all the prestige and thus attract the high-achieving students. I'll let you know whether or not that is healthy, since I'm being far off topic here! Nonetheless, California does have an excellent public higher education system, arguably the best in the world.

 

[whinyblade]

Thank you all so much for your advice - you have really helped my to solidfy my decision. An update: I turned in my acceptance paperwork for...CSUDH!!!!

Yea!!! An MSW, and no debt to boot...WOO-HOO!!!!

Thank you all again so much for your help - you really helped me to trust my decision! 😀

 

[thepsychgeek]

Congrats- I'm glad we helped, and I hope you like CSU-DH!

 

[Shanhou3]

I just wanted to say I've been in the same boat and it's a tough decision!!
I applied and was accepted to the MSW programs at Boston College, Boston University, Simmons College, and then Southern CT State University here in New Haven, CT, where I moved last year just to be closer to my boyfriend while I figured out my grad school plans. It was a dream come true to get accepted EVERYWHERE, but then I checked out the price tags: almost $60,000 for BC, $45,000 for the others, and... less than $20k for Southern CT State University, which to my knowledge no one outside of Southern Connecticut has actually heard of.
I'd always planned to go to one of the Boston schools, assuming that I'd receive some kind of financial aid because I'm totally poor after doing AmeriCorps the past two years... But nope, they just offered me loans, loans, and more loans. I also thought that MSW programs would offer the same stipends that so many other graduate programs offer - not so.
But I mailed my deposit check to Boston College anyway, signing up for their part-time program which was closer to my parents' house, and resigning myself to the fact that after being on my own since college, I'd need to move back in with my parents and work almost full-time in order to keep the price tag down even to $50k.
I then proceeded to obsess over Googling current MSW salaries and using the studentloan.com calculators to figure out what my huge monthly payments would be after graduation, and emailing people I knew with MSWs to see what they thought. Clearly I had not made a decision I was comfortable with! So, despite the "oohs and ahhs" I got from my family and friends when telling them, ''I'm going to BC," I called up BC and told them to forget it.
This fall I'll be attending Southern CT State, and moving in with my boyfriend instead of moving back home. I'll be going full-time instead of part-time, so I'll be done in 2 years instead of 3. They had the concentration I wanted, and they seem to have a pretty decent program, but I'll know for sure once I get there. When I graduate, I'll get to write those same three letters after my name, but I won't have to choose my first job based solely on the salary - instead I'll choose it based on how much I get to help people!

Also, something to keep in mind... if you get to your state school, and decide it truly ISN'T the best fit for you... hey, most MSW programs will accept transfer credit! At least you'd have gotten a few courses done at a discount. I might transfer to UConn next year if Southern isn't doing it for me. They have a more "prestigious" program for only a little more $$, and they accept up to a year of credit from another MSW program... though it's 45 minutes from my house and gas here is $4.30 a gallon. I'll probably just stick around at Southern... and buy myself a new, more gas efficient car when I graduate with minimal debt and a sweet new MSW job. 😀

Glad to see someone else who went through the same process I did! Good luck with everything!! I'd be interested to keep in touch on here about how it's going for you!