Help with Grad School?

Graduate School
1

I posted yesterday in “what are my chances?” and received no feedback, which is why I’m posting here because I would really love some help.

I am currently a senior getting my Undergrad from Stony Brook U. I have decided recently during my last year here that I do want to attend Grad school after thinking that was a dream of mine from the past. I refuse to be told that it is “too late” because I know that is far from the truth… So firsthand, if you’re here to feed me words of the like, please kindly take your impish remarks elsewhere where they may be warranted. Thank you.

I am a major of Sociology, but I am interested in obtaining my Masters of Social Work through my current University. My question is… My GPA unfortunately has suffered here because I have changed my major probably as much as I have my socks. Before transferring to SBU I had a GPA ranging somewhere between 3.7 - 3.9, now I’ve dropped down to just below the cusp of consideration for the MSW program, which is 2.5. Not mentioning numbers here to dwell on what happened previously, as that is only a place of reference, not residence… Just listing them to show the true gravity of the situation. My question is… Do Grad schools within the University you’re already attending consider you just because you’ve already invested so much at that particular school? While my GPA has tanked to put it nicely, it was previously outstanding, which shows that I am indeed capable. A GRE score is not needed for entrance into this specific program, so I don’t have that assent unfortunately. However, as an undergrad I did take a 500 level (Graduate) course at got an A… which my professor said was remarkable and admirable considering my age & limited academic experience compared to my colleagues. My issue is that, coming from my previous school I was enrolled in an honors program with VERY intimate courses (10 students at best) & now I’m here in 200+ lecture hall courses… I really suffered extreme culture shock. I am hoping that through my graduate professor I can obtain a supportive letter of recommendation to strengthen my acceptance ability… Does this sound at all plausible?

Lastly, can one become a professor with a MSW? This is a field I do express interest in outside of additional interests. I love teaching & helping others and I really love college. (No, I do not mean that at all immaturely, I do not even remotely fit the bill of what society calls a ‘college student’ outside of the classroom). I was just curious. If not, what route does one take in becoming a professor? Can you become a professor of Psychology without a major in the field? While I do major in the neighboring academia of Sociology, I do have a very strong concentration in Psychology & this was my first major at my current University. I am not even 100% sure of what exactly I want to “do” when I “grow up” but I love school & it is more or less who I wholeheartedly am.

Thank you in advance.

2

Almost all professors have PhDs. Sorry I can’t help with your other questions.

3

@milkweed Thanks for the feedback!

Anyone else that could help with the other questions?

4

Some schools give a bit of preference to their own students, but not all do.

Your GPA can’t be considered in pieces, like the one class you got an A in or the fact that it was better before. In fact, a downward trend is a bad thing to highlight - as it makes it appear as though you could do fine in the easy general coursework of freshman and sophomore year but choked when the harder stuff came online.

You still might be considered for some MSW programs if you are otherwise a really outstanding candidate, but the best thing for you might be to take a few years off (2-3) and get some relevant work experience, maybe while taking a few more graduate-level classes and doing really well. Then you show dedication to the social work field while also demonstrating that you can achieve good grades.

Also, no, you can’t become a professor with just an MSW. You could become a professor if you got the MSW and then got a PhD in social work, something else, or a DSW (although the PhD is preferable to most places). Social work professors usually have an MSW, at least two years of experience as a practicing social worker, and then a PhD - usually in social work but sometimes in a related field (sociology and psychology are popular ones).

You can in theory become a psychology professor without a major IF you have the requisite coursework. You say you had a strong concentration in psychology - if you’ve got at least ~20 credits in psychology and they include the crucial courses (intro, research methods, statistics, a lab-based course, an elective in your field) then you at least have a chance on the coursework side. However, to get into a PhD program, you also need to have research experience - at least 2 years assisting a professor with their research.

Being a professor is a really long, hard road with few guarantees. The academic job market is terrible, and there are far more people who want to be professors than there are actual jobs for them. Besides, the career isn’t really great for someone who ‘loves school’ in the sense that they love undergrad - because grad school and academic life are really different from undergrad. I think it’s better to take some time to think about what you really want, and make a decision, than trying to go back to school just for the sake of being in it. Of course school is who you are right now, because you’ve never done anything else yet.