<p>Hello, everyone. I am looking to apply for an MSW program for the fall of next year. I graduated in December 2012 with a BA in political science. During undergrad, I ended up transferring- my GPA at my final school was 3.70. However, my GPA where I went initially was poor because I was dealing with difficult family issues- I am hoping this won't play much role though since I had such strong grades my last two years in college. I have some volunteerr/research experience, but not exactly related to social services. However, I am planning on doing training soon for crisis intervention, and I think I can write a very persuasive personal statement. </p>
<p>Anyways, I am looking to identify MSW programs to apply to. I want to become a LCSW, so a program with a clinical emphasis or clinical track is necessary. I am really overwhelmed by the sheer number of MSW programs out there, especially since to my understanding it doesn't matter too much where you get your MSW from. I currently live in St Louis, so I am looking at schools in Missouri, but I am very open to schools in other locations. Additionally, the price tag is very important to me- I really am hoping to get a considerable amount of financial aid. </p>
<p>Right now I plan on considering applying to:</p>
<p>University of Missouri at St Louis
Mizzou
St Louis University
Washington University
Tulane</p>
<p>Any other universities that you would suggest, or general tips? Thanks so much! </p>
<p>As you mentioned, there are literally hundreds of schools with MSW programs and in social work, it really doesn’t matter too much where you got your MSW. Without further information it’s really difficult for us to suggest programs to you.</p>
<p>There are some other MSW programs in Missouri - you could also study at Missouri State University and University of Missouri-Kansas City, and you would be in-state. Another one that is in your geographic region is Southern Illinois University-Carbondale; you would not be in-state, but if I recall correctly SIU’s fees are relatively inexpensive.</p>
<p>However, in addition to geographic location I suggest that you look at MSW programs that might have special foci that you’re interested in. For example, if you wanted to focus on military health, you might want to find a program that has internship placements on a military base or emphasis coursework and fieldwork with military families in other ways.</p>
<p>That said, I think 7 MSW programs is probably enough.</p>
<p>Thank you for your response! I will definitely look into those schools. For some reason I wasn’t aware Missouri State had an MSW- it didn’t come up when I was searching. </p>
<p>Well, I want to work as a LCSW in a private practice, possibly focusing on treating women. So far I haven’t found any program with a focus on women’s issues, although possibly there is some out there. </p>
<p>What else… I guess ideally I would love to go to a school with a strong campus culture (like Mizzou.) I don’t want to apply anywhere with a high cost of living, which rules out schools in big cities on the East Coast. </p>
<p>Honestly, I really am not sure where I eventually want to settle, which makes me think maybe my best bet would be a school that has a good bit of national recognition? </p>
<p>Don’t worry about campus culture so much. I mean, it’s fine to have that as an ideal, but being a graduate student is very different from being an undergrad. You won’t really be as engaged in the campus culture as you would as an undergrad; you wouldn’t be tailgating every weekend and cheering the team on at the games, partying during homecoming, etc. I spent 6 years at my graduate institution, including 2 years working in residential life directly with undergrads, and I still couldn’t tell you when homecoming was - I vaguely think it’s sometime in October, but that’s an educated guess.</p>
<p>I also totally feel you on the CoL thing - I did my graduate program in a very high cost of living city on the east coast, and I am relieved to be out of there - but you can also balance that with school cost. For example, Hunter College has a great school of social work. Yes, the cost of living in NYC is high, but Hunter’s OOS tuition + fees is only around $10K a year for 12 credits/semester. And you can live relatively comfortably (if frugally) in NYC on $25,000 a year. SO that’s about a $35K cost of attendance per year. In-state tuition + fees at Mizzou is about the same, actually - around $10K. I’m not sure how cheap it is to live in Columbia - CNN Money says that $25,000 in NYC goes as far as $11,000 in MO, but I’m assuming that you would be borrowing at least $15-20K a year to survive around there. So you’d only really be saving about $10-20K by attending Mizzou over Hunter.</p>
<p>I mean, I would still go to Mizzou over Hunter, just because living in a lower CoL city is far less stressful! I’m just saying that if you got accepted to Hunter and not Mizzou, or if you got a sweet scholarship at Hunter, that it wouldn’t be so bad.</p>
<p>dyiu13- Hmm, I think I would consider any of those locations except probably Chicago. Nothing against Chicago- I just find really large cities stressful.</p>
<p>jullet- That is probably a good point about campus culture not being as important for a grad student. I guess that is something that I am hoping to find because my undergraduate education was not exactly what I hoped for due to incredibly stressful family circumstances, so I really feel like I missed out on that experience sometimes. That is interesting about Hunter- I never would have thought it was so affordable out of state! However, I just find very large cities to be incredibly stressful (not just financially), so I really think I would be happier looking elsewhere. </p>