<p>Hi,
I was just accepted into both Columbia and NYU's graduate social work programs, and I am having a hard time deciding which school I should attend. I really want to focus on clinical social work, and have heard that NYU's program is very clinically-oriented...But I know that Columbia's social work program is ranked #4 in the country, while NYU is #22 or something like that, and I'm not really sure if I would be missing out on a great education (at Columbia) if I went with NYU based strictly on their clinical focus.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!</p>
<p>If you want to focus on clinical, then go to the place that has more of that as a focus. They are both great schools, but you have to go where you’ll be able to do what you want to do.</p>
<p>Hey, I was actually in the same boat. I was accepted to both NYU and Columbia for Fall 2011. I decided on Columbia because I couldn’t think of passing up the opportunity to attend Columbia. I am also interested in the clinical path and was worried about my decision, but when I attended the admitted students day at Columbia they mentioned how strong their clinical area is and how many opportunities they have. They do have a lot of clinical electives offered as well. I personally think Columbia is the better decision. In addition, Columbia gave me much more money than NYU did. NYU gave me no money whats so ever (which I have heard they are very skimpy on the money they give out).</p>
<p>Hi Mlapalme,</p>
<p>I am right now deciding between columbia and nyu for social work, with an interest mainly in the clinical field but might choose the management track as well. I wanted to know how your experience has been over all at columbia? are the classes and professors engaging and challenging and are you enjoying the field placement? do you feel like you made the right decision over nyu?</p>
<p>They are both great schools of social work, and being in the top 20 will help you regardless. Social work is not a very prestige-driven field; people with the licensure get jobs from Hunter or a local state university just like Columbia and NYU graduates get jobs, and the pay is the same. So if you have any financial assistance follow that. That said, Columbia has strengths in clinical social work as well, and you can definitely get that here (I have a lot of friends in social work).</p>