Hunter College – Silberman MSW Application Instructions and Tips
Hunter College Social Work Program Requirements
Hunter College’s MSW program requires the following as part of the application process:
Online application
Educational History / Transcripts
Work History
Statement of Purpose
Optional Supplemental Essay
Practice Example (Advanced Standing applicants only)
When you create a profile to start the application process there are detailed instructions on how to complete each part of the application process. This post provides an overview of the application and tips for answering for those who are planning to apply.
Something to keep in mind: I am not affiliated with the Hunter College and everything in this post is my own opinion. Please use discretion and check with the school for the most up to date information about the application process.
Educational History and Transcripts:
Applicants will be required to submit transcripts for any post-secondary institution attended. There is a form to fill out, and you will be required to submit unofficial transcripts. You will not need to submit official transcripts until you are accepted to the program.
GPA requirements: Silberman states that they are looking for applicants with a GPA of 3.0 or higher. However, like most MSW programs admissions committees review applications holistically, so you may be able to leverage other strengths in your application or utilize the Optional Supplemental Essay (below) if you have GPA concerns.
Related: Don’t let your low GPA stop you from applying to MSW programs.
Work History
Applicants will also complete a work history form as well as their professional resume. Applicants must include any work experiences that are relevant to the field of social work, including volunteer and part-time experiences.
When applying to Master of Social Work programs don’t discount your “non-relevant” social work experiences. In our webinar, we talk about how those with unique backgrounds or career changers can leverage their insights and transferable skills.
Statement of Purpose
All applicants must submit a 500-1000 word statement of purpose as part of the application process to Hunter College’s Silberman MSW program using the following prompts:
What experiences - professional, educational, and organizational - led to or confirmed your interest in social work? If you considered another field before choosing social work, discuss your reason for wanting to make this change.
What are the reasons for your decision to obtain graduate social work education at this time? What are your expectations of graduate social work education? What area(s) of difficulty do you anticipate? What have you done or are doing to address the difficulties?
Please discuss a current issue in society related to social work and what you think are possible solutions to resolving the issue.
What areas of social work interest you particularly?
The statement of purpose is an important part of the application as it gives the admissions committee a chance to learn more about you and your motivations for pursuing social work. The SOP also allows the admissions committee a chance to assess your insights, critical thinking skills, writing ability, and potential to thrive in graduate school and contribute to the field of social work.
The SOP is debatably the most important part of the application process. That’s why we have many resources to help you craft a winning personal statement. Check out some of our free resources below:
Related Resources for the SOP:
Optional Supplemental Essay
Silberman’s School of Social Work also allows applicants to provide additional details and context regarding their application. In 200-300 words you may reflect on your professional or academic experiences that inform your approach to graduate school and your potential to succeed in the graduate program at Hunter College. The following applicants may find this section beneficial:
Applicants who had a low GPA due to extenuating circumstances
Applicants who experienced a career gap
Applicants who have other strengths that are not reflected elsewhere on the application
If you don’t have any areas of concern, you may leave this section blank. If you do decide to complete this section be sure to provide some context and talk about how you learned or grew from the situation you choose to discuss. You may even choose to frame it as a strength. For example, maybe your GPA is lower than expected because you went through something challenging during one semester of school. Although this temporarily impacted your GPA, you became resilient, practiced self-care, and learned lessons that you will carry into your social work career.
Practice Example
Advanced standing MSW applicants are required to submit a practice example as part of the application process
The example may illustrate practice with an individual, a family, a group, a community, or an organization. Include the following content in your Practice Example from the beginning to the termination of your activity:
Identifying data about the client system (individual, family, group, community, or organization)
A summary of the presenting issues and relevant descriptive data
Your assessment of the practice situation
Your practice interventions
A description of any factors in the relationship between you and the client system that had an impact on the service.
The school is likely assessing your social work skills through this practice example. They want to gauge your understanding of social work theories, interventions, and perspectives, and that you are putting theory to practice. Reflect on theories and principles related to assessment, interventions, theories, and ethics learned while in your BSW, and think about the work you did with a client, group, or community during placements of work experiences.
When writing your Practice Example, be sure to maintain confidentiality for your clients. Don’t use names and don’t include any identifying details.
Related Resources:
· Social Work Buzzwords for your Statement of Purpose
When is the Silberman School of Social Work Application Due?
The due date for all MSW programs with a fall start is February 10th, and applicants will have until February 21st to submit supporting documentation.
Is Silberman’s MSW Program accredited?
Yes, both Silberman’s MSW program is accredited social work programs according to the Council of Social Work Education.
What is the acceptance rate for Silberman School of Social Work?
Silberman does not provide official data about the number of applications they receive or how many they accept. In general, Master of Social Work programs are often highly competitive and Silberman is a highly ranked social work program.
Need Application Help?
MSW Helper’s team of application advisors are here to support you. Visit our website to meet with an advisor to brainstorm your application or submit your SOP for editing.
If you are applying to other MSW Programs you can check out our other school guides here.
