Applying to a Master of Social Work (MSW) program without prior experience in the field can feel daunting. You might worry that your application will be overlooked or that you will struggle to keep up with your peers who have more relevant backgrounds. These concerns are common, but they shouldn't deter you from applying.

In this post, we will talk about how past applicants who made a career change into social work used their personal statements to show the admissions committee that they have the skills and insights needed to thrive in the MSW program.

When writing your Master of Social Work (MSW) statement of purpose (SOP), creating your “mission statement” or “elevator pitch” is an important part of the writing process. In this article, I’ll explain what the mission statement is, why it is important to create one in your SOP, give you a step-by-step for creating yours, and lastly, provide an in-depth example! 

Receiving news of being waitlisted from a Master of Social Work (MSW) program can bring up a range of emotions including disappointment, frustration, and uncertainty about the future. However, it can be helpful to approach this situation with a compassionate mindset and understand that being waitlisted is not necessarily the end of the road or a representation of your candidacy. In this blog post, we will explore practical steps to navigate the waitlist process effectively and increase your chances of eventual acceptance.

In 2023-2024 MSW Helper celebrated 5 years in business, and we experienced rapid growth as we supported 358 applicants in applying to dozens of Master of Social Work programs across the United States and Canada.

In May 2024 we conducted a survey in which we got voluntary feedback from our clients who worked with us between April 1st, 2023 and March 2024.

The grad school personal statement is one of the most important pieces of writing you will ever complete, and it can feel like a high-pressure, stressful experience. I understand the feeling of not knowing where to start and being extremely overwhelmed with the writing process. One of the key questions applicants ask is where to start or how to start their grad school statement, which is a fair question! This post will go over how to start your statement writing process effectively, hopefully alleviating some of the stress. 

There are several ways to become a practicing therapist. Two of the most common ways are obtaining a Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology or a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree. This blog explores the differences between each pathway.

While applying for graduate school, finding references can be one of the most stressful parts. When I was applying for my Master of Social Work (MSW), I remember being worried about whether my supervisors and professors would even be willing to write a reference for me and feeling guilty for asking them to write multiple references. On top of that, it was confusing figuring out what kind of references I needed for each program. I’m answering your most common questions about grad school references so that you can go into your applications feeling confident that you’re putting your best foot forward in every aspect of the application!

In the third and final part of this series on common social work theories, I’m going to introduce three theories: cognitive and behavioural theories, narrative theory, and the task-centered model. These theories are all most commonly used in micro level, or direct practice settings

In part two of this three-part series on social work theories, I’m covering the basics of three more common social work theories. The theories highlighted in this post are empowerment theory, feminist theory, and conflict theory.