Book Review: Guide to Selecting and Applying to MSW Programs

Guides to graduate school abound, but The Guide to Selecting and Applying to Master of Social Work Programs is a bit different from the typical get-into-grad-school book. Jesus Reyes, a former assistant dean for enrollment at the School for Social Service Administration at the University of Chicago, provides readers with an insider's perspective and helps them to understand how graduate programs evaluate applicants. The Guide to Selecting and Applying to Master of Social Work Programs is organized into three parts.

Part 1: What Applicants Should Look For
Part I provides applicants with a detailed template for studying graduate programs. Chapters cover the decision to pursue the MSW and the overall value of the degree, and how to systematically evaluate programs and schools.

Part II: What Schools Look For
Reyes' experience in graduate admissions is revealed throughout Part II, in which he presents the admissions committee's perspective on graduate admissions.  Committees consider students' academic preparation as well as how they present themselves to the committee. Chapters discuss the importance of the undergraduate record, and indicators of an applicant's potential for graduate work, such as standardized test scores, recommendation letters, personal statements, interviews, and field experiences. Additional chapters provide advice for students with less than perfect academic records and how to manage the aftermath of the application process -- acceptance, juggling multiple acceptances, and coping with rejection.  

Part III: Resources for Applicants
Part III contains a series of appendices that provide applicants with sources for all aspects of the admissions process, such as lists of accredited MSW programs and state boards, and the results of surveys examining unique aspects of each program. This section concludes with several tools for applicants: a tracking sheet to help applicants keep track of all the programs and paperwork involved in graduate admissions, detailed interview tips, and a worksheet to help applicants begin the personal statement. If you're applying to MSW programs, Reyes' Guide to Selecting and Applying to Master of Social Work Programs will quickly become a favorite resource.

Guide to Selecting and Applying to Master of Social Work Programs, by Jesus Reyes; Format: Paperback, 4th ed., 252pp.; ISBN: 1929109016; Publisher: White Hat Communications
Pub. Date: October 2000