Your personal statement in general should be 4-5 pages typed, double-spaced, and in 12-point font. Please use a formal writing style and provide headers for the following prompts:
Engagement: When choosing a career plan and graduate program, one should make sure that the core values of the profession and program align with their core values. Please address the following questions:
What is the reason you want to pursue a Master’s level degree in Social Work? Please discuss your knowledge, understanding, and motivation for pursuing your MSW. This response could also include but is not limited to volunteer/paid work experience.
Why is the MSW Program at Ohio State the ideal program for you?
Balance: The MSW Program at Ohio State has a classroom and field education component. To be successful in the MSW Program, students must be able to balance rigorous coursework and clinical field placement responsibilities with their own personal and professional commitments. MSW I students are required to complete 224 hours in their foundation field practicum hours and MSW II/ASAP students must complete 672 hours for their advanced field practicum hours. Based upon this information, please discuss the following:
Why you are applying to the specific sub plan (Online vs. on-campus; advanced standing vs. traditional; part-time vs. full-time) and why you feel it is a good fit for you.
Describe strategies you use to manage multiple commitments and related stress.
Provide a concrete example of how you use your time and stress management skills.
How will these skills allow you to be successful in the MSW Program?
Diversity and Implicit Bias: Social Workers commonly work with individuals, groups and communities that they are not a member. We all have implicit biases. As a result, it is important for Social Workers to address personal biases that will impact their ability to effectively work with diverse populations.
Describe a time you had to work through a personal bias that you held. What was the outcome?
How do plan to address any personal biases?
Human Rights: The National Association of Social Workers identifies Social Justice as one their six core values. As a result, Social Workers are challenged to advocate for social justice for vulnerable populations.
As a Social Worker, how do you envision embracing this core value?
Write about a social justice issue you are passionate about and describe why the issue resonates with you?
Academic* (Required only if cumulative GPA is below a 3.00): Describe what contributed to your academic challenges in your undergraduate studies and what measures you will take to be successful in the Master of Social Work program.
Please follow the guidelines above. I have attached my resume as well if you would like to add in something as well. I did have a 2.98 so it was below 3.0. I faced a struggle when covid-19 hit in 2020 but I was able to keep going and finish college in 2023. I did majored in Psychology and realized I like social work and helping others. They are both apart of the social sciences. My grandmother passed my freshman year of college. She spent most of her life helping people. She never turned her back on you and that is why she was so special. She worked at a homeless shelter most of my life and I would see her go to her job and see how dedicated she was. The specific homeless shelter she worked was for homeless women that were in need of help. I am hoping to work in that same population one day. That’s what made me love that field of helping people find resources and getting them out of situations. I am applying for Ohio State’s traditional online class full-time. I graduated in Dec 2023 with a bachelor of arts in psychology. I did participate in psychology club.
