Virtual MSW Information Session

Hello everyone.

Hello and good morning, if you're out on the East Coast, welcome to our information session for the Masters of Social Work Program at Columbia School of Social Work.

Happy Saturday.

This information session is for perspective MSW students, so it provides a lot of great information. We've done our best to really make sure that we include what's needed as a perspective student looking to learn more about our programs and our upcoming application. But you know, of course where we're happy to have you to share information about the School of Social work. Now you may have already noticed this, but there is a chat area where you're able to type in your questions. We will do our best to share an address. Your questions live. Do note that there is.

Order to this presentation so we might pick and choose exactly when to answer your questions, so make sure that if you you're able to, that you're both listening and checking the chat for if your question has been answered. If we cannot get to your question today, we'll do our best to respond after the event. Of course, you're also welcome to just email us your question directly, especially if it's personal in nature. We don't want to get too personal in the chat area in public, and of course if you are experiencing any technical difficulties, make sure that you try to.

I refresh your web browser or just try to open the web and are in a different web browser altogether. Generally speaking, we do recommend Chrome. That's what we use in order to for this webinar to go off without a hitch. So with that we will get started. Just know that again, just because I'm seeing already something back in the chat, we will be approving your questions as we go, and we're going to do our best to keep it on track with the topic at hand.

As we get to different parts of the presentation, so if you're asking questions, just know that we see the answer. It just might be or we may see your question, it just may be grayed out until we approve it for the rest of our our public audience to see your question. So if you're still having technical issues, I'm so sorry but just know that this is also going to be recorded, so as long as the recording comes out well, you'll get an email with a copy of the recording so you can flip through the slides and learn more about.

Our program, that way, if it's really something that's that's difficult. But otherwise, as this moment we're going to get started, our slides are up. I'm getting feedback that you can hear my audio, and let's do this.

Here's a quote from one of our esteemed faculty members, Doctor Courtney Kagor. What richer place to think about how to have a meaningful impact on the world. The world has changed quite dramatically in less than a year, and repeatedly, we always think about like what what's the value proposition of attending our program or or just pursuing social work. And you know, being able to be part of a strong research University, being able to be part of one of the oldest.

Masters programs and social work, and certainly the first to teach social work in a formal setting, has really allowed us to build off of what we believe is integral to social work, education and to be able to join like minded individuals across disciplines across background within the program really adds to really the richness of the experience and so even now, as I'm sure some of you may have the question, a lot of our program.

Is remote a lot of our program is online and I will say you know, typically for our information sessions we stress that this is an information session for both campuses. Both the online campus and the Imperson. Traditionally residential program. Even though things are currently remote due to to covid. But to be able to still have students comment on the positive interactions that are having with staff and with faculty and with one another because they really are surrounded by individuals that want to have a meaningful.

And positive impact on the world around them has really made the difference for for them. And so as challenging as it's been as as much as we've been doing work under the duress of a global pandemic, it really does feel like this is a rich, meaningful place to be able to put your ideas and your passions to work to enhance the well being of others.

So for this presentation we're going to talk about our commitment to social justice and how globally respected our faculty are, but will also talk about the distinct resources we offer that make us a bit different from other MSW programs. We also will talk about what makes our MSW pathways and program options unique. I already see that there's some questions about different curricular paths and dual degree programs will get into it then and how student centered our support is along the way. As you navigate those different options we offer.

Field experience is obviously field is a very important part of the social work program experience. The outcomes of our students are alumni as well as some next steps. So if you have any questions about the application itself and the deadlines and how the processes that's towards the end of this presentation.

So some very quick facts about us. We are able to boast the highest social work licensing password in New York. We do have some of this data also repeated on our website about the ability for you to just get a sense of how well our students do on the first try of the the these licensing exams. Several points above the national average. I believe this was 2019. the NIH awarded our one of our research centers at $86 million grant to study.

Opioid addiction in New York State. There's a lot of really exciting research and opportunities bound to happen out of that grant. The largest of its kind, and this 86 million was part of over a billion in grants awarded to our faculty at Columbia University that year for research purposes. Nabeela al Bacil, the faculty member who you know, kind of led the effort and was awarded the Grant, was actually recently quoted, I believe in the Daily News about the vaccination rollout.

In the United States, with recommendations and ways to to kind of consider improving it. So these are faculty members that are very much in and of the current era in the news and are very much impacting the the day-to-day world around us. We are able to have both 19,000 alumni around the world. Our program in general has a little over 1000 or so students in total, and so to be able to have 19,000 alums around the world that are certainly involved, certainly.

Active and part of your network within social work and social work related fields absolutely makes a difference in terms of the program experience. And again, the top ranked research University to to be able to have everything we do based in evidence and best practices and to contribute to that body of work as well. You know the reality is there are students who you know in general they decide to pursue, maybe social work or maybe even a different.

Profession elsewhere and they're reading about our faculty instead of learning from them directly, and so as a research University, it is going to allow us to be able to offer opportunities at our innovative research centers. There are several multidisciplinary research centers, including our newest one, the Action Lab for social justice, that provide network of opportunities for innovative solutions. So whether that's ways as a professional that you can take workshops and earn your continuing education units.

Whether that's research that's being done with organizations around the world, whether that's field education opportunities, maybe you're interested in independent study and working directly with the faculty member. I encourage you. If you have a strong interest in our program and in particular research area to just learn more about the research groups through our website. There's also a ton of information on YouTube and so to know that the faculty members that are teaching your courses are a range of you know.

Tenured faculty members that run the research labs or even adjunct faculty members that might work at the research labs, run the research labs or work very much in the real world around us. We're truly enhances the experience in the program.

And so here's some of our lovely faculty members. Some of these faces might be familiar to you, some some simply not. You know everyone from Heidi Allen, Bob Hartley, Courtney Cogburn, I see Ellen Lukins Mincey, Ronald Quincy. There's so many faculty members who again have really contributed to the field of social work into the way social work is taught. And even on this slide, some of the most cited social workers in the field as well. And so I really do encourage you, especially if you're not quite done with those essays.

To really think about how is it that you can enhance your social work experience by learning from some of these faculty members? And certainly not all of 'em are fitted on this slide, but there's so much work that's happening from the China Policy Center to the mental health research that's happening to the research that's happening on federal programs in rural areas and health. Thinking about intergeneration.

I'm a trauma in the black community. Thinking about you know sexual health and in different regions of the world. Thinking about the refugee crisis, there's so much happening in this program that's in that absolutely would impact your experience here and provide you the opportunity to get involved as well. If you wanted to learn more about you, know different social issues of our day and the way that the School of Social Work focuses on that, and so. With that in mind, I will be playing a video well.

Will share the link in the chat in case there's any issues and you would like to watch the video later but just a short video about our program. We miss being able to be in the building and give you all tours, another with the building looks like but this video kind of captures a little bit of what we're able to offer, so we'll take this moment just a few moments to watch the video, and then we'll continue on with the presentation.

OK.

I hope you were all able to enjoy that video. There are plenty of more videos on our YouTube channel if you're interested in catching up on some of our older social impact live episodes are getting a sense of different events or factors have led, but again, always lovely to see the campus on a sunny day.

So now we'll talk about some of our program pathways and options. Again, we do have both a residential program as well as an online program residential to us just means that you're attending the program in person. It doesn't mean that you're living in our building, or you let your living necessarily on campus, and so in terms of the differences between the two. Really, everything is the same at this time in terms of the admissions process. And you know how the.

Program is intended to be carried out except for the nature in which your classes are taught. So for the online campus, all of your classes are online and that's available to students throughout the United States, and the idea would be that for field education you would do your field in person local to you where you are in the United States. This is open to US citizens and permanent residents, obviously in terms of visa sponsorship, so you are able to.

Since you don't need one, pursue the program online and then when it comes to students who are studying in New York City due to covid, quite a bit is currently remote or hybrid in nature. We don't have 100% classes that are meeting every single week in the building, but you know, just be mindful that as we continue to plan ahead for not just this academic year, but academic years to come when you're saying you're part of the online campus, you're saying I want 100% of my academic experience.

Regardless of where I am within the United States to be online and with the New York City campus, you're saying, well if some of my classes are remote or if some of my classes are hybrid due to covid, that's fine, but I'm still going to be somewhere within or near the greater New York area. Do mindful again when it comes to field education, you could do be online and be within the United States and carry out your field education and we'll talk a little bit more about how field works. But for the NYC program, the expectation is.

Of course your field experience maybe somewhere within the greater New York area, you know. Obviously, we're connected to the tristate area and you know some of it's gonna depend on where you're willing to commute to, but will talk a little bit more about field in detail, but I do want to kind of give that distinction. 'cause I do see the questions already popping up in the chat. The most traditional way of experiencing our two year program. We are sorry our program is a two year program, being able to join us for two academic years.

Fall Spring and then fall. Spring those two years, which I think workout to be just about 20 or so months would be about two days a week in the classroom. In three days a week in field experience for a full five day a week more or less commitment, obligation experience of your MSW program. Very traditional.

This offer to both campuses. Then we have our 16 month program which is similar to the two year and that it's four semesters. The difference is that those four semesters are back to back, so you join us starting in the spring, so the intake for the 16 month every year is in the spring.

Spring summer fall, spring. So if you're interested in pursuing your MSW on a condensed track, maybe you have work experience and you don't want to take off too much time between work. Then you're able to pursue the 16 month program. But again, if you're joining us today because you're really excited to apply for the February 15th deadline, do you know that the 16 month program does not start in the fall? Only in the spring every year?

The next option we offer is our advanced standing. This should sound familiar to anyone who's earned a Bachelors of Social Work from a CSWE accredited school. And if you're wondering why Latosha do I qualify for advanced standing?

To be honest, you would know you would know what a CSWE accredited school is. You will be familiar with the course work you will be familiar with the field requirement. This is something that is very specific to BSW students so that they are able to pursue their MSW in with advanced standing so that they they come with to us with a B or better not to be minus beer. Better in all their social work classes. They've done the equivalent of when your field education and they're joining us for Year 2.

So they join us late July for our summer intensive for advanced training students. Make sure everyone's on the same page and then they dive into the program in the fall and at the end of the spring they graduate. So it's not a full summer commitment for advanced standing, but you do start late July, sometimes early August, depending on how the calendar works out. And again, it's a great opportunity for you to be able to pursue your graduate studies within five years of your undergraduate experience at.

Reduced I guess.

Academic requirement because you've already done the first half of it.

Extended is our opportunity to offer as close as possible to a part time program. It is difficult to provide a part time program that provides the same rigor, the same required resources, the same or similar enough of an experience we don't want to offer a part time program if it's going to greatly dilute the outcome of a student, and so the extended off option allows us to have our cake and eat it too. It allows us to stretch out degree.

Requirements to stretch them out over 3, maybe four years, but the way we do so is that in your first year, maybe your second, depending on exactly what you need, you're really just chipping away at courses so that in your final years of the program as you add field education, you are technically a full time student, but you're doing so at a reduced course load. So again, in All in all, the extended is designed to stretch out degree requirements. Maybe you're nervous about grad school, maybe you have a family, maybe you.

Work a certain amount of hours and it's kind of flexible, but you're not sure about how to make it all work again. It's going to be.

Challenging to manage a full time workload with also being a full time employee somewhere with any of our options, but extended at least allows you to kind of ease into it. Yeah, I don't. I wouldn't feel comfortable saying that. It allows you to always work full time and go full time student. We offer classes from throughout the day from, you know, early in the morning throughout the evening, but there's no guarantee that all your classes as an example would be offered at night, but at least the extended allows you if.

You're interested in that very specific situation to be able to start chipping away at classes before you are a full time student. The reduced residency works similarly in that you are stretching out your program requirements over 3, maybe four years, but what we're reducing for reduced residency is your residency in field education, and we're doing so because you're coming to us with over two years of full-time direct practice experience, so maybe you already report to a social worker. Maybe you're at a social organization, whatever it is.

You're coming to us with that work experience, and So what we're able to do is reduce the amount of hours you have to do for field education. Some of your classes are also around other professionals, such as yourself, so that you're able to feel like you're in a classroom setting where you're leveraging the most of your professional experience, and in a lot of cases reduce residency. Students are able to actually do their field education through their employer, so if you already work somewhere where there are MSW.

Available for supervision, maybe they already host field internships. The reduced residency program might be the best fit for you, so I know it's a little bit confusing to kind of have all these options thrown at you. But if it starts sounding like reduced rent, sees a good fit, feel free to reach out to us. Feel free to email us. We're happy to chat with you one on one over the phone, or answer questions by email so that we can help provide as much information at the nuances of our reduced residency program.

The transfer program is a unique experience for those who started an MSW and for whatever reason have decided that that program is not a good fit, and so in the other, transferring into our program, it is not the same as transferring a handful of classes or 9 credits into our Graduate School program. It is specifically coming to us with about 30 credits, which would be the equivalent of 1 academic year of classes and that first year field experience and essentially you're joining us for year two of our program, so.

You know, if you feel like maybe you've started a different type of graduate program, maybe you started psychology and it wasn't the best fit, or you feel like maybe you've taken some courses and you think they would transfer in. That is not the same as the transfer program. This is specifically for those coming from MSW programs. Masters of social work or Masters of Science and social work programs that are CSWE. That's the Council on Social Work Education accredited programs, the same rule, beer, better in all classes and coming in with the year.

Field as a man standing but again if for whatever reason you find that the program that you're a part of isn't the best fit or is lacking in any way, we do it. Transfer students every year. You are welcome to apply as a transfer student to our program. Last but certainly not least, the five term international program if you are non US resident. If you do not have a green card. If you're not a citizen, you might have noticed our application.

Kind of push you towards the five term program. I also just add an extra note if you cannot see the essay prompts skipping ahead a little bit, but if you can't see the essay prompts, go back to the beginning.

All the way back and make sure you answer each and every one of the questions, including citizenship before you apply to or before you try to see the essay prompts. But for the five term international program, that's our way of making sure that our students, especially those who come from places where social work doesn't quite exist in the same way social work is a profession, might mean something totally different. This is our way of just kind of making sure that we're providing you the resources you need. So in the admissions process, we evaluate you.

For the five term international program, it's the only option we offer that has a short interview as part of the process. Specifically for English proficiency, an understanding of the social work profession out of that admissions process, you'd either be offered admission to the five term international or put into the two year program. So just know that as an international student, this is our way of making sure that you have everything you need to do well in our program, and so the five terms.

Essentially, we're delaying the start of your field education and adding some additional courses to prepare you more background courses into the national social welfare system, so that before you start field education here as prepared as possible. So hope that answers a number of questions about the program options. I see Emily doing everything in the chat, so.

So feel free to keep asking your questions, but I think that's that's it for this section. Just to reiterate, you know we are leader in online social work education. Some might say that we might have adjusted a little bit too quickly to teaching so many classes online, but that's because our online cab is has contributed to the research on online social work education, how to make it accessible, how to make it engaging, how to provide the same outcomes as saying in person class, and so there is a lot of work that goes into our online classes.

Faculty members staff have to be specifically trained for online classes to be able to provide assistance and resources to students, and thinking about how to make an engaging online space.

A number of our faculty members already taught for our online campus because it's the same faculty. It's the same stuff.

It's not a separate kind of entity, it's it, or a separate program. You're not getting a separate MSW, it's simply that you're studying on a different campus. So if you have any questions about our online program or online campus, just just email us. Let us know, but you can also find quite a bit of information online from people like Dean to Boccard, who's who's done quite a lot of work, research wise as a social worker into how to teach and train social workers online.

These online classes I should say are synchronous. They're happening live. You would have to have your camera on. You would have to, you know, sweat sweatshirts are fine, but maybe not pajamas. It is a very engaging online virtual experience, so it is not prerecorded classes. I think the only class that we have that would be considered asynchronous is a short five week kind of requirements that I'll talk about in a moment. But otherwise your classes are very much happening. Live right in front of you. An engagement is.

Absolutely required.

If you've done some research into our program already, you might have found that one of the ways that we do stand out is that 4 by 7 model that option that we offer so that students are able to have a broad sense of understanding of social work and experiences in what would be traditionally your first year of the social work program, and then for your specialization year to really be able to dive into a specific way to to focus your social work as well as a population to focus on and so.

For method areas that how you would like to conduct your social work, practice fairly standard clinical social work practice in your first year, every student in their first year has a little bit of clinical. That's why your second year is advanced clinical so that you're able to really think about assessment like Gnosis treatment options, best practices for working in a clinical setting, generalist. Again, every student has a little bit of generalists in their first year, so if you're specializing in general, it's considered advance.

Thinking of how to provide your practice, not just on the direct practice one to one level, but also how do I apply social work to a community at large?

The policy how do I advocate on behalf of a more just society policy changes implementation? How do I carry out policy and social enterprise administration if social work generalist practices, thinking of how do I carry out social work to the well being of the Community, Social Enterprise Administration or sea can often be thought of as how do I enhance the well, the function of an organization or enhance the organization that carries out these research so?

There's a lot of additional details on our website to kind of understanding what you're taught in each of these method areas. There is some wiggle room for taking the occasional occasional election or elective on the other method areas, if you choose one, but we it is designed so that you are able to focus on one method area for your studies in the application, we ask what you're most interested in, what your intention is. We're not holding you to that. We don't show up at your house before registration and say.

You promise us you were going to be a policy student. Don't change what we actually do is provide you in your first year, especially or even over the summer. Opportunities to really think about the different method areas and think about what makes the most sense for what your goals are in your professional pathways. That way, even as you gain those transferable skills, you're thinking of how to really focus them on a particular method area. But we know which students are welcome to change their minds. It happens your 7 fields of practice to be honest.

To be clear, to be transparent, the fields of practice are our way of organizing field placements. So if you feel like you're looking at this list and you don't even know what some of them mean, you don't even know how you would choose. I mean, what if you want to work with older immigrants and their mental health concerns and provide health resources as the units of their family? I where do you start? Honestly, it's how we organize our field placements along our different associate director of Field Education.

There is some overlap, but I would stress at this point it is important to kind of get a sense of the way that different organizations and populations might need or typically receive their resources and so.

What we offer as a program is not only the field experience that would focus on one of these seven fields of practice, but also a class that you would take as part of your field to practice requirement so that you're able to have an overview of what's happening throughout. Really the profession, so that if you are working in a hospital setting with health, mental health and disabilities, you can still hear from students and alums and get feedback in the research about like what's happening at the other. Parts are like this.

This mental health conversation so that you're as prepared as possible, regardless of where your field education ultimately is for your second year. So again, your method area really is dictating your your specialization year courses. For most students, this is their second year of the program. Obviously for advanced standing and transfer student, since you're only here in our program and then for extended and reduce stress to see students, it's your final year in a program. Depending on how you map things out and your fields of practice is really referring to one specific course that you're taking in your final year.

Or I should say your specialization? Yes, every once in a little bit different pathway as well as what type of population your organization serves. But there is some overlap. There's a lot of information on our website on how these all work. We're also happy to answer questions but just know that we're just kind of getting a sense of what you're leading towards any admissions process you're not tethered to life for life from any of these method areas or fields of practice.

And I also should stress that all the method areas are available online to students. So if you are set on only pursuing this program online as part of our online campus, all the method areas are available. And I believe our most popular fields of practice, family, youth and children, services and health, mental health and disabilities are available to all online students. It's a little bit different now that there's a pandemic. It so much is remote, but generally speaking, you know, say you delay your application for any reason and you come back to us.

In the distant future, do know that you should double check exactly what's available online. I would imagine quite a bit remains online for the foreseeable future, but just kind of putting that disclosure out there.

And again, just to see the question in the chat, you are welcome to change your mind in terms of method area fields of practice to a certain point. The rule of thumb is that essentially before you register for those method area courses and before you rank your field placement opportunities or options for that specialization year, that's that's that's the deadline. Who are less for exactly when you're making that selection. So for advanced training students for transfer students, obviously they have less time to decide, but they also have.

More understanding of the different method areas 'cause they've already experienced, what would be the equivalent to the first year, but everyone else would likely have you know that their entire first year to really think about it until they're spring, it's really locked into those choices.

And just a little bit of a background into our dual degree programs because it has been mentioned. You are welcome to pursue a dual degree program at Columbia University. The ones that are listed are the only ones we have. You know, every once in awhile some students think you know what can I combine this one and that one? And these are the ones that have been approved on the University level, which means that they're not jointly administered. We're not both reading your applications and you know, chatting over lunch and coming up with admissions decision. There are two very separate programs, entities and admissions.

Processes we each have our own ambitions, process, financial aid, tuition, academic requirements, but this allows you to more or less as a admitted student to both received the resources of each program that your matriculate it in and then be able to potentially make the most out of that. Then almost dual enrollment. Generally speaking, your group technically at each program at a time. You're not at both schools simultaneously.

But every once in awhile you know students want to take advantage of different resources. Or you know, maybe you pursue the MSW MBA and there's a class you really want to take at social work, but you're at the School of the Business School as a dual degree student. You have that that that full access as a student of each program, you're not really cross registering your student, but what I will say is that the dual degree programs are designed to take place in person. In our, you know, the what makes this whole social work unique.

Is that we have our flagship Masters program, the Masters program, the only one we offer, but the one that we are known for. We have it available to be earned 100% online. The other schools at Columbia do not, nor do our affiliates, but due to the pandemic some students are taking advantage and seeing what they can pursue. And so if you're if you're open to pursuing a dual degree, definitely chat with us. Let us know if you have any questions. We recently did a weapon or with.

Two of our popular dual degree options with the Mailman School of Public Health and Bank Street Graduate School of Education. So if you'd like the recording of that, you're actually welcome to just ask them. We could reach out directly to them for the recording of those webinars to learn more and to be clear, advanced standing and transfer students were not able to pursue dual degree opportunities. This is because you only are with us for two semesters. You need to. You would need to enroll in at least three to be, uh, I think actually technically for to be a dual degree student.

You need to enroll at least four semesters with the School of Social Work. You're already cutting that in half as an advance standing or transfer student, so you're already kind of get leveraging the kind of time differential. But for everyone else, especially for pursuing a two year program.

If you're strongly thinking of two programs that already have a dual degree option, this would be your way to save about an academic year between the two. So definitely consider it if you'd like to, but there are plenty of different ways to kind of customize your experience with us. They don't necessarily mean tacking on an additional Masters program here at the School of Social Work. We actually have unique programs here that you're able to pursue were probably very well known for our dialectical behavior therapy, or DBT program.

Primarily because it's the first and only DBT program of its kind. Within a school of social work. So this really allows you to take on extra credits you take on an extra 15. So for May, I have your first year to may have your final year with us. You would be doing all things. See DBT, all things, mental health related. It would select your field placement for you and all be within the DBT training program. It's a great option if you see DBT being a key part of your professional.

Self in the future and you would like to pursue DBT accreditation in the future. This is kind of a great training program to be prepared for. You know further, DBT research opportunities and studies in the future. And they do have their own blog. I encourage you to reach out to them if you have any questions. It is something that you actually apply for it as a student, so it's not part of the admissions process. It's just as a current student in your first year. You apply for it, of course, as as they accept applications, it's not.

Quite feasible to add to advance standing or to transfer students or two extended students because it is very robust. Rigorous an takes place over three semesters and again that the kind of is outside the lines of.

Those programs already required of you. That being said, I do believe that they are working on a DBT minor, so you can always take DBT electives. There are ways to take DVT electives as as any of our students can, but to be formally part of the program is quite rigorous, and so that is important to keep in mind. We also have an accelerated policy program, very unique for school of social work. We also are unique in that as a school social work we only offer could fir and instruct for the MSW.

And the PhD in social work we actually don't. We're not part of a larger policy or or health or public health kind of school. This we are only a school of social work, so we are able to provide a really in depth policy experience for students who are interested. Ascential E for our two year students over the summer, you're invited to apply directly with the policy faculty something again, some of the best in their field.

So that you're able to take more policy courses in your first year and have access to advanced policy courses in your second year. So again, as a social work program, we understand that most students are probably interested in clinical or more mental health applications, but for those students who have a very strong interest in policy, this might be a good option for free you in case you'd like to take even more classes throughout the school, social work and the larger Columbia University.

I did sneak a little bit of information about a potential new minor at this time, our newest minors, the emerging technology media and society minor. We offer seven different minors for our students. These are ways for you to just really add a feather to your cap, something additional to your experience and really for self gratification. To be able to experience additional courses or specific electives throughout the University, especially if you're not quite sure about.

AA.

Dual degree if you're not quite sure about a special program pathway away to really just make sure in tailor your minor so that they're within a particular or sorry you're elected so that they're within a particular subject area. I will say that from my understanding, international social welfare, public policy, criminal justice, emerging technology, very popular options there. Just about 9 credits and again for our full time students. There is generally speaking, no additional fees. If you're part of our block tuition rates.

As a full time student at then you would be able to pursue these classes as long as it's in timely fashion without any additional fees or time required, so.

If you're thinking you know, how would I specialize my MSW experience so that I stand out compared to other MSW's or so that I can really make sure I'm prepared as possible for the clients I want to work with the Community I want to work with. The type of organization you know. Miners are an absolutely amazing way to do so.

And here's a little bit information about this sample study plan. There is a full study plan on our website. It's a little bit much.

Just a little bit, it's several pages, but it's several pages because as you can tell, there's so many different pathways and options and and ways to experience our program. So this is this is kind of the Birds Eye view. Eagle's Eye view of kind of what most excuse of our students are experiencing. This is based on the two year full-time option. This is a snapshot of both the course requirements as well as where kind of electives and field education would would play as a student and so.

Um, you know, is obviously if your advance standing or transfer student, you're joining us for year two, and if your extended or reduced residency or international.

Program or the 16 month program? Exactly how your first year curriculum is stretched out or condensed might be a little bit different, but at its heart it's the same in terms of what classes you're required to take. I'll say right off the bat. Introduction to statistics definitely is a scary thought that we we force you to take statistics, but just know that statistics is a five week zero credit.

That pass fail option that is taught online to all students just to make sure that you have a proficiency in, not an expertise of statistics. It is important to the profession that you understand you know what are those numbers in front of you. What do they mean? And so it is not meant to be a barrier to your social work education. Most students are just relieved when it's over, but just now that happens in your first semester just for five weeks. Very quickly, the core of the social work practice is really understanding human behavior in the social environment which we break down into different courses that have their own different.

Options social welfare policy, social work research and of course, foundations of social work practice, which we've worked. We worked into a class that focuses on decolonizing social work and what it means to decolonize social work so that it's not just a metaphor that we throw in there that we're actively doing the work. And as the video puts it, as we think about power, race, oppression, and privilege, how do we make sure they're not just?

As it stands, in one course that it's actually suffused into the rest of our curriculum, so this particular course is called decolonizing social work practice, but there is a constant revision of the curriculum to suffuse kind of on the back end, make sure that all of our classes are doing as much as possible to to colonize social practice, and to be mindful of how systemic the way that we interact with the world around us impacts the work that you're able to do as a social worker.

And then again, your second year is really what? Or again, your specialization. Your specialized training here is where you're going to really interact with their advanced method area as well as the relevant courses.

So hopefully you took a little screenshots, but again the recording will go out shortly.

We mentioned it at the beginning of this presentation. We really do focus on the success of our students, not just in the classroom, but also afterwards. There's a commitment so that to our alumni so that they are succeeding in their careers, that they're able to access resources. As one of the larger programs of social work, we are able to even boast our own social work library. So, as it stands, Columbia University is, I think the 5th largest library system in North America.

But our program has its own social work library, so for those who do study on campus, whether it's hybrid or not, you for the most part, have access to the physical social work library. But there are electronic resources and texts and librarians at your disposal that have a background in the social Sciences. We have our own writing center that actually focuses on social work, writing computing services. I always joke that no one thinks about computing services as a student resource until things go.

Horribly and terribly wrong, so there in the background there there making sure all this infrastructure keeps going. But we do appreciate the work that they do for our our students in our staff, and making sure that we have as accessible as as technology allows a program it to provide opportunities to students. They also maintain our computer lab in our building for our students, and so it allows opportunities for students to engage with one another using the technology around them. And we'll talk a little bit about some of these other.

Students support offices in depth, but I do know that many perspective students do just go ahead and sneak on our website and click around. They find the Career Services blog, they find, the DDI website, whatever they can do to add additional information. That's that's that's fine by us. A lot of this information is online. We do know that the website sometimes could be, you know, so much information that you don't know where to start, but it is out there and will go into depth with some of these additional student support offices.

We do provide individualized advising from licensed social workers. This is very unique for her school of. Honestly, it's kind of unique for any Graduate School, really to be able to provide this level of individualized attention to our students. Many programs that you'll you'll see and look into just have general academic advising you know someone that just make sure you're taking the classes you need to graduate. You sign you leave.

You know, you might see that person at commencement graduation. You might not. I mean, so we're a little bit different. And now we actually have an advising office that is 100% social workers that are there to be able to assist you through the program. Anything that impacts your academics, your field, and a bit of bits in mentoring as well. So they do have different seminars. You're required to attend with your code word throughout the experience. This is on top of the.

Still advising that you would get more through our career Services office as well as our field education Office so the Office of Advising really kind of pulls in all those resources. Anything that impacts you as an individual can be covered by the advising office, and so there's full time staff that work with a fleet of part time social workers that work with the school to provide additional advising to students so that you're able to have kind of that. That small units experience of kind of really getting to know your cohort and experiencing the program with them.

As well as that individualized attention if needed, and then also being.

I'll be able to just as a function of the program to make sure all of our students are actively thinking about what it means to be a social worker in this day and age, and to have the.

Development that they need on an internal level as well.

It did mention a bit on the side of the different support offices. Financial aid is one of those support offices. They provide a resources to students, but they also provide counseling for students to be able to understand different resources that are available to them. Different opportunities that are available to them. We are hoping fingers crossed I'm allows us to do another financial aid web and R4 applicants you know. Regardless, I think there's so much information available online into how to.

Pursue external scholarships or how loan forgiveness programs work. And obviously I'd always recommend students be active in their local governments or federal governments to advocate for resources for those who are pursuing the social work profession. But we've also done our part. I'll have to say to you, even this slide is outdated already. Over 90% of our students who filed FAFSA for the 2018-2019 academic year received over a total of 12 million in institutional.

Gift funding you know the type of funding you don't have to pay back for the 2019-2020 academic year. I believe that number was over 13 million and then I believe we're on track this year to be over 14 million. So this is an area that we pay a lot of attention to. How much aid we're able to provide our students. I do think that it's tricky because students have varying ideas about what it means to be.

What affordable looks like or what's reasonable or what makes sense for their individual context and that's why the financial Aid Office is so important because they provide resources to students to be able to think actively about the bigger financial picture. Even Columbia University has also provided access to. I get grad resources so that students are able to focus and understand more about financial literacy, which is incredibly important. And so.

You know it is something that we continue to work on, but what I will say for you in this stage as an applicant, the most important thing is to put together your strongest application possible, because once you have the fastest submitted that that takes care of any need based aid we would award, but the stronger your application.

The better your chances are of merit aid. We also recommend, of course, again, we send out emails about specific scholarship options that.

You may qualify for or or that you might be interested in looking into, so some of you should have already gotten any emails as you've been in our system for quite some time about different scholarships, but you know, do the research. Don't wait for any school to give you a financial aid package. Think about what you can do to strengthen your financial situation prior to grad school, even if that means credit check. Look to see if you have any.

Undergraduate loans that you didn't know about. Whatever it is you know, think about that on your own, but just know that there is an office here with.

Cumulatively, if you add up all their work experience over a century of experience here to really make sure that as much as possible students understand the financial aid process, how to make it work for them.

We do offer several immersive field placements throughout the United States. I will say I don't know if this slide really does it justice, but we have over 800 field organizations that we work with throughout the greater New York area. I believe a few 100 more throughout the United States. It is a bit of of the field Education Office guiding our students through field education, providing them with the field dedication that's best for them. Assigning them places, especially in your first year, your second year, your specialized your.

Is where you're able to have a lot more of a specific set of interest in your field education so that we actually ranking different field placement sites. Again, your field placement is about three days a week, you know, 21 hours a week commitment and provides you with that experiential learning. I think sometimes students are excited and eager to do something very specific. Field Education is a way for you to experience a variety of tasks and resources.

Or or how those resources are being carried out into those communities. And then of course, when it comes to you know the different type of work that you're doing, it does vary from different field placement sites, but the idea is that you're getting really ground level experience in a number of different organizations that you know. Maybe they may function differently, but they are all looking for the same type of skills and as you go on in your career as you supervise others as you manage organizations as you manage centers, whatever it is, it is important to kind of get that wide range.

Experiences and so. That's why you do 2 separate one year field experiences as part of our program. Unless you're a man standing or transfer, then you know the deal, but it provides you with an opportunity to have kind of a really generalist foundational field experience and then dive into something specialized that pertains to your method area. Now, because of this pandemic.

Because of this pandemic, quite a lot of field experiences are remote or hybrid in nature. It does depend on exactly what type of field placement site you're working with and what where you're pursuing field. Again, because we have so many students on the East Coast and the West Coast and anywhere in between pursuing their Arthur MSW, we are really working closely with students to get a sense of what the.

Community partners need out of a field in turn and what students are comfortable with. So we do have some students who have said, you know, I live with people that had pre existing conditions or I have one, or I don't feel comfortable or I'm not sure about commuting in this environment. Whatever it is, you are able to voice that at the beginning. Don't wait till your place to say wait a minute. I didn't think about this, Tasha told you now, so make sure you are advocating for yourself in any stage of the field education process. But just know that this is also this is unique.

To this current environment due to covid, even for online program students in their field, education in person, they also did not do simulated field as as some programs have nefariously but been known to do. But remote field education is is kind of our way of maintaining the safety and well being of our students while also making sure that we're keeping up with educational requirements. And again, it's actually for a lot of students have commented that it is a good opportunity.

To learn about how these organizations function on a virtual or remote platform. To understand but technology they're using, what challenges come up and be able to? Even in some cases provide insight feedback to to get training on these different opportunities and resources so it is different, but it's still very much live would be checking in online. You'd be having it have a field supervision the same way, but it's not the same as a simulated field where they are.

Kind of 100% artificial field experiences you may have also seen on that study that sample study plan, slide motivational interviewing. Motivational interviewing is one of our labs. It's a modality. It's a way of being able to bring the best out of conversations and interactions with clients. That's kind of one of our trainings opportunities. I don't think any school in New York does it, but that's something that we might add to your experience before you start field.

We're kind of doing our best to be as as flexible as possible, given that the many different ways that our students are pursuing field at this time.

In terms of a field placements, I will say for the most part you should really expect that field placements are unpaid. They would not be part of works. Federal work study federal work study. If you're familiar with it from college, we do offer that as part of financial aid packages. That would be a part time role on campus, but your field placements are really tethered to your academic credits and most organizations are not able to provide some sort of financial compensation.

This is an area of fund raising and growth at the school in particular has paid a lot of attention to two years ago. I think it was. We started a transportation funds to fund the transportation of students to different field placement sites so that they could get, you know, Metro cards without paying out of pocket, and this is specifically something that we are looking into the ways we can support our students as we know that they're working 21 hours a week. The organizations are largely unable to to fund support and so that is something that we are our mind.

Love, but you should not expect the field placement sites to be paid.

We also are able to post a very vibrant student life. Most of you should have gotten the email. You know. I send a lot of emails. I'm sorry about that. I hope you forgive me. You should have got an email about our Black History Month events that are put on by the Office of Diversity. Equity inclusion are Black Student Caucus as well as our professional development and self awareness for facilitators. We have over 25 student organizations at that we refer to as caucuses every year. The amount of caucuses increases. There's always something new and exciting for students to be able to engage in.

But there's also universitywide resources, amenities, events that you could take advantage of. It's a great way to really learn what is on the mind of faculty staff.

And students at the University, I believe. Just recently there was a movie night if I'm not mistaking. I know there's cooking competitions. There's a lot of public health campaigns to make sure our students are as healthy as possible during this pandemic and a lot of events really about the social issues of our day and time, and traditionally the year we put together over 225 students or sponsored students events. That number does not include events that we do.

Just for you know our fun on our Facebook Live or YouTube page. These are specifically sponsored for students, and so there are so many ways to engage with the world around you. I think this pandemic has really shown us that it's a lot. It's a lot feeling like you have to be productive all the time. It's a lot feeling like there's there's no end insight to these social issues around us, but we have found that these virtual events that we've done over the years and and have really ramped up. Obviously for to be virtual at this day and age.

It's really provided a sense of community for all of us to be able to actively think about what is it that we can do? What can we do to make sure that we get out of this? You know whether it's this, this public health crisis, or you know, more the social ills of racial justice. Even at, you know, I think it's really important to think about actively like what?

As much as sometimes we do need the time to retreat and to go inward and to really function, these events have just provided a really vibrant an amazing way to to reach out to one another and support. So these events as of now, you should expect all events, all happenings at Columbia University to be virtual an remote. OK, I am in my home. I'm not coming. I've been on campus for almost a year, so there are some opportunities on campus to our students, but.

Obviously due to the global pandemic, we are not offering these events in person and generally speaking you know the general public is not able to enter any of our buildings because we want to make sure that the buildings are limited in terms of access so that this is a small amount of people at any given time that would be allowed in the building anyway, so that is something to just keep in mind.

And in case there's any lack of clarity on my part, I do apologize. The FAFSA is required to receive aid period. Just know that in terms of what makes your financial aid package, it is both the details of the Pfaff set and the strength of your application. But because some of our merit aid does also feature a need component, you would need a FASA in order for us to release the financial aid package at all. So do keep that in mind. Do you be mindful that as your.

You know, hopefully this. This presentation has been helpful. We've got a few slides left. Hopefully this presentation has been helpful. You're welcome to, of course. Reach out to us with any specific questions, but the hope is that you focus on your application focused on submitting the materials needed, and then you're able to prior to even getting your admissions decision. Finish your fax and send that into the school.

So a little bit about our commitment to inclusion. The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion was founded in 2017 to provide schoolwide programming and services. To be Frank, it was, it was demanded by students at the time. The school had recently provided an opportunity for a multicultural student life officer, but the feeling was that there needed to be someone at the Dean level focused on diversity, equity and inclusion, and always.

And you know who better than Carmelo, who is now the associate Dean of Diversity, Equity and inclusion, among other things, as part of the school for for quite some time, and is really made the school better for it. And so to be able to really engage with students that are very mindful of the social issues of our day and time. And you'll see, that's even why we we have the essays that we do. We want to really be sure that wherever you are in terms of your beliefs in terms of your experiences.

That you understand what it means to be.

A social worker in this day and age.

That you're prepared for the self reflective part of the profession that you're thinking of. How can I be a self aware as possible and how can I engage with others and that starts in the program as you engage with your peers as you engage with faculty, how can I treat them with the respect and honor the ways that we're different? We're the same while also understanding the systemic kind of ways that ways of thinking about different social and personal identities have been.

A socialized on us that without even specifically thinking about it without actively being aware of it. There are systems. There are actions that we all take that are not mindful of the way that power an and privilege in our playoff of each other. So it is important to us to build this into the experience. And again, that's why we have our.

Our courses within the human behavior in the social environment kind of mandate thinking about like how do power, race, oppression and privilege interplay with one another? How is that in a lot of ways the foundation of our social ills? How they carry themselves out into other ways of discrimination and judging each other. Who gets resources in the world? Who doesn't? How? How are we marginalizing different voices even within?

Academia and then as starting with all students before they enter field education. Being able to do professional development and self awareness training. This is actually facilitated by members of the school social work community. So there's two current students every year that come up with the curriculum for professional development and self awareness training and then in smaller groups, you're led by staff members or current students or alumni or faculty, sometimes faculty, but.

Quite purposefully, it's designed so that there are people who are not necessarily that you'll see.

In the classroom later, except for the peers that you're working with, really think about like what's going on in the world around us. We this particular fall, we watched a different documentaries. We read pieces on decolonizing social work practice and just an opportunity to really engage with with the thought process behind these identities and how you feel challenged or supported in different ideas. So wonderful opportunity. I hope you take the time to learn more, and again, we did email about certain events happening through the diversity equity Inclusion Office. I really do hope that you can join as important as it is for.

Are social workers in the 21st century to be able to engage with these topics quite comfortably?

Career services separate from field education. Career services really focuses on the career counseling resources of our program. Again, they have a stellar blog. Check the blog out. It's a lot of great information, but it is really important for you as a social worker. As a professional to think about. How do I market myself on the job market? How do I find opportunities we have found, statistically speaking, that most students find their positions?

Through their field education, but not necessarily at the same field placement site. So maybe their supervisor puts them in touch with someone else at a different organization or.

Maybe they are able to to work with a different organization and part and in partnership, and that's how they're able to find their post MSW employment. But to be able to access different job opportunities as a student and as an alarm so that whether it's something you're looking for part time or over your summer, or just an internship, you would have access to this as as soon as you cross the threshold of orientation for your lifetime as an alarm. And so this is really important. A lot of graduate schools these days are not able to provide.

Career services for your lifetime maximum. But we have found that it's it's made the difference of our for our students to be able to come back and say it's five years. It's 10 years out. I need to make sure my resume is where it needs to be. I want to be able to do a mock interview. I have questions about licensing and certification. Maybe there's a workshop I can attend and recruiting recruiting doesn't work the same way as it does is for other disciplines for other fields, but to even have the opportunity for different workshops.

And networking events put together by organizations that want to meet with our students so that they can have some insight into what to expect for the year ahead. It really does make the difference in terms of how actually excited students are for their post MSW roles.

And again look the whole point of this MSW is to really be in hindsight a small part of a very meaningful career ahead of you. And so there are so many alums around the world that work for such amazing organizations. Somebody even create their own organizations end up running completely new endeavors, all because they really care about the people around them to care about the communities around them. They want to do something meaningful in the world they want to do something.

Enhances the well being of others, and so this in the grand scheme of things at most, this program is 2 or so years and then you go on to be an alarm and to do so many exciting and wonderful things. So this is all designed to be that that launchpad into all sorts of different directions. We also hear all the time from soon to say.

I had no idea that I was as prepared as I was. I had I took for granted the things that I may be, the class that I wasn't as comfortable with, just to know what you're good at. What you're not good at, to have your network bill, you know, start from the classroom really does make the difference. And and again, these are just some of the organizations were recent graduates and alums are employed. But we do have a career in the Snapshot survey on our website of our 2019 graduates went.

That we were happy to provide two to learn a little bit more about our our outcomes as a program.

Now to the application.

Some of you have already started your application. The online application is completely online now more than ever. There is no need for anything to be put in the Mail in sent to our office. If you want to support the US Postal system, please do. I encourage that not with this admissions process. We are not in the building. We cannot check the Mail frequently. I do understand that there are a lot of concerns about transcripts. There are some schools that offer unofficial transcripts.

Some of you might have a copy of your transcript. You're going to copy to you mailed. That's fine, you can upload any of that to the application. It's considered unofficial, but if you have to stick or request a transcript to come to us in the Mail, know that there will be a delay of weeks if not months were to be processed. So again, in the admissions process, it is totally fine for anything you send to be unofficial, so if it's low fee or no fee for you to get a transcript mailed to you.

And you upload, it will count it as an unofficial transcript for the admissions process, which is more than fine.

There is an application fee. I think Emily has provided some information in the chat about application fees, the resume or CV that you submit. We would like it to be one to two pages, past one to two pages. It's really a judgement call on your behalf. It really should be some relevant information. Be mindful of the formatting of course, to kind of as well make sure that we have the details that anyone reviewing a resume would like to see so they build more about the experience in your.

Academically, professionally, research wise, maybe you've been published? Whatever it is that we we can, we can get that information. Part of the missions process. We do require 3 letters of recommendation, only three.

Asset 1/2 and then the three. We would like those references to be academic or professional in nature.

They should not be personal. They should not be people that you're friends with. They should not be appears. They should not be your next door neighbor. They should not be a local bartender. Unless of course you are a server or bartender and you report to the bartender. Then that's fine with me, but they should be professional or academic in nature. If you are within five years of undergrad, we expect at least one, if not two of those letters to be academic. But again, part of the reason we might expect academic versus.

Professional references really has to do with your individual Contacts. If you have been working for more than five years, it makes all the sense in the world that your references are professional. We also have students who go out and volunteer. There are some very innovative ways to volunteer completely remotely. Because of the pandemic, those volunteer supervisors those that you work with. They also can provide a strong references as well. Three essays. BSS are similar across the applications, but there are some nuances, which is why.

Again, you have to go to the very beginning of the application. Beginning is the very best place to start. Fill out each and every question you might feel like I can go back and do my address. No, do it now. That way you can see the essay prompts when he gets in the essay from. So if you feel like well, Natasha, I put my name in my address and I don't see my my essays go back. You missed something you missed the program, you miss your citizenship. You missed something, but that's what triggers in the the appropriate essays.

We don't have any specific requirements on with the formatting look like because the entire Graduate School admissions process is an exercise of discretion and judgment so.

Do your best. I mentioned about the trips. We were the most part we need all in every transcripts of a degree granting program you've enrolled in. But if you have any specific questions you studied abroad and the only way to get that transcript is to physically go back to Madrid and to go in person to get the transcript, we'd like to avoid that too. Just email us if you have a very specific situation and we're happy to provide guidance as to whether or not we still need a specific transfer, but just by and large. Generally speaking, we would.

But again, if there's some some difficulty there just just let us know. For non native English speaking applicants we would require the toll for the IELTS or dual LINGO scores. The score requirements are listed on our website as well as in the application. There's a link to our application requirements that kind of goes into further details.

And for advanced standing and transfer applicants, we would require a field evaluation. Some of you are already in field education and have had to complete some sort of field education evaluation or our report for the schools that you're in the Member of the University that fills out your evaluation is welcome to include that as well, but there is a specific form with very specific questions that we expect to be addressed in some way. And of course, if your field evaluation is written by.

Professor that you also have taken classes with and you also want them to provide feedback on your your your, your.

Capacity for graduate study. They can both do the field evaluation and a reference. Just know that those are two different things, so there's probably not a reason for them to upload the same thing in both places. And as you can tell.

There is no JRE requirement, there's there's no jiggery suggestion. There's no place to put a grem score. I don't know where Jerry scores go. There are some schools that are able to actually say some subjects that are able to make a connection between the scores that you would get on a GRE and the preparation you're in your proficiency in. How well you do in your first year Graduate School. That connection doesn't so much exist for social work, so we don't require we have not required it for several years. We, of course, in terms of your academic preparedness.

Pay attention to those transcripts. Pay very close attention to those transcripts, but if there's anything in your work experience in your academic background that you feel like needs additional context, you think we're going to look at that resume and have further questions, we're going to look at the transcript and have further questions. You're welcome to work that into your essay so that we have the context we need to understand. You know, maybe why there was a.

Long a gap of employment, or maybe why you didn't do so great in one particular semester. Now as an example, you know maybe I might see I might see that you were pre measure first year. You didn't do so great and then you decided that was a horrible idea to do premed, because what business did you have doing organic chemistry and then all of a sudden your grades changed because you were in the subject matter that you feel comfortable with? Maybe I might craft a narrative for you, but it will be best for it to be in your own words. Whatever reason you might feel like there is something that doesn't fully.

Represents how prepared you are for grad school. Make sure you, in your own words for that into your essays, and then again in terms of the reference letters, just in case this question does come up in our application system, we do ask that you put in their details and it triggers an email to them.

Immediately, that email has a link that they'll see some very quick, short questions. You know they don't have to straightforward questions. Any reference would be able to answer and then they're able to upload their letter right then and there to our platform. So few things one.

Give your reference the heads up that there are reference for you. This is not they should not. You should not fill out that portion of the application and then ask them to submit a reference on your behalf. Now have the conversation first. 2 if they don't get the email immediately.

You're welcome to resend it, or you can reach out to our office of admissions and we can send it on. You know the systems we have every once in awhile it goes to a spam folder or something where it happens, but they should get it fairly immediately. So if they're not getting it, it could be.

A multitude of specific reasons just just give us that the heads up and let us know. And three you are able to submit your application before your references are submitted. So if you feel like your reference promised you that on February 16th, first thing in the morning, they're going to upload their letters. That is fine. You submit by the 15th. Everything will be OK. We can wait a few days for the rest of your your references to come in within reason. Just know that we won't be able to review your application until it's 100% complete, so.

Just yeah, we consider that if you wanted to submit right after this information session, if you wanted to, you could, and your references could come a few days later. That's that's fine. Just know that it's one we're not going to review your application until it's 100% complete in our system, but there's no penalty or reason for waiting for your references in order to click submit. If you're done with your portion.

And I guess there there are some questions in the chat about, you know references and you know who can provide a reference as as strong as a reference might be from someone that you've supervised, or someone that has been mentored by you or someone that has, you know, had got dying to see what your leadership looks like from.

Different perspective, it is considered a bit of a conflict of interest because you know, if they report to you then of course they have. I hope wonderful things to say about you were kind of trying to get a sense of the people who are in a position to evaluate you and how you've grown and you've reported to kind of feel about you, but any other questions about that just just let us know.

In our application deadlines, obviously you're mostly here because of that, February 15th deadline, February 15th. Again is a Monday this year. It's not a Friday, it's a Monday, but that deadline is technically 11:59 PM. I always encourage applicants to do your best to work on the application you know between you know during normal business hours. Don't leave your questions for 11:58 PM because I.

Will be answering your emails then I'll answer them the next day. We're actually a fairly nice place, will give you Grace if you need some. You know some additional time and we can troubleshoot things, but it is for your own mental well being that you do not wait till the absolute last moment to apply. We did have a priority deadline. That means that those who applied by December 1st. We are currently letting them know their admissions decisions. We are reading their applications but there are still plenty of spots available in the program. All it means is that they're getting their decisions faster 'cause they submitted their applications earlier.

For those of you who are strongly considering the 16 month program or would prefer to start the program in the spring that deadline every year is October 15th. I don't see that changing, but the application for.

Oh fall 20, I said fall 2022 and spring 2022 entry would come out sometime in August so be mindful of that.

So again, these are our deadlines. The deadlines are always 11:59 PM, not not at the end of Business Day, but I always just, you know, put it out there. Don't don't panic and call us at 10:00 PM the last day of the application is due because you all of a sudden have a question. Take the time now to think about what your questions are. That's why we had this event. That's why we're here to help you.

And with that I do want to thank you all for joining us. My name is Natasha Sansone, assistant director of admissions in the chat, Emily Dennis, our admissions counselor. We are here to help, so we're going to stick around in the chat for a few moments to answer a few additional questions. But if you have questions during normal business hours, you can call us at 2128512400 or send us an email. You should know this email address because all we do is send emails, so hopefully you have our email address.

In your email clients and you could just shoot us an email as you have any specific questions, but we are here to help. I do know there's a lot of information even built into the application to guide you, but as specific questions come up, that's what we're here for it to help clarify and to make sure that you are as confident as possible and submitting your application, you know it's a bit daunting. The advice I would give is as cliche as it sounds, Emily knows I don't like to say it, but I say it every time. You're the only you there is, so be yourself.

Let us get to know the wonderful you so that we get a sense of how we might be able to assist you on your professional an academic journey. So with that, that's the end of our presentation. You can go on and you know, enjoy your brunch from home or you know whatever you have plans, continue proofreading your essays, but we are going to stick around for a few more moments to answer some additional questions.

Take care all the best and stay safe.