New Requirement = Odd Twist on the Personal Statement

Hello,

I am applying to MSW programs. I have a BA in psych, and so am not overly familiar with the terms and constructs used in social work studies.

It seems that, since all of the "getting into grad school" advice I've read was written, many schools of social work have begun asking the prospective student to incorporate an analysis of a social problem and their recommendations for solutions into their entrance essays. This is not always presented as a separate essay, but is to be incorporated into the personal statement, and therein lies my confusion.

Here are the instructions for the one I'm working on:
"A supplementary statement that addresses all four of the following topics (follows four topics of which the first two are copied):

1. Describe a social problem. Assuming you have the power and resources at your disposal, what would you recommend for intervention and/or social change to address the social problem? 2. Describe how your personal and intellectual qualifications, past human service experience and/or future goals are relevant to assisting the" ....

... and so on with the usual personal essay stuff.

Here is my question:

It is clear that these are to be woven together into the same essay. My professional goals are focused on interpersonal practice at the micro level. When one discusses a "social problem", one is generally referring to a larger issue (granted, larger issues have expressions at the micro level, but since my interests are in addressing the varied psychosocial issues experienced by a certain population and not in systematically addressing large societal issues, this seems like a real stretch). I would prefer to describe the type of issue I am interested in aiming my studies and practice toward over picking a larger social issue to discuss and then attempting to tie it into something I would be likely to experience in my (hopefully) upcoming career, since the latter approach seems bound to feel faked. However, I think that so doing might run afoul of the instructions. Do you have any suggestions for how I can break this block?

Thank you.

I can only comment on the overall question you posed on how to answer the supplement without being hypothetical or "faked." You would not be afoul of instructions by describing "the type of issue I am interested in aiming my studies and practice toward." Caveat: I am unfamiliar with the terms and constructs used in social work studies.


To me, this asks you to present a personal example of your choice (like a "case study") to show how you think and what you are like as a person. If you prefer not to be hypothetical, come up with a meaningful experience in the past where you wanted to intervene to address a social problem. This gives you the opportunity to present issues that are important to you, bring out your values and passion for social work, as well as any other vital personal aspects that you want the AO to know. Don't forget to structure the case with solid analysis and actionable, practical recommendations for solutions.


While the application asks for your grades, college coursework and work experience elsewhere, this is where you personalize your c.v., highlight the most impressive parts, draw attention to your strengths. Or simply recap why social work is your chosen mission/goal, why your "interests are in addressing the varied psychosocial issues experienced by a certain population and not in systematically addressing large societal issues"

Well, it seems great to include analysis of a social problem and some recommendations for solutions in your personal statement. Your statement tells what you want to do with your career, at least for the first part of it. So, it would be incomplete without analysis of a social issue you feel strongly about.

So, your ideas are great, and it is also great to tackle larger issues by starting with what you have access to in the scope of what you will do in this field. The specific position you will play depends on your interests and aptitudes, so... give a few paragraphs that include the answers to both these questions. If you still feel blocked, choose an issue to work with and see how one professional can make a big splash and creat positive change that is far reaching.