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Columbia Essays

Applicants are asked to respond to three essay prompts. These prompts must be addressed in three separate essays, and each essay should not exceed more than 500 words. The essays are an opportunity for applicants to tell the admissions committee about their professional interest(s) and experiences that have influenced their decision to pursue the MSW degree at CSSW. Please see the Admissions Essays section of this document for additional details.

Applicants are required to provide a response to three essay questions, which are subject to change from year to year. Admissions essay questions will be available in August for admission to the following spring and fall terms. Please create an account on our online application to view the current essay questions.

In general, applicants should use the essays as an opportunity to articulate their motivations for pursuing social work and explain why they wish to study at CSSW. Applicants are encouraged to discuss professional goals, the role(s) they intend to fulfill, their commitment to social justice, and what community or population they desire to serve in their career as a social worker.

Essential Abilities and Attributes for Admission and Continuance

In general, successful applicants will demonstrate the “Essential Abilities and Attributes for Admission and Continuance in the School of Social Work” outlined below.

The following standards, distinguished from academic standards, describe the physical, cognitive, emotional, and character requirements to provide reasonable assurance that students can complete the entire course of study and participate fully in all aspects of social work education and practice.

Acquisition of competence as a social worker is a lengthy and complex process that will be undermined by significant limitations of the student’s ability to participate in the full spectrum of the experiences and the requirements of the curriculum.

Students in the Columbia School of Social Work are expected to possess the following abilities and attributes at a level appropriate to their year in the program. They are expected to meet these standards in the classroom, in their practice, and elsewhere. Attention to these standards will be part of evaluations made by faculty responsible for evaluating applications for admission as well as by faculty responsible for evaluating students’ classroom and practicum performance.

Communication Skills

The social work student must communicate effectively and sensitively with other students, faculty, staff, clients and other professionals. Students must express their ideas and feelings clearly and demonstrate a willingness and ability to listen to others. They must have sufficient skills in spoken and written English to understand the content presented in the program.

Professional Commitment

The social work student must have a strong commitment to the goals of social work and to the ethical standards of the profession. The student must be committed to the essential values of social work, which are the dignity and worth of every individual and one’s right to a just share of society’s resources.

Self-Awareness

The social work student must know how one’s values, attitudes, beliefs, emotions and past experiences affect one’s thinking, behavior and relationships. The student must be willing to examine and change one’s behavior when it interferes with working with clients and other professionals and must be able to work effectively with others in subordinate positions as well as with those in authority.

Knowledge Base for Social Work Practice

The professional activities of social work students must be grounded in relevant social, behavioral and biological science knowledge and research. This includes knowledge and skills in relationship-building, data-gathering, assessment, interventions and evaluation of practice.

Objectivity

The social work student must be able to objectively and systematically evaluate clients and their situations in an unbiased, factual way.

Empathy

The social work student must endeavor to seek to comprehend another individual’s way of life and values. The social work student must be able to communicate this empathy and support to the client as a basis for a productive professional relationship.

Energy

The social work student must be resilient to the undesirable effects of stress, exercising appropriate self-care and developing cooperative and facilitative relationships with colleagues and peers.

Acceptance of Diversity

The social work student must appreciate the value of human diversity. The social work student must serve in an appropriate manner all persons in need of assistance, regardless of the person’s age, class, race, ethnicity, religious affiliation (or lack thereof), gender, ability, sexual orientation and value system.

Interpersonal Skills

The social work student must demonstrate the interpersonal skills needed to relate effectively to other students, faculty, staff, clients and other professionals. These include compassion, altruism, integrity, and the demonstration of respect for and consideration of others.

Professional Behavior

The social work student must behave professionally by knowing and practicing within the scope of social work, adhering to the profession’s code of ethics, respecting others, being punctual and dependable, prioritizing responsibilities, and completing assignments on time.

Prompts

1. Reflecting upon your decision and motivation to pursue the MSW, describe how attending CSSW will enable you to meet your goals as a social worker. What are your immediate and long-term social work goals?

2. Columbia School of Social Work is committed to becoming an anti-racist institution and we have embarked on the pursuit of an anti-racism action plan that involves all members of our community. As a potential future member of our community, please describe your commitment to anti-racism and the ways you hope to engage in anti-racist actions as a social worker.

3. Describe a social problem of significance to you. Please discuss it in regard to societal contributions to the origin of the problem, experiences that have contributed to your identification and understanding of the problem, and possible ways of addressing the problem