U of SC GOOD SCHOOL FOR MSW? (Columbia: apartments, rental)

[BGSIMO]

Thinking of relocating from NYC to Columbia to do graduate work in Social Work.

Any info would be helpful regarding clean safe apartments in the area. I found Capital Places II and Granby Crossing across the river.

Thanks for any info.

[Carolina_1690]

I can't say much about USC's social work program (didn't know there was one!), but its a good school with lots to offer.

What type of living do you want (urban vs suburban style)? Apartments are all over Columbia, so the more specific you can be, the better. Pretty much any apartment that is near USC will be safe.

Cornell Arms is a decent place to live right next to campus. You may also want to look at Claire Tower and Senate Plaza that are a about 1 block from the main part of campus (as opposed to South Campus). Whaley's Mill is another good one.

"The Rapids" is a popular place to live for students at Carolina. Deerwood Apartments off of Rosewood Dr is another good one.

Capitol Places has that new tower on Main St they are converting to apartments- would be a killer location. I'm not sure if its Capitol Places II though?

On the other side of the river: Granby Crossing is an option, but you may alos want to look at Sterling University Apartments, and the University Commons. These places require a commute, and parking can be tough unless you park down by the Colonial Center (there are shuttles that take you to center campus). I would not recommend it for that reason. I promise that your life will be easier at Carolina if you can walk/bike.

There are a few places near Five Points and Devine Street that are good too. You could also find rental houses in Shandon/Wales Garden if you're interested.

Carolina is a safe school, so don't worry about that. Just use some common sense. They also have call boxes all over campus marked by red lights. They say that no matter where you are on campus, you should be able to see one. The USC PD is quick. If you get a place near campus you will be fine. Post a reply if you have any other questions!

[businessperson]

I've heard that USC has a good master's program in Social Work. UNC-Chapel HIll does too.

[benni]

Hi BGSIMO. I am a recent graduate from USC's College of Social Work. The social work program is okay. My experiences there were good and I feel that I learned a lot, however, it really depends upon which professors you take. There are some professors that will just give you a good grade for showing up and you really can't assess what you've learned in those classes (if anything). I typically took instructors that were considered "hard" by most students because I knew when I received a good grade in that class, I had earned it, which was important to me.

Their admissions policy is pretty lenient and I attended classes with individuals that caused me to question how they had been admitted to the program as they just didn't seem to be able to put proper words together to form a sentence. It is very easy to go through this program and receive your master's degree.

Another issue that I had with this program is that there were very few choices for electives. They teach mainly practice theories, but do not offer many electives on practice techniques. Many of my colleagues also felt that we came away with a basic understanding of social work, but no real technical skills. Most of what we will learn about practice techniques will be on the job and through CEUs. I would also recommend if you consider USC's COSW that you visit this website Perspectives on the USC School of Social Work and the Profession in South Carolina and ask other students their opinion of their learning experiences so that you don't just get my perspective.

I also wanted to wish you good luck on whatever you decide. Social work is a very admirable career choice, and as a recent MSW graduate, a very poorly paid one. But the rewards we receive through helping others are some of the greatest rewards. Also, please don't just take my word on the program, call the college and ask them some hard questions regarding their admissions policies and what types of electives are available and how many classes they offer in practice techniques. Also, if possible, speak with some of the instructors there and ask them questions about the school. Many complaints I heard about the program came from professors. Their email addresses and office phone numbers are listed on the school website: College of Social Work. University of South Carolina under Faculty and Staff.

Take care and good luck!

[TheChooch]

The best paying jobs for social workers seem to be at VA hospitals. You should both look into them.

[pureid]

You should get your MSW degree from Bryn Mawr College. It is by far the best program you could go to.