How to answer the question “why do you want to be a social worker?” when you already have a BSW

May 1

If you’re applying to your Master of Social Work, there’s a good chance you’ve come across this section in your personal statement prompts. Many schools of social work ask applicants why they want to pursue social work. This can be a tough question, especially if you already have a BSW (Like hello, I already DID pursue social work!)

So how should you answer this question in a meaningful way?

Think about why you pursued social work in the first place

If you already have a BSW and you’re applying to the Advanced Standing MSW program, I would recommend thinking back to why you pursued social work in the first place. What goals or aspirations did you have? Why did you choose social work instead of another helping profession?

Address gaps in service at the Masters level

If you’ve worked in the field for a while, or if you’ve had placement/volunteer experiences, you can think about the gaps you’ve noticed at the micro/mezzo/macro level. How might a MSW enable you to help the population you support in a more meaningful way? Maybe you worked with a certain population doing case management, and noticed barriers at the institutional level. Pursuing an MSW would allow you to work at the policy or macro level to work towards removing those barriers that exist for the population you serve.

Show your potential to contribute to the field in a unique way

If you already have a BSW, you want to show a high level of critical thinking and an ability to connect theory to practice when answering the “why you want to pursue social work” question.

MSW Personal statement template

Use the free MSW Personal Statement Template to help you brainstorm ideas to speak about in your social work personal statement.

Ready for the next step?

If you found this helpful, don’t forget to enroll in my FREE 10-day mini course for MSW applicants. Through a series of emails, I’ll teach you how to write a strong personal statement for your Master of Social Work program.

You can also work directly with me. If you’re ready, I can help you create a top personal statement for your MSW. Click here to work with me.

Happy writing!

-Michelle

Michelle Bruxer

Michelle Bruxer is the Founder & CEO of MSW Helper, and a Registered Social Worker in Ontario.

MSW Helper is a resource hub designed to help future social workers get accepted to their dream MSW programs. Through our personal statement editing services and free resources, we’re here to help you write your MSW personal statement with confidence.

MSW Helper is the ONLY grad school application service designed specifically for students who are applying to social work programs. Learn more about MSW Helper here.

https://www.mswhelper.com/