What can I do to improve my chances of admittance to the Social Work and Social Welfare PhD program?

The best thing you can do is begin planning early to submit a complete and high-quality application. This means doing research about faculty in the School of Social Work, identifying faculty you are interested in working with, and thinking about how their interests line up with yours. You should take the time to reach out to them by email and tell them something about yourself and why you are interested in working with them. Also, if you are an international student, prepare well for the TOEFL test and leave yourself enough time for a retest if you feel you have not done your very best.

In this same vein, contact current and previous universities and colleges about submitting grade transcripts well in advance of the application deadline. We cannot consider your application without them. Finally, think about who you will ask to write letters of recommendation for you. Try to get at least two of the letters from a current or former professor. If possible, talk with the people who will be writing letters for you about your plans to apply. It is important for them to know what your career goals are and why you are applying to a doctoral program. The recommendations that are most valuable are those from people who have worked with you academically or as an employer. These types of recommenders can speak directly to how you work in different settings. 

When submitting your application, it is crucial to write a clear, concise personal statement outlining your professional, intellectual, and research interests and career goals and how they connect to the professional and intellectual commitments of social work. Take time in preparing this statement and include an assessment of how your interests connect to the interests of social work faculty. Also, indicate what sets you apart, why you are passionate about your area of research, and why you are a good fit with the University of Michigan, the School of Social Work, and the Social Work and Social Welfare PhD program.