need advice about schools and my chances

[qirin]

hi,

i am interested in getting a degree in clinical psychology. my main interest is in being a therapist, but i would like to have the option of teaching later on. i am primarily interested in more humanistic approaches, but i want to go to a good school that will help me in finding a job. also i would like to work with lgbt people and so i am interested in going to schools that have focuses on sexuality and gender identity.

i am 31 and did not study psychology as an undergrad. I went to UCSD, my major was literature. i graduated in 2003 with department honors and summa cum laude. i had a 3.95 gpa but havent taken the GRE yet.

i worked in an experimental (behavioral) psychology lab both during and after my undergrad work. i did i think three quarters of independent study, presented at a research conference, and received two grants to do summer research. i also took a grad seminar and have two undergrad psych classes. i am listed as co-author on a paper published in an experimental psychology journal (memory and cognition). i can get letters of recommendation from two significant contributors to the experimental field, one whose focus is on learning and the other who is more of a developmental person.

i am wondering if anyone can recommend any specific programs that would fit with my interests; what people think my chances are of getting in and what i could do to improve them; and whether my experimental background will be a help or a hindrance.

thanks!

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[edieb]

You need to buy The Insider's Guide to Clinical and Counseling Psychology Programs from the APA. Most schools won't let you apply unless you have specific courses, usually stats, history of psych, abnormal psychology, and a measurement class or two. However, as each school requires different courses (but I think all schools require 3-4 specific ones), you need to buy that book because it will list the courses each school requires. As I was a chemical engineering major, I was in the same boat as you. I remember having to go back to school to take these before I could apply.

Also, I had prior research experience but because I had not done research in year or two, the experience wasn't very valued by prospective schools. Also important, but not essential, is the fact that you need to have concrete evidence that you're interested in the area of research that your prospective mentor is working on. For example, if he does research on maternal depression's impact on child intelligence, you need to have research experience SOMEWHAT close to that. For example, while you may not have research experience in maternal depression, you ideally should have SOME sort of depression research...

Also, your LOR need to be from people who know you VERY well and they need to be VERY enthusiastic about you and be able to comment on your: 1) academic and 2) research abilities. You might as well forget about applying this year..good letters of reference need to be from people who know you currently and know you well, and you don't have time to cultivate these relationships in a couple of months.

I stress to you that you need to buy that book from the APA. Getting into graduate school in psychology is very difficult and very complex. You will need reference books to help you through the process.

 

[myelin]

You'l definately need to take more psych courses such as research methods, stats, abnormal, personality, etc. before being able to apply to PhD or MA/MS programs. Some programs will offer conditional admission for students lacking 1 or so prerequesite courses, however in your case, you lack many.

You will need to go back to a university and take prerequesite courses in psychology. At this time, it would also be wise to continue your research and work in a lab. Be sure to keep in close contact with your professors as well as research lab professor so that you may obtain at least 3 letters of recommendation. You may be able to ask the 2 letter writers you had from 2003 when you graduated. It just depends on how well they know you. As mentioned, those letters need to be glowing.

You could go the MA to PhD route, but in your case, it sounds like with your undergraduate GPA, publication (which is awesome btw), and research experience, you'd be better suited to take undergrad courses in psychology and then apply. Depending on the school you attend, you could knock out those courses in a year and apply to PhD programs for matriculation fall 2010. At the same time you can study for and take the GRE. It just depends on how motivated you are to do this.

I have no experience with the book referenced above, but I can say that the book Getting In is a great reference on the process. When you are ready to look at various programs, their GRE/GPA numbers, financial assistance, etc., check out Graduate Study in Psychology.

 

[qirin]

I will definitely check those books out. at this point I have been leaning towards Psy.D and am much more interested in doing therapy than in doing research, so I am thinking the research experience issue won't be that big of a thing.

the two professors I worked with are good friends of mine so getting glowing letters is no problem. getting a third letter will be more of a challenge. if I am interested in doing therapy, would it be good for me to get volunteer experience in a therapeutic setting?


thanks so much for your help.

 

[psychnic]

If you are interested in pursuing a Psy.D., or even any program that emphasizes clinical work over research, I would definitely suggest volunteering/gaining clinical experience. It sounds like you have excellent research under your belt, but schools that focus on therapy like to see applicants who have some idea what it will be like to do therapy. If there's a psych hospital/unit nearby, they usually take volunteers (or you could even work as a mental health tech). Community mental health centers and crisis lines are other good options.

 

[psychmama]

hi,

i am interested in getting a degree in clinical psychology. my main interest is in being a therapist, but i would like to have the option of teaching later on. i am primarily interested in more humanistic approaches, but i want to go to a good school that will help me in finding a job. also i would like to work with lgbt people and so i am interested in going to schools that have focuses on sexuality and gender identity.

i am 31 and did not study psychology as an undergrad. I went to UCSD, my major was literature. i graduated in 2003 with department honors and summa cum laude. i had a 3.95 gpa but havent taken the GRE yet.

i worked in an experimental (behavioral) psychology lab both during and after my undergrad work. i did i think three quarters of independent study, presented at a research conference, and received two grants to do summer research. i also took a grad seminar and have two undergrad psych classes. i am listed as co-author on a paper published in an experimental psychology journal (memory and cognition). i can get letters of recommendation from two significant contributors to the experimental field, one whose focus is on learning and the other who is more of a developmental person.

i am wondering if anyone can recommend any specific programs that would fit with my interests; what people think my chances are of getting in and what i could do to improve them; and whether my experimental background will be a help or a hindrance.

thanks!

I'm not sure if east coast is an option for you, but you may want to check out Rutgers GSAPP. They're well respected for PsyD programs, and emphasize clinical without totally ignoring research. Also, they are all about diversity and culturally-relevant interventions. I would say that you'll need to complete more psych pre-reqs before applying (as other posters mentioned) ans some more clinical experience would definitely help too.

Good luck.

 

[deleted176373]

hi,

i am interested in getting a degree in clinical psychology. my main interest is in being a therapist, but i would like to have the option of teaching later on. i am primarily interested in more humanistic approaches, but i want to go to a good school that will help me in finding a job. also i would like to work with lgbt people and so i am interested in going to schools that have focuses on sexuality and gender identity.

i am wondering if anyone can recommend any specific programs that would fit with my interests; what people think my chances are of getting in and what i could do to improve them; and whether my experimental background will be a help or a hindrance.

thanks!

Surprisingly, although the exposure to lgbt might be a little low, I would recommend checking out Baylor. It's a really good program and I do think you can get what you want out of it, including exposure to the areas of gender identity and sexuality.

Below is the professor you would want to apply to work with.

Gary Brooks, Balyor University

Professor and Core Clinical Faculty Member Ph.D., University of Texas; B.S., University of Massachusetts, Boston;
Research Interests: Men and Masculinity; Masculinity and Psychotherapy; Gender Issues in Therapy Psy.D. Courses: Marital and Family Therapy; Group Psychotherapy; Multicultural Issues Ongoing Research: Men's Psychotherapy

Mark