Any LMHC in PHD program?

[TORIAmist]

Are there any LMHC applying or applied to PHD in clinical or counseling pyschology? Anyone at all, who has applied and got accepted with just MA in Mental Health counseling? Where did you apply to and what were your GRE scores?

----- Any one know if it is at all possible that MA in MHC has a shot in applying to PH.D program in Cousenling Pyshcology? As many of you know, MA in MHC does not focus on research --- so is it very hard to apply to PHD in Counseling (mostly)? If anyone has taken this path please~ elaborate- could you share how you planned your goals-- and why you planned to take this road~ Thank you

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[kebc]

As I mentioned in your other thread... yes, it certainly is possible.

Your master's degree isn't going to be the only thing that makes you a competitive applicant. Your statement, you letters of rec, your GRE scores, faculty match, etc. all play into it.

My bachelor's degree is in psychology. My master's is in mental health counseling. I applied (and am wait-listed for two programs) to clinical and counseling psychology programs.

It seems that you're very concerned about your chances but you also seem determined to try. The determination is awesome! Use it to help strength your applications - volunteer as a research assistant, take a few years off and work in the field. Really grow your experience. *That* is going to be what makes you competitive.

This is how I prepared:

In undergrad, I started volunteering as a research assistant. When I graduated, I took research jobs. I began to hone my interests. I volunteered for a crisis line. Three years after I graduated, I started my master's degree and continued working in research while I was doing so. I did my clinical internship with a population that interested me. After graduation, I studied for the GRE (for approximately two months) and continued working. I've held the same research position (though on different studies) for almost seven years now.

Neither my undergraduate degree nor my master's degree were research focused. THAT I obtained on my own, through work and volunteering.

 

[JustNoticing]

I was accepted to clinical and counseling phd programs with an MA in mental health counseling. However I worked in research for 2 years after getting my MA. Most good PhD programs will not take you without some research experience, though I have seen exceptions here and there.

 

[bostongal109]

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[eremitestar]

Honestly, I don't think you have much reason to be concerned if you're applying to counseling psych PhD programs. I think it's pretty typical for people to go into those programs from clinically-focused master's programs. Almost everyone in my program comes in with a master's in counseling. In fact, the ones who come in with more research-heavy master's are the ones who wind up playing catch-up for the first couple years because they have no clinical experience and have to take the introductory counseling skills classes with the master's students in our department. The faculty certainly want to see SOME research experience, but I got about ten interviews and multiple offers with ZERO publications (three years working on primarily doctoral dissertations as an RA in my undergrad department and a one year part-time RA job outside my department while working on my master's). I went straight from BA to MA and MA to PhD, with no time off in between to work in the field or as an RA full-time. My PhD program is well-respected, and I have an APA-accredited VA internship, and an APA-accredited VA postdoc lined up for next year. Lacking some publications on my CV certainly hasn't held me back at all. I know the application process is daunting, but I think if you want it, go for it!