Funded Programs (Clinical Masters or PhD/PsyD)

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PsyDWannabe

PsyDWannabe

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Hello All,
relatively new member, first time posting. I just want to say that this site is *INCREDIBLE*. It is so nice for all of us bumbling about to find someplace where there is a wealth of information coming from real-life experiences. So, THANK YOU ALL that contribute, it's good karma.
Now, my intended question. I was wondering if anyone knew of any funded Clinical programs. Any level. It could be first hand knowledge, or what your best friend's dad's coworker said but i'm trying to start something like a list for everyone who's interested.

Thanks in advance :)
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PsyDWannabe said:
Hello All,
relatively new member, first time posting. I just want to say that this site is *INCREDIBLE*. It is so nice for all of us bumbling about to find someplace where there is a wealth of information coming from real-life experiences. So, THANK YOU ALL that contribute, it's good karma.
Now, my intended question. I was wondering if anyone knew of any funded Clinical programs. Any level. It could be first hand knowledge, or what your best friend's dad's coworker said but i'm trying to start something like a list for everyone who's interested.

Thanks in advance :)
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Hi, and welcome to the board!

It's a good question-- The problem, though, is that it's going to be a VERY long list. There are hundreds of APA accredited Ph.D. programs in in the United States, and a large percentage of these are funded. Add in the M.A. programs (fewer of which are funded, but there are still some!) and you're going to have a bit of an overwhelming project on your hands. There are some good books available with lists and information that will help you-- Try the "Insider's Guide to Graduate Programs in Clinical and Counselling Psychology"; I've found it helpful. It lists all the APA accredited programs and includes the % of students funded each year.
 
Umm...not to be a downer since I think its useful info, but this list is going to be huge so I'm not even sure where to begin. Its kind of the norm, I'd guess the vast majority of accredited programs are funded. When I was looking at programs, I think all the schools that even made my top 50 offered funding (yes, I have some OCD tendencies;) ). I don't think I have it anymore, otherwise I'd just pass that along.

The insider's guide gives some funding info if you want an initial screening tool, though its not always 100% accurate.
 
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One good way to look at grad schools is to go to Petersons.com and go to their grad school section, you can personalize your search there and look at a school's history and their past rates of funding.
 
I second Ollie and thewesternsky that the list would be waaaay too long.

When I was narrowing down my schools, I paid for APA's online school listings thing where you can search for specific criteria and it would give you all the schools that matched the criteria. So all you would really have to do is tell it to search for accredited Clinical Psych PhD programs that offered funding and it would provide the list you are looking for. I think access to the information was $20 for 2 months of access (I did this 2 years ago - I'm not 100% sure of the details) and I split the cost with a friend who was applying, so it was way worth it. They had tons of search options too (funding options, narrow down by state, program type, PhD vs PsyD, etc). I used this instead of the book, but the book seems to be more popular.
 
I agree with the above posts.. This is a great site but what you are asking is pretty extensive. Not all schools have funding all the time... The best thing to do is be proactive about it by using the internet (not just sdn) as a resource. Try gradschools. com, there you can search specifically by clinical psychology and then by a specific state. You will then need to look at each school individually and thoroughly and you will also need to find someone who has research interests that match your own in the case of PhD programs and even some master's... If you are hoping to apply this coming fall for 2010 then this would be a great time to invest in some quality books that will be a bit more useful because it will be at your fingertips. Go to APA. org to see recommended books and also search in amazon. and definitely get the insider's guide but do not use this as your only source. You will have to check out each school on your own and make contacts with those people in the department that interest you. Good luck :luck:

OH I don't know how far along you are in your process but also check out GRE study guide materials.
 
Oh wow! Thank you guys sooooo much (I love this site). I was just a bit worried because Ive read 99% of the posts on here and they say the debt load after grad school is humongous. So i'm like, "if funding is available, why the huge debt?" That's why i wanted real life answers not something that has been sitting on a website for years.

Also, i hear everywhere that PsyD programs are ridiculously expensive and I know most people don't have that kind of money so do i just give up on my PsyD dreams or are there actually some decently funded PsyD programs around?

@ FreudianSlip7 I do plan on applying for fall 2010 and I am so on the GRE Prep, its not even funny. The GRE terrifies me more than anything but I know I can do it! Plus having family members that made 1580's is not helping my nerves......at all
 
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It's okay--I scored a 1240 (quant below 50th percentile, even) and got into a funded PhD program :D
 
Wow, i was just looking at the core curriculum for some PhD programs. Its all about research. Research makes my skin crawl (even just thinking about it :barf:). I cannot stand it and I hate to have to settle but the funding for PsyD is not going to fall from the sky.

I guess Ill just go and compare it with the curriculum for PsyD programs and see the discrepancy.
 
cara susanna said:
It's okay--I scored a 1240 (quant below 50th percentile, even) and got into a funded PhD program :D
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wow, cara susanna thats amazing. Im not by any means saying thats a bad score (i mean who knows how im gonna do?). Its good but what else did you rely on to win them over?
 
PsyDWannabe said:
Wow, i was just looking at the core curriculum for some PhD programs. Its all about research. Research makes my skin crawl (even just thinking about it :barf:). I cannot stand it and I hate to have to settle but the funding for PsyD is not going to fall from the sky.

I guess Ill just go and compare it with the curriculum for PsyD programs and see the discrepancy.
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Make sure you're looking at the right PhD programs. If you look at UCLA, Wisconsin-Madison, etc. then yes, you are going to see a HUGE research focus. Not all PhD programs are focused on training researchers by any means.

That said I'd also like to add that:
1) If by "curriculum" you're referring to coursework, its not the most accurate picture of the training. Coursework is a small part of your training, its not like you take 90 credits ( or whatever it is) and then you're qualified to be a psychologist. Better to look at practicum opportunities, the number of clinical hours you come out with, the faculty specialties, etc.
2) You don't have to like research, but any remotely respectable program is going to require you to do some. Its a part of the training...getting to see clients isn't the happiest part of my day and I probably haven't even done as much clinical work as I should, but its a part of the training and it makes me a better psychologist. I'm not sure if anyone without the training to be at least a capable researcher should even have the right to call themselves a clinical psychologist. I don't see that as any different than a researcher with no idea how to do therapy wanting to be called a "clinical psychologist" (note: Doesn't mean you have to DO research for your career, just that you have to be capable of it). Research and clinical work are supposed to be completely intertwined in this field.
 
The way I see it, if you want to do a PsyD program you should do it. if you don't like research, I don't really think you should pick a PhD program based only on the funding of it. But also keep in mind, have you had experience in research to know for sure you hate it? I thought I hated it, thought I wanted to do PsyD after undergrad, and now I have been working as an RA for 2 years and love the research environment. I couldn't even think about doing a PsyD program anymore.

And funding, the way I see it, loans are great opportunities for us. I know no one really wants loans but they exist for a reason. And you shouldn't go into a job that you don't really want but have to have just because you couldn't afford it when you started out. I have people in my master's program who have to pay 100% of the tuition but chose to do it on the fastest track to avoid too many loans, my work funds mine 100% but I have to do it on a slower track. Given the opportunity to go back in time, I might have done it all much quicker and taken the loans. . . but that's just my own opinion.

I figure since the "funded programs" list can be SOO long, what if we shoot out States and see if anyone knows that way it is more specific? I'm wondering about funded PhD counseling & clinical programs in NYC - from what I hear there aren't any fully funded.

Anyone looking for a nice tropical location with fully funded programs? Apply to the University of Miami - they have fully funded Clinical Psych PhD programs as well as Neuroscience PhD programs.

Also, about GRE scores, most schools list 1200 as the prerequisite for applying, so anything over should be okay - and it helps if you have good letters of recommendations, GPA, and experience too.
 
starsinnight said:
The way I see it, if you want to do a PsyD program you should do it. if you don't like research, I don't really think you should pick a PhD program based only on the funding of it. But also keep in mind, have you had experience in research to know for sure you hate it? I thought I hated it, thought I wanted to do PsyD after undergrad, and now I have been working as an RA for 2 years and love the research environment. I couldn't even think about doing a PsyD program anymore.

And funding, the way I see it, loans are great opportunities for us. I know no one really wants loans but they exist for a reason. And you shouldn't go into a job that you don't really want but have to have just because you couldn't afford it when you started out. I have people in my master's program who have to pay 100% of the tuition but chose to do it on the fastest track to avoid too many loans, my work funds mine 100% but I have to do it on a slower track. Given the opportunity to go back in time, I might have done it all much quicker and taken the loans. . . but that's just my own opinion.

I figure since the "funded programs" list can be SOO long, what if we shoot out States and see if anyone knows that way it is more specific? I'm wondering about funded PhD counseling & clinical programs in NYC - from what I hear there aren't any fully funded.

Anyone looking for a nice tropical location with fully funded programs? Apply to the University of Miami - they have fully funded Clinical Psych PhD programs as well as Neuroscience PhD programs.

Also, about GRE scores, most schools list 1200 as the prerequisite for applying, so anything over should be okay - and it helps if you have good letters of recommendations, GPA, and experience too.
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The problem with that bolded statement is that, again, not everyone will have the same experience with funding, even if they are at the same school and entered in the same year. It is best to research each individual school you are interested in to gather a general idea of how funding works. Even then, depending on the economy, some schools may cut down on funding, others will limit spots. Some may guarantee funding for one year others all five. Also assistantships and fellowships are competitive and usually based on seniority so just because a person didn't receive funding for their first year, it does not mean that they won't in subsequent years.. Again, it is just best to look at each school's statisics and outcome data when it comes to funding, GRE, and GPA. The suggestion is nice, but you will still get myriad experiences, even when it comes to PsyD's, some people will have different experiences than others at the same program, so this will more than likely not shorten the list.
 
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PsyDWannabe said:
wow, cara susanna thats amazing. Im not by any means saying thats a bad score (i mean who knows how im gonna do?). Its good but what else did you rely on to win them over?
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Yeah, 1240 isn't a bad score by itself, but my quant was pretty bad (in the high 500s). ;) Maybe it was close enough to 600 that they threw me a bone, or maybe my good verbal score offset it enough.

Well, I did have about 2 years of research experience including poster presentations, a 3.7 GPA, good letters (I mean, AFAIK), some clinical experience, and--I think this matters because one of my POIs remembered it about me right away--I'm a good writer.

I also applied very strategically, though. In selecting programs, of course I went by research interests and clinical/research balance, but I also made sure that they either listed having a low GRE cutoff or none at all. I did apply to a few very competitive schools where I was sure my GRE would be a liability, but I figured "what the heck?" I ended up getting three interviews, and my GRE never came up during them. Two of these interviews were at schools that claimed to cut off at the 50th percentile, so I'm not sure if they made an exception for me or, like I said, if I was close enough that, in light of my other credentials, they didn't throw out my app. Or, like I said, maybe my verbal score offset it enough. There's also the possibility that their cutoffs weren't that stringent. I have no idea, really.

So, yeah, it's definitely possible. Granted, I was over 1200 (which is viewed as kind of the "magic number"), but I still was competing against people with much, much higher scores.
 
As far as applying for specific locations- i think this is a major reason that people don't get into programs. I know that one mistake I made was applying to safety schools in fun cities- my reasoning was that even if I have to go to a safety at least I'll live somewhere cool. This made my safeties harder to get into than my reach schools! The fact of the matter is that clinical programs are absurdly competitive so limiting yourself by city or even state is pretty silly, unless you have a spouse and 6 kids in a fully paid off house and your spouse will never ever ever find a job in another city.

Also, I bought the APA's guide to clinical programs. This book lists all the programs alphabetically by state and also provides basics about funding. I used it in conjunction with the Insider's Guide and, of course, checking program websites.
 
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I understand it's almost impossible to have a permanent list of schools that are fully funded based on the large quanitity and the fluxuations based on the economy and year-to-year differences... but I think what this poster was hoping for, as well as me, are any options that are available and known to be funded at the moment. I'd love if anyone knew ANY schools in NY that they have had great experiences at and got funding for, because based on my research (while it may be limited) none do offer it because of the competition to be in NY. However, where I am now - they offer full funding based on my own friend's experiences in the programs at UM but I have already been there for 6 years and definitely want a change of scenery. So if anyone reading this has or is in a program in NY, I'd really appreciate to know about your experience as well as the funding opportunities available.

cara, i'm going to have to keep your techniques in mind when searching for schools regarding GRE scores, just in case I don't do so well when I take the GRE again. :) I think someone else said something here about the importance of great interviewing skills too. That might have pushed you over if they really liked you when they met you.
 
Yeah, basically I went through the official APA Graduate Study in Psychology book, where they list cutoffs, and wrote down the schools where I either met the requirement or there were no cutoffs. Then I went through that list to see if I could find any research match.

This was for additional schools, mind you--I already had 3 or 4 that I was planning on applying to based on research interests alone.

Haha, not sure about my interviewing skills. I think I came off as enthusiastic at the very least, even if I may not be the most socially adroit person ;)
 
psychanxiety said:
As far as applying for specific locations- i think this is a major reason that people don't get into programs. I know that one mistake I made was applying to safety schools in fun cities- my reasoning was that even if I have to go to a safety at least I'll live somewhere cool. This made my safeties harder to get into than my reach schools! The fact of the matter is that clinical programs are absurdly competitive so limiting yourself by city or even state is pretty silly, unless you have a spouse and 6 kids in a fully paid off house and your spouse will never ever ever find a job in another city.

Also, I bought the APA's guide to clinical programs. This book lists all the programs alphabetically by state and also provides basics about funding. I used it in conjunction with the Insider's Guide and, of course, checking program websites.
Click to expand...


I'm going to have to get those books as soon as i can afford them :rolleyes: but i understand i'm limiting myself. but i guess this is how i've always done it, based on city. i grew up in Miami and only applied to undergrads in Miami - got in to both, applied to the same schools again for my masters and got in to both, so i don't really have much other experience but haven't experienced the horrifying world of rejections either. I rather cross my fingers and hope for the best. And I'm moving to NY whether I get in or not, will just take a year to adjust and start working as a MHC in the mean-time, if I can. But if I were really smart, I guess I'd apply to other safe schools too - I might apply to the my school now for the PhD too, and maybe a few other cities. I just know when it comes to applications, I kind of give up after a few of them. Not the best technique though. That's why I'm starting now, giving myself more than half a year to prepare.
 
starsinnight said:
I'm going to have to get those books as soon as i can afford them :rolleyes: but i understand i'm limiting myself. but i guess this is how i've always done it, based on city. i grew up in Miami and only applied to undergrads in Miami - got in to both, applied to the same schools again for my masters and got in to both, so i don't really have much other experience but haven't experienced the horrifying world of rejections either. I rather cross my fingers and hope for the best. And I'm moving to NY whether I get in or not, will just take a year to adjust and start working as a MHC in the mean-time, if I can. But if I were really smart, I guess I'd apply to other safe schools too - I might apply to the my school now for the PhD too, and maybe a few other cities. I just know when it comes to applications, I kind of give up after a few of them. Not the best technique though. That's why I'm starting now, giving myself more than half a year to prepare.
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Speaking of Miami, this is the reason why im terrified to apply to huge states like Florida and NY. In my head, i just think that there are soooo many people, it would be difficult to get in. That idea is so prevalent in my head that i dont even bother. Now here's the gotcha. I live in Texas which is pretty big and i have no issues applying here (in regards to size). SO, is it just a matter of perspective or is there an actual difference between the south and everywhere else?
 
It's more places most people don't want to live that have the fewest applicants. So, smaller cities, colder areas, etc.
 
Actually, yes, UND is a great example of one of those programs ;) It's a good program but people are deterred mainly by the weather, and probably the size of the city in which it's located.

Thinking about it, it doesn't have to be cold. I noticed that even some southern schools don't have a huge amount of applicants because they're in smaller towns or cities. People just like to apply to the big cities, it seems. Also, newer programs that aren't exactly on everyone's radar yet tend to have smaller applicant pools.

I should add that I just applied all over the country. It was more about research match and fit than about location for me. I didn't even apply to any schools in my home state, for instance.
 
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starsinnight said:
I'm going to have to get those books as soon as i can afford them :rolleyes: but i understand i'm limiting myself. but i guess this is how i've always done it, based on city. i grew up in Miami and only applied to undergrads in Miami - got in to both, applied to the same schools again for my masters and got in to both, so i don't really have much other experience but haven't experienced the horrifying world of rejections either. I rather cross my fingers and hope for the best. And I'm moving to NY whether I get in or not, will just take a year to adjust and start working as a MHC in the mean-time, if I can. But if I were really smart, I guess I'd apply to other safe schools too - I might apply to the my school now for the PhD too, and maybe a few other cities. I just know when it comes to applications, I kind of give up after a few of them. Not the best technique though. That's why I'm starting now, giving myself more than half a year to prepare.
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While limiting yourself geographically may have worked in the past, it's less likely to work now. You seem to have realistic expectations, though, and a back-up plan in case you don't get in this year, which is awesome. Consider this carefully, though: If you were given two choices: 1) attending an unfunded program in NYC and racking up thousands of dollars of debt which may take you decades to pay off, or 2) attending a fully-funded program elsewhere where your funding would cover both tuition and living expenses-- which would you rather do? If the answer's 1, then no problem-- Go for it. If the answer's 2, though, then think about applying more broadly. You can always make the final decision after you find out where you get in.

Suggestion-- While I understand it might not be possible for you to move from NYC for graduate school (I'm assuming your family will be in NYC with you/your SO has a job there/etc.), you might consider commuting. Opening your geographic area even by a few hours drive can, depending on where you are, drastically improve the number and fit of programs available. I may be wrong, but I think Rutgers is less than an hour's drive from NYC, and it's one of the most respected and well-funded Psy.D. programs in the country.

Despending on your interests, you might also consider accredited Ph.D. programs in counseling or school psychology, in case any of these meet your needs.

Good luck!

Oh-- Also, re: the books thing... How I hate paying for books! :) Check out your local or university library. It's not guaranteed, but you might be pleasantly surprised. Even an older edition (within the last 2-5 years) would likely be more useful than nothing at all.
 
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thewesternsky said:
While limiting yourself geographically may have worked in the past, it's less likely to work now. You seem to have realistic expectations, though, and a back-up plan in case you don't get in this year, which is awesome. Consider this carefully, though: If you were given two choices: 1) attending an unfunded program in NYC and racking up thousands of dollars of debt which may take you decades to pay off, or 2) attending a fully-funded program elsewhere where your funding would cover both tuition and living expenses-- which would you rather do? If the answer's 1, then no problem-- Go for it. If the answer's 2, though, then think about applying more broadly. You can always make the final decision after you find out where you get in.

Suggestion-- While I understand it might not be possible for you to move from NYC for graduate school (I'm assuming your family will be in NYC with you/your SO has a job there/etc.), you might consider commuting. Opening your geographic area even by a few hours drive can, depending on where you are, drastically improve the number and fit of programs available. I may be wrong, but I think Rutgers is less than an hour's drive from NYC, and it's one of the most respected and well-funded Psy.D. programs in the country.

Despending on your interests, you might also consider accredited Ph.D. programs in counseling or school psychology, in case any of these meet your needs.

Good luck!

Oh-- Also, re: the books thing... How I hate paying for books! :) Check out your local or university library. It's not guaranteed, but you might be pleasantly surprised. Even an older edition (within the last 2-5 years) would likely be more useful than nothing at all.
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Thanks for your great advice! My brother lives in NY so I am definitely moving there for sure in 1 1/2 years, and out of the 2 options - i choose option 1 since I've already thought about it and while this may not be a reasonable excuse but I have gotten my Master's degree worth $120,000 ($30k a year for UM) for FREE since I get tuition remission by being an RA. So with my tiny loan pile as of now, I figure it will be worth it to rack up some loans and get a degree I want in a place I want to be. And I am definitely up for commuting since I already do that where I am now but it will be much easier using public transportation too.

I'd am definitely thinking about Rutgers too. I have a friend who went there.

Here are my top choices so far, all APA accredited, not in any order:

Counseling Psych: Columbia, NYU, SUNY/Albany, Fordham

Clinical Psych: Adelphi, SUNY/Albany, SUNY/Binghamton, SUNY/Buffalo, CUNY, Fordham, Hofstra, Long Island Univ., The New School, Univ of Rochester, Rutgers, St. Johns Univ, SUNY/Stonybrook, Syracuse, TC/Columbia, Yeshiva Univ.

Any ideas or opinions on these? I really don't know much about them. Just the location and that they are APA. And a few sentences about each from my brother. lol I'm still in the researching process, that's why I'm here. ;)

Other non-NY locations: LSU, and Univ. of Minnesota.
 
Er... do these NYC schools all have someone in your area of research?

Remember that they need to see you as a good fit, too.
 
I went to University of Rochester for undergrad. It's a great school, it's small but there are tons of research opportunities at the school and at UR Medical Center (apart of Strong Hospital). Keep in mind that it's 6+ hours from NYC, ur closest major city would be Toronto.


Good Luck!

starsinnight said:
Thanks for your great advice! My brother lives in NY so I am definitely moving there for sure in 1 1/2 years, and out of the 2 options - i choose option 1 since I've already thought about it and while this may not be a reasonable excuse but I have gotten my Master's degree worth $120,000 ($30k a year for UM) for FREE since I get tuition remission by being an RA. So with my tiny loan pile as of now, I figure it will be worth it to rack up some loans and get a degree I want in a place I want to be. And I am definitely up for commuting since I already do that where I am now but it will be much easier using public transportation too.

I'd am definitely thinking about Rutgers too. I have a friend who went there.

Here are my top choices so far, all APA accredited, not in any order:

Counseling Psych: Columbia, NYU, SUNY/Albany, Fordham

Clinical Psych: Adelphi, SUNY/Albany, SUNY/Binghamton, SUNY/Buffalo, CUNY, Fordham, Hofstra, Long Island Univ., The New School, Univ of Rochester, Rutgers, St. Johns Univ, SUNY/Stonybrook, Syracuse, TC/Columbia, Yeshiva Univ.

Any ideas or opinions on these? I really don't know much about them. Just the location and that they are APA. And a few sentences about each from my brother. lol I'm still in the researching process, that's why I'm here. ;)

Other non-NY locations: LSU, and Univ. of Minnesota.
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cara susanna said:
Er... do these NYC schools all have someone in your area of research?

Remember that they need to see you as a good fit, too.
Click to expand...


Great point Cara! I think that is the most important thing in clinical psych PhD programs.
 
Hello everyone :) I was wondering if anyone knew of ANY funded PsyD Programs?

Thank you all in advance!!
 
Baylor
 
Wow. Impressive. Thank you :) I am looking at PsyD Programs but this helps too!
 
I actually don't see my program on the list (fully-funded Ph.D.), so I'd also recommend grabbing a copy of the guide for yourself to thumb through. If nothing else, it can help you narrow down professors of interest so you can then start looking at each program's website to find out more about funding and the like.
 
Hi All!

I have started looking into PhD programs, and would like to know my chances of getting into a fully funded PhD program. I am really open to anywhere geographically.

I am about to graduate from my masters in School Psychology in June. My GPA is 3.7, I scored 159 on my PRAXIS, and will be taking my GRE/ subject GREs this year. Lets say that I score relatively high on my GREs. (I did poorly in undergrad, major in Psych, 2.8 GPA.) I completed a 1200 hour internship and a 300 hour practicum. My work experience includes working with children with autism (ABA).

Would you think I stand a chance getting into a fully funded PhD program? Any recommendations on what I can do to improve my chances? I plan on applying for Fall 2017.
 
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