Hello all,
So here's my question. Up until now, I've been dead-set on getting a PhD in clinical psychology. I don't want to pay the $200,000 for a PsyD, even though the degree is more what I'm looking for. My goals are to perform psychotherapy in a private practice in Tucson Arizona with people between the ages of 18 and 60 or so. I don't have any real interest in research. I have enough that I could grind my way through a PhD, but it wouldn't be a ton of fun. I like the idea that the average pay in a private practice for a PhD is 20k per year higher on average, and average pay is 30k per year higher. I would also be interested in administration at some point, but not for quite a while.
However, I don't really want to spend 6 years in a degree that would be a painful grind just for money. I am itching to start practicing, and I think I would go bonkers waiting through the first five years. Now I am trying to decide, first off, whether a PhD or MA is more appropriate, but before I can do that, I would need to know what type of MA I should be looking for. I would like maximum flexibility, and the ability to run a private practice in Arizona. I would also like to attend a school in a greener area than Tucson (California, maybe East Coast or Florida) and I want to go to a school that has a reputable enough program that a PhD program would be excited to get me if I did end up applying to one after 5-10 years of practice with a masters. Currently my GPA is 3.5, past two year GPA will be 3.87 when I graduate in December. I will be taking the GRE's in the next two weeks, and have been averaging 600-650 on verbal and 650-700 on the math.
Does anyone have any suggestions on:
A) PhD vs MA, things I haven't considered or perhaps putting more weight on things I have put less weight on
B) Type of MA
C) Location of MA program, or even how to find a school that has a high percentage of people that go on to PhD's.
Thanks!
So here's my question. Up until now, I've been dead-set on getting a PhD in clinical psychology. I don't want to pay the $200,000 for a PsyD, even though the degree is more what I'm looking for. My goals are to perform psychotherapy in a private practice in Tucson Arizona with people between the ages of 18 and 60 or so. I don't have any real interest in research. I have enough that I could grind my way through a PhD, but it wouldn't be a ton of fun. I like the idea that the average pay in a private practice for a PhD is 20k per year higher on average, and average pay is 30k per year higher. I would also be interested in administration at some point, but not for quite a while.
However, I don't really want to spend 6 years in a degree that would be a painful grind just for money. I am itching to start practicing, and I think I would go bonkers waiting through the first five years. Now I am trying to decide, first off, whether a PhD or MA is more appropriate, but before I can do that, I would need to know what type of MA I should be looking for. I would like maximum flexibility, and the ability to run a private practice in Arizona. I would also like to attend a school in a greener area than Tucson (California, maybe East Coast or Florida) and I want to go to a school that has a reputable enough program that a PhD program would be excited to get me if I did end up applying to one after 5-10 years of practice with a masters. Currently my GPA is 3.5, past two year GPA will be 3.87 when I graduate in December. I will be taking the GRE's in the next two weeks, and have been averaging 600-650 on verbal and 650-700 on the math.
Does anyone have any suggestions on:
A) PhD vs MA, things I haven't considered or perhaps putting more weight on things I have put less weight on
B) Type of MA
C) Location of MA program, or even how to find a school that has a high percentage of people that go on to PhD's.
Thanks!