A different "Help me decide" thread.

[PsychBiker]

Hey guys, I have been on this forum for years now and I generally know better than to make a "help me decide" thread, but I genuinely need help here to find the right program - so I will try and keep it short.

Quick back-story, I already have my MA in Pysch through a PsyD program. I am also licensed as a LPC in IL. Anyways, two months ago I got into a car accident that left me in the hospital for over a month. The bottom line is that my mandible was shattered (and plated back together), one of my vertebrae was fractured, and I had some mild diffuse axonal injury (brain damage). It all sounds worse than it actually is considering I am back to about 90% of my old self. I am sure some of you guys will have some kind words for me but this is not a sympathy thread, I just wanted to explain the background of my situation.

Basically, I am in Chicago now but need to head back to the West Coast to be near family. Where I move is dependent on where I can find a good PsyD school in California or Arizona (or somewhere nearby) with the one exception is that I will not live in Los Angeles or San Francisco/Sacramento. Lastly, I need a school: that is APA accredited, and will accept some graduate transfer credits, does not necessarily require GREs (my GRE scores are from almost 5 years ago so they may not be accepted). At this point, I am open to even Alliant and/or Argosy and I have looked into them a bit, but I just wanted some ideas of some other places I have not thought of yet.

If anyone can help me, I would greatly appreciate it. With all the types of therapies I need as well as dealing with my other responsibilities, I do not have the time nor energy for the school researching I did when I first applied to a PsyD school years ago. Again, I know the kindness of the people in this forum, so any guidance is much appreciated.

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[PHD12]

Hey guys, I have been on this forum for years now and I generally know better than to make a "help me decide" thread, but I genuinely need help here to find the right program - so I will try and keep it short.

Quick back-story, I already have my MA in Pysch through a PsyD program. I am also licensed as a LPC in IL. Anyways, two months ago I got into a car accident that left me in the hospital for over a month. The bottom line is that my mandible was shattered (and plated back together), one of my vertebrae was fractured, and I had some mild diffuse axonal injury (brain damage). It all sounds worse than it actually is considering I am back to about 90% of my old self. I am sure some of you guys will have some kind words for me but this is not a sympathy thread, I just wanted to explain the background of my situation.

Basically, I am in Chicago now but need to head back to the West Coast to be near family. Where I move is dependent on where I can find a good PsyD school in California or Arizona (or somewhere nearby) with the one exception is that I will not live in Los Angeles or San Francisco/Sacramento. Lastly, I need a school: that is APA accredited, and will accept some graduate transfer credits, does not necessarily require GREs (my GRE scores are from almost 5 years ago so they may not be accepted). At this point, I am open to even Alliant and/or Argosy and I have looked into them a bit, but I just wanted some ideas of some other places I have not thought of yet. I would hands down complete an MSW from a state school anytime over any of the PsyD programs in AZ or CA.

If anyone can help me, I would greatly appreciate it. With all the types of therapies I need as well as dealing with my other responsibilities, I do not have the time nor energy for the school researching I did when I first applied to a PsyD school years ago. Again, I know the kindness of the people in this forum, so any guidance is much appreciated.

Don't do the PsyD unless you can get full or near full funding. Cost-benefit does not make sense otherwise. Argosy/Alliant have terrible outcomes (very high attrition, low licensure and EPPP pass rates, very low APA internship match rates) and will get you into 200K of debt, not including your undergrad and MA debt, which will be more stressful given your health issues. You will be in a much better financial position with an LPC than a PsyD unless it is a top program that is funded. There are very few good PsyD programs in CA/AZ. Pepperdine is one but its very expensive. CA is most saturated state for therapists so you really want to go to the best possible program with funding (think UC schools). 4th tier (argosy, alliant, PsyD programs not tied to a university) is not going to help you meet your career goals.

Sorry I can't be more helpful. Unfortunately, if you are desperate and exhausted, you are perfect bait for all the for profit professional schools like argosy and alliant so be careful! Here are some reviews on these programs from students/alumni: http://www.onlinedegreereviews.org/college/argosy-university-reviews/clinical-psycology-1821/

 

[PsychBiker]

Thank you. I am aware of the outcome rates of Alliant and Argosy and I dont like taking that route, but the reality of me getting a funded PsyD/PhD program in the West is unlikely. Pepperdine is expensive, but nice, though I doubt at this point I will get in.

I have worked with students from Argosy and I don't have bad things to say about them, but there are larger scale issues that youve touched upon. By the way, Argosy is for-profit, but Alliant is a non-profit, though, either way they are more business oriented than I would like.

Thanks for some of the info, it gives me something to think about.