Freaking Out!!!!helppp

[STurner]

Hi everyone,

So, I am entering my senior year of undergraduate school with a psychology major and a double minor in education and sociology. I am also a member of the schools COmmunity Based counseling program called Middle Earth. I will probably have a 3.6 by the end of next semester and hopefully I will do well on my GREs. My intended grad school direction is in school psychology.

Problem is.. i had no idea that I needed to have research experience. I am in the process of getting intouch with professors to see if they still have openings but I feel as thought it is going to be hopeless now because its summer and I need this experience by the fall.

Do you think I should still apply to doctoral programs if i do not get research experience? DO you know if you need research experience for masters programs?

SOME ONE PLEASE HELP!!!

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[bigdodge53]

If you are applying only to master's/EDS level programs, then you will be fine if you do not have any research experience. School psychology really is unique in that there are two accrediting bodies that can label some one a "school psychologist." The master's level degree really is a good deal if you are primarily interested in applied practice and don't mind working only in a school district.

If you are planning on applying to doctoral programs as well, then you might want to find a way to get some research experience. Don't freak out because it doesn't have to be research experience within the field of school psychology; any research experience is viewed positively by a doctoral program because it shows a commitment to science beyond "just wanting to help people." It sounds like you are in a time crush to get aything significant under your belt so you might want to seriously consider a master's before you go on. The biggest benefit is that during the master's you will most likely be able to get some valuable research experience and if you don't get into a doctoral program you will have a really good liscensure to fall back on. Having research within the field you're interested in is very helpful though. In school psychology especially, there is limited value in getting the doctoral degree unless you are seriously interested in doing research or you want to flexibility of having a private practice and working in settings other than school districts. Outside of master's level I/O psychs, master's level school psychologists receive some of the best salaries because they are so in demand in schools right now. So look before you jump.

 

[STurner]

thank you, does volunteer work in a hospital look as good as research?

 

[bigdodge53]

Any volunteer work is helpful when applying to master's or doctoral programs, but it won't make you more competitive than someone who has quality research experience along with the volunteer experience you just described. Don't let not having research experience prevent you from applying; if you can get in your first time applying to doctoral programs then go for it.

 

[blindchaos]

Gaining research experience can be a big help but it's not the end of the world if you don't have research experience and I would say don't scrap the whole applying to doctoral programs plan if you don't get research experience by fall (I didn't have a single speck of research experience throughout all of undergrad). If you can get it, great. If you can't get research experience by the app deadlines, apply anyway! It's worth a shot in my opinion.

 

[JockNerd]

Err, I'm gonna have to disagree somewhat with some of the other posters. It depends on the sorts of programs you're applying to to some degree, but if you're looking at competitive, funded clinical or counseling programs then having *no* research experience could pose a big problem. Applied research experience consistently tops the lists for what programs and profs look for in applicants. My adviser told me that real research experience is the most distinct way of cutting through the first round of applications, and I've found this to be true when talking to people in other programs. After all, how can you apply to grad school saying "I really want to do this" when you have no evidence to back up that up?

I'd get at least a few months of research experience in some form. If you're really intent on applying this year I'd do it, but I'd carefully pick places I apply to and restrict the number of sites to save money, because realistically if you're applying to even moderately competitive sites then you're pretty likely going to need another year to get research experience.

Every applicant and their mom has clinical experience in one form or another Actually there are a fair number of applicants who get into psych PhD programs with research experience but no clinical exposure.

 

[STurner]

thanks everyone for your help! my problem is that my school has very limited research programs and most of the spots were filled by the time i found all this information out! i dont know what to do now, ive been searching frantically all morning.. the only thing i could come up with is volunteer work at local hosptials.

do you know any place else I could look for research experience?

 

[Ollie123]

Agree with JN actually...if you are going the terminal master's route than you can get away with more in terms of missing certain components of an application. Applying for a PhD without any research experience is just not a good idea.

Are there other universities nearby? Most people do research at their undergrad institution, but in some cases that isn't possible. If your concern is the experience (it should be) and not just course credit or money, there's no harm in emailing faculty at other schools to see if they would be willing to let you volunteer. Same goes for research hospitals (make sure you don't get lumped in with the med students who are trying to volunteer to shadow docs and the like - I know multiple people who had that happen).

Hope that helps.

 

[schoolpsych]

do you know any place else I could look for research experience?

Are there any other universities in your area? I was in a research group at my university and we had volunteers that weren't from our institution.