How do I switch tracks in graduate school?

[WannabeCP]

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Hi, I’m between a rock and a hard place here and could really use some help… I know similar questions have been asked and answered, but as far as I know they’re all about switching from graduate programs to medical programs, and so I’m not sure if the same advice applies.

Here’s my dilemma: I’m in the first semester of a social psychology PhD program, but have recently discovered midway through that, as convinced as I once was, I really don’t want a career in social psychology…GREAT. 🙄 After doing a lot of research (and soul-searching) I believe counseling psychology would be a better fit for my interests and abilities. Now, I understand that a lot of people, including many contributors to this forum, would advise against quitting the program, at least not without a masters, as it could show future admissions committees and employers a lack of commitment, which they could see as a liability if not a glaring character flaw (i.e. I was once “certain” before but then quit—how can they be sure it won’t happen again?). I completely understand this argument and whole-heartedly agree that it could very well communicate that trait. BUT, I’ve made the personal decision that it’s not worth being unhappy for a year and a half (the time it would take to get the masters), working myself to the bone for a degree I don’t need and won’t use.

It’s my understanding (hopefully a correct one?) that if I quit before the end of this semester, I won’t have an official transcript from the school and so it won’t be an issue when applying to counseling programs (unless, of course, I’m asked directly, in which case I would tell them about it). If I quit now, I could work on finding a job related to counseling, getting experience that will help me be certain it’s what I want to do as well as possibly help with admissions. On the other hand, if I wait until the end of the year, I have the chance to pick up some courses/credit that may transfer (but may not), as well as keep a reliable income (fellowship) while gaining more research experience. Not to mention the plus of not having to spend half a year surrounded by people who might shun me for dropping out (i.e. my lab mates are best friends with my roommates—the only people I know in this city are the people in the department).


So, my question is this (if you’ve made it this far, you’re amazing and I can’t thank you enough): Do I drop out now, before the semester’s over? Or finish out the first and second semester and quit at the end of the school year?? Save for the lack of any publications, less than perfect GRE scores (Q 690, V 710, AW 5.0), a Big 10 alma mater rather than an ivy, and not A TON of counseling-related experience, my record up until this point is virtually flawless (i.e. 4.0 GPA, BS&BA, three years of research, lots of leadership, and many academic awards/honors). How big of a black mark would dropping out be? Enough of one that I should definitely do it before I have grades on record?? ANY advice at this point would be greatly appreciated—thank you!!

 

[PsyDr]

the short answer is:

it won't matter that much, depending on where you apply.



just throwing something else out there:

there is at least one year minimum in clinical/counselling psych training in which you will be unhappy. it coulod be because you hate therapy, or assessment or the way some research is going, or your PI or how that know it all classmate refuses to shut the heck up in class so you can get home sometime before 11pm. your idea that your current pursuits are not worth being unhappy for 1.5 yrs might have have an impact on this. i dunno.

 

[psybee]

I know at my program if i were to drop out now i'd get straight F's, most likely, since it's past the withdrawl date. any withdrawls past the official date would be outside policy and would have to be approved by the chair, maybe the dean. i imagine if i had to withdraw from al my classes because of illness or a family emergency the administration would hopefully be sympathetic and give me W's and not F's, but just to drop out of the program, i'm not sure. I'd suggest taking a close look at your program handbook.

 

[KTpsych]

I disagree with pnkelefant. Spend at least four or five (maybe more, especially since you might not be that motivated if you don't like your work) hours, just to then spend a few more years re-specializing? I agree that dropping out of grad school might be a red flag, but I think that's better than spending 4-5 years on something you don't want to do. It's not like graduate school pays well either. And even though it doesn't pay well, your meager stipend could be better spent on someone interested in actually doing something with the degree.

So, yeah, dropping out might be seen as a red flag. Even I am wondering if you really know what you want (as opposed to what you don't). So maybe take a year or two, get involved in a clinical research lab, maybe volunteer on the side to get some clinical experience, and then re-apply to some clinical programs. Still shorter (and better financially and life-satisfaction wise) than sticking it out in grad school for four or five more years.

 

[Aeon]

I agree with pnkelefant. It is exceptionally difficult to get into a clinical program and, after acquiring red flags, another non-clinical program may be much less inclined to accept you. You might consider talking to the clinical department at your school for suggestions, although even if they recommend a transfer into their department, you will be starting over in the admissions pool.

Re-specializing at a later time adds additional years, its true. But, consider beginning the admissions process again. This is going to set you back at least one additional year to apply to schools plus add an average 1.5 years to your non-clinical program (the average length for clinical students is around 6.5 years). At least you won't have to add the extra year to apply. Don't forget the time-consuming process of licensure as a clinician. You may have to add to this time frame if you are denied admission into a clinical program.

 

[WaitingKills]

Here's my thoughts on this.

Sooo, you've just started your social psych degree (at the end of your first semester), have decided that you want to do counselling psych (not clinical people, she said counselling), but will have a year off while you wait to apply. Also you have fantastic scores (since when is a 1400 GRE 'less than perfect'? It's freaking amazing!) on the GRE and your GPA.

I would highly suggest to stick out your social program until you can graduate with your master's. This is either a year or two, which means you are well on your way to getting it done at this point. I know it sucks, but it'll be best in the long run because you not only will be able to finish the degree (no explaining necessary) but you will also have graduate grades which won't hurt you at all. Rather than throw away the year or so until you can apply to the counselling programs, I would say stay in school and finish that degree before transferring out to a different program.

From what I see, you have a great chance to get into a counselling program (or clinical for that matter if you keep getting research experience). I do think that if you drop out of the program you are in without at least getting the masters, it may look bad for a variety of reasons on your applications and may hurt your chances.



With all that being said, if you hate it, don't go and do the Ph.D like some others suggested only to spend another 2-3 years in school respecializing. That's like 6-7 years of bull**** you don't need. I think you'd be best 'wasting' a year or two improving your applications (if you don't get in on your first applications) than being miserable for that long. What a waste of time and effort...

 

[WannabeCP]

Thanks to all who have replied so far. After taking in everyone's suggestions, I've finally made a decision. A few points I thought I should address first:

*Unfortunately I missed the last day to withdraw date by about a month, so withdrawing without a transcript was not a possibility. As a result I decided to definitely finish this quarter, and hopefully finish strong (just one more final...).

*I finally talked to my advisor about all this, which was a huge burden off my shoulders. (Incidentally, if anyone's reading this who finds themselves in a similar situation, I strongly suggest doing that sooner rather than later, no matter how daunting it may seem. I'm sure some might come down hard, but I imagine most will do what they can to help. Remember, they accepted you for a reason--they have a vested interest in your satisfaction.) I suggested a leave of absence for the 1-3 quarters, but unfortunately he said that wasn't really an option for someone in my situation.

Why not keep working on the Masters and apply for counseling programs now as well? That way, if you get in, you can leave and it won't matter.

*Good thought. That might work, unless they'd make me finish it first before letting me matriculate, which I hear some programs do. At any rate, I decided I really need to give myself some time (and get some experience) to be sure it's what I want, so I don't end up in the same position again.

just throwing something else out there:

there is at least one year minimum in clinical/counselling psych training in which you will be unhappy. it coulod be because you hate therapy, or assessment or the way some research is going, or your PI or how that know it all classmate refuses to shut the heck up in class so you can get home sometime before 11pm. your idea that your current pursuits are not worth being unhappy for 1.5 yrs might have have an impact on this. i dunno.

*Good point. There are a number of things in life (in grad school or not) that could and probably will make me unhappy for an extended period of time. For better or worse, there's no way around that. Having said that, my unhappiness now stems from the fact that I'm spending all my energy and almost every waking hour working towards a future I know I don't want. If the road to where I want to be has a few bumps, I can deal with that. But being stuck on a bad road I know I don't even want to be on in the first place? That's another story.

So, yeah, dropping out might be seen as a red flag. Even I am wondering if you really know what you want (as opposed to what you don't).

*Another good point. You might be right--I now know what I don't want, I have a strong hunch of what I do want, but only with more experience/research can I be absolutely certain. Someone else gave the advice that I need to be sure I'm running towards something rather than away from something. Earlier I couldn't say that I wasn't doing the latter. Now I know that while I may not be running towards something that is 100% certain, I am running towards figuring out what I want to do and the next step to getting there, which is enough for me at least.

Here's my thoughts on this.

Sooo, you've just started your social psych degree (at the end of your first semester), have decided that you want to do counselling psych (not clinical people, she said counselling), but will have a year off while you wait to apply. Also you have fantastic scores (since when is a 1400 GRE 'less than perfect'? It's freaking amazing!) on the GRE and your GPA.

I would highly suggest to stick out your social program until you can graduate with your master's. This is either a year or two, which means you are well on your way to getting it done at this point. I know it sucks, but it'll be best in the long run because you not only will be able to finish the degree (no explaining necessary) but you will also have graduate grades which won't hurt you at all. Rather than throw away the year or so until you can apply to the counselling programs, I would say stay in school and finish that degree before transferring out to a different program.

From what I see, you have a great chance to get into a counselling program (or clinical for that matter if you keep getting research experience). I do think that if you drop out of the program you are in without at least getting the masters, it may look bad for a variety of reasons on your applications and may hurt your chances.

With all that being said, if you hate it, don't go and do the Ph.D like some others suggested only to spend another 2-3 years in school respecializing. That's like 6-7 years of bull**** you don't need. I think you'd be best 'wasting' a year or two improving your applications (if you don't get in on your first applications) than being miserable for that long. What a waste of time and effort...

*Thanks WaitingKills. I think this is wonderful advice, and it was precisely solid reasoning such as this that made the decision so hard.

Now, what I have decided and why: I've decided to take my last final this quarter, then drop out of the program. I agree that ideally, at least on paper, I should stick it out another year and a half to at least get the Masters. However, staying in a place I already know is not for me for that long would only bring me down more, and if I'm having this issue now I know I would have it for the next five quarters. I'm 1/6 of the way in--the longer I stay, the harder it will be for me, and catch 22, the harder it will be to get out. I know I could look at staying in as a growth experience making me more adaptable to tough situations, but if I’m truly honest with myself, I know it will really only make me miserable. Ideally, maybe not on paper but in living color, I should get out now.

Since I'd already decided I would not stay longer than the end of the first year, I would have a black mark on my record either way. So it came down to 1) whether it would be a "bigger" black mark at one point than another, and 2) what I could stand to gain/lose by leaving at the end of the year vs. now.

Two things occurred to me that answered these questions and sealed the deal.
1) While staying in longer rather than shorter may show perseverance, for what cause? At any rate, leaving now creates greater distance, making it further in the past come application time, and in that "off time" I can gain experience I simply wouldn't have time to while in a grad program. I figure leaving mid-year, as opposed to the end of the year, will give admission committees (not to mention myself) greater confidence that I know what I'm getting into and not just wandering aimlessly. Furthermore, I think not finishing any program is more defensible the more time the student has left in it (i.e. I'm in my first quarter of a 5 year program. If I was in my second to last, I wouldn't be having this issue no matter how miserable I was.) So leaving now, it seems to me, is a "smaller" black mark.
2) Originally I was hesitant to leave sooner rather than later because I'd be giving up potential transfer credit, research experience, letters of recommendation from my advisor/professors, and a guaranteed salary with health insurance. Then it suddenly dawned on me that leaving now does not preclude me from getting all of those things elsewhere over the next year (okay, the job/benefits is a bit trickier), and in fact elsewhere is actually better as I can seek out opportunities specifically relevant to clinical/counseling. Not to mention the fact that a letter from anyone in the program you've dropped out of may be less than glowing.

So my next plan is to leave, land a job in a related area (I actually have an interview next week...), take some counseling courses as a non-degree earning student at another university, impress my professors, hopefully get some research experience with them, then apply next fall and repeat in the year "off." Yeah, completely rearranging my life and starting over is a huge pain in the a** (and the wallet), but for the first time in several months I actually feel optimistic about the future...And that makes it all worth it.

 

[psychmama]

So my next plan is to leave, land a job in a related area (I actually have an interview next week...), take some counseling courses as a non-degree earning student at another university, impress my professors, hopefully get some research experience with them, then apply next fall and repeat in the year "off." Yeah, completely rearranging my life and starting over is a huge pain in the a** (and the wallet), but for the first time in several months I actually feel optimistic about the future...And that makes it all worth it.

Good for you! It sounds like you've given this a lot of thought and trust yourself to know what's best for you. I wish you well in your change of heart.🙂👍

 

[WannaBeDrMe]

Congrats on your decision! I know it couldn't possibly have been an easy one for you but it seems like you have worked it out in the best way for you!

Good luck @ your interview.

 

[biogirl215]

It sounds like you've made a really well thought-out decision, and I hope everything works out for you! 🙂 Just out of curosity, what made you choose social psych in the first place?

 

[WannabeCP]

Thanks guys. Whether others personally agree with the decision or not, it’s nice to have support in it.

Biogirl, the short answer: I was interested in studying interpersonal processes. I’m still interested in interpersonal processes, but less so in “studying” them, at least in the traditional sense.

The long answer: Primarily, I’m interested in interpersonal communication and relationships. More specifically, I’m interested in what people bring to the table in their interactions (traits, styles), how it’s perceived, and the effect it has on the listener/partner and the interaction/relationship as a whole. I’m interested in figuring out what works and what doesn’t work, with the ultimate goal of helping people improve their relating, and in turn, their relationships.

From as far back as I can remember, I had always wanted to be a therapist (aka clinical/counseling psychologist). Around my junior year of college though, I discovered two things: social psychology and communication studies. For the most part, I turned to social psychology because I believed that as a researcher (which in itself seemed alluring) I could help a lot more people than I could as a therapist.

Now that I’m in this program and have a lot more exposure to social psychology, I’ve learned a few important things about it, and myself:

1) As a social psychologist, I can only help more people if my research is successful, if it is valuable, if it gets published, and if it gets notice. Those are some pretty big “ifs,” and given the nature of the field, they can take years (more likely, decades) to accomplish, if ever at all. I believe I could be successful in doing it if research was my first love (one and only?), but it isn’t. I like research, but I’ve discovered that I apparently don’t like it enough to sustain a career as a social psychologist, let alone to get me through the next 5 years. (I realize in a clinical/counseling PhD program there will be plenty of research—I’ll be targeting programs that are evenly split between practice and research.) Which brings me to…

2) My goal is to help people improve how they relate to others. Doing solely research, I feel too far removed from the action. I enjoy talking with people, hearing their perspective, and offering input/advice where I can. Short of consulting (and MAYBE teaching), there aren’t many opportunities to do this in social psychology, at least not nearly as many as in clinical/counseling.

So I figure giving clinical/counseling psychology another look is probably in order. Really my interests haven’t changed all that much, just the way I’d like to pursue them and put them to use.

Hopefully that makes sense. Thanks again everyone.

 

[RayneeDeigh]

It sounds like you would love interpersonal therapy (IPT). I know there are some profs out there who have a real interest in this approach as well (my therapy prof for instance). Hopefully you can find someone like that to work with if you do decide to go the clinical/counseling route.

 

[biogirl215]

Thanks for the thorough answer! Like RD, I can think of a professor at my school with whom you'd probably love working!

 

[WannabeCP]

Wow! I looked into IPT, and you're right: it does look like something that'd be right up my alley. Wished I would've known about this a few years ago... ; ) I'd love to hear your suggestions for profs/programs, if you don't mind sharing... Feel free to private message me if you prefer. Thanks!

 

[karamello24]

Hey, Life is tooo short to spend 4 to 5 years doing something you dont want to do and wasting thousands of dollars, someone else could use that financial aid. I would say, finish the semester, take a leave of absence, in case you change your mind you wouldnt have been kicked out, and then apply for clinical-counseling programs and work in the mental health field.

Yes it might look bad that you are leaving your program, but people transfer all the time, colleges and university want money, there are about a hundred clinical and counseling programs in America. With you GRE scores and your ability to get into grad school previously looks good. It all depends on how much money you have to apply to many different schools. TRUST ME! at least one school in America will take you LOL, i had GRE scores of V560 and Q510 and im in a clinical psych program!

Life is too short, enjoy it while you can, do what you love!