How important is volunteering?

[anotherriver]

Hey there, how y'all doing. Like the title says, how important are they? I have a paid job in working with kids with autism and was wondering if I should get any volunteering experiences additional to that. Would it look bad if I don't have any volunteering experiences? I am thinking of ph.d and psy.d both clinical/counselling. So pretty much everything. But not too research-oriented; a balance between the research and practice or more leaned towards practice.
Thanks,

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[Ollie123]

Well to be competitive for pretty much any program you'll need research experience. Even very clinically focused programs would like to see some, and to get into a balanced program you'll need more.

 

[PsyStudent925]

As far as having volunteer experiences just for the sake of having some to put on a resume, I'd say it's not very important (unlike when applying for undergrad). But Ollie is right, research experience- whether paid or volunteer- is pretty much a necessity. Your ultimate goal is to appear focused to the programs, which usually means knowing your target research/clinical population. If you can get some volunteer experience that is applicable to your intended graduate school area of research, that would be a huge plus. It will hopefully be something to write about in personal statements, mention in interviews etc. to show that you are serious and knowledgeable about that topic or population.

 

[CheetahGirl]

Volunteer experience shows your dedication and sets your application apart from others. Just think about it: you're giving up your precious time to do something that is prosocial. How could it hurt? Plus, if you're lacking in one area (like research or clinical work), you can make up for it. It wouldn't look bad if you didn't have any volunteer experience, but it would look better if you did.

I volunteered for a year & half and found the experience incredible. I was state certified as a rape crisis counselor along the way (through the program). Going into a hospital emergency room at 3am with a plan to provide support taught me a lot about the work I was getting into. These experiences broaden your horizon.

In grad school, you will have to go above and beyond. Why not get started?

 

[Prsstnt]

I agree with CheetahGirl that it shows dedication AND it broadens your horizon.

I have been volunteering with a community DV group for over 5 years now. My group has people from all walks of life and everyone brings their unique flavor of experiences and expertise. It makes for rich discussions and community education ideas.

More than adding to the depth of my experiences, there is the "feel good" effect . I would recommend it.

 

[cara susanna]

I volunteered (still am, actually) as a group co-facilitator for sexual abuse victims--it gave me a lot of good group experience.

 

[anotherriver]

Thank you all for kind input!

 

[Ferenzsci]

Voluneteering is always good for one's spiritual development, but, I do not think it will matter in regards to admission to a clinical psych program.

 

[JockNerd]

I had a paid job working with developmentally disabled adults when I applied. No one really cared.