Looking for some direction regarding a PsyD

[wbarnwell]

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Hi all, I am new to this board, and I am sure that this topic has been hashed out time and time again, so forgive me for asking some common questions here. I've already read plenty of similar threads, but I wanted to go ahead and ask away myself.

I am a recent college graduate with a B.A. in History. I am interested in becoming a counselor, either in a private practice, in a clinic (on a college campus for example), with the intent to further my education even past the point of a masters if necessary to achieve my long term goals, which could be overseeing up a clinic like the one I mentioned or simply pursuing a private practice. I'd even love to have the opportunity to teach some day.

I've read many threads that suggest a MSW with a clinical emphasis, and I've also seen recommendations for master's in counseling, whether it be M.A., M.Ed, MFT etc. Which leads me to the PsyD, which it seems would allow me to counsel, while leaving me with more options than a masters might leave me, both financially and professionally.

The hurdles that I have to jump right now are my non psych background, and my poor GPA. I dropped the ball pretty hard in undergrad, my GPA sits around a 2.2. I have not taken the GRE yet, and I plan on doing so this spring.

Initially, at least for a masters program, I plan on applying for the fall of 2013, so I have about 17 months to help make myself as strong a candidate as possible. I've already applied for a position volunteering for an organization in Peru that works with children and families, which could last six months or more, and I am looking for any position that would be both beneficial to myself and my graduate school applications. I definitely need help here.

For my background, my GPA, and my goals, what advice can some of you offer? Where should I begin, as I start to narrow down my choices? Which sorts of degrees and programs should I look for? And, how can I best strengthen my applications outside of a good GRE score? I do understand that my chances of gaining acceptance to a PsyD program, or even a masters program at this point will be a big challenge, and I'm willing to take the time to make myself competitive, well past 2013 if necessary to reach my goals.

Basically, is a PsyD even necessary to do what I want? And will it really leave me with an advantage later in my career?

Best,
WB

 

[Duck Duck Goose]

Basically, is a PsyD even necessary to do what I want? And will it really leave me with an advantage later in my career?

From what you've laid out as your goals, a PsyD is not necessary for you to do what you want. It is unlikely to give you an advantage if you want to do therapy and will keep you from reaching that goal as quickly as an MSW/MFT/etc., which will get you there years faster. If you want to teach, primarily (doesn't sound like that's what you want), a PsyD probably edges out the MSW/MFT/etc. but is still not as preferable as the PhD.

I would look into job descriptions of psychologists and social workers, counselors, etc. on the department/bureau (can't remember which it is) of labor's web site. That may help you get basic info on the general differences between the fields and the degrees that you need to hold certain jobs/titles.

Also, check out the prereqs for programs that you might be interested in and try to take those classes at a local university. You probably don't have a lot of them and that'll help you prove your interest in the field.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

From what you've laid out as your goals, a PsyD is not necessary for you to do what you want. It is unlikely to give you an advantage if you want to do therapy and will keep you from reaching that goal as quickly as an MSW/MFT/etc., which will get you there years faster. If you want to teach, primarily (doesn't sound like that's what you want), a PsyD probably edges out the MSW/MFT/etc. but is still not as preferable as the PhD.

I would look into job descriptions of psychologists and social workers, counselors, etc. on the department/bureau (can't remember which it is) of labor's web site. That may help you get basic info on the general differences between the fields and the degrees that you need to hold certain jobs/titles.

Also, check out the prereqs for programs that you might be interested in and try to take those classes at a local university. You probably don't have a lot of them and that'll help you prove your interest in the field.

Agreed. The master's would save you time and, likely, a good deal of money while still allowing you to provide therapy (either independently or under the supervision of a psychologist/psychiatrist). Additionally, master's programs are generally less-competitive than doctoral programs, and thus your undergrad GPA would still allow you to be in contention. Finally, the master's would allow you to practice and, after a few years, make an informed decision as to whether or not a doctoral degree is then necessary/desired.

 

[michaelsmind]

Hello WB. Unfortunately, many graduate schools require a minimum undergraduate. GPA score of 3.0. There are some graduate programs that allow lower GPAs for entry. So shop around. It is not necessary to achieve a Pay.D to counsel, but you are accurate about it opening more opportunities & quite surely a higher income. The obvious answer to your question is contact the various programs, explain your situation, & see what they tell you. You might have to raise your GPA. Good luck.


michaelsmind

 

[Ollie123]

is not necessary to achieve a Pay.D to counsel

.....best....typo....ever.

Welcome to the board, and I'm not trying to call you out or anything so hope this doesn't come across that way. However, that just made my day🙂

 

[Duck Duck Goose]

Hello WB. Unfortunately, many graduate schools require a minimum undergraduate. GPA score of 3.0. There are some graduate programs that allow lower GPAs for entry. So shop around. It is not necessary to achieve a Pay.D to counsel, but you are accurate about it opening more opportunities & quite surely a higher income. The obvious answer to your question is contact the various programs, explain your situation, & see what they tell you. You might have to raise your GPA. Good luck.


michaelsmind

If you're talking about a funded PsyD program, the slightly higher income might be worth the extra years spent in school/training. However, if you're talking about an unfunded PsyD program, the difference in student loans for the PsyD and a Masters level degree is GIGANTICALLY huge with the PsyD leading to an average of 120k in debt/loans by the 4th/5th year of training (check out APPIC match stats for a reference). That doesn't even take into account the lost years of getting paid between completing a Masters level degree and completing the PsyD. The labor website that I mentioned above has the average salaries for the different positions and psychologists wind up (I think... it has been a while since I looked at this, so please correct me if I'm wrong) with 65-70k per year. Like I said before, if you want to be a therapist, the PsyD is probably not the degree for you.

 

[wbarnwell]

Thank you for your advice, all of you.

I have read about the financial strains that a PsyD can have, and that combined with the amount of time vs. a masters leads me to believe it makes the most sense to go for a MFT etc. I suppose that later on in life, if I feel like I absolutely need to pursue another degree, I can do that.

As for my grades, michaelsmind, thank you for the advice. As I begin to shop programs I can find out what they require, and what else I need to do to gain acceptance. Again, this is all a process for me that keeps evolving, and the more people I talk to the more clearly I can see the big picture, so thank you, and I'm sure I'll be back.

 

[SpiceyT]

You can do everything you mentioned with an MSW.

 

[thepug]

.....best....typo....ever.

Welcome to the board, and I'm not trying to call you out or anything so hope this doesn't come across that way. However, that just made my day🙂

ROFL...I peed a little.

 

[Chase3557]

It is not necessary to achieve a Pay.D to counsel...

I didn't realize Freudian slips happened on a keyboard too! haha.