Only applying to clinical phd?

[havesomefaith]

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I was wondering how many of you are only applying to clinical psych phd programs. I'm really unsure of my chances, so I'm considering applying to some developmental psych programs. But I feel like I'm spreading myself thin as it is and all. I'm also considering applying to masters and I found a few with late deadlines. Should I just focus on clinical phd or what? 😕 I'd love to hear what you guys are planning on doing! Thanks!

 

[joetro]

Only clinical for me. I think it's fine to apply to another kind of program if your research interests are in good alignment. So if you are into developmental psychopathology, maybe that research is done in clinical programs some places, and developmental in others.

 

[Dr.JT]

I was wondering how many of you are only applying to clinical psych phd programs. I'm really unsure of my chances, so I'm considering applying to some developmental psych programs. But I feel like I'm spreading myself thin as it is and all. I'm also considering applying to masters and I found a few with late deadlines. Should I just focus on clinical phd or what? 😕 I'd love to hear what you guys are planning on doing! Thanks!

If you want to do clinical work, other programs are not an option. If you are not interested in doing clinical work, then you can apply to other areas of psych although it begs the question "why apply to clinical programs in the first place?" The problem is students sometoimes become more focused on "getting in" rather than what they are actually interested in.

 

[PsiKo]

I was wondering how many of you are only applying to clinical psych phd programs. I'm really unsure of my chances, so I'm considering applying to some developmental psych programs. But I feel like I'm spreading myself thin as it is and all. I'm also considering applying to masters and I found a few with late deadlines. Should I just focus on clinical phd or what? 😕 I'd love to hear what you guys are planning on doing! Thanks!

What about counseling psychology programs??

 

[PhDhopeful]

I am only applying to clinical programs because I want to keep my options open. I was told that if I was nervous about getting in I should consider a counseling psych program. I think the difference is that it is less research based and more focused on purely counseling. I think when you come out with your PhD you have less options but if you only want to practice than it might be ok.

 

[PsiKo]

I am only applying to clinical programs because I want to keep my options open. I was told that if I was nervous about getting in I should consider a counseling psych program. I think the difference is that it is less research based and more focused on purely counseling. I think when you come out with your PhD you have less [fewer] options but if you only want to practice than it might be ok.

Barely a whit of truth to that. And it's unfortunate that you've been misinformed because you've unwittingly eliminated many viable options you could have pursued. Many if not most counseling psych programs are very research intensive. The question to be asked is whether those research interests are a match with yours. To answer that question you'd have to explore the ~80 counseling psych doctoral programs.

It is true, however, that there are some APA internships that don't consider applicants from counseling programs, but for the most part counseling psych students apply and get into the same (including hospital) APPIC and APA-approved internship sites. And at the end of the day, both clinical and counseling graduates take the same EPPP exam and receive identical licensure.

 

[phd2006]

As other have suggested, you need to really consider what it is that you would like to do and find a program that matches.

Every year I've seen students drop-out after one or two semesters/quarters not only due to personal issues but also because they now realized the program they accepted was not really what they wanted. Once they had a clearer focus in sight, many of these students re-applied elsewhere and went on to much success. If you spend the time to honestly and truly develop this focus now, it may save you a year, money, stress and cross country moves.

 

[Quynh2007]

5 of the programs i'm applying to are clinical and 1 is counseling only because this counseling is very very very nicely matched with my interest. ALL of the professors there are interesting in what i'm doing, and so, i could see myself thriving there. however, you do need to be careful about non-clinical programs. when they ask, you have to be able to explain because clinical programs are very suspicious of people who apply to other types of programs. if you are applying to psy.d (even baylor or rutgers) i'll definitely keep it on the dl, and only talk about it if it is brought up.

 

[PsiKo]

With the exception of the state of Illinois (and maybe one or two others that I'm not aware of) the professional title "Licensed Clinical Psychologist" does not exist, at least not officially. Rather, by completing a doctoral program in clinical/counseling/school psychology, and passing the EPPP, you can become a "Licensed Psychologist." There's more than one yellow brick road to becoming a Licensed Psychologist.

It would be a misperception to consider counseling psychology the poor man's clinical psychology. On paper there are differences between the two -- e.g., counseling psychologists are less likely to work with severe psychopathology; counseling psychologists place a greater emphasis on vocational psychology (pretty much the thrust of this forum!). In practice -- in reality! -- the differences between the two branches are often indistinguishable. The same (APA-accredited) career opportunities and choices are available to both.

lt's unfortunate that those of you who are pulling out your hair worrying about your prospects of getting accepted somewhere may have limited your possibilities by overlooking this path.

 

[PhDhopeful]

With the exception of the state of Illinois (and maybe one or two others that I'm not aware of) the professional title "Licensed Clinical Psychologist" does not exist, at least not officially. Rather, by completing a doctoral program in clinical/counseling/school psychology, and passing the EPPP, you can become a "Licensed Psychologist." There's more than one yellow brick road to becoming a Licensed Psychologist.

It would be a misperception to consider counseling psychology the poor man's clinical psychology. On paper there are differences between the two -- e.g., counseling psychologists are less likely to work with severe psychopathology; counseling psychologists place a greater emphasis on vocational psychology (pretty much the thrust of this forum!). In practice -- in reality! -- the differences between the two branches are often indistinguishable. The same (APA-accredited) career opportunities and choices are available to both.

lt's unfortunate that those of you who are pulling out your hair worrying about your prospects of getting accepted somewhere may have limited your possibilities by overlooking this path.

I am off to look at counseling psych programs!!!😀 😀 Thanks. I think I have been SORELY misinformed.

 

[PsiKo]

APA Accredited Programs in Counseling Psychology

Some of the links need updating.

 

[Salsybabe]

Thank you, PsiKo for clearing up the differences and misconceptions about counseling versus clinical programs. Counseling psych PhD programs are certainly not easy to get into and many are just as difficult to get into as clinical psych programs. Myself, I'm applying primarily to counseling programs because those programs fit me best. I am applying to 1 clinical psych program though.

 

[havesomefaith]

Thank you all for your replies!
I was under the same misperception as Phdhopeful reg. counseling psych programs. I'll have look into this! 🙂

 

[PsychevalIII]

I wanted to add that there are plenty of neuropsychologists who are from counseling psychology programs. Additionally, some of the prescribing psychologists and medical psychologists were initially trained as counseling psychologists.

 

[deleted106747]

Yes, PsiKo, thank you for clearing that up. I'm in a Counseling Psychology program right now. I love my program, it was difficult to get into and is challenging me a great deal. It's far from the poor man's clinical psychology. And close to everyone from here placed within their top 1st-3rd internship sites in the last few years. 🙂

 

[havesomefaith]

I've been looking into counseling psych programs and noticed a lot of the ones I found interesting require a Master's degree. I was considering applying to Masters if I'm not accepted to any clin psy programs. Does anyone have any thoughts concerning doing masters before doctorate? I'm gonna be 30 this month, so I admit time is also a pretty big factor.

 

[Rapunzel]

I have been more or less forced to realize that there are more acceptable paths than what tend to be presented to undergrad psych students. My story is long, and perhaps this isn't the place for most of it. I wanted to be a psychologist when I started college in like 1987. I got off the path (changed majors because I didn't think the field of psychology would ever accept me, didn't get into graduate school in speech pathology, and gave up on education for a number of years). A life crisis brought me back and I decided to try again. I took a fifth year of undergraduate psych classes so that I would have references, and applied to three clinical phd programs. Didn't get any interviews. Worked for another year and applied to one clinical program and one counseling psych phd program. I was surprised the counseling program was a better match for my interests than that school's clinical program. Meanwhile I started a master's program. The time was clicking, and jobs with a B.A. in psych are not all that great. The counseling psych program interviewed me but didn't accept me. This year it's painful to read about everyone applying to doctoral programs, because that's where I wish I were, but my options have been limited and I'm doing what I can. I'm going to just keep going with my master's this year, and maybe apply again to doctoral programs next year, when I will be close enough to finish what I'm in now. It's a step forward from where I was. When I apply again, I'll probably be limited in terms of where I can go (due to my husband's career, which has been the reason I couldn't apply to many programs so far). There will be three universities within range, and I'll apply to clinical, counseling, developmental, and maybe also DSW programs at each of them. Some of these programs have combined options, which really appeal to me. I'll already be working as a therapist by then, and I hope that will be a plus and not a minus for me, but we'll see.