Psy.D or LCSW (or...) - HELP!

[roubs]

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I'm not sure what the data says exactly, but PsyD programs are bigger--maybe ages are similar, but with bigger numbers, you'll have more of them. I could be wrong. Maybe these FSPP programs are catering mostly to "fresh out of undergrad...can't get a job in psychology...I guess I'll be a doctor!" types. I don't hang out with those types, so I see something different.

Part of the reason for no age difference is because there are older people in Ph.D. programs too. The cohorts in my program I'm familiar with are only about 50% straight out of undergrad. People in Ph.D. programs have spouses, children etc, start after 30, etc.

 

[Ollie123]

If a PsyD program allows one to continue to work (even part-time) at their well-paying, established first career, keep their home and not sell in this horrible market, and stay connected, I'd say that's a win for the field in many ways--I, personally, think any field benefits from having members who are career changers and not lifers. I'm glad our field has a variety of people in it, not just those who only ever wanted to do psychology, were bankrolled by mom & dad to attend a residential program, and then grew up to tell others that this is the only way to do it.

If we are able to increase diversity while retaining standards, I'm all for it. Unfortunately that's generally not how it works at these programs. People with minimal qualifications are allowed entry, given what most of us would consider piss-poor training, and then turned loose on the public/job market with a "doctorate".

Age is not a "qualification" in and of itself. With it can come a host of experiences that may make one more qualified, but this is not a guarantee. If we can design a system such that we increase the diversity of the field among those who deserve it - great. That's not how the current system seems to work.

For what its worth - most of the folks I've met from FSPS are the young'uns. My unverified suspicion (i.e. wild guess) is that its bimodal (lots fresh out of college and lots of returning students) with PhD programs being a unimodal distribution with a mean in between those two modes (i.e. folks who worked for 2-5 years, built their CV and then applied).

 

[ResearchGirlie]

Baylor (Waco Texas). Rutgers (New Jersey).

This. If you want to stay in CA possibly the worst thing you can do for yourself and your career is go to a PsyD program. There are far too many of them here already that cannot match, are hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt, and having to find other sources of income.

If you are dedicated to the field I'd get some good reliable information from a number of sources on what the differences are between LCSW, MSW, PsyD etc. Talk to people (who aren't being pressured by their school) to tell you what it's like. And if they warn you against it be open and listen to their advice. So many people in the application process disregard sound advice because they are so desperate to get in.

 

[ResearchGirlie]

Oh, and PGSP isn't all that well respected in the Bay Area. Some of the best adult practicum sites won't even look at a PGSP student.