psychology Graduate Need Guidance PLEASE

[summerGd2010]

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Sorry if i didn't search the threads enough but i keep reading and reading and i cant find an answer. Ive just received my Bachelors in Psychology, still have to take the GRE, and i have a 3.2 gpa. I haven't done any research yet but I'm hoping that wont be vital to getting into a masters program. I love working with kids, specifically adolescents. I'm just not sure which degree i need to obtain in order to do this. I would love to get my masters, get into the field and then decide on my doctorate. I'm torn between clinical, and school psychology... My goal is to be in a position to counsel and mentor young girls eventually. I guess i want to know what degree track will give me the best options to practice in the capacity that fits my interest.

 

[SpiritBender]

I didnt have a strong research background when i got into my masters program however like with all things that might not be the case for everyone as i had great clinical experience.

A word of encouragement you would be surpised to know how ahead you are in the fact that you already know what population you want to work with (adolescent females) so clearly.

A couple of degrees that stand out to me are Phd in Counseling Psychology, Phd in Child Psychology, MSW with a emphasis on your pop, MFT with a emphasis on your pop. Hopefully you get more feedback from others cause i dont know everything about the degree but i think School Psychology would be a very broad degree for someone like you who knows what pop they want to work with so clearly.

 

[summerGd2010]

Thank you so much. I've researched A little more after reading your reply and MFT seems like the best option for me being that I'm not trying to get into phd program right Now. Again, thanks so much

 

[hokie11]

I'm not sure which program it is, but one of my friends is applying to a school psychology program that doesn't even require the GRE. You should try to research that more, because quite frankly, the GRE is a bitch...lol. I'm sorry that probably isn't much help, but it does exist.

 

[summerGd2010]

I would be a little concerned about what kind of education I'd be receiving from a program that doesn't require the GRE. I live in Louisiana and I'm already scared about how some of our schools stack up against the rest.

 

[psycmc]

If you are really interested in getting your masters first so you can get your foot in the door and practice before you decide on a doctorate path here is my suggestion...

Take the GRE and get at least 1000 on it, the better your score the more they will overlook things like a lack of research background. Sidenote, if you really feel like you want to get something to put on your resume before you apply, go to the local university's psych dept and volunteer to be IN a research project... any sort of participation demonstrates interest and dedication. P.S. for the GRE, there is a website, www.khanacademy.org, where you can watch a million youtube videos and it will re-teach you all the old high school math you forgot and there's a million websites that have GRE flashcards for vocab.

Once you have a decent GRE score I would say there are three ways you can go.

If you eventually plan on getting your doctorate in psych I would suggest getting your masters in psych as well, as most programs, upon completing your masters enable you to become a Licensed Mental Health Counselor. As an LMHC you can work with any portion of the population you'd like and eventually go on to get your doctorate after you have a few years of counseling experience.

The other option is Licensed Social Worker, the downside of that degree is that it divides the curriculum between counseling and bureaucracy, the upside is that the titles of social worker/counselor are usually interchangeable and if you ever got tired of counseling, you could branch into other areas of social work.

The last option is to go the direct route of school counseling and eventually branch into a doctorate in child psych. The downside is that there are a lot of restrictions and extra curriculum for working in a school setting. The upside is that if you got your masters in school counseling you could get a job at a school for your internship and likely transition into an actual position when you finish your hours. And when you eventually go back to get your doctorate you would have access to more positions and slightly better pay.

 

[PsyDetective]

I made a similar post in "Masters for Clinical Psych" with a link to a Master's-level advocacy organization you might want to check out.

Regarding the last post: What you have to know about the Master's degree in psychology and going on to a doctoral program is that only a few of your MA/MS courses will transfer. In general, you can consider yourself fortunate if you shave a year off your doctoral program. And you will be hard pressed to find ANY program that will transfer practica or clinical courses.

Generally speaking, counseling psych programs are more generous than clinical programs in this regard. In fact, (contradicting my earlier statement lol) there are a very limited number of counseling psych programs that will accept your full MA/MS coursework, but they are VERY few and far between.

If what you want to do is help young girls and families, then go for the MSW. This degree will serve you well for many reasons, not the least of which is the fact that third-party payers love the MSW and there are a myriad of jobs in various sectors that you can do with this degree. My .02

Good luck to you!