Hey all.. I'm starting a Psy.D. program this August and I have to purchase or "have access to" both the WAIS-IV and WISC-IV for my first year. The school offers them at a discounted rate through a particular company but it still is pretty pricey. I was wondering if anyone has heard of any companies that rents them or sells them used? I am considering purchasing them from a current student (many do this) but I've also been told sometimes people use notations (some write mark-ups,notes etc) in their books and this can get irritating if you want to use your own. Any thoughts, suggestions? Thanks!!
Purchasing the WAIS-IV and WISC-IV
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My thought is that you go to a crappy program if they don't have a test library and prefer to pass the cost to the student. Shiesty.
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Jeez, that is terrible!
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The best thing about having a test library....the fashionable bags and briefcases that hold the tests. Oh yeah!
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The best thing about having a test library....the fashionable bags and briefcases that hold the tests. Oh yeah!
Those hard top briefcases provided the delusion that you were a wall street executive making 500k a year, rather than a lowly peon making a barely livable stipend.
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Yeah, I would definitely go in on one with other first-year students, unless you really want your own for some other reason--any notes that you personally need can be achieved with post-its.
I'm really sorry that you have to pay for these yourself--as others have noted, my program has a test library with several WISCs and WAISes for us to borrow, so I can't imagine having to buy both of those myself.
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+1 This!
BUT: if one plans on going into private practice and wants to do testing...but who does at the start
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This is the first time I've ever heard of a program that didn't provide testing kits. I know it can't be common, but are there other programs that do this?
The school has kits at the on-site clinic that we can check out but our first year assessment classes strongly recommend individual access. I agree that this is not ideal but I am trying to make the best of the situation considering the pros definitely outweigh the cons. FWIW, it's a non-professional school, APA accredited, and has small cohorts. The APA match rates are also well above the national average. I also received an GSA with a nice amount of tuition remission so I am happy with my choice overall.
While I agree it's "shiesty" it's not very nice to bash someone's program based on one piece of information.
Anyway, thank you to all those who offered actual advice/insight. Take care.
While I agree it's "shiesty" it's not very nice to bash someone's program based on one piece of information.
Anyway, thank you to all those who offered actual advice/insight. Take care.
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In that case, i would verify with a student further on in the program that it is really necessary to buy your own. There is a world of difference between "strongly recommend" and "require". If there is a test library and there are only like 5-6 other people in your cohort, I don't think it will be a huge problem to check one out. We had like 3 WAIS's in the test library and I don't ever remember a problem. Unless you have only one WAIS and 50 in a cohort, I don't think it will be a huge issue.
I also don't think it is a great investment to buy the test kit if you don't have to. I have been licensed for several years and have never owned a kit because: 1. Program and internship provided them, 2. Current group PP provides them and 3. They change often enough that a newer version of the WAIS is being used now than what I was trained on.
Definitely talk to someone before committing to such a $$$$$$ purchase.
Dr. E
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I would agree. There's no telling if the next revision of the WAIS or, probably more likely, the WISC will come out before you finish your program. And while the older version may very well still be viable to use, I personally have never felt that it would've benefited me at all to have owned a test kit myself at any point during my training (assuming, as you've said, that your program provides you access to "communal" kits).
The most I'd recommend is checking out the technical manual and reading through it at some point. And of course read through the administration manuals prior to actually using either test. Beyond that, once you give them a dozen times, you'll be quite familiar with the tests themselves.
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What a joke if any program makes you buy it. I am too cheap to buy the WISC/WAIS now and I am a licensed clinical psychologist in private practice. As a student? That is thousands of dollars these days for a WISC/WAIS. You are there to learn, not buy a test that will quickly become outdated.
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I agree that it is ridiculous that the program is making you purchase the test kits yourself. Are you going to an FSPS, by chance?
Also, am I the only one who found those testing kits in hard briefcases to be really freaking heavy?
Also, am I the only one who found those testing kits in hard briefcases to be really freaking heavy?
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One student in my program bought their own WAIS, but their dissertation was based on the WAIS and they are also pursuing neuropsychology. They were very excited about the purchase, too. 
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Maybe I'm off my rocker, but I thought that to buy/sell these you needed to provide verification that you were competent to use them (e.g. the average joe cant purchase a wais, study, and rock their way into high IQ status). Is it okay for a first year student to OWN these?
For example, when I went to PAR's website, for the SB-5, they said this:
Qualification Level: C
All qualifications for Level B PLUS an advanced professional degree that provides appropriate training in the administration and interpretation of psychological tests; OR license or certification from an agency that requires appropriate training and experience in the ethical and competent use of psychological tests.
I suppose you can get your graduate institution to provide verification that you're in their program, but that hardly means you should be allowed to buy one, given that many people drop out of graduate programs thus, not ensuring that the test questions stay within the hands of those that are using them professionally.
For example, when I went to PAR's website, for the SB-5, they said this:
Qualification Level: C
All qualifications for Level B PLUS an advanced professional degree that provides appropriate training in the administration and interpretation of psychological tests; OR license or certification from an agency that requires appropriate training and experience in the ethical and competent use of psychological tests.
I suppose you can get your graduate institution to provide verification that you're in their program, but that hardly means you should be allowed to buy one, given that many people drop out of graduate programs thus, not ensuring that the test questions stay within the hands of those that are using them professionally.
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I was actually going to ask a similar question. I wonder if perhaps they technically sell it to the person's advisor, or somehow otherwise tie it to the advisor or program, so that ultimately they are responsible for test security factors and the like?
Ultimately, though, I just don't see how this would be particularly beneficial for a student to own, assuming kits are available for use through the program. I certainly couldn't justify the cost of one kit, let alone both, as a trainee, and I'm a neuropsych geek. I'd much rather spend the money on a license for stats software that the department might not have (if needed).
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I'm sure you thought of this....but definitely check w. your uni's IT and/or bookstore, as you can get licenses for uber-cheap while still a student. I think the newest SPSS was $50-$60 when I was a student (for the full boat one, not just the grad pack...good for a year). It makes me feel old...as I think I learned on SPSS 7...or maybe 8?
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Yes, definitely try to go through your bookstore/university for pretty much everything you buy. Ours didn't get us discounts on most stats programs, unfortunately, but they did have relationships with Dell, Microsoft, and various other companies to get us free or heavily-discounted software, laptops, etc. Heck, we even got a discount from Verizon.
Edit: To answer the OP's questions, I've never personally heard of test companies renting test kits or selling used ones, but I've honestly also never looked into it myself. I certainly have seen psychologists selling materials via professional listserves, though (and handling all of the credential checking backchannel), so you could try that route.
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You need someone who does qualify to sign off on it, IIRC, as well as verify your student status.
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Are you sure your program suggested you buy the actual kit and not just the manual? My program suggested that we buy the WAIS and/or WISC manuals so that we could practice with them at home, mark them up to our own specification, etc. The verbal tests are the hardest to track (e.g. write down the test taker's answers) and score anyway, and those don't need much from the briefcase. When I started my assessment course, I bought my own WAIS manual and found it quite helpful. The whole kit, however, is another story.
