School psychology experience

[kelseyjosine21]

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Ok guys right now I'm an undergrad psych major and I was planning on getting my MSW when I'm done but now I'm thinking school psych would be better for me. I'm a little concerned about getting bored with it, but I'll cross that bridge if it ever comes. My question is where could I even get experience in that field to put on my resume? Right now I work at a psychiatric facility for 10 to 18 year olds with severe emotional or behavioral problems. Would that look good, or is too far from school psych? I don't know where I could get experience relating to it so any suggestions would be great, thanks!

 

[myelin]

It sounds like you're getting great experience at the facility you work at. It may be difficult to gain experience in school psychology per se, because school psych deals heavily with testing, and the tests are protected. Although, you may be able to shadow a school psych in your local school district, but I'm not sure about how issues such as confidentiality would work out. The school psych students I know didn't have any experience in "school psychology" before entering graduate school. They did have research experience as well as basic skills in psychometrics, child psychopathology, etc.

 

[kelseyjosine21]

Ick research experience haha. After this semester, I do have 2 semesters left before I graduate so I thing next semester I'll try and work as an RA but it's hard because I have to work full time to pay my bills. But I'll figure out a way. I'm also thinking of either doing babysitting as my 2nd job right now or trying to work at a daycare or preschool type thing? I'm sure it will be important to have experience with different age groups too.

 

[kelseyjosine21]

Oh and next semester I'm taking a course in child psychopathology woo I'm excited! I just can't think of anything else I can do to make a competitive resume.

 

[myelin]

To clarify, are you seeking admission to MA/EdS or PhD program in school psychology?

 

[kelseyjosine21]

Ma/Eds...I'm really not interested in research at all...or at least not for my career.

 

[myelin]

If you're going the MA/EdS route, research experience may not matter as much. If you can get some before you graduate, go for it. If not, I don't think it will hurt you. Keep working at the hospital and be sure to tie those experiences into why you want to be a school psychologist in your personal statement.

 

[thepsychgeek]

My suggestion is to contact a program and see how they weigh research experience. Also, have you considered an REU (research experience for undergraduates) program? I went to one in Oklahoma this summer, and we got to work with a School Psychologist. Just a thought.

 

[kelseyjosine21]

To thepsychgeek: That's a really great idea thank you! I'll have to look into that and also see how heavily the schools I'm interested in care about research experience. If anything, I'd like to do it to get a good recommendation because I'm pretty shy in classes.

To Maximus007: Just to clarify, I wasn't asking for your opinion about school psychology, I was just asking for some ideas of how to get experience in the field. I've already looked into getting my master's in Psychology and I'm not interested in getting a PhD or PsyD so that's not really for me. So thanks for your opinion even though I don't care and wasn't asking for one.