Top Resources For Undergrads Considering the Field

[iliketohelppeople]

I work with a lot of undergraduates and help them think through graduate school. I discuss the differences in fields/licenses (SW vs LPC vs clinical/counseling psychology), finances, etc. However, I was wondering what resources are out there that folks like to point undergrads to relating to considering careers/graduate school in this area that they can read/watch on their own time?

Dr. Schleider at SBU has this open access material. There is also the Insider's Guide to Graduate Programs in clinical Psychology.

There are also some good resources here at SDN like A PsyD story (mostly $$$ talk).

Any other helpful/good resources? Thanks in advance.

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[summerbabe]

Mitch’s Uncensored Advice is a better initial resource than the Insider’s Guide IMO since it outlines the field more generally and describes what type of typical prep might be needed.

 

[R. Matey]

I'm a fan of the Insider's Guide. I used it and SDN when I was applying and both helped tremendously. APA puts out a book too called "Getting In," which wasn't as helpful. Mitch's was pretty outdated though I see that he recently updated so that's reassuring, I guess. He also gets a lot of the counseling stuff wrong though.

 

[ThatPsyGuy]

I used Dr. Joseph Hammer's website a lot and the info there really helped.
His youtube series also helped a lot in getting accepted into a PhD program.

 

[Temperance]

• The Portable Mentor: Expert Guide to a Successful Career in Psychology (available via library subscription at most major universities)
• Dr. Mote's tip sheet
• Dr. Rodriguez-Seijas's annotated personal statement examples (for students already committed to applying)
• A Field Guide to Grad School: Uncovering the Hidden Curriculum (first chapters cover choosing programs but the book itself provides insight into what graduate school itself is like)

 

[iliketohelppeople]

These are all great suggestions! I am just looking to get as many resources as possible, and categorize them for my students so that they can read them/research on their own time.

I'm a fan of the Insider's Guide. I used it and SDN when I was applying and both helped tremendously. APA puts out a book too called "Getting In," which wasn't as helpful. Mitch's was pretty outdated though I see that he recently updated so that's reassuring, I guess. He also gets a lot of the counseling stuff wrong though.

I just skimmed the guide, and generally it seemed okay, but I think I found what you might have been thinking about. Is it the bit about being less involved in research activities and less likely to work as professors?

 

[R. Matey]

I just skimmed the guide, and generally it seemed okay, but I think I found what you might have been thinking about. Is it the bit about being less involved in research activities and less likely to work as professors?

Yeah, that assumption doesn't bear out if you look at employment data by subfield or the research that compares productivity between clinical and counseling psychologists. I'm assuming it's ignorance, but if you're going to write a guide, it's on you to be as accurate as possible.

 

[Dazen]

The Psychin' Out community has put together a substantial resource hub!

Psychin' Out

psychinout.org

 

[psycle708]

I'm a fan of the Insider's Guide. I used it and SDN when I was applying and both helped tremendously. APA puts out a book too called "Getting In," which wasn't as helpful. Mitch's was pretty outdated though I see that he recently updated so that's reassuring, I guess. He also gets a lot of the counseling stuff wrong though.

His school psych description is also lacking - it's okay for masters/specialist school psych but too limited for doctoral level school psychologists. There's great info in his guide but I'm hesitant to recommend it when I know that it perpetuates the false idea that doc level school psychs all work in schools/operate super differently than counseling/clinical doc programs.

 

[iliketohelppeople]

His school psych description is also lacking - it's okay for masters/specialist school psych but too limited for doctoral level school psychologists. There's great info in his guide but I'm hesitant to recommend it when I know that it perpetuates the false idea that doc level school psychs all work in schools/operate super differently than counseling/clinical doc programs.

That is also good to know. Do you have any other good pointers to info about doc level school psychs? I would love more information/resources with these folks!

 

[psycle708]

Here's a document from NASP with a general explanation: Overview of Differences Among Degrees in School Psychology

Selecting a Graduate Program

Prospective school psychologists must consider various factors when applying for and choosing a graduate program.

www.nasponline.org

APA Div 16 might have other resources. Within the realm of child/adolescent treatment, there's a ton of overlap in clinical, counseling, and school psychology. In a lot of settings, doc level school psychs function just like clinical or counseling psychs do.