volunteer experience

[RayneeDeigh]

So, since interview invites are likely not in my immediate future, I'm starting to plan what I'll be doing for the next year when I graduate in April. I can continue to get research experience at my university, but I should probably get some clinical work in there too to balance my application out for next time. I was hoping for a paying job but my city doesn't really have much in the way of entrance-level mental health work. The local chapter of the Red Cross needs volunteers to go to schools and run interactive workshops for children on "abuse prevention". Does that sound good to you guys? I'm hoping to apply to profs who are mostly working with a) sex offenders b) female abuse victims c) abusive husbands.

I can't decide between that, and telephone bereavement support at a local hospital which is probably more applicable to the clinical experience I'd get in grad school.

I just don't know. So many choices. Advice is appreciated!

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[WaitingKills]

Hey

Check this out if you are going to apply to Canadian Universities again next year...

http://www.cpa.ca/cpasite/userfiles/Documents/students/Graduate Guide 2006-2007.pdf

It tells you about the programs in Canada, written by the programs, with most telling what they look at for admissions, including GRE scores and GPA's. Some also state their rankings on GRE scores, publications, volunteer work, clinical experience, letters of reference, etc on a scale of low to high.

From what I've read, focus most of your attention on research. All the schools rate that as high. If you have a chance to pick up extra paid work in a clinical like setting (like the one's you described) do it but only as long as you are not missing research opportunities to take up clinical experiences.

Oh, and just because the school is listed in this document doesn't mean the program is CPA approved. Check out the list of CPA approved programs in another area of the website. I made that mistake and was gonig to apply to a certain school as my safety (my very safety/absolute last resort ) school and ordered GRE scores for them before I figured out that it wasn't approved. Love throwing away that money!

And just remember, there is still lots of time for Canadian schools. While it's starting to look dreary, I think you said this earlier anyway, lots of Canadian schools don't do interviews. Therefore, we won't know for sure our outcome until the very end (bastard Canadian schools )!

Hang in there. Hey where did you apply anyway?

 

[WaitingKills]

Oh, I'd go for the red cross one too, with the kids.

The bereavement would be a complete downer (for me anyway) and it looks like the red cross one is more like what you are wanting to do in grad school. It'll show your potential profs that you are really interested in the area and have some hands on experience, rather than just a good clinical expereince that isn't in the area you want to work.

 

[RayneeDeigh]

Hey

Check this out if you are going to apply to Canadian Universities again next year...

http://www.cpa.ca/cpasite/userfiles/Documents/students/Graduate Guide 2006-2007.pdf

It tells you about the programs in Canada, written by the programs, with most telling what they look at for admissions, including GRE scores and GPA's. Some also state their rankings on GRE scores, publications, volunteer work, clinical experience, letters of reference, etc on a scale of low to high.

From what I've read, focus most of your attention on research. All the schools rate that as high. If you have a chance to pick up extra paid work in a clinical like setting (like the one's you described) do it but only as long as you are not missing research opportunities to take up clinical experiences.

Oh, and just because the school is listed in this document doesn't mean the program is CPA approved. Check out the list of CPA approved programs in another area of the website. I made that mistake and was gonig to apply to a certain school as my safety (my very safety/absolute last resort ) school and ordered GRE scores for them before I figured out that it wasn't approved. Love throwing away that money!

And just remember, there is still lots of time for Canadian schools. While it's starting to look dreary, I think you said this earlier anyway, lots of Canadian schools don't do interviews. Therefore, we won't know for sure our outcome until the very end (bastard Canadian schools )!

Hang in there. Hey where did you apply anyway?

Thanks for your reply! That reminds me, I also want to talk to my advisor about submitting my honours thesis for publication. Thanks for the reminder!

I applied to 12 schools. 9 of them are American, but the Canadian ones are UBC, Simon Fraser, and Saskatchewan.

I wish April would hurry up and get here so I'd know what was going on. lol