will I ever be accepted into a Psy.D./Ph.D. program with 2 leaves of absence???

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lightthecandle

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I left a semester of college last fall due to medical problems. I fear that I may have to leave this semester (with all W's again) due to an urgent surgery that I must undergo. I just want to ask how this will affect my chances of getting a Masters in Psychology and then getting my PHD???
please do let me know!

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I got into a MSW program and was waitlisted at a highly respected PsyD despite having pretty fuxed transcripts.

I had a good number of W's (maybe 3-4) and even some F's (3-4) where I'd just abandoned one semester of school.

Life gets in the way sometimes, it's how you respond to that speedbump that will impress someone or end your chances.
 
The leaves of absence shouldn't be a problem; medical problems are completely justified. I hope the surgery goes well. Take the time to recover and don't worry about school.

I did want to mention-- if your ultimate goal is a Ph.D., you're probably better off not applying for a terminal M.A., at least not in clinical psych. Apply directly after your B.A. to funded Ph.D. programs, or take a year or two off to work and improve your application.
 
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The leaves of absence shouldn't be a problem; medical problems are completely justified. I hope the surgery goes well. Take the time to recover and don't worry about school.

I did want to mention-- if your ultimate goal is a Ph.D., you're probably better off not applying for a terminal M.A., at least not in clinical psych. Apply directly after your B.A. to funded Ph.D. programs, or take a year or two off to work and improve your application.

yes, my ultimate goal is to get my Ph.D. but I thought you're supposed to get your Masters first, then apply to a Ph.D program?

Can you please please tell me the steps/schooling I need to take after completing my BA in Psychology in order to get a Ph.D in Psychology?

also, If I do decide to stick it out this semester, I'll probably get these grades: D, B, B+, F so would it be better if I just take a leave of absence?
 
I know this is going to sound crazy..but I've only taken 1 Psych class thus far,and I absolutely love the field.

I'm junior right now, however I'll be taking 5 years to graduate. the next two years I will finish my classes to fulfill my major..if I get all A's in them and all my classes do you think I have a chance at getting into a Ph.D program right after my BA despite my record of leaves of absences?

I'm so confused, please help :scared:
 
*MOD NOTE: I combined your threads, as we don't allow cross posting the same and/or similar threads across multiple forums. -t*

I'm so scared for my life right now.

My ultimate goal is to get my Doctorate in Psychology (not sure which one yet) however, I have two leaves of absence in my undergrad.

I'm a junior right now and I've only taken 1 psych class thus far, and have the next two years to finish it off. Will this look heavily frowned upon by admissions committees that I have taken 2 leaves of absence?

I really don't want to take any years off and work just to improve my chances.

please let me know what to do
 
I'm not sure what you mean by leaves of absences? Are you meaning that you've taken two semesters off, or is it marked on your transcript?

I think that if you've just had a couple semesters off, for whatever reason, it won't matter in the scheme of things especially since they were in your first two years. If it is marked on your transcript, I don't know how that will be looked upon. I had to take a semester off, two different times, due to medical issues and it didn't impede my applications at all (my undergrad GPA has been a struggle though). I just briefly explained it in my PS.

What WILL matter more would be your GPA (psych and general), GRE scores, research match and research experience - get LOTS of research experience. The quality of your PS will also play a role.
 
I don't think it will kill your chances at all if you have an amazing two years academically and experientially! So you will have to work your butt off these next couple of years but it will all be worth it if you do.
You can expalin to them the situation and your transcript will show how will you have done since the LOA's.

My question for you RIGHT NOW, is ... why do you want to get a Ph.D. in Psychology? Are you sure? That one class may have definitely done it for you but having only taken one class you may find another major that suits you better.

Jon
 
First, deep breathe and relax. It is good to to have goals, but realize if you have only had one psych class, you still have alot to learn about psych, and how the field works. Be open, and just take it all in and get some experiences (preferably hardcore research if Ph.D. is the goal). If you haven't already gotten research experience, you are quickly running short on time though. The leaves of absence in and of themselves, are not that big of a deal (assuming its not cause you were flunking out) if you explain them. Unfortunately, your grades don't sound too impressive thus far. Please be aware that the average cumulative GPA for a competitive Ph.D applicant is 3.8.....a GRE above 1200, and several years of solid research experience. The Psy.D stats are a little lower, but high nonetheless. People get their masters along the way in a Ph.D. programs. People can also do a masters first, and the apply to a Ph.D. after. Unfortunately, this takes much longer since a Ph.D. program will make you repeat many classes, and can be a financial burden since masters programs generally not provide financial support as Ph.D. programs do. It can be an option, but is by no means the optimal way to do things.

Second, taking a year off to get more experience and to make yourself the most competitive candidate possible is just a reality of this field in many cases. Life is full unexpected things and sometimes we have to adjust our timelines. Taking a year or 2 off out of undergrad is often enjoyable for many people, and can allow you time to get great research experience and real world exposure to field.
 
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