meremere719

I'm in my first year of graduate school and I can't remember the last time I felt this lonely. I spent my undergraduate years in many different clubs and teams, so it was easier to make close friends. Luckily I do have a great cohort and we all get together occasionally, but between the craziness of our classes and practicum, it's difficult to find much time to hang out and do something that isn't school related. Although I have friends in my program, they aren't the same friendships I used to have. We all enjoy each other's company, but I can't say that I have a best friend or someone I can completely confide in. My roommates and I are also not close; we simply cohabitate. I desperately miss having someone near all the time that would bring out the fun in me and help me destress. I think it's just a part of learning to cope with life changes.

I recently started a Ph.D. program in my home state, about 2 1/2 hours from home. I had no idea what school psychology was until I started determining which programs to apply for. I had no prior research experience, only a lot of passion for psychology, a great GPA/GRE score, and a love for kids. However, I seem to be in turmoil about whether I have chosen the right program. I know I just started, but research is NOT my area of interest. That being said, I am required to write a thesis, and dissertation, and participate in lab research studies each semester. 4 years of this chaos is a long time to suffer. While that all sucks, I love the applied opportunities I already have. My concern is whether I've chosen the right program. I would love to work with children and adults, but I don't plan to continue any research once I have my degree. All I want is a good paying job that I love. It's difficult to get respect in the field of psychology with only the letters M.A. beside your name. I am fully capable of completing the Ph.D, but it just seems like a pain to complete this research I have no interest in. I guess my question is if my job opportunities/salary would really suffer that much if I switched from a school psych Ph.D. program to some applied psychology M.A. program.