MarineBluePsy

Your school's financial aid department staff should be able to answer these questions for you and if not you can contact the Department of Education directly.  These are all valid questions that will assist you in planning so the sooner you have accurate information the better.

I refuse to call professors by their first name, even if they allow it.  We have a professional relationship and the formality is a reminder of that.

Talking to current students is a good way to gauge your budgeting needs.  Sometimes textbooks can be borrowed and some campuses provide free bus passes.  Rent can be cheaper with roommates or some landlords are very student friendly.  Best places to shop for day to day needs will also be something current students know.

If you are in the US it is customary for employees to give an employer 2 weeks notice when vacating a position.  That notice does not have to provide great detail about why you're leaving it could just say "leaving to pursue other opportunities."  While there is rarely a convenient time to leave a job you need to prioritize your own needs.  Announcing too early does increase the likelihood that you'll be asked to leave before you're financially prepared to.  If the situation were reversed and your employer needed to let people go it is very unlikely they'd offer a few months notice because their priority is themselves.  Often when employers let people go there is no notice, you're given some crappy excuse that day and escorted out.
You're not alone in being in this situation when transitioning to graduate school.  Others, including myself, have posted about this on the forum and things have turned out fine.  When I left my job I made sure that all loose ends were wrapped up so my coworkers wouldn't be stuck with extra work and then provided 2 weeks notice.  My employer wasn't happy to have to replace me, but they understood that I was leaving for an opportunity that was better for me.

If you are in the US it is customary for employees to give an employer 2 weeks notice when vacating a position.  That notice does not have to provide great detail about why you're leaving it could just say "leaving to pursue other opportunities."  While there is rarely a convenient time to leave a job you need to prioritize your own needs.  Announcing too early does increase the likelihood that you'll be asked to leave before you're financially prepared to.  If the situation were reversed and your employer needed to let people go it is very unlikely they'd offer a few months notice because their priority is themselves.  Often when employers let people go there is no notice, you're given some crappy excuse that day and escorted out.
You're not alone in being in this situation when transitioning to graduate school.  Others, including myself, have posted about this on the forum and things have turned out fine.  When I left my job I made sure that all loose ends were wrapped up so my coworkers wouldn't be stuck with extra work and then provided 2 weeks notice.  My employer wasn't happy to have to replace me, but they understood that I was leaving for an opportunity that was better for me.

I've never heard of any school reimbursing you for the amount of money you spent on the GRE. I would advise against asking for reimbursement as this is not something that is typically seen as eligible for reimbursement purposes.

During my application season I directly asked faculty and students about strengths and weaknesses of the program.  There is no such thing as a perfect program so places that refused to acknowledge that anything could be improved upon didn't sit well with me.  There also needs to be some reading between the lines and basic observation when interacting with students that can give you a ton of information.  If the students don't seem welcoming during your visit and instead seem exhausted and unhappy, then perhaps whatever is happening behind the scenes isn't great.  If questions about certain aspects of the program are ignored or responded to with the same cookie cutter sounds good response then perhaps there is another side of the story that would significantly impact your decision.

During my application season I directly asked faculty and students about strengths and weaknesses of the program.  There is no such thing as a perfect program so places that refused to acknowledge that anything could be improved upon didn't sit well with me.  There also needs to be some reading between the lines and basic observation when interacting with students that can give you a ton of information.  If the students don't seem welcoming during your visit and instead seem exhausted and unhappy, then perhaps whatever is happening behind the scenes isn't great.  If questions about certain aspects of the program are ignored or responded to with the same cookie cutter sounds good response then perhaps there is another side of the story that would significantly impact your decision.

@21n14l If you're able to find publicly available information about their current work then no I don't think its strange to reach out with a couple of follow up questions.  If you're not finding publicly available information about their work then it may increase your chances of a response if you went through the faculty member you're interviewing for or if there is a liaison you've been told to send your interview/application related questions to.  You could simply state that you noticed the website hasn't been updated and you wondered if any of the students might be open to a quick email regarding their current work.  The professor or liaison will likely just forward your request to the students and encourage them to respond.
If you decide to email students directly I'd keep it short and sweet.  Maybe something like......Hi Student, I'll be interviewing with Professor soon and I'd love to learn a bit about your recent work.  I'm sure you're quite busy, but unfortunately the website doesn't mention any projects from the last few years.  Care to share any info?  Thanks for your time.
This gives them the option of just whipping up a couple of lines, attaching a CV, pointing you to a publicly available source for up to date information, etc.  

I don’t know where you are getting your information from (Can you provide a citation on this figure?), but you’d be setting someone up for failure by telling them to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology if they simply want to do pp/“full time clinical work.” Even in AMCs or integrated healthcare settings (VA, state hospitals, private hospitals, etc.), most individuals with such credentials are assigned administrative roles, teaching roles, etc., which would not allow them to engage in “full time clinical work.”
The majority of reputable, competitive Ph.D. programs in clinical psychology would outright reject applicants who would even communicate such an interest at interviews or even their SOPs, as clinical psychologists are not simply psychotherapists. For those who are interested in a practice-oriented career, there are plenty of rigorous LMSW/MSW/MHC counseling programs that provide scientific training at least in EBP (UT Austin, UPenn, etc.).
Please be careful about disseminating incorrect information on here- numerous doctoral-level forums across the Internet have addressed this topic in depth. This isn’t the first time someone has posted a similar question on the Internet re: graduate studies in clinical psychology  

Are you sure you're not interested in research as a career? If you're interested in practicing exclusively, a master's might be more up your alley. I strongly suggest taking some time off to explore your interests and evaluate WHY you want a PhD/PsyD. That is, what is your end goal with the doctoral degree? This is something that I needed to do, and it helped reaffirm my interest in a PhD. However, for some people, it helps them realize that a PhD/PsyD is NOT what they want to do.
It is possible that you get accepted somewhere, but if you don't clearly know what your career goals are or why you want that degree, you may end up unhappy in a doctoral program. Also, I highly suggest you talk to your advisors/mentors and see what they recommend for your particular case.

From my experience and from speaking with mentors, you’ll statistically get more interviews and into much better programs when you take time off between undergrad and grad and work on research. I’ve had people tell me they don’t even consider people who haven’t taken time off. Not to say that it couldn’t happen, I know one person who had a near perfect GRE and got in right from undergrad but I would strongly advise to take time in between. You’ll mature as a person, a researcher, a clinican, etc. Additionally, I would describe “clinical” experience as working face to face with patients and/or people with psychopathology. The rest is more volunteer experience and lets the committee know you’re socially conscious, but this isn’t clinical experience in particular. I volunteer with crisis text line and have done service trips, and I would not say that’s clinical experience. 
If you don’t envision research in your future, I would shy away from PhD programs and consider instead PsyD, SW, or MHC degrees. Those all will allow you to be a clinican. 

As an FYI because someone I know just changed careers because they were denied, only 1% of those who applied for public service loan forgiveness were accepted, so I agree with @lincoln.hawks to not count on any program, etc. https://www.forbes.com/sites/zackfriedman/2018/09/24/public-service-loan-forgiveness-rejected/#611c62b61824

Doctormelody, glad to hear you are asking these questions before you have accumulated additional debt. 
I had the Post-9/11 GI Bill cover my MSW and living expenses, and for that I am grateful. I had several coworkers at the community mental health agency where I worked who took on loans to complete their MSW on top of the undergrad loans. Sounded like similar numbers to what you describe. They were rather frustrated about their financial situation, even 5 years post graduation. They were under the 10-year income-based repayment plan and couldn't qualify for the Public Service Loan forgiveness, despite working in community mental health. 
Their income did not support their goals like buying a home and having children. We are in Denver, which is a high cost-of-living area, so that may explain part of the problem but not all of it. The income-based repayment plan felt like a trap as they were essentially stuck in jobs that burned them out. They recommended not taking on this debt.

I recommend you do an honest assessment of your financial future before taking on debt for an MSW. Don't expect to get a fantastic scholarship or grant, a high-paying job, or qualify for a special loan forgiveness program. Figure things out based on median salaries, not the high end. New social work grads, and social workers in general, are commodities in the places that highly-educated people want to live. The MSW does not suddenly open a world of high-paying jobs to you and there is tough competition for entry-level social services positions. 
Sorry to be the dark cloud, but I think you need to hear this other perspective. 

Is your Master's thesis really that bad or are you just feeling less confident?  If it really wasn't good then perhaps one of your class papers will suffice as a writing sample.  You can talk with your advisor about their thoughts on selecting your best piece of work.

Hello all!  It has been a whirlwind of year for me completing all of my PhD coursework over again at a new university (no the credits did not transfer).  There is now an end in sight and I wanted to give you an update on this crazy story.  First off, I am doing wonderfully in my new lab.  In fact, all of those hours of needlessly troubleshooting my work in my old lab has made me a very proficient bench scientist.  My new project is really killer and is gaining some traction/winning some tiny university based awards. Each little win I get solidifies my decision on leaving my old lab. Right now I am at a scientific conference and my old lab is in attendance.  My old PI and Sarah are here! It’s very awkward and this is the first time I have seen them since I quit.  Unfortunately, this is going to be something I deal with because we are still very much in the same field.  I have just held my head up and moved on each time I’ve seen them. I have been a little nervous that Sarah would try to fabricate a story about me, which is why I have made sure to always have someone around me while walking around.  Here is what I can gather based on their presentations/behavior. Veronica graduated after seven years in the lab. It looks like she never received a first authored publication and that all of her pubs were authored by Sarah. The PI gave a talk on Veronica’s dissertation work and she isn’t listed as a coauthor on it. An undergrad gave a poster closely borrowing from the project that I designed while in the lab. All in all, it seems that it is still as toxic as ever. This is my first time at this specific conference and the old lab knows a lot of people, so it has been pretty intimidating but I am pushing through. This afternoon there is an awards ceremony and they are announcing grant awardees for a grant that I applied for.  Fingers crossed!  I wanted to update here since this post has chronicled all of the ins and outs of my situation.  Cheers! 

I'm not sure how you go about growing a thicker skin since I've been lucky to always have one.  I do think its important to remember that someone has to challenge  traditional views with new perspectives and right now that person is you.  If your perspective wasn't valuable then you wouldn't have gotten a journal to give you a revise and resubmit with what sounds like minimal feedback.  Negative comments can also push you to make your work even better despite their initial sting.

Hope no one’s  like me - refreshing the results page every hour even today, on NYE. 
 
GO OUT AND HAVE FUN! OR STAY HOME AND BE COZY! Enjoy the last day of 2018 with your friends, family, or loved ones. Reward yourself for all your hardwork in the past year. The stressful interview months will come before we know it, so take a break. 
 
Happy new year everyone!

I think its wise to aim for business casual regardless of what types of programs you're applying for.  I used to live in a warmer climate and opted not to spend money trying to find outfits for interviews in colder climates.  Instead I just layered.  So I'd wear a dress with a tank top (if you have a thermal one great) under, sweater tights, and a cardigan or blazer.  Then I had mittens (a scarf would probably also help, but I didn't have one) and borrowed a full length heavy winter coat which kept me extremely warm so it didn't matter that I wasn't wearing 12 layers of things.  For footwear I bought a pair of inexpensive rain boots to wear outside and then carried a pair of ballet flats in my purse.  When we got to whatever destination I just changed my shoes and it was no problem, in fact several other women did this so apparently this is common.

I'm not sure how you go about growing a thicker skin since I've been lucky to always have one.  I do think its important to remember that someone has to challenge  traditional views with new perspectives and right now that person is you.  If your perspective wasn't valuable then you wouldn't have gotten a journal to give you a revise and resubmit with what sounds like minimal feedback.  Negative comments can also push you to make your work even better despite their initial sting.

Even PsyD programs require some research. Honestly, both train clinicians. The vast majority of people from PhD programs also go onto clinical careers. In regards to counseling versus clinical, there's also very little difference. Whether you choose a PhD or PsyD in counseling or clinical will get you the same goal. As the previous poster suggested, go to the APA website and look at programs to see what programs offer the experiences you think you'd like and the research that interests you (even PsyDs require a dissertation). So really, you will be ok regardless of which options. Just ensure that you are applying to APA accredited programs and look at outcomes: how many people get APA accredited internships and pass the EPPP, the national licensing exam for psychologists. All of this data is required per APA guidelines. 
Also, if you aren't interested in doing assessments for severe mental illness, you can also look into masters level clinical degrees such as mental health counseling and social work. You may me be able to achieve your goals in less time by pursuing a masters. The majority of hospitals and clinics hire masters level clinicians for therapy, and plenty of these providers open up private practices. 

Here’s the insight: it’s holidays and the end of the semester don’t worry and just follow up after a few days 

https://forum.thegradcafe.com/topic/84192-protect-your-privacy-when-selecting-a-user-name/
 

If you have not already, it might help to ask students in your department who are TAing what it is like and how they're balancing the workload.  TAing means different things to different professors.  Sometimes it might mean you hold study groups and guest lecture regularly and other times it might mean you make copies and maybe do a little grading.  You also want to find out what sort of training/support is available if you need help or a student comes to you with a crisis.

It also may help to have a peer review it or use your University Writing Center.  Sometimes a fresh set of eyes reveals several editing options.