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PsyDuck90

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Everything posted by PsyDuck90

  1. The Maryland 1 is so weird. I'm still not sure what the utility of it is for them if they've already admitted you. Previous coursework just means that you took a class in undergrad that covered developmental psychology and another that covered social psych. If those were the names, that makes it easier to prove equivalency, and they may ask for syllabi if the content was covered but the school just named it something weird.
  2. Can you give an example from a school where this is written? It's been a few years since I applied, but I do not remember coming across anything that said that. The APA doesn't care about the Psych GRE as far as I know and it would make no sense to take a GRE after you've already started a program.
  3. Most program systems won't allow you to even add a 4th rec writer. I would drop the McNair writer and keep 1-3. Another thing to ask yourself is...who would write you the best letter and pick the top 3 that way.
  4. Is there a specific reason you want a MA in clinical psych rather than going for a master's in counseling (license-eligible) or PhD/PsyD? Wake Forest, William and Mary, Villanova, and William Paterson are all programs that have funding. I'm sure there are others, but those are the ones I can think of off the top of my head.
  5. There is definitely a risk. However, if a program has some solid faculty, it could be a good gamble. Also, even if the program loses accreditation status later on, if you graduate while it still has the contingency status, you have graduated from an accredited program. It's not a chance I would take from Dr. Smith's Psych Shack School of Psychology, but can be a good bet when it's housed in a reputable department such as UC Irvine.
  6. Correct. As long as the program is accredited on contingency (which really means that they meet all criteria expect graduation data), then you are graduating from an accredited program. They only have a certain amount of time to submit the final self study and such before the visit for full accreditation.
  7. Accreditation requires a cohort to graduate, so APA instituted accredited on contingency as an accreditation option for newer programs. If granted, it means you graduated from an accredited program minus the outcome data.
  8. This question has been asked a few times over the years on StudentDoctorNetwork, and the general consensus is that it is very likely that a degree from another country outside of Canada will not be licenseable in the United States. It is likely you would have to do a whole other doctorate rather than just a few classes (most PhD and PsyD programs will also not allow you to take classes as a non-matriculated student).
  9. First of all, you can't change a person. Unless he wants to change and goes to therapy, he won't change. Literally nothing you can do will help him. He sounds like he's bad news. I would politely tell him you don't have time for this and ask him to not contact you again. Seriously, just cut your losses and move on. You will spend more energy, time, aggravation, etc on him with nothing positive in return. I am in the social sciences. I specifically study intimate partner violence. This guy sounds manipulative and, to be crass, like he's full of shit. You don't need this in your life.
  10. I agree with amazingbutternutsquash. When people write about their own MH in personal statements, it's usually in the context you are discussing (overcoming obstacles and the like), so the kiss of death statement directly applies to this context (although obviously if someone is talking about active struggles with MH, that would be a big no-no as well, but I feel like that is probably less likely). While it sounds like you have undoubtedly overcome a huge obstacle in managing your bi-polar disorder, I would try to find another example of you overcoming a difficulty. I think the biggest reason that discussing personal MH is such an issue is that it presents a possible liability for the school. While a good portion of grad students in counseling/psychology probably have their own MH histories, if you outright say "I have bi-polar," you are no longer a safe choice. They start thinking "well what if this person starts behaving erratically at a clinical placement? What if something happens and we have to file a liability claim and payout from the malpractice insurance?" As a trainee, you are operating under someone else's license. You would think that people in the mental health field would be more open, but at the end of the day, they have self-preservation reasons to pick someone who hasn't self-disclosed a mental health diagnosis, since that's the safer bet.
  11. Honestly, it sounds like he isn't worth your time. Someone who cares will support you and want to be with you regardless of where you're at in school. They may know to give you space when you are busy, but they do not fall off the face of the earth. When my husband and I started dating, we were in different states, about an hour drive (so not terrible) and I was in the middle of my master's degree and worked full time. Even when we didn't see each other in person, we would still text regularly. He understood I was busy and gave me that space to do my work, but still kept in contact. This guy sounds like he only cares when it is convenient for him and if it isn't, he ghosts you.
  12. I don't think that sounds creepy at all. Then again, I study intimate partner violence and sexual assault as a psychology grad student so I guess there's that. If you are applying to work with faculty who research similar topics, it won't be creepy to them.
  13. Yeshiva University also has a health psych PhD. Keep in mind that, by and large, PhD programs are relatively generalist and you get the majority of your specialty training via the research you do with faculty and your clinical experiences. Look at the research publications that interest you and find out where those people are. If you are looking for programs that are specifically billed as health psych, you will be closing the door on a lot of great programs that can get you the training you want.
  14. I would just check out the one in the state you're in now. In-state tuition is always cheaper. I know many social workers from a few of the state schools in my state, and they are all fantastic.
  15. For either of those, your state university will be sufficient. Applying to the higher priced big-name schools (like Columbia) is really only a leg up when you want to work for big NGOs and things like that where networking is a huge deal to get your foot in the door. Social workers are notoriously underpaid and most state schools have solid training, so you don't want to put yourself in a ton of extra debt if you don't have to.
  16. The first thing you should do is relax. If you weren't qualified, you wouldn't get in. Second, if you have a mentor you will be working with you, you can email them to see if there is anything you can get a head start on. If not, just relax. This may be the last time you have some free time for awhile depending on how rigorous your program is. Also, people dress however. I'm in a doctoral program, and on teaching days I will dress a little more professionally. However, most of us are wearing leggings/jeans and a t-shirt. I wouldn't necessity wear a ratty old t-shirt with holes and stains, but general athletic attire is not generally frowned upon if all you're doing is going to class.
  17. Check out Mitch's Guide to Grad School here to get more information on all the possible degree options. In essence, if you just want to do straight therapy, you can accomplish that with an LPC or LCSW. If you want to do any assessment work, you need a doctorate. There are more nuances, but that is the biggest distinction. While counseling psychology programs sometimes favor those with a counseling masters, clinical doesn't tend to care as much. In terms of research, the exposure/opportunities at these master's programs will vary from program to program. Research is usually not the focus. Edited to add: LCSWs can bill Medicare, while LPCs cannot (if you care about that at all). Also, LCSW licensure requirements are more standardized across states than LPC requirements, which makes the degree more portable if you move.
  18. Can you defer to Spring and then again to Fall if things are still not good?
  19. Yeah, I feel this really hard too. I'm fortunate enough to be in a program already, but I just turned 30 and while all my other friends are buying houses and having babies, my husband and I are stuck in this waiting game since we can't afford kids right now (I can't take time off from practicum without making myself less competitive for internship). It makes it even more evident when a few of my cohort-mates got in straight out of undergrad. I love them, but it's hard not to be the teeniest bit jealous that they will be 26 (younger than I was when starting) when we graduate and I'll be 33. It seems like there is always another hurdle. I truly wish all of you the best of luck in your application cycles. I hope you find your perfect fits!
  20. What is your goal with the MSW? For instance, if it is to be a licensed clinical social worker and do therapy, going with a state school is usually your best bet to alleviate debt-load and get a good quality education.
  21. Several of my classmates have Macbooks (not sure if pro). I have a 2 year old Microsoft Surface, which I love. The capability to switch to a tablet is very convenient for when I'm reading/annotating PDFs. Whatever you get, as long as it can run SPSS/R/any other stats software you may be using, you're good. Also, depending on how you work, the capability for docking/connecting a 2nd monitor may be convenient (like when looking at data and writing up papers).
  22. Keep working on the research stuff. Your GPA is honestly fine. As long as it's 3.5+, you're usually in good shape, especially if your psych GPA is higher. Do you have a faculty mentor who would be willing to help you write a manuscript with the data you have? No one would expect you to be doing that on your own as an undergrad (or even an early year grad student). Edited to Add: Also, try spending the rest of your undergrad thinking about your specific research and clinical interests. While this may evolve and change (and most likely will), having a clear idea that you can articulate in your statement of purpose during application season can go a long way.
  23. I think that sounds like a good plan. Most faculty will want research assistants to have taken a research methods course at minimum. The research lab's website may have an application process that they explain for those interested in joining the lab. When you do reach out, make sure you have looked at the research the faculty member has put out and familiarize yourself with the current projects listed on the website. It's always good to show you've done your due diligence. I don't think you necessarily need a formal postbacc or anything. Really, just try to get some research posters and the undergrad psych pre-reqs. I literally cannot stress enough how much faculty care about research experience. That and a clearly written statement of purpose which explains your goals and POI fit are probably the biggest factors of your application.
  24. Honestly, that sounds like the best plan if you don't want to ruffle feathers. Also, it is ok to ask questions (at least it should be). The way you form them is important. For instance, can you ask your advisor why these analyses in a way that's like "hey, I know we discussed doing X. I learned Y in my stats class, so I was just curious what makes X preferable over Y?" So it's more about understanding the process and decision making rather than about you attacking the professor's methodology. You're in grad school to learn how to do be an independent scientist, and 1 way to get to that point is understanding the thought process that goes into making certain methodological choices, so you asking questions is a means of getting that insight.
  25. Is there faculty that have more closely aligned research interests? I'm curious why you're working with someone who's expertise isn't that well aligned with yours. Is there another faculty member you have in mind? Also, is your funding directly tied to working with this particular person? In my experience and those of others I know, it isn't that uncommon to work with multiple people in a department throughout your graduate training.
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