PsyDuck90

Looking at the outcome data, Indiana state looks like it has a smaller cohort size and slightly better match rates, plus cheaper tuition.

If that's the case, then it isn't as much of a gamble, but it is still a gamble. Do you mind sharing which 2 programs you are between? That may also help us give more feedback on factors to consider. Honestly, there's some pretty crummy programs out there that have been consistently accredited.

Rankings don't really mean much in clinical/counseling psych. Look at the student outcomes data. Schools are required to report APA internship match rates.

My question would be the reason for probationary status. Programs can be put on probation for a variety of things, some related to serious programmatic concerns and others related to record-keeping for instance.

I'm in a different field, so this may vary. However, the question I would ask is what do you think you may need your laptop for during the visit day? My assumption is that you will most likely not be pulling it out for any reason during the visit. The only reason I could think of is if you don't have anywhere you feel comfortable leaving it (like if staying with a student host instead of a hotel or something).

Is the maternity leave policy going to impact your decision to accept this offer? If yes, I would reach out to the DCT or program director. If not, I would wait until you get on campus and build relationships/get a better feel for the program to find out how to talk to about this. I'm a bit older to, and my plan is to wait until final on-site year or internship year depending on how far along my dissertation is. But I am prioritizing finishing and getting into the job market with a real salary over growing my family, and my husband is on board.

Maternity leave may very well push back your graduation simply for that fact you may not accrue enough clinical hours to be competitive for internship. Legally, you have certain rights. However, that doesn't always mean that the program will be the most supportive. One woman in my program had a baby during and was able to Skype into classes while out on leave (however, practicum hours were something she was nervous about because you can't Skype into that). So, I've seen my program be accommodating, but that doesn't mean that every program will be.

This is tough. However, I would actually be more inclined to go with option 2. While you can hope to gain these experiences on internship, you often have a better chance of getting more competitive internships if you have some similar experiences in externship. When you say that school 1 is more research heavy, do they identify as a clinical science model or still a scientist-practitioner model? If scientist-practitioner, then you'll probably get solid clinical training. Also, think about what kind of mentorship you thrive in. It's 1 thing to say you have to have more initiative. It's another to know you'll do it.

So I'm not a mom (husband and I are holding off on kids until I finish), but I am considered an older student compared to the vast majority of my program-mates (30 and in my 2nd year). I also have a classmate who is a mom and I know she finds it very difficult to balance everything, and she is fortunate enough to have a lot of help. I think the main thing for you to consider is what is your ultimate career goal. You said that you applied to PhD programs at the behest of your professor. Does your professional goal require a PhD or is the masters level licensure enough? Yes, you can get paid more as a doctorate level clinician. However, once you factor in the cost of tuition (it sounds like you were awarded some assistance but it isn't a full ride) and time spent out of the workforce and therefore not earning anything, you may just break even (or not even). Add in that you will likely not be contributing to retirement funds during your time in the program, so that can increase the amount of time you have to work before you can afford retirement. These are just some things I would consider when factoring in the decision. I know I thought about a lot of these types of things prior to applying because I was in a good and psych-adjacent career with a master's before I decided to quit to pursue clinical psychology.

Haha enjoy this free time while it lasts. Once you start up in the fall, you will be back to the grind.

I was interested in psychology as a field of science starting in high school when I took it as an elective. Then, that interest continued and I also enjoy helping people. I liked the idea of therapy and assessment, as well as research in the realm of trauma in survivors of interpersonal violence. I liked it enough to study it in school for 10+ years lol.

Surviving Your Stupid, Stupid Decision to Go to Grad School by Adam Ruben is a funny book I got as a gift. It's short and light-hearted.

One way to go about is to steer into the orientation of the program (most will have a preference for something). What I did when I applied was say I am interested in becoming an evidence-based practitioner and I am not yet familiar enough with the intricacies to be able to confidently say I have a theoretical orientation. The program I am attending Bill's itself on evidence based practice and skews a little more towards CBT than psychodynamic and third-wave. This question will follow you by the way. I get asked at almost every externship interview, and one of the internship essays asks this question. It is basically the basis of your identity as a psychologist.

Helping the victims how? If you want to work with victims/survivors in a clinical/therapeutic capacity, you need to have a degree that will lead to a clinical license. A criminal justice or criminology PhD will not get you there. You can get a master's level license, but then you wouldn't really be set up for the research end of it. In order to achieve both parts of this goal, you would have the most success with a clinical psychology PhD. The program itself doesn't need to have a forensic emphasis, but finding a POI who does this type of research is important. Also, your interests are still fairly broad. Victims of what kind of crime? Intimate partner violence? Human trafficking? Gang violence? Robbery? Before you go down a path, maybe take some more time to really think about what you want your day to day to be. Then, do a search for people in that role. What kind of credentials do they have? Also, if you can't find anyone who does exactly what you want to do, that also tells you that maybe your dream job isn't really feasible. It's often difficult to find a clinical position that allows for some research time outside of academic medical centers. You may have to ask yourself whether you'd want your days to be spent in a clinic or doing research, as it may be hard to get a 50/50 split.

You can always just block out the name/address of the other school. The date probably doesn't matter.