PsyDuck90

Honestly, for an online MSW, I don't know how much you're really benefitting from the "pedigree of Columbia." Social work isn't exactly a field that focuses on ivy league distinction, and given then you'll be online, you won't really benefit that much from the relationship-building that happens at an ivy league university which is typically what opens the door to certain opportunities. You can do a search of GradCafe of people weighing the pros and cons of spending the extra money on Columbia, and most people state it isn't worth it. You will most likely get a much better education from attending a PA program in person and having the intellectual discussions with your professors and classmates than the education you'll get in an online program. Ivy league at the MA level really only matters for law school (I know technically not an MA, but it is 3 years) and business school. 
Where you live is no one's business but your own. As long as you feel you can accomplish what you need and your family gives you the space to conduct your work and have a social life as you see fit, there isn't really anything that precludes you from living with your parents. 

A. Not having an MA doesn't mean you are behind or belong any less than the other people in your cohort. You got accepted, meaning you belong. Also, if everyone else came in with previous grad school experience and you didn't, I think that shows your innate abilities even more so because you were still clearly able to impress the admissions committee. 
B. You've been in school for a week. Give yourself some more time to make friends. As you said, you're trying to figure things out and adjust to your new surroundings. I would imagine the rest of your cohort is probably in the same boat. Get used to your neighborhood, your classes, your daily workload, etc. Friendships should hopefully develop over time. 
C. Chances are, people don't think you stick out as much as you think. Social anxiety often leads a person to believe that everyone is staring at them when they aren't. As a general rule, you also don't really want to talk about your research in class unless it is directly related to the discussion at hand and moves along the conversation. So if your research is different, you may be able to provide a different incite into the topic at hand. 
Just remember, PhD cohorts are small. If you got in, that's because you are intelligent and bring somerhing unique and special to the program. Also, given that you're in LA (I'm assuming you mean Los Angeles) there was probably pretty stiff competition for your spot. 
It's scary uprooting your life and starting over. Just try to go with the flow and enjoy your new experiences as they come. Get to know the people in your department, as well as grad students in other departments. Making friends in grad school isn't really the same as when you're 18 and a college freshman. Sometimes it takes more time to develop a bond.
Good luck!

I have an informal Skype interview with a potential grad advisor tomorrow...wish me luck everyone.

The personal statement/statement of purpose is different from the writing sample. A writing sample is an example of your academic writing. People usually use their thesis, but a paper you wrote for a class can also work, if you have any in English. You can reach out to the program to see what they typically have international students do. 

The personal statement/statement of purpose is different from the writing sample. A writing sample is an example of your academic writing. People usually use their thesis, but a paper you wrote for a class can also work, if you have any in English. You can reach out to the program to see what they typically have international students do. 

Most schools don't want your official transcript from prior schools until they admit you (but read carefully. When I was applying last cycle, there were like 2 or 3 that did). For the others, what I did was request an official transcript from my prior university and scanned the document as a PDF to upload to all my applications. GREs, however, it seems you need to send official scores to everyone through the ETS website. This is based on my experience anyway. 

I would also try to get solid numbers if possible. A program can be honest in saying alumni work at the UN if they've had 2 in the last 20 years land a job there. Try to see if they have specific data so you can see just how many actually end up in specific fields. 

Yes, if you want to use the chunks of time you have productively, you have to prepare. You can use the shorter chunks you have to prepare for the longer chunks.
One thing I had to convince myself of was to just write. Sentences are just a collection of words; paragraphs are made up of sentences. Even if you have a 30 minute span of time, how much can you write? Even if you can only write one paragraph, that's one less paragraph you have to go to your goal. Persisting in writing even small amounts is so important - set aside some time to write almost every day, even if it's only a short period. Set yourself realistic goals. I used Scrivener to write my dissertation in pieces, and Scrivener does easy word counts at the bottom of each section. Give yourself a couple of diagnostic sections to see how much you can realistically write in X period of time (realizing that there's a difference between theoretical writing, like a literature review, and things like methods). Then assign yourself goals at the beginning of each session. So maybe your goal for a 30 minute session is about 100 words. Believe it or not...that's about one-third to a bit less than one-half a double-spaced page (Times New Roman, 12 pt-font, depends on the length of the words).
I outlined my entire dissertation from the beginning...and broke the entire thing up into 2-3 page chunks. Once I did that, the task seemed FAR more surmountable. (I also picked that tip up from a book.) I worked backwards from when I wanted to be finished and assigned myself specific sections to be working on on specific weeks/days, with deadlines. I communicated this timeline to my advisor for some external accountability (he didn't give a fig when I finished, lol, but it felt more accountable to me). Of course, this timeline and outline shifted and changed over time, but it at least gave me a roadmap and an overarching goal.
I also realized that some of the writing rituals I committed myself to were actually, in truth, procrastination techniques. Figure out what you absolutely have to do to get started writing - I mean, the bare minimum that you can go with. Try writing exercises in different areas, without ideal conditions. How do you do? See, you didn't die. Since you have to change workspaces often, one thing you may want to do is pack a bag with the bare essentials you need to write. Try to purchase or download books/articles electronically and enter them into a reference manager, so you can be as mobile as possible. I wrote a significant chunk of my dissertation at a coffee shop around the corner from my apartment, just for variety. (I wrote probably like less than 5% of it in the graduate student workspace.)
One of the most valuable things I learned was from the book Writing Your Dissertation in Fifteen Minutes a Day, by Joan Bolker. (The title is not meant to be taken literally.) She talks about "parking on the downhill slope" - which means when you stop, make it easy for yourself to get going again. Set aside 5-10 minutes at the end of each writing session to write yourself some messy notes about what you're thinking right then, where you were planning to go with a thought, what article you need to read or reference, or whatever else is helpful to help yourself get going. That way, next time you sit down to write, you don't have to waste 20 minutes trying to remember what the hell you were writing about last time.
When it comes to data analysis and processing - document, document, document! Comment all through those syntax files! Literally, every time you run an analysis, write a short comment about what you were doing with that line of code. If you use a GUI system (like SPSS) just start a notes file in a program like Evernote or OneNote and comment what you're doing. That's the way to "park on the downhill slope" with data analysis. That way, next time you start up you can just glance at your notes/comments and remember where you where and what you were doing. I also took the time (~5 min at the end of each analysis section) to write to myself about what I was planning to try/do next, so that when future me sat down I didn't waste time trying to figure out what the hell I was doing and what this code was for!
Another tip I used a lot is to save editing/revising for dedicated editing/revising days/sessions. If you're a procrastinator or a perfectionist, the temptation might be strong to edit/revise as you write, or to start editing/revising at the beginning of your session. If you do that, you'll look up 2 hours later and realize you've not written anything new. I put a banner above my workspace that say "JUST WRITE" to remind me to stop constantly editing and to just write. Even if I felt like I was vomiting out nonsense, a lot of the time I was able to take that "trash" and edit/revise it to something better later, when I had dedicated editing time. (Honestly, I wrote a significant portion of my dissertation with a glass of wine nearby. The buzz from the wine helped inhibit my natural perfectionistic tendencies and I was able to write more. Now, I often had to do revisions in the mornings but at least I had some words on the paper!)
Recommended books:
How to Write a Lot by Paul Silva (someone else recommended it; it's awesome)
Writing Your Dissertation in Fifteen Minutes a Day, by Joan Bolker (again, not meant to be taken literally, but there are lots of practical tips)
Complete Your Dissertation or Thesis in Two Semesters or Less (their timelines are, IMO, unrealistic. But the tips and skills are useful)
Destination Dissertation: A Traveler's Guide to a Done Dissertation, by Sonja K. Foss and William Waters (They have this recommended activity that involves slips of papers. I thought the method was stupid, but I basically did the activity electronically and that was decently helpful.)
The Craft of Research, by Booth, Colomb, Williams, Bizup, & Fitzgerald. Now in its 4th edition. Excellent resource!
 

A. Not having an MA doesn't mean you are behind or belong any less than the other people in your cohort. You got accepted, meaning you belong. Also, if everyone else came in with previous grad school experience and you didn't, I think that shows your innate abilities even more so because you were still clearly able to impress the admissions committee. 
B. You've been in school for a week. Give yourself some more time to make friends. As you said, you're trying to figure things out and adjust to your new surroundings. I would imagine the rest of your cohort is probably in the same boat. Get used to your neighborhood, your classes, your daily workload, etc. Friendships should hopefully develop over time. 
C. Chances are, people don't think you stick out as much as you think. Social anxiety often leads a person to believe that everyone is staring at them when they aren't. As a general rule, you also don't really want to talk about your research in class unless it is directly related to the discussion at hand and moves along the conversation. So if your research is different, you may be able to provide a different incite into the topic at hand. 
Just remember, PhD cohorts are small. If you got in, that's because you are intelligent and bring somerhing unique and special to the program. Also, given that you're in LA (I'm assuming you mean Los Angeles) there was probably pretty stiff competition for your spot. 
It's scary uprooting your life and starting over. Just try to go with the flow and enjoy your new experiences as they come. Get to know the people in your department, as well as grad students in other departments. Making friends in grad school isn't really the same as when you're 18 and a college freshman. Sometimes it takes more time to develop a bond.
Good luck!

If your ultimate goal is a PhD, I would caution against an online MA. If you go for an MA, you want a research component. Online programs have a reputation for not providing the best training (even SNHU) so many doctoral programs will not take an applicant with online credentials that seriously because they have their pick of candidates. Also, it will be much harder to forge close relationships with faculty in an online program vs a traditional program. 

This may be a silly question, but how far away is your parents home from your new apartment? If it is not exceptionally far, you can make sure to just move the essentials (furniture, clothes, specific books) and then sift through the rest of the things when on break or something. It appears that you will be living with them while commuting for the 1st few weeks, correct?

It seems they are open to students reaching out, but I would do so in October or November, as the text stipulates. In the month and a half that you have, I would think it would be a good idea to read up on their research and formulate a good question to ask because that will also increase the likelihood of a response. 
Overall, reaching out to faculty may be discipline specific. In my field (Psychology), it's expected that you reach out to faculty prior to submitting applications. 

If your ultimate goal is a PhD, I would caution against an online MA. If you go for an MA, you want a research component. Online programs have a reputation for not providing the best training (even SNHU) so many doctoral programs will not take an applicant with online credentials that seriously because they have their pick of candidates. Also, it will be much harder to forge close relationships with faculty in an online program vs a traditional program. 

I would suggest creating outlines first. If you have a specific outline and clear notes on your source papers, it can be a lot easier to cut down the amount of prep time you have. When I was writing my MA thesis, I had all the articles grouped by topics and annotated so that I knew where I wanted to use them. Taking the time to do a detailed outline of each section, including possible sources, can make a huge difference. Also, sometimes it's best to just start writing. Things can be edited later on. If you at least get some ideas down, that can make huge headway. 

If your ultimate goal is a PhD, I would caution against an online MA. If you go for an MA, you want a research component. Online programs have a reputation for not providing the best training (even SNHU) so many doctoral programs will not take an applicant with online credentials that seriously because they have their pick of candidates. Also, it will be much harder to forge close relationships with faculty in an online program vs a traditional program. 

I would suggest creating outlines first. If you have a specific outline and clear notes on your source papers, it can be a lot easier to cut down the amount of prep time you have. When I was writing my MA thesis, I had all the articles grouped by topics and annotated so that I knew where I wanted to use them. Taking the time to do a detailed outline of each section, including possible sources, can make a huge difference. Also, sometimes it's best to just start writing. Things can be edited later on. If you at least get some ideas down, that can make huge headway. 

I would caution that if you have an interest in graduate study, you may have a very hard time getting into a good program if you go the online route for your BA. You will most likely not be able to develop close relationships with faculty who will then write your letters of recommendation, and you can't participate in a research lab, which is an important skill if you would like to get into a PhD or PsyD program. 

1. Yes, you want to contact all potential PIs at all schools. The emails should be about your research interests meshing with theirs and asking questions about their current research. You want to make sure that you are not asking questions that are answered on the website or their lab web page. Also, ideally, try to send emails to all faculty at 1 school within the same day or so. That way it doesn't seem like you're just going for your 2nd choice or anything.
2. You may still have a chance if you don't email faculty, but the purpose of reaching out to PIs is to hopefully establish a rapport so that they remember you when looking at your application. 
3. If a PI doesn't respond, you should still apply to the school. Some PIs just won't respond to prospective student emails. 
4. Do not contact faculty after the deadline. If you make it to the interview round, they will invite you to the interview. If you know the interview date has passed and you did not hear anything, you can reach out to faculty for feedback on how to improve your application for the next cycle. 

Have you read the social worker code of ethics? I think variances in viewpoints exist in any field (for instance in psychology there are practitioners that have a behaviorist point of view and other who have a positive psychology point of view such as yourself, etc.) As long as you have no inherent issues with the code of ethics social workers abide by, the kind of practitioner you are once you become licensed is mostly up to you. 
And yes, if you are looking for a master's level licensure, the LCSW is typically more portable than an LPC. LCSWs also have the ability to bill Medicare, which LPCs cannot if I'm not mistaken.
Just a side-note, there are no license eligible psychology masters programs. Mental health counseling is a counseling degree so you want to look for CACREP accredited programs. The APA does not accredit MA psych programs.  

I would caution that if you have an interest in graduate study, you may have a very hard time getting into a good program if you go the online route for your BA. You will most likely not be able to develop close relationships with faculty who will then write your letters of recommendation, and you can't participate in a research lab, which is an important skill if you would like to get into a PhD or PsyD program. 

I would caution that if you have an interest in graduate study, you may have a very hard time getting into a good program if you go the online route for your BA. You will most likely not be able to develop close relationships with faculty who will then write your letters of recommendation, and you can't participate in a research lab, which is an important skill if you would like to get into a PhD or PsyD program. 

If your ultimate goal is a PhD, I would caution against an online MA. If you go for an MA, you want a research component. Online programs have a reputation for not providing the best training (even SNHU) so many doctoral programs will not take an applicant with online credentials that seriously because they have their pick of candidates. Also, it will be much harder to forge close relationships with faculty in an online program vs a traditional program. 

A few things.
 
- Figure out who is the best teacher of your class in your department, and go sit in on some of his/her classes
- Build relationships with students, but keep in mind all the various laws (FERPA, sexual harassment, etc.) that are relevant.
- Your school may have a "be a better teacher" certificate or something along those lines.  Do that.
- Plan for your technology not working.  If you're going to show a powerpoint, what will you do when it won't work?  Consider these things and have a backup plan
- Activities!  Have a variety of activities to help people who learn in different ways learn the material.
- Carry spare chalk or marker board pens with you - you can't be guaranteed that the classroom will have them, and they'll be working.
- Remember that your students don't know it's your first time.  Act confident, and they won't know the difference.

I think asking your linguistics professor is fine, as she can speak to your research experience and as a student. When looking at interdisciplinary letter writers, it's best to pick someone who is still relevant and knows you well enough to provide an in depth letter because they know you personally.

For doctoral level programs, you really want to pick schools based on research matches, as you're often really applying to work with a certain individual for the following 5 years. I would suggest also looking at the APA website. They list all of the accredited programs in clinical and counseling psych and you can search by state. 
Also, one of the biggest things that may work against is you is the vast amount of degrees you have. Your SOP should really explain why you want this specific degree, as you seem to have bounced around quite a bit.