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psychmaybe

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  1. FYI, turned down my UBC place for Athabasca, so there should be a waiting list spot opening soon. Good luck!
  2. The small print of Yorkville is that 2.5 is the average time taken to do the program excluding the placements, which are completed usually after. So in actuality, 3-3.5 years isn't unusual there either, especially if you were to work. Athabasca also bases that 3.5 years on a thesis (needed if you want to do a PhD but not a necessary part of their degree) and doing only 4 classes a year, 2 each semester, but it is likely possible to increase your workload to do more and therefore finish faster. The other programs that do it faster, also mean you take on more classes and therefore it's harder to work when completing them, if money is a concern. These course completion times at places that say less time, like UofT, are if you do it full time, with a packed schedule and limited working. I know people who completed programs like this who took much longer for various reasons, so heads up on that.
  3. Where are you seeing 500+ applicants? The only schools I can find that publish their application figures are UofC and UBC and both go nowhere near that high. I know that SFU said last year was exceptional for them and they had 323 applications then, but that was with the pandemic.
  4. I was in a very similar position to you actually. 3 clinical based RA roles, teaching roles, a psych hons degree AND an MSc in Neuroscience and it took me three application cycles. One of the RA roles was at UBC itself, but in psychiatry. Turns out, I was leaning far too much on the clinical and research for counselling, and that as a result, I didn't appear a good fit. This time around my statement essentially stripped out my clinical work (still mentioned on my CV mind) and focussed almost entirely on my counselling related work, experience and specific theoretical approaches that my schools utilised in their programs. It seems to have worked. It really does seem to boil down to whether or not the school thinks you are a good fit, especially with your background. It's akin to a job application. You may have all the experience required, but so may someone else, so why are you a better fit for the position. If things don't work out this time, whilst it may seem counterintuitive, letting your clinical CV speak for itself whilst your statement speaks to why you are a good fit for the program and profession. As an aside, I hear you. I think this profession seriously lacks a clinical, research heavy background practitioners, with a real need for evidence based practice, but I guess that's what distinguishes it from clinical psych.
  5. True, it is a while. At risk of sounding like a shrill for Athabasca (I'm not I swear!) but it seems a lot of programs are like that for counselling though. UBC's average completion time according to their website is 3.5 years too, SFU is 9 terms. Even Yorkville suggests 2.5 years not including placement time, which I would bet good money pushes it closer to 3 years at least. I guess it's also a case of cost. Some places will offer it faster, and I imagine it's totally doable, but at the cost of not being able to work and therefore graduating with more debt at the very least.
  6. Athabasca's course is accredited by the Alberta College of Psychologists for a Psychologist designation as well as the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association for their accreditation, so will be applicable country wide most likely with the CRPO I'd imagine. The CCPA is country wide anyway. CityU (City University of Seattle) is not directly accredited by the CCPA but is does give graduates the ability to apply, and they do get accredited. Athabasca is the only government run online program at the moment since Calgary paused theirs recently, which means it is accredited and cheaper, so I don't understand why people seem to talk about Yorkville more than there. You can also do a thesis if you want to progress to a doctorate. CityU is based in the west of Canada but it does also offer an online program, and is cheaper than places like Adler and Yorkville as it's a non-profit unlike those. I just found it weird that no one ever seems to mention Athabasca or City, especially Athabasca. Maybe they just have terrible marketing!
  7. I don't think it matters really what the profile is, it seems to be a case of hitting what they want to hear! I know people who have been offered a place who have hardly any experience, to the point I just questioned if they lied in their statements (especially with these programs strangely not interviewing for the most part), and then there are those with loads of experience who would be incredible clinicians who get flat rejections. It's deeply frustrating. When you do get on, you'll see classmates who fit both of those descriptions too, it will not be a cohort of world class brilliance I assure you! For me, I have an MSc in neuroscience and BSc Hons in Psychology, 3 assistant clinical psychologist jobs, a number of publications through my 4 research assistant roles and 2 years of volunteering at the suicide line. I've lived and worked in mental health in 3 countries and in the pre reqs obtained in the high 90's for all of them. I was still rejected the past two years from all my applications. This year I changed my statement to downplay my publications (didn't mention them except in the publications box for UBC), downplayed my clinical work in psychiatry and research and focused purely on anything counselling related (the suicide line, previous work I had done in a social work capacity, my previous teaching job (was a teacher for 4 years). I basically downplayed everything else and upscaled my counselling work and that seemed to finally pay off. From working in this field for a long time though, I can categorically say I've worked with some terrible clinicians. They went straight from undergrad, had zero knowledge outside of their books and their lack of life experience, things that can not be taught in class, really showed. The best I've worked with are those who have had a varied life, came to the career later on and were from a humanistic, experience led, client led focus. Don't be discouraged if you haven't been offered a place this year, and don't panic rush to any old school that will take you in for a hefty fee. Life is not a sprint, and shouldn't be treated as such. My not being in school has led me to opportunity all over the world, the ability to earn money and meet new people and, I hope, has strengthened me in this line of work. It can too for you, a rejection is not at all the end of the world, even though it definitely is disappointing to receive.
  8. I just checked yesterday and it popped up. It's deflating, I was in your position last year. But it is worth remembering it's not final until it's final and that it's a marathon, not a sprint. If it takes another year to get on, so what? You gain life experience, you're free to try other things and it's important to remember that in this field, experience in life matters more. Younger people who get on quickly do not necessarily make good clinicians, and it'll show in their practice. It's a bitch, but adversity is a strength in this field of work.
  9. As an aside, I'm wondering why people seem to talk a lot about Yorkville or CityU but not about Athabasca, which is also an online provider but actually a public school (not private), so much cheaper and regulated? You even are eligible for accreditation in Alberta as a psychologist with their degree. I don't know why people would opt for Yorkville over them?
  10. UBC offered me a place too, but not via email. It's on their portal. MEd.
  11. They're good stats but I really would recommend considering taking some time out of study post undergrad to work in relevant fields to both gain experience (both in work and in life) and to really test this as the right field for you, full time. I know some schools do state on their sites they expect 1-2 years relevant work experience post undergrad, and I think that really should be the bare minimum. It not only gives you an opportunity to try other fields, to experience direct hands on full time work in mental health, but also to really reflect on your career path, goals and choices/opportunities. It's possible to go straight from undergrad, I'm sure, and you have some good experience listed there, but a couple of years outside of education will strengthen not only an application but also yourself. Research assistant/coordinator roles, charity outreach positions, teaching assistant, care home work, things like that really do strengthen an application and an applicant. Grades are important to a point, but many of these courses emphasise lived experience and applicable skills too. You have some good experience, an application next year could be worth a shot, but also do consider life is a marathon and not a sprint. It's part of an application to get relevant lived experience, often experience you simply can't gain in undergrad or through studying. Psychology work especially, it can be a draining, difficult job with a high amount of burnout so applicants need to be prepared for that. You have great skills listed here, and aside from what you've stated you seem to have everything ticked off for a great start in this field, so keep at it!
  12. Oh! Well that changes things a lot! It does sound like you're looking for a change of scenery, so maybe wait on SFU? It'll be very soon till we know! I just noticed that SFU isn't accredited by any of the bodies here in BC, it's still gives graduates the ability to be eligible to be accredited when you graduate, but you have to apply the long route which you don't have to do for other places like UBC, Adler or UVIC. I have no idea why that is the case though.
  13. Hmm, UVic definitely has a pretty campus, and the program seems a little shorter than SFU by about half a year, which is a bonus in terms of fees and getting qualified. It's also automatically accredited whilst SFU's isn't (for some reason, does anyone actually know why that is?). SFU though is in greater Vancouver, which may be a bonus if you don't like Victoria. I guess if you're going for the thesis route at either place, a good metric would be how compatible you are to the supervisor. That's definitely important to consider as a bad fit supervisor can totally tank your reseach experience. If not, then I would would look at living place and which one feels a better "fit" for you. You'll be spending at least 2 years there, so you want to be comfortable. At the end of the day, both lead to the same destination in terms of work, they're both similiar ranked (if that even matters, I don't personally think it does) and the differences between the two programs are marginal at best. Apart from one being automatically accredited and the other not, they're pretty much the same, all be it it seems SFU on both programs is half a year longer than UVic. I would say Victoria is a pretty small city with nice and good bars/restaurants and a touristy feel, with easy access to all the nature the Island has to offer. Vancouver is a bigger city with more "action", and a lot more people, and all the nature the lower mainland has to offer. Both have their own social problems, although Vancouver being bigger has more. I would argue Victoria, being a tourist city, has better touristy things to see and do, if that matters. But Vancouver has better concerts, nightclubs and shopping. If international travel is important for you and something you do often (maybe not right now mind) YVR is better connected than Victoria, but that will likely not be an often occurence. Both have similar living costs (although I think Victoria is overall cheaper rents?) although it appears that Victoria is more townhouse style living and Vancouver more condo. Both places really focus on nature and greenery, although UVic has a far greener campus than SFU's Surrey counselling centre does. Although SFU has better connections to downtown with the skytrain, UVic needs a bus or a car. It's up to you, but personally I would focus on where you want to live rather than the program as the differences there are so slight really. Apart from the time difference and the auto accredditation, of couse.
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