abax86

Thanks so much for your help everyone. I appreciate the inspiring words and the vote of confidence. I'm going to stop worrying so much and just dedicate myself fully to the application process. I won't know until I try!

I've decided that I would like to pursue a PhD in counseling psychology, but I'm concerned that I am under qualified for good programs. I'm hoping someone here can help me determine if my suspicions are valid, and if so, what I should do about it. A short bio- -Graduated in 2009 with a psych degree from a major state university. 3.445 *** GPA, 3.8 last 2 years GPA -1 semester internship at a mental health clinic -2 semesters as a research assistant(1 semester cognitive psych, 1 semester social psych) -8 months working as a coach/family advocate for at risk youths at a local non-profit -1 semester as a teaching assistant -1 year post-grad experience teaching ESL in Seoul, South Korea -volunteer experience with people with disabilities -No GRE scores yet- taking the test in August of this year ***Important note- Every last bit of my experience outside the classroom took place in my last three semesters. I floated around for two and a half years with a 3.2 GPA and next to nothing in relevant extra curriculars. Then something happened- let's call it maturity- and I spent the final year and a half of my college career earning 4.0s and getting my hands any and all field related experience that I could. So there you have it... What are your thoughts? Do I stand a chance at getting into a desirable program? How responsive are admissions people to the stories of people who take awhile to get their acts together? If it is not realistic to expect admission into a decent program, what would you recommend? I've considered doing a general psych masters, or perhaps an MSW. Would either of these provide the boost I need to pursue my doctorate at a good school?