Counselling Psychology 2023-2024 Apps (CANADA)

[djungelskog]

Hi there! It's definitely early but I'm in the process of researching Masters in Counselling Psych programs for next year! I figured it would be great for applicants to have a place to ask questions / share insights / talk results when the time comes  Don't know a whole lot of ppl in this field so appreciate anyone willing to join! 

Edited June 12, 2023 by shiddingmyself

[manifestingacceptance]

Hey so am I! Great to connect.

Edited June 19, 2023 by MA_Fall2024
misspelling

[djungelskog]

@manifestingacceptance Great to hear from you, thanks for replying! 😄 Where are you looking so far? 

[Psychology2018]

Hello Everyone and thank you for starting this thread. This will be my second time applying. I am only going to apply to UFT M.Ed Counselling and Psychotherapy and MSW, and Athabasca M.Ed Counselling. I do not meet admission requirement for most other Ontario programs. 

I have a cumulative 3.2 GPA and 3.5 average in my last year. I have five years of volunteer experience in various settings (crisis line, one-on-one with adult with mental health issues, work with youths). Currently I work with children with ASD/ADHD/etc.

I am not too hopeful because my GPA is not that great, I do not have any experience working in counselling, and my supportive work with adults was limited to volunteering roles. However, I hope to write a good statement focusing on transferrable skills. 

Let's start this journey together! Feel free to msg me  

 

[counsellingapple]

Thank you for the thread!

I will be applying for the counselling and psychotherapy program too... glad to be connected here

[djungelskog]

Hey everyone! So lovely to see people commenting on here and to connect Excited that we're in this (very stressful) boat together! Applying to UofT as well as a handful of other Ontario programs, basically whatever's accredited with the CRPO. 

I'm wondering if any re-applicants have any tips on writing letters of intent / application questions...reflecting on past cycles, what would you say is important to include and/or avoid in your application? What would you do differently or the same? 

@Psychology2018 your experience looks amazing!! I would say all of this can be considered relevant counselling experience, even if it's not resembling psychotherapy (which is a difficult thing to achieve pre-Master's). Best of luck to you! 

[SHAs]

Hey, It's great to connect. It's my second round of applying. I am too looking for a master's in counselling Psychology courses in Canada. I will be applying as an international student. I am all excited and nervous to begin the process again.

I have a master's degree in psychology from the University of Glasgow and my bachelor's was also in psychology from India. My overall academic standing is a 3.75 GPA. I am working as a rehabilitation officer currently in a Traumatic Brain Injury unit for over 8 months, along with some volunteer work in varied clinical settings in the UK. I have close to 3 years of research experience and continue to work as a research assistant in counselling psychology, currently working on 2 publications one of which I am the first author. 

[Guest]

Recent psychology graduate from a Canadian University. My second round of applying, only applied to one counselling psychology course-based program last time and I was rejected. Applying to two counselling psychology programs this cycle that are thesis-based and highlighting faculty I think I'd be a good fit.

First two years of my undergrad were a mess (3 different post-secondaries, 2.1 GPA). Last two years (4th institution) got my shit together and ended with a 3.5 GPA. Developed a year long research project under a professor for an independent research class. I did get one C+ in an upper level forensic psych class in my last year, but nonetheless I'm extremely proud of myself for working hard and finishing my degree.

I have 2.5 years of full-time experience working as an Aide and Addiction Counsellor in the hospital psychiatric wards while finishing my degree. Now work in an admin role at a post-secondary institution within a specialized faculty. Hoping that this next cycle is the one, I worked hard on catering my applications to the two counselling psychology programs I'm applying to. I know there's so many talented applicants though so we'll see. Looking forward to going through the process with ya'll.

Edited October 28, 2023 by mavyyyyy

[Guest]

On 8/24/2023 at 8:50 AM, Psychology2018 said:

Hello Everyone and thank you for starting this thread. This will be my second time applying. I am only going to apply to UFT M.Ed Counselling and Psychotherapy and MSW, and Athabasca M.Ed Counselling. I do not meet admission requirement for most other Ontario programs. 

I have a cumulative 3.2 GPA and 3.5 average in my last year. I have five years of volunteer experience in various settings (crisis line, one-on-one with adult with mental health issues, work with youths). Currently I work with children with ASD/ADHD/etc.

I am not too hopeful because my GPA is not that great, I do not have any experience working in counselling, and my supportive work with adults was limited to volunteering roles. However, I hope to write a good statement focusing on transferrable skills. 

Let's start this journey together! Feel free to msg me  

 

I have no doubt in my mind you'll get in. I know it's easier said than done, but you should be proud of yourself for working hard to get the experience and GPA you have. If schools are looking for "perfect applicants" with perfect grades in Psychology programs with such diverse applicants, it's their loss if they don't pick you. Hopefully, more schools are starting to look at applications more holistically.

Edited October 28, 2023 by mavyyyyy

[vl5050]

Hi everyone! This is my first time applying so I am a little unsure of what to expect. I am applying to thesis/research project based masters in counselling psych at McGill, U of T (clinical & counselling MA), U Calgary and U Ottawa (MEd and MA). I have already submitted my apps for U of T and the U of O programs. My cGPa is a 3.92/4 with a 4.00 in my most recent year of grades, and I have experience working in a handful of labs as a research assistant and doing research projects (I have 1 poster presentation at the minute but 0 publications, working on my undergrad thesis now). I also have a few years of counselling experience working on an intervention for children with learning and behavioural disorders as part of a clinical practicum, and experience doing crisis intervention and peer support sessions at an on-canpus service. 
 

my current source of stress is finding supervisors for each program, but keeping my fingers crossed. Good luck everyone! 

[psyched123]

Hey! Does anyone have an idea as to when the following universities give out offers/rejections?

UofT, UBC, McMaster, Western Uni, UNBC

[SHAs]

Last application cycle UofT's counselling (MEd) programs released offers in April first weeks and rejections simultaneously. McMaster sent out interview invites last week of January and offers by March. UBC sent out their offers by 1st week of march. I am not too aware about Western and UNBC. xxx 

 

[rexandmatcha]

Hi everyone! I applied to Lethbridge for MEd Counselling Psychology, (received a rejection letter in December 😕 ), AthabascaU for Master in Counselling, UOttawa and McMaster for MEd Counselling Psychology and Yorkville for MACP (which I got accepted to).

Does anyone know when we should expect to hear back from Athabasca and UOttawa? 

Good luck to everyone! It's brutal out there.

[Bellabug]

Hey! I’m wondering if anybody has heard anything from UAlberta or UCalgary yet for interviews? 

[psyched123]

Hey have you heard back from McMaster? 

17 hours ago, rexandmatcha said:

Hi everyone! I applied to Lethbridge for MEd Counselling Psychology, (received a rejection letter in December 😕 ), AthabascaU for Master in Counselling, UOttawa and McMaster for MEd Counselling Psychology and Yorkville for MACP (which I got accepted to).

Does anyone know when we should expect to hear back from Athabasca and UOttawa? 

Good luck to everyone! It's brutal out there.

 

[Cowsheepwow]

I haven’t heard from McMaster yet, interested to see if anyone has?

[manipulateor]

Haven't heard from UCalgary yet. I thought the interviews were suppose to happen in Jan so already considering this a soft reject at this point  unless they are actually late this year for some reason

[rexandmatcha]

7 hours ago, psyched123 said:

Hey have you heard back from McMaster? 

 

Nope. Last year, I heard from McMaster on Jan 25th.

[Cowsheepwow]

On 1/18/2024 at 12:53 PM, psyched123 said:

Hey have you heard back from McMaster? 

 

Just heard back- I was rejected! This was my least likely program anyway, good luck to everyone else who applied  

[psyched123]

18 minutes ago, Cowsheepwow said:

Just heard back- I was rejected! This was my least likely program anyway, good luck to everyone else who applied  

Hey, thank you for replying. I’m sorry to hear that. 

[SHAs]

17 hours ago, rexandmatcha said:

Nope. Last year, I heard from McMaster on Jan 25th.

I have been waitlisted for an interview with them...

I am sorry to hear about any rejection, best of luck with all your applications!

 

[djungelskog]

@SHAs Heard back from McMaster, I was waitlisted as well!! Good luck to everyone :)

[rexandmatcha]

54 minutes ago, SHAs said:

I have been waitlisted for an interview with them...

I am sorry to hear about any rejection, best of luck with all your applications!

 

Hi!! I have also been waitlisted for an interview. It’s funny because last year I did get an interview with McMaster straight away, so it just goes to show while hard work matters, a lot of it is luck! 

[djungelskog]

1 hour ago, rexandmatcha said:

Hi!! I have also been waitlisted for an interview. It’s funny because last year I did get an interview with McMaster straight away, so it just goes to show while hard work matters, a lot of it is luck! 

Oh wow, that's interesting! Still a big achievement that you've been considered for an interview both years

But yes, a lot of this feels like a crapshoot since there are prob way more qualified people than they can take. Idk why more schools haven't expanded their seats in recent years, there's definitely demand for the programs and for psychotherapists in general. Hope everyone's doing ok with the stress of the waiting game! 

[manipulateor]

On 1/17/2024 at 10:38 PM, Bellabug said:

Hey! I’m wondering if anybody has heard anything from UAlberta or UCalgary yet for interviews? 

Received an interview invite for Ucalgary. Does anyone know if UCalgary typically does one-on-one interviews with the PI or are there other members from the admissions committee also involved?