Need advice for future options (Psych Undergrad)

[yeezymode]

Hey guys,

 

I'm currently a third year undergraduate enrolled in an HBSc. Psychology program (in my second semester), I never really had a concrete plan as to my goals/future plans

and I realize now that at least an outline will be beneficial for me. My grades have been quite subpar for the last two and a half years of university (2.0 GPA for 1st and 2nd year, and this year I'm at a 3.0).

I've managed to stay in my program one way or another whether it required the permission of my advisor, or really good grades on finals to bring up an already doomed grade. My main problem

is that I have no real vision for what I want so it's really easy to lose focus and simply not study and be satisfied with passing. I know I'm very interested in Psychology and would love to work

in the field as long as it is not completely research-oriented (a bit of research is fine). I just want to know what my options are from here on out. If there is one that I really want to strive towards, I'm willing

to redo courses, take an extra year, bring my grades up etc because there is no way I'm willing to let these years go to waste. I realize that getting good grades is pretty much guaranteed to be

a positive since it's required for any future admissions/positions but if I have a rough guideline as to what I have to do to get to somewhere I want, I think that would be very helpful and provide some motivation.

 

I'm open to suggestions in the whole field of psychology (from genetic counseling to I/O Psych to HR jobs), If I see posts referring to something broadly, I would be totally fine with doing

the research for the fine details (cutoff grades, statement of purpose requirements etc). In case it matters, I live and study in Ontario, Canada. I've looked through this forum for a month now

and I've found that it's an invaluable resource. I appreciate any responses and thank you in advance.

 

 

[Jezebel]

Definitely don't go to grad school unless you are sure that's what you want. Especially since you don't seem highly motivated by school and your current courses you should probably reevaluate how interested you are in Psych (if the course material isn't interesting enough for you to want to learn it...). Look at the courses you've received A's in, and the ones you've done poorly in. That might give you some guidance. I'll also note that your undergraduate degree alone doesn't qualify you for anything - you need work experience, and in most cases that is far more important than your field of study. Start looking at job postings early - that'll give you an idea of what you need to do to be a competitive applicant. Psychology undergrad is incredibly common, and doesn't typically give you any employable skills (unlike engineering, chemistry, etc), so in terms of your options - basically everything and nothing. Grad schools care about your grades, employers care more about your work (and volunteer) experience. Some jobs will ask for transcripts, so definitely get your grades up if you can, but if I were you I'd seek out whatever kind of interesting volunteer or internship position and do an awesome job at it. That'll get you a good reference, it'll help you learn more about what you want or don't want to do, and may give you a lead to a job when you graduate. If I were you, I'd let go of the notion of working in a particular field and try to think in terms of TYPES of work you  might or might not enjoy (ie. plugging in data, managing grants, customer service, sales, sterilizing medical equipment, health coaching, answering phones, presenting to groups). Do you want to work toward a particular cause (poverty, environment, suicide prevention, domestic violence, technology)? Or do you just want a job that isn't horrible and pays the bills? The world isn't neatly organized into "jobs for psych majors", "jobs for humanities majors" as one might imagine. Good general skills to get onto your resume include financial management(understanding of economics, managing a budget, supply chain), communication, and project management. Good luck, and don't forget - life's too short not to love what you do and do what you love! =)

[Guest |||]

Why do you want to go into psych?

 

 

If you arent interested or motivated during the classes, then what makes you think you will be in graduate school, or when you have a job in the field?

 

 

 

 

Either way though, if you are comitted to this, then you need to realize sacrifices must be made.  You might not like some of the material taught, might find it boring, or rather sleep in instead of attend class.  Even the most keen students will find certain classes or topics boring.

 

However, part of being a student, and more broadly an academic, means sacrifice.  You might dislike this topic, or writing a grant, or the peer-review process, or some other aspect of the field, but you are required to do it.  And not only do it, but do it well.

 

 

 

Start getting high grades, do excellent on the GRE, volunteer to work in labs (you will need this for recommendation letters as well), join a club or two to diversify yourself and find out what part of psych you enjoy the most.

[juilletmercredi]

If you're not really interested in research, a career as a psychology professor or most PhD programs aren't really for you.

 

Here are some suggestions:

 

-Counseling or clinical psychologist (most PhD programs will require some research, including a dissertation.  You'll have to look for those in the scientist-practitioner model)

-School psychologist - counsel and evaluate school children (you would need at least an M.Ed, if not an Ed.S or PhD)

-School counselor (an MA or an M.Ed is the requirement)

-Social worker, including a licensed clinical social worker (you would need an MSW)

-Licensed practical counselor (need an MSc/MS for this)

-Health promotion specialist (may want an MPH for this)

-Rehabilitation counselor

-Human resources

-Middle management

-Market research analyst (you can work more on the client side of things, after the research is already done)

 

I suggest that you look for a wide variety of jobs right out college.  Visit your career counseling center or talk to your networks or parents' networks.  Don't go to grad school yet, until you're sure what you want to do.

[yeezymode]

Thank you all for the replies. I think I've gotten exactly what I came here for. I'll re-evaluate my options and think on all of this some more and return if I have other questions.