Which masters program will boost future PhD app?

[4everastudent]

Hello everyone! I applied to a few masters programs in hopes to boost my application for Counseling Psychology PhD (yes, I plan to become an RA at whatever school I end up going to).  I am not sure which would be better for my application.  One of which (the school I currently attend) has an APA Accredited Counseling Psych PhD program.  The other does not have Counseling Psych, but it's an Ivy and it is in the top five graduate school's of education.

 

Should I remain at my current institution in hopes of gaining a good reputation with the program to strengthen a PhD application?  Or should I go with the higher ranked, ivy?

 

Thank you for your suggestions in advance!

[GeoDUDE!]

The one that you will do publishable work at.

[HKsai]

what programs are you gonna do from the two univerisities that you are talking about? You said you wanna do counseling psych for PhD but you said the ivy doesn't have that then what program are you gonna do if you go there?

[4everastudent]

what programs are you gonna do from the two univerisities that you are talking about? You said you wanna do counseling psych for PhD but you said the ivy doesn't have that then what program are you gonna do if you go there?

 

They are both professional counseling programs. The non ivy provides students with an MA/Ed.S and the ivy is a M.S.Ed. + M.Phil.Ed. after obtaining the professional counseling degrees I would then apply for PhD in Counseling Psych

[HKsai]

They are both professional counseling programs. The non ivy provides students with an MA/Ed.S and the ivy is a M.S.Ed. + M.Phil.Ed. after obtaining the professional counseling degrees I would then apply for PhD in Counseling Psych

Sorry I think i just got a little bit confused Tbh i had the same question for my counseling programs too (the council for accreditation of counseling and related educational programs). From what i hear is that the accreditation is a plus but it shouldn't dictate other important factors such as the school's reputation, the internship opportunities, and the faculties etc. Like for most of the counseling programs that i'm looking at are actually not CACREP accredited (NYU, columbia...). But again I'm only aiming to obtain my license after my master and a non-accredited will not prevent me from getting my license. IMO i think it's more important that you like the curriculum and the faculties because i think you will have no problem getting into a PhD counseling psych program with either of the two programs considering you do well and all your other materials are good

Edited March 28, 2014 by HKsai

[perpetuavix]

If you went to the first school, since you said you're currently attending and I'm assuming you mean undergrad, wouldn't that mean you received your BA, MA, and PhD all from the same school? I'm not sure if this is true in counseling psychology, but in philosophy, it's definitely looked down on to do your undergrad and graduate work at the same institution. It might be better to do the MA at the Ivy, just to give yourself more exposure to other professors/departments/methods/research/whatever. 

[4everastudent]

Thank you all for your input, it is greatly appreciated!      (Yep, doing my undergrad at the non-ivy)

[bsharpe269]

Which one has faculty that fit well with your research interests?

 

Also, is there a large gap in price?

[4everastudent]

Those are great questions to consider! There is a slight gap in price, but I wouldn't call it a HUGE gap though.  May be able to get a GA position to cover all of the non-ivy cost