Counseling Programs and Accreditation

[ChasingMavericks]

Hey all!

So I am applying to programs for Fall 2016 and just would love to hear more conversation about looking at accredited schools and programs. I'm focusing more on the college counseling/student affairs side of things.

Are people going for CACREP accredited institutions? Are you looking at those that are just regionally accredited? Both?

Would love to hear from others and their understanding of what you need to qualify for exams in the future, etc.

 

[artsy16]

I hadn't considered CACREP, only APA accreditation which to means seems to supersede CACREP. I just checked, and only 1 school I'm applying to isn't CACREP accredited. Your best bet is to focus on APA. I believe they're the only ones who can grant you a license as a psychologist.

 

This may be different if you're applying to master's programs. I assumed Ph.D.  

[FeelGoodDoGood]

I suppose it depends on what you're wanting to do with your degree. If your goal is to a licensed masters level counselor in a higher education setting/counseling center, I would suggest going for a school that is CACREP accredited. Like the poster mentioned before, if you were going for a counseling psychology PhD program with connections/research in college student mental health/well-being/anything else related to college students, you'd want to have it APA accredited. If you're just wanting to work somewhere in student affairs (career center, advising, residence life), then I wouldn't think you would need it to have either designation (just a regular student affairs program).

What is it that you're wanting to do? I might have ideas depending on what you're thinking. 

[ChasingMavericks]

Sorry, clarification I am only applying to masters in counseling programs, so APA has no affect in my licensure. CACREP is what matters and what makes it a lot easier to be licensed, but there are still programs out there that aren't CACREP accredited, so I was hoping to hear from some people who maybe had done a counseling program that wasn't accredited by that entity and their experience becoming licensed or those who maybe are deciding to go the route of a program that isn't CACREP. If you take part in a CACREP program then you are exempt from post-masters experience and supervision requirements that are needed before taking the National Counselor Exam for Licensure and Certification.

I want to work in any of those student affairs pieces you mentioned AND also in the role of a mental health counselor at a college, which is why I know I need to be licensed. Lucky for me there are programs that are Masters in College Counseling & Student Development that will give me what I need to do all of the above. 

[dancedementia]

Your life will be SO much easier if you're CACREP accredited. Writing up that petition for licensure and having to defend every single class you've taken (with syllabuses, course descriptions, linking them to CACREP standards, etc.) is a nightmare. It also makes things easier if you want to transfer licenses between states. And frankly, CACREP isn't a difficult accreditation to get (even for-profit degree mill programs like Walden and Capella have it!) so if a school isn't CACREP, I find it a red flag unless they also have the reputation to back it up.Your life will be SO much easier if you're CACREP accredited. Writing up that petition for licensure and having to defend every single class you've taken (with syllabuses, course descriptions, linking them to CACREP standards, etc.) is a nightmare. It also makes things easier if you want to transfer licenses between states. And frankly, CACREP isn't a difficult accreditation to get (even for-profit degree mill programs like Walden and Capella have it!) so if a school isn't CACREP, I find it a red flag unless they also have the reputation to back it up.

Especially for college counseling, which is a crazy competitive world - they will most likely prefer a CACREP graduate to someone who's not.

Edited October 7, 2015 by dancedementia

[ChasingMavericks]

That's kind of the gist I've been getting from reading online and from some friends in other counseling programs. Thank you for your heads up! I definitely am going to stick with CACREP accredited programs, it just seems like it takes away so much hassle that can come with licensure.