Fall 2016 Counseling Psych Applicants

[artsy16]

Hello everyone!

I didn't see a thread for this so I decided to start one. Anyone who's applying this cycle can talk about the process or just life in general! When interview notices start coming in, we can post here, too.

Here are some questions to get us started:

-Why counseling psych?

-What do you want to do with your degree after graduation?

-Research interests?

-Schools you're applying to? (Don't have to answer this question if it's uncomfortable/unnerving)

-What are you doing during this app cycle? (Working, finishing senior year of college, etc)

 

Good luck everyone!

 

[FeelGoodDoGood]

Why Counseling Psych?

 

-Counseling psych feels like my theoretical home. I went to an undergrad institution with a clinical science doctoral program, and I worked with many of the doctoral students in a mental illness research lab. They were very well-intentioned on giving me advice about graduate school, but often looked down on counseling psych. I decided to take some time off and did A  LOT of reading on my own in addition to soul-searching and talking to a career counselor. I genuinely like counseling psychology because I like looking at individuals from a humanistic, strength-based, and holistic perspective. I also am generally not interested in very severe disorders. It's just not my cup of tea. My research interests (esp. vocational psychology/career development) are also represented very well in most counseling psych programs. Generally, it seems like there's less of divide between counseling and clinical these days, but personally I think counseling psych fits me very well for these reasons. 

What do you want to do with your degree after graduation? 

-Well, I'm currently getting my masters degree in counseling psychology right now, but I hope to continue with a PhD so that I can mainly teach, do research, and mentor/advise students. Many students in my current masters program are becoming clinicians, but I haven't really felt the pull to do that, which is why I am pursuing a doctorate. I would like to be in academia and doing a lot with career development and vocational issues. 

Research interests? 

So glad you asked! I am broadly interested in vocational psychology, but more narrowly interested in factors that are related to meaningful academic and vocational experiences. Particularly my masters thesis focuses on work volition in students with chronic illness. This is my favorite area, and I'm hoping to continue it in a doctoral program. I really am interested in exploring more about health and illness affect individual's experience of their employment and their career trajectories. I also like looking at how other barriers affect career decision-making. Some day I'd like to look into post-traumatic stress and calling, but that will be another time. 

Schools you're applying to?

I am applying to a wide swath of schools that I feel are a good fit for my research interests. I won't go into specifics here. :-)

What are you doing during this app cycle?

Current finishing up my masters degree! I am doing practicum, thesis, classes, and other research. Right now, it's crazy...but I actually enjoy it most days! 

Edited October 4, 2015 by FeelGoodDoGood
messed up the format!

[artsy16]

Ah! I typed up an entire response that somehow didn't post. Ah well. 

-Why counseling psych?

It's the right mix of clinical psych and social justice. Although I am interested in psychopathology, I want to approach it from a resilience angle, so counseling psych is perfect for that!

-What do you want to do with your degree after graduation?

I want to work in a community health center or a hospital with a community health (probably outpatient) program. I definitely don't want to teach or do research, but who knows how I'll feel in 4-7 years  I think research/teaching is something I wouldn't mind doing later in my career, but that's probably not feasible unless I keep it up after grad school. I wouldn't mind teaching a course here and there, maybe a practice course!

-Research interests?

Adolescents/transition age youth and depression. How factors like poverty and discrimination impact mental health. 

-Schools you're applying to? (Don't have to answer this question if it's uncomfortable/unnerving)

Won't say specifics  but applying to more clinical oriented programs, ones that give a lot of training in treating psychopathology. 

-What are you doing during this app cycle? (Working, finishing senior year of college, etc)

Finishing senior year of undergrad and working! Can't wait for it all to be over and to just know what I'm doing next fall, hopefully in grad school lol. 

 

There have to be some more people applying to counseling programs!

[artsy16]

bump!! I know there are more out there :)

[JoePianist]

Nope...everyone has joined the clinical psych side! >:D

[artsy16]

Aw man  I've applied to a couple of clinical, but my heart is in counseling. I'll just head back to SDN  

[A_psych]

Here! Applying to 3 counseling programs this cycle! My research interests largely lie in multiculturalism and cross-cultural psychology. I've also applied to 3 clinical programs, 2 Masters and 1 PsyD which have POIs/training focus with similar interests.  Until then I am mostly just waiting around, working part-time at a suicide prevention/mental health helpline, and figuring out a plan B.

[artsy16]

Good luck! I decided against applying to master's programs although that was my original plan. I think my plan B is to find a job (research or clinical, I prefer clinical but I already have a lot of that). I decided against PsyD because I just wasn't informed enough about them, and I only know that Hartford and Rutgers are reputable. But they required the psych GRE and I decided against that lol. 

[FeelGoodDoGood]

I got my first interview invite! I was really surprised this early in the game. Good luck to everyone! Keep the Counseling Psych page going strong. 

[artsy16]

Congrats @FeelGoodDoGood! I'm hoping to hear back from one school I applied to next week, since that's when they notified applicants the past couple of years. Hopefully all my schools notify me before break, but that's wishful thinking lol

[FeelGoodDoGood]

@artsy16 I think it's more typical to hear next week anyway. I was super surprised to hear from one school this early because I think all the rest of my schools notify in January. Good luck!

[FacelessMage]

9 hours ago, FeelGoodDoGood said:

I got my first interview invite! I was really surprised this early in the game. Good luck to everyone! Keep the Counseling Psych page going strong. 

Congrats! What program is this?

[FeelGoodDoGood]

On December 13, 2015 at 9:48 PM, FacelessMage said:

Congrats! What program is this?

@FacelessMage--Purdue. :-)

[artsy16]

I had my first invite on Tuesday   You were right @FeelGoodDoGood, this week has been a very busy time for notifications!

[A_psych]

Just got my first offer from Purdue! Very excited! Anyone on here who also got in (I see 2 others in the results section)? If yes, could you please PM me I'd like to talk about the program, funding etc. and what your impression was from the in-person interview (I only had a Skype interview)! Thanks

[artsy16]

Congrats! I'm glad someone resurrected this thread

I've had two interviews so far and 2 more coming this week, then 1 more later in the month. Hoping I get an acceptance to the first place I interviewed at (my top choice). 

 

[A_psych]

5 interviews is fantastic! Fingers crossed for you.

Good luck

[FeelGoodDoGood]

Yay the counseling psych thread is resurrected! How is everyone fairing? 

@A_psych I pm'd you. 

[artsy16]

Hanging in there! I've only been on  one interview in person and that was exhausting! Took me 2 days to recover. Now I have 2 coming up back to back  Plus I'm missing so much class! What about you? (For some reason it's not letting me tag you)

[FeelGoodDoGood]

@artsy16 I got an offer from my top choice, so I'm pretty stoked. Still going to another one next weekend just to gain some clarity, but I think my decision is made. I totally agree. The interviews are exhausting! I'm an introvert so the whole day feels like I'm out of my element, but I think I do alright at interviews. Good luck on your next two!!! 

[artsy16]

Oh my goodness that's amazing! Congrats! And thanks. I'm feeling less nervous as I have more interviews but I'm also an introvert so they're extra draining for me too!

[FeelGoodDoGood]

Thanks!! It was really nice and a weight off my shoulders. I will send good vibes your way so that you'll get good offers! 

[SereneSonata]

Canadian applicant here. Super worried now because my first rejection was from my own school before hearing from the others, and I'm semi-convinced that you're supposed to have an advantage at your own school due to what I've heard from others at my school (though I could be wrong, and hope I am).

School: Saint Mary's University

Area: I/O Psychology

Rationalization: Didn't really give me one outside of "Due to the demand for positions in our program, admission is limited" 

Comment: My brain is busy trying to decide if this school was one of my better shots or not; although due to the fact that there were three reference letters for here, that may have hurt me compared to the other two that only needed two reference letters.

Coping tactics: Ate a lot of tortilla chips with hummus. Still not sure how to take this.

[UofT Grad]

On 1/30/2016 at 9:09 PM, SereneSonata said:

Canadian applicant here. Super worried now because my first rejection was from my own school before hearing from the others, and I'm semi-convinced that you're supposed to have an advantage at your own school due to what I've heard from others at my school (though I could be wrong, and hope I am).

School: Saint Mary's University

Area: I/O Psychology

Rationalization: Didn't really give me one outside of "Due to the demand for positions in our program, admission is limited" 

Comment: My brain is busy trying to decide if this school was one of my better shots or not; although due to the fact that there were three reference letters for here, that may have hurt me compared to the other two that only needed two reference letters.

Coping tactics: Ate a lot of tortilla chips with hummus. Still not sure how to take this.

Hi Serene, 

Do not be too discouraged from a rejection letter from your own school. I know from speaking to a few profs from my own University (of Toronto), that there is some negative bias on taking in their own students because professors want to work with 'fresh blood' from a variety of backgrounds. Even my thesis adviser, who really wants to take me on, suggested that I do my PhD program elsewhere before returning to Toronto for a collaboration.

On another note, I see you have applied to Guelph and Western for I/O as well. Any news?

Thanks,

-P

[SereneSonata]

20 hours ago, UofT Grad said:

Hi Serene, 

Do not be too discouraged from a rejection letter from your own school. I know from speaking to a few profs from my own University (of Toronto), that there is some negative bias on taking in their own students because professors want to work with 'fresh blood' from a variety of backgrounds. Even my thesis adviser, who really wants to take me on, suggested that I do my PhD program elsewhere before returning to Toronto for a collaboration.

On another note, I see you have applied to Guelph and Western for I/O as well. Any news?

Thanks,

-P

Hi UofT,

That's some encouraging information, thank you. I suppose in hindsight, the vast majority of my profs have taken their degrees at various locations, and did not stay in a single area. 

Unfortunately, I'm still playing the waiting game. I'm aware that some received interviews or invitations to open houses for Guelph (thanks to religiously searching the forums), but the number seems to be small as of yet (under five). I've heard nothing about Western.

Cheers!