rshoe Posted February 24, 2017 Posted February 24, 2017 Hey all, I'm basically looking for input and advice on my current situation: I was accepted to The Wright Institute's PsyD program and I'm really excited about it. I know the most about their program as compared to other schools I applied to and love their practicum opportunities and the vibe of the school. I also like that I'd be getting a doctoral degree. However, I've been living in the bay area for a while and a big part of me really wants to get the heck out of here. I've generally been really unhappy in this location and feel ready for change. I was rejected from Yeshiva University's PsyD program in New York, but just got accepted to their M.A program in Mental Health Counseling and I have to say it's tempting for a few reasons - 1) It's a university, not professional institute, 2) the program is a bit shorter and I believe a bit more affordable, and 3) the location!!! All the same, I wouldn't want to regret not going for the PsyD for kind of shallow reasons. What do you all think? Any insight especially on what an M.A in New York can do for you vs. a PsyD from anywhere...not as familiar with the job market in NYC. Thanks!
juhidee119 Posted February 24, 2017 Posted February 24, 2017 I'm in New York with an MA in psychology (not Mental health counseling)- I've been able to do nothing with my MA but I'm not sure if it's the same for mental health counseling. My advice would be to take the PsyD acceptance because that is the end goal (right?). Even if you aren't happy with the area, it sounds like you're happy with the school and grad students don't have a lot of free time anyway. That being said, I'm not sure how unhappy you are in the bay area- if it's soul-crushing, then you should leave the area since it is 5 years at least in the program. It's really depends on how bad you want to leave the area. My inclination would be to go for the higher degree since acceptances are hard to come by and there's no guarantee you'd get a job with that degree.
meep95 Posted February 26, 2017 Posted February 26, 2017 Does the MA offer funding? If so, (and its accredited) then definitely take it. But having a MA in mental health counseling will allow you to use your degree, not like the person above said. The mental health field is one of the fastest growing because there more and more clients each year, and being a lisenced counselor lets you earn more an practice therapy. After your MA, if you can always apply to Phd programs and try to get funding that would be wayyyyyyy more affordable than a PsyD. PsyD's are so expensive. They are not valued as much as PhD's either. However, if you have no desire to teach or go into academia, having a PhD is much more expensive. Personally, i would go with MA, but its up to you
metalpsychperson Posted March 7, 2017 Posted March 7, 2017 (edited) Do you care at all about doing assessment? If all you want to do is psychotherapy, you can do that easily with the MA. But if you really want to administer assessments, you should go for a doctorate. I wouldn't count on a PsyD program to allow entry into academia (you may be able to work as adjunct faculty but you won't be very competitive for tenure-track positions), so the main advantage of a PsyD over an MA in mental health counseling is that it provides the opportunity to administer assessments. Also, the PsyD may be more appropriate if you want to work with clients who have more severe psychopathology. It also depends on your financial situation. If you will have to take on a significant amount of debt for the PsyD, it could be extremely difficult to pay off that debt on a psychologist's salary. As for the schools you are considering, I've heard of them, but I do not know enough about them to comment upon them. I am personally wary of PsyD programs housed in professional schools so I only applied to university-based programs, but I understand that there may be some professional programs that are comparable to the university-based ones. Edited March 7, 2017 by metalpsychperson
ServeNStudy Posted March 7, 2017 Posted March 7, 2017 My understanding is that the Wright Institute has a great reputation in California and the Bay Area, but isn't as well known nation-wide. So if you already feel like the Bay Area isn't for you, this might not be an ideal fit. You do get a ton of diverse clinical training experiences, which will undoubtedly serve you well on your path to becoming a strong clinician, but it can also be useful to get those experiences in a place you can see yourself living longer term as it is pretty useful networking time. While PsyDs do currently carry less clout in the academic psych world, I think that there is a shift in the field towards greater respect for them and appreciation for the first-hand clinical expertise they provide.
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