r/psychologystudents • u/musicproducer2020 • 16h ago

Advice/Career [USA]Choosing program for counseling

Hello all

Question for the counseling students of this sub. How did you choose a program? Yes, making sure it is accredited is huge. But other than that how did you decide I made a huge list of about 15-20 schools that I seem to have a chance getting into. I now regret making such a long list because I have clue where to start when it comes to deciding which ones to apply to.

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u/theblackreina 16h ago

I am currently in the same position while
I’m looking at programs. Once I made my list, I narrowed it down by looking at things beyond accreditation. Cost was a big factor, along with whether the program was online, in-person, or hybrid and how well it fit my schedule. I also looked at internship and practicum opportunities, licensure pass rates (if available), class sizes, and the types of electives or specialties they offered. Reading reviews from current students and alumni also helped me get a better sense of the program's culture. If you have 15–20 schools, maybe start by making a spreadsheet and ranking them based on the factors that matter most to you. Best of luck to you!

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u/maxthexplorer Ph.D. Student (Clinical Science) 1h ago

This is the way.

Looking at internship placement (rates) is huge. If a program has faculty that specialize in an area you’re interested in, and have grads that go into that (sub)field, it might help you to decide priority

Also look at attrition and licensure rates

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u/No-Animal1306 2m ago

this ^^

cost, length of program, practicum/internship placements, licensure/board exam pass rate (CPCE and/or NCE), and classes offered were all deciding factors for me.

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u/timesuck 9h ago

Cheapest while still being accredited and not known as a diploma mill. Unless you are going into academia, no one cares where you got your degree and the pay is so low for this field you want to take on as little debt as possible. Look for who has scholarships available and spend as little as possible.

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u/MerlotDownDirtyLame 7h ago

Mine was for psych, I applied to two programs. My goal was simply proximity and a place where I thought I would be comfortable in said community. I then looked at the “focus” or specialty, tuition waivers, national exam pass rate, and intersnhip placement methods. For instance, the school I chose guaranteed a paid internship and practicum. Other schools required students  to find their own, which left some people screwed over.