Insider's Guide to Graduate Programs in Clinical and Counseling Psychology: 2006/2007 Edition (Insider's Guide to Graduate Programs in Clinical & Counseling Psychology) [Paperback]

Tracy J. Mayne PhD (Author), John C. Norcross Phd (Author), PhD Michael A. Sayette PhD (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 13, 2006 | ISBN-10: 1593852584 | ISBN-13: 978-1593852580 | Edition: Revised

Now in its 2006/2007 edition, this perennial bestseller is the resource students count on for the most current information on applying to doctoral programs in clinical or counseling psychology. The Insider's Guide presents up-to-date facts on 300 accredited programs in the United States and Canada. Each program's profile includes admissions criteria, acceptance rates, research areas, specialty clinics, and more. The book also shows applicants how to determine which programs best meet their needs; obtain prerequisite credits, clinical experience, and research skills; master personal and telephone interviews; and prepare strong application materials. Special features include sample letters and personal statements, an application time line, worksheets to aid in selecting schools and making informed final decisions, and updated listings of more than 75 websites providing help with a variety of topics--from the GREs to financial aid.

New in the 2006/2007 edition are an overview of online graduate degree programs; enhanced coverage of acceptance rates for each APA-accredited doctoral program; a section for LGBT applicants; additional data on preadmission interview policies; and updates on financial assistance and government-sponsored loan programs.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Students need to realize that the Insider's Guide is much more than a shopping list of statistics about programs to be picked up just before sending off the first wave of applications. In fact, this is a resource that all students seriously considering careers in professional psychology will find valuable as soon as they declare their major. In addition to helping students decide where to apply, the book offers advice on undergraduate course selection, describes the various career options available within professional psychology, and guides the reader in writing letters of inquiry, preparing for interviews, and deciding where to go once accepted. For students who would benefit from a well-structured, concise set of guidelines and useful checklists, this book fits the bill."--Bryan D. Fantie, PhD, Psi Chi Advisor; Department of Psychology, American University

"Imagine for a moment, a growing crowd of people who are all attempting to get through doors that are passageways to the careers they desperately want. If you find yourself in this reality that students face in attempting to gain admission to graduate programs in clinical psychology, the Insider's Guide is a 'must read."--C. R. Snyder, PhD, Director of Clinical Psychology, University of Kansas

About the Author

Tracy J. Mayne, PhD, conducts research in cancer-supportive therapies in Global Health Economics at Amgen Inc.

John C. Norcross, PhD, is Professor of Psychology and Distinguished University Fellow at the University of Scranton, and coauthor of the Authoritative Guide to Self-Help Resources in Mental Health.

Michael A. Sayette, PhD, is Professor of Psychology at the University of Pittsburgh, with a joint appointment in the Department of Psychiatry at the Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

Product Details

• Paperback: 376 pages
• Publisher: The Guilford Press; Revised edition (April 13, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1593852584
• ISBN-13: 978-1593852580
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 8.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,007,469 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You need this., February 4, 2007

By 

David H. Peterzell "Ph.D., Ph.D." (San Diego, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Insider's Guide to Graduate Programs in Clinical and Counseling Psychology: 2006/2007 Edition (Insider's Guide to Graduate Programs in Clinical & Counseling Psychology) (Paperback)

As a university lecturer at three universities, I get plenty of questions about these things. I hear plenty of horror stories from students about faulty or non-existent mentoring in these areas. There is plenty of advice out there to be had from ignorant, indifferent, or hostile sources. A big problem is that many professors and staff in psychology departments at major universities don't have knowledge or interest in clinical and counseling psychology. They may be openly hostile to the entire field, or toward areas and programs they perceive as being too unscientific. Even among supportive mentors, there isn't enough time to mentor students on all these issues. For many professors, finding quality time with students sucks time from writing papers and chasing grants. Your best bet is to use this book to master the basics. Find a great mentor and use that person's time to fine tune your thinking and turbo-charge your applications.

My advice is to start here if you are serious about getting into grad school. Or, take a look at the APA's book, "Getting In", which is on the same topic. I haven't seen it, but I hear it is good, too.

And if you want your life as a grad student to go well at at the Big U, then make sure to consult the following classics: (Do this even if you aren't considering an academic career)

David Sternberg's "How to Complete and Survive a Dissertation."
Robert Sternberg's "Psychology 101 1/2: The Unspoken Rules for Success in Academia"

Another must read, for future academics:
Darley et al's "The Compleat Academic: A Career Guide"

And for future clinical and counseling psychologists:
Yalom's "The Gift of Therapy: An Open Letter to a New Generation of Therapists and Their Patients"

Get these other books. Do it. This stuff is worth its weight in gold.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Don't apply without this book!, November 15, 2006

By 

Some Reveiwer Guy "D.C." (Secret Location, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Insider's Guide to Graduate Programs in Clinical and Counseling Psychology: 2006/2007 Edition (Insider's Guide to Graduate Programs in Clinical & Counseling Psychology) (Paperback)

This is, without question, the most helpful source of information I found for applying to PhD programs in clinical and counseling psychology. Much of the general information on applying was also helpful for Master's programs, but the most valuable part of the book is the collection of detailed information about every APA accredited clinical or counseling psych program in the U.S. and Canada.

You could get a lot of the information off the university websites, and you can get the list of APA accredited programs from the APA website. So, what's so great about this book? They survey every APA accredited program to get information beyond what is available on department websites, for example, what percentage of faculty embrace each theoretical orentation? What percentage of students get a tuition waver? or a paid assistantship? What are the faculty research interests? How many faculty have each interest and how many research grants do they have? What are the average GRE scores and GPA of students in the program, and what are the minimum requirements? How long does the average student take to graduate? How many students applied to the program last year? how many received an offer? how many accepted?

You get all of this information for each program (and a lot more), which allows you to target your applications in a way that you could not do otherwise (unless you have 6 months to do this research on your own). There are many programs that look great when you see the website, but then you see there are no faculty who embrace your favorite theoretical orientation, or none whose research interests you, or half the students have to pay their own tuition, etc.

I guess the proof is in the outcome. I used this book and felt very prepared for my interviews. I applied to 15 programs, and I got 5 interviews and 4 offers. If you know the acceptance rates, that's pretty good.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good resource but same as previous edition, June 6, 2006

By 

Rafe (Virginia Tech, VA - USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Insider's Guide to Graduate Programs in Clinical and Counseling Psychology: 2006/2007 Edition (Insider's Guide to Graduate Programs in Clinical & Counseling Psychology) (Paperback)

Yep, I wasted $15 on this. If you haven't got a previous edition, then this is an OUTSTANDING resource for those interested in pursuing clinical psyc in grad school. If you do have a previous edition, do not buy - especially if you have the 2004-2005 edition. There is nothing substantially different as far as I can tell.