PsyD and PhD clinical neuropsychology program recommendations

fiftyfifty1
Thu, 13 Feb 2025 23:36:46 +0000

TacoTacoBurrito:

less efficient than if I just did consulting work in engineering and then earmarked that $ to pay the full PsyD tuition.

Yes. As a nontraditional student, I think you can have nontraditional priorities when searching for programs. I am not you, but if I were you, I would prioritize the following:

1. Shorter programs

2. Programs located either online, or in locations where my spouse and I (especially my spouse) desired to live

3. Locations where I could work part time in my previous well-paid profession to make some money

I would NOT prioritize:

1. Quality of the program. You want to go into clinical psych, you are looking to earn a credential that will allow you to do that. From my perspective as an MD physician, there isn’t a lot of correlation between the prestige or perceived quality of a PsyD program and the quality of the clinicians it produces. I know some clinical psychologists from big name schools who are quacks and/or clinically worthless. I know some clinical psychologists from total degree mills who are outstanding clinicians. If you are 45 and intelligent, you can self-teach a lot of the science. And common sense nobody can teach.

2. A low cost program. Because when you are a non-traditional student, being penny wise and pound foolish is not a mistake you want to make. I would be willing to pay a little more in tuition to live in an appealing city, have a shorter or more convenient program, or live near opportunities for me to moonlight part time in my old career.