<p>I am middle-aged and considering a career change into school psych or school counseling. Because of my own kid’s learning issues, I prefer school psych but I’m not sure it can be completed while working. (I work about 3 days a week, 12+ hour days.) I called a school counseling program that’s near me (excellent uni) and they said it would take 3-5 years pt for my master’s. I asked them whether their grads get jobs and they hemmed and hawed, saying most of their students get jobs. I called the local school district and they said they do receive plenty of applications for school counseling jobs. </p>
<p>I do not have a Bachelor’s in psych. I have a 3.4+ gpa but I had a lot of withdrawls. (I completed my Bachelor’s while working and being a single mom with sole custody of several little kids.) I would probably do very well on the GRE. I have substitute taught, am an URM and have fluency in a foreign language that might be helpful in landing a job. </p>
<p>Does anyone have any advice? I have read myself silly on the internet. What have you seen regarding job prospects in either field? Does anyone know of anyone who started out as a school counselor and then became a school psych? Does anyone know of a pt school psych program along the east coast (say Boston-area to DC-area) and is it even possible to get admitted without research experience? I am thinking of volunteering at some activities that would be considered counseling but I don’t know of anything I could do that involves research. And I am guessing there’s no funding for something like school psych, right?</p>
<p>A lot of school psychology programs can be completed part-time. If your goal is to be a school psychologist, enter a program for school psychology, not school counseling. You will waste your $ and your time on courses that will not count in the school psych program. Most school psych programs are about 60 graduate credits, including a full-time (usually paid) internship at some point. In PA there are several schools that offer great programs - Lehigh, Millersville University, Penn State, Immaculata. You are not expected to have undertaken prior research - the best candidates are those who have spent time working in schools or with children and their parents. Most school psychologists have little difficulty finding employment.</p>
<p>I am a school counselor in the midwest. Currently, job openings in my area are pretty scarce. The training for school counselors and school psychs is very different. It really depends on what you are interested in doing. In our state, school psychs are most involved in evaluating students for eligibility for special education services. The spend most of their days doing testing and attending IEP meetings. Most do not have much opportunity to do real counseling with students. </p>
<p>School counselors jobs vary depending on grade levels. Elementary counselors do a lot of classroom and small group work. High school counselors are often focused on helping students graduate or apply for college. Middle school counselor duties are all over the map. </p>
<p>It may be more difficult to get admitted to a school psych program without an undergrad degree in psych. School counseling programs are more open to a wide variety of backgrounds. (My own undergrad background was in Environmental Science.) At this point in your life, your life experience and career goals will be just as important if not more so than your undergrad background.</p>
<p>Thank you. Worknprogress, the programs in my state are all ft only. That list was helpful and I do think there’s at least one good match in there. I’m very glad to hear that I don’t have to have research experience. </p>
<p>Shennie, thank you. I much prefer assessment than counseling. I do think I need to take a few more undergrad courses in psych to be competitive.</p>
<p>I don’t know about the schools in your area. I encouraged one of my clients to focus on MA for college couseling. She got a job at a college, and then took courses there for free after 6 months employment. The program splits into those wanting to counsel college students or those wanting more administrative functions. Future courses could lead her into becoming a Dean.</p>
<p>You probably should check with your state credentialing agency about grad programs, courses, etc. There are states that require counselors to have teaching experience before they can be certified in counseling. Not sure about similar requirements for psychologists, but might be similar.</p>
<p>My sister is a guidance counselor in Texas and she was required to have 2 years experience as a classroom teacher before she could be certified. Not sure it is still that way, but it would be wise to check with the state in order to avoid surprises down the road.</p>
<p>“There are states that require counselors to have teaching experience.”</p>
<p>This was actually part of why I posted here and said I was driving myself crazy. When I looked it up online, it said that a person without a certain amount of teaching experience needed a longer internship but when I called the nearby program, they said their internship is sufficient and it doesn’t matter whether or not the person has teaching experience. </p>
<p>Bookworm, thank you. I had considered that option but figured the salary might be low. To be honest, I can’t even figure out what the school psychologists make where I live. I am trying to come up with a fair assessment of what it will cost me and what I could expect to earn and haven’t been able to.</p>
<p>FWIW, I’m a first year grad student in a school psych PhD program, so really new to this all but welling to lend whatever advice I can. Assuming you’re looking at a specialist (not doctoral level program), I’d highly suggest sticking to NASP approved programs for ease of licensure/employment (<a href=“http://www.nasponline.org/certification/documents/NASP-Approved%20Programs-922010.pdf[/url]”>http://www.nasponline.org/certification/documents/NASP-Approved%20Programs-922010.pdf</a>). I don’t know any that offer part-time options, but I’m sure some exist, though I’d question the wisdom of going that route (the coursework and practica requirements can be time-consuming, especially assessment training, which is a big part of school psych). In my experience applying (but to PhD programs, so it’s slightly different ball game), your experience subing will be quite helpful, and your fluency might, depending on what the other language is (e.g., Spanish=huge help; Japanese=pretty much no help, in my experience). Your URM status will probably help as well. Experience with people/students with disabilities (particularly children) is often looked at as well. I’d suggest preparing for the GRE before taking it, using the free materials from ETS–if nothing else, the test structure and scoring are unusual and takes some familiarity/getting used to in order to “play” the test correctly.</p>
<p>Most EdS programs aren’t funded, though there are a few that do offer some funding. UConn comes to mind as a possibility.</p>
<p>As others have said, the curricula and duties of school counselors and school psychs are rather different, though there is some–small, as I understand it–degree of overlap between the two. From what I know, the school psych job market is probably better than the school counseling job market currently, but OTOH, it can be hard to nail down future market trends years in advance (there’s suggestions that demand will remain study, however).</p>
<p>I looked up school counseling.org and same for school psychologists. I found average salaries listed by state, and Level 1 thru 6. Salaries were comparable ($44-64, nationally, but I know for sure much higher in certain states). There were links to on-line programs.</p>
<p>Online programs should NOT be an option in psych or counseling (or medicine) EVER, IMO. There’s no way you can reliable learn counseling or assessment skills online!</p>
<p>psych_- at least in my part of Ca there are many more school counselor positions available. The school district can have one school psychologist cover many schools but each middle school and HS need numerous HS counselors. Plus in our area what I have seen is the use of school psych interns under the supervision of one licensed psychologist. Much cheaper for the district. And sadly as so often happens money is the determining factor.</p>
<p>In our state, schools are still hiring counselors, but are sometimes trying to substitute school psychs and school social workers for some positions because they can be reimbursed by Medicaid for part of the salary. As a school counselor, 10% of my salary comes from the federal government from the Medicaid program. Our school psych has a higher proportion paid that way. As district budgets are squeezed, they try to find pennies wherever they can. </p>
<p>In terms of states requiring teaching certification for counselors, those that don’t require teacher certification will usually require a longer training period, either through internship or practicum, before you can get certified.</p>
<p>Yes, I was looking at specialist programs. I am the sole support for several kids (in college and high school) so going ft and not working isn’t an option but I do need to train for a better career.</p>
<p>I will prep for the GREs and start taking a few more undergrad psych classes. The 4-year flagship an hour away from me has some very good, science based psych classes (they also have an excellent school psych grad program but, unfortunately, it’s fulltime)-- but I have a community college a mile from my house and it would be so much more convenient. Do you think it matters where I take the classes? </p>
<p>mom60, That’s interesting. I will make a few phone calls and see if anyone at the schools can help me.</p>
<p>shennie, I had no idea that Medicaid reimbursed that large a part of a counselor or school psych budget. I do know that when I sat at IEP meetings, they make all parents sign a Medicaid reimbursement form whether or not the child has Medicaid.</p>
<p>I am finishing up a Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy at age 47. Obviously different than what you’re considering.</p>
<p>Our school district of 35,000+ students employs 1 or 2 school psychologists who travel from school to school doing testing and then return for the IEP meeting to present results.</p>
<p>Every school has at least one counselor. So in terms of employment, counseling is the way to go around here.</p>