> From: Chrismarie Baxter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Subject: Too young for clinical PhD?
> I have a new advisee who will be graduating at the end of this semester at
> the age of 18. She is very intelligent and obviously very motivated.
Obviously!
>She
> has looked into clinical Ph.D. programs but is getting the feedback that
> she needs experience in the field before applying. Thus, she is
> considering taking a year off to work in a mental health setting. This
> may be exactly the right thing to do, but I would be interested in your
> opinions. She could probably use the experience, but she also has not
> done any research because of her accelerated pace.
>
> Thanks in advance for any free advice!
>
> Chrismarie Baxter
> Frostburg State University
A lot of this depends on what she wants to do after grad school.
Does she want to teach? do therapy? do research? All of the above?
If she is intelligent and motivated enough to graduate at the age of 18, AND
she wants to do a lot of research, then she should go right into a phd
program.
I get asked this question a lot from psych students -- is it better to go right
into grad school and go all the way through, or is it better to get some field
experience before pursuing a masters and/or doctoral degree.
Again, what does the student want to do after grad school, and how certain
are they about this?
I went right into grad school, and though I was a 22, I looked very young and
had little life experience that I could use in therapy. Needless to say I had
many clients who commented on my youthful appearance. What's a Doogie
Howser to do?
*************************************************************************
Jim Guinee, Ph.D. Director of Training, Counseling Center
Adjunct Professor, Dept. of Psychology/Counseling
Dept. of Health Sciences
President, Arkansas College Counselor Association
University of Central Arkansas
313 Bernard Hall Conway, AR 72035 USA
(501) 450-3138 (office) (501) 450-3248 (fax)
"Search others for their virtues, they self for thy vices."
-Benjamin Franklin
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