Insider's Guide to Graduate Programs in Clinical and Counseling Psychology: 2008/2009 Edition (Insider's Guide to Graduate Programs in Clinical & Counseling Psychology)

This book is really helpful, and I just love the point system that helps you calculate your likelihood of getting into a particular program. The only problem I have with the book is the APA accredited programs list--it's a little incomplete. It's better to go to the APA website for that. Overall, a good buy!

This book is very helpful when giving information about Clinical Psych Doctoral Programs. It lists every school and their stats. There are also the websites for each school so you can go there and find more information on your own. I liked having all the programs in one place so that I could organize myself and choose a school for myself. There are also very helpful tips on how to to apply and what to do regarding the application process. There is also a helpful timeline which tells you what part of the application process you should be on.

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 don't care for the APA books as much as the insider's guide, but your mileage may vary. Also, you can probably get a copy of the 2006/07 guide for almost nothing. The earlier version contains good general information and *almost* up to date info. 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.

This book was RIGHT on about pretty much every aspect of applying to graduate programs in Clinical Psychology. My favorite aspect is that the programs each rate themselves on how research-oriented they are. Where else can you find that information?! Great book!

I carefully followed this book's recommendations throughout the entire application process. I applied to eleven APA accredited doctoral programs in clinical psychology and was accepted at EIGHT of them! The book's detailed suggestions were tremendously helpful and probably contributed to this remarkable outcome. However, I found it important to use other sources of information as well, since some data in the book is inaccurate. Inadequate information on how to select the "best-fit" school from among multiple offers was the book's greatest shortcoming. P.S. Don't worry about typing the application forms - just use very neat printing or handwriting. Type everything else, however.