Name

Susan Glass

School

Alliant International University

Degree Program

Fifth year PsyD student in Clinical Psychology with a concentration in Forensics and Ecosystemics

Previous Degrees

Master of Arts in Psychology, 2009; Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, 2007

Dissertation Title

The Impact of Maternal Incarceration on Childhood Development

Hobbies

Ceramics, reading, spending time with my kids

Graduate School – Application Process

How did you select your graduate school and program?

I decided to attend Alliant International University for my doctorate in clinical psychology because it is the only school in my area and moving wasn’t an option for me. In terms of the program specifically, I am much more interested in the practicing and clinical side of psychology, so Alliant’s program worked for me since it does not focus as much on research as other programs do.

What did you do to prepare yourself for graduate school?

Most of my preparation for graduate school took place in my undergraduate program. I took my classes seriously and made sure that I was taking the right classes to reach my goals. I also did research when I decided to apply to both my masters and doctoral programs to make sure that the school I did end up attending would have the right focus for me.

Did your application requirements include standardized test scores?

No, my application to Alliant International University did not require any standardized test scores.

What kind of information did you include in your personal statement?

In my personal statement, I wrote about who I am and why I am interested in psychology. I told the admissions committee that I am a mother who is raising children and that I want to work with troubled adolescents who have had a relationship with substance abuse either directly or through family members. I want to help them break the cycle of drug and alcohol abuse.

How did you choose faculty to approach for letters of recommendation?

I wasn’t required to submit letters of recommendation when I applied to the PsyD program in clinical psychology at Alliant International University.

What types of questions were asked in your admissions interview?

In my admissions interview, I was asked basic questions about why I wanted to go into the field of psychology and what I thought I would be able to accomplish after I completed the doctoral program. I wasn’t aware that I would be interviewed at the time, so I hadn’t prepared. But the questions were easy to answer.

Do you have any other tips for a student who is considering applying to graduate school in clinical psychology?

If you are thinking about applying to a program in clinical psychology, make sure you are serious and that you have the time to commit to the program. Be prepared for 3 to 5 years of serious sacrifices. There will be moments when you might wonder, “Why did I do this to myself?” Be prepared for trying times, but know that the rewards are definitely worth it.

Graduate School – The Program

How long is your program and how is the curriculum distributed?

The doctor of psychology program is supposed to take students 4 years to complete. It has taken me an extra year because I didn’t transition directly into my internship after I completed all of the other requirements for the program. The first year is spent covering your basics, which includes coursework on theories and methods that are important in the field. This also includes elective courses which account for about 20 credit hours. In the second year, students usually get a little more specialized and start to develop their interests in specific areas.

A larger transition occurs in the third year, when you focus on meeting your clinical hours and continuing to develop your specialized interests. Students also start work on their dissertations at this point. Even before the third year, though, you are completing clinical and practicing hours. The fourth and final year of the program is spent in an internship, and you can’t begin your internship until you have met the hours requirements.

Can you describe the process of researching for and writing your dissertation?

For my dissertation, I spent a lot of time reading research, professional books and journals that were related to my dissertation topic. This helped me figure out how my own research would fit into the field as a whole. Next, I needed to decide how I was going to conduct my research, which involved interviewing the population that I wanted to work with.

After I conducted my research, I had to develop a method that would help me make sense of them. And then, finally, I wrote. Overall, this is the process that most students in clinical psychology programs take to complete their dissertations.

Does your program have an internship component?

Yes, and I am completing my internship right now at a small facility that has 4 other employees. We conduct disability testing and also perform therapy. I currently have 6 clients, and I also conduct disability evaluations and pain-management evaluations throughout the week. In addition, I meet and consult with other interns.

I found my internship through other students. Before I started, the facility where I am an intern wasn’t registered with my school to provide internships, so after talking with the organization I helped facilitate the paperwork process so that I could conduct my internship there.

What role does your advisor play in your education?

My advisor plays a very minimal role in my education. She was most active when I was still in the coursework stage of my program. She would take a look at my class schedule to make sure that I was making good progress and following the department’s guidelines. For the most part, I didn’t meet with her in person and would instead just send an e-mail with my class schedule.

Does your doctoral program require comprehensive exams prior to graduation?

Yes, my clinical psychology program requires comprehensive exams. For the exams, each professor would submit 5 to 10 questions from the classes that I had already taken. Then those questions were combined into a comprehensive test. For a number of years, the test varied quite a bit. I think that Alliant has tried to standardize this process more in recent years.

How does a doctoral program differ from graduate study at the masters level?

It is actually hard for me to compare a masters program with a doctoral program because I earned my masters en route to my doctorate. But I do think that once you are past the masters level, you have a little more freedom to pursue your own interests and develop unique research.

Graduate School – Paying for It

How much does your PsyD program cost?

I think that each semester of coursework at Alliant International University cost me about $12,000. Once you begin the internship, the cost drops to about $2,600 per semester.

In addition, I probably spent $1,000 on books during the first 3 years of my program, and a couple hundred dollars for books in my fourth year.

How are you funding your education?

I funded my doctorate in clinical psychology through student loans. Alliant International University has a financial aid department that helps you navigate the financial aid system and fill out the necessary paperwork.

How difficult do you anticipate it will be to pay off your loans after graduation?

If I start working immediately after I complete my internship and earn my PsyD, I don’t anticipate having any problems paying off my student loans. But if I have trouble finding gainful employment, it might get scary since I have over $100,000 in loans.

I think that amount of debt is fairly typical for doctoral students in clinical psychology. You don’t have time while you are in the program to hold a job, so you have to live off of loans. Alliant does offer scholarships, but they only cover a fraction of the cost of attendance.

Graduate School – Living Life

What are the time commitments for a doctorate in clinical psychology?

A doctorate in clinical psychology requires a huge time commitment. Sometimes you are at school for 6 or 8 hours on 2 or 3 days each week. In addition, you are studying all of the time, completing reading assignments, preparing for tests and reading up on research that interests you. On a couple of occasions, I had to pull all-nighters to get my work done.

Once you begin your internship, you are working 40 hours each week, and it becomes very similar to holding a full-time job. Because the hours are much more predictable at an internship, usually 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., I am able to spend more time with my family.

How has graduate school affected your family life?

While I was in graduate school, I went through a divorce. I don’t think that the demands of graduate school were the cause of my divorce, but I am sure that it played a part. Graduate school took away my ability to have a social life up until this year, when I started my internship and began a more predictable schedule.

If you are considering going to graduate school, you should realize that it will definitely impact your personal life. Make sure that you are serious and that you are willing to make sacrifices.

Graduate School – After Graduation

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

In 5 years, I hope that I will be in private practice. I would like to stay in the office where I am currently interning because I have already helped to build some of the programs here and I would like to see how they develop and continue to be a part of that process.

Graduate School - Advice

What insights can you offer a student who is interested in pursuing a doctorate in clinical psychology?

I would say that if you are thinking about getting your doctorate in clinical psychology, you should make sure that you have a good support network made up of your family and friends. It will be very important to have people around you who understand that there will be times when you won’t be available. And when you are struggling and wondering why you chose to do it, they will also be there and remind you of your strengths and your passions. You can’t be a support for yourself when you are ready to throw in the towel, so you need to have others around you who will help you to stay in the game.