Bill Replies Don't. Just don't. Take the money you'd use for tuition and buy lottery tickets.That's my initial reaction. If you really want to do it, you need to figure out what you want to do. Do you want to counsel? Teach pigeons to tap dance? Figure out how to get people to work through their lunch breaks and not think they're getting screwed? Teach at a college? Do psych testing? If you're talking about being a true psychologist, as opposed to someone who's gotten a credential to counsel, you're probably looking at 4-7 years of grad school, more likely on the higher end as you don't have a background. At 39, you'll have to work into a fairly old age to make back the money you'll spend getting a doctorate. The days of private practitioners making big bucks are gone. You can earn a decent living in many ways, but if you want a secure income you'll want to work for some sort of institution and the salary won't be big. If you want to counsel and are a good self-promoter you could do well. What do you mean by "genuine interest in people?" Does that mean you want to figure out why some people will try to run on a broken leg and others won't walk to the fridge for another beer if they can talk someone into getting it for them? Uh, that reminds me...back in a minute. Ok, that's better. If you want to study that sort of thing you'll want to be a psychologist and to get a really good job you'll need the doctorate. If you mean that you're genuinely interested in helping people sort out their problems don't bother becoming a psychologist. Get a master's degree in a counseling field. It's quicker and cheaper and you'll be every bit as qualified to do the actual work as you would with a psychology doctorate. But I'd really tell you to keep your job and spend your tuition money on lottery tickets. 1. What do you think of his comments and responses to Allison 2. Is he cynical or is he brutally honest?
Bill Replies
Don't. Just don't. Take the money you'd use for tuition and buy lottery tickets.That's my initial reaction. If you really want to do it, you need to figure out what you want to do. Do you want to counsel? Teach pigeons to tap dance? Figure out how to get people to work through their lunch breaks and not think they're getting screwed? Teach at a college? Do psych testing? If you're talking about being a true psychologist, as opposed to someone who's gotten a credential to counsel, you're probably looking at 4-7 years of grad school, more likely on the higher end as you don't have a background. At 39, you'll have to work into a fairly old age to make back the money you'll spend getting a doctorate. The days of private practitioners making big bucks are gone. You can earn a decent living in many ways, but if you want a secure income you'll want to work for some sort of institution and the salary won't be big. If you want to counsel and are a good self-promoter you could do well.
What do you mean by "genuine interest in people?" Does that mean you want to figure out why some people will try to run on a broken leg and others won't walk to the fridge for another beer if they can talk someone into getting it for them? Uh, that reminds me...back in a minute. Ok, that's better. If you want to study that sort of thing you'll want to be a psychologist and to get a really good job you'll need the doctorate.
If you mean that you're genuinely interested in helping people sort out their problems don't bother becoming a psychologist. Get a master's degree in a counseling field. It's quicker and cheaper and you'll be every bit as qualified to do the actual work as you would with a psychology doctorate. But I'd really tell you to keep your job and spend your tuition money on lottery tickets.
1. What do you think of his comments and responses to Allison
2. Is he cynical or is he brutally honest?
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