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As a freshman in high school, how can I gain working experience for psychology?
I take core classes in school, and outside of school I work alongside a non-profit organization to help cure depression
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4 answers
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Anna’s Answer
Hey Sienna,
It's fantastic to see your enthusiasm for psychology! Your passion is bound to make a meaningful difference in this field. As you're still in the early stages of your journey, I'd recommend exploring a variety of psychology classes. Consider diving into clinical psychology, elective courses, or other diverse areas to discover what truly sparks your interest for future college studies.
Getting hands-on experience is also a great idea as you begin! With school wrapping up soon, why not continue your work with the non-profit organization over the summer? It's a prime opportunity to gain more experience and see firsthand what a day in the life of a psychology professional looks like. This will surely fuel your love for studying this subject.
While still in high school, consider joining clubs and activities related to psychology, like a psychology club or a mental wellness club. This will give you a chance to experience psychology within your school environment and interact with your peers in this context. It's a fantastic opportunity!
Keep up the good work, Sienna! I'm rooting for you and wishing you all the best.
Cheers,
AC
It's fantastic to see your enthusiasm for psychology! Your passion is bound to make a meaningful difference in this field. As you're still in the early stages of your journey, I'd recommend exploring a variety of psychology classes. Consider diving into clinical psychology, elective courses, or other diverse areas to discover what truly sparks your interest for future college studies.
Getting hands-on experience is also a great idea as you begin! With school wrapping up soon, why not continue your work with the non-profit organization over the summer? It's a prime opportunity to gain more experience and see firsthand what a day in the life of a psychology professional looks like. This will surely fuel your love for studying this subject.
While still in high school, consider joining clubs and activities related to psychology, like a psychology club or a mental wellness club. This will give you a chance to experience psychology within your school environment and interact with your peers in this context. It's a fantastic opportunity!
Keep up the good work, Sienna! I'm rooting for you and wishing you all the best.
Cheers,
AC
Updated
Kim’s Answer
Sure, here are a few more possibilities for gaining working experience in psychology as a freshman:
1. Research Assistant: Reach out to professors or researchers at your college and inquire about opportunities to work as a research assistant on psychology projects. This can provide valuable hands-on experience and exposure to different areas of psychology research.
2. Psychology Clubs and Organizations: Get involved in psychology clubs or organizations on campus. These groups often have opportunities to participate in research, organize events, or collaborate on projects related to psychology. It's a great way to connect with like-minded individuals and gain practical experience.
3. Volunteer at Mental Health Facilities: Consider volunteering at local mental health facilities, such as counseling centers or clinics. This can give you a chance to observe and assist professionals in the field, while also gaining insight into different aspects of psychology practice. Also, ABA centers always love support too and great experience with all ages.
4. Online Courses and Certifications: Explore online courses and certifications related to psychology. Platforms like Coursera or edX offer a wide range of psychology courses that can enhance your knowledge and demonstrate your commitment to the field.
5. Virtual Internships: With the increasing availability of remote work, consider applying for virtual internships in psychology-related organizations or research labs. These opportunities allow you to gain experience and make connections without the need for physical proximity.
Remember, it's important to be proactive and seek out opportunities that align with your interests and goals. Don't hesitate to reach out to professors, professionals, or career services at your college.
1. Research Assistant: Reach out to professors or researchers at your college and inquire about opportunities to work as a research assistant on psychology projects. This can provide valuable hands-on experience and exposure to different areas of psychology research.
2. Psychology Clubs and Organizations: Get involved in psychology clubs or organizations on campus. These groups often have opportunities to participate in research, organize events, or collaborate on projects related to psychology. It's a great way to connect with like-minded individuals and gain practical experience.
3. Volunteer at Mental Health Facilities: Consider volunteering at local mental health facilities, such as counseling centers or clinics. This can give you a chance to observe and assist professionals in the field, while also gaining insight into different aspects of psychology practice. Also, ABA centers always love support too and great experience with all ages.
4. Online Courses and Certifications: Explore online courses and certifications related to psychology. Platforms like Coursera or edX offer a wide range of psychology courses that can enhance your knowledge and demonstrate your commitment to the field.
5. Virtual Internships: With the increasing availability of remote work, consider applying for virtual internships in psychology-related organizations or research labs. These opportunities allow you to gain experience and make connections without the need for physical proximity.
Remember, it's important to be proactive and seek out opportunities that align with your interests and goals. Don't hesitate to reach out to professors, professionals, or career services at your college.
Updated
Faith’s Answer
As a freshman, gaining working experience in psychology can be a bit challenging, but there are still ways you can start building your experience and skills in the field. Here are some suggestions:
1. Internships: Look for internships at local psychology clinics, research labs, or mental health organizations. Many organizations offer internship opportunities for students to gain hands-on experience in the field of psychology.
2. Volunteer work: Continue your work with the non-profit organization that focuses on depression. Volunteering your time and skills with this organization can provide you with valuable experience working with individuals with mental health issues and can help you build your knowledge and understanding of psychology.
3. Research opportunities: Reach out to professors or researchers at your school to see if there are any research assistant positions available. Working on research projects can provide you with practical experience and insights into the field of psychology.
4. Part-time jobs: Look for part-time jobs or opportunities that are related to psychology, such as working as a mental health aide, caregiver, or behavioral therapy assistant. These roles can provide you with hands-on experience working with individuals in clinical or therapeutic settings.
5. Networking: Attend psychology-related events, workshops, or seminars to connect with professionals in the field. Building a network of contacts can help you learn about potential job or internship opportunities and gain insights into different career paths in psychology.
By taking advantage of these opportunities and actively seeking out ways to gain experience in psychology, you can start building a strong foundation for your future career in the field.
1. Internships: Look for internships at local psychology clinics, research labs, or mental health organizations. Many organizations offer internship opportunities for students to gain hands-on experience in the field of psychology.
2. Volunteer work: Continue your work with the non-profit organization that focuses on depression. Volunteering your time and skills with this organization can provide you with valuable experience working with individuals with mental health issues and can help you build your knowledge and understanding of psychology.
3. Research opportunities: Reach out to professors or researchers at your school to see if there are any research assistant positions available. Working on research projects can provide you with practical experience and insights into the field of psychology.
4. Part-time jobs: Look for part-time jobs or opportunities that are related to psychology, such as working as a mental health aide, caregiver, or behavioral therapy assistant. These roles can provide you with hands-on experience working with individuals in clinical or therapeutic settings.
5. Networking: Attend psychology-related events, workshops, or seminars to connect with professionals in the field. Building a network of contacts can help you learn about potential job or internship opportunities and gain insights into different career paths in psychology.
By taking advantage of these opportunities and actively seeking out ways to gain experience in psychology, you can start building a strong foundation for your future career in the field.
Thank you so much!
sienna
Updated
Michelle’s Answer
Hello, Sienna !
I am happy to hear about what you are doing. You are already getting ample opportunity to be involved by working along side a social service agency that serves the mentally ill. This is fantastic and you should stay with them for as long as you can. This is good experience already.
I am not sure if your "core" classes are in college or high school and if they're core for psychology or general education, but I will try to share some advice. You can supplement your current work with courses in Health Science and Sociology related classes if you are in high school. If you are in college, you can consider majoring in Psychology. That would be best if you plan to remain with a psychology career. Figure out if you want to study for a Bachelors degree, Masters Degree or PhD. Set career goals and take each step that is required.
The more you are involved with your current non-profit work, you will discover additional agencies that may provide opportunities for you. Attend any trainings and seminars as well as conferences that you are invited to and network with the people there. Since you are already involved in the field, you will spot future opportunities for yourself as you go along. Actually working there is a learning experience in itself. It's very good that you are working in the community and it will mean a lot on your resume.
If you are in college, you may be assigned projects that will be a learning experience, too. So you have an awesome start with this and more good things will naturally unfold. Do not forget to apply for scholarships to help you with your college costs, too. Those can be a well appreciated opportunity and would help you cut down on college expenses.
Although you should apply to every scholarship that you qualify for, remember to pinpoint the ones for psychology students, too. The more scholarships and grants you apply to will increase your chances of being awarded the assistance to cover costs of being a student. I have left some links below for scholarships, but there are many more than those. Do a search online to discover all sorts of scholarships that you may qualify for.
Since your current work focuses on the aspects of depression, my advice is to focus on that work for now and let the opportunities for something different happen naturally. Keep your grades up and read about subjects that you are interested in. You can start reading Psychology Today to become informed about subjects that would be interesting to psychology students. I have left the link below for their online magazine. Reading it could add to your knowledge as well as inspire topics for your upcoming projects.
I hope that this has been helpful ! You're certainly on the right track for this and I wish you all the best !
SCHOLARSHIPS FOR PSYCHOLOGY STUDENTS https://www.bestcolleges.com/resources/psychology-scholarships/
SCHOLARSHIPS FOR NEW YORK STUDENTS https://bold.org/scholarships/by-state/new-york-scholarships/
NEW YORK SCHOLARSHIPS FOR STUDENTS https://www.unigo.com/scholarships/by-state/new-york-scholarships
SCHOLARSHIPS FOR SPECIFIC NYC COLLEGES https://www.cuny.edu/financial-aid/scholarships/new-york-city-scholarships/
PSYCHOLOGY TODAY https://www.psychologytoday.com/us
I am happy to hear about what you are doing. You are already getting ample opportunity to be involved by working along side a social service agency that serves the mentally ill. This is fantastic and you should stay with them for as long as you can. This is good experience already.
I am not sure if your "core" classes are in college or high school and if they're core for psychology or general education, but I will try to share some advice. You can supplement your current work with courses in Health Science and Sociology related classes if you are in high school. If you are in college, you can consider majoring in Psychology. That would be best if you plan to remain with a psychology career. Figure out if you want to study for a Bachelors degree, Masters Degree or PhD. Set career goals and take each step that is required.
The more you are involved with your current non-profit work, you will discover additional agencies that may provide opportunities for you. Attend any trainings and seminars as well as conferences that you are invited to and network with the people there. Since you are already involved in the field, you will spot future opportunities for yourself as you go along. Actually working there is a learning experience in itself. It's very good that you are working in the community and it will mean a lot on your resume.
If you are in college, you may be assigned projects that will be a learning experience, too. So you have an awesome start with this and more good things will naturally unfold. Do not forget to apply for scholarships to help you with your college costs, too. Those can be a well appreciated opportunity and would help you cut down on college expenses.
Although you should apply to every scholarship that you qualify for, remember to pinpoint the ones for psychology students, too. The more scholarships and grants you apply to will increase your chances of being awarded the assistance to cover costs of being a student. I have left some links below for scholarships, but there are many more than those. Do a search online to discover all sorts of scholarships that you may qualify for.
Since your current work focuses on the aspects of depression, my advice is to focus on that work for now and let the opportunities for something different happen naturally. Keep your grades up and read about subjects that you are interested in. You can start reading Psychology Today to become informed about subjects that would be interesting to psychology students. I have left the link below for their online magazine. Reading it could add to your knowledge as well as inspire topics for your upcoming projects.
I hope that this has been helpful ! You're certainly on the right track for this and I wish you all the best !
Michelle recommends the following next steps:
Thank you so much for the advice.
sienna
You are very welcome, Sienna !
Michelle M.