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I'm currently in 7th grade, I have always wanted to be in psychology and I have looked for colleges, so that when the time comes when I need to find a college I will have one prepared, I guess my question is what are some good colleges for psychology
I am Aiden by the way and I like to draw and I love to swim I also play football and swimming/diving I really enjoy nature and listening to music I have been hurt myself, so I can feel others pain so I'm hoping that psychology is an option.
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Michelle’s Answer
Hello, aiden jay !
I would be happy to help you with your future academic path and explain the work to you so you can have options for the psychology career you think will be best for you. New York City is especially a top place for this field and you would always be able to obtain work if you stay in New York City.
In 4 or 5 years from now, you would need to decide which college to attend for a Bachelors Degree in Psychology. All of the universities in your city are great and have strong Psychology programs in all the boroughs. You have a lot of time to explore and it's going to depend on how long you want to attend school based on which career you choose.
I think it may be helpful for you to become aware of the role trends and how different professionals are utilized in New York. It may be different in other parts of the U.S., but New York has some specific features for mental health positions.
You would need to obtain a Doctoral Degree to become a Psychologist in the state of New York. That is about 8 years of college after high school. For Social Work it is 6 years and for Case Management it is four years. Psychologists and Social Workers in New York City and the nearby upstate counties do not take on the "helper role". They do clinical therapy using therapeutic techniques and psychologists also do testing for patients that may have a developmental or learning disability. The "helper" role comes with being a Case Manger for which you can do benefits advisement and assistance and assist clients to find housing, employment, transportation or any needs they have as well as sometimes medication monitoring and advocating for them in medical situations or in courts. That's how it's done in New York, so you can decide if you want to do Clinical Therapy with patients that have a mental illness or be more of a hands on "helper" type by being a Case Manager.
The one way Social Workers do not do clinical therapy in New York is if they work as a Program Director at a Senior Center, Mental Health Day Program or some other social service agency where their prime responsibility is to run a program. You would have to know the structure of non-profit organizations and be able to work with groups of people, staff and volunteers.
All this to say, if a Psychologist's or Social Worker's clients/patients in New York need something, they are referred out to a Case Management service for that. Doing Clinical therapy for patients is not really "helping" rather assisting them to heal from their mental health issues. So it's important that as a New York student that you obtain a clear picture of the roles where you live. You have lots of time to figure out which career fits the work you want to do so keep exploring this and return with any additional questions you may have.
In New York City, the salaries for Psychologist and Social Workers can be quite high and there are many work schedule options. Case Mangers can expect to obtain a medium salary, but then again, it depends on the employer and the funding.
I respect that you have a personal drive to go into psychology and you said that you can feel other's pain. As a mental health professional or as a case manager, that will be something you'd have to come to terms with because these careers require one to be unbiased and only having a professional interaction with the patient or client. It will be very difficult if you bring your personal issues into this type of work and may not be the best thing for you. That being said, your academic path will prepare you to be the best you can be.
So right now, focus on learning more about the work Psychologists, Social Workers and Case Managers do and decide on a career. With that, you can then look into colleges for Psychology or Social Work Programs. Your choice of career will tell you if you need to go for a Bachelors (Case Management), a Masters (Social Work) or a Doctorate (Psychologist) in New York. It's great that you're getting this information early.
I hope this helps and I wish you all the best !
I would be happy to help you with your future academic path and explain the work to you so you can have options for the psychology career you think will be best for you. New York City is especially a top place for this field and you would always be able to obtain work if you stay in New York City.
In 4 or 5 years from now, you would need to decide which college to attend for a Bachelors Degree in Psychology. All of the universities in your city are great and have strong Psychology programs in all the boroughs. You have a lot of time to explore and it's going to depend on how long you want to attend school based on which career you choose.
I think it may be helpful for you to become aware of the role trends and how different professionals are utilized in New York. It may be different in other parts of the U.S., but New York has some specific features for mental health positions.
You would need to obtain a Doctoral Degree to become a Psychologist in the state of New York. That is about 8 years of college after high school. For Social Work it is 6 years and for Case Management it is four years. Psychologists and Social Workers in New York City and the nearby upstate counties do not take on the "helper role". They do clinical therapy using therapeutic techniques and psychologists also do testing for patients that may have a developmental or learning disability. The "helper" role comes with being a Case Manger for which you can do benefits advisement and assistance and assist clients to find housing, employment, transportation or any needs they have as well as sometimes medication monitoring and advocating for them in medical situations or in courts. That's how it's done in New York, so you can decide if you want to do Clinical Therapy with patients that have a mental illness or be more of a hands on "helper" type by being a Case Manager.
The one way Social Workers do not do clinical therapy in New York is if they work as a Program Director at a Senior Center, Mental Health Day Program or some other social service agency where their prime responsibility is to run a program. You would have to know the structure of non-profit organizations and be able to work with groups of people, staff and volunteers.
All this to say, if a Psychologist's or Social Worker's clients/patients in New York need something, they are referred out to a Case Management service for that. Doing Clinical therapy for patients is not really "helping" rather assisting them to heal from their mental health issues. So it's important that as a New York student that you obtain a clear picture of the roles where you live. You have lots of time to figure out which career fits the work you want to do so keep exploring this and return with any additional questions you may have.
In New York City, the salaries for Psychologist and Social Workers can be quite high and there are many work schedule options. Case Mangers can expect to obtain a medium salary, but then again, it depends on the employer and the funding.
I respect that you have a personal drive to go into psychology and you said that you can feel other's pain. As a mental health professional or as a case manager, that will be something you'd have to come to terms with because these careers require one to be unbiased and only having a professional interaction with the patient or client. It will be very difficult if you bring your personal issues into this type of work and may not be the best thing for you. That being said, your academic path will prepare you to be the best you can be.
So right now, focus on learning more about the work Psychologists, Social Workers and Case Managers do and decide on a career. With that, you can then look into colleges for Psychology or Social Work Programs. Your choice of career will tell you if you need to go for a Bachelors (Case Management), a Masters (Social Work) or a Doctorate (Psychologist) in New York. It's great that you're getting this information early.
I hope this helps and I wish you all the best !
Updated
Trisha Tahsuda’s Answer
Hi Aiden!
It's great that you're already interested in psychology. Helping people with their mental health is important work. My husband and I have a practice where counselors and therapists assist people every day.
You don't need to choose a college now or have everything planned out. Focus on learning about different mental health careers and stay curious.
Careers in psychology and counseling:
- Psychologists study thoughts and feelings and often do testing or therapy.
- Counselors or therapists help people discuss challenges and emotions.
- Social workers assist with life problems and connect people to resources.
- Marriage and family therapists help families and couples with issues.
- School counselors support students with emotions, friendships, and goals.
- Addiction counselors help people recover from substance use problems.
Most of these jobs require college and graduate school, so college is about building a strong foundation.
What to look for in a college (later, around the end of your sophomore year):
- Strong psychology classes
- Opportunities for research or internships
- Teaching problem-solving, statistics, and writing
- Learning about ethics, laws, and helping responsibly
If you want to run your own practice someday, learn about:
- Business and money basics
- Healthcare rules and laws
- Being responsible and ethical
Examples of colleges with good psychology programs:
- Well-known universities: Stanford, Harvard
- Excellent state universities: UCLA, UC Berkeley, University of Michigan, University of Wisconsin–Madison, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Penn State, Ohio State
State universities are great options for many psychologists and counselors.
What to focus on now:
- Stay curious about how people think and behave
- Do your best in school, especially in reading, writing, science, and math
- Practice listening and being kind
- Ask questions, as it's a key strength in this field
One last thing: Working in psychology takes time and effort, but it's rewarding if you enjoy helping people. You have plenty of time to learn and explore what suits you best.
It's great that you're already interested in psychology. Helping people with their mental health is important work. My husband and I have a practice where counselors and therapists assist people every day.
You don't need to choose a college now or have everything planned out. Focus on learning about different mental health careers and stay curious.
Careers in psychology and counseling:
- Psychologists study thoughts and feelings and often do testing or therapy.
- Counselors or therapists help people discuss challenges and emotions.
- Social workers assist with life problems and connect people to resources.
- Marriage and family therapists help families and couples with issues.
- School counselors support students with emotions, friendships, and goals.
- Addiction counselors help people recover from substance use problems.
Most of these jobs require college and graduate school, so college is about building a strong foundation.
What to look for in a college (later, around the end of your sophomore year):
- Strong psychology classes
- Opportunities for research or internships
- Teaching problem-solving, statistics, and writing
- Learning about ethics, laws, and helping responsibly
If you want to run your own practice someday, learn about:
- Business and money basics
- Healthcare rules and laws
- Being responsible and ethical
Examples of colleges with good psychology programs:
- Well-known universities: Stanford, Harvard
- Excellent state universities: UCLA, UC Berkeley, University of Michigan, University of Wisconsin–Madison, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Penn State, Ohio State
State universities are great options for many psychologists and counselors.
What to focus on now:
- Stay curious about how people think and behave
- Do your best in school, especially in reading, writing, science, and math
- Practice listening and being kind
- Ask questions, as it's a key strength in this field
One last thing: Working in psychology takes time and effort, but it's rewarding if you enjoy helping people. You have plenty of time to learn and explore what suits you best.