Each project arrives with its purpose, milestones and first tasks written out. Here is how the first three read.
Psychologist, counsellor or psychotherapist route choice
Psychologist, counsellor, psychotherapist and counselling psychologist sound interchangeable, but they lead to different degrees, different regulators, different lengths of training and different pay. In many countries a clinical psychologist needs a doctorate after a first degree, while a counsellor may qualify through a diploma or master's in two to four years.
First tasks
- List the four titles you have heard used and what you think each one does
- Look up which titles are protected by law in the country you want to work in
- Compare years of training and total cost for each route in one table
- Write down your first-choice route and two reasons for it
Conversations with three practising clinicians
Reading about therapy tells you little about sitting with distress for six hours a day, writing notes, chasing supervision and managing a waiting list. Three conversations with people at different stages, say a trainee, a school counsellor and an experienced psychologist, test your picture of the work against reality.
First tasks
- Write eight questions about a typical week, pay and supervision
- Ask your national psychological or counselling association for members willing to talk
- Message a school counsellor, a trainee and a senior psychologist
- Write up each conversation within a day of having it
School subjects and grades for psychology entry
Admissions tutors for psychology degrees usually want evidence of science and numeracy, because the degree is heavy on statistics and research design, not just people skills. Checking entry requirements while you still have subject choices to make, whether at CSEC and CAPE, A level, high school or Grade 12, avoids a missing Mathematics grade closing a door later.
First tasks
- List five programmes you might apply to across two or three countries
- Copy each programme's subject and grade requirements into one table
- Mark any subject you are missing or likely to miss
- Talk through your subject choices with a school careers adviser
