Psychology Applicants (2012 entry)

Very, very useful post. Though I haven't been a member on here long, I've read many of your posts on this board way before I joined, and they've been really helpful, and they opened my eyes, and I appreciate that. I've done my research (though I applied to do psychology originally) and I'm not doing it now, due to the somewhat scary figures I found out, and my own unsettling feelings of the issues that would come with a degree like it is, kinda basically which you've described. I even spoke to professionals in health care and psychiatrists (friends of ours-not for treatment!) and they've kinda discouraged studying it too. Honestly I really enjoy studying psychology, but I'm glad I'm not going to do it at degree level now, I don't think it would get me far,and it just doesn't seem that worthy in today's world which is unfortunate, but still.

My best advice for 2012 entry would be to use unistats, very helpful site, though it may tell you things about psy you may not want to know!

Thanks for the level headed reply. I normally just get raging pre-freshers foaming at the mouth when I try to give them realistic advice. At the end of the day, university is a financial investment and should be considered as scrupulously as any other financial decision.

Exactly. No, honestly, your posts on here have really made an impact. I had doubts from just what other kids at school said about the subject and prospects, and I remember reading your posts, checking out all the stats (this really scared me http://www.ucas.ac.uk/about_us/stat_services/stats_online/data_tables/subject/) and tbh, I was kinda in denial about it all.

And then I realised I couldn't afford to possibly end up working in retail like I do part time now (I would be crushed). But really it's thanks to people like you being level headed and offering to help the people on this site with your advice and info, because otherwise I'd still be believing I'd be a forensic psychologist

x

As a psychology graduate, I think you guys are making huge mistakes. I've seen so many graduates end up working in pubs or hotels because they have failed to get a healthcare position relating to mental health, even when applying to ads from Cornwall to Aberdeen. I'm not even exaggerating. And these are students that spend their spare time getting experience too.

The number of doctoral places is negligible compared to the number of grads churned out each year, and when you add in the bottleneck it only gets worse. In addition, the field of clin psych is uncertain, with stealth cuts and "practitioners" being preferred over psychologists, whom are otherwise being pushed into managerial positions.

Also, I don't know how anyone can stomach six years of training and countless graduate years in between for a job with a salary that stagnates around £30k and with a client base that is on the whole hugely dissatisfied with the service and after paying £9,000 a year. You run the risk of being in the large majority that fail to obtain a training place and you are left with a massive amount of debt for a degree which is not respected, leaves you unskilled for bio jobs and unchartered for statistical jobs. Not to mention academia is a ****ing minefield of a career path and getting a funded PhD is now near impossible in psychology.

In addition, the field of clin psych is uncertain, with stealth cuts and "practitioners" being preferred over psychologists, whom are otherwise being pushed into managerial positions.

Also, I don't know how anyone can stomach six years of training and countless graduate years in between for a job with a salary that stagnates around £30k and with a client base that is on the whole hugely dissatisfied with the service and after paying £9,000 a year.

You run the risk of being in the large majority that fail to obtain a training place and you are left with a massive amount of debt for a degree which is not respected, leaves you unskilled for bio jobs and unchartered for statistical jobs.

The vast majority of my fellow psych undergrads did okay (same university as GG)

As a psychology graduate, I think you guys are making huge mistakes. I've seen so many graduates end up working in pubs or hotels because they have failed to get a healthcare position relating to mental health, even when applying to ads from Cornwall to Aberdeen. I'm not even exaggerating. And these are students that spend their spare time getting experience too.

The number of doctoral places is negligible compared to the number of grads churned out each year, and when you add in the bottleneck it only gets worse. In addition, the field of clin psych is uncertain, with stealth cuts and "practitioners" being preferred over psychologists, whom are otherwise being pushed into managerial positions.

Also, I don't know how anyone can stomach six years of training and countless graduate years in between for a job with a salary that stagnates around £30k and with a client base that is on the whole hugely dissatisfied with the service and after paying £9,000 a year. You run the risk of being in the large majority that fail to obtain a training place and you are left with a massive amount of debt for a degree which is not respected, leaves you unskilled for bio jobs and unchartered for statistical jobs. Not to mention academia is a ****ing minefield of a career path and getting a funded PhD is now near impossible in psychology.

What other degrees would you suggest instead if one was mostly interested in the biological aspect of psychology?

What other degrees would you suggest instead if one was mostly interested in the biological aspect of psychology?

Huh.. How bout that.

Actually GG, it's uncanny how similar your posts and my thinking was when I was at your stage.

I too was seriously thinking about doing medicine/ neuroscience (did the exams and everything), very down about clinical psychology (just fluffy girly nonsense) and quite deeply cynical about my fellow undergrads. I remember having conversations with my personal tutor in the Wolfson about "how psychology prepares you for nothing", "we are all going to be working at Burger King" and "I want to do something that is taken seriously".

While I don't you personally, I think you will do perfectly well in medicine, but you would also have probably been okay if you did decide to go down the clinical psych path at the more empirical neuroscience/neuropsychology end. That's where I got my start and thought I would end up, but also started to appreciate the value of CBT and the more therapeutic intervention side whilst doing my clinical training.

Neuroscience. Combine it with comp sci and you'll be my hero.

But what are the job prospects for a neuroscience degree? Also isn't computer science just about software and maths?

Just out of curiosity, what are you all planning to do after you've finished your Psychology degree? .

Opposite to me then, I know how hard it is to become a clinical psychologist but that sort of makes me want to take a degree in psychology more. I think I just sort of thrive off of proving people wrong, otherwise I just get complacent and bored. Of course I also have some more realistic back-up plans, but for now I'm just going to concentrate on trying my hardest to make it happen. maybe I'll chose a different career path in the future when I realise it's just not going to happen. I'm aware that it'll be difficult and this whole attempt could just be a massive waste of time and money, but I know I'd kick myself for not trying.

That said, generally clinical psychologists do find work, are happy and stay within the NHS for most of their careers. Even those that are senior do have a caseload, and still manage to keep their clinical skills going. The days of people begging you to come work for them have gone, but its definitely not as bad as you make out (especially if you are willing to move for work).


Well medics train for longer, and there are difficulties with getting work for some of those too. Still most would consider it worthwhile. Ditto for most trainees. As for the salary, a Band 7 (newly qualified) starts on 30k and even if they never moved up/ got promoted would end up (after a few years) on a 40k salary. As for a Band 8a (career grade non-consultant) they would start at 40k and end up on 45k. Consultants more. Not a banker's salary, but definitely livable.



This is true, but there are ways to mitigate this risk and the good candidates normally do well. If I am being quite honest I could tell from when I was an undergrad who would make it and who won't. When I lecture now, its quite evident who stands a chance and who doesn't, and although its not 100% right all the time, we can usually tell. A lot of it is learning the scene, networking and doing stuff beyond the classroom.

Also I don't think psychology is necessarily a ticket to the dole office either. The vast majority of my fellow psych undergrads did okay (same university as GG), even if they didn't become psychologists. None that I am still in contact with regret their choice at all.