• (2 min = subjective 13.34%) Transcript, GPA, and relevant coursework
  
• (3 min = subjective 20%) Personal Statement
  
• (6 min = subjective 40%) 3 Letters of recommendation
  
• (2 min = subjective 13.34%) Resume
  
• (2 min = subjective 13.34%) Application & GRE score
  

• GPA, and relevant coursework - 4.0 GPA for the UMPI PSY BA is great. I can't tell if the PSY program satisfies the core course requirement (since they don't provide a specific list). While UMPI PSY coursework should satisfy the recommended requirements a History and Systems of Psychology, Statistics (e.g., multiple regression), and Research methods and design courses, it doesn't satisfy "Life-science (e.g., biology, chemistry, physics, health science)."
  
• Research experience - While under "Recommended Experience", it includes the word "minimum": "A minimum of 1-2 semesters as a research assistant in a laboratory conducting psychological research. Publications or presentations of research serve as evidence of the quality of the applicant’s work." I guess you could try contacting local professors or applying at an external position, but I assume they would prioritize their own students.
  

• Relevant volunteer/work experience - The UMPI program does have an optional practicum (optional if you take psy 360 and psy 448 at UMPI). Even if you do the practicum, you will need more to stand out.
  
• Match between student and professor - "Prospective students are strongly encouraged to contact area directors and individual faculty members regarding their research interests and to ascertain if that faculty member will be admitting new students to her/his research group. Our Psychology program operates on a mentor-mentee model." (https://psych.ufl.edu/graduate/prospective-grads/admissions/)
  
• GRE scores are not required and it seems like they are treated more as a "cherry on top"
  

• transfer to any in state local public 4 year university, enroll in life science courses, apply for a internal university research assistant positions and as external candidates (eg research hospitals), work for a year (3 semesters), get 3-4 candidates for letters, and transfer back to UMPI (1-2 more letters if possible.) and graduate.
  
• transfer to any in state local community college, enroll in life science courses, apply for research assistant positions and utilize the CC's work center/fair, work for a year, get 3-4 candidates for letters, and transfer back to UMPI (1-2 more letters if possible.) and graduate.
  
• apply for research assistant positions at a "laboratory conducting psychological research", work for a year then graduate from UMPI (3-4 letters. Maybe look into whether any school in the University of Maine system has any remote research assistant positions available).
  

(Yesterday, 11:16 PM)Hotdogman1 Wrote: When you mentioned applying for PhD programs without a bachelor's, I assumed the difficulty was comparable to gaining admission to a lower-tier online MBA program.  "The Department of Psychology typically receives over 350 applications annually for our Ph.D. programs. The incoming class each year ranges from 15 to 25 students" (https://psych.ufl.edu/graduate/prospective-grads/admissions/). That means the UFlorida PSY PHD program has a ~4-7% admission rate...isn't that like applying for med school with only a personal statement?

Anyways, I looked into UF so you should research the specifics for each program you're interested in. UF has this nifty PPT where they break down how much time they review each component of your application folder. Due to the high number of applicants, they dedicate about 15 minutes per folder. While it's not concrete, I think it gives a basic indication on what weight they put on each component of your application:

• (2 min = subjective 13.34%) Transcript, GPA, and relevant coursework
  
• (3 min = subjective 20%) Personal Statement
  
• (6 min = subjective 40%) 3 Letters of recommendation
  
• (2 min = subjective 13.34%) Resume
  
• (2 min = subjective 13.34%) Application & GRE score
  

You shouldn't assume that the personal statement and letters are more important than the other components with this information, but rather that they can hold significant importance.

From how it's written in the PSY PHD handbook, it seems like they either fully accept the masters or they don't accept it at all:
"a) The Master’s Degree is fully accepted by the Supervisory Committee and the student proceeds directly to the Ph.D., completing any remaining required coursework, the qualifying examination and the dissertation.
Or: b) The Master’s Degree is not accepted by the Supervisory Committee. In this case, the student will be required to complete a Master’s Degree in our program or meet the Research Requirement as explained above in Sections II. A and B respectively" (https://psych.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/75/RegulationsF14.pdf )

You can't really call UF and guarantee anything since the Supervisory committee is formed after you become a student. You could contact your preferred advisors and ask their opinion about the program but they would be one member of the committee. The UWA program also looks to be an online non APA/CACREP program but I don't know how much weight that would be given. Overall, it seems like the best strategy is meet all the required/recommended requirements with the bachelor's and treat the masters as a "cherry on top". 

• GPA, and relevant coursework - 4.0 GPA for the UMPI PSY BA is great. I can't tell if the PSY program satisfies the core course requirement (since they don't provide a specific list). While UMPI PSY coursework should satisfy the recommended requirements a History and Systems of Psychology, Statistics (e.g., multiple regression), and Research methods and design courses, it doesn't satisfy "Life-science (e.g., biology, chemistry, physics, health science)."
  
• Research experience - While under "Recommended Experience", it includes the word "minimum": "A minimum of 1-2 semesters as a research assistant in a laboratory conducting psychological research. Publications or presentations of research serve as evidence of the quality of the applicant’s work." I guess you could try contacting local professors or applying at an external position, but I assume they would prioritize their own students.
  

• Relevant volunteer/work experience - The UMPI program does have an optional practicum (optional if you take psy 360 and psy 448 at UMPI). Even if you do the practicum, you will need more to stand out.
  
• Match between student and professor - "Prospective students are strongly encouraged to contact area directors and individual faculty members regarding their research interests and to ascertain if that faculty member will be admitting new students to her/his research group. Our Psychology program operates on a mentor-mentee model." (https://psych.ufl.edu/graduate/prospective-grads/admissions/)
  
• GRE scores are not required and it seems like they are treated more as a "cherry on top"
  

Questions:
Does the UMPI coursework satisfy the required core courses? (I don't know who you would ask, a UF advisor or registrar maybe?)
Who are you going to ask for letters of recommendation? Yourpace probably one of the worst formats to get good letters since you barely interact with the professors.
When are you going to do work/research experience?
Are you going to do the life science courses? You should be able to do it online since it's only recommended and they already accept online PSY bachelor's.
If you do decide to do the UWA program, when are you going to take the GRE (required for admission)?

I'm not a psychologist nor plan on doing a PSY PHD, but it seems like you should slow down. You are utilizing Pell Grant and have in-state tuition in Florida (lucky). You could take pause UMPI and:

• transfer to any in state local public 4 year university, enroll in life science courses, apply for a internal university research assistant positions and as external candidates (eg research hospitals), work for a year (3 semesters), get 3-4 candidates for letters, and transfer back to UMPI (1-2 more letters if possible.) and graduate.
  
• transfer to any in state local community college, enroll in life science courses, apply for research assistant positions and utilize the CC's work center/fair, work for a year, get 3-4 candidates for letters, and transfer back to UMPI (1-2 more letters if possible.) and graduate.
  
• apply for research assistant positions at a "laboratory conducting psychological research", work for a year then graduate from UMPI (3-4 letters. Maybe look into whether any school in the University of Maine system has any remote research assistant positions available).
  

1. It does seem like UMPI satisfies nearly all coursework. (Research Methods II lacking)
   
2. Recommendations letters, I'd requested 2 the first time of apps, and have another 2 professors who've accepted to write them. One of these professors I'll be meeting with this week to discuss some of these things and recommendations for moving forward.
   
3. I was thinking of doing this through the MA program. This is my primary question, really. I'll have 12-14 months or so before Fall 2026. How do I make the most of this? UWA seems like a strong choice to me... assuming a school like UF (I'd go to others) would accept the Masters + thesis. My other options during this time would be looking for research assistant positions or other work in the field... but these opportunities seem few, or nearly nonexistent. 
   
4. I think the life science courses are taken care of. I do have another class or two of wiggle room that I could use to supplement UF's requirements, which I hadn't considered--so I will thanks to you. 
   
5. That GRE... I would need to take it very soon. I'm thinking of calling UWA this morning to talk with them about my goals. 
   

(Yesterday, 08:06 PM)Heartstrings Wrote: I currently live in Texas and worked in counseling/human services for a few decades. I am not sure about Florida but here, LPC's, Social Worker's, Marriage and Family Therapists, & Psychologists all compete for the same jobs. Every field has a different way of looking at the clien't issues. The pay is crappy and to be honest not worth going into massive debt. The ROI is not worth it. I know a lot states do not require APA for licensure but federal jobs I believe do require it or at least if you're applying for internships. This professor that taught at an APA accredited school once told me it is harder to get into an APA accredited psych program than it is to get into medical school. Take what you will.

Edit: I wanted add I am member of APA and I read that they are trying to bring more master level psychologists to more states because other professions are competing like LPC LMFT, Social Work. They all pretty much do the same job.

Edit 2: https://www.apa.org/monitor/2025/01/trends-masters-level-professionals Wanted to include the link for the APA article

(11 hours ago)bjcheung77 Wrote: Basically, complete the Bachelors first, move up to the Masters afterwards, then investigate the doctoral level of studies when you have the time and are closer to finishing the Masters... It's great to plan ahead, it depends on how far ahead you are planning.  I would keep it simple, you can't open the second door when the first one isn't open yet.  If I was in your shoes and wanted something similar, I would do something like this, UMPI BA Psych, Walden MS Psych, Kairos Doctorate.