u/Murky-Space-9287

Hello, so I know the typical PsyD program duration is 5 years and nearly all programs (to my knowledge) require some sort of summer course work. I also already know almost every program I plan on applying to would require me to move, I just wanted to get a better idea of how that has looked for others. Would I need to plan on living wherever I end up for the full five years? Or is there flexibility in that I could come home for a few months each year (and how would that look if renting?). Do any programs offer university housing or is renting the best route? I would appreciate any insight from those who have/are planning to move for their program. Obviously there’s no one answer as every program is different and experiences will vary, I’m just trying to prepare myself for a variety of possibilities. Thank you!!

edit** I mistakenly thought the 200k overall cap (with the amount per year only being 50k) *was* grad plus post BBB, not a separate federal lone.

Hi everyone, I plan on applying for my first cycle this upcoming fall. I’ve put a lot of work into building my resume so I can be a competitive applicant (will likely make a post about that soon) and have become more confident in my chances. For some context I will be applying straight out of undergrad.

Recently my father has mentioned that he will let me use the rest of my college fund (only a few thousand dollars by now) and that’s all the support he will give if I get accepted. I really am not trying to come across as entitled but he has always said he will support me through my education as long as my grades are good. Again not to boast but I have a 3.8 GPA and 4.0 psych GPA (I was a bio major my first year, screw Chem II). As I was growing up his mantra was “health, education, everything else, so I’m a little shocked he won’t offer his support to help me pursue a doctorate.

He has said in the past that if I made a business plan, he would take out business loans and pay them off for me (also hundreds of thousands of dollars w/ higher interest than gov loans) so I’m doubly shocked by his lack of support in my situation. When I brought this up to him he said they’re different because investing in a business isn’t equal to investing in “one persons education”. I tried to tell him either way he would be inviting in my future as his child, not a business deal, which he didn’t acknowledge.

We have always had a complicated relationship (many people think he’s NPD and he’s said himself he lacks empathy for others, through he would never get a diagnosis). He is aware of the control he holds over my life with this money and I think that’s one of the reasons he’s hasn’t fully committed to paying or not yet.

Anyway all that aside, a PsyD is the only path that makes sense for my future as I’m strongly interested in conducting forensic assessments. It would also give me the flexibility to do everything I want career wise in terms of switching to either private practice or a standard assessment setting. I really don’t want to get a masters since to me, it’s a waste of money if I know my heart is committed to the PsyD.

Now to the actual point of this post; assuming my dad ends up refusing assistance altogether including living, tuition, and any other expenses, will I be able to support myself off a part time job and loans. I know this isn’t a simple question with a yes or no answer, but generally speaking in your opinion. During my research into program costs, it looks like I’ll be spending more than the 200k allotted under the new grad plus cap. Will is be possible to use the loans to their full extent and work part time to make up the difference? Or does that seem like setting myself up to fail.

We haven’t finished our discussion and plan to continue tomorrow night after I get home from my internship. I do not intend on accepting any offers (or even applying) unless I have a realistic plan in place for payment. Hopefully if I do get accepted they would offer me a merit scholarship or TA/RA position, as I know that’s a great way to offset costs. Unfortunately, the biggest problem is uncertainty since I won’t know for sure what the cost will be until I apply and get accepted.

I’ve looked into other posts on here about the jobs people work and saw remote office positions, bartending/serving, or some other flexible part time job to be a suitable option. This post is longer than I planned but I would really appreciate any and all insight into this, especially from people who might be in a similar situation. Thanks you in advance everyone!