Hey everyone! Sorry it's taken me SO long to bring you this video! Here are some timestamps, although I highly recommend watching the entire video so you don't miss any caveats and exceptions! Let me know if you agree or disagree with my video in the comments :-) 01:32 School Psychologist 04:35 School Counselor 06:48 School Social Worker 08:56 Final Thoughts
Hi School Social Worker here. In our district we handle more of the mental health as not all school counselor have the same level of exposure to mental health. So I am responsible for making sure the small groups are done, I do the bulk of the suicide risk assessments and the behavior intervention. resources and things like that are typically more linked to bachelor's level social work and we are required to be master level. Most of us have or are working on our clinical license. It always seems that non-social workers don't know that social workers make up the biggest majority of mental health professionals, and since not all districts have social workers people don't understand how we can help in a school. I would say that providing resources and basic needs is about 10 % of what I do. And handling the complex students with mental health concerns that are gen ed is 90%.
The roles could definitely be unclear since it depends on the school or district! I wish I had known back in high school and college. Thanks for watching!
This is so helpful. I'm in my Junior year of getting my bachelor's in psych and am debating between school psych, school counseling, and social work. Thank you so much ♥
Tiffany I am currently a teacher but I’ve been thinking about going into counseling this was really helpful 💕💕💕 Question, in my state Educational Diagnosticians can also test kids SEL and Cognitive function. Great content!
Hey Trishton! Thanks so much for watching🧡 I love what you're doing on your channel. It's so interesting that there are different rules in different states regarding mental health support in schools. Diagnosticians in my area only assess academic achievement!
I should've watched this video first! Excellent information on explaining the difference between these three careers. Considering this would be a mid-life career change for me, School Counseling would be the best decision. Although, performing assessments is very interesting to me. I have a lot to consider.
I am so happy I found your channel!!! I live in the same area so it’s so good I have videos to reference when I have questions about career choices and school!! Thank you so much!!!
Hi Tiffany! I’m a second year school counseling grad student and think it’s so awesome you are breaking down the differences between the three because so many people don’t understand!
i would love to know more about your grad school experience as a counseling student! it's so frustrating when people call everyone "guidance counselors"
@@TiffanyLee I agree! It's the worst! I plan on doing a whole video about my grad school experience! I just uploaded a video about why I chose school counseling as well!
I love your videos! I have been stuck deciding between going to grad school for school psychology or school counseling for about a year now! I have been accepted to programs for both and you channel helped me fall in love with and choose to study school psychology! I start my 3 year MS/Eds program in June! I am looking forward to watching more videos in the future!
Thank you for your videos! They are very helpful and it helps me look forward to starting my program in the Fall! Wish you the best of luck in your internship. 😊
Hi Tiffany (: im so glad i found your channel! been planning my school psych career for a while now but finding it hard to motivate myself to study for GRE but watching your videos def gives me the push i need
Extremely helpful!! Thank you very much for answering a lot of my questions. I’ve been a classroom teacher for 23 years and have decided that it’s time to leave the classroom. I want to do social work but eventually I want to start my own private counseling service. I’m unsure of the best route to take as far as what to get a degree in. Please give me some insight.🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽
Thank you!! This video was really helpful! I'm in a social work program right now but really considering switching to school counseling because I think I like the aspect of scheduling/career advice/etc. But I also don't want to waste tuition money since I'm already in the social work program so I'm currently thinking about finishing up the MSW program, getting some experience and going back for a school counseling degree.
that's such a tough decision to make since school is such a big time and financial commitment. i think the extra experience and expertise in social work will make you an amazing counselor and asset to any school. sometimes i wonder if i shouldve looked into school counseling before jumping into psychology!
I’m deciding between social work and school counseling. Would you say getting a bachelor’s degree in Sociology is a safe bet for these two careers? Just so I can think about it before I make a commitment to a grad program?
Both are great fields! I think sociology should be fine but I would double check the requirements for some of the programs that you're interested in. Some may require a specific degree or at least some prerequisite classes (my program required some psych and stats classes before you enroll)
I am graduating in a couple of weeks with my Masters in School Counseling. I got my Bachelors in Psychology, but Sociology is definitely great too and it would give you a good background knowledge on some things. Just like Tiffany said, for my program as well, I had to have prerequisites in stats and research so that’s something to be aware of. Also for counseling I suggest going finding accredited program through CACREP. This will benefit you and help with licensure in the future 😊
It isn't rare to see a school counselor shared amongst several elem. schools. In NY they are shared in elem. between 2-6 schools. I am in 3. If you are in one you are lucky and rare. Great video! I think it is also important to think about the other opportunities that your degree can provide outside of a school.
That is so great to know! Thank you for your input! I actually think a lot of new school psychologists struggle to find jobs outside of working in a school because the degree is so niche. Hopefully that will change with more systems wide interventions being prioritized (ie MTSS coordinator) and also opportunities to work in a clinic setting.
Hello, just want to say THANK YOU sooo much for the great video. I love how you just go straight to the points and explain each one differently. I'm currently about to become a college freshman (BW) and I'm going undecided to explore different careers and pathways, but I'm positive I will be majoring in Psy next year. As of now I want to become a school counselor (middle school/high school). I just love talking to people, helping people, giving and receiving advice, and want to make a difference in people's lives. I want to help people become a better version of themselves😃
Wow, it's so inspiring that you have so much passion at such a young age. You should take the next few years to explore different paths and learn more about yourself. Good luck, and would love to stay in touch!
@@TiffanyLee Thank you very much! I really appreciate it. And you're right about that. Now's the perfect time to explore and learn more about me. It will be a challenge, but I'm confident😃. And yes we should stay in touch. Take care and stay safe🙏
Hi love! im a student studying psychology and public health. i want to be a school psychologist. should i change my minor from public health to education?
Hi Athalia! I honestly think that either minor could help you on your path. Some may argue that education will give you better context for academic interventions and classroom management but I see school psychology as also a mental health and wellbeing oriented position.
I have a BA in Psych, and as a career I would really like to continue my studies in counseling or clinical psychology (emphasis of child and adolescent development). I can see myself working directly in the schools but I want to be more on the side of delivering counseling services to students. I have seen job postings for 'School Based Mental Health Therapists', but not many. Programs I have considered would prepare me for LPC or LPCC. I would really appreciate any feedback or guidance from people in this community on what direction I may want to consider, or any insight that you guys may have to offer :-)
Hi Taren! If you're interested in providing counseling services in the school setting, I highly recommend looking into specific school counseling programs. While other counseling fields will prepare you to become a counselor, guidance/school counseling programs will prepare you to work in the school setting (learn about school systems, education laws, etc). If you're thinking more broadly like private practice, then an LPC would be great.
I am on the same boat. I found a couple School counseling programs that also include classes for LPCC to do therapy. I hope this is what I’ve been looking for for the past few years of doing my research.
Thank you for this video and explaining more about what each concentration is about. I recently just graduated with my BS in Psychology and currently on the hunt in deciding between School Counseling and School Psychologists. What advice/tips would you recommend while going through the application process.
I suggest doing research on specific programs to see what they offer and what their speciality is. Some schools are heavily hands on and assessment based and some are more focused on an RTI/MTSS model. As for deciding between the two, I think it depends on your personality. It's really hard to choose before getting to know the different roles but in general, counselors will interact with more students (counseling, scheduling, discipline, etc) and psychs will interact more with a specialized population and admin (testing, school wide prevention, etc). Feel free to dm me on instagram if you have any specific questions. Congrats on graduating and good luck!
Just subscribed to you! This was really helpful since I’m just starting my social work degree journey. I’m going to be a freshman and I’m so nervous but what I do know is that I love working with kids and love helping people, so thank you for this video. 💕
I am in the school social work journey and it is okay to be nervous. I was nervous too, but once I started my courses I fell in love with learning the material. In the undergrad program we take a lot of social science courses along with policy courses. The social work field is a rewarding career. I create social work content on my youtube page. When you get a chance check my youtube channel and videos out :)
I am a school social worker, and if you are going to offer any information about the profession, it would be helpful for you to actually have knowledge about what a social worker does. School social workers are a school districts mental health professional, we are clinically trained, we refer families for outside services, we provide mental health PD to staff. Please take the time to give accurate information and actually talk to a social work professional before posting these types of videos.
I'm very introverted and have high anxiety so social work doesn't seem for me. However maybe being a school psychologist wouldn't be so bad? I am currently in my 2nd year of community college taking a transfer curriculum while I figure out what I want to do. It's so hard 😩. I'm scared of people but I think I could handle doing one on one with a student struggling or a small group in a school. I'm going to have to do more research
I've been trying to decide between a School Counseling Masters and a MSW- unfortunately I already have one masters of Public Administration- which was a useless degree! but anywho, it seems the trend anymore is hiring social workers and outsourcing counseling duties to local agencies- It seems more wise to do an MSW because of broader job prospects- very little to no jobs for school counselors it seems, but the apparent downside is, will a school prefer someone specializing in school counseling to fill their role over an MSW? probably depends...
It's true that an MSW gives you more employment options but I think most schools have their own school counselors, separate from a social worker, so they can focus solely on social and emotion wellbeing of students. It definitely depends on where you're working and what age group. I think you also need to consider whether you want to work more with the families/home situation or teachers and behaviors during school hours. It's tough to make a decision without having been through each role!
Hi Tiffany, Thanks for such a good informative video. I’m currently thinking of getting into a masters program. But I’m confused whether to do msw or school counseling? I have been working as an classroom aide for sped for few years now. So, I definitely won’t be doing school psychology😂 But, I love working with kids. In your opinion, which degree has more chances of being hired? Which entails taking work home or working after hours?
In general, schools hire more school counselors BUT there are also more school counselors to compete with (compared to school social workers). I think it entirely depends on the need of your county or state so I would look for census data about your area. We always talk about the shortage of school psychologists in the US but there are actually some counties that aren't hiring so it can become very competitive. As for taking work home, I think you can set boundaries to control the amount of work. Social workers write a lot of social history reports while counselors may be writing a lot of emails and recommendation letters.
LOVE your videos! I'm in the DMV area and currently deciding between graduate programs in developmental psych and school psychology or counseling :) This was super informative!
Thanks so much for watching! Those are some great choices, and I'm glad that it was helpful. The DMV area is filled with tons of opportunities in education and home to many fantastic school districts
I loved this video. It was so helpful and informative. I am a recent graduate of the Masters in social work and I am curious whether I could work with a school board or government agency that assists schools or school boards as a social worker?
I'm pretty sure you can! I think your knowledge and experience would serve the school board really well but you would need to find or create a position
wow if I didn’t search up this topic on RU-vid today, then I don’t think I would have found your channel. Thank you so much for all of this information. I’m an incoming senior undergrad in a social work program, and I’ve been a little frustrated at what I want to do and to head towards after my graduation next year. This helped a lot, so thanks Tiffany!! You’re so down to earth and your channel is amazing. I hope to watch more of your videos soon :)
Hello Tiffany!! I am also going to apply for Ed.S in School Psychology and I am really excited! I really love your videos and you inspire me a lot!! :)
Princess Lissa any experience will be worthwhile for preparing for grad school. Programs typically favor research or any hands on experience in related fields!
Thank you for the video! I am an undergrad rn and thinking about going to get a masters degree in school counseling. I am wondering what kind of internships/ experience would be helpful for the application! Thank you!
I think it's possible to major in sociology but this greatly depends on your state credentialing and the graduate program. I recommend researching specific school counseling graduate programs in your area and seeing what their bachelor's requirement. hope this helps!
I'm about to graduate with a Bachelors in Psychology and I'm currently stuck between School Psychology, Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Social Work lol However, I am leaning towards Social Work because of the flexibility
In my school, there are instructional coaches who help implement MTSS which includes academic interventions. Ideally, teachers should provide tier 1 and sometimes tier 2 academic interventions in the classroom (workshop model). I'm not sure if we specifically have academic intervention teachers in my county unless you're talking about reading or math specialists or instructional coaches.
Hi! So I'm looking into a couple of programs in my state and have a zoom meeting with one next week. I'm sure you've covered this in the past by can't seem to find it.....what are some good questions to ask when considering a program at a particular school? Thanks in advance! 😁
That's a great question! I think it's best to interview the school to see if it's a good fit for you. See if the location, faculty, and overall program suits your personality and lifestyle. I would also ask about assistantship opportunities or financial aid if that's something that you're interested in, and see what the strengths and weaknesses of the program are (in their opinion). Finally, if you want to get into program specifics, you can ask for more information about practicum and hands on experience, as well as how much emphasis their program puts on counseling, multiculturalism, etc. Hope this helps!
Right now my job gives me an opportunity to do all of the duties of a school social worker with just having my bachelors in education and experience with different adolescent populations. I am employed by an outside non-profit who funds our program to provide wraparound counseling services & community outreach in a public middle school, and I love it!! It comes with its stresses and dark days but I’m so lucky I got this experience and put my Masters on hold because i’ve never been confident in any paths until now 😌 I plan on starting a program next fall! Do you know the difference in certifications between School Counselor and School Adjustment Counselor? Is SAC a track for an MSW?
i think it's a great idea to take time deciding what you want to pursue. i'm not familiar with school adjustment counselors- sorry! i just know that SSW get a master's in sw in my state
i might just be here to vent but i really don’t care. my school counselor is going to tell my parents about my bed wetting like i’ve been through enough, i don’t need my parents knowing that it’ll make everything 10x worse. why am i being punished for something i can’t control because it might be something “medical” i gave 4 good reasons on why it’s from stress,
I'm sorry you're going through this. Information should be kept confidential unless they find out that you are going to harm yourself or harm someone else. It's about safety.
Hello, Tiffany great video thus helped a lot on my decision making but I wanted to know if you could become a school counselor with a bachelors degree in social work? Or would psychology be the best option? I’m already in social work
hmmmm i think it depends on your licensing board in your state. if you're talking about master's programs, i recommend checking the program specific prerequisites to see if you need anything else before applying
I am in the middle of my application season but still deciding between the three kind of programs. I searched for school psychology on youtube holding the exact questions in mind and this video definitely answered my question. Thank you tiffany for your passion in the field and your support for the community!
HI Tiffany! I love this video as I often find myself explaining what a school psychologist does. (Recently was accepted into a program). I know School Psychologists can't open a private practice at the specialist level but can they work in other settings outside of the school?
Stacey Brown some states actually allow you to open private practice with some extra paper work (like VA)! You can also work in the clinic setting (I’ll be interning at children’s national in the fall) and private practices if you have a supervisor above you. It really depends but most will probably work in the school setting especially with a master’s/eds
hi tiffany! i have a question. can i still major in psychology to become an elementary school teacher, then become a counselor? i’m currently a sophomore in high school and debating on majoring in interdisciplinary studies or psychology
Hey! I think teacher credentialing depends on your state so you should check out your department of education. Some require a master's degree in teaching and others only a bachelors in education. You probably need additional classes and licenses to become a teacher with a psych degree. However, you can definitely get a master's in counseling and become a school counselor with a bachelor's in psychology. I think teaching before working in a school is invaluable experience so I recommend it if it's possible for you!
Tiffany Lee I just finished tonight my second year (I’m part time). Next year I get my masters and take my license test. So nervous but excited. Good luck to you!
I think I would like to be a social worker because I see it as someone who really get into the life of the students to know how they are doing, that's would make me sooooo grateful I would love
i've seen people graduate college in 2-3 years but graduate school will be at least 3 years for a specialist degree. to be licensed in your state, you might need additional supervision hours so i would check your state specific requirements
Hi! First off I just want to say I love all of your videos and they’re super insightful. I have a bit of a weird question. Is there a possibility of tension between school psychs and school counselors? Do school psychs have any authority? I ask this because I’ve heard that counselors know psychs aren’t as involved as they are in student life. I’m not an authoritative person and might be uncomfortable giving instruction or tasks to counselors who have been in the field longer than I have and don’t want to step on toes. I know it’s collaborative but to what extent? Sorry for the long message I have so many question!:)
Hi Dakota, that is SUCH a good question! This also reaaally depends on your relationships with those people and also the school culture. Some schools and districts prioritize or "respect" some positions more or give them more authority but I honestly think everyone has their strengths and will bring about the best results working together without competing with each other. I've been in schools where the SP despises the counselors for not doing enough and other schools where the SP, social worker, and counselors are best friends and help each other on cases. Sorry for the vague answer but I hope it's a little helpful. I would maybe ask the district during interviews about school culture and maybe job duties/responsibilities to get a better idea.
It's so hard to make a decision because their roles can change depending on your school and district. You should reach out to current practitioners for more info on your district. Good luck!
In the US, I believe ed psych is more research based. People in that field typically conduct or analyze research regarding education and student learning. School psychs are practitioners who may conduct research but mainly provide services and consume research for their practice. I hope that helps!
There are definitely some school psychologists that I've spoken with that do not enjoy their jobs but I've worked with others who are satisfied and happy with what they do. I definitely don't think the field is for everyone (since it can be very stressful) and the job also differs so much depending on the state or school district. Is this a field that you're considering?
@@TiffanyLee I am still considering it though I am honestly not sure what I want to do at the moment. I thought about counseling but I did not enjoy a counseling class that I took in undergrad
I’m undergrad. I got my associates in education but switched to social work second semester of junior year. I’m getting my bachelors in social work. I want to be a school counselor but also want to have a broader list of jobs I can do so I am hoping I can become a LCSW and also dual major in school counseling but I don’t want to have to go a whole other two years (money wise). Do you know if there’s a short cut to do both?
I haven't personally heard of any dual programs for LCSW and school counseling but their roles do overlap in the school setting. Is there a reason you want to be a counselor rather than a social worker? Social workers in schools also provide a lot of counseling but if it's for other reasons, then it may be better to switch or complete both. For my program, they jam packed a lot of content in two years and it felt really overwhelming, so I'm not sure if it's possible to cover both in a shorter amount of time. Sorry I don't have an answer for you but I'll ask around!
Tiffany Lee it’s all good! Thanks for the reply. As of now I’m going to focus on getting my bachelors and start getting experience. I’m going to look into it more. I know that I want to be a social worker but my dream is to work with adolescents in the school setting either counseling or social work. You can reach so many kids and touch many lives that way!
I know here in CA there is a dual program for school counseling and Clinical mental Health counseling from Azusa Pacific University. I also would want to do a dual for flexibility. I’ve also heard of the LPCC? Something like that.
Amanda Ogbureke you won’t be making 6 figures off the bat but if you’re passionate about helping children, it makes it worth it. Around here it ranges from 55-70k starting