APA Acceptance Rates
Acceptance Rates to APA accredited programs from 2008 to 2013-Universities in the United States:
http://mitch.web.unc.edu/files/2013/10/AdmissionsRates.pdf
Acceptance Rates to APA accredited programs from 2006-2011 (5 year span)-Universities in the United States:
http://www.unc.edu/~mjp1970/Admissions%20Rates.pdf
*The numbers represent percentages. Typically, the average percent across the U.S. for acceptance is around 20% for Clinical Psychology and around 30% for Counseling Psychology, unless some drastic shift has occurred. For the most part, state universities bring in smaller cohorts than private schools or professional schools. A state university tends to bring in anywhere from 1-10 students (about 2-8% of applicants are accepted), at least in my vacinity. Some state schools will accept up to 15-20%, but this not that common. In my area, universities accept no more than 6 students per year (on average). Sometimes, the number is as small as 3 students for a Clinical Psychology program in my area. This is not true of all state universities, but based on looking at the list on these links you should be able to see that it is critical to apply to universities that meet your needs!
On the other hand, private universities can either have low or higher acceptance rates. Some of these schools bring in 10 students, while others may accept 25, close to 40, or more. It all depends on the school. Private universities are a great option for students that want to be connected to a school with a particular mission. Private schools often are driven by a specific cause-military friendly or military based education, faith university, women's university, hub for international education, etc.
When it comes to professional schools, they differ in acceptance rates; however, they usually have higher acceptance rates across the country. Keep in mind that these acceptance rates still averages only up to 20-30%, perhaps more depending on the school. A word of caution is that not all professional schools have easy admissions. Do not take the application process lightly. Similar to private schools, a number of professional schools are mission driven. A lot of them have a military friendly system, serve as a hub for domestic and international education, etc.
Some, not all, students and professionals have opinions on which type of university you should attend. I am not here to tell a student that information. I merely give facts, respect the options of others, and encourage students to follow their dreams. A student should feel confident in choosing a university and psychology subfield that works best for them. Ensure that you make decisions that help you become the well-rounded professional you desire to be. Do not make a decision based on what this or that person would do.
**Unlike some sites on the web, this blog does not denigrate any individual, program, or university, no matter the circumstance. Doing so is wrong and unprofessional. I believe in having an open mind and respecting the choices of others, whether or not I agree with the decision. I am appalled by the language and disrespect shown to students that ask questions on some forums. I assure students and professionals that such arguing, belitting remarks, and cunning behavior will not appear on this blog.
