Evaluation of Candidates
In evaluating candidates for the programs at Forest , emphasis is placed on their academic record, professional recommendations, professional accomplishments and achievements, publications, awards and graduate test performance scores. Also of interest are the special strengths, talents, and personal attributes of the candidate, as well as community service, volunteer and extracurricular activities that enhance the diversity or contribute to the enrichment of the clinical psychology community. A candidate's overall fitness to complete a rigorous program of education and training to become a professional psychologist weighs heavily in the evaluation process. Personal maturity, interpersonal communication skills, and self-motivation are a few of the qualitative indicators that are closely examined.
A candid assessment of the intellectual abilities, character and special talents of the applicant is derived primarily from qualitative information provided in the personal essay, letters of recommendation, and personal interviews.
Admission Requirements for
Doctor of Psychology and Master of Arts Programs
Before completion and submission of the application, please read the following requirements thoroughly.
• Prospective students need a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution and must have earned a 3.0 grade point average (GPA) or better on a 4.0 scale during the last 60 hours of undergraduate work. Applicants without the required GPA are considered on a highly selective basis and are invited to address this issue in their personal essay. If the applicant is extended an invitation to interview, this issue will be discussed in detail.
• Applicants to the Master's program need the equivalent of 12 semester hours in psychology; applicants to the doctoral program need the equivalent of 18 semester hours, with course grades of “B” or better in each psychology course. These hours must include the following courses or equivalents:
• Statistics*
• Abnormal Psychology
• One Developmental Psychology Course
• One Biological science course (e.g. Human Physiology, Biology, Zoology, Anatomy).
*This requirement may be met by taking the non-credit Fundamentals of Statistics course offered at Forest Institute.
The application packet consists of a completed application form and a non-refundable application fee of $50, in addition to the following:
Three Professional Recommendations
College professors, supervisors, or others who have known the candidate for one year or longer and who have evaluated the candidate's personal, professional, and academic qualifications should be contacted to complete the Professional Recommendation Forms. At least three professional recommendations are required and must be completed using the forms provided in the admissions packet.
Personal Essay
Through the personal essay much is learned about the candidate, including his/her interests, goals, character and if he/she is a good fit for the programs at Forest . Personal essays should range from five to eight pages in length using 1” margins, double spacing, and preferably Arial 12 pt. font or Times New Roman 14 pt. font. Essays must specifically address the following:
1. What personal knowledge, skills, attitudes, qualities, and life experiences do you possess that would make you a good professional psychologist? Elaborate on which of these you will bring to your training at Forest Institute. Which do you hope to develop during your training at Forest Institute?
2.
Discuss why you believe that you are "fitted for a future in being of service to the diverse human community" as a professional psychologist.
Please tell us any additional information that you believe the Admissions Committee should know to assist in making their decision regarding your application.
Current Resume/Vitae
List other activities since high school, include military service, but omit summer and part-time work not relevant to professional goals.
Official Transcripts
Official transcripts of all graduate and undergraduate work, including part-time and summer sessions, mailed directly from all institutions attended since secondary school. If college credits were earned while in secondary school, an official transcript is required of the college/university from which those credits were received.
GRE/TOEFL
Students making application to the program are required to complete and submit their scores for the Verbal, Quantitative and Analytical sections of the GRE. International applicants, who do not hold a United States undergraduate degree and whose native language is not English, are required to submit their TOEFL scores. Forest 's code number for forwarding GRE and TOEFL results is 8525. For information about GRE test dates and requests for scores, write to the Educational Testing Services, Princeton , NJ 08541-6000 . The phone number is (609) 771-7670; the web site is http://www.gre.org .
Notification of Interview
As a final step in the application process, selected candidates are invited to participate in an on-site interview with Forest faculty during one of the scheduled interview days. The interview process is intended to provide both the candidate and the Admissions Committee an opportunity to learn more about each other.
Following the personal interview, the Admissions Committee will conduct the final review of application materials. Members of the Committee include the Dean/Chief Academic Officer, the Associate Dean, a Core Faculty member, and the Director of Admissions. The Committee will only review an application once a candidate has successfully met all admissions requirements.
In unusual circumstances, the Dean may grant “conditional admission,” with proof of the student's ability to do successful graduate-level work. The unusual circumstances behind conditional acceptance will be documented in the student file.
Notification of Acceptance
Candidates are selected for admission to Forest Institute on the basis of demonstrated intellectual capacity for the study of psychology and evidence of the character and personal integrity expected of a person who serves the public as a clinical psychologist. The Admissions Committee usually notifies candidates of their acceptance status within two weeks following the personal interview process. Candidates are then given approximately two weeks in which to submit their “Letter of Intent” to enroll in the program along with the non-refundable Matriculation Fee, or decline the offer of acceptance. At the end of the two-week period, the offer of acceptance will be rescinded if no response is received from the candidate.
Candidates that have accepted an offer of enrollment from Forest but wish to postpone matriculation may submit a written request to delay enrollment to the Director of Admissions. Such an extension may only be granted for up to one year, and may not carry-over into another academic year. In situations where a candidate wishes to begin enrollment in an academic year other than that which was offered, reapplication may be required, including payment of the application and matriculation fees.
Acceptance into one of Forest 's programs does not guarantee acceptance into another program. Current students wishing to pursue secondary degree or certificate programs at Forest must make application for such programs through the Admissions Office.
Applications for admission are available from the Admissions Office and on-line, and should be submitted either in person, by mail, by FAX, or electronically through the web site www.forest.edu. Because those accepted into the program will render services to the public, Forest routinely performs a personal background check on all incoming students, following written consent.
Admission Requirements for “Non-Degree Seeking” Students
Students not pursuing a degree may be admitted as “non-degree seeking” students for continuing education, certification requirements, and other highly individualized programs. “Non-degree seeking” students may generally complete up to 12 credit hours without entering a degree program. They do not qualify for financial aid. Non-Degree seeking application packages consist of:
• Completed Non-Degree Seeking Application form
• Non-refundable application fee of $50.00
• Unofficial copies of transcripts in English from ALL colleges or universities attended,
verifying completion of a bachelor's degree
Admission Requirements for Re-specialization Programs
Forest welcomes persons with a doctorate in psychology who are re-specializing in clinical psychology and neuropsychology. Forest requires an earned doctorate degree in another field of psychology from a regionally accredited institution, with a minimum GPA of 3.25 on a 4.0 scale, which includes successful completion of a 2,000-hour full-time one-year internship approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) or Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC). Re-specialization application packages consist of:
• Completed Re-Specialization Application form
• Non-refundable application fee of $50.00
• Official copies of transcripts in English from ALL colleges or universities attended,
verifying completion of a doctoral degree
Admission Requirements for Post-Graduate Marriage and Family Therapy Certification
Once students have satisfied Forest 's general admission requirements, they may apply to the Marriage and Family Therapy Program, which has the following additional criteria:
• Have completed a master's degree in a mental health-related field;
• Complete and submit a self-reflective personal and professional statement of intent;
• Schedule and complete a personal interview with the Marriage and Family Therapy Program faculty;
• Provide three professional references related to the applicant's abilities and suitability for marriage and
family therapy;
• Submit official transcripts of the master's degree;
• Pay an application and processing fee; and
• Agree to follow the AAMFT Code of Ethics
Admission to the Post-Graduate MFT program is limited. Because of supervisory and client contact limitations, not all students who apply to the program will be admitted, even if they meet minimal qualifications. After admission, students will be assigned to a six-member team for clinical work and supervision purposes.
Students who will not complete their master's degree until the fall term will be given provisional acceptance to the program until they have received their degree. Students may not begin counting client contact or supervision hours until they have completed their master's degree coursework.
Transfer Credit
About one-third of Forest doctoral students hold advanced degrees beyond a baccalaureate. Forest may grant transfer credit to students whose official transcripts show course work substantially equivalent to that offered at Forest through an institution that is regionally accredited and has been completed within the last 10 years. Transfer work is reviewed for content, philosophical emphasis, skills, attitude, and knowledge acquisition once an individual has been accepted into Forest . Requests for transfer credit must be directed to the Dean of Students within the first six months after matriculation.
Students may transfer a maximum of 18 credit hours of course work, including three credit hours of practica for the master's program and up to 36 hours of course work including eight hours of practica for the doctorate program. Life experience, workshops, seminars, and individual learning programs do not qualify as practica. Transfer credit must have been completed within 10 years of admission to Forest .
International Students
While Forest welcomes international students, its programs require a high degree of English proficiency. This proficiency is verified through the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) by the Educational Testing Service. Information concerning the TOEFL is available from the Educational Testing Service, P.O. Box 6000 , Princeton , NJ 08541-6000 . The phone number is: (609) 771-7100; the web site is: http://www.toefl.org. The institution code for TOEFL is 8525. TOEFL requirements may be waived for applicants who demonstrate sufficient abilities in English. This decision will be made by the Admissions Committee when the prospective student submits a written request for a waiver.
Graduates of colleges and universities outside the United States must have the equivalent of a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education in the United States . Non-U.S. transcripts must be evaluated to determine grade point average and credit equivalents between the graduating country and the United States .
Financial aid is not available to international students, unless they are eligible non-residents. The Financial Aid Director will talk with international applicants to outline first-year costs for tuition, books, and living expenses and to ensure that the students can cover these costs. Once academic admission has been approved and proof of financial capability has been secured, an I-20 form can be submitted for immigration purposes. It is also recommended that international students obtain an international driver's license from their home country before entering the United States .
|
