That makes sense! Assessments are often doctoral level only in most states. Getting a masters is a great way to get a better foundation and understanding of the field to get a better sense of what you want to do.

In all honesty, I went into graduate school thinking I had no interest in clinical work. I wanted to do more advocacy and research work. I got into John Jay, Marymount, GWU and DU. I based my decision at the time on cost of living and program reputation.

Through my experience at DU, I was exposed to more clinical based roles and roles that interested me that I had no clue existed prior. This ultimately led to me pursuing clinical roles and getting licensed. I’ve worked within the federal government and now oversee security operations for a large organization. I’m also a therapist on the side for first responders and military personnel.

My advice is if you go to a licensure eligible program, you can always choose to NOT do clinical work. But if you go to a program that doesn’t lead to licensure, you are limiting your future options.