Okay, so I’ve been digging into this whole “online psychology degree” thing, specifically in Iowa. It all started because, well, let’s just say I’ve got some time on my hands and a serious interest in how people’s minds work. Always have, really.
First, I started by, you know, just Googling around. “Online psychology degree Iowa” – that’s what I typed in. I figured Iowa, because why not? Nice state, seemed like a good place to, uh, virtually learn. The search results? Man, it was a lot. Lots of schools, lots of programs, lots of promises. Kind of overwhelming, to be honest.
I spent a good few days just clicking through different university websites. I read about their Bachelor’s programs, their Master’s programs, even some PhD stuff (way too far ahead for me, but hey, good to know it’s there). Some sites were super clear, easy to navigate. Others? Felt like I needed a degree just to understand their degree programs!
I started to make a list. A real, physical list on paper. Old school, I know. But it helped! I jotted down the names of the schools that seemed interesting, the specific programs they offered, and any little notes that stood out. Like, “This one has a concentration in forensic psychology” or “This one seems really flexible with scheduling.”
Narrowing it Down
After a while, my list got pretty long. Time to whittle it down. I started looking at things like tuition costs (ouch!), admission requirements (double ouch!), and whether the program was fully online or had some kind of in-person component (I’m aiming for fully online, for obvious reasons).
- Tuition: Definitely a big factor. Some programs were surprisingly affordable, others… not so much.
- Admissions: Most places wanted transcripts, letters of recommendation, maybe a personal essay. Standard stuff, but still a bit of a hurdle.
- Fully Online: This was key for me. I needed the flexibility to study from home, on my own schedule.
I also tried to find some reviews or testimonials from actual students. That was harder than I thought! Some schools had them on their websites, but you know, you gotta take those with a grain of salt. I searched for online forums and discussion boards, trying to get a sense of what people really thought about the different programs.
The Real Deal
So after the information gathering online, I decided that some calls had to be made, that it was the next step. To make a long and messy process short: I spoke with admissions, I pestered advisors, and I managed to narrow it down to two programs, and I’m currently waiting for acceptance into one. Wish me luck!
