CACREP represents the national standard for the education of professional counselors. In order for a counseling program to become CACREP accredited, they have to go through a lengthy process, which the whole department has to be involved in. According to Dr. Renfro-Michel, the writing was extreme. On the CACREP website, it said it can take up to 24 months to be approved for accreditation. Everything I read on the website impressed upon me how selective a process it is, and how beneficial it is for both the program and the students who graduate from it. The main webpage lists that CACREP grads score better on the National Counselor Examination for Licensure and Certification. Montclair State University's counseling program was accredited about a year ago, and I feel fortunate to have been accepted. MSU's counseling program holds distinction above other programs because it shows the dedication that the faculty have to their students, and to their profession. Its not an accreditation to be taken lightly, and means the faculty will constantly strive to implement the best techniques for professional counseling education.
Knowing this gives me such hope for the future. It means I get to work with professors who truly believe in, and enjoy their field. There's nothing better than learning from someone who has a true passion for their work, and CACREP accreditation is proof of that. I know I will have a thorough and focused education in counseling when I graduate.
After reading all of their website, I, of course, signed up for their newsletter today. I noted they have a $500 scholarship for student projects that are beneficial for CACREP. It made me start to wonder about future projects, and if I would be applying for that one day.
For those who are curious: http://www.cacrep.com
No comments:
Post a Comment