Q&A with Carolyn Sauer '82

1. What year did you graduate Cornell, and what was your major?

1982; Psychology and Art Majors

2. What were you involved in at Cornell?

I was involved in the art and psychology departments. I took a double major. I had a great curriculum. I was also involved in the synchronized swimming club. Oh yes, I played violin in Pirates of Penzance (Marcella Lee's class) and bassoon.

3. What do you do now? Where?

I am now a clinical psychologist with a solo practice in Placerville, CA. I have been practicing 23 years. I am involved in the art community and still paint and create things which is a great outlet for me. I am also married and a mother of 2 boys, ages 11 and 13.

4. In your opinion, what is the most difficult part of graduate school?

Probably the fear that I wouldn't measure up. I went from being in a nurturing small environment at Cornell to a graduate school in Chicago. I suddenly found myself swimming with the sharks.

5. How did Cornell prepare you for graduate school?

Cornell forced me to learn good work habits, for example, to avoid procrastinating. It also helped me learn to be flexible with regard to learning new skills and adaptation.

6. How could Cornell have better prepared you?

Students should be given the basics in college. This provides them with a foundation that will allow them to be competitive in other areas.

7. What preparation for graduate school did you do on your own that helped the most?

I really tried to get internships and jobs that were affiliated with my chosen field. Graduate programs want to see what practical experience you have, not just what you studied.

8. Is there anything you wish you had done to help you prepare?

I was really anxious to get started with graduate school right after college. In retrospect, it probably wouldn't have hurt to take a year and just work in a clinic or counseling related job. In psychology practical experience is just as important as academic experience.

9. What graduate admissions test did you take?

The GRE general test and the psychology subject test.

10. What steps did you take in choosing a graduate school?

First, I decided what field of psychology I wanted. For me it was clinical practice. Then I did research on what types of degrees and schools were strongest in that area. I chose the Psy.D. degree because it involved more clinical work and less research. Then I researched the schools that offered this degree.

11. What interested you in a career in psychology?

I got excited after my introductory psych class at Cornell. There were some great teachers in the department who inspired me. At that time the department had a balance: an experimental psychologist, clinical psychologist, and an educational psychologist.

12. How many schools did you apply to?

Four, and decided to attend the Forest Institute of Professional Psychology.

13. Describe a normal week's work schedule...

I have a pretty good balance by design. I am in the office from 9am to 3pm Monday through Thursday, and Fridays from 2-12. I have a general practice, seeing clients ranging in age from 18 months to 90 years. I pick up my boys from school at 3:30 and help them with homework and fix dinner. I am also available to drive them to their activities. Our family winds down between 8 and 9 pm, and most of us are asleep by 10. I get up at 4:30am, practice yoga, go over my schedule for the day, get the kids up between 6:30 and 7, and drive them to school by 8. I get to the office about 8:15 and make phone calls until 9 when I usually start seeing clients.

14. What piece of advice can you give to Cornell students interested in pursuing careers as clinical psychologists?

Clinical psychology is one of those fields where age and experience are assets. Spend some time working in a clinically related field, so you can learn about yourself. There are many ways a degree in clinical psychology can be used, so the more you can learn about yourself the better chance you will get a good fit in your career.

15. Anything else you'd like current students to know?

Study many different things, even if you don't think it's going to be interesting. If you choose to practice clinical or counseling psychology a diverse background is an asset. Be sure to also build in hobbies and personal interests to keep yourself from burning out. If you choose to counsel people remember, if you wouldn't buy it you probably shouldn't be selling it.