I apologize if this question has been asked before! I do not know anyone in the field and figured this would be the place to ask.

I (22F) graduated with my BA in Psychology in 2022 and will be applying to Clinical Psych PhD programs this fall after a year of CRA work. I know that the PhD programs are extremely competitive and it’s possible that I will not get in this cycle, so I will also be applying to MAs in Mental Health Counseling. My question is this: If I do not get into a PhD program, should I go into a Masters program so as to not “waste time,” or should I work for another year and try again next cycle?

My concern with the MA is that I know the credits often do not transfer into PhD programs and will not shorten the duration of a future PhD. I feel lost, any insight would be greatly appreciated.