We ask that you include the following in your personal statement/letter of intent:

• A brief explanation of why you want a career in mental health.
• Explain what sparked your interest in the discipline of Clinical Mental Health Counseling and/or Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPC/LPCC)
• A narrative of how your personality, motivations, and experiences all come together to make you a great candidate for the CMHC program at St. Cloud State.
• Short-term and long-term goals. What do you plan to do with your degree and how will the degree help you achieve your career goals.
• Strengths you would bring to the CMHC program at St. Cloud State. 

You will submit your recommendation letters using the links in your online application with Graduate Studies. 

We prefer you seek recommendation letters from:

1. Licensed Mental Health Provider (LPC, LPCC, LMFT, LP, LICSW)
   • Speaks to your motivation and potential for success in the career.
2. University Instructor
   • Speaks to your aptitude to perform graduate level work.
3. Supervisor who could speak to:
   • Speaks to your ability to relate to others, capacity for collaborative work, maturity, emotional stability, attitudes toward supervision, maturity, problem-solving skills, capacity for leadership, self-discipline, and integrity.

Applicants who meet the program’s minimum requirements will be invited for an interview.

This will be a group interview, where groups of 6-8 applicants meet with faculty members and current students. The interviewers will pose a series of questions to the group, varying the order of those who answer, with each applicant being given time to formulate an answer to the questions posed. 

Following the interview, applicants will be provided with a case study to discuss as a group. Current graduate students facilitate this discussion.

Applicants are then invited to do a virtual tour of the St. Cloud State training clinic. Generally the entire interview process lasts from 8:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. and applicants must be in attendance for the entire process. There are no make-up interview dates.

To prepare, you can work on your stress management and your presentation skills. It is equally important to be able to speak about your experiences and goals as it is to have them documented in your application. 

You will be contacted about our admission decision with one of three designations: 

• Admission – The faculty would like to invite you to be a part of the 18 member CMHC cohort.
• Waitlist – The faculty would like to invite you to be a part of the program, yet we are limited in how many students we can accept per accreditation. Once admission candidates have made their decisions (by April 17) the program director will notify you of your options.
• Non-Admission- The faculty will recommend that you obtain experience (paid or volunteer) in the area of interest and re-apply for the following year.