Hello all,
After lurking here and combing through the forum for months, I’ve decided to join up because I’m going to be facing a bit of an educational crossroads soon, and I could use some advice (and you people are amazing).
I’m graduating this fall from UMUC with a BS in Psychology and a 4.0 GPA. GRE scores 157/Q and 166/V with 5.0 AW.
My goal is to get accepted into a decent Social Psychology or IDEP doctoral program (I am not at all interested in clinical), but I have a few barriers that I need to correct before I apply…the question is the best way to go about it.
While I took most (about 80%) of my classes in person, I’m worried that UMUC is considered an “online” degree and won’t look great in an application. Also, while my degree is from UMUC, I have attended two other institutions and had to transfer due to relocation (military spouse…stationed in Germany now…hence the UMUC degree). I’m a bit worried that my transfers would present as a negative. Finally, and most importantly, I have little real research experience to speak of.
I know for certain that I have no chance of getting accepted anywhere right now, so I’ve thought about enrolling as an undergraduate non-degree seeker at a school with a good social psych or IDEP lab (UT Austin) where I can get that undergrad research experience (and work within my interests), and also pick up some valuable classes (both undergrad and graduate, which I can take at UT since I’ll be post-bacc) that weren’t available to me at UMUC. If I did this for…let’s say, 2 years, and worked as an RA during the summer, do you think that will be enough to get accepted into a good Social or IDEP doctoral program (like UT Austin or Arizona State)?
Would it be wiser to just try to go for a Master’s? I can’t really see the point in that since I’m really not interested in anything clinical (but I don’t want to apply in a couple of years to a program with my BS and bunch of post-bacc research work and get asked why I didn’t just get my Master’s).
Should I consider just enrolling for a year somewhere for some undergrad research experience and then try to land a position as a full time RA? Would that look better than devoting 2 years to more classes and research as an enrolled student? I was just thinking that it would be helpful to be involved and network in the same lab (or at least same kind of lab) that I’d like to work in as a doctoral student.
I’ve also thought about post-bacc programs, but most of those programs seem to focus on more broad psychology concepts (intended for people without psychology degrees, I’m guessing), and I think I’d be better off enrolling as an undergrad non-degree seeker and have the ability to specialize my coursework and get research experience in the particular field that I’m set on.
Am I misguided in any of my thinking so far? Are there other options that I’m not considering?
Thank you so much in advance for advice!
After lurking here and combing through the forum for months, I’ve decided to join up because I’m going to be facing a bit of an educational crossroads soon, and I could use some advice (and you people are amazing).
I’m graduating this fall from UMUC with a BS in Psychology and a 4.0 GPA. GRE scores 157/Q and 166/V with 5.0 AW.
My goal is to get accepted into a decent Social Psychology or IDEP doctoral program (I am not at all interested in clinical), but I have a few barriers that I need to correct before I apply…the question is the best way to go about it.
While I took most (about 80%) of my classes in person, I’m worried that UMUC is considered an “online” degree and won’t look great in an application. Also, while my degree is from UMUC, I have attended two other institutions and had to transfer due to relocation (military spouse…stationed in Germany now…hence the UMUC degree). I’m a bit worried that my transfers would present as a negative. Finally, and most importantly, I have little real research experience to speak of.
I know for certain that I have no chance of getting accepted anywhere right now, so I’ve thought about enrolling as an undergraduate non-degree seeker at a school with a good social psych or IDEP lab (UT Austin) where I can get that undergrad research experience (and work within my interests), and also pick up some valuable classes (both undergrad and graduate, which I can take at UT since I’ll be post-bacc) that weren’t available to me at UMUC. If I did this for…let’s say, 2 years, and worked as an RA during the summer, do you think that will be enough to get accepted into a good Social or IDEP doctoral program (like UT Austin or Arizona State)?
Would it be wiser to just try to go for a Master’s? I can’t really see the point in that since I’m really not interested in anything clinical (but I don’t want to apply in a couple of years to a program with my BS and bunch of post-bacc research work and get asked why I didn’t just get my Master’s).
Should I consider just enrolling for a year somewhere for some undergrad research experience and then try to land a position as a full time RA? Would that look better than devoting 2 years to more classes and research as an enrolled student? I was just thinking that it would be helpful to be involved and network in the same lab (or at least same kind of lab) that I’d like to work in as a doctoral student.
I’ve also thought about post-bacc programs, but most of those programs seem to focus on more broad psychology concepts (intended for people without psychology degrees, I’m guessing), and I think I’d be better off enrolling as an undergrad non-degree seeker and have the ability to specialize my coursework and get research experience in the particular field that I’m set on.
Am I misguided in any of my thinking so far? Are there other options that I’m not considering?
Thank you so much in advance for advice!
