WAMC: What Are My Chances

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I've recently decided to apply to a doctorate program on the long shot I may get in. I'm applying to East Tennessee State University (due to both faculty and location)

I'm graduating two years early with my BA in psych with a minor in criminal justice.
GPA (currently) - 3.98

major GPA - 4.0 (well, technically over a 4.0)

GRE - 155V 158Q

Research - I've worked in two different labs, not for that long though. A lot of the research is on antisocial and psychopathic behaviors which I plan to continue. At least to some extent I plan to do forensic psych.

My recommendations are pretty strong (the two lab advisors, one who was a professor of mine, and another professor from the CJ department)

I'm also applying to a handful of master's programs, just in case.
Thoughts?
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ratlab said:
Hi everyone,

I know I'm not applying to clinical psychology, but I have seen several people not in that field post here, so here goes. So I just took the GRE yesterday and got a 159 on Verbal (81%) and a 153 on Quantitative (53%), and I’m pretty sure I got a 5-6 on the AW (feel really confident). While these scores aren’t horrible (nor are they great), I am applying to top-tier schools and could use some insight. I have not started my applications so I really don’t have much time to retake the GRE on top of all my other responsibilities. I don’t really care about anonymity as I don't intend to be unprofessional or post embarrassing things. My background is below:

Undergraduate at a small but nationally recognized university.
Major: Psychology with a concentration in biopsychology, Minor: Ancient Studies
Cumulative GPA: 3.71, Psychology GPA: 3.95

Awards:
- Departmental honors program
- A scholar award for my independent honors thesis
- A travel award to present at Neuroscience 2013

Activities:
- President of PSI CHI
- Executive Committee for Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK)
- Supplemental Instruction Leader for chemistry and math
- Expert Level CLRA tutor certified (working on master level certification)
- Psychology Peer Mentor (for a psychology 100 course)

Research:
- 2 years in an animal behavior lab in my institution’s psychology department conducting research on the cognitive effects of radiation using a ground based rat model (NASA funded). Through this lab I am conducting my independent honors thesis that I am presenting in poster format at Neuroscience 2013. I am in charge of running several behavioral experiments, and I also went on a research trip to a national lab to learn how to radiate the animals and conduct novel experiments.

-1.5 years (first an intern for a summer then hired) working at Johns Hopkins in an animal behavioral facility. This job is more of a tech position in that I don’t work on any specific project. I assist in running an animal behavior lab in which researchers use our equipment and software, and through this lab I have learned numerous (20+) modern behavioral tests and the corresponding software (maze tracking softwares). I run requested tests for groups of researchers and sometimes help train others to use things ( I am constantly learning when I do this job).

- 0.5 years in a Genetic Epidemiology lab. Didn't do much besides literature searches and learning how to make good research figures, but I did get a poster out of it.

Posters: 5 (1 first author for Neuroscience 2013); Publications: 0 (my honors thesis might turn into a paper, but it wouldn’t be for a long while).

Letters of recommendations: three strong letters.
- One from my mentor at Hopkins who has his own lab and runs the behavioral lab.
- One from my mentor from the radiation rat lab in which I’m conducting my independent honors thesis and have a lot of responsibility there.
- One from a senior lecturer in the psychology department who I am a peer mentor for and have taken a few classes with. This person has also been a generally great advisor to me and will write me a beautiful letter.

I will be applying (most likely) to 10-12 top-tier schools (Hopkins will definitely be one), and probably all of those schools will probably be for behavioral neuroscience based in psychology departments, maybe a few biology departments if I decide to (neuroscience). I have only taken introduction to cell biology, molecular genetics, and chemistry though. I kind of don’t know where to start with finding good Neuroscience programs (based in biology departments) and I have to choose wisely because of my background. I’m worried about my GRE scores, but I think my other areas make up for it. I’d appreciate any insight or advice!

Sorry for the long post, but thanks for reading!
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Your GPA and research experience are solid, but the lack of publications plus the so-so GRE may put you at a disadvantage at more competitive programs. Good letters of recommendations attesting to your ability to design, carry out, and communicate research (rather than just run other peoples' studies) would help. It also wouldn't hurt to ask the people you know at Hopkins for feedback to get a view from people who are used to seeing applications, though.

As for finding programs- I applied to a variety of neuro, cog neuro, and clinical programs. The advice I got was to find potential mentors and ask them about the best program to apply through to work with them. SfN would be a good time to try to get in touch with people, although email always works too.
 
harleyquinn said:
I've recently decided to apply to a doctorate program on the long shot I may get in. I'm applying to East Tennessee State University (due to both faculty and location)

I'm graduating two years early with my BA in psych with a minor in criminal justice.
GPA (currently) - 3.98

major GPA - 4.0 (well, technically over a 4.0)

GRE - 155V 158Q

Research - I've worked in two different labs, not for that long though. A lot of the research is on antisocial and psychopathic behaviors which I plan to continue. At least to some extent I plan to do forensic psych.
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Graduating early in this scenario may not be a benefit because your competition would have more time during their undergraduate years to pursue additional experience. I'd recommend becoming a full-time RA for a year or two to gain more experience and hopefully some publications and presentations. You might be able to get in somewhere w/o doing an RA-ship, but you'll definitely know more and probably have an easier transition with the additional year or two of experience.
 
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Hi all,

First, I want to say that lurking these forums for the last few years has been really helpful to me in considering my education and future options. Thanks to all who participate!
I am a senior at a top 20 university applying to Ph.D. programs in Clinical Psychology. Broadly speaking (nervous about being too specific online), I’m interested in child psychopathology. I’ve compiled a list of 15 schools (almost entirely based on mentor-fit, also nervous about posting online) to apply to; however, I’m somewhat worried because many are among the most competitive Clinical programs. Some more info:

*GPA: ~3.7; Psychology GPA: ~3.8
*GRE: 160 Quantitative, 169 Qualitative, 5.5 Writing
*2.5 years in one lab; 2 in a second lab, and 1.5 in another (including 2 summers)
*One oral conference presentation, one poster, two posters in submission
*No psychology publications, but helping with the preparation of three manuscripts (all well underway), including a major theory paper, + writing an honors thesis
*Good/varied “clinical” & community experience
*3 letters of recommendation should all be very strong, including one from someone who is well-known in the field

I am concerned about how being an undergraduate + not having any completed publications will affect my chances. I am aware that many competitive programs are looking for individuals who have 2+ years of postgrad research experience. I’m willing to go to this route if this round of applications doesn’t work out for me.

Any input, suggestions, or ideas re: room for improvement would be greatly appreciated!
 
Ellen20 said:
Hi all,

First, I want to say that lurking these forums for the last few years has been really helpful to me in considering my education and future options. Thanks to all who participate!
I am a senior at a top 20 university applying to Ph.D. programs in Clinical Psychology. Broadly speaking (nervous about being too specific online), I’m interested in child psychopathology. I’ve compiled a list of 15 schools (almost entirely based on mentor-fit, also nervous about posting online) to apply to; however, I’m somewhat worried because many are among the most competitive Clinical programs. Some more info:

*GPA: ~3.7; Psychology GPA: ~3.8
*GRE: 160 Quantitative, 169 Qualitative, 5.5 Writing
*2.5 years in one lab; 2 in a second lab, and 1.5 in another (including 2 summers)
*One oral conference presentation, one poster, two posters in submission
*No psychology publications, but helping with the preparation of three manuscripts (all well underway), including a major theory paper, + writing an honors thesis
*Good/varied “clinical” & community experience
*3 letters of recommendation should all be very strong, including one from someone who is well-known in the field

I am concerned about how being an undergraduate + not having any completed publications will affect my chances. I am aware that many competitive programs are looking for individuals who have 2+ years of postgrad research experience. I’m willing to go to this route if this round of applications doesn’t work out for me.

Any input, suggestions, or ideas re: room for improvement would be greatly appreciated!
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Fifteen schools is a very good number, and your numbers are above average...I honestly think that, even straight out of undergrad, you'll receive lots of interviews. Make sure your personal statement is strong.

One question I have is regarding the quality of research experience. You have posters, which is great, but you've been in so many labs for so long, just in undergrad -- were they all at once? How much were you actually working in these labs? If you got experience doing research tasks that are more similar to a grad student's work than an undergrad's, make sure to emphasize that (i.e., a thesis or independent study of some kind).
 
ndlek21 said:
Fifteen schools is a very good number, and your numbers are above average...I honestly think that, even straight out of undergrad, you'll receive lots of interviews. Make sure your personal statement is strong.

One question I have is regarding the quality of research experience. You have posters, which is great, but you've been in so many labs for so long, just in undergrad -- were they all at once? How much were you actually working in these labs? If you got experience doing research tasks that are more similar to a grad student's work than an undergrad's, make sure to emphasize that (i.e., a thesis or independent study of some kind).
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Thank you for taking the time to reply!

I am still in all three labs. Each lab is about a 10 hour/week commitment (so, 30 total/week). Despite being involved in a couple labs I've tried to demonstrate strong commitment and have taken on progressively more responsibilities in each over time.

I am writing a thesis. As far as experience goes, I've conducted qualitative and semi-structured interviews, analyzed data, run some assessments, done literature reviews, written IRB protocols, assisted with manuscripts, etc. All labs have some overlapping elements, but each has offered me some unique opportunities and experiences with different lines of research. Your advice re: what to emphasize in the personal statement is definitely helpful and I'll keep it in mind.
 
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Hello everyone! So, I'd like to know what are my chances... I'm an international student applying to Nova, Yeshiva and GWU PsyD.
Psych major GPA: 3.96
Masters GPA 4.0
GRE: V: 156 Q: 148
Plenty of work experience (field work all through college and private practice for about 4 years)
I have very strong letters of recommendation and I think a good personal statement
I'm taking the psych GRE on saturday
I know my GRE scores aren't great so do you think I should re take it or is it too late? Will all of the other stuff be enough? My first choice is Yeshiva
Good luck everyone and I would appreciate the feedback!
 
Hi, I am planning on applying to Ph.D. program this year. Here is my stat:

- Major: Psychology
- Minor: Biology (Completed pre-medical courses)
- GPA: 3.67
- Major GPA: 3.92
- Undergraduate research experience: 1 year of Psychology research lab and Semester of Ecology research lab
- Study Abroad Experience (Got an internship there and worked in counceling center)
- Volunteered at Children's hospital for 2 years

I haven't taken my GRE test yet, but will take it very soon.

So these are my major strengths. Am I considered as a competitive applicant for Top 20~50 graduate schools.

I am very new to this, so I would appreciate if someone can answer my questions.
Thanks!
 
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clinicalpsych13 said:
Hi, I am planning on applying to Ph.D. program this year. Here is my stat:

- Major: Psychology
- Minor: Biology (Completed pre-medical courses)
- GPA: 3.67
- Major GPA: 3.92
- Undergraduate research experience: 1 year of Psychology research lab and Semester of Ecology research lab
- Study Abroad Experience (Got an internship there and worked in counceling center)
- Volunteered at Children's hospital for 2 years

I haven't taken my GRE test yet, but will take it very soon.

So these are my major strengths. Am I considered as a competitive applicant for Top 20~50 graduate schools.

I am very new to this, so I would appreciate if someone can answer my questions.
Thanks!
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Your GPA is good, but we definitely don't have enough information to evaluate whether you'd be a good candidate.

One year of research isn't that long...do you know what you'd be interested in researching in graduate school? You say you want to get into a "Top 20-50" graduate school, but when it comes to psych PhD programs, the school's ranking isn't important -- you need to have a good fit with the program (i.e., research match with a professor).

Take your GREs, keep doing research, and find programs that have a professor or lab that matches your interests. Most programs follow a "mentor model," so you won't have a shot at getting in unless you express interest in working with a particular faculty.
 
So. This is my first post here, I believe. And I'm getting a late start on all this stuff.
I'm somewhat intimidated, reading all these posts with everyone's qualifications. lol.
Anyway. Here's my story- I appreciate any opinions you have to offer.

I'm 27, and just graduated my undergrad. The thing is, I didn't know what i wanted to major in until 3 years ago. Before that, I tanked my GPA and dropped out. I mean, when I burn bridges, I reaaalllly burn bridges. Gas tank and everything. I had a 1.7 GPA when I dropped out.
For 5 years, I worked in "the real world" until I figured out for sure what I wanted to do. I found Psychology and it was love at first sight. I started getting A's again. I managed to raise my GPA to a 2.95 over the past couple years. I took summer classes and overloaded myself during each semester, to make up for lost time.
I did a Senior Thesis research paper which yielded a few really great references, plus the paper (writing sample).

I took the GREs last year- did very well in Verbal, and Analytical, but did kinda average in Quantitative. I'm going to retake the GREs and give more focus to the Quantitative portion this time. (sorry, I don't remember my exact scores). And I haven't taken the Subject test as of yet.

I have a year (this last year) of research experience with a highly respected university in which I directly interacted with participants in a study.
Currently, I am attempting to get a Behavioral Tech job to hold me over until I have this Grad school stuff sorted out.

Okay, the question.
The question is, with my GPA being 0.05 below the minimum requirements, should I still apply to PhD programs?
I'm definitely considering M.A. programs as well, but I want to apply to a few PhD programs, if possible.
Another question- are there programs that are more friendly towards a below-3.0 gpa like mine?
Just... What would you say my chances are, in general?

(thanks, in advance!)

Ktw
 
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katriana86 said:
So. This is my first post here, I believe. And I'm getting a late start on all this stuff.
I'm somewhat intimidated, reading all these posts with everyone's qualifications. lol.
Anyway. Here's my story- I appreciate any opinions you have to offer.

I'm 27, and just graduated my undergrad. The thing is, I didn't know what i wanted to major in until 3 years ago. Before that, I tanked my GPA and dropped out. I mean, when I burn bridges, I reaaalllly burn bridges. Gas tank and everything. I had a 1.7 GPA when I dropped out.
For 5 years, I worked in "the real world" until I figured out for sure what I wanted to do. I found Psychology and it was love at first sight. I started getting A's again. I managed to raise my GPA to a 2.95 over the past couple years. I took summer classes and overloaded myself during each semester, to make up for lost time.
I did a Senior Thesis research paper which yielded a few really great references, plus the paper (writing sample).

I took the GREs last year- did very well in Verbal, and Analytical, but did kinda average in Quantitative. I'm going to retake the GREs and give more focus to the Quantitative portion this time. (sorry, I don't remember my exact scores). And I haven't taken the Subject test as of yet.

I have a year (this last year) of research experience with a highly respected university in which I directly interacted with participants in a study.
Currently, I am attempting to get a Behavioral Tech job to hold me over until I have this Grad school stuff sorted out.

Okay, the question.
The question is, with my GPA being 0.05 below the minimum requirements, should I still apply to PhD programs?
I'm definitely considering M.A. programs as well, but I want to apply to a few PhD programs, if possible.
Another question- are there programs that are more friendly towards a below-3.0 gpa like mine?
Just... What would you say my chances are, in general?

(thanks, in advance!)

Ktw
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Are you able to do anything to bring your GPA above that cutoff. Most programs I've looked at seem to stand by their hard cutoff number. You might be wasting time and money applying to those programs.
 
Hi, everyone!
I have a pretty big list of schools I would like to attend, but I am extremely nervous because my GPA is extremely sub-par. My overall undergrad is 3.29 and my major is 3.48.

GRE:
Verbal: 160
Quantitative Reasoning: 151
Writing: 4.5

I'm still waiting on my Psych test results.

Experience: 1 year work at inpatient unit as a psychiatric assistant
TSS from August 2013 to present (and until I have to move for school)

The school I picked range from real reaches to schools I don't want to go to at all (like Argosy). I am hesitant to remove the lower tier schools because I'm so worried that my numbers will prevent me from getting accepted anywhere else.

My schools:
Argosy
Antioch
Chicago School of Professional Psychology
Florida Institute of Technology
George Washington University
La Salle
Loyola
Nova Southeastern University
Pacific University
University of Denver
University of Hartford
University of Indianapolis
Wright State
Xavier
Rutgers
Baylor

Thanks for any and all advice. Applying and interviewing can be pretty expensive, so if there is a place that I couldn't possibly get into, I'd like to know. Thanks! :)
 
Carapox-

A lot of the schools you listed select students with similar stats as you have. NEVER apply anywhere that you aren't actually willing to go, that's just a waste of time and money. Apply to as many places as you can and then if you're offered interviews, start picking your battles. I'm confident that some of the places you listed WILL extend and interview invitation to you. Some of those programs are really going to come down to the dollars and sense though.
 
Hi all, heres my info:

GRE: 153 verbal
157 quantitative
Writing 3.0

GPA 3.3

Experience:
2.5 years one lab, acted as project manager for a grad students dissertation for 6 months
1 year in another lab
2 years post bac RA experience (my current job) on a NIH study

2 poster presentations
4th author on a manuscript in an unrelated field, but impact factor of 8

My schools:

I am interested in some programs that are unrelated to my experience. As such, not sure if it's worth applying to those this year.. My GRE is on the low side given my somewhat low GPA, if I took another year off I would imagine I could get 160/160 on the GRE plus another poster (possibly a manuscript)

University at Buffalo
Drexel (unrelated to my exp)
Columbia
St. Johns
 
KW58D said:
Carapox-

A lot of the schools you listed select students with similar stats as you have. NEVER apply anywhere that you aren't actually willing to go, that's just a waste of time and money. Apply to as many places as you can and then if you're offered interviews, start picking your battles. I'm confident that some of the places you listed WILL extend and interview invitation to you. Some of those programs are really going to come down to the dollars and sense though.
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Thank you so much for your response! It actually made me feel a lot better. I've been looking at the admissions data for every single school, and I meet all of the minimum requirements, but I'm just afraid that won't be enough. Do you have a few you're particularly confident about? I will take your advice and weed out the places I don't actually want to go to. I don't want my degree to end up being something I'm embarrassed about.

Again, thanks so much! I know I'll be a great student- all I have to do is find a way to prove it.
 
Hi everyone. I'm a senior graduating from a well-respected undergraduate university and I'm planning on applying to clinical and counseling PhD. programs. I just wanted to see what my chances are for the schools I'm planning on applying for. I am concerned about my low quantitative GRE score, but I'm hoping that my experiences will make up for it. I'm interested in researching PTSD, trauma, effects and predisposing factors. I'm also interested in mindfulness.

Dual Major in Psychology and Public Relations
Cumulative GPA: 3.8
GRE: V - 164 Q - 149 W - 4.5

Research Experiences:
1) National Science Foundation (REU) Student Research Fellow: Chosen to be part of an intensive, month-long research for undergraduates site focusing on PTSD+ trauma. I wrote a research proposal and I am currently developing my own study and working towards IRB approval at my own institution.

2) Senior Research Assistant: (2.5+ years) I have been a research assistant for the past two and a half years at an ophthalmology lab. I work 10-15 hours a week and worked full time in the summer. As an undergraduate I have been given many responsibilities, including taking over a graduate student research project, training and managing graduate students, assisting with grant and paper writing, and more.

3) Research Assistant: (5 months) Working in a cog psych lab looking at memory. Running participants, collecting and analyzing data.

Professional Experiences:
1) Crisis Hotline Volunteer
2) Psychiatric Center Intern
3) Elementary School Tutor

I'm looking at Boston University, UVM, American, University of Minnesota, University of Maryland - Baltimore, SUNY Binghamton, Penn State, University of Rochester.

So... WAMC? Thank you!
 
Okay Im applying to the following:

University of Northern CO
BGSU-clinical
Indiana State-clinical psych psyD
Carbondale
Colorado State
Florida State
New Mexico State
Washington State
Oklahoma State
University of Iowa
University of Louisville

I have a 3.98 overall GPA and a 4.0 major. I am retaking the GRE but scored 154 verbal and 145 quantitative. ****ty, I know. Three very strong recc letters. Intern atautism clinic. Two years of in depth multicultural research experience (irb protocol, lit review, data analysis, poster prep, 8 poster presentations (5 at national conferences). Mentor for first gen students. 2 years at a.daycare, paid work. Professional leadership through apa. Working, on my senior thesis data collection now. Plenty of leadership roles and research travel and grant awards.
 
I am applying to counseling PhD programs (one clinical program) at University of Miami, Texas Tech, Virginia Commonwealth University, Marquette University, Mississippi State University, George Mason University, and Lehigh University. I chose these programs primarily because I had research interests that matched current faculty members.

I graduated from VCU with a 4.0 GPA, however, before that I attended a community college, where I had a very poor GPA (for my current standards) at 2.9. :( I took most all of my classes at VCU, though. I am worried that the fact I went to a junior college first, an got such a poor GPA, will totally ruin my chances. At the same time, I had no focus when I first entered college (didn't even give a modest effort), and once I decided what I wanted to pursue, my grades obviously changed dramatically. I'm planning to point this out in my personal statement.

I have about a year and a half of research experience so far working in two labs. I've continued to stay on as a volunteer in these labs post-graduation. I've presented a small (unpublished) study at a conference and also presented a poster at a separate conference. Currently, I am collecting data for a study that I am 100% sure will be published. I'm going to be the co-author on this project.

I've worked with children with very severe autism for the past 5 years. I mainly use behavioral methods to accomplish certain "life-enhancing" goals. I collaborate with the parents to decide what goals/strategies would work best for each child.

I also volunteered at a school in a urban community as a mentor for a student.

I'm signed up for the GRE in 2 weeks, but in my most recent (practice test) score I got a 158 in quant (74th percentile), and a 166 (96th percentile) in verbal.

I'm also applying to MA programs this spring. The MA programs I'm applying to are all geared toward students who seek a Phd program eventually (include a master's thesis, etc) What do you think are my chances here?

Thanks!
 
Hi everyone.
I'm applying to about 10-15 programs this fall for Clinical psychology. Most likely...

PhD
Central, Western, & Eastern Michigan
U of South Dakota
American U
U of Tennessee-Knoxville
Easter Carolina U
U of North Texas
U of Florida
West Virginia U

PsyD
Baylor U
Rutgers U
Indiana U Pennsylvania
Widener University

A little about me:
3.98 undergrad GPA at a decent, but small & non-famous school
GRE - Verbal 164
- Quant 156
- A.W. 4.5
Psych GRE - no results back yet but likely 700-750
Graduated Summa Cum Laude from school's honors program
Psychology major & Psi Chi member
Psychology student representative for a function & received top student award
-1 year research lab experience (co-authored MPA & APS poster presentations)
-Authored study on female body dissatisfaction
-Presented 4 times at school conferences (Psychology (2) & Gender Studies (2))'
-President of my college's Human Rights Club for a semester
-6 months volunteering at local crisis pregnancy center (3 months as peer counselor)
-Strong letters of rec (I think!)
-No publications, etc.

I know I am a little light on research and clinical experience, and Quant GRE score is less than stellar.

Would really love to know - What are my chances???
 
Hi All,

Just stumbled onto this forum and was hoping to get some feedback. I'm in the process of applying to ~13 programs mainly concentrated in the LA and NY areas (my SO's work requires we stay in areas where the entertainment industry is active).
Here's the list:
Hofstra
USC
UCLA
Columbia
CUNY
Adelphi
Fordham
St. Johns
The New School
Stonybrook
Yeshiva
UMBC
Emory
Alliant??
Concordia
McGill
LIU

My stats:
- Non-psychology major, but have 24 credits in psychology, including 2 terms of stats as well as all the basic requirements.
- Psychology GRE: 740
- General GRE: 170 verbal, 162 quant, 4 writing
- GPA: 3.89, psychology gpa 4.0
- 3 months research experience (grant writing, data collection, recruitment)
- Letters of recommendation from 2 psychology professors and research supervisor.

I'm guessing that I'm light on research which will hurt my chances at places like UCLA, but overall, what's the prognosis?
 
Molly C said:
Hi All,

Just stumbled onto this forum and was hoping to get some feedback. I'm in the process of applying to ~13 programs mainly concentrated in the LA and NY areas (my SO's work requires we stay in areas where the entertainment industry is active).
Here's the list:
Hofstra
USC
UCLA
Columbia
CUNY
Adelphi
Fordham
St. Johns
The New School
Stonybrook
Yeshiva
UMBC
Emory
Alliant??
Concordia
McGill
LIU

My stats:
- Non-psychology major, but have 24 credits in psychology, including 2 terms of stats as well as all the basic requirements.
- Psychology GRE: 740
- General GRE: 170 verbal, 162 quant, 4 writing
- GPA: 3.89, psychology gpa 4.0
- 3 months research experience (grant writing, data collection, recruitment)
- Letters of recommendation from 2 psychology professors and research supervisor.

I'm guessing that I'm light on research which will hurt my chances at places like UCLA, but overall, what's the prognosis?
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Like you've said, I think it'll ultimately come down to your very limited research experience, which will unfortunately hinder you at most of the schools you've selected. Your numbers otherwise look to be strong. Also, you'll need to consider your research match with the professors/programs to which you're applying. If there's no match, then you're unlikely to be invited for an interview.
 
Hey everybody,

I applied for grad school 4 years ago, but I ended up not even getting any interviews last time. I finally feel like trying again and I wanted to see what you think my chances are this time.

My stats:
V – 670 (164) – 93%
Q – 770 (161) – 81%
AW – 5.5 – 97%
Psych – 710 – 79% (the percentage norming for this year really lowered my overall psych percentile compared to what it was when I originally took the exam)
Undergrad GPA – 3.79
Undergrad Psych GPA – 3.7

As far as research experience goes, all I’ve done is complete three unpublished undergraduate research studies (though they weren’t clinical research), but they did involve the full process from designing the studies and methods, recruiting participants, running them through the protocols, collecting data, analyzing the data through SPSS, and writing APA-formatted articles similar those of scholarly journals. One was a personality trait scale which utilized criterion validity measures and the other two were about aggression and social learning.

I feel my clinical experience is fairly good, as I have worked for more than a year as a psychiatric technician for the Department of Defense, performing intake interviews/evaluations of US military recruits, managing databases for patient and military data and statistics, and administering and scoring a variety of neuropsychological, personality, and intelligence tests (e.g. RBANS, WRAT, MMPI-2, PAI, and WAIS-IV).

I’m getting a recommendation from one of my former professors with whom I worked on several of the aforementioned undergrad research studies, but the other undergrad professor I was going to use sadly passed away earlier this year. As far as my other recs, I was going to use two of the clinical psychologists under whose supervision I work, one of whom is a neuropsychologist and who taught me the various tests we use.

I’m applying to a variety of PhD programs, mainly those with neuropsych foci, so what do you think of my stats thus far? Am I at all competitive for any PhD programs or do I need more research experience? Does it help that I match strongly and specifically with at least one or two professors in each program and have clinical experience relatable to the research each potential advisor has conducted or at least in which they are interested? Will it basically come down to the strength of my personal statements and interviews, should I get any of the latter?

Also, does it hurt my chances that I went to a community college and earned an AA before transferring to a full college and completing my BA in Psych? I had no money for school at the time and did not receive enough scholarships to pay for tuition and living expenses, so this was the only way I could afford to go to college, especially since my 4-year school offered a scholarship and tuition remission for having earned an AA from the particular school I attended.

Thanks for any all input :)
 
Oh interwebs, WAMC?

Major: Psych GPA approx 3.4 - 3.5 (Ivy)
Overall GPA: approx 3.5

MSc Forensic Psych (Maastricht) - 4.0+ graduated Cum Laude
1 year inpatient psych internship; several posters/presentations at APA/APLS included grant funding (general focus psychopathy)
1 linguistics publication (5th author)
1 Criminology submitted manuscript (2nd author)
1 year case worker/psych assistant/researcher in a prison rehabilitation setting

GRE - took it 4yrs ago, but 91st percentile VR, 50-60% QR and sub par writing (am retaking this year w/ focus on Quant and writing -- bad standardized test taker)


Last app round, only applied to 1 program (my top choice, still my top choice), and received an interview, but ultimately didn't get in.

Here's the kicker, I've been working this year (in between app periods), and have been unable to find a psych job, so I've been doing some research (yielding crim manuscript), focussing on the GRE a
 
:( Just had written a whole thing and it got deleted!

Anyway, I'm looking to apply to Clinical Psych PhD programs for the 2nd time. Got interviewed the first time around at my top choice (Fordham), but was ultimately rejected.

Stats:
BA (Ivy): Major GPA: approx 3.5 (Psychology)
Overall GPA: approx 3.4
MSc Forensic Psychology (Maastricht): 4.0+ cum laude
1 year inpatient internship including several APA/APLS conference presentations, poster awards, grants
5th author publication in linguistics
2nd author manuscript in Crimonology submitted
1 year case worker/psychology assistant/researcher in prison drug rehabilitation facility
3+ undergrad research in psycho-linguistics (opportunity presented itself, but not interested in the field)
Certified or w/ lots of experience in: RBANS, WASI, MMPI-2, PCL-R (and derivatives), START, and a host of other measures

GRE: took 4 years ago, 90th% verbal, approx 50-60% quant, and bad writing. Am retaking test @ end of Nov w/ focus on Quant and Writing (bad standardized test taker).
- have taken subject test, but don't have results yet

Currently am involved in Crim/Policing research while working at a chain grocery store (good reputation, hardwork, have lots of responsibilities) because I was unable to find any work in the field, and needed to start making payments on my debt.

Will be applying to Clinical PhD programs at:
Fordham
Drexel
Teachers College
CUNY City College
Hofstra
UPenn
UMass Boston
Boston College
UCLA

Most programs are aligned w/ my interests or I wouldn't mind working in the departments offered or w/ the professors available.

My major concern is that I've been "off" for a year and only working at a grocery store; how much will this hurt my chances? I realize that most are reaches, especially given my undergrad GPA and test scores...

As an aside, 1 of my internship supervisors has patently refused to write me a recommendation. It was mostly due to miscommunication. I don't address it at all in my SOP and have 3 other recommenders who wrote for me last time, and will be writing my recs again this time (2 are well known, 1 other knows me well and is relatively well known). Might be able to get 1 more...Will not having an internship supervisor (or anybody else from that internship) write a recommendation be seen as a glaring hole?

WAMC?! Thanks for your assistance!
 
PsychPaddler said:
:( Just had written a whole thing and it got deleted!

Anyway, I'm looking to apply to Clinical Psych PhD programs for the 2nd time. Got interviewed the first time around at my top choice (Fordham), but was ultimately rejected.

Stats:
BA (Ivy): Major GPA: approx 3.5 (Psychology)
Overall GPA: approx 3.4
MSc Forensic Psychology (Maastricht): 4.0+ cum laude
1 year inpatient internship including several APA/APLS conference presentations, poster awards, grants
5th author publication in linguistics
2nd author manuscript in Crimonology submitted
1 year case worker/psychology assistant/researcher in prison drug rehabilitation facility
3+ undergrad research in psycho-linguistics (opportunity presented itself, but not interested in the field)
Certified or w/ lots of experience in: RBANS, WASI, MMPI-2, PCL-R (and derivatives), START, and a host of other measures

GRE: took 4 years ago, 90th% verbal, approx 50-60% quant, and bad writing. Am retaking test @ end of Nov w/ focus on Quant and Writing (bad standardized test taker).
- have taken subject test, but don't have results yet

Currently am involved in Crim/Policing research while working at a chain grocery store (good reputation, hardwork, have lots of responsibilities) because I was unable to find any work in the field, and needed to start making payments on my debt.

Will be applying to Clinical PhD programs at:
Fordham
Drexel
Teachers College
CUNY City College
Hofstra
UPenn
UMass Boston
Boston College
UCLA

Most programs are aligned w/ my interests or I wouldn't mind working in the departments offered or w/ the professors available.

My major concern is that I've been "off" for a year and only working at a grocery store; how much will this hurt my chances? I realize that most are reaches, especially given my undergrad GPA and test scores...

As an aside, 1 of my internship supervisors has patently refused to write me a recommendation. It was mostly due to miscommunication. I don't address it at all in my SOP and have 3 other recommenders who wrote for me last time, and will be writing my recs again this time (2 are well known, 1 other knows me well and is relatively well known). Might be able to get 1 more...Will not having an internship supervisor (or anybody else from that internship) write a recommendation be seen as a glaring hole?

WAMC?! Thanks for your assistance!
Click to expand...

Seems like it would be fine to not have your internship supervisor as a referee if your others are good. At most, I would think they might ask you about it at an interview, especially due to the grants, poster awards, etc., and you could just say that the other referees know you better and you feel like they are more qualified to assess your research and/or clinical abilities. It seems like they are understanding of the limitations of supporting documents and it's unfeasible to submit recommendations from every relevant advisor you've ever had, so you could just couch your response in that area.
 
Psycho Tech said:
Seems like it would be fine to not have your internship supervisor as a referee if your others are good. At most, I would think they might ask you about it at an interview, especially due to the grants, poster awards, etc., and you could just say that the other referees know you better and you feel like they are more qualified to assess your research and/or clinical abilities. It seems like they are understanding of the limitations of supporting documents and it's unfeasible to submit recommendations from every relevant adviser you've ever had, so you could just couch your response in that area.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the response PsychoTech, that's kind of what I was hoping, but it's always nice to have some confirmation! I wish you the best of luck, I'm intimidated by your stats. The only advice I can offer is that upon the recommendation of some advisers back in the day, I did a master's program to offset my mediocre GPA. You seem to have washed out any "negativity" that would have been associated w/ your AA by the work that you've been doing. That's my two cents!
 
Hey Everyone,

I went to Rutgers undergrad
Psych GPA: 3.657
Regular GPA: 3.622 (double majored in psych/ middle eastern studies, and threw in a Criminology minor)
Graduated Cum Laude, 5 times Deans List, Phi Beta Kappa, Psi Chi, graduated from the Honors Program
GRE: 161 V, 157 Q , 4.0 AW
Psych GRE: still waiting on scores
I have good (I hope) letters of recommendation and personal statement

My resume includes working as part of the research team at the Sesame Street Resilience Project at the Institute for the Study of Child Development at Robert Wood Johnson in New Brunswick. I'm interning with a guidance counselor at a private elementary school (where I have also worked as a substitute teacher). I interned for a summer at a psychiatric hospital in Jerusalem. Throughout high school and college, I was involved in several different groups/organizations that allowed me to connect with people and be a leader/role model. Something that distinguishes me from most people is that I also served in a combat unit in the IDF.

The schools are:
Long Island University, C.W. Post Campus
University of Hartford (PsyD)
Loyola University Maryland (PsyD)
George Washington University (PsyD)
Pace University (PsyD)
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey (PsyD)
Yeshiva University (PsyD)
Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology, Inc. (PsyD)

Do I have a chance of getting in somewhere, or am I just wasting my time?
 
Psycho Tech said:
Also, does it hurt my chances that I went to a community college and earned an AA before transferring to a full college and completing my BA in Psych? I had no money for school at the time and did not receive enough scholarships to pay for tuition and living expenses, so this was the only way I could afford to go to college, especially since my 4-year school offered a scholarship and tuition remission for having earned an AA from the particular school I attended.
Click to expand...

No, I don't believe it'd be viewed as a negative thing.

CC is (and should be) a viable option for students looking to start/go back to school. Given the economics of tuition these days, paying $20k-$40k/yr for your first year or two of Gen Ed. classes seems like a poor choice.

Having experience with psych/neuropsych testing should be viewed very positively, at least it would be by me. I have worked with a number of psychometricians who later went on to graduate school; it's a good first step to the field.
 
Therapist4Chnge said:
No, I don't believe it'd be viewed as a negative thing.

CC is (and should be) a viable option for students looking to start/go back to school. Given the economics of tuition these days, paying $20k-$40k/yr for your first year or two of Gen Ed. classes seems like a poor choice.

Having experience with psych/neuropsych testing should be viewed very positively, at least it would be by me. I have worked with a number of psychometricians who later went on to graduate school; it's a good first step to the field.
Click to expand...

+1 to both points. CC is a perfectly viable option for knocking out some/all of the pre-requisite coursework. And experience as a psychometrician can be great, considering such folks are often trained fairly stringently (perhaps even more so than your average grad student) in standardized administration procedures.
 
Hi everyone! I am slightly nervous because my GRE/GPA scores are not as high as some of the ones mentioned above. I took my GRE's yesterday so I am still waiting on my writing scores, which I believe I did fairly well on (based upon my practice test scores). I would really appreciate any feedback.

GRE
Verbal 158
Quant 147

GPA 3.4 (Psychology major/Neuroscience Minor from Hofstra University)

Research: 1 year as a Research Assistant at Gaylord Hospital, Concussion Care Clinic in the Psychology Department. We are working on research now and hope to be published by February
(almost all of my undergrad research is on concussions as well, I am very passionate about that particular facet of the field)

These next two are currently in the works:
I worked with a Professor at Fordham University and I have submitted that abstract to be presented at a neuropsychology conference. And I am also currently working on Research (on behalf of Gaylord) with a PhD student at Southern Connecticut State University, I have been assured that the research I contribute to the project I can submit for presentation at conferences.

I plan on applying next December to:

Fordham
Drexel
Columbia
Michigan
Duquesne

(this is my list thus far)

Do I have any kind of shot at being accepted?

Thanks for taking the time to read this,
Danielle
 
Hi all, i'm in the process of getting my applications in now and I must say i'm quite nervous, the most disconcerting thing for me is if you look at class data for clinical psych doctoral programs the lowest age is usually above that of someone fresh out of undergrad. Other then my age which technically can't be an issue i'm worried about my gre scores which are on the lower side but I feel like being a male is also going to play to my advantage in such a female dominant field. so without further delay here are my stats please let me know what you think. Also what are thoughts on putting in a sentence or two in the personal statement saying something to the effect of my GRE scores not being indicative of the kind of student I am? yay or nay?

GPA 3.79
GRE 149 Math 153 English 4.0 Writing
I have a year of research experience and presented a poster which went on to be published and I was also the lead author of 3 students on the project
I'm currently at a drug recovery center for an internship and believe that I have gotten relevant clinical experience and knowledge.
Letters of recommendation should all be good i'm getting one from the professor I did research with, one from a professor I've had multiple times who really likes me and one from my internship supervisor.

here is the list of schools I am applying to some Phd some Psyd
University of Rhode Island
Florida State University
University of Miami
The Virginia Consortium
University of Virginia
Nova Southeastern University
Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology
Florida Institute of Technology
Seton Hall University

these are preconceptions I currently have feel free to correct me if i'm wrong or validate me if i'm right. I'm thinking worst case scenario I'm only going to get interviews/offers from MSPP and Nova, MSPP is a for profit university and since I have all the necessary components I should get in, Nova's acceptance rate is 48% or something so I feel like thats a good safety school. I also think that a Phd would be a better choice strictly because I'm under the idea that a Phd will offer significantly better financing options than a Psyd.

Thank you all for reading and I would love for you answer all my questions but if nothing else what are my chances?
-Drew
 
Hi there,

What do you guys think? I applied last year to 3 schools (Baylor, UTSW, and SMU), and interviewed at 2 (UTSW, Baylor), but was not offered admission. I know that is a pretty good sign of my competitiveness, but I'm starting to talk myself into a worry about my profile.

3.96 UG GPA - Hardin-Simmons UNiversity (Small LA school in Texas)
4.0 Grad; Junior/Senior and Psych GPA was 4.0. GRE: 161V 158Q (87th and 72nd percentile), 5.5 Writing (These GREs and GPAs are pretty above and beyond most of my schools' median)
Master's degree was in Family Psychology, which was a hybrid program. No thesis required but I did have clinicals. I had 250 hours of experience providing therapy and assessment.

Research: My school did not have research "labs," but I did have the opportunity to design and work on individual research projects. I worked on 2 as an undergraduate (nothing published), and 1 during my time in graduate school. The one in graduate school I did individually; I developed a brief program for the treatment of test anxiety in a group setting. I have presented this research as a poster, and am working on a manuscript that I feel will be publishable. I also replicated the study with a control group, but my findings were insignificant. This is my main concern; even though I do not have "lab" experience, I feel like my research experiences are still competitive, but know that I may be mistaken in thinking this. I certianly feel as though I can join a lab and contribute with minimal training needed. My undergraduate research project was an honors thesis on the effect on depressed mood of a perceived religious environment. My interests are in depression, anxiety, and health psychology (primarily pain management).

Experience: The past year I have been working as a psychometrist and counselor at a neuropsychology clinic. I also have an intern LPC license, and would have a full license by the time Fall 2014 rolls around. I've also taught Intro to Psych, and will be teaching a section of Psychologcal Testing in the Spring of 2014.

Applying to Clinical:
Baylor
UTSW
Texas Tech
UNT (Clinical Health)

Applying to Counseling:
Texas Tech
Texas A&M
Oklahoma St
OU
Louisiana Tech

Am I being realistic in thinking that my current profile is competitive for these schools, or is this some pipe dream that I am wandering into?
 
Blackfire459 said:
here is the list of schools I am applying to some Phd some Psy.D.
University of Rhode Island
Florida State University
University of Miami
The Virginia Consortium
University of Virginia
Nova Southeastern University
Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology
Florida Institute of Technology
Seton Hall University
Click to expand...

Skip MSPP. Do a search on here to read more, but in general they are not in the same class as most/all of the other programs on the list.

I believe the U of Miami program is pretty slanted towards clinical-scientist (research heavy). They have some clinical training (and match to APA-acred. internships), but they are not what I'd considered a balanced program. I know a prof. down there who is a great stats guy, though I can't comment on their clinical training.

Virginia Consortium offers a nice balance of training. I'm not sure about their funding, but I believe it is pretty good.

FIT…eh. I know a couple of graduates (1 I/O and 1 Ph.D.) and they are both doing well, though both had a decent amount of debt coming out of their programs.

Nova…they shrunk their Ph.D. cohort from ~18-20 to ~8-10 in recent years, so their acceptance rate is now <10%. They are supposedly offering better funding to their Ph.Ds, but you should confirm what that actually means. The Ph.Ds still split resources with their Psy.D. program, so that is definitely a consideration. Unless you can get fully-funded it will cost an arm and a leg to go there bc the cost of living is high, in addition to whatever fees/tuition that you have to pay out of pocket.
 
Hey guys,

first of all, thanks in advance for helping me!

Originally, I am from Germany. In Germany, you are only allowed to apply for a PhD after finishing a Master’s degree. We also have a three years bachelor’s degree and NO second subject. Therefore, there is no “major”.

Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Vienna, Austria – GPA 3.5

I worked 3 years as a student assistant in the department of developmental psychology (tutoring, write transcripts, video assessments, data entry, etc.)

internship of 3 months in Recife, Brazil with street children in a NGO (supervision from a psychologist)

internship of 2 months in Sydney, Australia at Macquarie University in the department of special education: I worked in 2 child-centers, which participated in the “Head Start” program and included children with autism.

internship of 2 weeks (holidays) in Berlin, Germany in a homeless shelter

no GRE scores yet

TOEFL in a few weeks

I am very uncertain how my chances are, because a lot guys seem to have more clinical experience than I do.

Let’s assume, that my GRE scores are acceptable, would I have chances in Berkeley, UCLA or the City College in NYC? Or should I apply to less competitive schools?

Thanks and warm regards from Vienna
 
Last edited:
QAsPsych said:
...
Undergraduate GPA (last 4 years): 3.96
Psychology GPA: 3.97
GPA over last two years/GPA at graduating institution: 4.0
...
So, my GPA numbers above reflect the last four years of study. I did 2 years at a community college and earned an A.A. before doing my last two years at a big public university. I'm not concerned about this. However, when I first got out of high school I floundered around for a couple years, with no idea what I was doing. I have some horrible grades at other institutions as a result. There is a couple years gap between them and when I started at the CC, but I am worried that they would bring my GPA down considerably ....
Click to expand...

I have now taken a look at my old records, and how most grad programs calculate GPA, and I am very concerned. My old grades combined with my new grades may bring me down to ~3.07 CGPA. It's really upsetting. Over the past 4 years / 120 credit hours I have a 3.96, last 60 hours 4.0, and since I did not take any psych when I first went to college, the Psych GPA will stay at 3.97.

I am starting to worry that I will have to change my SOP to talk more about this, which is frustrating in itself, I'd much rather talk about research than how I screwed up when 18-21. I'm also concerned the CGPA will cause my app to just be culled at a lot of programs. Do I have a chance still? Is there anything I can do besides address it in my statement?
 
kubrick said:
Hey guys,

first of all, thanks in advance for helping me!

Originally, I am from Germany. In Germany, you are only allowed to apply for a PhD after finishing a Master’s degree. We also have a three years bachelor’s degree and NO second subject. Therefore, there is no “major”.

Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Vienna, Austria – GPA 3.5

I worked 3 years as a student assistant in the department of developmental psychology (tutoring, write transcripts, video assessments, data entry, etc.)

internship of 3 months in Recife, Brazil with street children in a NGO (supervision from a psychologist)

internship of 2 months in Sydney, Australia at Macquarie University in the department of special education: I worked in 2 child-centers, which participated in the “Head Start” program and included children with autism.

internship of 2 weeks (holidays) in Berlin, Germany in a homeless shelter

no GRE scores yet

TOEFL in a few weeks

I am very uncertain how my chances are, because a lot guys seem to have more clinical experience than I do.

Let’s assume, that my GRE scores are acceptable, would I have chances in Berkeley, UCLA or the City College in NYC? Or should I apply to less competitive schools?

Thanks and warm regards from Vienna
Click to expand...

Hi there! I think you have great clinical experiences that would be looked upon very favourably at many PhD programs. Admissions to PhD programs in the States is pretty competitive, and it is hard to tell how one will fare in the application process. I think you should definitely apply to a range of programs (i.e., competitive and less competitive programs). Many students apply to over 10 programs, so this may be something to consider. Also, the programs you listed are all in very desirable locations and are likely going to have a huge number of applicants each year. There are lots of great programs outside the East and West coast and you many want to expand your search beyond the coasts. Also, it is not clear if you are thinking of clinical programs or developmental programs. It would be useful for you to clearly understand the difference between clinical and non-clinical psychology programs, and apply to programs that suit your interests and goals.

Hope that helps.
 
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Reactions: 1 user
QAsPsych said:
I have now taken a look at my old records, and how most grad programs calculate GPA, and I am very concerned. My old grades combined with my new grades may bring me down to ~3.07 CGPA. It's really upsetting. Over the past 4 years / 120 credit hours I have a 3.96, last 60 hours 4.0, and since I did not take any psych when I first went to college, the Psych GPA will stay at 3.97.

I am starting to worry that I will have to change my SOP to talk more about this, which is frustrating in itself, I'd much rather talk about research than how I screwed up when 18-21. I'm also concerned the CGPA will cause my app to just be culled at a lot of programs. Do I have a chance still? Is there anything I can do besides address it in my statement?
Click to expand...

I think you are worrying more about this than you need to. While undergrad GPA is looked at in the admissions process, so are things like GRE, cover letter, recommendation letters, etc. I think your ability to turn things around and get such stellar grades after "floundering" is a great indicator of your determination and academic potential. I recommend that you focus on your positives and strengths in your cover letter and perhaps address the GPA issue in one sentence, for example- I believe my academic performance from the last xx years, are reflective of my academic abilities and potential for success at XX. All the best to you!
 
kubrick said:
Hey guys,

first of all, thanks in advance for helping me!

Originally, I am from Germany. In Germany, you are only allowed to apply for a PhD after finishing a Master’s degree. We also have a three years bachelor’s degree and NO second subject. Therefore, there is no “major”.

Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Vienna, Austria – GPA 3.5

I worked 3 years as a student assistant in the department of developmental psychology (tutoring, write transcripts, video assessments, data entry, etc.)

internship of 3 months in Recife, Brazil with street children in a NGO (supervision from a psychologist)

internship of 2 months in Sydney, Australia at Macquarie University in the department of special education: I worked in 2 child-centers, which participated in the “Head Start” program and included children with autism.

internship of 2 weeks (holidays) in Berlin, Germany in a homeless shelter

no GRE scores yet

TOEFL in a few weeks

I am very uncertain how my chances are, because a lot guys seem to have more clinical experience than I do.

Let’s assume, that my GRE scores are acceptable, would I have chances in Berkeley, UCLA or the City College in NYC? Or should I apply to less competitive schools?

Thanks and warm regards from Vienna
Click to expand...

When it comes to Ph.D. programs in the US, the thing they're going to be most interested in seeing and hearing about is research experience. Clinical experiences are nice, but they don't always go a long way toward strengthening an application. Things like poster presentations or publications can really make an applicant stand out, though. It sounds like your 3 years as a student assistant would be similar to work done by a research assistant, so that's something you could play up in your SOPs, particularly if it resulted in any posters or pubs.

As for the schools you've identified, UCLA in particular is both VERY competitive and places a VERY high premium on previous research experience. I honestly don't know that someone would be competitive there without at least a few posters/presentations to their credit, but I could be wrong on that.
 
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Reactions: 1 user
kubrick said:
Hey guys,

first of all, thanks in advance for helping me!

Originally, I am from Germany. In Germany, you are only allowed to apply for a PhD after finishing a Master’s degree. We also have a three years bachelor’s degree and NO second subject. Therefore, there is no “major”.

Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Vienna, Austria – GPA 3.5

I worked 3 years as a student assistant in the department of developmental psychology (tutoring, write transcripts, video assessments, data entry, etc.)

internship of 3 months in Recife, Brazil with street children in a NGO (supervision from a psychologist)

internship of 2 months in Sydney, Australia at Macquarie University in the department of special education: I worked in 2 child-centers, which participated in the “Head Start” program and included children with autism.

internship of 2 weeks (holidays) in Berlin, Germany in a homeless shelter

no GRE scores yet

TOEFL in a few weeks

I am very uncertain how my chances are, because a lot guys seem to have more clinical experience than I do.

Let’s assume, that my GRE scores are acceptable, would I have chances in Berkeley, UCLA or the City College in NYC? Or should I apply to less competitive schools?

Thanks and warm regards from Vienna
Click to expand...

Keep in mind that for clinical psych programs, you want a good fit more than anything. So you want a program that has a research match and also offers the clinical training opportunities that you seek (for instance, do you want a program with a balance of clinical vs research, one that is more clinically-oriented, or one that is more research-oriented)? I would encourage you not to think of the university itself, but more the program and especially the faculty member/lab that you want to join. In some specialty areas in psych, the most well-known and highly-regarded researchers are at schools that may not be as prolific as UCLA or Berkeley.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
usernumber said:
I think you are worrying more about this than you need to. While undergrad GPA is looked at in the admissions process, so are things like GRE, cover letter, recommendation letters, etc. I think your ability to turn things around and get such stellar grades after "floundering" is a great indicator of your determination and academic potential. I recommend that you focus on your positives and strengths in your cover letter and perhaps address the GPA issue in one sentence, for example- I believe my academic performance from the last xx years, are reflective of my academic abilities and potential for success at XX. All the best to you!
Click to expand...

Thanks, I appreciate it. You are probably right. I was worried about my application being cut without even being reviewed primarily. Anybody who does look at my file should see that number does not reflect my ability. I think the stress of the process is just getting to me a little.
 
Hello fellow psych nerds.

This is my first post here on the SDN. It seems like it is quite common for users to discover this wonderful forum somewhere amid stressing over the looming graduate program deadlines. I am no exception. Any feedback on my chances would be greatly appreciated!
Stats:
Psychology BS: University of Maryland, College Park
V – 161 – 87%
Q – 154 –57%
AW – 5.0 – 93%
Psych – 660 – 61% (only sending to schools that require it)
Undergrad GPA – 3.55
Undergrad Psych GPA – 3.56

Interests: neurodegenerative diseases (dementia, Alzhimers), aging, domains of cognition (memory, executive control), mood disorders in late life

Experience:
-2 yrs clinical experience: assisting the mental health services offered by a neuropsychologist in nursing homes
-2 yrs research experience: in an undergraduate lab and following graduation under the mentorship of a clinical neuropsychologist
-trained in a variety of neuropsychological assessment tools (cognition and mood)
-1 yr work experience: aiding clinicians for a behavioral and mental health company
-Proficient in SPSS, Working Proficiency in R

Publications and posters:
-4th author on a publication in press
-2nd author on 2 publications currently under review
-2nd & 4th author 3 poster presentations at two geropsychology conferences
-a few co-authored manuscripts currently in progress

Recommendations (All PhDs in Psychology):
-research/clinical mentor who I have co-authored papers and posters with (known for 2+ yrs)
-research supervisor who I have co-authored papers and posters with (known 2 yrs)
-director (associate professor) of my undergraduate research lab (known for a yr)

Some of my schools (Clinical PhDs specializing in neuropsychology and geropsychology):
-My research experience developing cognitive and mood assessment tool and clinical experience working in older adult populations with cognitive impairment appears to align with prospective faculty research interests.

U of Southern California
U San Diego/ U California, San Diego
Suffolk U
U of Florida
U Colorado, Colorado Springs
Loyola (PsyD)
Washington U, St. Louis
U of Alabama
Drexel

WAMC? :)
 
Last edited:
I'll keep this short, since I know it's application season.

Gpa: 3.7
Psych-related gpa: 3.8
Graduate gpa: 4.0
3 years of research experience in three different labs
2 years of clinical work
One publication - forthcoming, co-authoring a chapter for an APA handbook.

Applying to 6 programs, a combination of clinical and counseling psych programs, all with professors who match my research interests/experience.

I know my GRE is a little meh. What are my chances?
 
rmace5 said:
Hello fellow psych nerds.

This is my first post here on the SDN. It seems like it is quite common for users to discover this wonderful forum somewhere amid stressing over the looming graduate program deadlines. I am no exception. Any feedback on my chances would be greatly appreciated!
Stats:
Psychology BS: University of Maryland, College Park
V – 161 – 87%
Q – 154 –57%
AW – 5.0 – 93%
Psych – 660 – 61% (only sending to schools that require it)
Undergrad GPA – 3.55
Undergrad Psych GPA – 3.56

Interests: neurodegenerative diseases (dementia, Alzhimers), aging, domains of cognition (memory, executive control), mood disorders in late life

Experience:
-2 yrs clinical experience: assisting the mental health services offered by a neuropsychologist in nursing homes
-2 yrs research experience: in an undergraduate lab and following graduation under the mentorship of a clinical neuropsychologist
-trained in a variety of neuropsychological assessment tools (cognition and mood)
-1 yr work experience: aiding clinicians for a behavioral and mental health company
-Proficient in SPSS, Working Proficiency in R

Publications and posters:
-4th author on a publication in press
-2nd author on 2 publications currently under review
-2nd & 4th author 3 poster presentations at two geropsychology conferences
-a few co-authored manuscripts currently in progress

Recommendations (All PhDs in Psychology):
-research/clinical mentor who I have co-authored papers and posters with (known for 2+ yrs)
-research supervisor who I have co-authored papers and posters with (known 2 yrs)
-director (associate professor) of my undergraduate research lab (known for a yr)

Some of my schools (Clinical PhDs specializing in neuropsychology and geropsychology):
-My research experience developing cognitive and mood assessment tool and clinical experience working in older adult populations with cognitive impairment appears to align with prospective faculty research interests.

U of Southern California
U San Diego/ U California, San Diego
Suffolk U
U of Florida
U Colorado, Colorado Springs
Loyola (PsyD)
Washington U, St. Louis
U of Alabama
Drexel

WAMC? :)
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Hey there, rmace5! As an ms Loyola grad, I can comment a little. I was 4.0 gpa for my aa and 3.82 for my ba. I had some fun little additions to my app, like pracs in another country, but no research or pubs of any kind when I went to Loy for an ms. I fell in love with neuro and realized I'd prob need a doc. I had a 3.89 gpa from Loy (still no research or pubs) and nothing extra because I worked full time outside the field. I did not get an interview with their psyd program.

Of course this could reflect interview skills, pollen count, or any number of things but taking classes with the psyd kids and being familiar with their rep, I believe that they look for student-professionals with a broad experience. The students from the cohort I was most familiar with started community service projects on large scales, were very involved in psyc organizations, and were mostly a few yrs out from undergrad.

Sooo, I would say your deets sound pretty on point for that site. I had nice gre scores and grades but nothin else. Sounds like u have a lot more to entice. And there was a pretty awes gero prof when I was there.

Good luck with ur hunt! Hope my response was more helpful then self-indulgent :)
 
JD/Ph.D. programs can take a looooong time. You should have a very good idea of the kind of work you want to do afterwards and make sure it is worth the time. Given that it takes a long time, you'll want to make sure to have excellent funding during your time in school. Law school can be ridiculously expensive, so if you need to pay for some/all of that…I'm not sure anyone would recommend that path; I certainly wouldn't. If you can get both programs fully paid for, then it'd be more about your end goal and if you are willing to put in the time. Don't forget about living expenses, as Philly will be expensive…though Nebraska less so.
 
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