WAMC: What Are My Chances

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vicstory said:
Thank you for your words. Applying to a JD/PhD programs is definitely not something I'm doing on a whim. My mentor is a JD/PhD and we've discussed my options for about 2 years now, and after talking about my career goals and interests, she suggested I apply and I decided these programs cater most to what I'm looking for. I'm aware that they take a lot of time, but are more economical decisions (both in time and in financial considerations) than if I were to do each program separately.
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I'd argue they can be more problematic in regard to economics if you do them at the same time. While both paths typically require "full-time" status, there can be some wiggle room if you can find programs that will allow students some flexibility with scheduling. For instance, in a psych doctoral program you might be able to sacrifice some research/publication time in your 3rd and 4th years to do some law work (assuming you did law school first and passed the Bar). Alternatively, there are more law programs that allow part-time enrollment than psych programs, so you can actually work more significant hours while attending law school. One of my former bosses from a lifetime ago did law school part-time, which allowed him to pursue his business interests and minimize loans. He didn't go to a great law school, but it was a solid local program that also allowed him to network and develop the kind of connections that served him for many years afterwards.

None of these paths would be easy, but if you are looking at near 7% interest rates on gov't loans, that can really compound if left to compound for 8+ years. Working part-time may take 10 years or more, but minimizing your loans and/or paying down interest and principle can make the long-term economic impact much less.
 
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I've posted on here a couple times in the past and not had anyone reply so hopefully someone can give me some feedback this time :)

Graduated from ucsd with BS in psych
Psychology honors program
Summa cum laude
Overall GPA: 3.7
Last 2 years: 3.98
GRE: 316 (162v, 154q, 4.0w) ets says this is a 1330 on the old scale, I know my quant is low :(
Psych GRE: 760 (93rd percentile)

Research experience:
2 years as volunteer in developmental lab
1 year volunteer in TBI/schizophrenia lab.
1 year (almost 2 by the time I would enter grad school) as a paid research coordinator for TBI and Alzheimer's studies at the VA.

Published manuscripts:

1 first author pub in press in developmental science (from my senior honors thesis- not related to my current research interests in neuropsychology of aging and TBI)

1second author pub in psychiatric journal (not well known) for a review article of treatment of TBI.

Published abstracts:
1 third author, 1 first author in press, 4 coauthors in press ( all international neuropsychological society, INS)

Poster presentations:
4 total, 3 first author at national conferences. All related to my honors thesis, plus 1 first author related to TBI accepted for presentation in February.

Also received the award for outstanding honors thesis from UCSD.

Based on my stats, how competitive am I for top clinical PhD programs? I am applying to schools with either NP tracks or a high # of faculty that are working in neuropsychology and with POIs that are doing either aging or TBI research.

Sdsu/ucsd jdp
U of Florida
U of Arizona
Drexel
UIC
U of Houston
U of Utah
U of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

I am hoping that my very low quant score doesn't hurt my chances!!! Also, will anyone care that my only first author publication is not related to my current research interests? Does this diminish it's impact or is a publication a publication at this point in the process? I did my honors thesis before I discovered my current interests in TBI and aging :(

Thanks for your time!!
 
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Hi (apologies for the length in advance),

I am looking into applying to a few I/O and Clinical Psych Masters(Columbia, SF State, NYU) programs and 2 Psyd programs (PGSP-Stanford and Yeshiva). I am geographically limited to New York or California. Hoping to hear from you on whether or not I should continue to apply. My stats:

Undergrad GPA (over 10 years ago): 3.0
Graduate GPA (1 year ago- MPH from a well respected Ivy League grad school) :3.4
GRE: V:720 (168), Q:750(159), A/W:5. 98%,75% and 93%, respectively.

RESEARCH: Virtually no research experience except what I did over a decade ago in undergrad or for courses and short term projects/internships in my MPH program. But definitely no publications. I also have no debt, had scholarships.

LORS: I have 4 LOR - 2 Phd psychologists (one of whom is my academic rec), an MD,MPH psychiatrist and an LMFT. The LMFT has supervised me in my previous employment. One Phd was my professor. The MD,MPH was a colleague in public health who I worked on several student group projects with (and oddly supervised him) and the other Phd is really more of a friend for whom I volunteered in his floor time therapy groups just a couple of times.

EXPERIENCE: I have extensive (over a decade) work and leadership experience working as social worker/community health worker (but am not licensed nor do I have a social work degree so limited in scope) in a government public healthcare setting providing case management, program coordination, healthcare coordination, counselling, project management, trainings and seminars at national and local conferences, creating new programs, etc working with the homeless. I also worked as a case manager in a homeless women's shelter for over a year. Was the president of a mental health group in my graduate program, etc. So I have done direct services work with patients but also worked at a systems level. My goal is to have a set of skills, education and licensure that will further my interests in public mental health policy and advocacy, ability to practice and do clinical assessments/therapy and research. I know that with the I/O degree I would forgo the clinical piece.

I have had the misfortune of a parent becoming ill and passing away while I was in undergrad and another one in grad school and that contributed to my dips in GPA. (If the consensus is that I should apply- should I add an explanation in my SOP?) I'm in my mid-30's if that matters.

Is it worthwhile for me to try to apply? Or are my stats just not worth the effort at this point, especially the low GPAs and lack of research experience and perhaps not the strongest LORs?
 
I/O and Clinical programs will be an Apples and Oranges comparison. For the vast majority of people it'd be one type of program or the other, so you might want to take some time to figure out which is a better fit. Your lack of research will be problematic if you want to pursue doctoral training because that is an expectation if you want to be competitive. Both Psy.D. programs you mentioned are very expensive, so that should be a consideration too. I'm not suggesting to toss everything out, but any of the paths will be a large investment of time and resources/$, so the decision should not be a hasty one.
 
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Therapist4Chnge said:
I/O and Clinical programs will be an Apples and Oranges comparison. For the vast majority of people it'd be one type of program or the other, so you might want to take some time to figure out which is a better fit. Your lack of research will be problematic if you want to pursue doctoral training because that is an expectation if you want to be competitive. Both Psy.D. programs you mentioned are very expensive, so that should be a consideration too. I'm not suggesting to toss everything out, but any of the paths will be a large investment of time and resources/$, so the decision should not be a hasty one.
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Thank you so much for your valuable feedback Therapist4Chnge. Do you think that the lack of research experience will be an issue for the above Masters programs as well? I've picked only these these 2 Psyd programs (the rest are Masters programs) knowing the cost associated but because I have close friends and family in very close proximity to both schools who are happily opening up their homes to me, I would essentially be able to defray any living expenses so that would help a great deal. Yes, you are absolutely correct about the apples and oranges issue - it's been a hard one for me to and as a result of my work experience both in direct services as well as in leadership roles and training - have been equally fascinated by change management and organizational behavior, employee/employer/environment influences, etc and clinical programs.
 
Hi,

Here goes....

I am planning to apply to Clinical PhD or Developmental PhD programs for fall 2015, I am not sure yet.
Some of the schools I've looked at for these are

University of New Hampshire
Boston University
Boston College
Antioch University (for PsyD)
UMass Boston

Want to apply yo Harvard and Yale but not so sure about those odds.
...
Other suggestions welcome, Looking to be in the Northeast preferably Boston.

About me:
Currenly Senior Psychology major at a state University
Dual major with Studio art BA but currently in process of applying for BFA
(so if all goes as planned with graduate w/ BA psych and BFA painting
Overall GPA 3.68
Within Psych 3.8
In the Honors program

Experience:
1 summer research assistant
currently working on Honors thesis research project
will have presented at 2 conferences at time of application
also currently applying for summer research grant for interdisciplinary studio art painting/psych project
Completed 2 summer internships- Big Brothers Big Sisters and and Autism center

Related Coursework
Advanced Stats (Honors)
Cognitive Development (Honors)
psychobio, abnormal behavior, behavior analysis....ect

Other:
retail associate part time for 4 years
participates in sports team

So how do I rate as a competetive applicant to PhD programs? Ideally I'd like to start the fall after I graduate (2015, staying longer to complete BFA) But I would consider taking a year off to be a RA if needed.... I really would rather go straight to PhD than do a masters in between.

Also what are some suggestions to pump up my credentials in the next 3 semesters?
 
You need more research experience. BU, BC, etc...they are all top-notch programs that value research. Your research match is most important for any of those programs (including Harvard and Yale). As an aside, the Antioch program is very different than the others in regard to research/clinical split...so I'm not sure an applicant competitive for one type of program would be in the running for the other.
 
Therapist4Chnge said:
You need more research experience. BU, BC, etc...they are all top-notch programs that value research. Your research match is most important for any of those programs (including Harvard and Yale). As an aside, the Antioch program is very different than the others in regard to research/clinical split...so I'm not sure an applicant competitive for one type of program would be in the running for the other.
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Thank you for your feedback. In your opinion, would working in a lab at my school the next 3 semesters help? Or does it mostly come down to taking time off and gaining experience after I graduate?
 
Hello everyone,

I am an international student interested in Clinical Psychology PhD at American Universities. More specifically:


1. University of Minnesota -Twin Cities
2. Emory University
3. University of Pittsburgh
4. Purdue University Indianapolis
5. Kent State University
6. University of Cincinnati
7. University of Missouri - Columbia
8. University of Nebraska - Lincoln

GPA: 3.14
TOEFL: 107 (Reading: 29/30 Listening: 28/30 Speaking: 23/30 Writing: 27/30)
GRE: Verbal: 157 (translates to 560 in the old scoring system)
Math: 150 (translates to 630 in the old scoring system)
A.W. : 4.5

Research experience: 1 year research assistantship (Laboratory for Experimental Psychology), 1 publication in an international journal, 1 article awaiting publication, 1 work presented in an International Psychiatric Congress

Work experience: 3 year volunteer work at a Psychiatric hospital in my country + internship

Letters of recommendation: all the professors that wrote them have a PhD, they know my work personally because they were my mentors and professors, they told me they would highly recommend me.

Thank you for any input. This is the first time that I am applying to a school outside my country, it was quite a challenge to apply!
 
HI,
I'm trying to transfer from a psyd program to a phd program. I wanted to attend a phd program; however, I was top wait listed at Rosalind Franklin. I was wondering what my chances are at Rosalind Franklin now that I've spent some time gather research experience at a children's hospital in Chicago.

These were all the same 3 years ago
GPA: 3.5 from NYU
3 masters degrees (clinical psychology: 3.89
GRE: low verbal (500)/ 710 quantitative

What has changed:
3 years as a research assistant
6 posters and 1 oral presentation at regional and national conferences.

Do you think this change is enough seeing that I was top wait listed when I applied before? The POI said that I needed to acquire more research experience as I only had a semester in a research lab and 1 poster.

I'm just hoping that my trying to transfer will not be seen as a negative thing. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
 
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Hi I am an international student and would really appreciate someone helping me out....I do not seem to match up to any requirements at all.
My GPA is 3.2 on 5, believe me where I study that is the highest they would score you. I have actually topped in most subjects
My GRE is 300
TOEFL 110
Educational qualification: Masters in Clinical Psychology. I have studied only psychology in the past 5 years and nothing else, from the top university in my country
Research experience: Dissertation for undergrad and Masters
3 paper presentations on National Level
Work Experience: Internships, totaling up to 6 months. Where I was solely responsible for testing, assessments and case history taking along with CBT
Apart from these I also have attended certificate programs of CBT, CBHT, CAT
Extracurricular Activities: I have won Debate competitions every year on national level for the past 8 years
I am a volunteer for an NGO where we educate children from Lower Economic Strata (3 years)
Psychology Related Extracurricular: Best Article, for the Magzine by Department of Psychology(2012)
Best Speaker,Declamation on Suicide and Society. Conducted by PSychology Association (2012)
President of Psychology Asssociation (2007)
Vice President PSychology Association (2006)
Attended International Certificate program for: CBT, CBHT, Art Therapy, CAT

Letter of Recommendation: All teachers that write for me have PHDs and also Psychiatrist underwhom I work would guarntee that I am the most competent and hardworking student.

From the country where I hail, Psychology has little scope and I have done as much as I could.
I really want to get into the PSYD program but with funding, will I ever stand a chance anywhere???? If yes, is it adcisable to apply to private for profit schools like CSPP, MSPP, Rutgers, etc????
 
Hello everyone,
I've been skimming over this thread and a few others over the past few days and I finally wanted to post something. I'm currently a sophomore psychology major at a school that is considered a "public ivy", and I've known that I've wanted to go to grad school for psychology since the start of my freshman year. I've been looking into graduate schools and how to prepare to get into a good one for about a year now. Since I still have some time, I wanted to ask a few questions while it's still early and while I have time to improve upon my credentials.
My GPA right now is a 3.55 cumulative, 3.8 Psych. I've gotten mainly A's and A-'s in all my classes but my first semester I earned a D+ in a pre-calculus class (I've retaken it and received an "A" since then), so I'm afraid of how that grade will be taken, but by the time I graduate I'm pretty sure I can get it up to a 3.7-3.8. I've been a research assistant in two labs so far (so since the second semester of my freshman year), soon to be three starting next semester, and I'm planning to stay in the labs until I graduate, and most likely even to be in 2 or 3 at a time. All of these labs have been social psychology, as I haven't yet been able to find a clinical lab to RA in. I think I could get good letters of rec, I'm planning on having a leadership position in Psychology Club, I haven't taken the GRE but basing off my SAT scores and if I study enough, I'm sure I can get excellent scores in verbal and writing.
I have a few questions for anybody who could give me any advice. I'm currently working on a double major in Anthropology, which is a very easy major, but if I wanted to I could graduate in a year and a half with just a Psychology major and an Anthropology minor, meaning I would have graduated in 3 years (I also skipped a grade in elementary school, meaning I would be 20 when I graduate). I would then take a year off and hopefully find a paid research job, or something along the lines of a mental health technician. This would mean that I would have extra time to study for the GRE, to fill out applications/personal statements and all of that, and I would most likely do a senior thesis before I graduate so I would be able to talk about that in my applications. Or, I could graduate in 4 years with a double major. I haven't been a research assistant for that long, but I see a lot of people posting about posters and publications, and that wasn't even really spoken about in either of my labs, so I was wondering if anybody could give me any insight into how exactly that works?
I'm also going to be applying to a number of internships for Summer 2014 related to either research or clinical experience, and next year I plan to volunteer at a suicide hotline or another mental health- related field.
So since I still have time to make myself more competitive, does anybody have any suggestions for anything I should brush up on to make myself a good candidate for competitive PhD programs? Also, would it be a better idea to graduate in 3 years and get a job for a year or two (and how hard exactly is it to find that kind of job), or to just graduate in 4 years and apply for grad schools during my 4th year?
Thank you in advance.
 
Hey everyone, I am entering my senior year at the flagship institution of my home state and had a few questions in regards to my chances of getting into Grad School for Clinical psychology. To start things off here are a few stats of mine.

GPA: 3.69
Psych GPA: 3.76
Research Experience: 1 Academic Year
Psi Chi Member
Involved In Many Organizations, roughly 4-5, have served as an officer in most.
TAing for Intro to Psychology next semester
Worked as a Resident Assistant the past 2 years
Double Majoring as a Psychology and Honors Major
Starting my thesis next Fall.

Now on to the questions
1. I received a 88% (B) in two Psych courses I probably should/could have gotten an A in, should I retake one of the courses to boost my Psych GPA? I did the math and once I get an A in one of them, it will boost the Psych GPA to a 3.9
2. What area should I focuses most of my attention on? I am planning on spending the summer semester working in two labs this year, is that enough or should I try to get some more lab experience this semester? Time wise, this might be an issue.
3. What are the expectations of schools like Minnesota, the University of North Dakota, and UC Boulder. Do I have a realistic shot in getting in when I apply next year?
4. What is the best way to prepare for the GRE?
5. Do you have any other tips that could help me?

Thank you for taking the time to go over this and help me out.
 
Blackfire459 said:
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
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My GRE was similar to yours but my undergrad GPA was a little lower. I also had 2 years experience in the field, research experience (but was not published), and a masters degree with a very strong GPA. Off the list you mentioned, I was offered interviews and admission from three of them, amongst others that I applied to. I ended up at Florida Tech and I'm really happy with my choice. You should be solid for an interview there with your numbers and experience. If you have any questions, feel free to private message me. I know this process is extremely stressful.
 
Hi Everyone! I am interested to hear what you think my chances are for the clinical psych PhD at U Delaware, Fordham, and U Albany.

Here are my stats:
M.A., School Psychology. Employed full time in public school for 10 years. Looking for more flexibility, career longevity.
Undergrad GPA: 3.5/4.00 at a state university
Grad GPA: 3.9/4.00 at a private university
Verbal GRE: 159
Quant GRE: 141
Analytic Writing: 4.0

RESEARCH:
3 semesters undergrad research assistant in social psych lab


PUBLICATIONS/PRESENTATIONS
none....

CLINICAL
10 years in public school as school psych
2 years in private nonprofit as school psych
12 years per diem as field examiner for test publishers
 
I am looking for some brutal honesty here about my chances. I am a psychology major. I am deciding between an MPH or a PsyD/PhD. I just want to know if I have any chances of being accepted to any doctoral psychology program. I realize that my stats are not good.

University: Boston University
Current GPA: 3.18 (Highest I will be able to get it is between 3.2-3.4)
Current Psych GPA: 3.25 (Will Definitely go up, I haven't taken that many psych classes thus far. Plan to get between A and B in all remaining psych classes)
GRE: Not taken yet, Plan to do very well on Verbal, Probably very well on analytical, maybe well on quantitative
Research: Plan to do an internship in London during study abroad semester, Possibly plan to work as an RA this semester
Publications: None
Letters Of Rec: Probably will be good. We have some great psych professors here at BU who have been published a lot, written books, etc.

So, basically what it comes down to is this: Do I have any shot of getting into a PsyD or PhD program with a GPA between 3.2 and 3.4, Great GRE, 2 semesters of research/experience, and great letters of recommendation? Or is it just not going to happen for me and I should just go for something else. Honesty is appreciated. Don't sugarcoat it to spare my feelings. lol. Is there a large shot, medium shot, small shot, or no shot at all???
 
Hi everyone. I am a senior psychology student at South Dakota State University. I want to be a counselor and was initially planning on applying to Masters programs, but my professors really encouraged me to pursue a Ph.D. Unfortunately, I got my first rejection letter today, and as if I wasn't already thinking about this entire process enough, now I am really starting to have a lot of doubt. Here is my info:

My undergraduate GPA: 3.6
Undergraduate Psych: 3.75
GRE V: 156 70%
GRE Q: 153 53%

I work at the local women's shelter, and as a minority peer mentor at my university. I have also worked with people with varying disabilities.

I am the president of our Psi Chi chapter

I have been a TA for three semesters, and research assistant for one.

I started my own original research last semester, and will finish it this semester.

I presented at an undergraduate conference last spring.

I have 3 letters of recommendation from professors that ensured that they would be able to write very strong letters. One sent me her letter, and it was very, very flattering.

I am applying to these Ph.D. programs

Colorado State University
University of Kansas
Washington State University
University of Texas
University of Louisville
University of Tennessee
Iowa State University

Thanks for any insight you may have!
 
I'm on the same boat as you, and this is my first time applying for PhD too, so I don't have anything wise to say except from: don't judge from one rejection!

Good luck!
 
I, like so many others, didn't really take my studies seriously at first. When I started my first degree, I majored in something I had absolutely no interest in. I hated every minute of it and goofed off and it showed in my GPA. After years of struggling, my GPA was ABYSMAL. After starting a second degree in psychology and discovering how much I loved it and how interesting it was to me, my GPA rose.

The first B.A is the one with a chronically low GPA from one school. The second BA, in psychology and from a different school, contains a much higher GPA that borders around 3.8 (calculated on all my coursework from that institution as well as the credits that transferred from my first B.A). Consequently, all of my bad grades are contained in the first degree.

So:

Psychology degree (Summa Cum Laude distinction, ironically): 3.8
Psychology major: 3.9
Last 60 credits: 3.8
Average of first degree + psychology degree: 2.8

Both universities are regionally accredited brick and mortar institutions.

I don't have research experience or publications. Will the 2.8 be the number that admissions would use to determine my eligibility? If so, do I have ANY shot at a reputable clinical PhD/Psy.D? Or should I focus on a master's degree?
 
This depends on a lot things. A very stellar GRE score could offset some concerns with your GPA, and you can address the GPA issue in your personal statement (and perhaps ask your letter writers to do the same). The lack of research experience is the bigger issue. When I get applications for my lab, I look at everything in the application (we don't enforce strict cutoffs for GPA or GRE). A person who had a rough start, but has really turned things around, actually makes your application a bit more intriguing in my book. Others might not see it that way. I can tell you that what really stands out, when I review applications, is not GPA or GRE. Instead, I focus more on letters and how well the applicant's statement is tailored to the work I do. I'd take a less than stellar applicant who understands the research I'm doing and presents an interesting idea for potential avenues they could pursue which builds off of my research, over a very stellar applicant with a generic statement that has just been modified to reflect the different programs they're applying to. Of course, opinions vary, and I know others who would focus on the numbers. For what it's worth, my undergrad GPA was low and I had no research experience when applying to grad school. I took the above approach and managed to get into a decent PhD program (not top tier; but a funded state school). So, that probably makes me a bit more receptive to your issues.

To answer your question, be selective in your applications to Doctoral programs (there is a shot, but it's probably slim). Not all programs have cut-offs, so there's a chance if you tailor your applications appropriately. Cover your bases with Masters programs.
 
Mod Note: Merging into WAMC thread

snk24 said:
I, like so many others, didn't really take my studies seriously at first. When I started my first degree, I majored in something I had absolutely no interest in. I hated every minute of it and goofed off and it showed in my GPA. After years of struggling, my GPA was ABYSMAL. After starting a second degree in psychology and discovering how much I loved it and how interesting it was to me, my GPA rose.

The first B.A is the one with a chronically low GPA from one school. The second BA, in psychology and from a different school, contains a much higher GPA that borders around 3.8 (calculated on all my coursework from that institution as well as the credits that transferred from my first B.A). Consequently, all of my bad grades are contained in the first degree.

So:

Psychology degree (Summa Cum Laude distinction, ironically): 3.8
Psychology major: 3.9
Last 60 credits: 3.8
Average of first degree + psychology degree: 2.8

Both universities are regionally accredited brick and mortar institutions.

I don't have research experience or publications. Will the 2.8 be the number that admissions would use to determine my eligibility? If so, do I have ANY shot at a reputable clinical PhD/Psy.D? Or should I focus on a master's degree?
Click to expand...
 
Thanks for the advice, ADDICTED2STATS. I do not plan to apply until next fall, so perhaps I can get some research experience during that time, though I don't suspect it'd be anything stellar. It couldn't hurt, though!
 
Hi, everyone! I am in need of any help or advice you all can give! I graduated in December with a B.A. in Psychology and a second major in Criminal Justice. I had originally planned on applying to a local M.A. program, but after some thought decided I would much rather go directly into a PsyD program. This prolonged my "break" by nearly 2 years, but life goes on. Anyway, I will be applying later this year for admission into the Fall 2015 term. I have about 12 schools in mind. My top pick is Baylor, followed by Denver, but the others aren't far behind. I have an intense fear of taking all this time off (not that I have much of a choice at this point) only to be rejected by 12 schools. So I guess I am trying to answer two questions. 1. What are my chances of getting in, based on your knowledge/experience? 2. Do you have any advice for how to cope with these stressful feelings and the fear of being rejected? I'll start with my stats and experience:

I have not taken the GRE yet (I am scheduled for July) but I scored about average on 2 practice exams. I have slowly but surely been studying and utilizing many (free) resources to do so.

My GPA for undergrad was very high. I graduated magna cum laude, with a 3.95 GPA... a 4.0 in both Psychology and Criminal Justice. I am a member of several honor societies, including Psi Chi.

I was actively involved in the Active Minds chapter at my university for 3 semesters. I attended their national conference in 2010. I was one of three students to receive an invite to participate in a personality and psychopathology research lab. I did that for one semester before relocating to a different state. I completed an APA research project on the relationship between mental health and pubertal timing. It was an assignment, but definitely legit. Approved by the IRB at two colleges where we surveyed over 150 undergraduate students.

I volunteered as a victim advocate for a crime victim/witness program for about 10 months during school. I completed my internship at the county jail last summer. I am currently volunteering at the state psychiatric hospital and also recently got a job at a women's drug/alcohol rehab.

I should have 3 pretty strong letters of recommendation. One will be from the professor who ran the lab I worked in. The second will be a professor I took several classes with, including a week long course in Chicago exploring urban crime. The third is my internship supervisor (professor on the university end).

I am mainly concerned about the little research experience I have. I only did one semester in the lab, and the paper I wrote was for a group assignment in Research Methods. I have tried finding a professor at the local university who will let me volunteer in their lab, but no luck. I also applied for a recruiting specialist position in a research center, but haven't heard back. They don't take volunteers. I work two jobs right now and will continue to do so until at least the end of this year, so the GRE is also kind of a concern. While I do study, I am not sure how intensely I should be studying or how to really organize everything to make all the words and problems seem less overwhelming. As far as the letters, my only concern is that I will have been out of school for a while before I request them. Every once in a while I make an effort to stay in touch with the professors, like "hay there... don't forget about me, I'll need you soon! :)" but I am still concerned about it.

If you can't tell, I get really overwhelmed by things and tend to worry a lot. It helped me a lot through school, but now with all this time off I am losing control!!! I even got involved in office crafts to get my mind off of everything. But seriously, I don't know anyone personally who has recently been through this, so if anyone has advice of any kind please share it. I am also totally up for one on one chatting with anyone also going through this! Thank you!
 
Applied to USUHS PHD Military track. Currently AD enlisted Air Force

Undergrad: 3.5 solid liberal arts school, Psychology/Biopsychology major, gender studies minor

Multiple leadership roles, college soccer, newspaper editor, Howard Hughes Research grant recipient, two posters, 2.5 years in noninvasive animal and clinical research setting (including well known PTSD researcher), internship at community mental health agency and rape crisis center


grad school: 3.9 GPS, MA, Mental Health Counseling and Behavioral Medicine from BUSM, VA clincal internship, RA in HIV study and Center for Anxiety and Related disorders as well as National Center for PTSD

Work experience: one year RA at VA hospital, one year clinical work in Victim's to violence program

Then enlisted (it was the economy!), two year AD air force, work related accolades

SOP solid, letters a struggle because most profs have retired. One prof, one supervisor, and an air force related letter

GRE: 155 V 155 q, 5 analytic

Interests: PTSD, behavioral medicine, female servicemember needs

wamc?!!
 
I just got an interview offer and it is amazing but what are my chances (%) of getting into the school?
 
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Just be prepared for the "soapbox" folks smh
My advice: Go to whatever school you want to go to. The school that fits YOUR career goals !! Not everyone is right for every type of program. Good Luck !!
 
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I am and their military track psyD is exactly what I want just nervous and was wondering what were my odds after their interview
 
I just got an interview offer for Adler school and it is amazing but what are my chances (%) of getting into the school?
 
Jmanhel.hdz33 said:
I just got an interview offer for Adler school and it is amazing but what are my chances (%) of getting into the school?
Click to expand...

Schools vary greatly on this number- this is a good question to ask at the interview.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk
 
T Brown said:
Just be prepared for the "soapbox" folks smh
My advice: Go to whatever school you want to go to. The school that fits YOUR career goals !! Not everyone is right for every type of program. Good Luck !!
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Yeah, there's no reason to listen to the informed opinions of others already established in the field when you can run on feels instead.
 
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MCParent said:
Yeah, there's no reason to listen to the informed opinions of others already established in the field when you can run on feels instead.
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At the end of the day it's just your opinion. It matters not if you are "established in he field" it's still your opinion. It matters not that you are "established in the field" you are not the experts of someone else's career. People have to develop a career path that works for them and their goals. I'm sure at this level of education they can read and seek out the stats for the schools they are considering.

By the way nothing my in comment said "feel" and my comment was not in relation to this thread it was merged from somewhere else by the moderator.
 
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My current psychology GPA is 2.7, and my current cumulative GPA is 3.5. With this current spring semester, I still have 4 regular semesters left along with 2 summer semesters (I graduate fall 2015).

I'm wondering how much is it possible to raise that major GPA up that's realistic. And will I even have a chance in grad school? I'm so shocked because I've been getting B's (No B-) and one C all of my previous psychology classes. It's so depressing to see it so low and I'm really worried about not being good enough for a Ph.D programs in psychology anywhere. I still have about 4-5 more psychology classes to go for my degree.

I've heard that people even with GPA's of 3.7 don't even get a second consideration. I'm not sure if that's their cumulative or major GPA. I'm not worried about my cumulative because I know I can raise that even more by the time I graduate.

I'm in the process of inquiring about honors program and doing an undergraduate research but I saw that the psychology department here requires a major GPA of 3.5, I'll just see if I can do an undergrad research independently or something.

The only thing alternative I can do is go first for my masters to I guess balance out my low GPA.

I know the GPA isn't the only thing they're looking at, there's the MCAT and all the other things but it still is heavily considered. My advisor said some Ph.D programs only look at the last two years of your undergraduate studies?? I don't know if that's correct or not.
 
Kb1234 said:
My current psychology GPA is 2.7, and my current cumulative GPA is 3.5. With this current spring semester, I still have 4 regular semesters left along with 2 summer semesters (I graduate fall 2015).

I'm wondering how much is it possible to raise that major GPA up that's realistic. And will I even have a chance in grad school? I'm so shocked because I've been getting B's (No B-) and one C all of my previous psychology classes. It's so depressing to see it so low and I'm really worried about not being good enough for a Ph.D programs in psychology anywhere. I still have about 4-5 more psychology classes to go for my degree.

I've heard that people even with GPA's of 3.7 don't even get a second consideration. I'm not sure if that's their cumulative or major GPA. I'm not worried about my cumulative because I know I can raise that even more by the time I graduate.

I'm in the process of inquiring about honors program and doing an undergraduate research but I saw that the psychology department here requires a major GPA of 3.5, I'll just see if I can do an undergrad research independently or something.

The only thing alternative I can do is go first for my masters to I guess balance out my low GPA.

I know the GPA isn't the only thing they're looking at, there's the MCAT and all the other things but it still is heavily considered. My advisor said some Ph.D programs only look at the last two years of your undergraduate studies?? I don't know if that's correct or not.
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Mod Note: I'm going to move this to the WAMC thread, but will also respond below.

A few things:

1) You'll want to GRE for grad school in psych, not the MCAT (which is for med school)
2) some programs may place more emphasis on your final two years, but the vast majority will want your cumulative GPA and major GPA as well
3) The trouble with a psych GPA of 2.7 is that in all honesty, most folks consider undergrad psych to be pretty "easy" relative to other majors/classes; thus, you're going to be fighting the mindset of admissions folks that with a psych GPA in that range, you're going to struggle with grad-level psych classes; conversely, a cumulative GPA of 3.5 will be fine with many programs
4) You should be able to find online GPA calculators to help you figure out just how high you'll be able to raise that psych GPA. Although remember that if you're planning on applying before you graduate, you're really only going to have 2 regular semesters + 1 summer semester to bring it up prior to having to submit your application materials (which are typically due in Dec/Jan).
 
I just took the GRE this weekend, and wanted to post a quick WAMC:

GPA (cumulative): 3.42
GPA (last two years/psych): 3.58
GRE (verbal): 161 (87th percentile - 620 on the old scale)
GRE (quant): 155 (61st percentile - 710 on the old scale)
AW: Don't know yet

Research: Solid research experience in a number of PTSD/anxiety disorder labs since '11, and I just started working in a geropsych lab, which I'm really excited about. I'm applying to work with POI's with similar foci. I've presented 4 posters & am hoping to get a few more under my belt before applications are due.

Clinical: 18 months working as a FT psychotremist post bacc. I have experience administering psychological testing in corrections facilities, education centers, and outpatient mental health facilities.

Other: Graduated cum laude with advanced & research honors & a completed honors thesis. Earned my BS at 19.

I'm applying to clinical PhD programs and have a strong research match with all POIs, and I'm expecting to have strong LOR's. Any recommendation on whether I should retake the GRE? I was hoping for 160's in both quant & verbal, especially since my GPA is average to low-average for most programs I've looked at, but I don't necessarily think a 155 quantitative is that low, and I know that the GRE is often used as a minimum threshold rather than a major deciding factor. I'm not really that eager to shell out another $200 & weeks of studying to retake the GRE if I can help it; are schools impressed if a student has only taken the GRE once rather than having taken it several times (Is this information even visible to them?).

Some programs that I'm considering are DePaul; Northwestern University (Weinberg); University of Colorado: Colorado Springs; University of Washington; University of Wisconsin @ Milwaukee; University of Missouri @ St. Louis; UMass: Boston; Boston University; University of Oregon; Case Western Reserve; University of Southern California; UCLA; University of Denver. I appreciate any advice - Thanks!
 
Hi everybody. I just wanted to share something with you all:
GPA: 2.68 (yep, I typed that right. 2. 68)
GRE: verbal 163, quantitative 155, writing 5.0
Bachelor of science degree in psychology, graduated september 2013.
With my 2.68 GPA I was already contacted by one POI and after a very nice conversation assured that I should feel optimistic not only about my entry into the program I applied to but also about scholarships, and that she looks forward to working with me in her lab. I applied to 5 programs in total, got two nos and 2 haven't replied yet but I'm guessing no as I wasn't even interviewed. I'm still going to grad school.
Are there other things to my story that helped me out despite the GPA? I'm guessing yes. But to be honest, after browsing this thread for months now and looking and all your wonderful backgrounds and your cum lauden and your perfect GPAs I would never have imagined I even had a chance at this.
The point I want to make, is that at the end of the day, nobody really knows what your chances are. I know the waiting is horrible, and I know you just want to know if it is worth it. But after looking at all of your postings my natural inclination was not to apply to the programs I did. Look anywhere and all you'll find is flashing sings telling you that a GPA like mine won't make it to grad school, much less to a psychology program. Yet here I am!
I don't mean to offend anybody or start a heated debate with this, I'm sure everybody who takes the time to reply to this thread or any other does so with the very best intention, and I'm sure that your answers are based on what experience has taught you. But any advise you hear concerning chances is based and intuition, and I'm guessing sometimes it pays to take the counterintuitive road.
So, what I want to say is: take the chance. You never know. My POI just liked something in my application and now I'm on my way to get started working towards my clinical psychology PhD. I wish you all all the luck in the world, the only thing that's certain is that your chances if you don't apply are zero.
 
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Would love some advice here... debating whether to reapply or not. I applied this year and received 2 interviews (one at a PhD, one at PsyD). I'm not really sure what went wrong besides for my GRE scores. Please let me know what my chances are if I were to reapply next year- should I retake the GRE?

GPA: 3.5
GRE: verbal 157, quantitative 140, writing 4.5
Research Experience: 6 posters, 1 pub, currently working FT as RA in a clinical psych research lab in an extremely well-known and respected PhD program. Worked as an undergrad RA in both clinical and developmental labs for 4 years of undergrad. Did an independent research project my senior year.
Clinical Experience: Some clinical experience as well (internship) and 1 year working at school for disadvantaged children.
The program I did interview at told me my rec letters were phenomenal, so I will use the same writers if I apply again.

Trying to decide whether its worth my time to reapply (if so, retake GRE) or not. Thanks guys. :)
 
jdspk863 said:
Would love some advice here... debating whether to reapply or not. I applied this year and received 2 interviews (one at a PhD, one at PsyD). I'm not really sure what went wrong besides for my GRE scores. Please let me know what my chances are if I were to reapply next year- should I retake the GRE?

GPA: 3.5
GRE: verbal 157, quantitative 140, writing 4.5
Research Experience: 6 posters, 1 pub, currently working FT as RA in a clinical psych research lab in an extremely well-known and respected PhD program. Worked as an undergrad RA in both clinical and developmental labs for 4 years of undergrad. Did an independent research project my senior year.
Clinical Experience: Some clinical experience as well (internship) and 1 year working at school for disadvantaged children.
The program I did interview at told me my rec letters were phenomenal, so I will use the same writers if I apply again.

Trying to decide whether its worth my time to reapply (if so, retake GRE) or not. Thanks guys. :)
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From what I've seen on the interview trail as well as the average stats of accepted applicants for most schools, your GRE scores are low. Specifically, your quantitative score could stand to go up quite a bit (at least to the range of your verbal score). The schools that did have GRE cutoffs normally said 300, and you're right at 297, which might be why you didn't get more interviews. I would definitely retake the GRE if you don't end up getting in this year, no question.
 
I have applied to Fielding Graduate University's Phd in Clinical Psychology...
Are they a good choice and what are my chances of getting in?
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Short answer....No.

If you do a search on this forum about Fielding, it should turn up a number of relevant threads about their program.
 
phdphdphd said:
Hi everybody. I just wanted to share something with you all:
GPA: 2.68 (yep, I typed that right. 2. 68)
GRE: verbal 163, quantitative 155, writing 5.0
Bachelor of science degree in psychology, graduated september 2013.
With my 2.68 GPA I was already contacted by one POI and after a very nice conversation assured that I should feel optimistic not only about my entry into the program I applied to but also about scholarships, and that she looks forward to working with me in her lab. I applied to 5 programs in total, got two nos and 2 haven't replied yet but I'm guessing no as I wasn't even interviewed. I'm still going to grad school.
Are there other things to my story that helped me out despite the GPA? I'm guessing yes. But to be honest, after browsing this thread for months now and looking and all your wonderful backgrounds and your cum lauden and your perfect GPAs I would never have imagined I even had a chance at this.
The point I want to make, is that at the end of the day, nobody really knows what your chances are. I know the waiting is horrible, and I know you just want to .
Click to expand...

Totally. No one has the magical power of mind reading to know what every faculty member is thinking when they look over applications. But, we sure love feeling comforted even when it's a fantasy. At the end of the day, you either believe in your application and have the money to see what happens... or you don't and you move on and find other meaningful avenues in life.
 
OK. Looking to apply to clinical psych Ph.D. programs in the Fall of 2014 to matriculate in Fall 2015. I thought I'd post to get a preliminary idea of my chances. I haven't really narrowed down my school choices yet.

B.A. in Psychology (with honors) and English from a small, prestigious liberal arts school

GRE:
Verbal: 170
Quantitative: 168
Writing: 6

GPA: 4.0

I know it doesn't matter a whole lot, but heavy extracurricular involvement/leadership in the Offices of Admissions (directed tour guide program for 1.5 years) and Residential life (R.A. and R.M.), fraternity (academic, community service, recruitment chairs), writing tutor, American Red Cross (blood drive site coordinator for 3 years).

Honors: Summa Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa, Omicron Delta Kappa, Psi Chi, Deans's list every semester

I'm currently abroad doing a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship. I will return to my university to work in a research lab at my university this June until the time I will (hopefully) enter graduate school in Fall 2015

So far so good right?

My main concern is research experience, which isn't bad by any means.

-First author on a paper published in an undergraduate journal
-Senior independent research project, presented at the 2013 APS conference; to be presented at an international conference in Europe this May; pending publication
-Last summer, I worked in a research lab at my university on a large mixed-methods study on resilience. As I mentioned, I will return there for another year and 3 months. So, cumulatively, I will have almost 2 years in this lab.
-By the time interviews would be happening I should have another paper as first author published from this lab and probably 2 conference presentations.

I know that seems like a lot, but I've heard horror stories. I just wish I had done more with my summers. I was working every summer, but I was sampling other fields before I firmly settled on psychology (so I'm worried I might show a lack of focus). I'm also worried about my B.A. (as opposed to a B.S.), but, to spare you the details, it can be explained fairly satisfactorily.

So what are my chances? And how high should I shoot (i.e. what tier of programs are within my reach)?
 
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