WAMC: What Are My Chances

[WisNeuro]

Yes, she is under the understanding that it will be absolutely necessary. She is scheduled to take the GRE on thursday but with not as much preparation as she would hope considering her GPA. Should she attempt a masters program that does not require the GRE or should she take it now get into a masters amd re-take it when she is ready to get her psy-d.

Also we are from New York City, what are some good reputable masters programs to consider? Considering she may have an issue gaining admission into a masters as well.

Might as well take it and see where she falls, preparation will only help so much, so this should give her an idea of the range she is in. As for the masters programs, I don't know the area well enough to make a recommendation, but a search of the forums should get some hits. Before she considers the PsyD, I'd recommend that she look at the programs, there are a handful of very good sites (e.g., Rutgers, Baylor) but a good many more that will leave her with a good deal of debt and a hard time getting accredited internships and other training/career opportunities.

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[schoolpsychms16]

Hi All!

I have started looking into PhD programs, and would like to know my chances of getting into a fully funded PhD program. I am really open to anywhere geographically.

I am about to graduate from my masters in School Psychology in June. My GPA is 3.7, I scored 159 on my PRAXIS, and will be taking my GRE/ subject GREs this year. Lets say that I score relatively high on my GREs. (I did poorly in undergrad, major in Psych, 2.8 GPA.) I completed a 1200 hour internship and a 300 hour practicum. My work experience includes working with children with autism (ABA).

Would you think I stand a chance getting into a fully funded PhD program? Any recommendations on what I can do to improve my chances? I plan on applying for Fall 2017.

 

[schoolpsychms16]

Hi All!
I have started looking into PhD programs, and would like to know my chances of getting into a fully funded PhD program. I am really open to anywhere geographically.

I am about to graduate from my masters in School Psychology in June. My GPA is 3.7, I scored 159 on my PRAXIS, and will be taking my GRE/ subject GREs this year. Lets say that I score relatively high on my GREs. (I did poorly in undergrad, major in Psych, 2.8 GPA.) I completed a 1200 hour internship and a 300 hour practicum. My work experience includes working with children with autism (ABA). I have letters of recommendation from my professors and supervisors. I will have a portfolio for 20+ work samples as well.

I am looking into research opportunities currently and will be applying for School Psychologist positions for Fall 2016.

Would you think I stand a chance getting into a fully funded PhD program? Any recommendations on what I can do to improve my chances? I plan on applying for Fall 2017.

 

[eteshoe]

You'd have to essentially crush the GRE (90th+ percentile on both Q, V and 4.5+ on the writing; 80th+ percentile for the subject GRE) because you'll have to really offset that undergrad GPA. Your master's GPA is solid. You'll have to write a pretty strong statement of purpose and finally get some strong LORs. Other than that, you really have no control over your past grades. Apply wide and you should be able to get funding at some institutions.

 

[schoolpsychms16]

You'd have to essentially crush the GRE (90th+ percentile on both Q, V and 4.5+ on the writing; 80th+ percentile for the subject GRE) because you'll have to really offset that undergrad GPA. Your master's GPA is solid. You'll have to write a pretty strong statement of purpose and finally get some strong LORs. Other than that, you really have no control over your past grades. Apply wide and you should be able to get funding at some institutions.

Thanks eteshoe! I have been able to secure LORs from professors and my supervisor. I also have a portfolio with 20+ work samples (needed for school psych certification). I'm just going to have to dedicate all free time to studying for my GREs. I appreciate your response!

 

[deleted343839]

Do you have any research experience? That is usually essential for a PhD program application. Your clinical experience matters less.

 

[schoolpsychms16]

Do you have any research experience? That is usually essential for a PhD program application. Your clinical experience matters less.

Currently, no. I conducted minor research for my stats and psychometrics courses. I have begun to look into research opportunities, but would this be too late for Fall 2017? Thank you for your reply Mama PhD!

 

[eteshoe]

Currently, no. I conducted minor research for my stats and psychometrics courses. I have begun to look into research opportunities, but would this be too late for Fall 2017?

If you're aiming for Fall 2017 then you have until around December 1st or 15th (usually) to apply to programs. This gives you a couple of months to get some more research under your belt. You don't need extensive experience (though it wouldn't hurt) - but you have to be able to clearly articulate your career goals, research experience (and what you gained) and why a PhD would help you get to the next stage in your career.

 

[schoolpsychms16]

If you're aiming for Fall 2017 then you have until around December 1st or 15th (usually) to apply to programs. This gives you a couple of months to get some more research under your belt. You don't need extensive experience (though it wouldn't hurt) - but you have to be able to clearly articulate your career goals, research experience (and what you gained) and why a PhD would help you get to the next stage in your career.

I recently have reached out to a professor of mine who is conducting research aligned with my interests, with my hopes I may be able to volunteer my time to gain experience. Hopefully I will be able to assist and if so, this will be enough.

 

[Meliorism]

Hi all! I had posted back in the summer as a recent undergraduate, but decided to delay applying to a doctoral program since my academics did not stand out.

I am now a 1st semester student in a M.A. Program for experimental psychology. I'd like to apply to Ph.D. programs with an emphasis on research in the future. Unfortunately, I am geographically restricted to the NYC area only. Most schools here are extremely competitive as well.

I am a bit on the fence regarding whether I will be applying for Fall 2018 or Fall 2019, as it depends on when I will graduate from the M.A. program. I may be able to apply for 2018 if I cram 4 courses a semester (entered program starting this spring instead of last fall), but I am writing a masters thesis and required to recruit at least 120 participants for an empirical study, which is by no means an easy task..

So I am wondering if I am on the right track to become a qualified applicant and if anyone has recommendations to increase my chances in the upcoming year and a half.

My stats:
UG Gpa – 3.4 cumulative; 3.6 psych (major) & neurosci (minor)
Grad GPA goal - > 3.8
GRE – have not taken (M.A. program doesn’t req), I imagine I will only score average.

Research exp:
8 mos. as UG RA in infant lab coding data, editing videos of experimental sessions and wrote honors thesis that reported empirical findings of the experiment

8 mos. as UG RA in vision lab running training sessions with lab rats (took them in/out of cage and into experimental apparatus), gave them water under controlled conditions, kept log of rats’ performance for each session

8 mos. to present as UG & Grad RA in psychophysiology lab obtaining subject assent and parental consent, conduct computerized clinical interview, guide child participant through all portions of experiment (Computerized tasks, questionnaires), physiological sensors on participant, administered WISC, data checking, data entry, wrote up honors paper (literature review) and empirical study manuscript, currently learning how to process EEG files with MATLAB/EEGLAB/ERPLAB

8 mos. to present as volunteer at university hospital assisting postdoc/now associate prof. by removing and identifying artifacts and anomalies on EKG, BP and RSP file, assisting during experimental sessions by checking if ambulatory BP cuff works, prepping apparatus for saliva samples, watching over infants, checking data, data entry, checking expense logs to ensure budget is up-to-date, assist with NIH progress report for grant

Just started a 8 mo. Granted funded RA position doing participant recruitment (phone), will be conducting focus groups & actively involved in all stages of research project

Clinical exp:
3 yrs as radiology receptionist, familiarity with MRI/CT/PET procedures, constant patient and physician interaction

6 mos. with MLTC plan servicing geriatric patients as primary clientele, many of whom dx’d with psychiatric d/o (alzheimer’s, depression, anxiety, dementia, etc) provided emotional support over phone

Anticipated pubs:
-Co-author for manuscript on empirical study (rejected once, despite good feedback.. resubmitting)
-3rd (out of 6-7) author for manuscript on empirical study (under review)
-Co-author for book chapter (in progress)

Pres:
None yet, in process of submitting abstract for a national conference
Anticipating > 2 poster presentations at school by end of M.A.

Sorry for the lengthly post!
Thank you in advance and best of luck for everyone applying the upcoming fall!

 

[WisNeuro]

Really hard to say. Your extreme geographical restriction is by far your most limiting factor. You are throwing your hat into the ring of a very small pond, with many big fish. Getting some of those manuscripts may help, but you better rock the GRE.

 

[Lurking Oracle]

I also want to emphasize (as has WisNeuro) that being (or choosing to be) geographically limited to the NYC area is going to be a MAJOR hurdle. FYI - I am in Manhattan. In addition to the fact that you would be competing with applicants from all over the country (and beyond), you would be competing with other applicants that can't/prefer to not /simply refuse to leave the metro NYC area. You will absolutely have to blow the roof off the GRE, as there are more rock-star applicants within a 40 min commute than there are openings every year.

 

[Meliorism]

I also want to emphasize (as has WisNeuro) that being (or choosing to be) geographically limited to the NYC area is going to be a MAJOR hurdle. FYI - I am in Manhattan. In addition to the fact that you would be competing with applicants from all over the country (and beyond), you would be competing with other applicants that can't/prefer to not /simply refuse to leave the metro NYC area. You will absolutely have to blow the roof off the GRE, as there are more rock-star applicants within a 40 min commute than there are openings every year.

Really hard to say. Your extreme geographical restriction is by far your most limiting factor. You are throwing your hat into the ring of a very small pond, with many big fish. Getting some of those manuscripts may help, but you better rock the GRE.

Thank you both for the honest feedback. While I will still apply to other schools outside the NY-metro area, I don't know if I should even bother because I can't leave or go stray too far due to my situation, unfortunately. I'll definitely keep the advice in mind and hope that within the next year or two I'll be better equipped to tackle on the intense competition.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

While I will still apply to other schools outside the NY-metro area, I don't know if I should even bother because I can't leave or go stray too far due to my situation, unfortunately.

Even if you land in NYC, this will continue to be an issue bc of (possibly practica), internship, fellowship, etc.

 

[Lurking Oracle]

Even if you land in NYC, this will continue to be an issue bc of (possibly practica), internship, fellowship, etc.

Very true. The competition here is even greater for internship and fellowship slots.

 

[undertoad]

I identified with your story, so I wanted to add my two cents...

I graduated over 10 years ago with a BA in literature and creative writing. Thought I was going to pursue either an MFA or a PhD in lit. Life happened, and those plans got delayed. In hindsight, I'm glad they did, because I really wasn't well-informed enough about the academic job market to make those kinds of decisions.

So I joined the military for six years, which was a real eye opener. That's where I developed an interest in psychology. I separated from active duty when my contract was done, and I've enrolled at a four-year university as a second degree student. They waived the general education requirements, so all I have to do is take the degree requirements for a BS in psychology. It's also afforded me the opportunity to get research experience.

I highly recommend establishing a relationship with the university you mentioned, whether you enroll as a degree-seeking student or you pursue classes on a non-curricular basis. I feel this will be your best opportunity to get research experience, as well as future letters of recommendation. As a career-changer, I think it's especially important to show sustained commitment to your new area of study, so I would personally devote more than one or two semesters to your academic reinvention.

Do you have any experience working with veterans? If not, I would start volunteering at the VA.

Hello All!

I’ve looked through a lot of the posts on here, and there hasn’t been a post that I’ve found that even sort of covers my unique situation.

 

[biscuitsbiscuits]

The NYC bind is discouraging and definitely real. But what I like to tell myself is that there are certainly worse places to be geographically restricted (like maybe, I don't know, North Dakota?). If you're going to be restricted, at least you're in a place where many opportunities *exist*.



Signed,
A Person Who is Geographically Restricted to NYC


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile app

 

[Lurking Oracle]

The NYC bind is discouraging and definitely real. But what I like to tell myself is that there are certainly worse places to be geographically restricted (like maybe, I don't know, North Dakota?). If you're going to be restricted, at least you're in a place where many opportunities *exist*.



Signed,
A Person Who is Geographically Restricted to NYC


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile app

Yes, I agree, there are definitely worse cities to which one could be geographically restricted. Probably most cities IMHO, but I have not subjected that to a data crunch. For NYC, however, with 20+ APA-accredited PhD/PsyD programs (clin, couns, school, & combined), 30+ APA-accredited internships, and Buddha knows how many places that offer training opportunities for postdoc fellows/residents, NYC is a great place to be "stuck," especially since it IS the greatest city in the world (and, no, I am NOT a native NY'er). But, with 20+million people within easy commuting distance, competition is fierce.

 

[Noodles19]

Hi all, So I hope to apply in December for 2017 for clinical psychology PhD programs and I'm looking for some advice. I haven't taken the GREs yet but will this summer. My GPA is 3.5 and should be a 3.6 when I apply. I am doing an honors thesis and doing some hours in a research lab related to the thesis. I will have two years in the lab by the time I apply. Just wondering if it's worth it to apply this year or are my chances just that unlikely? Also, what would be the best use of my time for the next few months and how much will this help my chances for this application period. Thanks.

 

[Wendi22]

Hi all, So I hope to apply in December for 2017 for clinical psychology PhD programs and I'm looking for some advice. I haven't taken the GREs yet but will this summer. My GPA is 3.5 and should be a 3.6 when I apply. I am doing an honors thesis and doing some hours in a research lab related to the thesis. I will have two years in the lab by the time I apply. Just wondering if it's worth it to apply this year or are my chances just that unlikely? Also, what would be the best use of my time for the next few months and how much will this help my chances for this application period. Thanks.

Hello,

From someone who has participated in 3 admission cycles and finally got a good funded (previous years I got offers but not good funding)offer this year (yay!) I would strongly recommend you get that GRE as high as possible. Some schools will overlook the GRE but there are so many good applicants out there with tons of experience & extremely high GRE's to match. Magoosh has a good program BTW. Anyways, the research experience sounds good but posters and publications obviously help a great deal. Also, I read book after book to prepare for the interview cycle and it paid off. For example, if a POI you plan to apply for has written a book or is really big into a theoretical orientation, really know and understand it come interview day. This is where you can stand out because although people may have stronger vitas on interview day, they may not have prepared themselves like you. Each year I have applied, I just continued working and building my credentials while I went through the admissions cycle, which helped me keep positive for the next cycle. My advice would be for you to give it a try this coming year. It costs money, but otherwise you will likely benefit in many ways and can use material again (i.e. personal statement). Even if it does not work out in the end, it could be great experience to go on an interview. This is just my humble opinion though so in the end you have to decide what you think. Hope this helps

 

[gene_halpert]

Hello all!

I am currently a master's student in genetic counseling but interested in potentially going into clinical health psychology. I wouldn't apply for a few admission cycles, so perhaps I'm jumping the gun a bit. Still, it would be good to see what deficiencies might be present:

Stats: undergrad GPA: 3.37 from top 25 school (started in a different major, freshman year GPA: 2.15, so definitely upward)
BS in Biology
grad GPA: Should be around 3.7/3.8 ScM in Genetic Counseling
GRE: 163V, 162Q, 4.5 Writing
Research:
Undergrad research in biology lab for 1 year (no pubs)
Grad research: master's thesis that should be published in social/behavioral science
will have two poster presentations by graduation
over 500 hours of clinical experience in genetic counseling
I also plan on working for at least 1 year as a clinical genetic counselor, which may also get more research

Interested in PhD programs that have health psychology emphasis (Drexel, Vanderbilt, VCU, Fordham)

Do you think my undergrad GPA will be an issue? Thanks for your input and time.

 

[applicationjitters]

Hello all!

This website has been my saving grace through grad school research and I've finally made an account to ask some questions of my own. I'm a senior at a well-known university majoring in Psychology and minoring in child mental health and education. I'm looking at taking a year off to study for the GRE and getting some more experience before applying to clinical and school psychology programs. My graduating GPA will be a 3.53 (straight A's for the last 2 years) and I'll have done 2 years of developmental psych research experience and a blend of direct child clinical experience, classroom assisting, crisis counseling and training, and underserved youth work. I also have gotten certified in and regularly administered classroom assessments and two psychoeducational child assessments. In terms of research, I have a lit review/article published in one of my school's undergrad journals and if all goes well, I'll be second author on a poster presentation at a conference this summer.

My career goal is to work as school psychologist and still be licensed in NY as a psychologist so I could do private practice work. If I can do this in one shot, great. But if not, I'd get my specialist degree, do research in grad school, and then reapply to doctoral programs. I think I'd enjoy being a professor but it's not a deal breaking matter.

Programs in mind: Fordham School Psychology PhD and PD, Yeshiva Combined School-Clinical PsyD, Pace School-Clinical PsyD, Hofstra Clinical Psych PhD, St. Johns PsyD and Specialist, and TC/Columbia School Psych PhD (very much a reach) and Specialist-level degree.

Am I on track for the programs I'm looking at (given I do well on the GRE that I'm taking half a year to study for)? Are there any other programs in the tri-state area that people recommend?

Thank you all in advance for your time and advice!!

 

[AcronymAllergy]

Hello all!

This website has been my saving grace through grad school research and I've finally made an account to ask some questions of my own. I'm a senior at a well-known university majoring in Psychology and minoring in child mental health and education. I'm looking at taking a year off to study for the GRE and getting some more experience before applying to clinical and school psychology programs. My graduating GPA will be a 3.53 (straight A's for the last 2 years) and I'll have done 2 years of developmental psych research experience and a blend of direct child clinical experience, classroom assisting, crisis counseling and training, and underserved youth work. I also have gotten certified in and regularly administered classroom assessments and two psychoeducational child assessments. In terms of research, I have a lit review/article published in one of my school's undergrad journals and if all goes well, I'll be second author on a poster presentation at a conference this summer.

My career goal is to work as school psychologist and still be licensed in NY as a psychologist so I could do private practice work. If I can do this in one shot, great. But if not, I'd get my specialist degree, do research in grad school, and then reapply to doctoral programs. I think I'd enjoy being a professor but it's not a deal breaking matter.

Programs in mind: Fordham School Psychology PhD and PD, Yeshiva Combined School-Clinical PsyD, Pace School-Clinical PsyD, Hofstra Clinical Psych PhD, St. Johns PsyD and Specialist, and TC/Columbia School Psych PhD (very much a reach) and Specialist-level degree.

Am I on track for the programs I'm looking at (given I do well on the GRE that I'm taking half a year to study for)? Are there any other programs in the tri-state area that people recommend?

Thank you all in advance for your time and advice!!

Mod Note: Merging this into the WAMC sticky.

 

[Marylandgirl21]

Hello all!

This website has been my saving grace through grad school research and I've finally made an account to ask some questions of my own. I'm a senior at a well-known university majoring in Psychology and minoring in child mental health and education. I'm looking at taking a year off to study for the GRE and getting some more experience before applying to clinical and school psychology programs. My graduating GPA will be a 3.53 (straight A's for the last 2 years) and I'll have done 2 years of developmental psych research experience and a blend of direct child clinical experience, classroom assisting, crisis counseling and training, and underserved youth work. I also have gotten certified in and regularly administered classroom assessments and two psychoeducational child assessments. In terms of research, I have a lit review/article published in one of my school's undergrad journals and if all goes well, I'll be second author on a poster presentation at a conference this summer.

My career goal is to work as school psychologist and still be licensed in NY as a psychologist so I could do private practice work. If I can do this in one shot, great. But if not, I'd get my specialist degree, do research in grad school, and then reapply to doctoral programs. I think I'd enjoy being a professor but it's not a deal breaking matter.

Programs in mind: Fordham School Psychology PhD and PD, Yeshiva Combined School-Clinical PsyD, Pace School-Clinical PsyD, Hofstra Clinical Psych PhD, St. Johns PsyD and Specialist, and TC/Columbia School Psych PhD (very much a reach) and Specialist-level degree.

Am I on track for the programs I'm looking at (given I do well on the GRE that I'm taking half a year to study for)? Are there any other programs in the tri-state area that people recommend?

Thank you all in advance for your time and advice!!

Welcome! I think you will have a very good shot at getting into a school psychology Ph.D. program assuming you do well on the GRE and continue to build your resume. GRE score cutoffs are usually not as high in school psych programs, but you certainly want to aim high for the writing portion. Some schools emphasize the GRE more than others - I did fairly well but wasn't great in quant and received interviews at all of my schools and several acceptances.

Your research experience is good and it sounds like you have a lot of applied experiences. This is what schools are looking for! Continue to do research and publish/present whenever possible. Of course I can't predict anything, but I honestly don't think you'll have any issues getting into a Ph.D. program. That said, keep in mind that limiting yourself to a geographical area can put constraints on how many schools you can apply to and how good of a research fit the school is. This is something I hadn't thought about until I was going through the application process - only apply to schools that match your research interests! Some schools are very academically focused or behaviorally or cognitively, etc. in regards to their research and applied experiences. You should determine what interests you and try to find schools that match those interests.

Lastly, if you are interested in private practice you will have to become a licensed psychologist (do a postdoc and pass the EPPP). Going to an APA accredited school that has a high APPIC match rate will be extremely helpful if you plan to do private practice. In fact, I've heard that in a few years, students from non-APA schools will not be able to apply for APA internships, which would make the licensure process more complicated. Not impossible, of course, but will take more time and energy.

Have you considered Syracuse? They have a great program. Anyway, good luck and I hope this was helpful!

 

[ssd123]

So I am applying for graduate school this December, and wanted to get an idea where I stand. I am in a slight bit of a time crunch compared to many students because I came into college with my AA, and am graduating in only 2 years. Because of this, I will only have 1.5 years of research experience under my belt. I will have 1.5 years with one research project and a little less than 1 on the other. I mentor a student once a week for one hour, and will have been doing this for a year by graduation. My GPA is a 4.0 and will likely still be there by the time I graduate since I knocked out most of my hard classes. I am taking the GRE this summer, but I have taken many practice tests and am currently getting scores of 159 verbal and 154 quantitative. I hope to get these scores up to at least 160, though. I want to apply to UF, UCF, FSU, USF, UM, Duke, and the University of California. Can anyone give me an idea of where I stand with getting in? Thanks!!

 

[armorshell]

Hey there head shrinkers! Long time listener, first time caller, coming to you from the other side of the tracks. I was in need of a little bit of advice for a lady friend so I figured I'd stop on by the best place to get a little admissions info, my old friend SDN.

My girlfriend is planning on applying for Clinical Psych PhD programs next year, and I was hoping to get a breakdown of what her chances are and what we can best do to get her locked up with a spot next year. She's told me about the process, and I've tried to read through this forum, but I guess I'm just too ingrained in my dental/medical ways and I can't make heads or tails of how y'alls application process goes.

Her details:
Undergrad GPA:
3.0-ish, majored in Political Philosophy with a psych minor at a small, expensive liberal arts college, though she has taken most of the the upper level psych courses they offer as well.
GRE:
Verbal: 159
QR: 150
Writing: 5
Post-grad work/Research:
Her undergrad major was thesis based (really?) and that's published in a low-impact journal. Since then shes been a project manager for a substance abuse non-profit and has a rather large national grant but this hasn't (and won't, due to the non-profits philosphy)generate any publications.
Current work:
We're moving to the midwest shortly, since I just took an attending job and she got accepted at a MA psych post-bacc-type deal in the same city. It's an intensive 1 year MA focused on industrial/organizational psych from what I can tell, which I like because I imagine that will have applications outside of academia regardless of the outcome of her application. The hospital we're heading to also has a rather large psych PhD program, though there's no guaranteed path to acceptance through this masters. She's intensely focused on cranking out some publications, textbook chapters, etc... during this year.
Other stuff:
We'd both prefer her to stay in the area, if possible, but luckily there are multiple programs within a generally acceptable distance to both of us. Applications will probably go to Indiana, IUPUI, THE Ohio State, Ohio U, Miami (Ohio), Cincinnati, Xavier, Wright State, Notre Dame, Kentucky, Louisville. I was pretty shocked to find out there are for-profit schools involved in psychology training, if I've listed anything above that seems shady (Degree mills, can't get APA internship afterwards) let me know.

Let me know what you think her chances are, and the best ways to make improvements. As far as grades, I'm pushing for her to crush this masters to drag that GPA up into a reasonable realm. Does the GRE need a retake?

Thanks!

 

[Wendi22]

Hey there head shrinkers! Long time listener, first time caller, coming to you from the other side of the tracks. I was in need of a little bit of advice for a lady friend so I figured I'd stop on by the best place to get a little admissions info, my old friend SDN.

My girlfriend is planning on applying for Clinical Psych PhD programs next year, and I was hoping to get a breakdown of what her chances are and what we can best do to get her locked up with a spot next year. She's told me about the process, and I've tried to read through this forum, but I guess I'm just too ingrained in my dental/medical ways and I can't make heads or tails of how y'alls application process goes.

Her details:
Undergrad GPA:
3.0-ish, majored in Political Philosophy with a psych minor at a small, expensive liberal arts college, though she has taken most of the the upper level psych courses they offer as well.
GRE:
Verbal: 159
QR: 150
Writing: 5
Post-grad work/Research:
Her undergrad major was thesis based (really?) and that's published in a low-impact journal. Since then shes been a project manager for a substance abuse non-profit and has a rather large national grant but this hasn't (and won't, due to the non-profits philosphy)generate any publications.
Current work:
We're moving to the midwest shortly, since I just took an attending job and she got accepted at a MA psych post-bacc-type deal in the same city. It's an intensive 1 year MA focused on industrial/organizational psych from what I can tell, which I like because I imagine that will have applications outside of academia regardless of the outcome of her application. The hospital we're heading to also has a rather large psych PhD program, though there's no guaranteed path to acceptance through this masters. She's intensely focused on cranking out some publications, textbook chapters, etc... during this year.
Other stuff:
We'd both prefer her to stay in the area, if possible, but luckily there are multiple programs within a generally acceptable distance to both of us. Applications will probably go to Indiana, IUPUI, THE Ohio State, Ohio U, Miami (Ohio), Cincinnati, Xavier, Wright State, Notre Dame, Kentucky, Louisville. I was pretty shocked to find out there are for-profit schools involved in psychology training, if I've listed anything above that seems shady (Degree mills, can't get APA internship afterwards) let me know.

Let me know what you think her chances are, and the best ways to make improvements. As far as grades, I'm pushing for her to crush this masters to drag that GPA up into a reasonable realm. Does the GRE need a retake?

Thanks!

Hey,

Just wanted to speak to your GRE Scores question, I was accepted into programs with scores 1 or 2 points lower in each section than the ones you shared. I do have a publication, 5 posters, and 1 paper presentation but I still think it shows you can overcome lower scores (it is not that those scores are super low...it is just that you will be up against really high scores). I will also say it was not easy and I felt that I had to really prep hard for interviews. Psychology is very competitive! That being said, I would highly recommend getting the quant score as high as possible especially if you want to remain even slightly geographically limited. I know it cost money to retake, but it is worth it if it makes the applicant all the more competitive. Think of it this way, you do not want to ask yourself later if there was more you could have done to increase opportunities. Also, if she is not able to get the score higher...I made the argument on one interview that my 4.0 M.S program GPA shows I can do graduate level work so yes tell her to work hard in the masters program! Magoosh has a pretty good GRE prep program but there are others that work well. This is just my humble 2 cents but hope it helps and I wish her good luck!

 

[WisNeuro]

Hey there head shrinkers! Long time listener, first time caller, coming to you from the other side of the tracks. I was in need of a little bit of advice for a lady friend so I figured I'd stop on by the best place to get a little admissions info, my old friend SDN.



Let me know what you think her chances are, and the best ways to make improvements. As far as grades, I'm pushing for her to crush this masters to drag that GPA up into a reasonable realm. Does the GRE need a retake?

Thanks!

That undergrad GPA is gonna hurt. As for GRE, the Verbal is ok, the quant, not so great, writing is good. Geographic inflexibility is going to also be a killer, as those are some upper tier programs that will get plenty of 4.0 high GRE applicants with pubs/posters as well. The chance is there, but there are some hurdles. A higher GRE is possible, but for it to make a difference, that Quant will have to be in the >75th percentile. So, somewhat diminishing rewards on that one. If she can get some quality pubs or posters while on masters, that may be a better bet.

 

[EmelyM23]

Hi ALL!

I will be applying to PhD psychology programs this December 2016 to enter the Fall 2017. I'll get straight to my credentials.- I still have some time so I'd really like some advice on anything to stack up my application. I'm interested in social psychology programs!


Undergraduate GPA B.S in Psychology - graduating GPA 3.5
Masters in psychology- (I haven't graduated yet but currently 3.8) planning on graduating with a 4.0
1 Master Thesis
2 Lit review
2 poster presentations so far -
1 oral presentation
2+ years of Research Experience
Counselor for autistic children & ADHD
Case manager Intern & Domestic Violence Advocate
Special needs After-School counselor (homework help,etc)

Currently-
I am currently doing research and helping out in other labs. I am 2nd author in 2 other studies. I am working on getting work published

This Summer
I will be Summer Research assistant 16' for a domestic abuse non profitagency-
Also going to intern at a trauma center
I will continue the work i am working on now and doing research in another university in my hometown as well so 3 separate RA positions

I will take my GREs in June and if I have to retake it in October I will- I'm using Magoosh, Manhattan 5llb Book, ETS book, Flashcards, etc- I'm pushing for 154Q 160V 5W- I took it and completely bombed it in the past.

I am applying to Fairleigh Dickinson, Adelphi, UMASS, St. Johns, Stony Brook, LIU BK (I got my masters here and am very close with the professors) I live in NY so I am trying to stay in the east coast, and am still looking for other schools outside NY.

 

[deleted343839]

I will be applying to PhD psychology programs this December 2016 to enter the Fall 2017. I'll get straight to my credentials.- I still have some time so I'd really like some advice on anything to stack up my application. I'm interested in social psychology programs!

It looks like some of your activities (eg, interning at a trauma center) are in clinical settings, yet your goal is to pursue a Ph.D. in social psychology. Are you looking at a career in academia?

Assuming I understand your goals correctly, my advice is to (1) drop most if not all of your clinical/volunteer activities; (2) focus less on "helping out" in labs and hone in on those projects that are likely to result in posters or publications; (3) turn your lit reviews into publications if at all possible; (4) use your spare time to study hard and nail the GRE.

I'm not sure it's to your benefit to spread your time across 3 RA positions. It seems more fruitful to get deeply involved in one lab that will earn you a solid recommendation and publication opportunities - two at most.

 

[EmelyM23]

It looks like some of your activities (eg, interning at a trauma center) are in clinical settings, yet your goal is to pursue a Ph.D. in social psychology. Are you looking at a career in academia?

Assuming I understand your goals correctly, my advice is to (1) drop most if not all of your clinical/volunteer activities; (2) focus less on "helping out" in labs and hone in on those projects that are likely to result in posters or publications; (3) turn your lit reviews into publications if at all possible; (4) use your spare time to study hard and nail the GRE.

I'm not sure it's to your benefit to spread your time across 3 RA positions. It seems more fruitful to get deeply involved in one lab that will earn you a solid recommendation and publication opportunities - two at most.

My goal is a phD program and I have well over 2 years of experience in research labs. I am leading my own research study in one lab where I dedicate most of my time in. Over the summer I will continue that study and simply collecting data at juvenile detention center so that I can turn this into a publication. Also the summer research internship is at a non- profit and I have many opportunities to network, sit in on clinical forensic assessments, etc. It provides me with research and clinical experience so it's definitely a good shot. The coordinator says I can come up with my own studies and use their data- So its a lot more research. The third lab is some side stuff I can do from home for a professor once a week and simply put that on my resume. I have a lot more time over the summer, so I figure I can up my research experience some more. The research lab I am currently in, I will be in it until I graduate and I have professors that attended Yale University and Adelphi which is one of my intended application schools. I will study approx. 3 hrs a day for almost 2 months for the GRE. I have 3 poster presentations as of now- I have an equal balance of both clinical and research experience.

 

[deleted343839]

If you are interested in a social psychology Ph.D., the clinical experience won't be of much help to you, and it will only be marginally helpful (relative to research) for clinical programs.

 

[EmelyM23]

If you are interested in a social psychology Ph.D., the clinical experience won't be of much help to you, and it will only be marginally helpful (relative to research) for clinical programs.

I am applying to both social and clinical programs because many professors that are in clinical programs have research interest particularly similar to mine. I am focusing on POI and fit whether clinical or social. Most of the programs are clinical with a specialization in forensics. Thank you.

 

[deleted343839]

I am applying to both social and clinical programs because many professors that are in clinical programs have research interest particularly similar to mine. I am focusing on POI and fit whether clinical or social. Most of the programs are clinical with a specialization in forensics. Thank you.

OK, that makes more sense now.

As an aside, some programs will allow for co-mentoring across areas, so this might be something to look into as you proceed. For example, in my lab there was one student who enrolled in a non-clinical psychology Ph.D. program but was co-mentored by a clinical professor. It's not typical but it could be a possibility if your interests truly cut across clinical and social psychology.

 

[EmelyM23]

OK, that makes more sense now.

As an aside, some programs will allow for co-mentoring across areas, so this might be something to look into as you proceed. For example, in my lab there was one student who enrolled in a non-clinical psychology Ph.D. program but was co-mentored by a clinical professor. It's not typical but it could be a possibility if your interests truly cut across clinical and social psychology.

I will ask some professors from schools I'll be applying to because for many programs I was told I had name a professor I'd be interested in working with. I know some of the programs I'm applying to you must pick a POI during the application process but some you don't have to until your accepted. I'll definitely look into that!

 

[EmelyM23]

My question is a little different - I won't be applying until 2016 (for Fall 2017 matriculation), but I am interested in what I can do to make my application more competitive for my target list of schools.

Undergrad GPA: 3.0 (first bachelors, economics - I was a total slacker); 4.0 (second bachelors, psychology)
Grad GPA: in progress, but expected to end above 3.7 at least (masters in mental health counseling)
GRE: 163V / 164Q (94 percentile for each) / 5.0 AW; haven't taken psych GRE yet but plan to soon
Other collegiate things: founded a dance company, APA membership, Psi Chi membership, worked throughout college, leadership positions in an investment club and business fraternity... not a lot of psych-y things

Research experience:
- Business statistics (think I/O Psych) research, 2 years at 10 hrs/wk
- Cognitive science research, 3 months at 5 hrs/wk, project got cut due to funding running out, I didn't continue with the lab due to poor organization (my bad, I know...)
- High school science research that won awards at Intel ISEF... usually don't mention this, except I did poster presentations of this project at several undergraduate research symposiums
- Senior thesis was in economics... still had a ton of research, but not very psych related
- Anxiety lab (currently), will be 1 year by the time I apply
- Social development lab (currently), will be 1 year by the time I apply, maaaaybe chance for a publication

Work experience:
- Management consultant, 1 year
- Marketing, 2 years
- Research tech for the state (epidemiology, which is basically number crunching, not administering exams/wet lab/etc.), 6 months contract

Target schools (no particular order):
- Baylor University, PsyD
- Rutgers, PsyD
- UT Austin, PhD Counseling Psychology
- University of Houston, PhD Counseling Psychology
- University of North Texas, PhD Clinical Psychology
- Texas A&M, PhD Clinical Psychology
- Texas Tech, PhD Counseling Psychology
- Boston University, PhD Clinical Psychology
- UMass Boston, PhD Clinical Psychology
- Northeastern University, PhD Counseling Psychology
- Suffolk University, PhD Clinical Psychology
- Clark University, PhD Clinical Psychology
- Boston College, PhD Counseling Psychology
- UMass Amherst, PhD Clinical Psychology
- UNC Chapel Hill, PhD Clinical Psychology

Yes, I realize "get more research" is the big one. Are there any other weaknesses I need to tackle?

Hi, totally off the realm of what you are even asking, But i noticed you have super good GRE scores, May I ask how long you studied, and what you used. I will be taking it in 2 months. I will also apply to a lot of the schools you are applying to and your credentials all look great.

 

[gypsyflemming]

Hi everyone - Id really appreciate some feedback on forward movement with applications etc.

I applied this past cycle (first time applying) to clinical psychology programs (boulder model) with an emphasis in aging and clinical training in neuropsychology. I got incredibly close to the "dream program/school/location/ adviser" etc. and am waitlisted. The PI has provided feedback and mentioned that I could still get an offer, but it is unlikely. It is not clear to me if this response was more guided by the outcome of our interview and that it didn't go too well, or more so that his outstanding offer will be accepted as it is a fully funded program. Regardless, Im trying to move forward and figure out how to strengthen myself as an applicant for future application cycles.

Ive been in touch with some PIs but have had little feedback concerning my weak spots. I applied to 14 schools and got waitlisted at U of Florida and U of Boston..which I found humorous given that BU is a competitive program. It definitely illuminated the importance of research fit.

Stats:
UG gpa 3.0, 3.4 major
Masters gpa 3.9 (completed a thesis)
GRE 155q, 157v, 5aw
5 conference presentations, 1 pub, 1 manuscript in prep

Lots of training in technical skills and at this point, 6 years of research experience. I am in a fellowship now with the military working on ptsd and mtbi related research but my interests are with aging. Im happy to go into more detail about my experiences but in general, they've been in academic, hospital, and translational environments (Mass General Hospital, my undergraduate and graduate university, Brown U, and now the military).

Is my current position that is unrelated to aging research hurting my application? Moving forward, should I retake the GREs? should I add the psych GREs? Is my lack of publications hurting me?

any and all help/feedback would be sincerely appreciate as Im not quite ready to give up on this whole thing.

 

[WisNeuro]

Is my current position that is unrelated to aging research hurting my application? Moving forward, should I retake the GREs? should I add the psych GREs? Is my lack of publications hurting me?

any and all help/feedback would be sincerely appreciate as Im not quite ready to give up on this whole thing.

GRE is a tad low, but not insurmountable. I'd only suggest retaking if you think you can feasibly get the verbal >90% and quant >75%. Psych GRE depends on if there are schools that want it, otherwise it's a very small weight. Your other experience sounds good, I don't know where you applied altogether, so I don't know if you restricted location, or only applied to super duper competitive programs, which people sometimes do. Other than that, getting that manuscript in prep out will help.

Regarding the not working on aging research, not as important, people come in with research experience tangential to their future career goals all the time. Being in neuro, has helped. If anything, you could change your personal statements around to something like an interest in the aging Vet population, considering that you have plenty of Vet experience, seems like a natural fit. Just make sure there is a VA center nearby to the program you are applying to, so it makes sense. All about how you sell yourself.

 

[Lune9]

Hi everyone,

I was hoping for some advice and guidance. I'm interested in getting a PhD in clinical psychology, as it's been stated repeatedly, clinical psych programs are hard to get into and incredibly competitive. My GPA in my last two years, and in psychology is a 3.8, however, my over-all GPA is a 3.3. As such, I'm incredibly worried about my odds of getting into a program because I know people have a better GPA.

I recently graduated and decided to do a gap year, so I could work and pay some loans, get more research experience, and study and focus on knocking the GRE out of the park. During my undergrad experience, I worked as a play therapist, a tutor for kids with special needs, and as a research assistant in a neurosurgical lab (all at the same time and for about 3 years). I currently work as a study coordinator on several clinical psychology and psychiatry studies, and have done two posters and am working on a publication on child and maternal psychopathology.

However, I'm still worried about my GPA and being competitive and was wondering if a master's degree, or a way for me to show I'm strong academically would help. I've applied to a MSW program, spur of the moment, and ended up getting in, but I was wondering if a masters in mental health counseling or something else would make me more competitive.

Bottom line, how do I become more competitive?

Thanks for any and all feed back!

 

[AcronymAllergy]

Hi everyone,

I was hoping for some advice and guidance. I'm interested in getting a PhD in clinical psychology, as it's been stated repeatedly, clinical psych programs are hard to get into and incredibly competitive. My GPA in my last two years, and in psychology is a 3.8, however, my over-all GPA is a 3.3. As such, I'm incredibly worried about my odds of getting into a program because I know people have a better GPA.

I recently graduated and decided to do a gap year, so I could work and pay some loans, get more research experience, and study and focus on knocking the GRE out of the park. During my undergrad experience, I worked as a play therapist, a tutor for kids with special needs, and as a research assistant in a neurosurgical lab (all at the same time and for about 3 years). I currently work as a study coordinator on several clinical psychology and psychiatry studies, and have done two posters and am working on a publication on child and maternal psychopathology.

However, I'm still worried about my GPA and being competitive and was wondering if a master's degree, or a way for me to show I'm strong academically would help. I've applied to a MSW program, spur of the moment, and ended up getting in, but I was wondering if a masters in mental health counseling or something else would make me more competitive.

Bottom line, how do I become more competitive?

Thanks for any and all feed back!

Mod Note: Merged into the WAMC thread.

 

[deleted343839]

I was hoping for some advice and guidance. I'm interested in getting a PhD in clinical psychology, as it's been stated repeatedly, clinical psych programs are hard to get into and incredibly competitive. My GPA in my last two years, and in psychology is a 3.8, however, my over-all GPA is a 3.3. As such, I'm incredibly worried about my odds of getting into a program because I know people have a better GPA.

I recently graduated and decided to do a gap year, so I could work and pay some loans, get more research experience, and study and focus on knocking the GRE out of the park. During my undergrad experience, I worked as a play therapist, a tutor for kids with special needs, and as a research assistant in a neurosurgical lab (all at the same time and for about 3 years). I currently work as a study coordinator on several clinical psychology and psychiatry studies, and have done two posters and am working on a publication on child and maternal psychopathology.

However, I'm still worried about my GPA and being competitive and was wondering if a master's degree, or a way for me to show I'm strong academically would help. I've applied to a MSW program, spur of the moment, and ended up getting in, but I was wondering if a masters in mental health counseling or something else would make me more competitive.

Bottom line, how do I become more competitive?

Thanks for any and all feed back!

I don't think your GPA is necessarily a dealbreaker, especially if you can do very well on the GRE and can get your publication accepted by the time applications are due. A master's in social work would pull you away from your research-related work, so I wouldn't go that route. Instead I would look for opportunities to get more involved in posters and publications in the lab(s) where you currently work. Use your time to figure out where you need improvement (eg, do you need to improve your writing? do you take too long to finish projects? do you need project management skills?) and work on those areas to improve your productivity and earn the strongest recommendations possible. As a research assistant you probably have more freedom to really show what you're capable of than you would as a first-year master's student in a less competitive, practice-oriented program.

 

[deleted760483]

For those with GPA concerns, I had a similar pattern as many of you where I struggled somewhat in my first 2 years of undergrad but did very well my last 2 years. This resulted in a relatively unimpressive cumulative GPA (3.45 if I recall correctly), but I separately calculated and indicated my GPA for psychology courses on my CV which was a 3.8. I don't know if this explicitly helped me get in, but I did get in and my GRE score wasn't fantastic either (1140) because I was a total delinquent in high school and actually didn't know a lot of the material. I had a lot of research experience, great cover letters, and a decent amount of club/extracurricular involvement. I got accepted into my second choice doctoral program and just received my degree last year.

 

[EmelyM23]

Hi everyone,

I was hoping for some advice and guidance. I'm interested in getting a PhD in clinical psychology, as it's been stated repeatedly, clinical psych programs are hard to get into and incredibly competitive. My GPA in my last two years, and in psychology is a 3.8, however, my over-all GPA is a 3.3. As such, I'm incredibly worried about my odds of getting into a program because I know people have a better GPA.

I recently graduated and decided to do a gap year, so I could work and pay some loans, get more research experience, and study and focus on knocking the GRE out of the park. During my undergrad experience, I worked as a play therapist, a tutor for kids with special needs, and as a research assistant in a neurosurgical lab (all at the same time and for about 3 years). I currently work as a study coordinator on several clinical psychology and psychiatry studies, and have done two posters and am working on a publication on child and maternal psychopathology.

However, I'm still worried about my GPA and being competitive and was wondering if a master's degree, or a way for me to show I'm strong academically would help. I've applied to a MSW program, spur of the moment, and ended up getting in, but I was wondering if a masters in mental health counseling or something else would make me more competitive.

Bottom line, how do I become more competitive?

Thanks for any and all feed back!

I respectively disagree with @MamaPhD in that the MA route would pull you away from research. I am currently in a MA program for general psychology and if anything I can truly say I've learned SOO much and its definitely gotten me CLOSER to research. With that being said a MA route is really what you make out of it because some of my classmates are not actively involved in research and are just trying to get the highest GPA. But I am currently in a research lab (not in my school, but they only accept current students- keep this in mind many research labs don't accept you if your not a student at all.) and from here I am first author in my study which I'm hoping will get published- I have 4 conferences/presentations (1 national). During the summer I will be part of two other research labs in addition to the one I am currently in.

But I got the confidence and knowledge in my second semester to conduct my own research within a research lab. You have way more opportunities to enter labs in the schools than if your a recent graduate because you are not a student anymore. But I too didn't do so great in UG and needed to raise it. I take research methods and statistics which I also took in UG and got a B, But in the masters Stats course, I got an A, which looks somewhat better. I also will be doing a Masters thesis- aka more research and extra letters of recommendations. The GPA you earn on in a MA program is not going to magically remove the UG gpa- BUT it does show that you went the extra mile to to overcompensate.

Getting your MA degree
- there are downsides like its not funded (so loans or out of pocket, it can either make or break your application, and for most PhD programs you earn one on your way to a PhD (From what I've been told), only about 12 credits transfer.

I want to be honest with you personally, I don't regret my decision because I am going into the application process much more confident, with much more to show for myself. I'm trying to have 7 presentations and 2 publications by applications (also clinical psychology phd), with a 4.0 MA gpa, MA thesis, 2nd author to two other research studies, tons of clinical exp.- Now yes I had 3.0 gpa as UG but not many UG students get so involved in research as I have in the past year or so- at least no one I knew of. And so I suggest it 100 percent. I will be retaking the GRE's as well. Message me if you have any questions.

 

[deleted343839]

I respectively disagree with @MamaPhD in that the MA route would pull you away from research. I am currently in a MA program for general psychology and if anything I can truly say I've learned SOO much and its definitely gotten me CLOSER to research.

If someone is already working in a lab as a research coordinator and has presentations and publications underway, it's reasonable to stay the course and become more deeply involved in that lab than start over in a master's program. My advice to @Lune9 remains the same - achieve as much as possible in your existing lab, nail the GRE, and apply to Ph.D. programs this fall.

Also, the question about a master's specifically referred to clinical master's programs such as MSW and counseling, so I was responding to that. You could always apply to research-oriented master's programs as a backup.

 

[Wendi22]

If someone is already working in a lab as a research coordinator and has presentations and publications underway, it's reasonable to stay the course and become more deeply involved in that lab than start over in a master's program. My advice to @Lune9 remains the same - achieve as much as possible in your existing lab, nail the GRE, and apply to Ph.D. programs this fall.

Also, the question about a master's specifically referred to clinical master's programs such as MSW and counseling, so I was responding to that. You could always apply to research-oriented master's programs as a backup.

I agree with this point. The original question was about an MSW or M. Ed programs, which I think tend to offer less research experience. I did a masters of science in clinical psychology founded on the scientist practitioner model...so research was a heavy part of the program. In the end, it was less about the degree itself that I earned (i.e. the fact that I earned a masters degree vs. taking time off) and more about the internships, posters and publications I produced during the program that helped me get into phd programs. Thus, if you are already on a path to racking those things up that works to...if not ... a research oriented masters program could help you get those things.

 

[EmelyM23]

If someone is already working in a lab as a research coordinator and has presentations and publications underway, it's reasonable to stay the course and become more deeply involved in that lab than start over in a master's program. My advice to @Lune9 remains the same - achieve as much as possible in your existing lab, nail the GRE, and apply to Ph.D. programs this fall.

Also, the question about a master's specifically referred to clinical master's programs such as MSW and counseling, so I was responding to that. You could always apply to research-oriented master's programs as a backup.

You are correct, if she is already working as a research coordinator, then she should remain in that course. I simply was disagreeing to the fact that you mentioned about a MSW/MA will pull her away from research as that just isn't really the case. Even pursuing a MSW, she can gain valuable experience in research and conducting it on her own- It gives her chances to build relationship with Faculty and get letters of recc., and boost the gpa.

However, @Lune9- You certainly do not "NEED" a MSW degree but if it were something you pursued it most definitely would not hurt considering your GPA. I'm giving you my own exp. in pursuing an addition degree- & I do think it's well worth it IF you aren't already doing it which I wasn't. I was not involved in research prior to my program (keep this in mind). But it comes down to personal preference. In the end as long as you have valuable research experience (Presentations, Posters, Pubs, etc) and good letters of recommendation, etc- you will be a good candidate. As long as you really FIT into the program- it doesn't matter if you have the highest grades but that you fit in it with faculty.

 

[PBpsych37]

Hi all,

Looking into applying to Clinical Psych programs this fall for fall 2017 admission.
Second time applicant...first time = 10 schools, 1 interview, 10 rejections. Realized I probably wasn't ready.
Here's my background:

BA Psych GPA = 3.7
MS Clinical Psych GPA = 3.8

Now, here are the numbers that are really holding me down, the GREs...
Q + V both = 40th percentile
Analytical writing = 95th percentile
Taken it twice...no significant change in scores. Taking a third time this summer.

Currently a research tech at a large med center, been here for 6 months.
Prior to this position, have been in clinical research for roughly 2 years during undergrad/graduate school.

1 paper accepted (5th author/11), 1 paper under review (3rd author/3), two papers ongoing (joint 1st author for one, second paper is undecided), and starting another paper in the next few weeks as first.
4 poster publications, presented 1 at a conference.

Have roughly 4 - 5 individuals that said they'd be happy to write LORs for me.
NOT geographically limiting myself...going from Florida to Washington State, currently a list of 17(ish) schools with a professor having contacts at some of those schools.

Would love all feedback...am absolutely terrified of being rejected a 2nd time (am 24, don't want to wait too much longer).

 

[Wendi22]

Hello,

You have some great research experience going from what it looks like! Clinical psychology programs are very competitive and sadly the GRE will likely be a factor. I took the GRE over 5 times so I know the struggle. I just kept trying new study methods and material. Finally saw some improvement with Magoosh and Princeton Review note cards. I would keep taking it because it was worth it even after 7 times. As for being 24, I know lots of people older than you going after their phd so I would certainly would not let your age keep you from continuing to apply if this year does not work out.

 

[WisNeuro]

Yep, the GRE is the one obvious limiting factor there, particularly the Verbal. Ideally you'd want to see that in the 70th+ area for some of the upper tier programs. It's good that you're applying broadly, geographically speaking, that helps. Other than that, hopefully some of those papers that are ongoing get accepted by application time. Maybe try and get a couple more posters submitted, anything to act as a counterbalance to the GRE.

 

[EmelyM23]

Hi all,

Looking into applying to Clinical Psych programs this fall for fall 2017 admission.
Second time applicant...first time = 10 schools, 1 interview, 10 rejections. Realized I probably wasn't ready.
Here's my background:

BA Psych GPA = 3.7
MS Clinical Psych GPA = 3.8

Now, here are the numbers that are really holding me down, the GREs...
Q + V both = 40th percentile
Analytical writing = 95th percentile
Taken it twice...no significant change in scores. Taking a third time this summer.

Currently a research tech at a large med center, been here for 6 months.
Prior to this position, have been in clinical research for roughly 2 years during undergrad/graduate school.

1 paper accepted (5th author/11), 1 paper under review (3rd author/3), two papers ongoing (joint 1st author for one, second paper is undecided), and starting another paper in the next few weeks as first.
4 poster publications, presented 1 at a conference.

Have roughly 4 - 5 individuals that said they'd be happy to write LORs for me.
NOT geographically limiting myself...going from Florida to Washington State, currently a list of 17(ish) schools with a professor having contacts at some of those schools.

Would love all feedback...am absolutely terrified of being rejected a 2nd time (am 24, don't want to wait too much longer).

Hey, I too will be applying for the Fall 2017 application cycle to Clinical Psychology programs as well. My GRE scores are super low as well and I'm finishing up my MA in psychology as we speak. However like you- I am retaking them this summer but I am studying for the GRE and have some advice that might help. I too am a horrible test taker but this is my strategy. Here are some things I've noticed most students who've gotten in who are currently in the programs I'm applying have excellent (90th percentile) verbal scores so about 160 and above 154ish for the Math section. I decided to learn EVERY single word from every GRE verbal set (Create an Excel File, Download Magoosh index cards) - Use Quizlet and Mnemonics- This is good for memorizing since they have games and ways of remembering. I also wrote all the words down. When you go through several sets you'll start to see repeats. And I also use Magoosh ( its only 100 for like 6 months)- You learn more technique with the verbal on Magoosh which are super helpful. For Math, I plan on studying to get around the 75th percentile but honestly my main focus is killing the Verbal section. For math, honestly practice makes perfect and I am strong advocate for this and So I also use magoosh, Manhatten prep (Amazon product) - I bought it used for like 10 bucks but it has so many practice questions, Also Khan Academy (Watch it all). My test is July, and I'm studying 2-3 hours a day which isn't sooo bad. I'm honestly getting the hang of it.

Similar to you everything else is near perfect- I have a 4.0 in my MA for psych, 3.5 for UG, 4 Poster presentations (1 oral), 1 regional conference, 1 publication 3+ years of research, tons of clinical(Even though its not viewed as much as research it won't hurt), and I'm hoping my MA thesis will get published as well. Also one thing that is really big is to apply only to schools where you fit in because you can have perfect grades and GPA's but if they think your not a good match its bye-bye to your application.