WAMC: What Are My Chances

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Hey all! This is my first time here and I could use some advice, as I'm not exactly certain on the most effective path to get where I'd like to go.

I am looking to work in health psychology, ideally looking at utilizing lifestyle/functional medicine and nutrition in the amelioration of mental health disorders- but I'm generally fascinated with any area looking at psychological health from a bio-psycho-social perspective.

I imagine it is best to go the clinical psych doctoral route, but perhaps a master's in clinical psych or experimental first if that would help my chances of getting into a doctoral program. If my credentials aren't satisfactory enough to get into any reputable clinical psych program then I will happily just apply to a master's program in counseling (or doctoral program if I can get in). Based on my below stats, do you all think I'm competitive enough a student to get into any reputable grad school? I'm curious, as my undergraduate career was a bit choppy due to a chronic illness I've been battling for about 4 years now (I have a whopping total of 9 "W"s on my transcript due to my symptoms worsening at random times/hospitalizations) -and my research/presentation/publication experience is somewhat unconventional. I'm open to any suggestions you may have, regarding schools or if there is a better path to take to get where I'd like to be.

Grades/General
  • I just graduated in May from a sizable state university, and am taking the GRE in a few weeks. I have 3 strong letters of recommendation lined up.
  • My Overall GPA was 3.57, last 60 hours was a 3.86, and my Psych GPA a 3.74. I will be taking the GRE in a few weeks.
Research
  • I wote a neuropsychology research proposal, though the research wasn't carried out. I wrote around 4 literature reviews
  • I traveled to South America, receiving credit from my university for a clinical psychology apprenticeship, where I studied native ethnobotanical medicine practices in the amazonian basin.
  • I was involved in writing a questionnaire that was sent off and IRB-approved, then I administered the questionnaire in the field collecting data for over 6 months- this study is on-going still. It was a Farmer's Market study, looking at the general knowledge of GMO's, glyphosate, etc. in both shoppers at Farmer's Markets, and the Farmer's themselves (two different questionnaires)
  • My university publishes it's own journal for student research, in which I was one of two undergrads to be published in the 2016 issue. It was a research manuscript (a literature review) looking at herbal and nutraceutical supplementation in the amelioration of schizoprenia & schizoaffective symptomology.
  • I presented 1 poster at a TPA conference. It was a literature review on the efficacy of exercise, diet and herbal supplementation in aiding individuals with a variety of mood and thought disorders.
Work
  • Probably unrelated, but I broadcasted radio to an FM station in NY for 2 years for about 4-5 hours each week- I designed each program independently, covering the latest research in positive psychology and health psychology. I wasn't paid for it, as it was on an independent radio station.


Thank you to any and all who respond, some guidance/opinions here would be really great!
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Hi everyone! This is a neat thread. I'm wondering what you think my chances are of getting accepted into a Clinical Psychology PhD program.

Schools I''m Thinking About:

University of Missouri-Kansas City
University of Memphis
The University of Tulsa
Oklahoma State University
Temple University
Georgia State University
University of Wyoming
University of Toledo
Central Michigan University
University of North Texas

Undergraduate GPA: 3.735


GRE:
Verbal-153 (60th Percentile)
Quantitative-154 (55th Percentile)
Writing-4.0 (59th Percentile)
Psychology Subject-660 (61st Percentile)

Research Experience:
3 years moving my way up in a cognition lab, currently the lab manager.
1 year in a clinical lab.
1 semester in a different clinical lab.
I wrote an honors thesis in my undergraduate.
I presented at an undergraduate research fair.
My name is on a manuscript that is in preparation from my cognition lab.
Planning to give an oral presentation at a conference this semester on data I have collected and will be analyzing.

Clinical Experience:
1 summer working as an in-home provider for a teen with autism.
2 years working as an in-home provider for a young adult with autism.
1 year doing ABA therapy with a child with autism.
About half a year as an intern at a clinical psychology practice, I scored assessments, did clinical writing, and assisted with group therapy sessions.
1 summer working as a Program Support Worker, basically I supervised and documented visits between foster children and their biological parents.

Letters of Recommendation:
The Professor from my cognition lab.
The Professor from one of my clinical labs.
And I'm thinking about asking a Professor I had in a small class. I did a project with his help that he really liked, and I think he knows me far better than a professor from the other clinical lab I was in.

Personal Statement:
I'm not terribly worried about this. My cognitive lab professor is going to help me make sure it's kick butt.

Other:
I am in Psi Chi.
I was a T.A. for a communication class.
I am currently taking a graduate level psychology statistics course, and expect to get an A in it.
I have already contacted Professors from all of my potential schools who I thought shared my research interests to see if they were accepting applications and also thought we had similar research interests.

Additional Questions:
I feel like everyone getting accepted into a PhD program already has a masters. How true is this?
Do you have any other ideas for schools that might be a good fit for my qualifications?
I have some masters programs as back-ups, but do you know of any masters programs that are likely to give me funding?
 
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Hello it's my first post on SDN, and let me know if I posted this on the wrong category!

I would like to know my chances of getting accepted to a doctorate level clinical psychology program.
A little bit about myself...

I started from a community college due to financial issues, fulfilled 60 credits in 1.5 years and got all As in bio, chem, physics, eng, etc, then transferred to the state university with a dream of going to a medical school and got mostly Bs, a few Cs (biochem and ochem), but got 3.96 in my last semester, graduating with 3.3 with a major in neuroscience and a minor in chemistry.

While in college I volunteered at two different hospitals, one in the OR and the other in the pediatric/adolescent unit, totaling 400 hours.

I also shadowed multiple doctors, from surgery to OBGYN, totaling 100 hours.

Most importantly I did A LOT of research, both clinical and basic science research. For basic science, I did two competitive basic science research paid internships at the dept of pediatric surgery during two summers and presented my posters, worked at the same lab I interned for about 3 years (non-paid), and one publication is coming out soon. I spent almost 1,200 hours in the lab. For clinical science, I worked (non-paid) at the dept of neurosurgery and co-authored one actual article (second author), and published 5+ abstracts (2nd author as well) on journal of neurosurgery online..I spent almost 1,000 hours in the lab.

Right now, I am doing MS in bioethics, and will graduate next year. GPA is P/F, and I've passed all classes. In addition, I am working as a clinical research assistant (paid), mainly dealing with papers and building databases for future clinical research projects.

My original plan was going to a medical school bu I've realized it is not the path for me. I've taken the MCAT 1.5 years ago, did terrible and tried to study again, but it wasn't for me. Not only the MCAT but seeing my friends at medical schools, I decided to change my route. Research has always been my interest, and because I loved all neuro classes, I did lots of research and would like to pursue a doctorate degree in psychology and become a clinical psychologist.

What are my chances of getting accepted to PhD/Psyd programs? I must note I have not taken the GRE yet. My MS track did not require it. So in summary I have a low GPA (3.3), MS in bioethics in 2017 (Pass/Fail Basis), lots of research experience with a few publications, some volunteering and shadowing. Assuming that I will score relatively well on the GRE, should I do another master's in psychology to boost my GPA and possibly enhance my academic credentials? I know I will have MS in bioethics, but since it was P/F, I don't think it REALLY shows my intellectual capabilities. I plan to take the GRE in early 2017, and plan to apply in 2017, entering in 2018.

Please give me some feedback! What GRE scores should I be realistically aiming for? Another master's? or just work as a RA until apply to doctorate programs? Please ask me any questions if you have any!

Thank you!
 
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hms6074 said:
Hello it's my first post on SDN, and let me know if I posted this on the wrong category!

I would like to know my chances of getting accepted to a doctorate level clinical psychology program.
A little bit about myself...

I started from a community college due to financial issues, fulfilled 60 credits in 1.5 years and got all As in bio, chem, physics, eng, etc, then transferred to the state university with a dream of going to a medical school and got mostly Bs, a few Cs (biochem and ochem), but got 3.96 in my last semester, graduating with 3.3 with a major in neuroscience and a minor in chemistry.

While in college I volunteered at two different hospitals, one in the OR and the other in the pediatric/adolescent unit, totaling 400 hours.

I also shadowed multiple doctors, from surgery to OBGYN, totaling 100 hours.

Most importantly I did A LOT of research, both clinical and basic science research. For basic science, I did two competitive basic science research paid internships at the dept of pediatric surgery during two summers and presented my posters, worked at the same lab I interned for about 3 years (non-paid), and one publication is coming out soon. I spent almost 1,200 hours in the lab. For clinical science, I worked (non-paid) at the dept of neurosurgery and co-authored one actual article (second author), and published 5+ abstracts (2nd author as well) on journal of neurosurgery online..I spent almost 1,000 hours in the lab.

Right now, I am doing MS in bioethics, and will graduate next year. GPA is P/F, and I've passed all classes. In addition, I am working as a clinical research assistant (paid), mainly dealing with papers and building databases for future clinical research projects.

My original plan was going to a medical school bu I've realized it is not the path for me. I've taken the MCAT 1.5 years ago, did terrible and tried to study again, but it wasn't for me. Not only the MCAT but seeing my friends at medical schools, I decided to change my route. Research has always been my interest, and because I loved all neuro classes, I did lots of research and would like to pursue a doctorate degree in psychology and become a clinical psychologist.

What are my chances of getting accepted to PhD/Psyd programs? I must note I have not taken the GRE yet. My MS track did not require it. So in summary I have a low GPA (3.3), MS in bioethics in 2017 (Pass/Fail Basis), lots of research experience with a few publications, some volunteering and shadowing. Assuming that I will score relatively well on the GRE, should I do another master's in psychology to boost my GPA and possibly enhance my academic credentials? I know I will have MS in bioethics, but since it was P/F, I don't think it REALLY shows my intellectual capabilities. I plan to take the GRE in early 2017, and plan to apply in 2017, entering in 2018.

Please give me some feedback! What GRE scores should I be realistically aiming for? Another master's? or just work as a RA until apply to doctorate programs? Please ask me any questions if you have any!

Thank you!
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Mod Note: Merged into the WAMC thread.
 
Hello all, I wanted to get your input on WAMC, thank you in advance for any feedback!


Interest:

I have done a fair amount of research and my goal is to gain entrance into a funded Clinical Psychology PhD program for Fall, 2017. I am interested in studying/researching resilience, stress, and coping especially in individuals and populations dealing with trauma. I am very open to suggestions on programs, my top choices at the moment are Dr. Compas at Vanderbilt University and Dr. Brennan at Emory University (both accepting applicants this year according to the websites).

Education/Grades:

From 2012-2016, I completed two undergraduate degrees a Bachelors of Science in Psychology and a Bachelors of Social Work (Cum GPA: 3.458).

Currently I’m enrolled in an Advance Standing MSSW program, expected graduation July, 2017 (first semester, current GPA: 4.0) and am also completing a Trauma Treatment Graduate Certificate Program and a Training Integrated Professionals to Serve Program/Grant within that time at the same university.

I love the hands-on experience I’m getting, but this has only emphasized to me how much more driven I am to complete a Clinical Psychology PhD as opposed to choosing a PsyD or LCSW.

My GRE scores are what I fear may really hold me back: Verbal: 158; Quant: 146; Writing: 4.0

Experience:

Research done as an UG Lab Assistant for five semesters researching with rats models (one semester 2 labs: rats & pigeons).

  • Wrote and designed experiments approved through IACUC

  • Presented at multiple conferences (some posters winning awards), although we did not get results published.

  • Assisted in applying for grants, several which we received.

  • Probe making, fixing, and setting up for surgeries (was a neuro lab that involved intracranial measures).

  • Conducted the experiments, and trained other students on protocols and animal care according to IACUC/IRB procedures.
By the end of my advance standing MSSW program (to be completed in Summer 2017) I’ll have completed three internships at separate interdisciplinary facilities for over 1,300 hours of practical clinical experience in patient-care and mental health service settings: including child development clinics, inpatient psychiatric hospitals, and other interdisciplinary settings.

Worked as a Student Assistant for five professors for three years (all taught sections of a health class), grading assignments, data gathering, setting up course materials, et cetera.

I also know I have many people to use as references who know me from internships, academics, and work, but am I a competitive applicant and, if not, what do I need to do to get my foot in the door for an interview?
 
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skinners-box-of-questions said:
Hello all, I wanted to get your input on WAMC, thank you in advance for any feedback!


Interest:

I have done a fair amount of research and my goal is to gain entrance into a funded Clinical Psychology PhD program for Fall, 2017. I am interested in studying/researching resilience, stress, and coping especially in individuals and populations dealing with trauma. I am very open to suggestions on programs, my top choices at the moment are Dr. Compas at Vanderbilt University and Dr. Brennan at Emory University (both accepting applicants this year according to the websites).

Education/Grades:

From 2012-2016, I completed two undergraduate degrees a Bachelors of Science in Psychology and a Bachelors of Social Work (Cum GPA: 3.458).

Currently I’m enrolled in an Advance Standing MSSW program, expected graduation July, 2017 (first semester, current GPA: 4.0) and am also completing a Trauma Treatment Graduate Certificate Program and a Training Integrated Professionals to Serve Program/Grant within that time at the same university.

I love the hands-on experience I’m getting, but this has only emphasized to me how much more driven I am to complete a Clinical Psychology PhD as opposed to choosing a PsyD or LCSW.

My GRE scores are what I fear may really hold me back: Verbal: 158; Quant: 146; Writing: 4.0

Experience:

Research done as an UG Lab Assistant for five semesters researching with rats models (one semester 2 labs: rats & pigeons).

  • Wrote and designed experiments approved through IACUC

  • Presented at multiple conferences (some posters winning awards), although we did not get results published.

  • Assisted in applying for grants, several which we received.

  • Probe making, fixing, and setting up for surgeries (was a neuro lab that involved intracranial measures.

  • Conducted the experiments, and trained other students on protocols and animal care according to IACUC/IRB procedures.
By the end of my advance standing MSSW program (to be completed in Summer 2017) I’ll have completed three internships at separate interdisciplinary facilities for over 1,300 hours of practical clinical experience in patient-care and mental health service settings: including child development clinics, inpatient psychiatric hospitals, and other interdisciplinary settings.

Worked as a Student Assistant for five professors for three years (all taught sections of a health class), grading assignments, data gathering, setting up course materials, et cetera.

I also know I have many people to use as references who know me from internships, academics, and work, but am I a competitive applicant and, if not, what do I need to do to get my foot in the door for an interview?
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Most of your stuff looks really, really good, but is it possible for you to retake the GRE? Did you do any stats as a lab assistant or in any of your other internships, grad program, etc. or any other, similar work that could be used to offset your relatively low GRE quant score?
 
psych.meout said:
Most of your stuff looks really, really good, but is it possible for you to retake the GRE? Did you do any stats as a lab assistant or in any of your other internships, grad program, etc. or any other, similar work that could be used to offset your relatively low GRE quant score?
Click to expand...
Thank you so much for your quick reply!

I ran a fair amount of the Stats for lab posters and gathered and ran data for my job as a student assistant, I can use SPSS and have some exposure to R so I can run the data (or figure out how). Would I emphasize that experience within my application to show I have abilities beyond what the GRE depicts?
 
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skinners-box-of-questions said:
Thank you so much for your quick reply!

I ran a fair amount of the Stats for lab posters and gathered and ran data for my job as a student assistant, I can use SPSS and have some exposure to R so I can run the data (or figure out how). Would I emphasize that experience within my application to show I have abilities beyond what the GRE depicts?
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Yeah, regardless of one's GRE scores, GPA, etc., you should explain your research and stats background in your personal statements in terms of what you actually did, what you learned from it, how it will help you in grad school, and maybe how you want to expand on your skills in their programs.

The only thing is that I don't know if that will be sufficient to overcome your relatively low GRE quant score at every program in which you're interested. You'd have to get input from other posters here, especially the couple of them who are actually faculty in grad programs. I'd imagine it would be less of a problem at programs that are less geographically desirable (e.g. Wyoming vs. Southern California or NYC) and have higher overall acceptance rates.
 
psych.meout said:
Yeah, regardless of one's GRE scores, GPA, etc., you should explain your research and stats background in your personal statements in terms of what you actually did, what you learned from it, how it will help you in grad school, and maybe how you want to expand on your skills in their programs.

The only thing is that I don't know if that will be sufficient to overcome your relatively low GRE quant score at every program in which you're interested. You'd have to get input from other posters here, especially the couple of them who are actually faculty in grad programs. I'd imagine it would be less of a problem at programs that are less geographically desirable (e.g. Wyoming vs. Southern California or NYC) and have higher overall acceptance rates.
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Thank you again for your input!
 
This will be my first post on SDN. Like most people on here, I want to know what my chances are of getting into a Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program because I honestly have no idea how strong my application is. I used my GPA and GRE scores as my anchor for which universities to apply (but obviously there are other things on an application that are far more important). Any feedback, advice, criticism or general remarks would be greatly appreciated!

Undergraduate work:
Overall GPA: 3.80
PSY GPA: 3.92
Biology Minor GPA: 3.595
My undergraduate institution is pretty small. I think we have about 10,000 total undergraduates. I'm not sure what this says about the quality of the institution, but I've loved my time here. My biology minor consisted of courses like Genetics, Human Anatomy and Physiology, etc.

GRE:
V: 166 (97%tile)
Q: 161 (79%tile)
AW: 5 (93%tile)

Research Experience:

Here is where I'm the most unsure of in terms of how strong I am and really want feedback from those that are attending or did attend a larger university. At my university, the professors don't have labs. While they do conduct research, the emphasis is on teaching students how to conduct research through independent or group studies that are facilitated through instruction in the classroom. These studies I've conducted through class have all the makings of a "real" study, we had to obtain IRB approval, we formulated our own research questions, conducted a literature review, ran the experiment with real participants in a controlled setting, and then wrote a paper on our findings. The main difference between these studies and a "real" experience is that all of this was done within the course of the semester and the --- from the lack of a better term --- meaningfulness of the research questions was usually low. I'm putting this out there because I don't know if this kind of experience is normal or not, and therefore I don't know whether to talk about it briefly in my personal statement and CV as a sort of pitch for where my foundation for my research abilities came from. Now, the "real" research experience:

1) I'm currently in the process of carrying out an honor's thesis that will be completed by the time I graduate in the spring. I'll be presenting this at an APA regional conference. I'm using an EEG machine as well as skin conductance measuring equipment in my study to see if brain activity is correlated with constructs associated with a particular theory of suicide. I also just received word that my application for funding from a research grant offered at my university was accepted for this study.

2) I'm also a research assistant for a professor in the biology department who wants to see if there is a correlation between OCD and ADHD behavior and which video games that person prefers to play (strange I know). We are in the process of data analysis now.

3) I spent 1 year as a coinvestigator for a double-blind clinical trial for a relatively new transcranial deep brain stimulation treatment. We wanted to see if it would help those suffering from PTSD symptoms. We presented at a regional APA conference (poster), but didn't do more with it since our main research hypotheses were not statistically significant.

4) Finally, I worked with a professor who had the idea that a certain learning strategy is actually a mental heuristic. I worked with him one-on-one for about 6 months creating and implementing the research design and designing the survey. It was supposed to be a multi-part study, but when we conducted the inferential statistics we were just off of significance (p = .065) so we eventually abandoned the project because we didn't see a way to move forward.

So that's it, I have a couple of poster presentations with 2-3 more (oral and poster) to be presented in the Spring. I don't have any publications, which makes me really nervous.

Letters of recommendation:
2 are my advisors for my honor's thesis and were the first and second investigator of that clinical trial I mentioned.
1 knows me well through all of the courses I've taken from him, particularly my research design course.
All three have known me since my freshman year when I went with them on a maymester study abroad to Ireland.

Schools I'm thinking of applying to (for now unless I'm just way over my head, I think all of these might be a stretch):

Harvard University
UCLA
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
Florida State University
Auburn University
Georgia State University
Kent State University
Oklahoma State University
University of Houston
University of Montana
University of Utah
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

One thing to note, I made sure that every school I'm contemplating applying for has a professor that has research interests VERY close to mine and is accepting a student next fall (except Utah, they haven't emailed me back yet).

So what do you guys think? Should I just pursue a MA in experimental psychology to get a lot more research experience? Am I okay but should look into less competitive schools? I greatly appreciate everyone who took the time to read this over and offered their opinions and advice.
 
AGallier said:
So what do you guys think? Should I just pursue a MA in experimental psychology to get a lot more research experience? Am I okay but should look into less competitive schools? I greatly appreciate everyone who took the time to read this over and offered their opinions and advice.
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I don't think you should get an MA in experimental psychology. It's probably worth applying for the PhD and seeing if you get in this first time, as long as you don't feel burnt out and feel pretty confident about what interests you and who you want to work with. If you don't get in, if anything, you'd benefit from being a full-time research assistant for a faculty member who conducts the type of research you're interested in. Your GPA and GRE are excellent, and you sound like you have good instruction in research basics. You might as well get paid to further your experience, and you'd benefit from networking with those whose work you're interested in.
 
PsychPhDStudent said:
I don't think you should get an MA in experimental psychology. It's probably worth applying for the PhD and seeing if you get in this first time, as long as you don't feel burnt out and feel pretty confident about what interests you and who you want to work with. If you don't get in, if anything, you'd benefit from being a full-time research assistant for a faculty member who conducts the type of research you're interested in. Your GPA and GRE are excellent, and you sound like you have good instruction in research basics. You might as well get paid to further your experience, and you'd benefit from networking with those whose work you're interested in.
Click to expand...

Thank you very much for your prompt response. I agree, I think even applying will be worth it, I just had quite a few friends say I was crazy for not applying to some masters programs. So you don't think my schools are all outrageously out of my range?


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Hello, lovely SDN folks!

I am applying to PsyD programs (and 1 PhD program because it is exactly what I am interested in), and I was hoping to get some (updated) expert advice, since rankings and popularity of programs change. I want to apply to PsyD rather than PhD programs because I want to be a therapist rather than doing research long-term.

1) How many schools should I be applying to?
2) Where is the best place to find a list of the rankings of the programs? I currently am considering applying to UD, George Washington, PGSP-Stanford, Loma Linda, and Loyola Baltimore.
3) What are ways to strengthen an application and/or things I should highlight on my application?
4) Since I want to practice, should I also consider applying to MFT or LCSW programs? If so, how many?
5) The obvious question: what are my chances?!

About me:
- I studied psychology and international studies at a top 10 university and graduated Cum Laude.
- I decided on my psych major late (second half of my Junior year) and started doing research immediately after.
- I did research at my university senior year with 2 professors an junior year with a professor at another university, where I was co-author for a round table at AERA.
- I scored a 163 V, 168 Q, and 5.5 AW on the GRE.
- I taught at a public school for the past 3 years, and was an advisor to a large group of middle schoolers my last year.
- I currently volunteer at a crisis line, and I am ASIST (suicide-prevention) trained.
- My letters of recommendation are coming from a professor, the director of counseling at the school where I was an advisor, and the principal of the school.

Thank you for your input!!
 
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Open up your prospects a bit more. The vast majority of PhD students go on to clinical careers, the "PhD is for research" refrain is false, hasn't been true for a LONG time. GRE scores look decent, clinical experience is largely irrelevant and a diminishing return at the undergrad level, need to know more about your research experience.
 
Hi everyone! I posted here before, but wanted to provide an updated version of my stats so I can get more opinions.

GPA: 3.286 -- not at all proud of this. started out as a business major (typical, I know), but I struggled a bit and didn't do so well in the beginning of college. I worked really hard to bring this up and thus my transcript has a strong upward trend. Last two semesters I made the dean's list and even got a 4.0 the last semester before graduating.
Psych GPA: 3.779

Psych & Psych-related courses I've taken:
- General Psych
- Social Psych
- Abnormal Psych + Lab
- Cognition
- Physiological Psych
- Adolescent Development
- Statistical Methods
- Neuropsychology
- Conditioning and Learning
- Personality Psych
- Research Methods
- Psych of Relationships
- Systems of Psychotherapy

Research & Clinical Experience:
- One month as RA for Albert Einstein College of Medicine (short time, but better than nothing)
- One semester as RA for well-respected professor at Rutgers
- Currently working as RA for Montefiore Medical Group since July 2016; I have a 12-month minimum contract
- Currently working as RA at Adelphi since beginning of October 2016

Credits:
- Technical Research Assistance on E-Book chapter
- Co-Authored poster presentation for university conference

GRE (wish I could've broken 160 in both sections)
- Verbal: 159, 82%
- Quant: 156, 63%
- Writing: 4.0, 59%

Re-taking Psych GRE next week, got a 600 last time. Looking for a huge boost especially since I went in completely unprepared last time.


Looking at a mix of School, Clinical, PsyD, and PhD programs:
- USC, Clinical PhD
- UCLA, Clinical PhD
- SDSU/UCSD Joint Doctoral, Clinical PhD
- UCSB, Counseling/Clinical/School PhD
- Rutgers, (Undecided on Clinical vs School) PsyD
- LIU Brooklyn, Clinical PhD
- Pace, School-Clinical Child PsyD
- Yeshiva, School-Clinical Child PsyD
- Teacher's College - Columbia, School PhD
- Temple, Clinical PhD
- Drexel, Clinical PhD
- Chestnut Hill, Clinical PsyD
- UHartford, Clinical PsyD

Thanks! :)
 
fritolay said:
Hi everyone! I posted here before, but wanted to provide an updated version of my stats so I can get more opinions.

GPA: 3.286 -- not at all proud of this. started out as a business major (typical, I know), but I struggled a bit and didn't do so well in the beginning of college. I worked really hard to bring this up and thus my transcript has a strong upward trend. Last two semesters I made the dean's list and even got a 4.0 the last semester before graduating.
Psych GPA: 3.779

Psych & Psych-related courses I've taken:
- General Psych
- Social Psych
- Abnormal Psych + Lab
- Cognition
- Physiological Psych
- Adolescent Development
- Statistical Methods
- Neuropsychology
- Conditioning and Learning
- Personality Psych
- Research Methods
- Psych of Relationships
- Systems of Psychotherapy

Research & Clinical Experience:
- One month as RA for Albert Einstein College of Medicine (short time, but better than nothing)
- One semester as RA for well-respected professor at Rutgers
- Currently working as RA for Montefiore Medical Group since July 2016; I have a 12-month minimum contract
- Currently working as RA at Adelphi since beginning of October 2016

Credits:
- Technical Research Assistance on E-Book chapter
- Co-Authored poster presentation for university conference

GRE (wish I could've broken 160 in both sections)
- Verbal: 159, 82%
- Quant: 156, 63%
- Writing: 4.0, 59%

Re-taking Psych GRE next week, got a 600 last time. Looking for a huge boost especially since I went in completely unprepared last time.


Looking at a mix of School, Clinical, PsyD, and PhD programs:
- USC, Clinical PhD
- UCLA, Clinical PhD
- SDSU/UCSD Joint Doctoral, Clinical PhD
- UCSB, Counseling/Clinical/School PhD
- Rutgers, (Undecided on Clinical vs School) PsyD
- LIU Brooklyn, Clinical PhD
- Pace, School-Clinical Child PsyD
- Yeshiva, School-Clinical Child PsyD
- Teacher's College - Columbia, School PhD
- Temple, Clinical PhD
- Drexel, Clinical PhD
- Chestnut Hill, Clinical PsyD
- UHartford, Clinical PsyD

Thanks! :)
Click to expand...
What are your research interests? It looks like you're applying to a broad range of schools with different focuses, and you want to make sure you have an area of strong interest in mind for research before identifying potential programs/mentors....do you have a particular career objective?

I would say that you're unlikely to get into the top 3 schools you listed--those campuses are some of the most competitive in the country, and even the most stellar of candidates with publications and years of advanced research experience are turned away due to the sheer number of highly-qualified applicants.

UCSB is not fully funded, if that matters to you. It would be exorbitant to get your degree there, as financial aid is very variable and often doesn't cover even the cost of tuition, let alone a living stipend.

Some of the schools you listed I'm not familiar with, and I'm not familiar at all with School Psychology, so I can't comment there. However, it does look like you have a trend of geographical locations....are you only applying to coastal states/big city campuses? Those are always the most competitive programs, so you may want to diversify your list to include those are less competitive. GPA may prelude you from being considered at highly-competitive programs, so applying to programs with less applicants could increase your chances.

It also looks like you have some good RA position in the works, but not much time as an RA by application time. Are you applying this year? If so, be aware that this may be an obstacle. Perhaps consider applying after you've been in these positions for at least a year?
 
fiinch said:
What are your research interests? It looks like you're applying to a broad range of schools with different focuses, and you want to make sure you have an area of strong interest in mind for research before identifying potential programs/mentors....do you have a particular career objective?

I would say that you're unlikely to get into the top 3 schools you listed--those campuses are some of the most competitive in the country, and even the most stellar of candidates with publications and years of advanced research experience are turned away due to the sheer number of highly-qualified applicants.

UCSB is not fully funded, if that matters to you. It would be exorbitant to get your degree there, as financial aid is very variable and often doesn't cover even the cost of tuition, let alone a living stipend.

Some of the schools you listed I'm not familiar with, and I'm not familiar at all with School Psychology, so I can't comment there. However, it does look like you have a trend of geographical locations....are you only applying to coastal states/big city campuses? Those are always the most competitive programs, so you may want to diversify your list to include those are less competitive. GPA may prelude you from being considered at highly-competitive programs, so applying to programs with less applicants could increase your chances.

It also looks like you have some good RA position in the works, but not much time as an RA by application time. Are you applying this year? If so, be aware that this may be an obstacle. Perhaps consider applying after you've been in these positions for at least a year?
Click to expand...

My interests are primarily in child/adolescent/family. I've already looked at faculty and have found good research fits for each program, so I'm not too worried about that part.

Also I understand that geography is a big limit for applications, but at the end of the day I want to be somewhere I can see myself living and continuing my career so it's a risk I'm willing to take even if I have to re-apply next cycle (I am applying this cycle by the way, so keeping fingers crossed!)

Do you think I shouldn't even bother applying to the top 3 schools? I wanted to keep them there as reaches but I'm starting to get the impression that it would be completely impossible.

Thanks for the reply!
 
fritolay said:
Hi everyone! I posted here before, but wanted to provide an updated version of my stats so I can get more opinions.

GPA: 3.286 -- not at all proud of this. started out as a business major (typical, I know), but I struggled a bit and didn't do so well in the beginning of college. I worked really hard to bring this up and thus my transcript has a strong upward trend. Last two semesters I made the dean's list and even got a 4.0 the last semester before graduating.
Psych GPA: 3.779

Psych & Psych-related courses I've taken:
- General Psych
- Social Psych
- Abnormal Psych + Lab
- Cognition
- Physiological Psych
- Adolescent Development
- Statistical Methods
- Neuropsychology
- Conditioning and Learning
- Personality Psych
- Research Methods
- Psych of Relationships
- Systems of Psychotherapy

Research & Clinical Experience:
- One month as RA for Albert Einstein College of Medicine (short time, but better than nothing)
- One semester as RA for well-respected professor at Rutgers
- Currently working as RA for Montefiore Medical Group since July 2016; I have a 12-month minimum contract
- Currently working as RA at Adelphi since beginning of October 2016

Credits:
- Technical Research Assistance on E-Book chapter
- Co-Authored poster presentation for university conference

GRE (wish I could've broken 160 in both sections)
- Verbal: 159, 82%
- Quant: 156, 63%
- Writing: 4.0, 59%

Re-taking Psych GRE next week, got a 600 last time. Looking for a huge boost especially since I went in completely unprepared last time.


Looking at a mix of School, Clinical, PsyD, and PhD programs:
- USC, Clinical PhD
- UCLA, Clinical PhD
- SDSU/UCSD Joint Doctoral, Clinical PhD
- UCSB, Counseling/Clinical/School PhD
- Rutgers, (Undecided on Clinical vs School) PsyD
- LIU Brooklyn, Clinical PhD
- Pace, School-Clinical Child PsyD
- Yeshiva, School-Clinical Child PsyD
- Teacher's College - Columbia, School PhD
- Temple, Clinical PhD
- Drexel, Clinical PhD
- Chestnut Hill, Clinical PsyD
- UHartford, Clinical PsyD

Thanks! :)
Click to expand...

I'd eliminate the following programs from consideration based on funding alone and replace them with other programs, especially those in other geographic areas and with higher acceptance rates than the good, but very selective, programs you've already listed:

- UCSB, Counseling/Clinical/School PhD
- LIU Brooklyn, Clinical PhD
- Pace, School-Clinical Child PsyD
- Yeshiva, School-Clinical Child PsyD
- Chestnut Hill, Clinical PsyD
- UHartford, Clinical PsyD
 
psych.meout said:
I'd eliminate the following programs from consideration based on funding alone and replace them with other programs, especially those in other geographic areas and with higher acceptance rates than the good, but very selective, programs you've already listed:

- UCSB, Counseling/Clinical/School PhD
- LIU Brooklyn, Clinical PhD
- Pace, School-Clinical Child PsyD
- Yeshiva, School-Clinical Child PsyD
- Chestnut Hill, Clinical PsyD
- UHartford, Clinical PsyD
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply!

I'm pretty set on my geographic regions (i explained why in my response to another post above) but is there anywhere you might suggest I look into? Aside from Rutgers, I haven't had much luck finding psyd or phd programs that are funded and have relatively high acceptance rates.
 
psycscientist said:
A good number of people do not settle in the location where they attended graduate school. Obtaining a good internship requires geographic flexibility, so most people have to move for a year for that at least. Postdoc as well, depending on your specialty/emphasis. Selecting programs by geography is probably among the top reasons otherwise good students are not successful in grad school admission.
Click to expand...

I actually didn't think about internship placement. Thanks for pointing that out to me maybe I will expand accordingly. Cheers!
 
Hello! Thank you so much for existing, everyone! So glad I found this site. December 1st is on it's way and although I've done what feels like a lot, I'm freaking out over my chances of acceptance. I will be applying to Clinical Psychology PhD programs and am seeking to research addiction. Below are my stats. Please let me know what you guys think! I'm going to be applying to a master's program as well, just in case..

Causes for concern: No posters or pubs in psychology (just bacteriology publication). Cumulative GPA is low (like 3.31 overall). This is because of my many majors at a community college back in 2008 to 2011. I started at a much harder university in 2014 and have a 3.93 there. I mention this in my Statement of Purpose. Really sorry if I wrote too much...

Education:
University X: Bachelors of Science, Psychology
Major GPA: 3.93
Univ X GPA: 3.93
Relevant coursework:
- Neuropharmacology (A)
-Physiological Psychology (A)
-Advanced Statistics (B+)
College N:
Majors: Computer Networking, Business Administration, Foreign Language, Psychology
GPA: 3.17
College N High School:
- Diploma

GRE:
V=162, Q=160; A/W=4.5

Research:
Research Assistant (1 year) under Dr. Cal
-evaluated the correlation between executive functioning and assorted neuropsychological assessment batteries
-independently administered and scored numerous sub-tests of the WAIS-IV, WMS-R, RBANS, and NAB
-administered experimental evaluations and informed consent to undergraduate volunteers
-collected raw data and compiled datasets for 2 studies
-developed laboratory protocols as a member of a research team
-used e-prime software to identify elements of executive functioning

Research Assistant (1.5 years) under Dr. C
-conducted compliance, emotional lability, and language processing assessments of subjects with schizophrenia or schizotypy
-interviewed and informed experimental populations
-utilized eye-tracking software, EEG, physiological monitors, e-prime software
-alpha-tested iOS based mobile applications for "Big Data" collection
-transcribed and spliced audio and video files of paients with severe mental illness

Statistical Consultant and Adviser (7 months) under Dr. P and doctoral candidate S.G.
-reviewed raw data and determined appropriate statistical devices for evaluating biological data
-normalized and transformed data as per journal FEBS Letters instruction to authors
-generated data output and graphs for publication in peer reviewed journal
-made suggestions and justified chosen tests
-explained how the statistics should be reported

Clinical Experience
Case Manager (June to present) at Top 5 in nation addiction treatment centers
-co-facilitated group therapy sessions, documented client engagement and attendance, set participation expectations
-notation of client progress and communications that occurred
-contacted client's families concerning progress of patient, emergencies, level of care changes, and treatment plan changes
-developed recovery plans and encouraged clients to pursue an individualized recovery pathway by becoming fluent in the recover model
-scheduled meeting sessions between patients and counselors
-inventoried current client medications and monitored patient's continued medication adherence
-engaged in behavioral interventions, and employed motivational techniques to encourage insight into patient substance-dependency
-scored client's MMPI

Publication in bacteriology

Schools Applying to: (chosen by matching PoI interests)
1) Florida State University
2) Syracuse University
3) University of South Florida
4) University of Arkansas
5) University of Southern Mississippi
6) Texas Tech University
7) Indiana University - Bloomington
8) University of Rhode Island
9) University of Houston
10) Virginia Tech
11) Washington State University
12) Wisconsin University
13) University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
14) University of North Texas
 
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AGallier said:
This will be my first post on SDN. Like most people on here, I want to know what my chances are of getting into a Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program because I honestly have no idea how strong my application is. I used my GPA and GRE scores as my anchor for which universities to apply (but obviously there are other things on an application that are far more important). Any feedback, advice, criticism or general remarks would be greatly appreciated!

Undergraduate work:
Overall GPA: 3.80
PSY GPA: 3.92
Biology Minor GPA: 3.595
My undergraduate institution is pretty small. I think we have about 10,000 total undergraduates. I'm not sure what this says about the quality of the institution, but I've loved my time here. My biology minor consisted of courses like Genetics, Human Anatomy and Physiology, etc.

GRE:
V: 166 (97%tile)
Q: 161 (79%tile)
AW: 5 (93%tile)

Research Experience:

Here is where I'm the most unsure of in terms of how strong I am and really want feedback from those that are attending or did attend a larger university. At my university, the professors don't have labs. While they do conduct research, the emphasis is on teaching students how to conduct research through independent or group studies that are facilitated through instruction in the classroom. These studies I've conducted through class have all the makings of a "real" study, we had to obtain IRB approval, we formulated our own research questions, conducted a literature review, ran the experiment with real participants in a controlled setting, and then wrote a paper on our findings. The main difference between these studies and a "real" experience is that all of this was done within the course of the semester and the --- from the lack of a better term --- meaningfulness of the research questions was usually low. I'm putting this out there because I don't know if this kind of experience is normal or not, and therefore I don't know whether to talk about it briefly in my personal statement and CV as a sort of pitch for where my foundation for my research abilities came from. Now, the "real" research experience:

1) I'm currently in the process of carrying out an honor's thesis that will be completed by the time I graduate in the spring. I'll be presenting this at an APA regional conference. I'm using an EEG machine as well as skin conductance measuring equipment in my study to see if brain activity is correlated with constructs associated with a particular theory of suicide. I also just received word that my application for funding from a research grant offered at my university was accepted for this study.

2) I'm also a research assistant for a professor in the biology department who wants to see if there is a correlation between OCD and ADHD behavior and which video games that person prefers to play (strange I know). We are in the process of data analysis now.

3) I spent 1 year as a coinvestigator for a double-blind clinical trial for a relatively new transcranial deep brain stimulation treatment. We wanted to see if it would help those suffering from PTSD symptoms. We presented at a regional APA conference (poster), but didn't do more with it since our main research hypotheses were not statistically significant.

4) Finally, I worked with a professor who had the idea that a certain learning strategy is actually a mental heuristic. I worked with him one-on-one for about 6 months creating and implementing the research design and designing the survey. It was supposed to be a multi-part study, but when we conducted the inferential statistics we were just off of significance (p = .065) so we eventually abandoned the project because we didn't see a way to move forward.

So that's it, I have a couple of poster presentations with 2-3 more (oral and poster) to be presented in the Spring. I don't have any publications, which makes me really nervous.

Letters of recommendation:
2 are my advisors for my honor's thesis and were the first and second investigator of that clinical trial I mentioned.
1 knows me well through all of the courses I've taken from him, particularly my research design course.
All three have known me since my freshman year when I went with them on a maymester study abroad to Ireland.

Schools I'm thinking of applying to (for now unless I'm just way over my head, I think all of these might be a stretch):

Harvard University
UCLA
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
Florida State University
Auburn University
Georgia State University
Kent State University
Oklahoma State University
University of Houston
University of Montana
University of Utah
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

One thing to note, I made sure that every school I'm contemplating applying for has a professor that has research interests VERY close to mine and is accepting a student next fall (except Utah, they haven't emailed me back yet).

So what do you guys think? Should I just pursue a MA in experimental psychology to get a lot more research experience? Am I okay but should look into less competitive schools? I greatly appreciate everyone who took the time to read this over and offered their opinions and advice.
Click to expand...

If anyone could comment on my target schools (whether to add more less competitive schools or whether the ones I have already are way out of my range) it would be much appreciated


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
 
fritolay said:
My interests are primarily in child/adolescent/family. I've already looked at faculty and have found good research fits for each program, so I'm not too worried about that part.

Also I understand that geography is a big limit for applications, but at the end of the day I want to be somewhere I can see myself living and continuing my career so it's a risk I'm willing to take even if I have to re-apply next cycle (I am applying this cycle by the way, so keeping fingers crossed!)

Do you think I shouldn't even bother applying to the top 3 schools? I wanted to keep them there as reaches but I'm starting to get the impression that it would be completely impossible.

Thanks for the reply!
Click to expand...

Even the most competitive of applicants can ruin their chances by restricting themselves geographically....I don't say this to deter you necessarily, but just as a fair warning that this will likely make things exponentially harder. Most people don't stay where they get their doctorate, either--consider where your internships or even post-doctorate fellowships will take you. Beyond that, remember that the desirability of a location makes the job market that much more competitive. Keeping all of this in mind, the location of your graduate education isn't as important. What matters most is that whatever school you choose leads to a reputable and accredited degree, and that it adequately prepares you for licensure when the time comes.

I think the question should come down to: does the location deter me to the extent that I'm willing to postpone/give up on my doctorate? If the answer is "no," you should broaden your horizons.

I can't really tell you which schools you should forego, but just know that even people with years of research experience (which is one of the most critical elements for those top three schools on your list) are often turned away. Combine this with near perfect GPA, publications/posters, and stellar GRE scores....and you will find that anyone missing the mark in any or all of those areas is seldom given a second glance. I personally wouldn't spend my application dollars on a school that is 99.9% likely to turn me down, when I could instead spend that money applying to schools where I have a fighting chance -and- could get a great education.

I would also invite you to further develop your research interests. "Child/adolescent/family " identifies a population of interest, certainly, but it doesn't really speak to the pathologies or mechanisms of psychology that you wish to research. This could potentially work against you, because some professors see overly-broad interests as someone who doesn't understand the research side of the field as well. This may or may not be true in your case, of course--but I can certainly say for me, getting research experience was crucial in confirming whether I truly had conviction for the field, as well as more-precise research interests.

Like I said, grain of salt here.
 
psycscientist said:
A good number of people do not settle in the location where they attended graduate school. Obtaining a good internship requires geographic flexibility, so most people have to move for a year for that at least. Postdoc as well, depending on your specialty/emphasis. Selecting programs by geography is probably among the top reasons otherwise good students are not successful in grad school admission.
Click to expand...
Just saw that you said the same thing I just did, lol. At least we're giving consistent advice.
 
AGallier said:
If anyone could comment on my target schools (whether to add more less competitive schools or whether the ones I have already are way out of my range) it would be much appreciated


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
Click to expand...
I don't think your kind of research interests will preclude you from consideration. Your stats are strong (GPA, GRE), and having any kind of publication, even those outside of psychology, is far better than none (assuming it was a peer-reviewed and academic journal). I think you're better off than you think.

That being said, I would probably apply to some "safer" schools--just based on acceptance rates alone, we can infer that good students are turned away because there just aren't enough spots. By all means, keep the schools on your list if you feel they are good fits! Just maybe consider adding some others that are less competitive for the sake of increasing your odds.

I feel like I should add this disclaimer to every post I make, but I'm an applicant myself, so take anything I say with a grain of salt. :)
 
fiinch said:
I don't think your kind of research interests will preclude you from consideration. Your stats are strong (GPA, GRE), and having any kind of publication, even those outside of psychology, is far better than none (assuming it was a peer-reviewed and academic journal). I think you're better off than you think.

That being said, I would probably apply to some "safer" schools--just based on acceptance rates alone, we can infer that good students are turned away because there just aren't enough spots. By all means, keep the schools on your list if you feel they are good fits! Just maybe consider adding some others that are less competitive for the sake of increasing your odds.

I feel like I should add this disclaimer to every post I make, but I'm an applicant myself, so take anything I say with a grain of salt. :)
Click to expand...

Thank you very much for your response. I actually don't have any publications, just 2 posters with 2 more coming this Spring and maybe an oral presentation at a conference on my Honor's thesis research. But, I still think your advice stands and I'll definitely look for some less competitive programs that fit my goals and research interests to add to my list. By the way, best of luck with your applications!


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
 
AGallier said:
Thank you very much for your response. I actually don't have any publications, just 2 posters with 2 more coming this Spring and maybe an oral presentation at a conference on my Honor's thesis research. But, I still think your advice stands and I'll definitely look for some less competitive programs that fit my goals and research interests to add to my list. By the way, best of luck with your applications!


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
Click to expand...
So sorry my friend! I got confused with the other poster. Good luck regardless, I think you're competitive for PhDs, and that a MA isn't necessary :)
 
Hi everyone! Figured I might as well jump in here.

My career goal is to work in a private practice or possibly a school with children and adolescents. I'm applying to a mixture of PsyD and PhD programs:
PsyD:
- Rutgers
-Yeshiva (combined child school-clinical)
-Pace (combined school-clinical)
-LIU CW Post

PhD:
-Fordham
-Cuny (@ City College)
-Fairleigh Dickenson
-U Penn

Undergrad cumulative GPA was 3.93, Psych GPA 3.97. Took the GREs once, scored 162 on verbal, 160 on quant, 5 on AWA, retaking it in a few weeks to see if I can do any better because I am a perfectionist :)

Research experience: 1.5 years in a social psych lab (but was kind of related to school psych which I can spin for those combined school programs I'm applying to), currently doing clinical research in a hospital for the past 4 months, will be there for the full year. 1 poster presentation from my social psych lab, I expect to have another one this year. No publications, though, which I think might be my weakness.

Clinical experience: teacher's aide in a preschool for developmentally delayed children, volunteered in children's inpatient unit of a psych hospital, intern at a reputable child psych practice in NYC

Thoughts?
 
psychout129 said:
Hi everyone! Figured I might as well jump in here.

My career goal is to work in a private practice or possibly a school with children and adolescents. I'm applying to a mixture of PsyD and PhD programs:
PsyD:
- Rutgers
-Yeshiva (combined child school-clinical)
-Pace (combined school-clinical)
-LIU CW Post

PhD:
-Fordham
-Cuny (@ City College)
-Fairleigh Dickenson
-U Penn

Undergrad cumulative GPA was 3.93, Psych GPA 3.97. Took the GREs once, scored 162 on verbal, 160 on quant, 5 on AWA, retaking it in a few weeks to see if I can do any better because I am a perfectionist :)

Research experience: 1.5 years in a social psych lab (but was kind of related to school psych which I can spin for those combined school programs I'm applying to), currently doing clinical research in a hospital for the past 4 months, will be there for the full year. 1 poster presentation from my social psych lab, I expect to have another one this year. No publications, though, which I think might be my weakness.

Clinical experience: teacher's aide in a preschool for developmentally delayed children, volunteered in children's inpatient unit of a psych hospital, intern at a reputable child psych practice in NYC

Thoughts?
Click to expand...

Well, firstly, I'd avoid most of those PsyD programs. except maybe Rutgers, because they're not well funded. I think Farleigh Dickinson is only half-funded, so you might want to reconsider that one as well. I'd replace them with other fully-funded programs.

Secondly, it seems like you are regionally restricting yourself to the NY, NJ, PA area, which generally isn't advisable. Regardless of how strong your application is, geographically restricting yourself like that really hamstrings your chances, especially when you're doing so in a highly sought after area like that. There just so much competition and demand for spots in programs in major metropolitan areas, the coasts, etc.

So, maybe get rid of the PsyD programs and others with less than ideal funding situations and add in fully-funded programs in lower demand areas.
 
fiinch said:
Even the most competitive of applicants can ruin their chances by restricting themselves geographically....I don't say this to deter you necessarily, but just as a fair warning that this will likely make things exponentially harder. Most people don't stay where they get their doctorate, either--consider where your internships or even post-doctorate fellowships will take you. Beyond that, remember that the desirability of a location makes the job market that much more competitive. Keeping all of this in mind, the location of your graduate education isn't as important. What matters most is that whatever school you choose leads to a reputable and accredited degree, and that it adequately prepares you for licensure when the time comes.

I think the question should come down to: does the location deter me to the extent that I'm willing to postpone/give up on my doctorate? If the answer is "no," you should broaden your horizons.

I can't really tell you which schools you should forego, but just know that even people with years of research experience (which is one of the most critical elements for those top three schools on your list) are often turned away. Combine this with near perfect GPA, publications/posters, and stellar GRE scores....and you will find that anyone missing the mark in any or all of those areas is seldom given a second glance. I personally wouldn't spend my application dollars on a school that is 99.9% likely to turn me down, when I could instead spend that money applying to schools where I have a fighting chance -and- could get a great education.

I would also invite you to further develop your research interests. "Child/adolescent/family " identifies a population of interest, certainly, but it doesn't really speak to the pathologies or mechanisms of psychology that you wish to research. This could potentially work against you, because some professors see overly-broad interests as someone who doesn't understand the research side of the field as well. This may or may not be true in your case, of course--but I can certainly say for me, getting research experience was crucial in confirming whether I truly had conviction for the field, as well as more-precise research interests.

Like I said, grain of salt here.
Click to expand...

Hi! Sorry I am just seeing your reply now. Thank you for the advice and in reference to my research interests I definitely have much more specific questions and interests, but I just wanted to mention the broader aspect since a lot of the programs I'm applying to have a track or concentration in those areas. I'll make sure to be much more specific in my personal statement about this. Thank you! :)
 
fiinch said:
Even the most competitive of applicants can ruin their chances by restricting themselves geographically....I don't say this to deter you necessarily, but just as a fair warning that this will likely make things exponentially harder. Most people don't stay where they get their doctorate, either--consider where your internships or even post-doctorate fellowships will take you. Beyond that, remember that the desirability of a location makes the job market that much more competitive. Keeping all of this in mind, the location of your graduate education isn't as important. What matters most is that whatever school you choose leads to a reputable and accredited degree, and that it adequately prepares you for licensure when the time comes.

I think the question should come down to: does the location deter me to the extent that I'm willing to postpone/give up on my doctorate? If the answer is "no," you should broaden your horizons.

I can't really tell you which schools you should forego, but just know that even people with years of research experience (which is one of the most critical elements for those top three schools on your list) are often turned away. Combine this with near perfect GPA, publications/posters, and stellar GRE scores....and you will find that anyone missing the mark in any or all of those areas is seldom given a second glance. I personally wouldn't spend my application dollars on a school that is 99.9% likely to turn me down, when I could instead spend that money applying to schools where I have a fighting chance -and- could get a great education.

I would also invite you to further develop your research interests. "Child/adolescent/family " identifies a population of interest, certainly, but it doesn't really speak to the pathologies or mechanisms of psychology that you wish to research. This could potentially work against you, because some professors see overly-broad interests as someone who doesn't understand the research side of the field as well. This may or may not be true in your case, of course--but I can certainly say for me, getting research experience was crucial in confirming whether I truly had conviction for the field, as well as more-precise research interests.

Like I said, grain of salt here.
Click to expand...

Also, I think I will actually remove those schools from my list, maybe just leave one as a high reach.. considering how high application costs already are, it's probably a good idea.
 
Hey everyone! Been checking out this forum for a while and thought I jump in and definitely get some good advice from all of you.

Research Interests = Area of forensic psychology, more specifically working with adolescent population in respect to assessments, neurocriminology and neuropsych
Major = Criminal Justice w/ concentration in Investigative Services
Minor = Psychology, classes such as Abnormal Psychology, Assessment, Drugs + Behavior, Forensic Psychology, Clinical/Counseling Psych, Theories of Personality, will be Taking Stats next semester

Cumulative GPA = 3.99
Major GPA = 3.97
Psychology GPA = 4.0
GRE = 155 Quant, 154 Verbal, 5 A/W (retaking it next week to hopefully improve quant and verbal scores, just not good enough compared to most school’s averages, was almost breaking 160 on practice tests). Waiting for Psych GRE scores now

Work/Experience:
Interned in summer with Forensic Psychologist director of an Alternative to Incarceration Program
Interned in summer with Court, shadowing Supreme Court judges, spent a lot of time with judge of the mental health court

Research:
1 Honors Thesis
1 First Author Manuscript in Prep (Will be under review prior to application deadline)
1 First Author Poster in Prep
1 Co-Author Manuscript in Prep (Will also be under review prior to application deadline)
1 Co-Author Poster in Prep
My school doesn’t have any research labs for Psychology, so it’s been extremely difficult for me to add to this area, and schools in the area with research opportunities aren’t currently looking for any volunteers.

Rec Letters: (Extremely confident in really strong LORs from both my Criminology professor and Internship Coordinator, thesis advisor can more so touch on his experiences with my in a research sense as too can my criminology professor given the ethnographic study I completed with her while studying abroad in Italy)

Criminology professor (Nationally recognized for her research in Sexual Assaults)
Thesis Advisor – Psychology professor, has both his PhD in Clinical Psychology as well as a JD
Internship Coordinator from Court House – She is the Administrative Aide to the Administrative Justice of the Court House I interned at
Director of an Alternative to Incarceration Program – Forensic Psychologist with his PsyD

Personal Statement:
I am probably most confident in this part of my application, have multiple professors and others looking through it for me under a microscope, and I feel most confident in this entire application process to communicate what makes me a good fit for the given program.

Other:
Graduating a year early, essentially finished degree in 3 years rather than 4
Honors Program
Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society
Alpha Phi Sigma Honor Society
Brother of Sigma Chi
Unrelated but full-time supervisor in dining hall for 2 years
Hispanic, bilingual

Schools planning on applying to:

Drexel (PhD)
Northwestern (PhD)
UConn (PhD)
University of Nebraska – Lincoln (PhD)
UNC – Chapel Hills (PhD)
University of Virginia (PhD)
Kent State University (PhD)
Nova Southeastern University (Psy.D)
Sam Houston State University (PhD)
University of Hartford (Psy.D)
Florida Institute of Technology (Psy.D)
Oklahoma State University (PhD

Thanks for taking the time to read all of this!
 
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Nick1331 said:
Hey everyone! Been checking out this forum for a while and thought I jump in and definitely get some good advice from all of you.

Research Interests = Area of forensic psychology, more specifically working with adolescent population in respect to assessments, neurocriminology and neuropsych
Major = Criminal Justice w/ concentration in Investigative Services
Minor = Psychology, classes such as Abnormal Psychology, Assessment, Drugs + Behavior, Forensic Psychology, Clinical/Counseling Psych, Theories of Personality, will be Taking Stats next semester

Cumulative GPA = 3.99
Major GPA = 3.97
Psychology GPA = 4.0
GRE = 155 Quant, 154 Verbal, 5 A/W (retaking it next week to hopefully improve quant and verbal scores, just not good enough compared to most school’s averages, was almost breaking 160 on practice tests). Waiting for Psych GRE scores now

Work/Experience:
Interned in summer with Forensic Psychologist director of an Alternative to Incarceration Program
Interned in summer with Court, shadowing Supreme Court judges, spent a lot of time with judge of the mental health court

Research:
1 Honors Thesis
1 First Author Manuscript in Prep (Will be under review prior to application deadline)
1 First Author Poster in Prep
1 Co-Author Manuscript in Prep (Will also be under review prior to application deadline)
1 Co-Author Poster in Prep
My school doesn’t have any research labs for Psychology, so it’s been extremely difficult for me to add to this area, and schools in the area with research opportunities aren’t currently looking for any volunteers.

Rec Letters: (Extremely confident in really strong LORs from both my Criminology professor and Internship Coordinator, thesis advisor can more so touch on his experiences with my in a research sense as too can my criminology professor given the ethnographic study I completed with her while studying abroad in Italy)

Criminology professor (Nationally recognized for her research in Sexual Assaults)
Thesis Advisor – Psychology professor, has both his PhD in Clinical Psychology as well as a JD
Internship Coordinator from Court House – She is the Administrative Aide to the Administrative Justice of the Court House I interned at
Director of an Alternative to Incarceration Program – Forensic Psychology with his PsyD

Personal Statement:
I am probably most confident in this part of my application, have multiple professors and others looking through it for me under a microscope, and I feel most confident in this entire application process to communicate what makes me a good fit for the given program.

Other:
Graduating a year early, essentially finished degree in 3 years rather than 4
Honors Program
Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society
Alpha Phi Sigma Honor Society
Brother of Sigma Chi
Unrelated but full-time supervisor in dining hall for 2 years
Hispanic, bilingual

Schools planning on applying to:

Drexel (PhD)
Northwestern (PhD)
UConn (PhD)
University of Nebraska – Lincoln (PhD)
UNC – Chapel Hills (PhD)
University of Virginia (PhD)
Kent State University (PhD)
Nova Southeastern University (Psy.D)
Sam Houston State University (PhD)
University of Hartford (Psy.D)
Florida Institute of Technology (Psy.D)
Oklahoma State University (PhD

Thanks for taking the time to read all of this!
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Is your POI at University of Nebraska-Lincoln Dr. Scalora?
 
Alright, I finally have all the information to post here for the final time before app deadlines!

Demographics: Male, 18-22, African American

Gpa: 3.634 (Previous two semesters: 3.79, 4.0) (No grade below a B on record)

Gre: 158v (80th percentile, I believe), 151q (Low, but will B in college calculus and A in stats help with this?) Have yet to get awa score. Practice scores were higher for verbal and quant, but received some bad news the night before the test that really through me off test day.

Research:
- 1+ years in a behavioral pharmacology, ABA lab
- NIDA summer internship working with mTBI, cognitive function, and reward seeking behavior
- Honors thesis
- Poster presentation
- Recipient of supply grant for research
- Recipient of $1,000+ scholarship for current research

Schools: LSU, ECU, Oklahoma State, University of Tulsa, Virginia Tech, University of Memphis, University of South Carolina, plus more.
 
ellecruz said:
Hi everyone, I'd appreciate some feedback!

GPAs:
-undergrad gpa: 3.57; psych gpa ~3.7; from a large public university with a recognized psych dept.
-masters gpa: 3.85.. also not sure if this will be a big red flag, but i have not finished this program (I focused on research experience and getting the pub out)

Research experience:
-1.5 years as an RA working in the area I am applying to
-1 year as a volunteer RA while getting my masters; also in focused area
-undergrad 1 yr in psych lab but non-relevant area

Papers/presentations (all relevant research to my area):
-one 1st author paper published
-three 1st author posters presented at national conferences
-one 1st author manuscript in prep.. probably won't be submitted by Dec. 1st :/

LORs: all faculty members; I'm confident two will be pretty strong, the other one should be decent but maybe not amazing as he doesn't know me as well as the first two.

Now for the weakest links..
-GRE scores: 148Q, 154V, not sure about AWA. These are most recent scores, and I took it total 3x. My best V score was from 2014: a 157V, but had a 146Q, and 4.0 AWA. Worst Q scores was a couple months ago when I REALLY wasn't ready with math: 143Q, 154V, 4.0AWA. I don't know if the 157 will be worth it to send ALL scores, which would include the completely abysmal 143Q? (Unfortunate that ETS doesn't allow me to choose the first and last scores and leave out the middle!)
-Also, not sure if this will be a huge factor, but I spent a couple years after undergrad in an unrelated career, before going back for my masters. So I'm slightly older than the average candidate.

Schools for Clinical Psych PhD I'm interested in:
-Yeshiva University
-Fairleigh Dickinson
-U. of Hawaii Manoa
-U. of Maryland, Baltimore County
-Indiana U. @ Purdue
-City University of NY, Queens College

Actually also applying for PhD in Public Health programs if anyone has any thoughts w/ this:
-New York University
-Columbia University

I guess some (or most) of these are reaches now that I know I haven't improved my GRE scores?, ugh.. Would appreciate any thoughts. Thanks!
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How much your GRE scores will hurt your application depends on how strict given programs are about them (e.g. if they have strict minimums) and how strong your competition is there, but your publication and presentations will probably make up for them at other programs. It will also depend on how strong your fit is with the program and mentors.

Who are your POIs at Indiana, Hawaii, and Maryland?
 
@Nick1331

I would get rid of Nova. I interviewed there, and although it seems forensic friendly, I'd imagine it would be hard to end up with the training you want. Their cohort is huge- like 80 people when I interviewed- with only 1 or 2 professors interested in forensics. It seems only a handful of students actually get to work with them. In addition, the cost is astronomical. I believe I would have spend over 100k in tuition alone, not to mention the high price of living in the area.

I have a MA in forensic psych and am in a psyd program now. Though it doesn't have forensic-interested faculty, I am able to carve out my practicums and internships to fit my interest. The MA has really given me a good foundation that I can easily incorporate into my program and I was able to get a ton of experience and specific forensic training from it.
 
Istilldontknow said:
@Nick1331

I would get rid of Nova. I interviewed there, and although it seems forensic friendly, I'd imagine it would be hard to end up with the training you want. Their cohort is huge- like 80 people when I interviewed- with only 1 or 2 professors interested in forensics. It seems only a handful of students actually get to work with them. In addition, the cost is astronomical. I believe I would have spend over 100k in tuition alone, not to mention the high price of living in the area.

I have a MA in forensic psych and am in a psyd program now. Though it doesn't have forensic-interested faculty, I am able to carve out my practicums and internships to fit my interest. The MA has really given me a good foundation that I can easily incorporate into my program and I was able to get a ton of experience and specific forensic training from it.
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Good to know, thanks for the reply. Definitely has been a struggle to find programs with any type of forensic interest. I've been weighing the idea of staying at my current university for a masters given a forensic psych track and having more research and forensic training to go into a Ph.D or Psy.D program with.
 
Education

Simmons College September 2015 to Present

Master of Science (M.S.) in Behavior Analysis



Framingham State University September 2010 to May 2014

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Psychology

Minors in Philosophy, Sociology, and Neuroscience


Experience

Bellingham Public: Memorial Middle School October 2016 to Present

Applied Behavior Analysis Instructor



Integrated Learning Academy of Newton February 2016 to October 2016

Behavior Technician



Boston A.B.A. (Applied Behavior Analysis) December 2015 to March 2016

Applied Behavior Analysis Instructor



The Autism Center: New England Behavioral Services December 2015 to February 2016

Direct Therapist



May Institute: Eastern Massachusetts Consulting October 2015 to February 2016

Direct Therapist



APEX: Behavioral Consulting July 2015 to April 2016

Applied Behavioral Analyst Therapist.



Perkins School for the Blind June 2015 to July 2015

Teacher’s Assistant



Framingham State University September 2012 to May 2014

Academic Success Peer Tutor

Student Researcher

Peer Mentor

Logic Tutor



Westwood Lodge Psychiatric Hospital May 2013 to July 2013

Mental Health Technician


Samaritans September 2012 to March 2013

Hotline operator



Northeastern University: Lifespan Emotional Development (L.E.D.) Lab May 2012 to April 2013

Research Assistant


Professional Conference Presentations

Association for Psychological Science

San Francisco May 2014

Reappraisal induces motivational state that extracts positive emotions and optimism.

Initial emotional state influences changes in emotional experience: Analytic concern?

Endorsement of stigma: Sex difference in blame and willingness to help.

Motivational orientations and emotional regulation.

A framework for emotion regulation goal content.

Washington D.C. May 2013

Physiological reactivity in younger and older adults during emotionally evocative skin cancer videos.

Eastern Psychological Association

Boston March 2013

Mental illness stigma: Reaching those that feel inhibition to seeking help.

Effects of predispositions towards suppression and reappraisal on emotion regulation

Massachusetts Undergraduate Research Conference

Amherst April 2013

Emotion regulation in older and younger adults.








G.P.A.
Undergraduate: 3.68
Graduate: 4.0

G.R.E.
Verbal: 160
Quantitative: 160
Writing: 5


Applying to...

University of Denver, Case Western Reserve University, Northeastern
 
Applying in a year in Ontario+Quebec
D.psy

My stats= gpa:3.6
Psy gpa=3.6
Stats gpa=3.7
Test isn't done yet.

Experiences= 550 hours of research, 4 projets, 2 lab, no publication. 550 hours working in two hotlines specialised in mental health.
Lor=1 excellent, 2 good.
 
Hi all,
I know this has question has been posted before, but I get the impression there is no general answer, and it has a lot to do with your specific situation. Given my info below, I was wondering given how low my uGPA i, if it would be worth addressing my low uGPA in my personal statement, in a separate document, or just not at all?:
 
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Psipi140 said:
Experience

Bellingham Public: Memorial Middle School October 2016 to Present

Applied Behavior Analysis Instructor



Integrated Learning Academy of Newton February 2016 to October 2016

Behavior Technician



Boston A.B.A. (Applied Behavior Analysis) December 2015 to March 2016

Applied Behavior Analysis Instructor



The Autism Center: New England Behavioral Services December 2015 to February 2016

Direct Therapist



May Institute: Eastern Massachusetts Consulting October 2015 to February 2016

Direct Therapist



APEX: Behavioral Consulting July 2015 to April 2016

Applied Behavioral Analyst Therapist.



Perkins School for the Blind June 2015 to July 2015

Teacher’s Assistant



Framingham State University September 2012 to May 2014

Academic Success Peer Tutor

Student Researcher

Peer Mentor

Logic Tutor



Westwood Lodge Psychiatric Hospital May 2013 to July 2013

Mental Health Technician


Samaritans September 2012 to March 2013

Hotline operator



Northeastern University: Lifespan Emotional Development (L.E.D.) Lab May 2012 to April 2013

Research Assistant

.




Applying to...

University of Denver, Case Western Reserve University, Northeastern
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Hi. Im wondering why the time spent at your 'experiences' is so short? Were these internships/practicums? If so, I would mention that. If they were places of employment, it's a red flag (to me) that it looks like you switched jobs pretty often
 
pamplemousse926 said:
Hi all,
I know this has question has been posted before, but I get the impression there is no general answer, and it has a lot to do with your specific situation. Given my info below, I was wondering given how low my uGPA i, if it would be worth addressing my low uGPA in my personal statement, in a separate document, or just not at all?:

uGPA: 2.76
psych GPA: 3.8
masters GPA: 3.99
verbal GRE: 85th percentile
quant GRE: 75th percentile
psych GRE: 90th percentile
9 years of clinical research experience relevant to the area i'm applying to (I've been out of school for a while)
9 publications (additionally working on a 1st author that is in preparation)
5 posters/abstracts
3 great LORs

Thanks in advance!
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Maybe just a sentence or two in your PS. You've been out of school so long and have a ton of experience showing you can master the material, I dont think it will be that big of a deal. Unless of course they have cut offs- in which case I would email your potential PI and ask about your chances
 
Hi,

A couple reasons but primarily 4 of those jobs were part time that I worked simulataneously and I found a full time opportunity. That first full time gig, the center closed down after I was there for 10 months or so, so that leads me to my current full time gig.

Why is a frequent job change a red flag? I have heard it before but have not heard a solid reason of why changing jobs is inherently a bad thing.

Istilldontknow said:
Hi. Im wondering why the time spent at your 'experiences' is so short? Were these internships/practicums? If so, I would mention that. If they were places of employment, it's a red flag (to me) that it looks like you switched jobs pretty often
Click to expand...
 
Psipi140 said:
Why is a frequent job change a red flag? I have heard it before but have not heard a solid reason of why changing jobs is inherently a bad thing.
Click to expand...

Because grad school is a long and arduous process that takes a lot of commitment and working closely with other people interpersonally. They want to see evidence that you can stick through things and work with people through stress and difficulty. Frequent job turnover and such can be an indicator of various not so good things, like interpersonal difficulties. Not saying that's the case in your situation, but it would be one thing I would be wondering about in that application
 
Psipi140 said:
Hi,

A couple reasons but primarily 4 of those jobs were part time that I worked simulataneously and I found a full time opportunity. That first full time gig, the center closed down after I was there for 10 months or so, so that leads me to my current full time gig.

Why is a frequent job change a red flag? I have heard it before but have not heard a solid reason of why changing jobs is inherently a bad thing.
Click to expand...

It implies a variety of difficulties- unable to get along with others, unable to manage responsibilities, could lead someone to assume you have some kind of familial issues, someone may think you will leave grad school quickly as work history shows 'quitting' to be a pattern...

Multiple switching of jobs, especially in such a short time frame, would be an issue for me if I was hiring/accepting someone. Definitely be prepared to explain
 
Ok, putting that aspect of my application to the side for now, wamc?

Istilldontknow said:
It implies a variety of difficulties- unable to get along with others, unable to manage responsibilities, could lead someone to assume you have some kind of familial issues, someone may think you will leave grad school quickly as work history shows 'quitting' to be a pattern...

Multiple switching of jobs, especially in such a short time frame, would be an issue for me if I was hiring/accepting someone. Definitely be prepared to explain
Click to expand...
 
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