2012 APPIC Internship Application Thread

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Is anyone else interviewing at the Charlie Norwood VAMC/Georgia Health Sciences University on Dec. 19? I'd like to avoid getting a rental car if possible, so I wanted to check if I could bum a ride from a fellow interviewee who also has to travel from the Uptown VA campus to the Downtown campus for the second half of the interview day. Feel free to shoot me a PM!
 
Hi all,

Just wondering if anyone else has heard from the MEDVAMC - Houston? According to the forum, someone got an email from them on 11/28, but was wondering if anyone can please confirm the details as to what track, and if it was mass/individualized?

Thanks and well wishes to all.
 
You'll hear others encourage you to give it a shot, but to he honest, I would just try again next year. I have a friend who was in that situation last year, didnt end up matching and, in hindsight, has said he really wishes he had just saved time/money and tried next time. You could try in phase 2 as well, no? Keep your head up, though, not even half of your sites are left. I know its hard to wait :/

Yeah, see this is my 2nd time around already and I'm not going to do it a 3rd time. I refuse to waste my time. Nothing will have changed between now and a year from now with regard to my experience/training/etc. (this was not the case last year). So the decision is whether to do the potential one interview this year (I might get another, maybe, but I very well might not, looking at the stats and my fit with sites) and Phase I and Phase II of the Match OR to drop out of my program (leaving with my MA). I'm leaning toward a wait-(until February-)and-see approach because I liked Phase II last year (there were a lot of sites near me and I'm geographically limited) but I don't think sites will make the same mistakes that they made last year to end up in Phase II (i.e., not ranking enough applicants/interviewees). But if I drop out by the end of January, I'll save $1500 in tuition that I'll have to pay if I wait til the Match...
 
A colleague just received a rejection from BC Children's Hospital. It was via a personalized email.
 
Just wanted to share that I got a call from Applewood Centers today so they are still making calls! Does anyone know their available interview dates?

Also, I want to thank everyone for the continued support and entertainment that come from this site!
 
Yeah, see this is my 2nd time around already and I'm not going to do it a 3rd time. I refuse to waste my time. Nothing will have changed between now and a year from now with regard to my experience/training/etc. (this was not the case last year). So the decision is whether to do the potential one interview this year (I might get another, maybe, but I very well might not, looking at the stats and my fit with sites) and Phase I and Phase II of the Match OR to drop out of my program (leaving with my MA). I'm leaning toward a wait-(until February-)and-see approach because I liked Phase II last year (there were a lot of sites near me and I'm geographically limited) but I don't think sites will make the same mistakes that they made last year to end up in Phase II (i.e., not ranking enough applicants/interviewees). But if I drop out by the end of January, I'll save $1500 in tuition that I'll have to pay if I wait til the Match...

Ahh yes, reading it again, I see its your second round. Ok, I wouldn't do it a 3rd time either, but I would, in that case, take whatever interview I got a give it a shot. It's your entire career. You never would want to look back and say what If ... Lots of ppl match at their top choice, so, there's a chance ... I'd take it. Good luck!
 
Yeah, see this is my 2nd time around already and I'm not going to do it a 3rd time. I refuse to waste my time. Nothing will have changed between now and a year from now with regard to my experience/training/etc. (this was not the case last year). So the decision is whether to do the potential one interview this year (I might get another, maybe, but I very well might not, looking at the stats and my fit with sites) and Phase I and Phase II of the Match OR to drop out of my program (leaving with my MA). I'm leaning toward a wait-(until February-)and-see approach because I liked Phase II last year (there were a lot of sites near me and I'm geographically limited) but I don't think sites will make the same mistakes that they made last year to end up in Phase II (i.e., not ranking enough applicants/interviewees). But if I drop out by the end of January, I'll save $1500 in tuition that I'll have to pay if I wait til the Match...

Whether or not the Phase II sites are near you may be a bit of a crapshoot, but it seems that every year, there are some great internship spots that go unfilled; I don't know if I see the shift from clearinghouse to a formal second match process changing that too much.

Personally, my take on it would be this--if you've already decided that this will be your last year going through the process (match or no match), then I would defintely at least chance it and stick things out. $1500 + interview travel fees obviously isn't a small amount of money, but to me, it's worth the potential shift from masters to doctorate. If you leave your program in January, as you know, Phase I/II won't be an option, and neither will the possibility of grabbing a spot that happens to open up after the match. While these latter opportunities can be few and far-between, someone has to fill them, so why not you?
 
Yeah, see this is my 2nd time around already and I'm not going to do it a 3rd time. I refuse to waste my time. Nothing will have changed between now and a year from now with regard to my experience/training/etc. (this was not the case last year). So the decision is whether to do the potential one interview this year (I might get another, maybe, but I very well might not, looking at the stats and my fit with sites) and Phase I and Phase II of the Match OR to drop out of my program (leaving with my MA). I'm leaning toward a wait-(until February-)and-see approach because I liked Phase II last year (there were a lot of sites near me and I'm geographically limited) but I don't think sites will make the same mistakes that they made last year to end up in Phase II (i.e., not ranking enough applicants/interviewees). But if I drop out by the end of January, I'll save $1500 in tuition that I'll have to pay if I wait til the Match...

For what it's worth, I matched in Phase II last year and my track (which only takes one person) is still interviewing the exact same number of people they interviewed last year in Phase I. I wouldn't say that what they did last year was a mistake since it worked out incredibly well for me....😉 but they are doing the same thing this year that put them in Phase II last year. It's really impossible to know who will end up in Phase II - sometimes you will find just the right place that way and last year there were several very well known and respected sites in Phase II.
 
For what it's worth, I matched in Phase II last year and my track (which only takes one person) is still interviewing the exact same number of people they interviewed last year in Phase I. I wouldn't say that what they did last year was a mistake since it worked out incredibly well for me....😉 but they are doing the same thing this year that put them in Phase II last year. It's really impossible to know who will end up in Phase II - sometimes you will find just the right place that way and last year there were several very well known and respected sites in Phase II.

Very true. I'd give it a go if for no other reason than the peace of mind associated with knowing that I did everything single thing possible before deciding it just wasn't meant to be.

Hopefully this all ends up being a completely moot point, though.
 
7 rejections (35%)
1 interview (5%)
12 sites left (60%) [including 3 sites that others have already gotten interviews from]

All 6 sites that I applied to both years and have heard from, thus far, have sent out the same emails with updated numbers. The first time I thought they were touching, compassionate messages. This year, I'm really annoyed that sites can't come up with something *honest* and new (yeah, it's nice to read that it was just due to so many qualified applicants who would make excellent psychologists but that's not *really* why I didn't make the cut two years in a row). It's a couple paragraphs at most! Grrrrr...

For the sites that I'm waiting for, I heard from 6 of them between the 10th and the 15th last year (with rejections). But there are still a bunch of sites (6) that I didn't apply to last year and haven't heard from this year...

If I just get the one interview at the site that interviews 3/5 applicants and accepts 3/50 interviewees, is it worth it (i.e., the stress and the time) to go through with the interview and match process or should I just drop out of my program and save the $1500 in tuition and $150 match/travel costs? Obviously, I'll make my own decision but I'd like to hear others' thoughts on this potential situation.
I agree with others that I would not go it a third time... However, you have 1 interview - and some possibles... there is still time. And of course, Phase II - which I agree there were a lot of great sites in Phase II... There's also the Post-Match Vacancies... What about your program - do they not have options for students that don't get matched - some programs will 'create' an internship for their students, it will not be APA or APPIC, but can still be another option... Have you discussed your thoughts/concerns with faculty or your advisor?

If you don't mind answering:
Is your program APA accredited?
Is it a PhD or PsyD program?
Do they require APA internships for graduation?
 
Interview offer this morning (thank the Lord). Interviews only being offered on Thursdays through January.
 
Got an interview offer by phone late this morning from Colorado State's counseling center! Not sure when their dates are yet because I am trapped in a place where I cannot use my phone to return their call. I hate scheduling anxiety.
 
This seems to be a slow week.

I work in a prison and so I don't have my cell phone... but I obsessively check this site and check my email.


I figure a lot of sites won't be sending anything out until the 12/15 deadline... absolutely crazy making!!!!!!!
 
Just got a spam email from match.com and the word "match" made my heart skip about five beats. The only match I want right now is an internship, thank you very much, so if all unrelated emails could disappear, that'd be great!
 
Would anyone who has already been through the interview process be willing to share:

Some typical questions asked? Maybe the standard questions you got from most sites, or a couple stand out (read: crazy) questions you got?

I'm also having trouble formulating some thoughtful, but not generic, questions to ask of sites. Suggestions?
You know the basics (strengths, weaknesses, etc).

I had someone ask me to explain to them the arch of therapy (from intake to termination) and what the functional factor is in that arch....

I also hate asking them questions, but I find that reading the brochure and coming up with a question about the program details or functions usually works best....
 
Got an interview offer by phone late this morning from Colorado State's counseling center! Not sure when their dates are yet because I am trapped in a place where I cannot use my phone to return their call. I hate scheduling anxiety.

Congrats! That looks like a great site!
 
I agree with others that I would not go it a third time... However, you have 1 interview - and some possibles... there is still time. And of course, Phase II - which I agree there were a lot of great sites in Phase II... There's also the Post-Match Vacancies... What about your program - do they not have options for students that don't get matched - some programs will 'create' an internship for their students, it will not be APA or APPIC, but can still be another option... Have you discussed your thoughts/concerns with faculty or your advisor?

If you don't mind answering:
Is your program APA accredited?
Is it a PhD or PsyD program?
Do they require APA internships for graduation?

Thanks for all the comments/encouragement, people.

APA accredited PsyD ("university-based") program that requires an APA internship for graduation unless you get the permission of the faculty to complete an APPIC internship.

Last year, I appealed to the faculty to let me complete an APPIC member internship during Phase II and they denied my appeal, stating that they felt my training goals would best be met by an APA accredited program. Meanwhile, they allowed multiple others in my cohort to complete APPIC member internships. (One reason that I'm not going to do this a 3rd time is because I can't stand my program and truly hate that my tuition pays the faculty salary.) I have talked to multiple faculty about my concerns and there has been absolutely no support other than, "Well, there's still a chance you'll match this year, let's see what happens," kind of stuff. I again appealed to the faculty to allow me to complete an APPIC member internship and I'm waiting to hear back (won't be an issue unless I get an interview at the APPIC member site(s) that I applied to).

Is there anyone who wouldn't pay the 1500 tuition and match/travel fees (i.e., anyone who would drop out on the 15th with only the one interview)?
 
Would anyone who has already been through the interview process be willing to share:

Some typical questions asked? Maybe the standard questions you got from most sites, or a couple stand out (read: crazy) questions you got?

I'm also having trouble formulating some thoughtful, but not generic, questions to ask of sites. Suggestions?

Some of the more unusual ones...
Walked into a 30 minute one-on-one interview, the interviewer states right off the bat "I have no questions for you. What questions do you have for me?" 😱😕
Something a classmate of mine got, from a one-on-one interview with a TD "What three things do you NOT want me to know about you?"

Be prepared to explain why you want that internship (more than any other internship - what's unique about that one), unique things that you bring to the table, and be prepared to discuss any practicum experiences you've had that are listed in your app/CV.
 
I would not drop out of your program. If you do that today, you have 0% chance of matching. If you wait it out, you have greater than 0% chance of matching. Because you have 12 sites left to hear from and you have one interview, there's still a chance. It has happened that people have received one interview and matched. Furthermore, there are several people who haven't even gotten interviews yet. Should they give up? I know that it's scary to think about but you have a choice to do the best you can on your interview. Believe in yourself and wow the internship interviewers!!! Good luck, I hope you hear more good news.
 
Can anyone recommend an affordable hotel (preferably with an airport shuttle) close to the Children's Hospitals and Clinics in Minneapolis? Thank you in advance and good luck to all!

I booked a room at Doubletree which is only a mile a way I think and $66 dollars (before taxes) if you go to cheaptickets.com. No hotels I looked at had a shuttle service to/from airport - this hotel seemed nicest and closest for this price range. There is a general airport shuttle service that operates and is $12 (not hotel specific) - I am going to look into that. What day are you there?
 
Thanks for all the comments/encouragement, people.

APA accredited PsyD ("university-based") program that requires an APA internship for graduation unless you get the permission of the faculty to complete an APPIC internship.

Last year, I appealed to the faculty to let me complete an APPIC member internship during Phase II and they denied my appeal, stating that they felt my training goals would best be met by an APA accredited program. Meanwhile, they allowed multiple others in my cohort to complete APPIC member internships. (One reason that I'm not going to do this a 3rd time is because I can't stand my program and truly hate that my tuition pays the faculty salary.) I have talked to multiple faculty about my concerns and there has been absolutely no support other than, "Well, there's still a chance you'll match this year, let's see what happens," kind of stuff. I again appealed to the faculty to allow me to complete an APPIC member internship and I'm waiting to hear back (won't be an issue unless I get an interview at the APPIC member site(s) that I applied to).

Is there anyone who wouldn't pay the 1500 tuition and match/travel fees (i.e., anyone who would drop out on the 15th with only the one interview)?

Although our university faculty happened to be very supportive during the process for me last year, overall, academic psychologists tend to be pretty blind to this whole match situation (cough, BS, cough), unless they are under tha age of 35. Personally, I cant imagine denying a young professional a year of his/her life and earning potential cause they prefer that you to go to a program with some silly seal of approval on it. Obvioulsy, APA is best and we need standards and all, but its your career (and training goals) NOT theirs...so I see now reason why they should hold that authoritarian power over you given the horrid imbalance and match stats.
 
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Thanks for all the comments/encouragement, people.

APA accredited PsyD ("university-based") program that requires an APA internship for graduation unless you get the permission of the faculty to complete an APPIC internship.

Last year, I appealed to the faculty to let me complete an APPIC member internship during Phase II and they denied my appeal, stating that they felt my training goals would best be met by an APA accredited program. Meanwhile, they allowed multiple others in my cohort to complete APPIC member internships. (One reason that I'm not going to do this a 3rd time is because I can't stand my program and truly hate that my tuition pays the faculty salary.) I have talked to multiple faculty about my concerns and there has been absolutely no support other than, "Well, there's still a chance you'll match this year, let's see what happens," kind of stuff. I again appealed to the faculty to allow me to complete an APPIC member internship and I'm waiting to hear back (won't be an issue unless I get an interview at the APPIC member site(s) that I applied to).

Is there anyone who wouldn't pay the 1500 tuition and match/travel fees (i.e., anyone who would drop out on the 15th with only the one interview)?
I would look at how much I've already invested (time & money) - if $1500 + match/travel fees and 1 more semester are minute in comparison - I'd go for it! You only have to match to 1 site!!! That way you will know you did all you could! Did you speak to previous students in your program that recevied permission to attend APPIC sites (what did they say that got them a 'yes' versus your 'no')? I think a lot of your lean toward quitting may be your personal feelings toward faculty and your program? Don't let that influence your decision at this late point in the game... for if you stick with it, get matched, and go on professionally - you will accomplish your goals! And word of mouth is the best/worst type of advertisement - in other words you can tell people who ask you about your program what you really think about it! Just my opinion...
 
Would anyone who has already been through the interview process be willing to share:

Some typical questions asked? Maybe the standard questions you got from most sites, or a couple stand out (read: crazy) questions you got?

I'm also having trouble formulating some thoughtful, but not generic, questions to ask of sites. Suggestions?

Last year I interviewed at 3 state hospitals, a VA, and a BOP. Every site asked me:

1) My experience with group treatment and how I handle difficult group members
2) My theoretical orientation
3) Where I was at in my dissertation

I also got asked: If I had seen anybody with personality disorders and if so how did I treat them; if I've ever had a suicidal client and if so what did I do; what my diversity interests were.

A thoughtful question I got was, "What are 3 words a fellow student would use to describe you?"

I wish I could remember more questions, but I think I either dissociated or repressed the whole experience 😛

Questions I asked at every site was, "How does everyone get along here? How do the other disciplines view the psychology staff?"

Because I'm a DBT person, I also asked how DBT had been modified for the particular place I was interviewing at.
 
Just wanted to share that I got a call from Applewood Centers today so they are still making calls! Does anyone know their available interview dates?

Also, I want to thank everyone for the continued support and entertainment that come from this site!

Thanks for posting this.....I am hoping for a call. This helped to keep my hope alive a little while longer.

They had their dates listed either on their website or APPIC (I forget which).

They are: Fri 6th, Mon 8th, Thur 12th, and Fri 13th

Hope that helps!
 
Some of the more unusual ones...
Walked into a 30 minute one-on-one interview, the interviewer states right off the bat "I have no questions for you. What questions do you have for me?" 😱😕

This was actually a fairly common experience for me on the "interview trail." I think only one or two sites didn't have at least one faculty member who said something akin to what's above. I appreciated it most of the time, as if nothing else, it showed that the interviewer at least did a good job of acting interested in me as a person.

In general, I also found that the faculty actually did have questions (which often came up during the course of conversation), but that they had wanted to be sure I'd had a chance to get some answers to everything I'd wanted to ask first. Also, me being able to ask questions was apparently frequently taken as a sign that I was interested in the site (i.e., I'd taken the time to look things over).
 
Thanks for all the comments/encouragement, people.

APA accredited PsyD ("university-based") program that requires an APA internship for graduation unless you get the permission of the faculty to complete an APPIC internship.

Last year, I appealed to the faculty to let me complete an APPIC member internship during Phase II and they denied my appeal, stating that they felt my training goals would best be met by an APA accredited program. Meanwhile, they allowed multiple others in my cohort to complete APPIC member internships. (One reason that I'm not going to do this a 3rd time is because I can't stand my program and truly hate that my tuition pays the faculty salary.) I have talked to multiple faculty about my concerns and there has been absolutely no support other than, "Well, there's still a chance you'll match this year, let's see what happens," kind of stuff. I again appealed to the faculty to allow me to complete an APPIC member internship and I'm waiting to hear back (won't be an issue unless I get an interview at the APPIC member site(s) that I applied to).

Is there anyone who wouldn't pay the 1500 tuition and match/travel fees (i.e., anyone who would drop out on the 15th with only the one interview)?

I agree with others who recommend giving it a shot and seeing what happens. It is both unfortunate and unfair that the whole match process is a gamble, but since you have an interview invite and others hopefully coming soon, you're still in the game. We have all worked very hard to get to this point and it would be a shame to let go of the doctoral degree when it is still within reach.

Regardless of what any of us think, this is a very personal decision. If you don't think the PhD route is the appropriate one for you and your career/life goals and priorities, or if the MA will adequately satisfy your goals, then maybe it is best to drop out, save some money, and move on. You know you best.

Good luck!
 
On my good days, I feel pretty good about the possibility of getting an internship :xf:. And I'm actually really excited about my top few sites and the opportunity to receive additional training at them.

However, I hate that an internship is _required_ to get your Ph.D. / license.
 
On my good days, I feel pretty good about the possibility of getting an internship :xf:. And I'm actually really excited about my top few sites and the opportunity to receive additional training at them.

However, I hate that an internship is _required_ to get your Ph.D. / license.

Yes, I think the saddest thing is that we all (I hope) actually want to do this training year so that we can learn more and eventually go on to have careers that will help hundreds or thousands of people. The fact that people can go for years "unmatched" (it's like not having a soul mate or something) and then drop out this late in the game is really a travesty for our field.
 
Received a personalized rejection from Utah State University Counseling Center.

The email stated they received a 26% increase in applicants compared to last year, which sounds like a lot, but is really only 11 more applicants.
 
In general, I also found that the faculty actually did have questions (which often came up during the course of conversation), but that they had wanted to be sure I'd had a chance to get some answers to everything I'd wanted to ask first. Also, me being able to ask questions was apparently frequently taken as a sign that I was interested in the site (i.e., I'd taken the time to look things over).

100% agree to this. You will be asked VERY frequently if you have any questions (sometimes they won't even ask IF you have questions, they'll just say "What questions do you have?") Be prepared with plenty of good, ideallly open-ended questions - not ones that could easily be answered by looking at their APPIC page or the company website.
 
Email rejection to UMass Counseling Center- "Dear Internship Applicant..."
 
Thanks for all the comments/encouragement, people.

APA accredited PsyD ("university-based") program that requires an APA internship for graduation unless you get the permission of the faculty to complete an APPIC internship.

Last year, I appealed to the faculty to let me complete an APPIC member internship during Phase II and they denied my appeal, stating that they felt my training goals would best be met by an APA accredited program. Meanwhile, they allowed multiple others in my cohort to complete APPIC member internships. (One reason that I'm not going to do this a 3rd time is because I can't stand my program and truly hate that my tuition pays the faculty salary.) I have talked to multiple faculty about my concerns and there has been absolutely no support other than, "Well, there's still a chance you'll match this year, let's see what happens," kind of stuff. I again appealed to the faculty to allow me to complete an APPIC member internship and I'm waiting to hear back (won't be an issue unless I get an interview at the APPIC member site(s) that I applied to).

Is there anyone who wouldn't pay the 1500 tuition and match/travel fees (i.e., anyone who would drop out on the 15th with only the one interview)?

This is just awful and I can't express how much I wish your program was more supportive.

It is complete BS that there are school administrators who won't let students complete non-APA sites, but that's for another rant.

I would go for the one interview if that's all you end up getting; yes it's 1500 in tuition and match fees, but how much have you invested in your schooling thus far?? I bet it's a lot more than that.
 
I booked a room at Doubletree which is only a mile a way I think and $66 dollars (before taxes) if you go to cheaptickets.com. No hotels I looked at had a shuttle service to/from airport - this hotel seemed nicest and closest for this price range. There is a general airport shuttle service that operates and is $12 (not hotel specific) - I am going to look into that. What day are you there?

I'm there next Thursday, 12/15 in the morning.
 
I'm sure I'm not alone in this, but how are others thinking about sites that have not made them offers but have reached out to other applicants? I have 4 sites that have not rejected me, but I'm not sure if this is just part of the rolling interview process or if I should be preparing myself for rejections.
 
Just wanted to share that I got a call from Applewood Centers today so they are still making calls! Does anyone know their available interview dates?

Also, I want to thank everyone for the continued support and entertainment that come from this site!

I just got the call also. They are offering interviews on some Mondays and Fridays in January.
 
I'm sure I'm not alone in this, but how are others thinking about sites that have not made them offers but have reached out to other applicants? I have 4 sites that have not rejected me, but I'm not sure if this is just part of the rolling interview process or if I should be preparing myself for rejections.


I am not sure how to feel. Part of me wants to feel hopeful, but the other part thinks I should expect rejections. Maybe it is different for every site. All I know is I am an anxious mess right now!
 
The Children's Hospital of Colorado just sent out interview invitations via email. In order to schedule your interview, you log into a portal and select from the available dates on a first come first serve basis.
 
In my opinion, for sites that are calling, rather than emailing, you should still be very optimisitic. I received calls days later than what was posted on here for 2 sites. I don't know how to interpret emails.
 
I'm there next Thursday, 12/15 in the morning.

to MPLS childrens hosp appilcants;

there is a light rail that connects directly from the airport to dt / neighborhood that Childrens Hospital is in. great option.

also ALOFT has a hotel for fairly cheap (i think) in that neighborhood.

theres also a hostel in a cool neighborhood not too far away that I have had friends stay at

http://minneapolishostel.com/
 
Just got an interview at the Alaska VA! Email, wasn't personalized, it's a phone interview. 🙂
 
Mass rejection from UMASS Center for Counseling and Psychological Health
 
I am in business now! Just got an invite for the Devereaux Foundation via non-personalized mass email. We are instructed to call today to schedule in-person interviews in Jan.

Tally is now 2 rejections, 1 interview, and 15 sites to go.
 
congrats- do you know if they are still offering or doing rolling interviews?
 
Interview offered via email to Jewish Child and Family Services- IL last night
 
Such a quiet week! It seems like there was such a flurry of activity last week and now nothing. I am having a hard time keeping myself busy. I am getting frustrated by the fact that sites that have had my application for 6 weeks are still keeping me waiting. If a site like the Boston Consortium, who got a reported 440 applications, can make their notifications, why can't other sites? This has been a LONG week and it is only Tuesday. 🙁
 
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