admission question

[BluePsych]

I've just tried posting this message but there was an error, so I'll just give the gist of it.

My gre combined score is in the 1200s. I was told by an academic clinical psychologist that my score is okay. My undergrad gpa is embarrasing (well below 3.0) but my grad psych gpa is over 3.8. I'm also gaining research experience in my interest area and I had some research experience back in undergrad. I'm interested in clinical phd programs that offer decent funding. Funding is important as I have quite a bit out in student loans already. My interest area is health psych and I'd like to be at a program where training in neuropsych is an option, but I'm primarily health psych.

Does anyone have any recommendations for me to increase my chances of admission, like taking the GRE again? Do I have a realistic chance of getting into a clinical phd program that will offer decent funding?

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[sunny22]

I've just tried posting this message but there was an error, so I'll just give the gist of it.

My gre combined score is in the 1200s. I was told by an academic clinical psychologist that my score is okay. My undergrad gpa is embarrasing (well below 3.0) but my grad psych gpa is over 3.8. I'm also gaining research experience in my interest area and I had some research experience back in undergrad. I'm interested in clinical phd programs that offer decent funding. Funding is important as I have quite a bit out in student loans already. My interest area is health psych and I'd like to be at a program where training in neuropsych is an option, but I'm primarily health psych.

Does anyone have any recommendations for me to increase my chances of admission, like taking the GRE again? Do I have a realistic chance of getting into a clinical phd program that will offer decent funding?

Your stats could describe me. My GRE score was a little bit higher, but GPAs sound about the same (my masters was from a prestigious ivy league institution and i am not sure what difference that made during admissions) and I was admitted to a program this year with alot of funding and the chance that it might increase by the time school starts. Although I will have to take out some loans, they won't be anything like they were for my first grad school program.

If I had to do this again, I would have looked even more carefully at applying to schools where I had similar research interests to multiple professors. The program that I will be attending has several faculty members whose work I liked and I think that was a big asset to me during the admissions process. Also, I am currently working as an RA and we will be submitting a manuscript, (not to a peer reviewed journal) just an article and I think that was really helpful to me. Also, depending on what you did in grad school, having stats classes where you did well could be really helpul. (I was definitely asked that question at more than one school).

Hope this helps! Good Luck!

 

[BluePsych]

Hi Sunny22,

If you don't mind me asking, is your GRE score in the upper 1200s/1300s?

Also, my undergrad GPA was VERY low. I'm hoping to submit at least one article for publication somewhere before I apply.

Btw, thanks for the response. Congrats on getting into that program.

 

[JatPenn]

Blue-

You're doing the right thing by getting more research experience, that's the most important factor in getting into a well-funded clinical PHD program.

Your GREs are fine. As for the GPA, you may want to think about
a) getting a masters and doing well to show you can get good grades doing graduate-calibre work
b) getting a research-assistant job at a large university. you can sort of kill two birds with one stone doing this, since most schools let full-time staff take a couple of classes every semester. You can accrue research experience while doing well in classes you take, thus bolstering your undergrad GPA.

I only say this because it can be a bit difficult navigate the admission process with an overall GPA well under 3.0. That said, GPA will never be the sole reason why you don't get in to a program, so keep working on the research and other areas of your app, and you will be fine. Good luck!

 

[sunny22]

Hi Sunny22,

If you don't mind me asking, is your GRE score in the upper 1200s/1300s?

Also, my undergrad GPA was VERY low. I'm hoping to submit at least one article for publication somewhere before I apply.

Btw, thanks for the response. Congrats on getting into that program.

Sure! My GREs were in the mid-1300's but I am not sure that it made a significant difference, I think it had a lot to do with research fit. Also, I did a Masters before applying so that I could show improvement. And, I only said that I was working on an article (one of my recommenders addressed it in more detail in her letter) but I think it was a positive.

I feel like I can really understand the position that you are in. So if you have more questions, please feel free to post or PM me, I am happy to help in any way I can!

good luck with everything!