Advice from Prof for Applicants to PhD Programs

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Keeg said:
How much is your Major/Minor looked at? Especially when it is relevant, like a minor in applied statistics, that shows you know how to do the statistics in research.
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A psychology major is important. Not sure many people pay too much attention to the minor, however, if it is relevant to one's interests, I am sure it couldn't hurt.
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Hi again,
This may be a stupid question but is minority status considered in the application process? If so, are Asians considered minorities? In certain regions, like California, Asians don't seem like they would be a minority but in other regions, I imagine they would be. Thanks!
 
hamsterpants said:
One more:

I posted this on the board as a thread but I would appreciate your input:

Re: non- Psych pubs

This year I began volunteering at a non-profit and as part of my duties, I edited and proofread papers before they were submitted to peer viewed journals. In a few cases, I contributed writing to the paper. These were usually literature reviews or commentary in which I had some knowledge of the area and then did some supplementary research. The non-profit added me as a co-author to these papers.

The good news is a couple of these were published and couple more are being considered. But most of the papers have a Neuroscience/ Medical emphasis. And I wasn't part of a lab per se - since the nonprofit is not nearby, I volunteered virtually.

Some examples of topics are: Medical ethics curriculum, gun ownership and suicide, psychiatric biomarkers and deep brain stimulation.

Should I add them to my CV or does it make me look too scattered? My main research interest is the etiology and treatment of unipolar depression so I feel that some are at least tangentially related.

Thanks for your advice.
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Yes, include on your CV - they certainly don't hurt!
 
cbyoung said:
Hi again,
This may be a stupid question but is minority status considered in the application process? If so, are Asians considered minorities? In certain regions, like California, Asians don't seem like they would be a minority but in other regions, I imagine they would be. Thanks!
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The field of clinical psychology is woefully not diverse, so programs often look out for opportunities to help increase the diversity of the field. Different programs define diversity differently - ethnicity is just one form of diversity that can be considered.
 
By the way, if you are looking to help out your graduate application, try joining a professional association.

1 - It looks good on the CV - helps to show your 'identity' as a clinical psychologist

2 - You will learn a lot about the field from the journals and correspondence you get by being a member.

3 - You will get access to the listserve, which will help you tremendously in learning about the field, current issues, and even the personalities of some of the well-known folks who post on them. These topical issues may well come up on your interviews!

4 - They're cheap!

Check out:
ABCT (www.abct.org)
APAGS (www.apa.org/apags).
SSCP (www.sscpweb.org)
Society of Clinical Psychology - Division 12 (www.div12.org)
Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology - Div 53 (www.clinicalchildpsychology.org)
SBM (www.sbm.org)

These are the most common for clinical psychologists. Try a couple out!
 
DrClinPsyAdvice said:
By the way, if you are looking to help out your graduate application, try joining a professional association.

1 - It looks good on the CV - helps to show your 'identity' as a clinical psychologist

2 - You will learn a lot about the field from the journals and correspondence you get by being a member.

3 - You will get access to the listserve, which will help you tremendously in learning about the field, current issues, and even the personalities of some of the well-known folks who post on them. These topical issues may well come up on your interviews!

4 - They're cheap!

Check out:
ABCT (www.abct.org)
APAGS (www.apa.org/apags).
SSCP (www.sscpweb.org)
Society of Clinical Psychology - Division 12 (www.div12.org)
Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology - Div 53 (www.clinicalchildpsychology.org)
SBM (www.sbm.org)

These are the most common for clinical psychologists. Try a couple out!
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great idea. Thank you for the list!
 
By the way, if you are looking to help out your graduate application, try joining a professional association.

1 - It looks good on the CV - helps to show your 'identity' as a clinical psychologist

2 - You will learn a lot about the field from the journals and correspondence you get by being a member.

3 - You will get access to the listserve, which will help you tremendously in learning about the field, current issues, and even the personalities of some of the well-known folks who post on them. These topical issues may well come up on your interviews!

4 - They're cheap!

Check out:
ABCT (www.abct.org)
APAGS (www.apa.org/apags).
SSCP (www.sscpweb.org)
Society of Clinical Psychology - Division 12 (www.div12.org)
Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology - Div 53 (www.clinicalchildpsychology.org)
SBM (www.sbm.org)

These are the most common for clinical psychologists. Try a couple out!
 
Hey Doc,

My stats are as follows:

Quan: 660
Verbal: 630
Psyche: 650
GPA: 3.19

If certain programs don't require a Psyche GRE score, should I send mine or not? I am wondering if it will help or hurt me, given my stats.

Thanks for doing this.
 
leahyhl said:
Hey Doc,

My stats are as follows:

Quan: 660
Verbal: 630
Psyche: 650
GPA: 3.19

If certain programs don't require a Psyche GRE score, should I send mine or not? I am wondering if it will help or hurt me, given my stats.

Thanks for doing this.
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Sorry, this forum is best for general questions that would benefit all readers. I am concerned that if I gave individual advice to people without having all of the relevant info, it may be not helpful to you, and could even be misleading to others.

In general, I don't think that people will look at things that they did not request, so I would only send what was asked for in the application.

Thanks.
 
Hi DrClinPsyAdvice,

Thank you for taking your time to help all of us out. Sold advice on these topics is hard to find, so this is in invaluable resource.

A few questions for you...
1) Is it appropriate to contact POIs to express interest in their research and the program, and ask if they'd be willing to meet personally? I happen to be visiting a city with two Ph.D. programs to which I'm applying, and I really would like to visit the campuses and psyc departments, if anything to get a feel for things. Would I be better off simply contacting the administrator and telling them that I'd like to stop by?

2) Until about six months ago, I was planning on applying for medical school (always knowing that I wanted to go into a psychologically relevant field), but I had a change of heart when I really begin thinking about what I'm passionate about. Would this be something worth mentioning in my statement of purpose? If I don't include it, I'd feel as if I were leaving out part of the story. If I do include it, I fear coming across as boastful or self-righteous.

Thank you!

-Christie
 
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Beagle12 said:
Hi DrClinPsyAdvice,

Thank you for taking your time to help all of us out. Sold advice on these topics is hard to find, so this is in invaluable resource.

A few questions for you...
1) Is it appropriate to contact POIs to express interest in their research and the program, and ask if they'd be willing to meet personally? I happen to be visiting a city with two Ph.D. programs to which I'm applying, and I really would like to visit the campuses and psyc departments, if anything to get a feel for things. Would I be better off simply contacting the administrator and telling them that I'd like to stop by?

NO, I would not ask to do this. As you might imagine, programs cannot meet with the many, many applicants to a program in advance. If you want to travel there and look around on your own, then OK. You may get a grad student to chat with you. But you do not want to ask staff or faculty to dedicate time to meet with you before you've been invited for an interview.

2) Until about six months ago, I was planning on applying for medical school (always knowing that I wanted to go into a psychologically relevant field), but I had a change of heart when I really begin thinking about what I'm passionate about. Would this be something worth mentioning in my statement of purpose? If I don't include it, I'd feel as if I were leaving out part of the story. If I do include it, I fear coming across as boastful or self-righteous.

many people start pre-med, and then move to psychology. if you feel that this is part of your story about why psych (research and practice) is your best fit, then it would be fine to include


Thank you!

-Christie
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Phew...23 pages of mostly fantstic information! Thanks to all who have come before me!

By way of introduction -- I am a 40+ y.o. applicant, and graduated with an MA in Dev. Psych. in the mid 90's. I have twenty years of highly varied and increasingly responsible clinical/administrative work in community mental health, and very grass-roots level community organizing/volunteer experience. As for research history, my Masters was a theoretically-oriented degree, and though I had to complete a thesis in order to graduate, my research was neither quantitative nor qualitative. It was strictly along the lines of a dissection of theory and research literature on the topic of interest, and it was not published. My current interests tend towards the history and theory of clinical psychology, though I do have very specific ideas regarding empirically-oriented projects I'd like to take a crack at.

For the Dr.: I have to believe my professional experience will be more than satisfactory preparation for anything I'd experience in a practicum or internship. You've warned people that it's rare for work experience to count... What type of work history constitutes that rare exception? How do YOU know when an applicant's work experience weighs more than usual?

Regarding my "research" -- you've said that some is better than none, but mostly only commented on the work done in lab settings... How about research done in the library stacks?

Thanks so much for your time and perspective
 
Buzzwordsoldier said:
Phew...23 pages of mostly fantstic information! Thanks to all who have come before me!

By way of introduction -- I am a 40+ y.o. applicant, and graduated with an MA in Dev. Psych. in the mid 90's. I have twenty years of highly varied and increasingly responsible clinical/administrative work in community mental health, and very grass-roots level community organizing/volunteer experience. As for research history, my Masters was a theoretically-oriented degree, and though I had to complete a thesis in order to graduate, my research was neither quantitative nor qualitative. It was strictly along the lines of a dissection of theory and research literature on the topic of interest, and it was not published. My current interests tend towards the history and theory of clinical psychology, though I do have very specific ideas regarding empirically-oriented projects I'd like to take a crack at.

For the Dr.: I have to believe my professional experience will be more than satisfactory preparation for anything I'd experience in a practicum or internship. You've warned people that it's rare for work experience to count... What type of work history constitutes that rare exception? How do YOU know when an applicant's work experience weighs more than usual?

Regarding my "research" -- you've said that some is better than none, but mostly only commented on the work done in lab settings... How about research done in the library stacks?

Thanks so much for your time and perspective
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All of this experience 'counts' and can help your application. But it likely will not help reduce the training you will need to become a trained psychological clinician. Thus, it may not give you much of an edge compared to others. As for research experience, your substantial experience will certainly speak to your ability to do graduate level work, and your seasoned, disciplined, and thoughtful approach to work. Experience in psychological science is important as well as research in the 'library stacks.' Some of this involves the same skills, and some involves knowledge of specific research paradigms, participant interaction, etc.
 
Yikes -- given your specialized perspective as a DCT -- for you to state prior work experience may not give much of an edge, that's a definite hair-raiser. :scared:

I have applied to programs that advertise (via The Insider's Guide...) a greater emphasis on clinical training than they do on research. Most of them also have gone on record to state (in the APA's Graduate Studies in Psychology) they place more weight on applicants' work experience than they do on research experience.

...might this change your assessment of the value of clinical experience?
:thumbup: :thumbdown: ??
 
Buzzwordsoldier said:
Yikes -- given your specialized perspective as a DCT -- for you to state prior work experience may not give much of an edge, that's a definite hair-raiser. :scared:

I have applied to programs that advertise (via The Insider's Guide...) a greater emphasis on clinical training than they do on research. Most of them also have gone on record to state (in the APA's Graduate Studies in Psychology) they place more weight on applicants' work experience than they do on research experience.

...might this change your assessment of the value of clinical experience?
:thumbup: :thumbdown: ??
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Most all PhD programs in clinical psychology are either balanced or research focused more than clinical. I'm not familiar with the PsyD process
 
DrClinPsyAdvice said:
Most all PhD programs in clinical psychology are either balanced or research focused more than clinical. I'm not familiar with the PsyD process
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Apologies for the misinformation. Only one of the PhD programs I've applied to endorses a clinical focus. Three endorse an even balance. One endorses a research focus.

That said, only one of these programs (an evenly balanced one) makes the claim that research matters more than work experience in their decisions. The others rate work and research experience equally -- two rate them as high, one rates them as medium. Again this is according to the APA guide.

In your estimation, are these assessments reliable and significant? And, in a case such as mine, would this information change your initial words of caution?

Thank you so much for entertaining these questions.
 
Buzzwordsoldier said:
Apologies for the misinformation. Only one of the PhD programs I've applied to endorses a clinical focus. Three endorse an even balance. One endorses a research focus.

That said, only one of these programs (an evenly balanced one) makes the claim that research matters more than work experience in their decisions. The others rate work and research experience equally -- two rate them as high, one rates them as medium. Again this is according to the APA guide.

In your estimation, are these assessments reliable and significant? And, in a case such as mine, would this information change your initial words of caution?

Thank you so much for entertaining these questions.
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Sorry, I do not know what to say. You should follow the instructions and guidelines of the specific programs you are applying to - the information on this forum is simply general advice. I believe that research experience is critical for any successful application to a PhD clinical program.
 
Dear Dr.,

Does it matter if admission forms (mainly supplemental) are handwritten? or is typed preferred?

Thanks!
 
I'm noticing that many of my applications have a slot to list all of the other programs to which I'm applying. Is this generally seen as required, or optional.

I ask mainly because I'm applying to 14 programs. Could this be seen as a negative and/or reduce my chances of admittance?

Thanks again for all of the wonderful advice!
 
Beagle12 said:
I'm noticing that many of my applications have a slot to list all of the other programs to which I'm applying. Is this generally seen as required, or optional.

I ask mainly because I'm applying to 14 programs. Could this be seen as a negative and/or reduce my chances of admittance?

Thanks again for all of the wonderful advice!
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I would imagine that this is optional. Applicants to clinical psych programs typically are pretty sure they want clinical psych and not also other types of programs
 
Hi, thanks so much for taking the time to give so much great advice. I was just wondering about applying to PhDs as an international student. Apart from the obvious differences like grading schemes etc, I was wondering are international students seen as beneficial or not for the department? I'm worried that the visa and financial implications (etc) of having such a student enrolled in any programme may make an admissions committee think twice if there is an equally qualified American applicant who was educated in a familiar system and is easier to employ?
 
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eirelass said:
Hi, thanks so much for taking the time to give so much great advice. I was just wondering about applying to PhDs as an international student (Ireland in my case). Apart from the obvious differences like grading schemes etc, I was wondering are international students seen as beneficial or not for the department? I'm worried that the visa and financial implications (etc) of having such a student enrolled in any programme may make an admissions committee think twice if there is an equally qualified American applicant who was educated in a familiar system and is easier to employ?
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No problem. I think international students are just as likely to get in as Americans
 
Dear Dr.,

At least two of my applications have asked me to list fellowships and scholarships I have applied for and those I have received. These are at top tier research institutions with fully funded PhDs.

I feel bad about leaving this question blank as I have none to speak of. I have spent hours researching fellowships, scholarships, grants etc. and I cannot find any major ones I am eligible for. Most require you to already be enrolled in a graduate program. In addition, the kind of research I want to do is not funded by the NSF. I did find $500 essay contests (on subjects not related to psych) but somehow I doubt this is what the schools are thinking of.

Does it reflect poorly on me to leave this field blank?

Thank you!
 
hamsterpants said:
Dear Dr.,

At least two of my applications have asked me to list fellowships and scholarships I have applied for and those I have received. These are at top tier research institutions with fully funded PhDs.

I feel bad about leaving this question blank as I have none to speak of. I have spent hours researching fellowships, scholarships, grants etc. and I cannot find any major ones I am eligible for. Most require you to already be enrolled in a graduate program. In addition, the kind of research I want to do is not funded by the NSF. I did find $500 essay contests (on subjects not related to psych) but somehow I doubt this is what the schools are thinking of.

Does it reflect poorly on me to leave this field blank?

Thank you!
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No problem - it's fine.
 
DrClinPsyAdvice said:
No problem - it's fine.
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Thanks.

Here I go again:

I have been going through this thread to make sure there is nothing I am overlooking on my applications.

I came upon an old post where you recommended GPA's below 3.4 should be justified/ explained in the personal statement. My undergrad GPA is 3.34,. It was more than 10 years ago that I graduated and I have taken recent courses and earned As. Some schools want these recent transcripts, some do not.

I have not said anything about my GPA in my statements, should I? If it makes a differences, my GRE is 1530.

Thank you.
 
hamsterpants said:
Thanks.

Here I go again:

I have been going through this thread to make sure there is nothing I am overlooking on my applications.

I came upon an old post where you recommended GPA's below 3.4 should be justified/ explained in the personal statement. My undergrad GPA is 3.34,. It was more than 10 years ago that I graduated and I have taken recent courses and earned As. Some schools want these recent transcripts, some do not.

I have not said anything about my GPA in my statements, should I? If it makes a differences, my GRE is 1530.

Thank you.
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No, I doubt you need to say anything. Seems like you'll be fine, I bet.
 
I'm also interested on your perspective on a so-called "Kiss Of Death" in the personal statement: wanting to save the world.

Seems safe to say few people ever actually write "I am applying because I want to save the world."

Can you give examples from applications that have made this lethal error? In your opinion/experience, what counts as less than lethal?

I'm concerned because my career has been all about critical psychology and the spirit of clinical activism. Oy!
 
Buzzwordsoldier said:
I'm also interested on your perspective on a so-called "Kiss Of Death" in the personal statement: wanting to save the world.

Seems safe to say few people ever actually write "I am applying because I want to save the world."

Can you give examples from applications that have made this lethal error? In your opinion/experience, what counts as less than lethal?

I'm concerned because my career has been all about critical psychology and the spirit of clinical activism. Oy!
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I have not heard of this 'kiss of death" before, but I do think that a naive approach but not be as effective as a realistic one. A discussion of the importance of clinical psych, one's commitment to the mental health field, and one's hopes for making an impact on the science and practice of clinical psych would be quite appropriate.
 
Thanks for the encouragement.

I found one more: In another early post, you mentioned that publications- if they are not in high quality journals- can backfire and reflect poorly on the applicant. Can you expand on this a bit?


DrClinPsyAdvice said:
No, I doubt you need to say anything. Seems like you'll be fine, I bet.
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hamsterpants said:
Thanks for the encouragement.

I found one more: In another early post, you mentioned that publications- if they are not in high quality journals- can backfire and reflect poorly on the applicant. Can you expand on this a bit?
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Did I say that? That sounds a bit strong.
I guess I would say that pubs are not as big a deal in grad admissions as some people fear they are. It is very rare for students to have them before grad school, and they usually reflect the generosity of the mentor more than the autonomous contribution of the applicant. Thus, they are not looked at as a good measure of much, and rarely will make a very big difference in the decision about an applicant (given that all else are equal).
 
DrClinPsyAdvice said:
Did I say that? That sounds a bit strong.
I guess I would say that pubs are not as big a deal in grad admissions as some people fear they are. It is very rare for students to have them before grad school, and they usually reflect the generosity of the mentor more than the autonomous contribution of the applicant. Thus, they are not looked at as a good measure of much, and rarely will make a very big difference in the decision about an applicant (given that all else are equal).
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Ah. I see. I may have misunderstood the post.


Thank you again.
 
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hamsterpants said:
Ah. I see. I may have misunderstood the post.

I have a couple of pubs I am a co-author on, but one is in the LancetStudent.com and the other is in another open access, peer-reviewed online journal. I was wondering if these should be included in a CV/ application.

Thank you again.
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sure, you can include these
 
Speaking of publications...

You have mentioned a few times that being first author on a publication is often a reflection of the professor's generosity than anything else. However, I have two publications that I am first author on that were published in well-respected peer-reviewed journals, and I did almost all the work on them. That includes data collection, analysis, write-up, and being responsible for the whole submission/editing process. Is there a way to convey that it was not just the generosity of my PI, and that I actually worked very hard on the projects to get them published, in my personal statements?

Thanks!
 
Sorry, one more question.

For one of those projects that I worked on that resulted in a publication, I worked closely with a post-doc who is the graduate of one of the programs I am applying to. He has since gone back to work at the University that the program is at, although not in the Clinical department (I think he's in the Psychiatry Dept now). Would it look good to ask him to write me a letter of recommendation? The school allows more than 3 letters, so they would not be replacing another important person. I only worked with him on that one project (although it was a lengthy project) and my PI also worked with me on the project, so he might have already discussed it in his letter. Therefore, it wouldn't be adding much in the way of new information about my skills, but I guess being a graduate of the program he could attest to my fit in the program.

Also, the post-doc gave me the contact information for a few of my POI's past students, and they told me about his mentorship style being very laid back and supportive, but kind of hands off. This is highly desirable for me because I feel like that's the type of setting that I thrive best.... is this appropriate (more eloquently worded) to include in my personal statement for reasons why I want to work with this prof?
 
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clinicalpsyapp said:
Sorry, one more question.

For one of those projects that I worked on that resulted in a publication, I worked closely with a post-doc who is the graduate of one of the programs I am applying to. He has since gone back to work at the University that the program is at, although not in the Clinical department (I think he's in the Psychiatry Dept now). Would it look good to ask him to write me a letter of recommendation? The school allows more than 3 letters, so they would not be replacing another important person. I only worked with him on that one project (although it was a lengthy project) and my PI also worked with me on the project, so he might have already discussed it in his letter. Therefore, it wouldn't be adding much in the way of new information about my skills, but I guess being a graduate of the program he could attest to my fit in the program.

Also, the post-doc gave me the contact information for a few of my POI's past students, and they told me about his mentorship style being very laid back and supportive, but kind of hands off. This is highly desirable for me because I feel like that's the type of setting that I thrive best.... is this appropriate (more eloquently worded) to include in my personal statement for reasons why I want to work with this prof?
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Yes, if the senior authors of your pubs write you letters, which would be good, then they can and likely will mention the extent of your contribution on these publications. You can also discuss it somewhat tactfully in your personal statement
 
I just wanted to say THANK YOU!

I was thinking back over to where I was when I was beginning this process and where I am now and regardless of the outcome, this opportunity to ask questions of a DCT is a invaluable resource. I don't know of anything else like it.

Thank you again for giving of your time and your expertise.
I hope you are rewarded with a great group of incoming students this year, although that is probably a given.
 
hamsterpants said:
I just wanted to say THANK YOU!

I was thinking back over to where I was when I was beginning this process and where I am now and regardless of the outcome, this opportunity to ask questions of a DCT is a invaluable resource. I don't know of anything else like it.

Thank you again for giving of your time and your expertise.
I hope you are rewarded with a great group of incoming students this year, although that is probably a given.
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thanks!
 
Hi, first of all thanksfor replying to my earlier question about being an international student, I really appreciate it! I was just wondering, if you're applying to schools which have a recommended/cut-off GRE score and are a little below (in my case, 67th percentile when the cut off is 70), should you mention it in a personal statement so they know you are aware of it, or just play up your strengths and not talk about it? I was going to include a small bit in my PS about how I hope the factors I have outlined along with my professional experience and GPA will compensate for my lower Quant score, just so they know that I read the requirements...What do you think?
 
DrClinPsyAdvice,

Do you think its inappropriate to ask a letter writer to read their letter? One of my letter writers has submitted her letter online and also gave me a signed, sealed paper copy. I feel uncomfortable opening it without her permission so I feel compelled to ask. What's your opinion on this?

Thanks!
 
Quick question here:

Here is a bare bones summary of my current status
I am currently finishing up my MA in psychology with a 3.9 GPA and
quality thesis with 2 well known/well published advisers (also LOR writers). I have 2 years of research experience and a 1380 GRE / 740 Psych GRE. I also have 35 credits of non degree undergraduate psychology work with a 3.7 GPA. I have one publication in review (not a 1st author however)

I am a competitive applicant for many of the programs I have targeted ASIDE FROM THE FOLLOWING:

10 years ago I graduated from a BFA program in film with an egregiously low GPA (2.7).

How should I address this issue in my application? I want to at least have a chance to have my application reviewed in its entirety. Should I adjust my undergrad GPA upward on the application by factoring in the 35 credits of psych coursework?

Hey if the field of clinical psychology is predicated on the possibility of the potential for change (at least in clients) why shouldn't my application be afforded some consideration?
 
eirelass said:
Hi, first of all thanksfor replying to my earlier question about being an international student, I really appreciate it! I was just wondering, if you're applying to schools which have a recommended/cut-off GRE score and are a little below (in my case, 67th percentile when the cut off is 70), should you mention it in a personal statement so they know you are aware of it, or just play up your strengths and not talk about it? I was going to include a small bit in my PS about how I hope the factors I have outlined along with my professional experience and GPA will compensate for my lower Quant score, just so they know that I read the requirements...What do you think?
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Not sure it makes sense to call that much attention to it. Ideally, one of your letter writers will make a case for your qualifications for you.
 
childpsych479 said:
DrClinPsyAdvice,

Do you think its inappropriate to ask a letter writer to read their letter? One of my letter writers has submitted her letter online and also gave me a signed, sealed paper copy. I feel uncomfortable opening it without her permission so I feel compelled to ask. What's your opinion on this?

Thanks!
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You should ask. If they are OK with you reading it, then I don't see a problem
 
Cats4Gold said:
Quick question here:

Here is a bare bones summary of my current status
I am currently finishing up my MA in psychology with a 3.9 GPA and
quality thesis with 2 well known/well published advisers (also LOR writers). I have 2 years of research experience and a 1380 GRE / 740 Psych GRE. I also have 35 credits of non degree undergraduate psychology work with a 3.7 GPA. I have one publication in review (not a 1st author however)

I am a competitive applicant for many of the programs I have targeted ASIDE FROM THE FOLLOWING:

10 years ago I graduated from a BFA program in film with an egregiously low GPA (2.7).

How should I address this issue in my application? I want to at least have a chance to have my application reviewed in its entirety. Should I adjust my undergrad GPA upward on the application by factoring in the 35 credits of psych coursework?

Hey if the field of clinical psychology is predicated on the possibility of the potential for change (at least in clients) why shouldn't my application be afforded some consideration?
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The high GPA is Masters work speaks for itself - you are capable to doing high quality grad work. I am not sure much more needs to be said.
 
Hey there DrClinPsy,

Thanks so much for all your help! I recently posted a question to the message board that someone suggested I put up here too:

I've noticed that some schools allow you to send an additional letter to the admissions committee if you feel that your academic records don't accurately reflect your true potential, and I'm trying to figure out whether I should send one in.

I graduated from college with a fine GPA, but made the mistake of taking extra classes half-time after I graduated, while I was working 50 hours a week. Needless to say, I didn't have enough time to adequately study for all my classes, and I didn't do as well as I would have liked.

Is it worth sending a letter explaining that these grades don't really reflect my potential, or will that just draw unnecessary attention to them? They weren't psych classes, so they I don't think they should have a direct bearing on my ability to handle a psych PhD program. And other than this, I'm feeling pretty confident -- I'm happy with my test scores, research experience, etc.

For the record, most schools do require that I send these grades in, so just pretending they don't exist isn't an option.
 
Dear DrClinPsyAdvice,

Thank you so much for this thread! I've tried scanning through the majority of the posts to not repeat any GRE/GPA questions. Through what I've seen most posters have had a problem in one area (ex. GPA), and need to work on another (ex. low GRE). However, I am wondering how the previously discussed "cut-offs" of 1200 and 3.3 apply for those of us who "just make it (or just miss it)"?

I graduated from a good eastern college with a 3.39 GPA, took time off to gain research experience (about 2 yrs) and got an 1190 (570-V, 620-Q) on the GRE. For those of us who just miss the 1200 cutoff, is it worth retaking the GRE? Or (as I've tried answering this question via calling some admissions offices) do all clinical psych programs consider the "whole package"? However this doesn't make sense based on previous post discussions where 50% are discarded.

I am very confused and would appreciate any advice you could give. Thanks for your help and time!
 
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