Advice from Prof for Applicants to PhD Programs

[deleted176373]

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I have a question about contacting POIs after you find out you were rejected (for example, if you really want to work with them, and want to re-apply next year). I contacted my first choice POI via email, because I had heard a lot of conflicting information about getting a master's degree vs more research experience, etc. He said the best thing to do is get experience in "basic psychological research." This is what I do now. Can you shed any light on etiquette for these sorts of inquiries, and/or what you believe is the best kind of basic psychological research to be involved in?
Thank you

Absolutely contact them and specifically ask how to make your package stronger, then do exactly that. We recently had one person (who interviewed in my cohort and failed to get accepted) return after addressing the concerns that the faculty had regarding their application. They are now a student in my program.

You should obviously be polite and respectful, ask if they would be interested in interviewing you again and discuss what would be the best way to strengthen your application for next year.

Don't get discouraged, if you are getting interviews, you have the right stuff. Just keep plugging along.

Mark

 

[DrClinPsyAdvice]

Hello,

I have been invited to an interview, which is in 1 week, and when I looked at my essay I named five or six areas which I am interested in. I am genuinely interested in the topics but do not have much specific knowledge about them, or about the research which the professors are currently conducting. I am searching Psych lit for recent articles but it is proving an impossible task. I simply can't find recent or relevant articles for most of them.

Is it appropriate to e-mail the professors at the schools which I am interested in and request some literature which is indicative of the direction of their current research, or will that immediately convey a lack of knowledge of their research?

Also, I haven't accepted the interview yet. If I am not notified about the specific person I am interviewing with than how should I prepare? Is that even possible, or do all schools tell you who atleast 1 or 2 of your inteviewers are?

Thanks

You will likely find out who you are interviewing with at some point. If you mentioned an interest in their research, then you should come somewhat knowledgeable about their research. They may have websites with info on recent publications (or CVs), and they likely have stuff on PsychInfo, if they are active researchers and tenured faculty. I would suggest finding this information on your own, rather than asking them for it.

 

[Anomie]

Thank you for all of your work answering questions, it has been comforting and enthralling watching the thread progress.

I have been offered admission to my #2 clinical psychology program and I think i want to accept. I did not get to interview at my #1, but I have 4 more interviews later this month. I would like to call and cancel the interviews I'm just a little hesitant given I lack a physical letter as my offer was via email. I also wonder how much aid will be offered as this preliminary email did not give much for details. However, I was told it would be full tuition and decent stipend regardless.

My question is: The offer of admission was sent via email by my POI. The email was phrased to indicate that their admissions decisions were not yet complete, but that my POI was authorized to invite me. The email indicated i would receive a formal acceptance letter by mail in a few weeks. Last, my POI indicated I should feel free to take my time to decide and telephone with any questions.

I'm rather tempted to accept the offer now, i just wish I could hold the letter and see the aid offer.

1. Would it be appropriate to call my POI and ask about the AID offer?
2. Is the email offer of admission as firm as a letter? (is it too hasty to start declining others?)

 

[DrClinPsyAdvice]

Thank you for all of your work answering questions, it has been comforting and enthralling watching the thread progress.

I have been offered admission to my #2 clinical psychology program and I think i want to accept. I did not get to interview at my #1, but I have 4 more interviews later this month. I would like to call and cancel the interviews I'm just a little hesitant given I lack a physical letter as my offer was via email. I also wonder how much aid will be offered as this preliminary email did not give much for details. However, I was told it would be full tuition and decent stipend regardless.

My question is: The offer of admission was sent via email by my POI. The email was phrased to indicate that their admissions decisions were not yet complete, but that my POI was authorized to invite me. The email indicated i would receive a formal acceptance letter by mail in a few weeks. Last, my POI indicated I should feel free to take my time to decide and telephone with any questions.

I'm rather tempted to accept the offer now, i just wish I could hold the letter and see the aid offer.

1. Would it be appropriate to call my POI and ask about the AID offer?
2. Is the email offer of admission as firm as a letter? (is it too hasty to start declining others?)

First off, Congratulations!

1. Sure, it is appropriate to ask about funding now. You want to make sure that this is secured.
2. Normally, I would say that the written letter confirmation is a mere formality. But in this economy, you should definitely wait for the letter! The economy is wreaking havoc on the admissions procedures and you want that stipend and tuition remission locked in stone before you decline other interviews.

As for declining interviews in general, you may decide that you like a place better once you go to see it! I'd suggest going on an interview unless you are 100% certain that you would not accept their offer. If you may still consider it, go check it out!

 

[researchgirl]

I hope I'm not asking a repeated question, but I think I have read through everything. I have a few questions:

1. After interviewing at what I currently consider to be my top choice, one of the faculty members I'm interested in working with e-mailed me to say they felt that our conversation went well, that I was a good fit in their mind, and that they would like to talk to me further over the phone. I feel that I have a very good sense of what their program is like, and am very certain I am interested in his research. What should I expect from this 15-minute follow-up phone conversation? Should I have more questions prepared? Is this typical?

2. For all interviews, I have used PubMed (I'm applying to mostly health-focused clinical phd program) to find journal articles of faculty members I am interviewing with. However, I've struggled to find full-text articles by a specific PI. Is it appropriate to e-mail him only 2 weeks before the interview to ask for full text articles, or would this come off 'tacky' so late in the game?

3. If, after interview, a faculty member says he will e-mail you (i.e. to send you an article that is under review you are interested in, to help you get in contact with former students to ask about his mentorship style, etc.), how long should I wait before I e-mail him to remind him/follow-up?

 

[DrClinPsyAdvice]

I hope I'm not asking a repeated question, but I think I have read through everything. I have a few questions:

1. After interviewing at what I currently consider to be my top choice, one of the faculty members I'm interested in working with e-mailed me to say they felt that our conversation went well, that I was a good fit in their mind, and that they would like to talk to me further over the phone. I feel that I have a very good sense of what their program is like, and am very certain I am interested in his research. What should I expect from this 15-minute follow-up phone conversation? Should I have more questions prepared? Is this typical?

ALWAYS have more questions to ask!
A follow-up is not typical, but not odd at all. Be sure to ask a few more things to help you express interest and be sure you know everything you need about the program

2. For all interviews, I have used PubMed (I'm applying to mostly health-focused clinical phd program) to find journal articles of faculty members I am interviewing with. However, I've struggled to find full-text articles by a specific PI. Is it appropriate to e-mail him only 2 weeks before the interview to ask for full text articles, or would this come off 'tacky' so late in the game?

Try PsychInfo, or go to the library and get them in person. It may seem odd to ask them to send the articles to you at this point

3. If, after interview, a faculty member says he will e-mail you (i.e. to send you an article that is under review you are interested in, to help you get in contact with former students to ask about his mentorship style, etc.), how long should I wait before I e-mail him to remind him/follow-up?

1 week is fine.

 

[thewesternsky]

Thanks so much for your help! So I've been lucky enough to get interviews at quite a few great schools, and was accepted last week to a school I'd happily attend. However, I'm still interviewing at other schools, and want to consider all my options before making a decision.

I plan to follow the APA guidelines--that is, to interview at all the schools I can, learn more about the programs, ask my questions, and as soon as I have two offers, I plan to decide between them and decline one as quickly as possible. I also plan to accept an offer as soon as I make a decision, and definitely before April 15th.

Is there anything else I should be doing? I guess I mostly feel bad about making this one professor (who just accepted me) wait possibly two months for my acceptance (if I happen to be waitlisted at another school I'd rather attend, for example). Is what I'm doing acceptable? Is this professor going to hate me if I hold the offer for two months and then ultimately decline it to go somewhere else?

 

[DrClinPsyAdvice]

Thanks so much for your help! So I've been lucky enough to get interviews at quite a few great schools, and was accepted last week to a school I'd happily attend. However, I'm still interviewing at other schools, and want to consider all my options before making a decision.

I plan to follow the APA guidelines--that is, to interview at all the schools I can, learn more about the programs, ask my questions, and as soon as I have two offers, I plan to decide between them and decline one as quickly as possible. I also plan to accept an offer as soon as I make a decision, and definitely before April 15th.

Is there anything else I should be doing? I guess I mostly feel bad about making this one professor (who just accepted me) wait possibly two months for my acceptance (if I happen to be waitlisted at another school I'd rather attend, for example). Is what I'm doing acceptable? Is this professor going to hate me if I hold the offer for two months and then ultimately decline it to go somewhere else?

Congrats!
you are handling this perfectly - no problem.

 

[MorganLilith]

Thank you so much for helping so much!
I have two questions:
I went to an interview this past weekend and (including myself) everyone had only one POI. Now, I am interviewing at a school in a few weeks and I have two POIs. One does research on Anxiety, and one does research on Mood disorders. I am interested in both and will be interviewing to work with both. I spoke to one of the professors on the phone and she said that they do a lot of collaboration. I have also seen this myself where they co-author many diffent articles. So, I am wondering 1. During the one-on-one interviews, should I tailor my interests to each professor? IE- should i tell the one who does anxiety the different things i am interested in ONLY in regards to anxiety or should I tell her my interests in mood disorders as well? 2. Do you think that because they do two different things and I am interested in doing both, that they will see this as a lack of focus? I mean, these disorders are hugely comorbid, so I assume that they will understand my interest in both,but I wonder if they will both pass on me because i have interest in more than what they focus on. I'm interested in your thoughts..

 

[DrClinPsyAdvice]

Thank you so much for helping so much!
I have two questions:
I went to an interview this past weekend and (including myself) everyone had only one POI. Now, I am interviewing at a school in a few weeks and I have two POIs. One does research on Anxiety, and one does research on Mood disorders. I am interested in both and will be interviewing to work with both. I spoke to one of the professors on the phone and she said that they do a lot of collaboration. I have also seen this myself where they co-author many diffent articles. So, I am wondering 1. During the one-on-one interviews, should I tailor my interests to each professor? IE- should i tell the one who does anxiety the different things i am interested in ONLY in regards to anxiety or should I tell her my interests in mood disorders as well? 2. Do you think that because they do two different things and I am interested in doing both, that they will see this as a lack of focus? I mean, these disorders are hugely comorbid, so I assume that they will understand my interest in both,but I wonder if they will both pass on me because i have interest in more than what they focus on. I'm interested in your thoughts..

The best advice is to describe your research interests honestly. If you get accepted somewhere you will not really be happy, it does no one any favors. If you're interested in both areas of work, it will be fine to say so. Since they collaborate and publish together, they likely see overlap in their work, and would expect students to share interests in both areas, I would presume.

 

[daniterese]

Reading through this thread has been extremely helpful! All my questions were answered, thank you so much for your time. Great anxiety-reducer to remember that faculty are real people, too!

 

[minichka2004]

Dear DrClinPsyAdvice,


I want to join everyone and say that I appreciate your time and your knowledgeable, helpful, honest, and compassionate attitude when you answer all our questions! 😍

I know that you belong to clinical psychology field , but I hope that you still will be able to answer my questions from your personal and professional perspective. I would appreciate your response!


Yesterday I had an interview for my 1st choice PhD program in counseling psychology. I have kind of dubious feelings about the interview. I really love the program, and enjoyed professors and students, who were very friendly and personable. 3 groups of professors and 2 groups of students interviewed everyone individually. I had a feed back from professors and students that they liked my personality. I was not tense and I really enjoyed talking to them. I made them smile and laugh several times, they seemed interested and genuine. All of them verbalized that that they value openness, sincerity, broad mindness, team work abilities, and something that would make an applicant special and unique....all of which I think I have…


Professors and student stressed that it is the personality and interests match which they value most. Several professors told me that they also have too many interests saying that they share this trait with me… They said that broad interests is a characteristic feature of counseling psychology. My interests coincide with the majority of faculty’s interests 100%. My main interests match the program ‘s orientation. I didn’t invent anything when I was describing my interests. I was passionate and motivated when I talked about them…However, several times they asked me to define several of my main interests and I did this. I was a bit vague about population I want to work with... I do not yet know for sure, and after all the program doesn’t require any rigid interests and decisions about the future. There are several research teams students can join, so they do not require that there is a determined POI- student match.


I am currently at the end of my MS community counseling program(I only have this semester and then internship left before I can graduate. My GPA is very high, and the PhD program of my choice faculty knows that I am ready to quit it, and start my PhD program repeating some courses all over again. I mean I am applying as a BA/BS applicant and not as a MA/MS applicant. I have two main reasons to do this: first reason is because this university location fits me better because of my personal situation , and second (more important reason) is because I really like this program very much. Professors told me that this makes me a special applicant and they told me that they appreciate my genuine interest in their program and my readiness to sacrifice 1 or 2 years of my studies. The training director of the program told everyone that she will contact applicants in 2 weeks. One professor whose interests match mine and who I think like me, gave me his card and told me to contact him for the feed back.

My questions:
What do you think about my performance at the interview?
Do you think that lack of focus may harm me?

Will I have any advantaged being an applicant with a BA degree in psychology and having completed many courses from the Masters degree program in counseling with a GPA 3.9 ?

Since the program values diverse interests which match the faculty interests, will my lack of focus be a disadvantage?


Should I wait for 2 weeks, or should I contact the professor who gave me his card earlier?


Does the fact that he gave me his card mean anything?

Thank you so much for answering at least to some of my questions and giving me your opinion!🙂

 

[DrClinPsyAdvice]

Dear DrClinPsyAdvice,


I want to join everyone and say that I appreciate your time and your knowledgeable, helpful, honest, and compassionate attitude when you answer all our questions! 😍

I know that you belong to clinical psychology field , but I hope that you still will be able to answer my questions from your personal and professional perspective. I would appreciate your response!


Yesterday I had an interview for my 1st choice PhD program in counseling psychology. I have kind of dubious feelings about the interview. I really love the program, and enjoyed professors and students, who were very friendly and personable. 3 groups of professors and 2 groups of students interviewed everyone individually. I had a feed back from professors and students that they liked my personality. I was not tense and I really enjoyed talking to them. I made them smile and laugh several times, they seemed interested and genuine. All of them verbalized that that they value openness, sincerity, broad mindness, team work abilities, and something that would make an applicant special and unique....all of which I think I have…


Professors and student stressed that it is the personality and interests match which they value most. Several professors told me that they also have too many interests saying that they share this trait with me… They said that broad interests is a characteristic feature of counseling psychology. My interests coincide with the majority of faculty’s interests 100%. My main interests match the program ‘s orientation. I didn’t invent anything when I was describing my interests. I was passionate and motivated when I talked about them…However, several times they asked me to define several of my main interests and I did this. I was a bit vague about population I want to work with... I do not yet know for sure, and after all the program doesn’t require any rigid interests and decisions about the future. There are several research teams students can join, so they do not require that there is a determined POI- student match.


I am currently at the end of my MS community counseling program(I only have this semester and then internship left before I can graduate. My GPA is very high, and the PhD program of my choice faculty knows that I am ready to quit it, and start my PhD program repeating some courses all over again. I mean I am applying as a BA/BS applicant and not as a MA/MS applicant. I have two main reasons to do this: first reason is because this university location fits me better because of my personal situation , and second (more important reason) is because I really like this program very much. Professors told me that this makes me a special applicant and they told me that they appreciate my genuine interest in their program and my readiness to sacrifice 1 or 2 years of my studies. The training director of the program told everyone that she will contact applicants in 2 weeks. One professor whose interests match mine and who I think like me, gave me his card and told me to contact him for the feed back.

My questions:
What do you think about my performance at the interview?
Do you think that lack of focus may harm me?

Will I have any advantaged being an applicant with a BA degree in psychology and having completed many courses from the Masters degree program in counseling with a GPA 3.9 ?

Since the program values diverse interests which match the faculty interests, will my lack of focus be a disadvantage?


Should I wait for 2 weeks, or should I contact the professor who gave me his card earlier?


Does the fact that he gave me his card mean anything?

Thank you so much for answering at least to some of my questions and giving me your opinion!🙂

The time period between the interview and the decisions can indeed be a very stressful time. It will be important to separate your gut instincts from the type of doubts and fears that can come from over-thinking and ruminating that is sometimes common at this stage.

It is very hard to know what your chances will be, nor guess what some of the statements or actions that you observed may 'mean.'

From what you have written above, it sounds like you feel like you did your very best on the interview and that you feel that you are a true match. It also sounds like you got pretty explicit feedback that the issues you are concerned with are not likely problematic issues for the site. This is probably the best you can ask for at this point, and as difficult as it is, it will be important to wait the next two weeks, accepting that there are some things now that cannot be controlled or addressed any more.

Hang in there.

 

[minichka2004]

The time period between the interview and the decisions can indeed be a very stressful time. It will be important to separate your gut instincts from the type of doubts and fears that can come from over-thinking and ruminating that is sometimes common at this stage.

It is very hard to know what your chances will be, nor guess what some of the statements or actions that you observed may 'mean.'

From what you have written above, it sounds like you feel like you did your very best on the interview and that you feel that you are a true match. It also sounds like you got pretty explicit feedback that the issues you are concerned with are not likely problematic issues for the site. This is probably the best you can ask for at this point, and as difficult as it is, it will be important to wait the next two weeks, accepting that there are some things now that cannot be controlled or addressed any more.

Hang in there.

Dear DrClinPsyAdvice,

Thank you very much for your response and your support. Yes, everything you write seems logical and makes sense. Yes, I know that I have been ruminating 😳, and I just need to relax and be positive 😎.

I have a question about a "thank you" note to be sent after the interview is over. There are no professors' e-mails on the program's website except the e-mail of the program training director, who previously contacted me about the interview. Do you think I should go ahead and e-mail her? Will it be enough?

I also feel like adding a few words about the interview meaning that I enjoyed talking to professors and students, but regret that the stressful short time format of the interview didn't allow me to let them know more about myself and to learn more from them. Something like "I wish we had more time to talk about my interests and experience and to ask more questions about the program and faculty's interests and current research"....It is true, because all 4 faculty teams had only 20-30 minutes to talk to each applicant. Do you think it will be appropriate, or is it better to avoid any extra feedback from my side at this point?

Thanks again for your help! 🙂

 

[minichka2004]

The time period between the interview and the decisions can indeed be a very stressful time. It will be important to separate your gut instincts from the type of doubts and fears that can come from over-thinking and ruminating that is sometimes common at this stage.

It is very hard to know what your chances will be, nor guess what some of the statements or actions that you observed may 'mean.'

From what you have written above, it sounds like you feel like you did your very best on the interview and that you feel that you are a true match. It also sounds like you got pretty explicit feedback that the issues you are concerned with are not likely problematic issues for the site. This is probably the best you can ask for at this point, and as difficult as it is, it will be important to wait the next two weeks, accepting that there are some things now that cannot be controlled or addressed any more.

Hang in there.

DrClinPsyAdvice,

Sorry, if I have been repeating questions, you have already answered. I have just found what you have already answered questions about "thank you" notes.

You have written that such notes should be short unless there is something we genuinely want to convey. And I do want to let them know (reassure them) that I do have several specific research interests and they are A, B, C. In addition I would also like to work with A and B population. Not that I haven't mentioned this during the interview, but I worry that I didn't sound as determined and professional as I would have preferred I did:

May I add this information as a remark, after general "thank you and wishing we could talk longer" or would it sound redundant and excessive?

I have found other faculty e-mail addresses on the department website. Would it be sane to send the note to all faculty?😕

Sorry for asking more questions, and thank you again for your help!🙂

 

[Aggieanthony]

DrClinPsyAdvice,

I have been "lurking" in this thread for the last couple of months, and I really want to thank you for the service you're providing too all of us students who are "lost in the sauce" trying to decipher the path of our future. I'm trilingual and still have problems in figuring this stuff out!

That formality dispensed with, I have a very specific question, and one hopefully you'll be able to assist with in some capacity. I am interested in pursuing a Ph.D or Psy.D in Clinical or Counseling Psychology, and I prefer to work more in a clinical setting than a research setting, however I have not closed my mind off to research at all.

I graduated in 2004 with B.A. in Psychology, with a pretty dismal GPA due to life circumstances (A death in immediate family, full-time work hours, continuation ad nauseum). After graduating, I enlisted in the military and served for 4 years as a linguist/intelligence collector, and learned to speak Persian-Farsi and Arabic fluently. I graduated from the language school, the Defense Language Institute,which is accredited on the same level as a given community college in my area such as American River College or San Joaquin Delta College, with honors and a very high GPA.

But I digress. I am currently finishing up a certificate and degree in Alcohol and Substance Abuse Counseling (Also known as the CAADAC, the California Alcohol And Drug Abuse Counselor certification) and I am enrolled in a fairly competitive pre-doctoral M.A. Psychology program beginning in the fall of 2009. In the Army, I learned a lot about myself, grew a lot as a person, and developed a very strong work ethic. I believe I can demonstrate in my future coursework that I am more than capable of working in a clinical setting and even performing research, and the M.A. program in which I'll be starting will afford me a lot of research opportunity. I already have a POI with which I will be working closely from the beginning of my degree. Additionally, I volunteer at the VA Hospital in Sacramento, and will be picking up at least 30 hours a week of clinical internship work for the next year while I finish my CAADAC. I know you have said that clinical experience doesn't matter much, but I wanted to increase the length and breadth of my C.V.

My question is this: Will my poor undergraduate GPA ruin my chances for a Ph.D program even with my GRE score (1380), top-notch research skills/work ethic, life experience (Combat tour, language training, diverse lifestyles), and soon-to-be strong (I hope) graduate GPA and graduate research experience? I know you hate to play in theoreticals, but will a very high (3.6+) graduate GPA and a full 2 years of specific field research be a solid aggregate to a substandard undergraduate GPA?

I appreciate the time you took in reading this, and all of these, questions on this board. You truly can not have any idea how refreshing, calming, and informative your replies over the breadth of this 17 page thread have been.

--Tony

 

[compassionate1]

Hi,

I've wanted to become a psychologist almost ever since I can remember myself, but due to personal circumstances, was only able to start pursuing higher education later in life. I've completed both my undergraduate and graduate degrees in the States ( 3.96 and 4.00, respectively) while dealing with many challenges: cultural, financial and familial -- to name just a few. I received the departmental Psychology Award for my B.A. and was on the national Dean's list.

I have been teaching for the past five years, college level Psychology courses, at the College I attended in my undergraduate years. I also taught a class at my graduate school, and might be teaching there again.

I have yet to take the GREs. I am not a wonderful standardized tester ( Plus, math was never my cup of tea. I am good with languages but English is not my native tongue) but will just have to become one, somehow.

I do not have much research experience. There is little research going on at my college, and frankly -- while I appreciate the importance of research and enjoy it, between raising a family, teaching, mentoring and dealing with all the adverse circumstances that life threw at me in the past decade, there was very little time left for anything else. ( Oh, I do have some publications. But they are fiction/ non-academic and most likely do not count).

Last year I applied to one program only ( NSSR), got in, spent there one semester and decided it was not the right place for me. So now I am starting over. Reading posts on this forum, for the past two months, made me realize the importance of research experience to the application process.

If I have to choose between the two, I am more interested in practice than research. I do love teaching and the college I am at said they would hire me as full - time faculty ( right now I am an adjunct) with either a PsyD or a PhD. Realistically speaking, although I do have some time before applications are due again, I would need to devote a substantial amount of time for GRE prep, and then I would have time left for either getting some clinical experience or research experience but not both. I am meeting with someone this week regarding a potential clinical opportunity in an area of interest.

Here are my questions please, and I would greatly appreciate your response:

1. Would it be a complete waste of time ( and money) to apply to clinical PhD programs, given my lack of research experience? Or would some lower research emphasis programs still consider my application favorably? ( Perhaps my academia background is a plus? )

I would like to apply to PhD programs, if I stand a chance to get in, for several reasons:
-> The more prestigious reputation and doors that may open accordingly
-> The better funding
-> There are only three PsyD programs that are within a driving distance to where I live, and I am only really interested in one of them.

2. My number one PsyD program is Rutgers. Do I stand a chance to get into a top program like this without research experience? Also, I have a POI there, with whom I already made a positive initial contact. But she is a visiting professor there ( once a week, I think), so I am not sure if this is solid enough.

3. Would counseling PhD programs be less invested in the research part of my application?

4. Would the fact that I attended a program for one semester and decided to leave play against me? I am somewhat worried about that. I am a stable, reliable and resilient person and had always completed programs in a timely fashion, and worked in the same place for years. It takes extreme circumstances to make me quit ( You may refer to my other posts, if inclined, for more details on my NSSR experience). I had a 3.85 GPA for that one semester and would be quite uncomfortable sharing in an interview my negative experiences in that other program. I have yet to earn an interview, but would it be sufficient to say when asked that: " I felt that the big number of students admitted compromised my learning experience ( which is true), and that due to economic climate, I had difficulty paying the high tuition ( which is again -- true but not the main reason for my leaving and might make them wonder if I may drop out again when encountering financial difficulty?).

Is it honest NOT to mention anything about that unfortunate semester during application and only once accepted, submitting that transcript for credit transfer evaluation? I do not want to do anything which is not ethical, but I also do not want to create the wrong impression or make programs doubt my persistence and motivation level.

I am already in my thirties and vacillate between hope and despair about making this life-long dream of becoming a psychologist come true.

Many thanks and Kind Regards,

Compassionate1

 

[DrClinPsyAdvice]

Dear DrClinPsyAdvice,

Thank you very much for your response and your support. Yes, everything you write seems logical and makes sense. Yes, I know that I have been ruminating 😳, and I just need to relax and be positive 😎.

I have a question about a "thank you" note to be sent after the interview is over. There are no professors' e-mails on the program's website except the e-mail of the program training director, who previously contacted me about the interview. Do you think I should go ahead and e-mail her? Will it be enough?

I also feel like adding a few words about the interview meaning that I enjoyed talking to professors and students, but regret that the stressful short time format of the interview didn't allow me to let them know more about myself and to learn more from them. Something like "I wish we had more time to talk about my interests and experience and to ask more questions about the program and faculty's interests and current research"....It is true, because all 4 faculty teams had only 20-30 minutes to talk to each applicant. Do you think it will be appropriate, or is it better to avoid any extra feedback from my side at this point?

Thanks again for your help! 🙂

1 note with a request to forward it to the others is fine.
I would not offer that feedback at this point - they may feel that you were disappointed.

 

[DrClinPsyAdvice]

DrClinPsyAdvice,

Sorry, if I have been repeating questions, you have already answered. I have just found what you have already answered questions about "thank you" notes.

You have written that such notes should be short unless there is something we genuinely want to convey. And I do want to let them know (reassure them) that I do have several specific research interests and they are A, B, C. In addition I would also like to work with A and B population. Not that I haven't mentioned this during the interview, but I worry that I didn't sound as determined and professional as I would have preferred I did:

May I add this information as a remark, after general "thank you and wishing we could talk longer" or would it sound redundant and excessive?

I have found other faculty e-mail addresses on the department website. Would it be sane to send the note to all faculty?😕

Sorry for asking more questions, and thank you again for your help!🙂

Just a thank you would be fine. You can send to those you met with, or to the director with a request to forward.
As for 'wishing we can talk longer' or some reassurance about your interests, I would suggest not. But you can say, that you are excited that the program seems like a match to your specific interests, including X, Y, Z. If you frame it in a positive and with enthusiasm, it will probably be better than coming across as if you are concerned or anxious.

 

[DrClinPsyAdvice]

DrClinPsyAdvice,

I have been "lurking" in this thread for the last couple of months, and I really want to thank you for the service you're providing too all of us students who are "lost in the sauce" trying to decipher the path of our future. I'm trilingual and still have problems in figuring this stuff out!

That formality dispensed with, I have a very specific question, and one hopefully you'll be able to assist with in some capacity. I am interested in pursuing a Ph.D or Psy.D in Clinical or Counseling Psychology, and I prefer to work more in a clinical setting than a research setting, however I have not closed my mind off to research at all.

I graduated in 2004 with B.A. in Psychology, with a pretty dismal GPA due to life circumstances (A death in immediate family, full-time work hours, continuation ad nauseum). After graduating, I enlisted in the military and served for 4 years as a linguist/intelligence collector, and learned to speak Persian-Farsi and Arabic fluently. I graduated from the language school, the Defense Language Institute,which is accredited on the same level as a given community college in my area such as American River College or San Joaquin Delta College, with honors and a very high GPA.

But I digress. I am currently finishing up a certificate and degree in Alcohol and Substance Abuse Counseling (Also known as the CAADAC, the California Alcohol And Drug Abuse Counselor certification) and I am enrolled in a fairly competitive pre-doctoral M.A. Psychology program beginning in the fall of 2009. In the Army, I learned a lot about myself, grew a lot as a person, and developed a very strong work ethic. I believe I can demonstrate in my future coursework that I am more than capable of working in a clinical setting and even performing research, and the M.A. program in which I'll be starting will afford me a lot of research opportunity. I already have a POI with which I will be working closely from the beginning of my degree. Additionally, I volunteer at the VA Hospital in Sacramento, and will be picking up at least 30 hours a week of clinical internship work for the next year while I finish my CAADAC. I know you have said that clinical experience doesn't matter much, but I wanted to increase the length and breadth of my C.V.

My question is this: Will my poor undergraduate GPA ruin my chances for a Ph.D program even with my GRE score (1380), top-notch research skills/work ethic, life experience (Combat tour, language training, diverse lifestyles), and soon-to-be strong (I hope) graduate GPA and graduate research experience? I know you hate to play in theoreticals, but will a very high (3.6+) graduate GPA and a full 2 years of specific field research be a solid aggregate to a substandard undergraduate GPA?

I appreciate the time you took in reading this, and all of these, questions on this board. You truly can not have any idea how refreshing, calming, and informative your replies over the breadth of this 17 page thread have been.

--Tony

Sounds like you will be a strong applicant. Your undergraduate GPA will not be a big hindrance since you have some good post-BA experience that speaks well to your potential!

 

[DrClinPsyAdvice]

Hi,

I've wanted to become a psychologist almost ever since I can remember myself, but due to personal circumstances, was only able to start pursuing higher education later in life. I've completed both my undergraduate and graduate degrees in the States ( 3.96 and 4.00, respectively) while dealing with many challenges: cultural, financial and familial -- to name just a few. I received the departmental Psychology Award for my B.A. and was on the national Dean's list.

I have been teaching for the past five years, college level Psychology courses, at the College I attended in my undergraduate years. I also taught a class at my graduate school, and might be teaching there again.

I have yet to take the GREs. I am not a wonderful standardized tester ( Plus, math was never my cup of tea. I am good with languages but English is not my native tongue) but will just have to become one, somehow.

I do not have much research experience. There is little research going on at my college, and frankly -- while I appreciate the importance of research and enjoy it, between raising a family, teaching, mentoring and dealing with all the adverse circumstances that life threw at me in the past decade, there was very little time left for anything else. ( Oh, I do have some publications. But they are fiction/ non-academic and most likely do not count).

Last year I applied to one program only ( NSSR), got in, spent there one semester and decided it was not the right place for me. So now I am starting over. Reading posts on this forum, for the past two months, made me realize the importance of research experience to the application process.

If I have to choose between the two, I am more interested in practice than research. I do love teaching and the college I am at said they would hire me as full - time faculty ( right now I am an adjunct) with either a PsyD or a PhD. Realistically speaking, although I do have some time before applications are due again, I would need to devote a substantial amount of time for GRE prep, and then I would have time left for either getting some clinical experience or research experience but not both. I am meeting with someone this week regarding a potential clinical opportunity in an area of interest.

Here are my questions please, and I would greatly appreciate your response:

1. Would it be a complete waste of time ( and money) to apply to clinical PhD programs, given my lack of research experience? Or would some lower research emphasis programs still consider my application favorably? ( Perhaps my academia background is a plus? )

Most will look for substantial research experience, I believe.

I would like to apply to PhD programs, if I stand a chance to get in, for several reasons:
-> The more prestigious reputation and doors that may open accordingly
-> The better funding
-> There are only three PsyD programs that are within a driving distance to where I live, and I am only really interested in one of them.

2. My number one PsyD program is Rutgers. Do I stand a chance to get into a top program like this without research experience? Also, I have a POI there, with whom I already made a positive initial contact. But she is a visiting professor there ( once a week, I think), so I am not sure if this is solid enough.

A PsyD program will likely not look for as much research experience. Not sure whether a visiting prof will play a role in the admissions process.

3. Would counseling PhD programs be less invested in the research part of my application?

Correct! This may be a good path for you!

4. Would the fact that I attended a program for one semester and decided to leave play against me? I am somewhat worried about that. I am a stable, reliable and resilient person and had always completed programs in a timely fashion, and worked in the same place for years. It takes extreme circumstances to make me quit ( You may refer to my other posts, if inclined, for more details on my NSSR experience). I had a 3.85 GPA for that one semester and would be quite uncomfortable sharing in an interview my negative experiences in that other program. I have yet to earn an interview, but would it be sufficient to say when asked that: " I felt that the big number of students admitted compromised my learning experience ( which is true), and that due to economic climate, I had difficulty paying the high tuition ( which is again -- true but not the main reason for my leaving and might make them wonder if I may drop out again when encountering financial difficulty?).

Is it honest NOT to mention anything about that unfortunate semester during application and only once accepted, submitting that transcript for credit transfer evaluation? I do not want to do anything which is not ethical, but I also do not want to create the wrong impression or make programs doubt my persistence and motivation level.

I recommend honesty. If you have good reasons for leaving that program, then they will likely be compelling to anyone who you discuss them with.

I am already in my thirties and vacillate between hope and despair about making this life-long dream of becoming a psychologist come true.

Many thanks and Kind Regards,

Compassionate1

Responses above...

 

[compassionate1]

Thank you so much for taking the time to read and respond. I do appreciate it!

*Does anyone on this board have information / knowledge regarding funding opportunities at counseling PhD programs? ( meaning -- are counseling programs more similar to clinical programs or to PsyD programs, when it comes to funding?)

*Also, out of the three above type of programs, in which one would my academic teaching experience is more likely to give me as competitive advantage when applying?

Many thanks,

Compassionate1

 

[Aggieanthony]

DrClinPsyAdvice,

Thank you for your reply, I imagine you're quite busy with your real life, and helping anonymous pixels is completely extra-curricular.

My biggest concern is that I'll be an automatic toss from any reputable Ph.D program even with strong GRE scores, post-B.A. experience and (looking ahead), a competitive M.A. GPA. I did score well in my Psychology courses in my last 90 quarter units of undergrad, but I'm worried that because my cumulative is so low (Not the 3.5 you cite as 'most' Ph.D programs looking for, that's for sure), I won't even make first pass.

You've mentioned before that lots of programs don't look at the coursework you've taken, so despite the fact that my Jr/Sr GPA in Psychology content is very good (3.41), they'll never know, because they'll look at my folder and discard it, even before getting to my C.V.

Here's a specific question. Do you recommend re-taking undergraduate level courses to improve the grade, and would it even matter to a board, since it wouldn't necessarily factor into "Last 90 quarter units", the common criterion I'm seeing in terms of GPA factorization.

Thanks again! I simply can't get these answers from any advisors I've spoken with, not even my alma mater!

 

[rollomayfan]

Hi Compassionate,

The best place to look for funding information is the "Graduate Study in Psychology", which will tell you the general funding situation for each program. (You can also look at the "Insider's Guide to Clinical and Counseling Psychology Programs") Generally speaking, many Counseling Psychology PhDs provide full funding similar at clinical PhDs, though there are some that only provide partial funding, and some that provide little funding. So you'll have to do your research.

Hope this helps!

Thank you so much for taking the time to read and respond. I do appreciate it!

*Does anyone on this board have information / knowledge regarding funding opportunities at counseling PhD programs? ( meaning -- are counseling programs more similar to clinical programs or to PsyD programs, when it comes to funding?)

*Also, out of the three above type of programs, in which one would my academic teaching experience is more likely to give me as competitive advantage when applying?

Many thanks,

Compassionate1

 

[minichka2004]

Just a thank you would be fine. You can send to those you met with, or to the director with a request to forward.
As for 'wishing we can talk longer' or some reassurance about your interests, I would suggest not. But you can say, that you are excited that the program seems like a match to your specific interests, including X, Y, Z. If you frame it in a positive and with enthusiasm, it will probably be better than coming across as if you are concerned or anxious.

DrClinPsyAdvice, thank you so much for your replies! 🙂 I have sent the thank you e-mail to the Training Director with positive feedback about the interview, and a confirmation of my goals matching theirs (A,B,C) and already received a reply from the Training Director who says she has been happy to have met me, and that she would forward my e-mail to the Counseling Psychology faculty. She also has written that she will contact me at the end of next week! The last interview day will be Friday next week, it means they will take a decision earlier than I thought! It means that I will not need to wait for 2 weeks which she mentioned at the interview group meeting... ..
. .

 

[DrClinPsyAdvice]

DrClinPsyAdvice,

Thank you for your reply, I imagine you're quite busy with your real life, and helping anonymous pixels is completely extra-curricular.

My biggest concern is that I'll be an automatic toss from any reputable Ph.D program even with strong GRE scores, post-B.A. experience and (looking ahead), a competitive M.A. GPA. I did score well in my Psychology courses in my last 90 quarter units of undergrad, but I'm worried that because my cumulative is so low (Not the 3.5 you cite as 'most' Ph.D programs looking for, that's for sure), I won't even make first pass.

You've mentioned before that lots of programs don't look at the coursework you've taken, so despite the fact that my Jr/Sr GPA in Psychology content is very good (3.41), they'll never know, because they'll look at my folder and discard it, even before getting to my C.V.

Here's a specific question. Do you recommend re-taking undergraduate level courses to improve the grade, and would it even matter to a board, since it wouldn't necessarily factor into "Last 90 quarter units", the common criterion I'm seeing in terms of GPA factorization.

Thanks again! I simply can't get these answers from any advisors I've spoken with, not even my alma mater!

I think that a good GRE score and some evidence of good grades could do the trick! A low GPA in itself may not be enough to sink anyone's chances (well, unless it is extremely low, I suppose)

 

[DrClinPsyAdvice]

DrClinPsyAdvice, thank you so much for your replies! 🙂 I have sent the thank you e-mail to the Training Director with positive feedback about the interview, and a confirmation of my goals matching theirs (A,B,C) and already received a reply from the Training Director who says she has been happy to have met me, and that she would forward my e-mail to the Counseling Psychology faculty. She also has written that she will contact me at the end of next week! The last interview day will be Friday next week, it means they will take a decision earlier than I thought! It means that I will not need to wait for 2 weeks which she mentioned at the interview group meeting...

Good luck!

 

[Aggieanthony]

I think that a good GRE score and some evidence of good grades could do the trick! A low GPA in itself may not be enough to sink anyone's chances (well, unless it is extremely low, I suppose)

I hate to keep looking the gift horse in the mouth here, but what would you classify as "extremely low" in your professional capacity?

And lastly, if my last 90 qtr. units' GPA is considered "extremely low", would re-taking the courses at the same university "override" the connotation? Or would that be viewed as "too little, too late" to admissions professionals?

Thanks again!

-Tony

 

[cara susanna]

Would you mind telling us the process for making the final cuts after interviews? For instance, does a committee decide, or the professor who would be working with the student, or both? Or does it vary from school to school?

Thanks!

 

[DrClinPsyAdvice]

I hate to keep looking the gift horse in the mouth here, but what would you classify as "extremely low" in your professional capacity?

And lastly, if my last 90 qtr. units' GPA is considered "extremely low", would re-taking the courses at the same university "override" the connotation? Or would that be viewed as "too little, too late" to admissions professionals?

Thanks again!

-Tony

less than 2.5 is really low.
graduate courses can help. re-taking undergrad courses probably won't

 

[DrClinPsyAdvice]

Would you mind telling us the process for making the final cuts after interviews? For instance, does a committee decide, or the professor who would be working with the student, or both? Or does it vary from school to school?

Thanks!

It does vary. And everyone uses different criteria. Sorry!

 

[thewesternsky]

So I have a bit of a dilemma. I recently interviewed at School A. However, after seeing the school and meeting people, I'm fairly certain that I would choose the offer I'm holding currently (School B) over School A if I WERE to receive an offer. I'm not 100% sure-- there are factors, such as funding, that I do not yet have details on that would affect my choice. So my original plan was to wait to see if I got an offer from School A, and then decline one of the two offers within a few days once I made a definite decision.

However, when I emailed to thank the prof I interviewed with at School A for the opportunity, she asked me to keep her posted should I receive other offers. I find this strange, as I've yet to receive an offer from her.

What are my responsibilities in this situation? I really don't feel comfortable declining an acceptance I don't have... Do I tell her about School B? Why does she want to know? I'm very confused.

 

[DrClinPsyAdvice]

So I have a bit of a dilemma. I recently interviewed at School A. However, after seeing the school and meeting people, I'm fairly certain that I would choose the offer I'm holding currently (School B) over School A if I WERE to receive an offer. I'm not 100% sure-- there are factors, such as funding, that I do not yet have details on that would affect my choice. So my original plan was to wait to see if I got an offer from School A, and then decline one of the two offers within a few days once I made a definite decision.

However, when I emailed to thank the prof I interviewed with at School A for the opportunity, she asked me to keep her posted should I receive other offers. I find this strange, as I've yet to receive an offer from her.

What are my responsibilities in this situation? I really don't feel comfortable declining an acceptance I don't have... Do I tell her about School B? Why does she want to know? I'm very confused.

Great question!
School A probably wants to know whether there is a timeline that they are up against that would necessitate them making you an offer sooner rather than later. Your approach for waiting until you get an offer, wait just a few days, and then make a decision is perfectly appropriate. You can also tell School A that you have the offer from B now. It won't hurt anything at all - if anything it may make them move faster on their decision.

You do not need to decide anything until April 15. Do not let anyone pressure you to give an answer before then! (Of course, it would be very considerate to other applicants to make a decision as quickly as possible, and hold no more than 2 offers at a time). But you do not need to make any decisions until you have an official written offer in hand.

 

[sarah112]

Hello,
First, thank you so much for offering your time and advice on this forum! You have been such a huge help. 😀

I had a phone interview over 6 weeks ago with one of my top schools - and they only do phone interviews. My POI told me it would take a few weeks for decisions to be made and I would hear back as soon as possible. I noticed someone else was accepted to this program via postal mail recently, and I have not yet heard anything. The factor that is really making me nervous is that I have not been receiving all my parcels the last few months due to ongoing changes in postal workers where I live. So really, I am unsure if they have sent me an acceptance/rejection yet, or if I should continue to be patient.

1) Typically, if a school does not receive a response from postal mail (in the case of acceptance), will they follow up with e-mail or telephone call?

2) Also, at what point (if ever) is it fine for me to contact the department (either POI or graduate admissions coordinator) to see if a decision was made on my application after an interview? If I do contact them, what is the best way to ask?

Thank you in advance for your time and thoughts!

 

[Aggieanthony]

less than 2.5 is really low.
graduate courses can help. re-taking undergrad courses probably won't

Thanks, that's very re-assuring, because I am definitely not below a 2.5. In fact, is it even possible to earn a B.A/B.S with a GPA <2.5?

Thanks for your answers, it's really put my mind at ease. (Now I've got another set of things to worry about, too!)

--Tony

 

[psychgirl77]

I'm re-interviewing at a school that I was rejected at after interview last cycle. Most of the questions that I had about the program I asked last year. When they ask if I have any questions, would it be okay to ask the same questions again or should I say that I had all my questions answered last time? I want to appear interested in the program, but I also don't want to seem like I don't remember what was discussed at the interview previously.

 

[scienceisbeauty]

Dr. ClinPsy...I hope you are well.

I have not been on this forum for a long long time. I abandoned all hope of graduate school in Clin Psy because of a terrible encounter with a low GRE score (1180 if I remember).
Was my first and only time taking the GRE. Everything else about my app was good...a publication first-authored, a second publication working on now first-authored, a publication to be third author..meh decent grades (3.84 last two years, 3.61 CGPA). I just lost all hope anyway and abandoned the idea of applying.

Anyhow. I have to find something to do between now and when I figure out what to do with my life. So I've been applying for jobs to work as an RA. In this economy, getting jobs is hellish. I desperately need $.

My Question: If I email almost every single researcher at a place and change only that I am interested in X (their interest) would they find out? Basically I copy and paste the exact same letter and just change my interest to fit theirs. And the journal article I read that made me interested in them.

I would be a dedicated researcher - I promise ! - no matter what. I would put 100% effort into it whether it was X or Y.

So is this an awful thing to do? Would I get "caught" do you think?

 

[MorganLilith]

You already know what he's going to say. It's not a good idea to lie, especially if some of those people know each other.

Dr. ClinPsy...I hope you are well.

I have not been on this forum for a long long time. I abandoned all hope of graduate school in Clin Psy because of a terrible encounter with a low GRE score (1180 if I remember).
Was my first and only time taking the GRE. Everything else about my app was good...a publication first-authored, a second publication working on now first-authored, a publication to be third author..meh decent grades (3.84 last two years, 3.61 CGPA). I just lost all hope anyway and abandoned the idea of applying.

Anyhow. I have to find something to do between now and when I figure out what to do with my life. So I've been applying for jobs to work as an RA. In this economy, getting jobs is hellish. I desperately need $.

My Question: If I email almost every single researcher at a place and change only that I am interested in X (their interest) would they find out? Basically I copy and paste the exact same letter and just change my interest to fit theirs. And the journal article I read that made me interested in them.

I would be a dedicated researcher - I promise ! - no matter what. I would put 100% effort into it whether it was X or Y.

So is this an awful thing to do? Would I get "caught" do you think?

 

[DrClinPsyAdvice]

Hello,
First, thank you so much for offering your time and advice on this forum! You have been such a huge help. 😀

I had a phone interview over 6 weeks ago with one of my top schools - and they only do phone interviews. My POI told me it would take a few weeks for decisions to be made and I would hear back as soon as possible. I noticed someone else was accepted to this program via postal mail recently, and I have not yet heard anything. The factor that is really making me nervous is that I have not been receiving all my parcels the last few months due to ongoing changes in postal workers where I live. So really, I am unsure if they have sent me an acceptance/rejection yet, or if I should continue to be patient.

1) Typically, if a school does not receive a response from postal mail (in the case of acceptance), will they follow up with e-mail or telephone call?

2) Also, at what point (if ever) is it fine for me to contact the department (either POI or graduate admissions coordinator) to see if a decision was made on my application after an interview? If I do contact them, what is the best way to ask?

Thank you in advance for your time and thoughts!

Schools often let their admits know their decision at different times.
All schools vary on whether they use phone, email, mail, or some combination.

You can call the secretary ask ask when decisions will be made. I'd wait at least 2 weeks after an interview, or at the point that you have another offer and need to make a decision.

 

[DrClinPsyAdvice]

I'm re-interviewing at a school that I was rejected at after interview last cycle. Most of the questions that I had about the program I asked last year. When they ask if I have any questions, would it be okay to ask the same questions again or should I say that I had all my questions answered last time? I want to appear interested in the program, but I also don't want to seem like I don't remember what was discussed at the interview previously.

Sure, ask some questions again. And ask more about research - that won't be a re-run as much.

 

[DrClinPsyAdvice]

You already know what he's going to say. It's not a good idea to lie, especially if some of those people know each other.

Yes, this exactly what I am going to say.

 

[Bella24]

I was just accepted to a less prestigious (though well-respected) clinical psychology Ph.D. program on an extremely generous and prestigious four year university fellowship that would allow me to travel all over the country and work with all sorts of researchers in my field. The mentor I would work with is a total charmer who is doing research that is totally fascinating to me and, according to his graduate students, he is also an extremely attentive and kind mentor (they just couldn't say enough good things about him). My question is, it is possible (I don't want to say likely) that I will get accepted to more prestigious programs which are far better known for producing researchers and have a bigger reputation in my specific field. I wouldn't even give the prestige a second thought, except I am extremely passionate about my field and really want the opportunity to work as a researcher/professor in a competitive academic institution after I graduate. How much would it handicap me to have worked with a less-known professor in a less prestigious university when I eventually go on the academic job market?

 

[Srbpsych]

I was just accepted to a less prestigious (though well-respected) clinical psychology Ph.D. program on an extremely generous and prestigious four year university fellowship that would allow me to travel all over the country and work with all sorts of researchers in my field. The mentor I would work with is a total charmer who is doing research that is totally fascinating to me and, according to his graduate students, he is also an extremely attentive and kind mentor (they just couldn't say enough good things about him). My question is, it is possible (I don't want to say likely) that I will get accepted to more prestigious programs which are far better known for producing researchers and have a bigger reputation in my specific field. I wouldn't even give the prestige a second thought, except I am extremely passionate about my field and really want the opportunity to work as a researcher/professor in a competitive academic institution after I graduate. How much would it handicap me to have worked with a less-known professor in a less prestigious university when I eventually go on the academic job market?

From what I've heard, the professor matters much more than the institution. That doesn't totally answer your question, but I think a well-ish-known professor at a medium-prestigious school is better than an unknown professor at a prestigious school. Of course, someone you can work with should probably be the most important.

 

[porcupine proud]

Hello,

First, let me say I hope that your interview season is moving along successfully, with lots of qualified applicants and oodles of funding to go around.

Second, I wondered if you could advise me. I was recently offered an interview at one of my top schools. I imagined I woud be meeting with my POI who studies exactly what I have been studying for the last year and a half. I recently learned however that I will be interviewing with an adjunct faculty. I am a minority student, and I have heard that sometimes schools have minority professors interview minority applicants. I don't have a problem with this except how do I prepare for an interview with someone who is not my POI. I was prepared to discuss my/our research ideas, and now I wonder if I should be reading about multi-cultural psychology. Apparently this is the focus of the professor I have been assigned, and I am afraid I am not very knowledgable in this area.

So my questions are:

If I don't have a lot of knowledge in this area will I be deemed a less attractive minority applicant? Do schools want minority applicants who want to study multi-cultural psychology?

Should I study up on multi-cultural psychology, or atleast on my interviewers research? (Who, by the way, is Latina, and I am black... It's a nice gesture though)

Should I request on the day of the interview to meet with my POI as well, or will I just be decreasing my chances by increasing the number of people who need to approve me? (mind you, he's the DCT)

Or should I just go in there and interview with this professor and do exactly what I would have done with my POI?

Thanks

 

[Psych1212]

Dr. ClinPsy...I hope you are well.

I have not been on this forum for a long long time. I abandoned all hope of graduate school in Clin Psy because of a terrible encounter with a low GRE score (1180 if I remember).
Was my first and only time taking the GRE. Everything else about my app was good...a publication first-authored, a second publication working on now first-authored, a publication to be third author..meh decent grades (3.84 last two years, 3.61 CGPA). I just lost all hope anyway and abandoned the idea of applying.

Wait, you abandoned all hope because of your GRE score? I know of plenty of applicants in solid Ph.D. and Psy.D. programs who got in with a comparable GRE score (sometimes less), similar GPA, and less research experience.

 

[compassionate1]

Thanks, Rollomayfan -- I did check the "Insider's Guide" ( albeit, a somewhat outdated one; need to get a new copy!) and unfortunately, all three APA accredited counselling PhD programs in my area seem to be high on research and low on funding!

Anyone: any thoughts on this? and what might be the best course for me, given my high GPA and experience in academia but very limited research experience.

Getting into Rutgers' PsyD program would be for me the ultimate Dream come true... But do I even stand a chance at this #1 program without research experience?

Many thanks,

Compassionate1

 

[psybee]

I was just accepted to a less prestigious (though well-respected) clinical psychology Ph.D. program on an extremely generous and prestigious four year university fellowship that would allow me to travel all over the country and work with all sorts of researchers in my field. The mentor I would work with is a total charmer who is doing research that is totally fascinating to me and, according to his graduate students, he is also an extremely attentive and kind mentor (they just couldn't say enough good things about him). My question is, it is possible (I don't want to say likely) that I will get accepted to more prestigious programs which are far better known for producing researchers and have a bigger reputation in my specific field. I wouldn't even give the prestige a second thought, except I am extremely passionate about my field and really want the opportunity to work as a researcher/professor in a competitive academic institution after I graduate. How much would it handicap me to have worked with a less-known professor in a less prestigious university when I eventually go on the academic job market?

these fields end up being so small that often the professor you work with are is carries the prestige. "medium" schools may have some professors that are leaders in their field, and while psych folks not in your research area may be unfamiliar with them, if they are say, in eating disorders and you are as committed as you can be to building a career in ED research, and will be applying for internship, post doc, etc with that focus, then those folks will know personally who you worked with.

 

[DrClinPsyAdvice]

I was just accepted to a less prestigious (though well-respected) clinical psychology Ph.D. program on an extremely generous and prestigious four year university fellowship that would allow me to travel all over the country and work with all sorts of researchers in my field. The mentor I would work with is a total charmer who is doing research that is totally fascinating to me and, according to his graduate students, he is also an extremely attentive and kind mentor (they just couldn't say enough good things about him). My question is, it is possible (I don't want to say likely) that I will get accepted to more prestigious programs which are far better known for producing researchers and have a bigger reputation in my specific field. I wouldn't even give the prestige a second thought, except I am extremely passionate about my field and really want the opportunity to work as a researcher/professor in a competitive academic institution after I graduate. How much would it handicap me to have worked with a less-known professor in a less prestigious university when I eventually go on the academic job market?

Good question; unfortunately not a very clear answer...

I can say that the most important thing is the type of work that you get done - this is more important than the program or person. A great program or great mentor doesn't always lead to high quality publications, authorship opportunities, or great research experience.

If all things are equal, then I'd say your career will be affected 60% by the person that you work with (their reputation, connections, etc), and 40% by the prestige of the university (some places are so well regarded that it is a CV-builder no matter who you worked with while there).

Most important is that you are happy! 4-5 years of hard work is a long time to be somewhere, and if you are not completely happy to be there (i.e., if you decided to go for a strictly strategic reason), then it will certainly derail your productivity, enthusiasm, and ultimately career trajectory. This may sound trite, but it is essential that you seriously consider where you will thrive - in all respects.

 

[DrClinPsyAdvice]

Hello,

First, let me say I hope that your interview season is moving along successfully, with lots of qualified applicants and oodles of funding to go around.

Second, I wondered if you could advise me. I was recently offered an interview at one of my top schools. I imagined I woud be meeting with my POI who studies exactly what I have been studying for the last year and a half. I recently learned however that I will be interviewing with an adjunct faculty. I am a minority student, and I have heard that sometimes schools have minority professors interview minority applicants. I don't have a problem with this except how do I prepare for an interview with someone who is not my POI. I was prepared to discuss my/our research ideas, and now I wonder if I should be reading about multi-cultural psychology. Apparently this is the focus of the professor I have been assigned, and I am afraid I am not very knowledgable in this area.

So my questions are:

If I don't have a lot of knowledge in this area will I be deemed a less attractive minority applicant? Do schools want minority applicants who want to study multi-cultural psychology?

Should I study up on multi-cultural psychology, or atleast on my interviewers research? (Who, by the way, is Latina, and I am black... It's a nice gesture though)

Should I request on the day of the interview to meet with my POI as well, or will I just be decreasing my chances by increasing the number of people who need to approve me? (mind you, he's the DCT)

Or should I just go in there and interview with this professor and do exactly what I would have done with my POI?

Thanks

No! Ethnic minority applicants should not be expected to be interested in multi-cultural issues. And you should not be expected to fit your interests into a new topic just to match.

You may be interviewing with this professor so that they can help recruit you, and tell you all about their culturally-sensitive environment. They might not expect you to do research with this person at all.

If there is someone you would want to work with, you should definitely request to meet with them. If that person doesn't match with you, would you want to work with someone who doesn't share your interests anyway?

 

[Jbird]

Hi!

I first want to thank you for spending your valuable time doing this. This thread has helped me tremendously!

I have never posted before because I am more into counseling than clinical research, and am definitely a PsyD candidate, not Clinical PhD. That being said, I made the mistake of applying to both PhD (counseling) and PsyD programs for Fall 09. I have a bunch of PsyD interviews, but have not been accepted into any doctoral programs yet, nor have I been invited to interview for PhD programs. I have also been accepted into two master's programs: one Ed.M. and one MSE from reputable schools (upon being rejected from the schools' PhD programs I was "invited" to their masters programs). If I do not get into a PsyD program, I think I want to go the masters route first and then go on to pursue a PsyD later. (I am young..) Is this a good idea or should I continue doing clinical work as a case manager and research on adolescent behavior? Ultimately, I would like to have a private practice, specializing in adolescence but not necessarily in a school setting.


Thanks!!