PhD/PsyD APPIC Internship Interview Invitation Thread (2019)

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psydstudent2020 said:
Do sites ever really rank phone interview applicants higher than those who interviewed on site?
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Speaking from the experience with ranking at my program: Yes, but they're probably not ranked as high as they would've been had them come for an in-person interview. If their credentials are better than some of the other applicants, they will likely get ranked higher; however, it's hard to get to know someone interpersonally when they don't come for the day and we only have a 30 minute phone conversation. That being said, if you're horrible interpersonally, a phone interview might work to your advantage! 😉
 
barbatenussapientes said:
This is interesting to me - I guess I assumed interviews weighed (or at least could weigh) heavier. Does this preclude someone lower on your list moving into a top spot or does it simply mean that someone needs to significantly surprise you (in either direction) to substantially change their standing?
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At our site, the application by far weighs heavier than an interview. Generally from the application standpoint, I can group people into high, middle, and lower rankings. People can move from one tier to the other based on the interview (and within the tier as well), but it's usually not drastically unless there are red flags. We plan to rank everyone that interviews with us, again, unless there are red flags.
 
barbatenussapientes said:
This is interesting to me - I guess I assumed interviews weighed (or at least could weigh) heavier. Does this preclude someone lower on your list moving into a top spot or does it simply mean that someone needs to significantly surprise you (in either direction) to substantially change their standing?
Click to expand...

Never really been the case anywhere I've been. Generally the interview leads to some small movements here and there, but I've never seen it take someone from say, the bottom third to the top third. Honestly, the in person interview is most important for the applicant to see the site and talk to faculty. Talk to people who have been through the process. Most of us had a rank order list of where we wanted to go prior to interviews. Most of us moved things around quite a bit after that. I had a site move from my #2 down to my #10 after interviews.
 
WisNeuro said:
Never really been the case anywhere I've been. Generally the interview leads to some small movements here and there, but I've never seen it take someone from say, the bottom third to the top third. Honestly, the in person interview is most important for the applicant to see the site and talk to faculty. Talk to people who have been through the process. Most of us had a rank order list of where we wanted to go prior to interviews. Most of us moved things around quite a bit after that. I had a site move from my #2 down to my #10 after interviews.
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This is a little disheartening to hear. I really didn't think the interviews mattered so little. For example, I know that I was in a "2nd-wave" of invites for 2 sites. I'm glad I was invited, but if I'm ranked in the bottom tier with little to no chance of moving to the top than I feel like I shouldn't be making such an effort to travel out there...
 
psydstudent2020 said:
Does anyone know if it's better to carry a purse, tote, or nothing? My suit doesn't have pockets so I feel like I need to carry at least my phone with me. Also, is anyone planning on wearing an Apple watch? I may not because it could go off somehow, but my regular watch is pink... I hope I'm overthinking this.
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If you applied to any secure-type sites (e.g., prisons), you won't be allowed to bring in your phone and many will not allow an Apple watch or even some types of FitBits or other smart watches, just FYI 🙂
 
fivetoseven said:
This is a little disheartening to hear. I really didn't think the interviews mattered so little. For example, I know that I was in a "2nd-wave" of invites for 2 sites. I'm glad I was invited, but if I'm ranked in the bottom tier with little to no chance of moving to the top than I feel like I shouldn't be making such an effort to travel out there...
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Each site has its own idiosyncrasies. Some may weigh the interview more heavily, and you don't know where you're ranked and you don't know how big those waves are. And, with the internship imbalance favoring the applicant, many sites go pretty far into their ranks anyway, so it all still matters. Most importantly, IMO, you want to see the site and make a judgment about being there. In addition to moving my rank order around quite a bit, I actually left one site off my ranking list, as I would have rather taken another year to apply rather than go to that site. Still matters depending on your own priorities.
 
I work with a couple training directors at large academic medical centers, high on NIH funding and such, and they do place a lot of value on interviews. Looking good on paper doesn’t always translate to being capable of solid relationships with staff and faculty. They have drilled this into us. Point being, always go into an interview assuming it means everything. Absolutely no reason to have a different mindset other than the concomitant understanding that you were chosen for a reason.


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yolo2018 said:
Has anyone hear from University of Kansas Medical Center Underserved Population Track? Thanks!
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I should have posted it for them, but two people I know got invites from this track. I’m not sure the details of what type of invite or dates offered.
 
neuroguy101 said:
I work with a couple training directors at large academic medical centers, high on NIH funding and such, and they do place a lot of value on interviews. Looking good on paper doesn’t always translate to being capable of solid relationships with staff and faculty. They have drilled this into us. Point being, always go into an interview assuming it means everything. Absolutely no reason to have a different mindset other than the concomitant understanding that you were chosen for a reason.


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Click to expand...

I think that's true in the sense of moving down a ranking list (or not getting ranked at all). We've had cases where on paper, an applicant looks phenomenal, but then we meet them and there are red flags. I think it's harder to move up, though. I think someone can better communicate fit in person than on paper, and so that person can move up quite a bit, but I don't think I've ever had someone from the bottom third move to the top.

fivetoseven said:
This is a little disheartening to hear. I really didn't think the interviews mattered so little. For example, I know that I was in a "2nd-wave" of invites for 2 sites. I'm glad I was invited, but if I'm ranked in the bottom tier with little to no chance of moving to the top than I feel like I shouldn't be making such an effort to travel out there...
Click to expand...

I wouldn't put a lot of stock in what getting a "second wave invite" means. It could mean that your application was assigned to a faculty member who was slower at reviewing and so you weren't even considered for the first wave. I also agree with WisNeuro. Even if you may be further down the list for a site to begin with, it doesn't mean you can't move up and it doesn't mean you can't match there. There are excellent sites who will even go on to have openings for Phase 2.

All this being said, an interview CAN help you and it CAN hurt you. So I would still go into it putting your best foot forward. Have a good understanding of the site and why you're interested in it - I think candidates who do this are able to communicate fit better than candidates who don't prepare.
 
str63 said:
I think that's true in the sense of moving down a ranking list (or not getting ranked at all). We've had cases where on paper, an applicant looks phenomenal, but then we meet them and there are red flags. I think it's harder to move up, though. I think someone can better communicate fit in person than on paper, and so that person can move up quite a bit, but I don't think I've ever had someone from the bottom third move to the top.
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This is pretty much my experience in the process on this side of things. It's rare, but it happens. We had an applicant who, on paper, was in our top 5 last year, but he acted like a complete tool and could not answer basic questions on interview, and ended up as a DNR. This is rare, though. To end up in the DNR pile after being asked to interview, you really have to screw up, not just little stuff.
 
str63 said:
I think that's true in the sense of moving down a ranking list (or not getting ranked at all). We've had cases where on paper, an applicant looks phenomenal, but then we meet them and there are red flags. I think it's harder to move up, though. I think someone can better communicate fit in person than on paper, and so that person can move up quite a bit, but I don't think I've ever had someone from the bottom third move to the top.



I wouldn't put a lot of stock in what getting a "second wave invite" means. It could mean that your application was assigned to a faculty member who was slower at reviewing and so you weren't even considered for the first wave. I also agree with WisNeuro. Even if you may be further down the list for a site to begin with, it doesn't mean you can't move up and it doesn't mean you can't match there. There are excellent sites who will even go on to have openings for Phase 2.

All this being said, an interview CAN help you and it CAN hurt you. So I would still go into it putting your best foot forward. Have a good understanding of the site and why you're interested in it - I think candidates who do this are able to communicate fit better than candidates who don't prepare.
Click to expand...
Out of curiosity, what are some of the "red flags"? I know there are some obvious ones, like poor social skills/inappropriate self-disclosure, but I'm wondering if there are other, less obvious, red flags.
 
str63 said:
I think that's true in the sense of moving down a ranking list (or not getting ranked at all). We've had cases where on paper, an applicant looks phenomenal, but then we meet them and there are red flags. I think it's harder to move up, though. I think someone can better communicate fit in person than on paper, and so that person can move up quite a bit, but I don't think I've ever had someone from the bottom third move to the top.

I wouldn't put a lot of stock in what getting a "second wave invite" means. It could mean that your application was assigned to a faculty member who was slower at reviewing and so you weren't even considered for the first wave. I also agree with WisNeuro. Even if you may be further down the list for a site to begin with, it doesn't mean you can't move up and it doesn't mean you can't match there. There are excellent sites who will even go on to have openings for Phase 2.

All this being said, an interview CAN help you and it CAN hurt you. So I would still go into it putting your best foot forward. Have a good understanding of the site and why you're interested in it - I think candidates who do this are able to communicate fit better than candidates who don't prepare.
Click to expand...

Thank you for this input - very helpful. Other than understanding the site and why we are interested in it / communicating fit, what other things can we do to help us move up the list? And also - what are some of the red flags that generally could lead to someone getting moved down the list?
 
Anyone heard from any other Houston sites or UT San Antonio? So ready to hear more good news!
 
My cohortmate was rejected from Lewisville School District this morning... I applied but haven't heard one way or the other. Did anyone else hear from there?
 
JT4800 said:
Saw on the first page that someone received an invite from Boston Children's Hospital earlier this week (congrats!) Hoping for a second wave...
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I might be being too optimistic but same here!
 
On December 3rd I received an email invitation from a Counseling Center training director to interview at their site. In that email, she asked me to reply with my prefered interview dates and times, and stated that I would receive a confirmation regarding an interview date and time within 24-48 hours of my reply.

It is now cominig close to 72 hours, and I still have not received a confirmation regarding an interview date and time. I am concerned that my email got lost...

What is the appropriate way of handling this? Should I wait longer? Should I send a follow up email double checking if my email was received? Should I make a phone call?

If I send a follow up email and I again don't hear back within 48 hours (possibly because my email ended up in their spam folder??), should I then make a phone call?

I do not want to bother the training director during this time of the year.

Thank you!
 
Last edited:
I finally got up the nerve to email the Nebraska Consortium, they said “we have already sent our invitations out.”

So if you were waiting to cross them off, it’s maybe time!
 
Taber said:
On December 3rd I received an email invitation from a Counseling Center training director to interview at their site. In that email, she asked me to reply with my prefered interview dates and times, and stated that I would receive a confirmation regarding an interview date and time within 24-48 hours of my reply.

It is now cominig close to 72 hours, and I still have not received a confirmation regarding an interview date and time. I am concerned that my email got lost...

What is the appropriate way of handling this? Should I wait longer? Should I send a follow up email double checking if my email was received? Should I make a phone call?

If I send a follow up email and I again don't hear back within 48 hours (possibly because my email ended up in their spam folder??), should I then make a phone call?

I do not want to bother the training director during this time of the year.

Thank you!
Click to expand...

If others disagree please feel free to weigh in. But I think that if they invited you for an interview then you’re a priority. I would call so I didn’t have to worry about the follow up email getting lost and prolong the waiting. Just be polite and express your enthusiasm and that you’re attentive to detail.


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McMackAttack said:
My cohortmate was rejected from Lewisville School District this morning... I applied but haven't heard one way or the other. Did anyone else hear from there?
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I received a rejection from them on 12/4.

Not totally surprised because I’m clinical, not school, but I was hopeful.
 
Just got rejected from South Shore Mental Health in Boston! They have a strong preference for applicants with Rorschach testing experience... I have none but figured I would apply anyway because maybe I could learn. Apparently not, lol.
 
McMackAttack said:
My cohortmate was rejected from Lewisville School District this morning... I applied but haven't heard one way or the other. Did anyone else hear from there?
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I did not apply there but others in my cohort did and they have not heard anything yet either.
 
str63 said:
All this being said, an interview CAN help you and it CAN hurt you. So I would still go into it putting your best foot forward. Have a good understanding of the site and why you're interested in it - I think candidates who do this are able to communicate fit better than candidates who don't prepare.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. What about being nervous and not performing well at the interview. Do you think a poor interview due to obvious nerves would hurt a lot? I know some say that this is an example of how you would handle pressure, but some if us only shut down at interviews and nowhere else. Yes, I’m trying somewhat unsuccessfully to work on interview-specific shutting down.
 
If only I could be this relaxed!
8C8CF524-713E-4FFA-B906-633CF5118442.JPG



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Has anyone heard from University of Massachusetts Amherst Counseling Center? Their notification date was yesterday but I haven't heard anything. I'm wondering if they extended their deadline and/or notification date and maybe I missed it.
 
laughingasong said:
I've spoke to a couple of y'all, but just curious- who here is in school psych and/or has applied to a bunch of school based sites? Just wondering how represented we are on here!
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In school psych but not applying to schools hahaha so somewhat represented?

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WisNeuro said:
Never really been the case anywhere I've been. Generally the interview leads to some small movements here and there, but I've never seen it take someone from say, the bottom third to the top third. Honestly, the in person interview is most important for the applicant to see the site and talk to faculty. Talk to people who have been through the process. Most of us had a rank order list of where we wanted to go prior to interviews. Most of us moved things around quite a bit after that. I had a site move from my #2 down to my #10 after interviews.
Click to expand...
str63 said:
Speaking from the experience with ranking at my program: Yes, but they're probably not ranked as high as they would've been had them come for an in-person interview. If their credentials are better than some of the other applicants, they will likely get ranked higher; however, it's hard to get to know someone interpersonally when they don't come for the day and we only have a 30 minute phone conversation. That being said, if you're horrible interpersonally, a phone interview might work to your advantage! 😉
Click to expand...

I appreciate the responses - it is helpful for us to have some knowledge of the other side. Re-reading my post, I also realize that I misworded it and meant that interviews could potentially weigh heavier than 10-20% (not be weighted more than the application). Obviously the actual percentage is in part arbitrary, but it is helpful to know that the application carries more significance.

I actually feel interviewing is one of my strengths so I was hoping I could use that to my advantage. I'm sure it won't hurt, but I won't count on woo'ing on sites simply based on an interview.
 
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