Applying jitters

[freedom91]

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I'm currently a senior full time student working on an honors project. I'm interested in applying to a few school psych programs (all applications are in January). The application process is becoming a bit of a burden with my workload, having to take the GRE again, and just natural rejection anxiety and....

I'm a bit worried about my decision to go straight into a phd program after undergrad. Most of my friends are taking a semester off before they apply to grad schools (to explore, study for the GRE, etc.) and I can't help but wonder if I should be doing the same thing. I have been in school practically my whole life, and I fear what I would do outside of being a student. I don't want to go for a masters because I know that I want to get my doctorate, and I don't favor the additionally years.

Then the next thing is applying doesn't mean acceptance. What do I do if I'm rejected?

Any advice?

 

[freedom91]

You're running out of time to take the GRE for this application cycle. If you do apply and get rejected you could seek to work in a psych research lab for a year or two (which should strengthen your PhD apps in the future) or seek some kind of clinical work you are interested in (social work or group home type position). Waiting might give you more time to carefully prepare for the GRE--that will be a very important factor in the admissions process, so scoring as highly as possible is recommended. Also, if you take time off you would be able to continue to research programs and even explore whether there may be career options for you other than the Psych PhD that would be preferable for you in the long run. But if you feel confident that the psych PhD is the route you want to go, I see no harm in applying now if you can get the apps in on time and feel prepared to take the GRE right away (that is a big if, because you will need recommenders who can submit letters right away, and you would basically need to take the GRE next weekend to give the best chance of getting everything in).

Thanks! I just feel like if I don't give it a try I will regret not at least trying.

Can't I send the scores right after I take the GREs? Like when they ask you for the school codes? I was thinking of taking it after finals...mid December. I have letters of rec from two professors so far I might ask my supervisor for the third.

I have some research experience in a developmental lab working on a honors project and I started volunteering in a school with children with "special needs" as a form of clinical experience.

 

[mewtoo]

Thanks! I just feel like if I don't give it a try I will regret not at least trying.

Can't I send the scores right after I take the GREs? Like when they ask you for the school codes? I was thinking of taking it after finals...mid December. I have letters of rec from two professors so far I might ask my supervisor for the third.

I have some research experience in a developmental lab working on a honors project and I started volunteering in a school with children with "special needs" as a form of clinical experience.

You can only send to three schools when you take it. To send to others you have to do it online. At first I was able to pay to have them sent the day after online and those sent out when the first three did. For some reason a few days later when I went to add 2 more schools it didn't have the option to send my recent scores, though, so I had to wait until they put my official scores up and then order them. It takes around 10 business days to get official scores. Then it takes them 2 days to process it before they send. You said they were due January 15th? You may be pushing it, but that might be okay. Its best to take a month in advance at least.

 

[emily621]

Take a year off, or more! I originally planned to take two, ended up taking 5, and for the most part, am very happy with how it turned out. The me of 5 years ago was so immature and inexperienced and really didn't have a good sense of what I wanted to study or why I actually wanted this degree. It would have just been, as you point out, the next "school thing" because I had always only ever been in school. I know a few people that went straight through and there's something a little different about them, just a slight immaturity that is evident when talking to them. I think it's great to get some real life experience (especially if it builds your CV) so you can be extra sure that this is what you want, and that you go in knowing exactly what you want to get out of it.

 

[freedom91]

Take a year off, or more! I originally planned to take two, ended up taking 5, and for the most part, am very happy with how it turned out. The me of 5 years ago was so immature and inexperienced and really didn't have a good sense of what I wanted to study or why I actually wanted this degree. It would have just been, as you point out, the next "school thing" because I had always only ever been in school. I know a few people that went straight through and there's something a little different about them, just a slight immaturity that is evident when talking to them. I think it's great to get some real life experience (especially if it builds your CV) so you can be extra sure that this is what you want, and that you go in knowing exactly what you want to get out of it.

@mewtoo thanks! I'm plan on only applying to 3 programs. Yeah the deadlines are between January 1st and the 15th. And I do feel like I am cutting it close, if I wasn't a full time student with a part time job I would definitely have more time (or have all these things done already), but I'm just burdened with that "it's something I MUST do" issue. To me it's like if I don't give it a try I'm basically giving up...

@emily621 thanks for your advice, I'm just nervous as to what I would do for the time I have off, the job market is horrible. And if i land a good enough job i might not want to go back to school. Are you a phd student now?

 

[snowcherries]

I'm in a school psych PhD program right now, and I am soooooooooo glad that I took a year off before going to school. I had plenty of time to relax and go on interviews, I gained valuable experience working in the schools, and I didn't have any trouble getting back into the swing of things academically. Also, for what it's worth, everyone in my cohort (competitive scientist-practitioner program) took a year or more off before starting the program.

 

[missentity]

Take some time to enjoy your young adult life without papers/tests/constantly worrying that you should be "doing something"!

I'm really glad I took a few years off to mature, have fun, leave my work at work (I expect it's hard to do that at grad school), and take time to really think about what I wanted to do. Leaving college, I was 100% sure that I was going to be a clinical psychologist, then I worked a bit in the field and had some doubts, then I worked in a different area and felt better, and now I'm applying to graduate school with some trepidation because I'm not 100% sure about my career goals but I've had plenty of time to accept that and move forward anyway without feeling so insecure 😛

I don't know whether that anecdote helped at all but I guess my point is that the "in-between" time doesn't always help in terms of defining what your career goals are but it's certainly worth it anyway!

 

[emily621]

@emily621 thanks for your advice, I'm just nervous as to what I would do for the time I have off, the job market is horrible. And if i land a good enough job i might not want to go back to school. Are you a phd student now?

Yes, I'm in my first year right now. I think that if you end up not wanting to go back to school, then maybe you weren't meant to go back anyway! That was kind of my point - you get some real world experience, really figure out what you want to do and where your interests truly lie, and THEN make the decision about committing to grad school. It's a huge commitment, and to do it just because you want to get it over with before you lose ambition is really not the best attitude to go into it with.

 

[roubs]

Yes, I'm in my first year right now. I think that if you end up not wanting to go back to school, then maybe you weren't meant to go back anyway! That was kind of my point - you get some real world experience, really figure out what you want to do and where your interests truly lie, and THEN make the decision about committing to grad school. It's a huge commitment, and to do it just because you want to get it over with before you lose ambition is really not the best attitude to go into it with.

^100% agree with this.

 

[freedom91]

Yes, I'm in my first year right now. I think that if you end up not wanting to go back to school, then maybe you weren't meant to go back anyway! That was kind of my point - you get some real world experience, really figure out what you want to do and where your interests truly lie, and THEN make the decision about committing to grad school. It's a huge commitment, and to do it just because you want to get it over with before you lose ambition is really not the best attitude to go into it with.

Thank you all soooo much! As nervous as I am about being out of school (as weird as that may sound), I am seeing why taking a break may be important too, maybe more important than rushing into an intense program/commitment for 5+ years.

@snowcherries if you don't mind me asking, what school psych program are you in?

@missentity it does help, thanks! but hopefully with a break i can get an even better sense of my career goals and what i want to do in research; i'm all for the win-win🙂

@emily621 you are so right, I didn't think of it that way...thanks!

 

[snowcherries]

Thank you all soooo much! As nervous as I am about being out of school (as weird as that may sound), I am seeing why taking a break may be important too, maybe more important than rushing into an intense program/commitment for 5+ years.

@snowcherries if you don't mind me asking, what school psych program are you in?

@missentity it does help, thanks! but hopefully with a break i can get an even better sense of my career goals and what i want to do in research; i'm all for the win-win🙂

@emily621 you are so right, I didn't think of it that way...thanks!

Hi freedom91,

I'd rather not disclose my program. My apologies!

 

[freedom91]

It's okay...thanks