Can I even get into a doctoral program?

[sskeleton]

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So, brief background on me:

I graduated in January from Boston University with a 3.2 overall but a 3.6 within my psych major. (I had a rough freshman year which is part of why my overall is so low, plus BU is into grade deflation a bit). I spent about a year and a half working in a neuro lab in school, and after that I started working in one of the top psychiatric hospitals in the US. I had to leave last month (so I only worked there for 4 months) for personal reasons, but I'm working on getting a similar position now. My GRE scores weren't bad but they also weren't spectacular, but I'm not sure I'll be able to take it again before the application cycle.

I was told I absolutely do not have the grades for a PhD program, but I've heard so many bad things about PsyD programs that I don't really feel confident in choosing one. I know I should try to get more experience but I don't want to spend too much time out of school before I go back. I feel like getting a master's is my only option if I want to get in, but that's also an extra year or two of school to pay for and It won't necessarily shorten the time it takes to get the degree.

I want to be a psychologist, I just don't know how or if I can even do this. My school's advisors etc. haven't helped me at all, and I don't really have anyone else to ask about this. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[conky124]

I had a rough freshman year too. I had a rough time learning how to adjust as an athlete and having 5:30 am rowing practices. I also was irresponsible with coursework for pre-med classes. After learning how to better manage my time and grades, I eventually had straight A's in my final years. However, I only squeaked out a 3.2 cumulative. My GRE's were OK. I spent four years after college working as an RA and in clinical settings like drug abuse. I applied to 13 schools the first application attempt and then 15 the second. I eventually got in by the skin of my teeth, I think my cover letter and experience was a big factor. I'm now finishing up a well-known, fully funded, and accredited Ph.D. program. I am in internship at a good VA that I am very happy with. If it is truly what you want and you are knowledgeable about what you want, keep building your resume, dig deep, and don't give up. It is possible.

 

[deleted343839]

It won't hurt you to apply this cycle if you can secure really strong recommendations, but as you know you're not as strong a candidate as you could be. Some programs are not requiring the GRE this cycle (if ever again). And for all the advice about grades, you will find people who got into graduate school with a low-ish GPA. That said, you'll need to stand out in some other significant way to be competitive for PhD programs. More research experience, and research products such as presentations or even a publication, will help. So apply for research positions by all means. A master's degree is not a bad option but it's the more expensive route.

 

[summerbabe]

I know I should try to get more experience but I don't want to spend too much time out of school before I go back. I feel like getting a master's is my only option if I want to get in, but that's also an extra year or two of school to pay for and It won't necessarily shorten the time it takes to get the degree.

I want to be a psychologist, I just don't know how or if I can even do this.

While some psychologists are able to transition smoothly from undergrad to a doctoral program and then into their career, many (most?) of us do not so there are definitely many paths to build up your resume. I had time off after undergrad, as did many others I went to school with so a break would in itself not hamper eventual success and may even contribute to that success.

Doctoral training, even for those who are in funded PhD programs, can often run longer than expected and get delayed (e.g., difficulty collecting dissertation data, not enough practicum hours to be competitive for internship, not matching for internship, etc) so this might be a good time to reflect on how much time/energy/money you might be willing to spend to set yourself up for what a career as a psychologist can provide (therapy, research, teaching, etc) and whether there may be other career paths out there that for you.

 

[Spydra]

Well of course you can, the question is through which pathway. The days of everyone entering the field through the same path are gone. There is nothing wrong with taking a gap year or a few to gain experience in a paid or volunteer position in a research lab. There is nothing wrong with getting a Master's first to improve your GPA and narrow down your interests. There is nothing wrong with applying to PhDs now and hoping that your LORs and prior experience are enough to get you some interviews.

As others have said a PhD could have unexpected delays. In addition to the one's already mentioned.....you could have terrible mentorship and need to switch labs, funding might be lost (and not all programs will help when this happens), you may uncover an interest and decide to take some additional courses while you can, illness/injury/family stuff could require a semester off, etc. So while maybe there is an ideal path from start to finish there are other paths that are perfectly acceptable.

Only you can really decide which path is going to be right for you and your circumstances. And then you will have to shut out all of the naysayers, because there will always be some no matter which path you choose.

 

[Tulsa]

You can ABSOLUTELY get in if you have good LOR's, research/clinical experience, a strong SOP, and prior conversations (that respect their time) with professors whose research interests match yours. I run a club within my doc program that helps students apply to grad school to become therapists - I hold meetings via Zoom. PM me if you'd like to attend.

 

[irish80122]

I think it is worth applying to programs that are a good fit. I have heard about grade deflation at BU, so I think that there will be training directors that will correct for that, and we do look a lot more at your psych grades and more recent semesters than the early ones. Your story is not unique there, and honestly we have taken students with lower GPAs. The most important thing is the fit! You are doing the right thing by getting extra experience in the meantime, keep that up, and really try to hone in on what it is you want to do in the future so you can make as strong of an argument for the fit as possible. This would go a long way at a program like mine.