Deferring Admission

[bcliff]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

Does anyone know if it's possible to defer admission to a clinical psych PhD program? I'm assuming that this would be a definite no, but I've heard of stranger things happening. I just got my BS this past December, I've been working as a psychometrist full time since June, prior to that I worked in 3 labs for 18 months for a sum total of roughly 40 hours/week. I have a UG thesis, a bunch of poster presentations, a couple pubs that I'm working on. For personal reasons, I'd rather wait until Fall '15 to start a PhD program, but I'm afraid that if I stay in a solely clinical position until then, my research experience from UG will become gradually less impressive/relevant. Would it be possible to apply for '14 and defer a year until '15? Does it vary institution to institution? Am I crazy?

Thanks for the input everyone.

 

[paramour]

Does anyone know if it's possible to defer admission to a clinical psych PhD program? I'm assuming that this would be a definite no, but I've heard of stranger things happening. I just got my BS this past December, I've been working as a psychometrist full time since June, prior to that I worked in 3 labs for 18 months for a sum total of roughly 40 hours/week. I have a UG thesis, a bunch of poster presentations, a couple pubs that I'm working on. For personal reasons, I'd rather wait until Fall '15 to start a PhD program, but I'm afraid that if I stay in a solely clinical position until then, my research experience from UG will become gradually less impressive/relevant. Would it be possible to apply for '14 and defer a year until '15? Does it vary institution to institution? Am I crazy?

Thanks for the input everyone.

I suspect it's going to depend on the program. I also suspect, even then, you better have a damned good reason for wanting to defer. Some programs have courses that depend on all their incoming cohort to take certain classes, be able to teach/conduct research, etc. when positions are offered. If students are not taking the classes, not there to provide services, it may cause issues with their ability to offer those classes, to receive funding from the university, etc. It really isn't just about us.

 

[paramour]

I've never heard of this happening and would bet it's a definite no at most programs (unless you're applying somewhere like Argosy). Funding varies from year to year, so it would be difficult to guarantee your position. Also, I think you'd be hard-pressed to find someone who would accept a student who didn't feel ready for graduate study (I wouldn't). There is no guarantee they would be ready the next year.

+1. The only places I've heard this happening are at free-standing prof schools, but stranger things have happened I suppose.

 

[bcliff]

Ok, like I said, I assumed it was a definite no, but I thought I might as well ask - thanks for the quick input.

I guess that brings me to my next question, do you think having extensive research experience between January 2011 & July 2012 and then working in a solely clinical environment from July 2012 to July 2015 while working on a couple research projects on the side would hurt my chances drastically when applying to programs starting in Fall '15?