Does this sound like a good plan re: PhD programs?

[PizzaButt]

Hi,

I'm a non-trad applicant, 30, married, law degree, and am now switching careers. I would like to apply to psych PhD programs this winter, although I know this will be tight.

I wondered if the plan below sounds doable--if not, does anyone have any suggestions for me? I currently work in 2 part-time psych RA positions, so that's what I'm doing work/research wise. I only have taken one psych course--way back frosh year of college--so I need to take some pre-reqs. I am mainly interested in programs that have an equal or more clinical emphasis over research. I have the book that lists all the programs and their weighted research/clinical emphasis.

Also, I wondered--most of the programs have Dec. 20 deadlines--so when is the best time to submit the application--are these rolling admissions generally or should you submit in Dec.?

Also, is taking the GRE Oct. 1 ok given the Dec. 20 deadlines? I would take it this summer but we're moving and with stats, my part-time paid job, and my RA jobs I feel a little overloaded with all that.

June--work RA jobs, work other part-time paid job
July-August--take stats, work RA jobs
Fall semester--take abnormal, social and research methods, work RA jobs
October 1: take GRE (general)--study mid-August-Oct.
Nov-Dec.: apply

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[KillerDiller]

Deadlines as early in the process as December are not rolling admissions, so it really won't matter if you submit in October or the night before the deadline. You can check individual school websites, but I've never heard of a deadline that early that uses rolling admissions. As a matter of fact, I haven't heard of any doctoral clinical programs that use rolling admissions period, but there may be one or two out there.

Taking the GRE October 1st should be perfectly fine. It takes about six weeks to get your scores to the schools (at most eight weeks), so this gives you plenty of leeway. It may not allow you enough time to re-study and re-take if you are unhappy with your scores, though, so that's something to keep in mind if you are particularly concerned your performance on the test.

One more thing that I'm sure you probably know, but I'll point out anyway. The application process is very long and the least difficult part of it is sitting down and filling out the applications. I see in your timeline that you plan on allotting a couple months to apply. Remember, though, that you will probably want to be contacting potential mentors, lining up letters of rec, and drafting copies of your personal statement well before that.

 

[terrybug]

I'd add:
June - September: contacted professors you are interested in working with to discuss your qualifications and verify that they will have room in their labs for new students next year

October - December: Request, organize and mail out your letters of rec.

Jan - April: Keep yourself as busy as possible and don't obsess! Checking on here 10 times a day just makes things worse... but it's very hard to resist.

 

[timecoloured]

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[JockNerd]

I'd add:
June - September: contacted professors you are interested in working with to discuss your qualifications and verify that they will have room in their labs for new students next year

October - December: Request, organize and mail out your letters of rec.

Good points. I was going to suggest those but you beat me to it.

 

[terrybug]

Good points. I was going to suggest those but you beat me to it.

The other kids in my lab had contacted their POI's in the summer - which is good timing because it's before they get bombarded by more and more panicky emails the closer December gets.
I was a little slow to get to this part of the process and sent out my emails in October/November. And most of them actually wrote back to me, which I wasn't expecting!

 

[sicologia]

Hi,

I am mainly interested in programs that have an equal or more clinical emphasis over research. I have the book that lists all the programs and their weighted research/clinical emphasis.

It would probably make sense to apply to a few PsyD programs as well. The emphasis will likely be more clinical than research based, although most programs have research courses you must take.