essays for APPIC applications

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JockNerd

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How are other people building this? As I read mine it comes off as almost a cover letter rather than a mini bio. It's hard to walk that line about what kind of information they'd like versus what's TMI.
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I completed these apps last year and will be starting internship in 2 weeks.

First, this whole process is crazy, I truly empathize with you while you go through this process...

You hit the nail on the head, you dont know what the DCT will consider to be TMI, on the other hand if you dont personalize it to some extent they will analyze why it is that you are not sharing anything personal.

It's a tough line to walk. My Suggestion is that you should talk about your process of how you grew through grad school and placements, and what your goals are for internship in terms of growth, personal and professional.
 
I actually enjoyed that one. Make it unique, it really should be about you. It should not come off as a cover letter though, because the goal is to get the comitte interested in you as a person (by describing who you are, or a unique life experience) vs trying to sell your accomplishments and/or your fit with a site. Thats what I have been told anyway. It could certainly describe your fit with the field/profession of psychology in general, but I was advised to stay away from CV-like info in this essay. I also know people who really didnt mention psychology at all in their essay 1. And frankly, those were the most interesting ones to me.
 
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Be very very careful about essay #1. I applied to internship 3 yrs ago. I was creative in essay 1 and apparently it was a disaster. I applied to about 17 sites and only got 2 interviews (thank goodness I matched to one of them!) When I had such a poor success rate getting interviews, my DCT called the programs that rejected me and asked why. A number of them mentioned that essay #1 was too unprofessional and they were looking for something more traditional.

Run your essay by several profs. I would even suggest using old cranky profs. 🙂

Best of luck. Remember, your journey is almost over--there is light at the end of the tunnel!!

Best,
Dr. Eliza

P.S. In case, it helps anyone, the other major reason i didn't get interviews was that I was a clinical student who applied to counseling ctrs. Apparently this typically does not go well (especially since my practicum was at a community clinic and not a counseling ctr).
 
I agree with Dr. Eliza. Keep it personal, but not bizarre. The purpose of the bio essay to get across elements of you, as an individual, that is not evident in the rest of your application. Your CV will detail your training, you also have essays to discuss research, cultural experience, and theoretical orientation. You have a cover letter to spell out training goals and make a case for your fit with the program(s). SO.... what is it about you that would add to this wealth of information? The point is to provide a glimpse of your human side-NOT to shock/surprise the selection committee.
 
So... [I hit the submit button too soon, lol] I suggest the following: write the rest of your stuff. Review your application in it's entirety and even have a friend/colleague read all your other essays, CV, and a sample cover letter. Then ask yourself and your reader "what is missing? what is not conveyed about me that I'd like the readers to know?" That is how I approached it and it really helped. 🙂
 
Just an idea that worked well for my bff: she is from a unique cultural background and so she talked about that in her essay #1. Programs LOVE LOVE LOVE diversity, so if you can work that angle, work it.

Also, keep in mind that what internship committees consider bizarre is way different from what NORMAL people consider bizarre. 🙂 That's why I suggest the stodgy old prof reading the essay.

The whole situation is frustrating really: you want to be unique but unique in a sort of boring way.

Also, it may go w/o saying, but NEVER mention personal or family mental health struggles in your essay in any way. There is still much inappropriate/unjustified/unfair prejudice from people who should know better. You don't want to be dismissed as a person who is becoming a psychologist to fix his own issues.

Best of :luck:,
Dr. Eliza
 
Doctor Eliza said:
Just an idea that worked well for my bff: she is from a unique cultural background and so she talked about that in her essay #1. Programs LOVE LOVE LOVE diversity, so if you can work that angle, work it.

Also, keep in mind that what internship committees consider bizarre is way different from what NORMAL people consider bizarre. 🙂 That's why I suggest the stodgy old prof reading the essay.

The whole situation is frustrating really: you want to be unique but unique in a sort of boring way.

Also, it may go w/o saying, but NEVER mention personal or family mental health struggles in your essay in any way. There is still much inappropriate/unjustified/unfair prejudice from people who should know better. You don't want to be dismissed as a person who is becoming a psychologist to fix his own issues.

Best of :luck:,
Dr. Eliza
Click to expand...

Again, this is why I made the comment in the internship thread that I think this focus on the essays is really just ridiculous. Dont be too general/generic, oh, but dont be too disclosing either! Let me get to know you, but not too much! Be organized and concise, but dont make it look like it came from a guidebook/template! Dont repeat your CV, but really sell youself too! Dont be boring, but dont be too out there!

Out of curiosity, when med students apply for internship and residency, do they have to do a bunch of essays over and above the cover letter?
 
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Hi Everyone,

I am currently working on my autobiographical essay for APPIC applications for internship. I was wondering how much leniency you think they provide for that first essay? I am thinking of going the unconventional route as opposed to writing about my upbringing/experiences so far. Do you think this is an unwise decision? The sample essays in the internship books are very straight foward and somewhat boring....
 
I don't know the answer, but I am going the unconventional route as well. Hopefully it's appreciated, although I could certainly see it blowing up in my face.
 
hhaaha - I hope so too. I would assume some sites may be "in to it" and others (research focused ones) may not... I am really not interested in doing multiple essays for different sites though...
 
Is that even possible? Is it posible to submit different versions of the core APPI essays to different sites? I thought your APPI application (including the core essays) was the same for every site, and the only difference was the letters of rec and "supplemenal materials" you chose upload and send off to each site?
 
You can write different versions of each essay and choose which ones are uploaded to each site to which you apply.
 
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I also have no idea what to write.... I was going to go the unconventional route but now I'm wondering if that's a mistake....
 
Please be very careful. (See my post in the APPIC essay 1 thread.) I was slightly non-conventional and it was interpreted as unprofessional and "flippant." I must say that I am typically considered to be very professional and am frequently complimented on my writing style. I only say that by way of saying my essay was not that strange, but it was interpreted as such.

This is a much more formal essay than the essays you used to get into grad school.

I think i mentioned this in the other thread, but my close friend was able to be "unique" in her essay by talking about her unique cultural background and how it has influenced her clinical psych career. That is the kind of uniqueness that they want. (They just eat up that diversity stuff. If you are diverse in any way, play it up).

:luck:
Dr. Eliza
 
JockNerd said:
How are other people building this? As I read mine it comes off as almost a cover letter rather than a mini bio. It's hard to walk that line about what kind of information they'd like versus what's TMI.
Click to expand...

Most likely, you will not be rewarded for mold-breaking creativity on this essay. You will be rewarded for something that is crisply written, coherent, and highly professional. At the same time, you must actually say something substantive and interesting about yourself. Keep in mind that internship directors are looking for GROWN-UPS who will work hard and benefit from their particular training program as a stepping stone to bigger and better things. Hence, your biographical statement should address your professional development, but written from a personal standpoint that gives a glimpse into who you are and how you think. Yes, it is hard to walk that line. It is helpful to look at applications from former students in your program who landed good internships.

When we look at internship apps, essays that say "look at what a unique and precious snowflake I am!" are viewed with suspicion. We do not want to recruit a potential diva.
 
Essays help sites with the rule-out/rule-in re interview decisions and work best when they give 1)a sense of you as an individual and 2) a sample of you as a writer. Write something authentic and brief in a voice that sounds like you; then ask a range of people to read it for editorial feedback (Yes, it is hard to expose yourself and they may give you differing advice, adding to the confusion so choose carefully who you ask--but let someone you trust give you feedback on whether is is clear and reflects who you are as a novice professional.) Once you get the "feel" of the essay right you can add in more detail if you need/want more length.

The essays that don't work for me are too generic, too verbose, or somehow convey arrogance, lack of humor or lack of proofreading skills.

But also keep in mind that it is the fit of your experience and training goals to the site that is most important. One essay is not likely to make or break a decision. More important is the overall sense that your background and goals qualify as a good fit with what a particular site does (population served, kinds of clinical services, treatment models, etc.) so you each have something to offer each other.
 
Doctor Eliza said:
Please be very careful. (See my post in the APPIC essay 1 thread.) I was slightly non-conventional and it was interpreted as unprofessional and "flippant." I must say that I am typically considered to be very professional and am frequently complimented on my writing style. I only say that by way of saying my essay was not that strange, but it was interpreted as such.

This is a much more formal essay than the essays you used to get into grad school.

I think i mentioned this in the other thread, but my close friend was able to be "unique" in her essay by talking about her unique cultural background and how it has influenced her clinical psych career. That is the kind of uniqueness that they want. (They just eat up that diversity stuff. If you are diverse in any way, play it up).

:luck:
Dr. Eliza
Click to expand...
What made your essay "unconventional?"
 
What, exactly, is your goal for this essay? Must you use an atypical format or style to achieve that goal? Those are my main questions. Step back and think about why you're looking at the essay process this way.

I would advise against going "unconventional" if the main purpose is to stand out (there are better ways), or if a more business-like style is not familiar to you (you'll need to get comfortable with this eventually).

It is helpful to think of the internship application as a very lengthy and burdensome job application. If you were applying for a job in the typical manner, would you present yourself differently? I'm not saying you shouldn't consider unconventional approaches at all, but do so with caution, and ask yourself why.
 
MamaPhD said:
Most likely, you will not be rewarded for mold-breaking creativity on this essay. You will be rewarded for something that is crisply written, coherent, and highly professional. At the same time, you must actually say something substantive and interesting about yourself. Keep in mind that internship directors are looking for GROWN-UPS who will work hard and benefit from their particular training program as a stepping stone to bigger and better things. Hence, your biographical statement should address your professional development, but written from a personal standpoint that gives a glimpse into who you are and how you think. Yes, it is hard to walk that line. It is helpful to look at applications from former students in your program who landed good internships.

When we look at internship apps, essays that say "look at what a unique and precious snowflake I am!" are viewed with suspicion. We do not want to recruit a potential diva.
Click to expand...

Best post of the thread.

The essays that stuck out to me were well written, interesting, and I felt like I got to know the applicant just a bit better. You want your essay to be a reflection of yourself. Have a trusted mentor and/or friend review your essay and see if they think it describes you as a person. Again, it isn't a CV review, but an introduction of yourself to the training committee. You are there to train, but "fit" is really important. I knew my Essay #1 was done when one reader (a current Internship Director) told me that it matched up to how she knew me as a person.
 
docma said:
The essays that don't work for me are too generic, too verbose, or somehow convey arrogance, lack of humor or lack of proofreading skills.
Click to expand...

The essays that were least effective for me were the ones that read like the person was trying too hard. Some people hammered on diversity, others on their awesomeness. The most effective essays flowed, provided information, and had a quiet confidence that made me want to learn more about them.

It is hard to give advice about what will work, because it really varies from person to person. My Essay #1 touched on my prior career (something that made me unique), talked about some personal interests (to see me as more than a CV), and then talked a bit about what I'm looking for (addresses "fit").
 
Yes, even though you are still a novice, you are developing a "voice" as a psychologist. This is the voice you want to use in the essay and you want to say what you are looking for in your final graduate year. Choose something you really want to do/learn and write about that. No one in the field thinks you will know everything before you become an intern or learn everything while you are one. Say in your own voice what you are most excited to learn next.
 
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