PhD/PsyD Failing comprehensive exam

[ClinicalPsych2013]

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How will I be impacted when applying for internship if I have a 'F' on my transcript for my first attempt at my comprehensive exam? I am 98% sure that I'll fail comps this time and hopefully I'll be in a better place next semester to pass. I'm really worried if this will badly hurt me when I go to apply for internship. Any insight would be really appreciated.

 

[MCParent]

Your program puts the grade for your comprehensive exam on your transcript? Are you sure?
You’d cover it in the section on academic probations etc, I’d think, because it would probably result in probation too.

 

[WisNeuro]

Our comps were pass/fail, and I believe that it is not listed specifically on my transcripts. As MCP said, I imagine the only thing that could pop up would be an academic probation, or the DCT mentioning it in the blurb they write for applications.

 

[ClinicalPsych2013]

It is listed on my transcript because we have to sign up for it as if it's a zero credit class. So it will be there. I don't think we're put on academic probation. My main concern is not getting an internship. Thanks for your replies

 

[foreverbull]

Would you be comfortable asking for clarification from your advisor or the director of training and getting input about the consequences of failing comps the first time and if it affects students' internship chances? Since it's their policy (and you don't seem 100% certain about all of the details), they'd know if it's happened in the past and if it affected students' internship chances. This situation just seems specific and possibly unique to your program, and you may not get much out of the general advice in here.

At the very least, make sure you have a reasonable explanation for why you failed comps the first time in case you needed to explain it to sites later on.

 

[cara susanna]

Yeah, in my program a lot of people failed comps the first time around. It wasn't really a big deal.

 

[WisNeuro]

Yeah, in my program a lot of people failed comps the first time around. It wasn't really a big deal.

I imagine it's highly variable between programs. Some don't even do any formal testing anymore for comps. Instead, they must meet certain milestones (e.g., submit a manuscript for publication). In my program we still had the long, day long essay exam, and almost no one failed it. It wasn't a big deal if you failed one portion of the exam and passed it when you got a retake of that one portion a few weeks later, but if you failed it altogether, it would probably set you back a year in applying for internship. Not sure, though, I only knew of one person failing one portion in the time that I was there and they promptly passed that section on retest.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

Yeah, there can be a lot of variability here, as a "fail" at one program may not equate to a "fail" at another. I wouldn't say it was common for folks to fail comps at my program, but it happened. Although to be honest, I don't know if it was formally marked as a "fail" somewhere, or if it was more along the lines of, "we're going to stop this meeting here because you aren't going to pass. We recommend you address X, Y, and Z, and we'll meet again in one month."

At the same time, a true "hard fail" can be grounds for dismissal from a program. Doesn't sound like that's the case here.

If it's on your transcripts, you'll need to address it somewhere in the application. It may raise some concerns (perhaps until the explanation is read), but I wouldn't imagine it'd be a death knell at very many sites. Depending on the consequences in your program of the fail.

 

[Ollie123]

Are you really 98% sure you will fail or is this a cognitive distortion?

I would be concerned, but not overly so if everything else looks good. You explain it in your applications. Our DCT also asked us for any major red flags and they addressed that in the form they are required to submit - you could in theory have other letter-writers do so as well if appropriate (depends on who they are).

 

[psyche27]

Honestly, if your AAPI says you passed your comprehensive exam (as certified by your DCT) the chance of me looking at your transcripts to see if it's on there is zero to none given how unusual it is to even have that show up on a transcript.

If you have an F on your transcript I might notice it, or I might not - it depends on what your overall GPA is (frankly I barely even glance at transcripts with the AAPI). YMMV depending on site so take this with a grain of salt.

 

[WisNeuro]

Transcripts have definitely come into play at the sites I've been at, more to look for red flags than anything. The vast majority of applicants have mostly As, with maybe a scattered Be here and there. If someone has all B's, anything less than an A or pass on practicum, or low grades in their specialty area (e.g., neuro), it's a red flag. Not a dis qualifier, but it will bump you below someone with similar stats on other areas of the CV.