GRE results

[mmonte4]

Ok, i just took the GRE today. Not too impressive: 500V/580Q. I skipped the Writing Section for this one. I was nervous when i first began though, and seemed to work slowly. Anyway, i plan to take it again and get up into at least the 1100's. Dont jump down my throat- im not applying to the top tier programs: Hawaii, LSU, Okl State, Univ Alabama, Univ Miss, and Univ Memphis. Stats are as follows: 3.5 GPA (4.0 final 43 hrs), 1st author on poster, coauthored 2 posters, 1.5 yrs research experience, member of psi chi/psychology club, volunteer phone counselor (1yr). How's it lookin?

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[twiggers]

I think your GPA is OK, and your research experience is definitely great!
I woild definitely recommend retaking the GRE (but a moot recommendation since you're doing it already). I think if you pull yourself up to around 1100s, or even 1200 you'll be just fine
Have you thought about expanding your list of schools to around 10+? Something I definitely recommend based on my experience (applied to 17 mid-tier programs, got around 8-9 interviews, and arounf 5 acceptances).

 

[joetro]

Make sure to find - and articulate - a clear match between your interests and those of the person you want to work with. Also, you can maybe check the average statistics of admitted applications to these schools on their departmental website ... most clinical programs post such disclosure data, so you can match your scores/grades against what is typical. It is my understanding that some schools have cutoffs of 600 on each section ... or at least the quant ... so you might get tossed out of the pool at some places, but maybe not the ones you are specifically applying to. The Insider's Guide to Graduate Programs in Clinical and Counseling Psychology publishes this data.

 

[mmonte4]

Thanks for the response! I have the APA Grad School book with the stats, so im not going to get cut off anywhere. I would like to apply to more schools. The schools I mentioned are ones in which I have already contacted the prof. I am interested in working with. I plan to tailor my letter to each school. I have very good letter of rec as well. One from a Prof Emeritus. I think that other than my GRE my appl is pretty strong. Ive done everything i can the past two years to get my credentials up. Looking foward to hearing from u guys.

Im going PhD by the way, not psyD- more options IMO. Ima go ahead and look into more schools twiggers

 

[JatPenn]

it's all about the match. your GPA is fine, I'm at an academy clinical phd program and my undergrad was a 3.2

 

[mmonte4]

By "match" I take it that you mean a match in research interest? Isnt this established simply by tailoring your letter to the professor you would like to work with?

 

[JatPenn]

By "match" I take it that you mean a match in research interest? Isnt this established simply by tailoring your letter to the professor you would like to work with?

It's not quite that simple.

You have to mean it, you can't just spit some BS about how you want to work with eg 'cognitive biases in anixety disorders' to a professor and not actually have the research background and/or a previously established interest in this area. This is why I usually recommend taking a couple years off after undergrad to get an RA job and TRULY see where your own research interests lie.

Remember -- this is your career we're talking about here, you are professing a love and passion for something that you want to study and research for the rest of your life. DO NOT take it lightly.