Keep RA position for next year?

[fallen625]

To make a long story short - I am debating how helpful an extra 6-9 months of full-time RA experience would be helpful towards an application. I have had a full-time RA job for 6 months, and I am due to give birth in the summer, for which I plan to take 3 months off. I need to decide asap whether I plan to come back after the summer.

I would stay at home with the baby if I knew I would get into a good grad school regardless - however, I realize admissions are very competitive and I plan to apply for top tier programs.

How much would it hurt me to have an RA position on my resume be "November 2012 - May 2013" as opposed to "November 2012- Present" by the time I apply?


My other stats (in case it is helpful)
- 1 first author pub, 1 second author pub, 2 presentations (one local, one international)
- 2.5 years of related undergrad RA experience
- Current experience (6 months full-time) in a somewhat related position
- GPA of 3.82 and GRE of 620/770

Thanks in advance!

 

[Doctor Eliza]

Am I remembering correctly that you are geographically restricted and only have a small pool of programs to choose from? If so, I would definitely keep the job (at least part time). I also don't know how you would explain the gap in your resume if you quit. Even though "I took a year off to raise my child" sounds reasonable to us normal people, clinical faculty are hardly normal people. Especially if you are applying to competitive programs, they are going to want someone who presents as willing to eat, sleep, and breathe psychology 24/7 and has 0% chance of dropping out.

Congrats and good luck!
Dr. E

 

[CheetahGirl]

To make a long story short - I am debating how helpful an extra 6-9 months of full-time RA experience would be helpful towards an application. I have had a full-time RA job for 6 months, and I am due to give birth in the summer, for which I plan to take 3 months off. I need to decide asap whether I plan to come back after the summer.

I would stay at home with the baby if I knew I would get into a good grad school regardless - however, I realize admissions are very competitive and I plan to apply for top tier programs.

How much would it hurt me to have an RA position on my resume be "November 2012 - May 2013" as opposed to "November 2012- Present" by the time I apply?


My other stats (in case it is helpful)
- 1 first author pub, 1 second author pub, 2 presentations (one local, one international)
- 2.5 years of related undergrad RA experience
- Current experience (6 months full-time) in a somewhat related position
- GPA of 3.82 and GRE of 620/770

Thanks in advance!

Congratulations on your summer bundle of joy!

You seem like a strong applicant based on your stats. However, in my (over-achieving working mom) opinion, I feel the "Nov 2012 - Present" would look better. I have a tendency to post long responses, and I'm passionate about this subject so here goes:

If you put "Nov 2012 - May 2013," you will invariably be asked why you left your position in May 2013, and what have you been doing since? If you answer "to spend time with my newborn," your future interviewers may say "Oh, that's so admirable and what a dedicated mother you are!," but they may think "Ok, this one has a baby, she's already got more on her plate than that last applicant who was a single guy or girl who will finish our program with the utmost dedication in record time, making our program stats stronger."

Not to say that your utmost dedication to your career will be compromised by your mothering. My dedication isn't compromised, but my children are my priority in life....likewise, so is supporting my family with my career. Therefore, my dedication is two-fold as is for many parents in graduate school. Some of us are aware of Sheryl Sandberg's "Lean In" quest. And as working women, we must demand equality and that means being evaluated on our credentials alone, and not the mothering and partnering in the privacy of our own homes. Sure, it is a significant factor that you will be the first-time mother of an infant (is this your first?!) who needs you terribly for his/her growth, development and happiness...but, you have to develop the confidence that you can be a good-enough mother (read Winnicott) and a successful doctoral student. If you suspect your interviewers doubt that ability (for reasons of their own) or you are not yet solid in your conviction b/c you have a vulnerable (& venerable! Freudian typo) infant/toddler at home, then you may flounder and compromise your interview.

I would leave children out of interviews until you get the offer, give an acceptance, and then, tell them that you have a bouncing baby at home which will enrich your understanding immensely. My kids have taught me a lot about being a good psychologist and vice versa. I am speaking from tons of experience on this particular subject, and I have been in your shoes.

I hope you can take a 3-month maternity leave and get back to your work full or part-time, but do get back to your position if you can. It will prepare you for leaving your angel to attend clinical practica and classes when you are a doctoral student. Time management and organization are key...why not get started on perfecting those as a research assistant/working-mom, rather than a full-on, 50+ hour/week first-year doctoral student?! Some people may say take more time with the baby, but if you have a good support system...the time away from the baby will benefit you all and you're able to allow your little honey to develop bonds with others which will never replace your bond with your baby. 😉

Best of luck!

 

[Corona21]

It is always a pleasure to read your responses CheetahGirl! You're very inspiring!

 

[fallen625]

Am I remembering correctly that you are geographically restricted and only have a small pool of programs to choose from? If so, I would definitely keep the job (at least part time). I also don't know how you would explain the gap in your resume if you quit. Even though "I took a year off to raise my child" sounds reasonable to us normal people, clinical faculty are hardly normal people. Especially if you are applying to competitive programs, they are going to want someone who presents as willing to eat, sleep, and breathe psychology 24/7 and has 0% chance of dropping out.

Congrats and good luck!
Dr. E

Thank you, Dr. E.

I am somewhat geographically restricted, in that I am applying only in cities where jobs in my husbands field are easy to come by (ei - not applying to schools in the middle of nowhere).

You make a really good point about explaining the gap.. especially with how hard PhD programs are to get into, I want to have nothing that could raise eyebrows and make them move on to the next applicant.

 

[fallen625]

Congratulations on your summer bundle of joy!

You seem like a strong applicant based on your stats. However, in my (over-achieving working mom) opinion, I feel the "Nov 2012 - Present" would look better. I have a tendency to post long responses, and I'm passionate about this subject so here goes:

If you put "Nov 2012 - May 2013," you will invariably be asked why you left your position in May 2013, and what have you been doing since? If you answer "to spend time with my newborn," your future interviewers may say "Oh, that's so admirable and what a dedicated mother you are!," but they may think "Ok, this one has a baby, she's already got more on her plate than that last applicant who was a single guy or girl who will finish our program with the utmost dedication in record time, making our program stats stronger."

Not to say that your utmost dedication to your career will be compromised by your mothering. My dedication isn't compromised, but my children are my priority in life....likewise, so is supporting my family with my career. Therefore, my dedication is two-fold as is for many parents in graduate school. Some of us are aware of Sheryl Sandberg's "Lean In" quest. And as working women, we must demand equality and that means being evaluated on our credentials alone, and not the mothering and partnering in the privacy of our own homes. Sure, it is a significant factor that you will be the first-time mother of an infant (is this your first?!) who needs you terribly for his/her growth, development and happiness...but, you have to develop the confidence that you can be a good-enough mother (read Winnicott) and a successful doctoral student. If you suspect your interviewers doubt that ability (for reasons of their own) or you are not yet solid in your conviction b/c you have a venerable infant/toddler at home, then you may flounder and compromise your interview.

I would leave children out of interviews until you get the offer, give an acceptance, and then, tell them that you have a bouncing baby at home which will enrich your understanding immensely. My kids have taught me a lot about being a good psychologist and vice versa. I am speaking from tons of experience on this particular subject, and I have been in your shoes.

I hope you can take a 3-month maternity leave and get back to your work full or part-time, but do get back to your position if you can. It will prepare you for leaving your angel to attend clinical practica and classes when you are a doctoral student. Time management and organization are key...why not get started on perfecting those as a research assistant/working-mom, rather than a full-on, 50+ hour/week first-year doctoral student?! Some people may say take more time with the baby, but if you have a good support system...the time away from the baby will benefit you all and you're able to allow your little honey to develop bonds with others which will never replace your bond with your baby. 😉

Best of luck!

Thank you for your long response! I admire you for being able to be a psychologist and a mom at the same time.

It is indeed my first child! As much as I would love to stay at home with her instead of working an RA job, I also would love to get into grad school 🙂 I really like the points you make and my career is very very important to me, and right now (other than my child, of course) my priority is to get into the best program I can.

 

[graduatingsoon]

Am I remembering correctly that you are geographically restricted and only have a small pool of programs to choose from? If so, I would definitely keep the job (at least part time). I also don't know how you would explain the gap in your resume if you quit. Even though "I took a year off to raise my child" sounds reasonable to us normal people, clinical faculty are hardly normal people. Especially if you are applying to competitive programs, they are going to want someone who presents as willing to eat, sleep, and breathe psychology 24/7 and has 0% chance of dropping out.

Congrats and good luck!
Dr. E

Yeah, even though this field is heavily dominated by women, the whole training process to become a clinical psychologist is not very friendly towards students with kids or students who want to start a family. The field is too competitive and there is a shortage of internship/postdoc positions, which makes it tough for people with kids who are not geographically flexible.

 

[CheetahGirl]

It is always a pleasure to read your responses CheetahGirl! You're very inspiring!

The pleasure is all mine...glad I can be of service here! 😉

Thank you for your long response! I admire you for being able to be a psychologist and a mom at the same time.

It is indeed my first child! As much as I would love to stay at home with her instead of working an RA job, I also would love to get into grad school 🙂 I really like the points you make and my career is very very important to me, and right now (other than my child, of course) my priority is to get into the best program I can.

You're welcome! And thank you! Search this forum, you'll find more stuff here about parenting while in graduate school. It's tough, but doable. Just prepare you partner for at least 5 intense years of hardwork without pay. Sucks! But, it's going to be rewarding on so many levels once the goal is achieved. 🙂

 

[bmedclinic]

Even though "I took a year off to raise my child" sounds reasonable to us normal people, clinical faculty are hardly normal people. Dr. E

Search this forum, you'll find more stuff here about parenting while in graduate school. )

phdcomics.com regularly has something in there about the struggles of parenting and being a doc student. At least you and your partner can laugh a little about it while seeing how true it is.

Most importantly, I agree with above posters regarding the RA job.