Neuropsychology

[neuropsyance]

Like most undergrad seniors in psych, I'm kind of freaking out this time of year. In short, I was wondering what you all think of my approach. Here's my applicant details.....

GPA: 3.775 (GPA in psych: 3.9)
Major: Psychology
Minor: Biology
GRE: 1150 (640 Q, 510 V, 4 AW)
Psych GRE: Not sure what I got yet, but I imagine I did well
Research Experience: 3 years (neuroscience, both with rats and humans)
Clinical Experience: Little to none (had to pay for school on my own, no time)
Letters: strong (nothing that would hurt me at least)

My goal is to be a clinical neuropsychologist. I've got a list of about twenty programs that will help me achieve this (contacted profs too, they are looking for a student).

I've taken a lot of neuroscience courses (both in psych and bio). I was thinking my approach would be to emphasize the scientest part of the scientist practitioner model. I am currenlty working on my senior thesis.

I would like to work with patients with traumatic brain injury, so I think emphasizing my experience and knowledge in neuroscience and neuroanatomy would be helpful.

Anyway, if you can make sense of my frantic typing on have an opinion any sort of stance I should take to try to "fit" different kinds of faculty members, please share.

Thanks!

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[neuropsyance]

I don't know how that last sentence got slaughtered, but you get the idea.

 

[McClinas]

I was in the same position you were in. I excelled as an undergrad, high GPA in psych, and was planning to apply to clinical psych PhD programs. But, I did poorly on my GRE, and I ultimately decided to take a year off. Now let me first say, that a 1150 on the GRE is not a bad score. However, the general rule of thumb is that most "competitive" PhD program have a cut-off or screen at 1200, some as high as 1300. Of course you can find some schools that have lower GRE requirements. I would recommend looking at websites of the schools that you are interested in, and find their requirements, and even more importantly, their disclosure of student data (which includes avg. GPA, GRE of admitted students).

I would highly recommend taking a year off. It was one of the best decisions I've made with respect to my career. For one, make it your mission and #1 priority to study ur ass off and do well on the GRE. Make notecards for the vocab, buy GRE prep books (Kaplan is probly best), take as many practice tests as you can get your hands on, target your weaknesses, and if you can afford it, I would advise anyone to get a tutor. This is what I did, and I ended up scoring a 190 points higher. This makes all the difference in the world, as you become competitive at a higher tier of schools. Don't sell yourself short. A year off is nothing in the scheme of things, just make it worth it. Anyway, thats my take

 

[neuropsyance]

I take it you got into a program after your year off then?

I've thought about taking a year off, and at times it seems like a great idea. I would actually have time to gain clinical experience (I had been offered a job as a therapist for Autism Intervention Milwaukee, but was unable to accept because of school.) I'd also raise my GRE score and try to gain more research experience.

I just would really like to get in for the coming year. In fact, one of the programs I'm applying to (University of Cincinnati, any opinions?) pretty much has exactly what I want and I fit their applicant data.

I think I might just go ahead and apply, then if I don't get in take the year off and work on my application. Any other opinions?

 

[jenro]

Not to totally scare you, but when I graduated from college (yikes! 12 years ago!), I was in a similar position to you. My GPA was pretty identical, and my GRE scores were actually higher than yours - all over 700. Had research experience in the form of an independent honors project, which I completed over 18 months. Clinical experience was minimal - just like you. I went to a GOOD school. My profs all told me I would get into clinical PhD programs, no problem.

I did not. I did not even get an INTERVIEW my first application cycle. I put all my hopes on this and didn't have any backup plans - didn't apply for jobs, had no housing plans, etc. It was a disaster.

My second time through I got an interview - at the University of Cincinnati, but ultimately didn't get in. Third time through, I applied to non-clinical programs and got into a developmental PhD program, which I eventually left because it just was not what I wanted to do. Now I have a masters in a totally different field but still yearn to be a neuropsychologist!

I'd urge you to get clinical experience (that's what killed me) and to run your essay by LOTS of people. Between my first and second apps, I spent a year doing research in a clinical lab at a hospital. I networked myself into the job (it was volunteer - so I did it on top of taking classes at a local psych masters program and working 20 hours a week for money in a totally unrelated field)- and I was the only non-grad student involved. It was great experience, and it strengthened my apps TREMENDOUSLY.

Be prepared if you don't get in. Maybe it's easier now than it was 10+ years ago, but it may not be. I was applying to schools like Florida, San Diego, Arizona, etc.

I still think that maybe "some day" I'll go back and get a PsyD, but with a career (that probably brings down more than I would immediately out of grad school with a PsyD), a big mortgage in southern California, and a husband who is self-employed, I'm kind of stuck.

If this is what you want to do, find a way to make it work, but to be brutally honest, I wouldn't count on getting in anywhere with your current qualifications.

 

[somedude14]

Not to totally scare you, but when I graduated from college (yikes! 12 years ago!), I was in a similar position to you. My GPA was pretty identical, and my GRE scores were actually higher than yours - all over 700. Had research experience in the form of an independent honors project, which I completed over 18 months. Clinical experience was minimal - just like you. I went to a GOOD school. My profs all told me I would get into clinical PhD programs, no problem.

I did not. I did not even get an INTERVIEW my first application cycle. I put all my hopes on this and didn't have any backup plans - didn't apply for jobs, had no housing plans, etc. It was a disaster.

My second time through I got an interview - at the University of Cincinnati, but ultimately didn't get in. Third time through, I applied to non-clinical programs and got into a developmental PhD program, which I eventually left because it just was not what I wanted to do. Now I have a masters in a totally different field but still yearn to be a neuropsychologist!

I'd urge you to get clinical experience (that's what killed me) and to run your essay by LOTS of people. Between my first and second apps, I spent a year doing research in a clinical lab at a hospital. I networked myself into the job (it was volunteer - so I did it on top of taking classes at a local psych masters program and working 20 hours a week for money in a totally unrelated field)- and I was the only non-grad student involved. It was great experience, and it strengthened my apps TREMENDOUSLY.

Be prepared if you don't get in. Maybe it's easier now than it was 10+ years ago, but it may not be. I was applying to schools like Florida, San Diego, Arizona, etc.

I still think that maybe "some day" I'll go back and get a PsyD, but with a career (that probably brings down more than I would immediately out of grad school with a PsyD), a big mortgage in southern California, and a husband who is self-employed, I'm kind of stuck.

If this is what you want to do, find a way to make it work, but to be brutally honest, I wouldn't count on getting in anywhere with your current qualifications.

Not to be a butthead or anything but just because you had trouble getting accepted into schools I wouldn't tell the poster that they shouldn't count on getting in anywhere. They have solid stats and if they find a good match somewhere then they can get it.

 

[edieb]

In all likelihood, 1150 on the GRE is not going to be high enough to make the first cut at a lot of programs. Most programs have a floor of 1200. However, if your application has some other aspect that is exceptional, you may get in...

good luck!