number of interview invites for each spot

[clinical psych]

Just curious...In people's experience this year and prior, how many interview invites have your POI's invited to interview weekend for each spot available? (for clinical psychology PhD programs)

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[spafticus]

For all of my interviews, my POI invited 3 people. Most other POIs seemed to invite more though (average was ~5)

 

[Marissa4usa]

I've seen/heard anything from 2 to 12.

 

[psychdocstudent]

Northwestern invited around 20 for 2 spots in one area (chicago campus)

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

I've heard 3-5....though it probably varies widely by program and POI. I was recently talking to a friend of mine about her selection process, and she tends to pick her top applicant (if there is a clear choice) and interview them...if it is a great fit, they'll get an offer. If not...she'll go to #2, #3, etc. I know other people who will interview 3-4 at a time and see who fits best.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

2-4 is the norm for my program (university-based clinical psych PhD), which is similar to most of the other numbers listed here. When I interviewed with my professor, for example, there were 4 of us for an initial 2 spots (although the POI actually "went to bat" for us with the department and ended up securing funding for all 4).

 

[snowcherries]

I interviewed at several places this cycle, and there's been a large amount of variance--my school psych programs seem to have invited fewer folks per spot than my clinical program, although my experience certainly isn't a representative sample. At a clinical program, one of my POIs invited 7 people for one spot...which created a bit of a feeding frenzy among the applicants to show off for this particular person Again, that wasn't a typical experience for me.

 

[emily621]

I interviewed only at clinical psych programs, and I've seen anywhere from 2 (including me) to 8-9.

 

[clinical psych]

wow, 8 or 9 or up to 12, goodness...that's a serious number...must be an interview weekend zoo!

 

[psychdocstudent]

I hope that eventually the program will let applicants know how many they are inviting for their spots. I was basically shocked when I went to Northwestern interview. I couldn't hide the shockness right away. If I knew it ahead of time I at least would not show it there.

 

[Psychadelic2012]

At a clinical program, one of my POIs invited 7 people for one spot...which created a bit of a feeding frenzy among the applicants to show off for this particular person .

Sorry, but that is disgusting. How inconsiderate to the applicants, especially for those who have to travel! This process is getting downright abusive!

 

[Idealist64]

At Teacher's College for the counseling program this year, they interviewed about 25 people each of 2 days (so around 50 total) for approx 5-6 spots. It was shocking to see that many people there, when I was expecting about 3-5 per spot.

 

[HPsych]

Sorry, but that is disgusting. How inconsiderate to the applicants, especially for those who have to travel! This process is getting downright abusive!

I agree. I was very disappointed at one of my interviews when I found out there were 7 people interviewing with a single POI. I was upset at the fact that I had spent a lot of money to fly there, only to find out I had a slim chance of actually getting the spot!

 

[paramour]

I witnessed a lot of variance when I was applying (from 2 to 12), and I still see a lot of variety across professors in our program (from 3 to 12) when they invite applicants. Of course, I also see differences in the way in how professors accept students--with some offering admissions waaay down their list and even making offers to students they did not interview (but that other professors interviewed) and some making one & only one offer (so if the student does not accept, then there is no incoming student that year).

 

[ncLPA]

In all the programs I have interviewed at (Clinical and Counseling PhDs) the average tends to be 3 for a strict mentorship model and 4 for more general program wide admissions.

Personally, I would be distrustful of a program who invites 12 per spot, or much more than 3-4 per spot. That says to me that the school is still far from finalizing their interest in any one person. It also tells me that despite all the work applicants put in that the program feels uncomfortable using the letters, statements, C.V.'s, scores, etc to compare to a reasonable point. If a program has 200 applicants, inviting half is too much- especially in this economy. I'm not even sure if I would go to one of those interviews- at most I would probably do a phone interview. That also speaks to me about the degree of encouraged competitiveness within the program- something I'm just not interested in between my cohort. I think the emphasis placed by some programs on being 'elite' for the sake of bragging is silly anyway.

 

[lava12345]

Just curious...In people's experience this year and prior, how many interview invites have your POI's invited to interview weekend for each spot available? (for clinical psychology PhD programs)

My department caps it at 4 per professor, because they have to pay to feed all those people on interview day and reimburse them for travel!