Presentations/Publications

[riceowl2012]

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[Phipps]

Hi,
So I'm new here and I just read the one thread about publications during undergraduate and it got me extremely worried. The thing is, I think I'm doing very well at being ready to apply to PhD programs with a focus on neuropsychology. I have a great GPA, a lot of research and some clinical experience, people who should be able to write me great LOR, and so on. But the thing is I have absolutely 0 presentations or publications. I don't know anyone at my school who has as an undergraduate done these types of things in psychology, and now I'm slightly panicking that this might ruin my chances for the top schools I hope to apply to as I saw in the other thread that presentations are kind of a silent requirement.
I'm currently a junior and so I feel like this would have been the semester for me to have done these things. I decided, however, to study abroad and am currently in Spain. I don't regret this decision, but I feel like most of the conferences I have heard about for undergraduates are in the spring (Stanford, UVA). Is there any way I will be able to have these experience before I send in my applications? I know how difficult it is to get into any of these programs and I just want to do everything I can to give myself the best possible chance. Any recommendations or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

are u doing an honors thesis or something? Sometimes, people use that in order to submit results for APA poster presentations. That would be a place to start, or any regional conferences. Are u a memeber of APA? They have cool Divisions and a lot of stuff going on.

 

[PsychAndMusic]

i got accepted into my top choice without doing a presentation/poster in either undergrad or grad school (MA) which was a very bad decision on my end. i lucked out perhaps so it is possible to be accepted without pubs or presentations but i wouldn't recommend it. i feel like thats the only thing i missed out on throughout my education and i could really have used that experience before going into a doctoral program. oh well! if you can get your hands on a pub or presentation it will only make you an even better candidate.

good luck! 👍

 

[psyched27]

My take is that one thing isn't going to make or break your application. Lots of research experience in an area related to what you want to study in grad school, good GREs/GPA, and good letters of rec are equally as important as publications/presentations. I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to publish and present quite a bit in undergrad and in the two years since graduating college (3 first authored papers, 1 second authored paper, 8 posters, and 1 conference symposium). However, there were still quite a few schools that I didn't receive interview invitations to. The ones that I did receive all seemed to be a great match with my past experience. So, I think the best predictor seems to be past experience and being able to justify your fit to the program. In my case, I think my publications/presentations made up for my relatively-average GPA/GRE, but did not get me invites at schools that I didn't demonstrate a great fit with.

My advice is to do as well as you can on the GREs, and write a great personal statement that really demonstrates your fit with the program. If your past research experience is in neuropsychology you can still be competitive without publications/presentations. If not, you might want to consider taking an RA job for a year or two to give yourself those publishing/presenting opportunities and some more experience in the area.

 

[Butterfly6]

Anyone have an idea if doing an oral presentation vs. a poster gains you more points on your cv? I have the opportunity to present but due to time I would like to do a poster. However, if oral is significantly worth more than a poster, I will just put my nose to the grind stone. I do have some poster and some orals already.

 

[Psychology 76]

Anyone have an idea if doing an oral presentation vs. a poster gains you more points on your cv? I have the opportunity to present but due to time I would like to do a poster. However, if oral is significantly worth more than a poster, I will just put my nose to the grind stone. I do have some poster and some orals already.

I think an oral presentation looks a little bit better but not significantly so. If its a huge pain to do a talk then shoot for the poster.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

I think an oral presentation looks a little bit better but not significantly so. If its a huge pain to do a talk then shoot for the poster.

Agreed.

There is also a difference between doing an oral presentation of essentially what would be on a poster, and being asked to do a talk/symposium on your research. The talk/symposium is obviously better...though more time intensive than a poster or oral presentation of your work.

 

[riceowl2012]

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[Psychology 76]

Ok so maybe you could give me some advice on something else I've been trying to decide. Next year I am either going to try to do an honors project or get an internship in a center that does clinical research on children with developmental disorders. The honors project would most likely be sponsored by the same prof I have been working with for two years, but it would likely not be able to be in the field of neuropsych. So which is better, to have this honors project in the works when I apply or to be able to say I am gaining experience in the field I hope to pursue?

Why not both? I did two internships and an honors thesis as an undergrad 🙂

 

[AgapeBlue]

Why not both? I did two internships and an honors thesis as an undergrad 🙂

I did as well. It's quite doable depending on your course load and your ability to juggle cats...errrr...time management skills 😉

Best wishes,
AB🙂

 

[bmedclinic]

Hey RiceOwl-
Since I'm rather familiar with the research scene in your town, I might suggest that depending on what part of neuropsych you're interested in, there are a ton of options *baylor for example* where I think you could easily find yourself involved in research, if you did a little leg work.

Love H-town, glad I dont live there. Love the area right around Rice. Glad I never got mugged there. 😉

 

[riceowl2012]

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