PsyD interview day experiential advice requested

[575asdf211]

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What are people wearing to PsyD interview days? Less formal?

Should I stick around for every activity, or just be present for the mandatory interviews?

How should I prepare for an interview with a psychoanalyst?

How personal do faculty make the interview? (considering they are psychotherapists)

 

[blindchaos]

I've been to PhD and PsyD interviews and everyone is pretty muchly wearing the same thing - suits. Unless the school is advertising the interview as very casual, I would personally stick with a nice suit. Also, keep in mind that sometimes students have a voice in the admissions process so the more they recognize your face and interact with you, the more they can potentially say.

In regards to being interviewed by a psychoanalyst - it can really vary person to person. I've had two interviews with psychoanalysts - one was really really tough and the other was fairly standard and only asked basic questions (ie: how did i come to be interested in my preferred field of study, what are you looking for in a graduate program/why this university, etc). Same goes for how personal faculty make the interviews - it varies greatly person to person even within the same school. Feel free to PM if you want more info! Good luck!

 

[deleted176373]

What are people wearing to PsyD interview days? Less formal?

You are applying to become a professional, dress like it. Baylor certainly expected us to be there for an Interview as did Our Lady of the Lake. For a free standing professional school, I have no idea, but they still reject people. I guess if you don't care about getting in, dress that way.

Should I stick around for every activity, or just be present for the mandatory interviews?

Sounds like you don't really want to spend any more time than minimally needed there. That really doesn't sound good. While you certainly don't need to be present for every activity, you don't want to stick out as the nail that needs hammering either.

How should I prepare for an interview with a psychoanalyst?

Just be at ease with yourself and who you are. Defensiveness will not play well and it's likely that you're a fine person with nothing to hide. Psychoanalysts can be pretty cagey and really so can most psychologists regardless of theoretical orientation. Remember to pause and think for a moment before you answer, just a brief moment. That way you avoid foot in the mouth disease.

How personal do faculty make the interview? (considering they are psychotherapists)

A lot of times it depends on how personal you allow them to. You can draw boundaries and in some cases should.

Most interviewers don't push hard enough to cross the line, but the few that do should be politely told that the question is really a bit too personal and you would prefer not to get lost in the weeds, but would rather talk about the program and what makes you a good fit.


Mark

 

[MaddieMay]

IMHO, wear the sharpest, most conservative-looking suit you have or can afford.

You can learn a boatload about a school by attending every class, function, and activity, and talking to every student they will allow you to, and you will impress everyone by being enthusiastic about it. Personally, I took notes during the classes I attended, even asked a question and subsequently was asked by the prof to stand in front of the class (CBT) and describe my experiences teaching CBT for anxiety management. I got in.

No one asked me overly personal questions during my three interviews, not even at The Wright Institute.

I agree with previous posters... you don't sound very hungry. If you do an interview day right, you'll be exhausted at the end. I'm afraid the bare minimum will get you nowhere.

 

[Cosmo75]

I interviewed at 5 PhD programs and 1 PsyD program. I had the longest interviews at the PsyD program I interviewed at (about an hour each). The first professor I interviewed with was pretty challenging. The 2nd was more laid back. But as everyone else has said, there's no difference in terms of professionalism, putting your best face forward, etc. I didn't interview with any "psychoanalysts" (I'm thinking Freudian with that term) but everyone I met with was in clinical practice. When I think back to compare them to the PhD interviews, they were a bit warmer and friendly. I felt more at ease with them. But that also varied. Some were more business than others.