Re-applying - A do or a don't?

[BostonPsych715]

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It's me, AGAIN. Bare with me.

I've posted several times on this website before, but as a junior who's recently decided to pursue Clinical Psychology, I have a lot of questions and a lot of work to do before next December. I appreciate everyone who is willing to answer my (seemingly never-ending) questions.

To give you a brief background about myself, I'm a junior at a large state school. I'm a psych major with a minor in human biology. My GPA's a 3.8, I'm a part of the honors program (will write honors thesis), a Psi Chi member, and Alpha Lambda Delta inductee. Aside from school, this summer I am working on a peer review journal with my professor. This coming semester, I am assisting another professor in a research lab. I will also be doing a clinical internship next fall. I've yet to take the GRE, but I test well. I will probably score much higher in verbal/writing than I will in quantitive (math is not my strong suit). Because I have done so well in research methods and other classes where I've had to write research papers, many professors have asked me if I'm considering grad school. This has always been an intention of mine, but only recently have I explored the different programs and decided to pursue the very competitive clinical psychology; because of my late decision, I do not have the years of research experience my competitors do. My areas of interest include biology psychology and abnormal psychology.

I am from the Boston area, and I do not intend to go outside of Massachusetts for my schooling. I know people warn against limiting yourself geographically, but I am very close with my family and cannot see myself living far away for 5-7 years. I do not have the money to fly back and forth. In addition, I see myself in a hospital setting in the future and Boston has some of the best hospitals.

My questions are: 1) Do you think there is any chance I will get into a clinical program with my lack of experience? 2) In the event that I am not accepted, I plan on pursuing a master's in psychology to beef up my research experience. Because I want to stay in Massachusetts, I would be re-applying to the same schools. Is reapplying something that is done in this field or frowned upon?

I am not sure if I should get my Masters first, and then apply to PhD programs or if I should apply to both types of programs senior year and roll the dice that I may gain acceptance (keep in mind that I would be reapplying to the same schools in a couple years if I don't get in!).

Any help is appreciated!

 

[CleverUsername15]

Frequently if you are rejected from a PhD program and they feel you are qualified for their connected MS program, they will invite you to interview for that. This is not always the case.

 

[bostongal109]

I think if you reapply and not much as changed, then it may not look great. But I would encourage you once things slow down (like in late spring or summer) to reach out to your top choice and get a good idea of why you were rejected. I was also advised back then that typically, unless it's just a matter of fit, one year won't make a huge difference in your application, so if you reapply make sure there's a major difference in your application.

 

[BostonPsych715]

Frequently if you are rejected from a PhD program and they feel you are qualified for their connected MS program, they will invite you to interview for that. This is not always the case.

The two PhD programs I am considering are not connected to MS programs. I have 5 schools in mind, none of which offer both clinical psych PhDs and MS. Two of my the schools are PhDs, and 3 are MS.

 

[BostonPsych715]

I applied to masters programs and Ph.D programs out of undergrad. I did not get into Ph.D programs, so I completed a Masters. At that time, I spoke with a professor I really wanted to work with at my top choice after I was rejected and asked her what I could do to make myself a more competitive applicant for their program. She gave me great advice and was super helpful and nice. I spent approximately 5 years trying to accomplish what she advised me to do. I reached out to her this application cycle to inform her I was re-applying and was hoping she was taking a new student. She was really nice about it, and asked me to send her my application when complete so she could personally review it given my demonstrated interest in her lab. Now, whether or not it ultimately made any diference or if I even get an interview there, who knows, but in this case reapplying was well received and not looked down on.

I think if you reapply and not much as changed, then it may not look great. But I would encourage you once things slow down (like in late spring or summer) to reach out to your top choice and get a good idea of why you were rejected. I was also advised back then that typically, unless it's just a matter of fit, one year won't make a huge difference in your application, so if you reapply make sure there's a major difference in your application.

But that's just my opinion and what do I know because I haven't heard back from any schools yet 🙂

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply to me! I see that you are also from Boston? 🙂 My top choice is Suffolk University. If I do not get in, I intend on spending the next 1-2 years in a MS program. Specifically, I would love to do my masters at BU, but I'm not sure how competitive their program is. Regardless, I would make the effort to gain more research experience while I complete my masters so that I will be a stronger applicant next time around. I'm just concerned that a past rejection could taint my chances the second time around.

 

[CleverUsername15]

Oh! You mean re applying in 2 or more years. I think if you are rejected for lack of experience (and not some other reason) completing a MA can only help you. Who knows, your research interests may shift slightly while pursuing a MA and you may end up applying to different POIs if you have to apply again.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

A couple thoughts:

1) As you've said, geographically restricting yourself in psychology generally doesn't pan out too well, unless you're willing to sacrifice in a variety of areas (e.g., attending a program that may have a very high tuition, not provide solid training, and/or not make you competitive for internship and beyond). Restricting yourself to an area as popular as MA is particularly problematic, especially given the competitiveness of most doctoral programs in the state.

2) RE: if there's a chance, there's always a chance, it's just a matter of how large. In your case, given the relatively limited research experience, you unfortunately may not stack up well with folks against whom you'll be competing. However, if you're only looking at 5 programs, my thoughts are that it couldn't hurt to apply. It's generally not at all frowned upon to re-apply from year to year (or after a few years), so I wouldn't worry about that. I'd also suggest throwing in some masters programs as well, given that you can always turn down the offer if you opt for something else.

3) RE: the "something else" I just mentioned, in your case, it might be more beneficial to try and secure a paid or volunteer RA position than to actually attend a masters program. Your GPA is solid, so it's really just the research experience you're needing to shore up. The downside is that RA spots can be hard to find, so again, throwing in a few masters program apps just in case couldn't hurt.

 

[bostongal109]

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply to me! I see that you are also from Boston? 🙂 My top choice is Suffolk University. If I do not get in, I intend on spending the next 1-2 years in a MS program. Specifically, I would love to do my masters at BU, but I'm not sure how competitive their program is. Regardless, I would make the effort to gain more research experience while I complete my masters so that I will be a stronger applicant next time around. I'm just concerned that a past rejection could taint my chances the second time around.

If you do a Masters think about what you want out of it. For example, BU's program is great, but it's 1 year and therefore does not prepare you for licensure if you want to be a Masters level clinician. I understand your ultimate goal is a Ph.D but if you don't get into one eventually, then I'm not sure what you can do with that degree.

 

[BostonPsych715]

Oh! You mean re applying in 2 or more years. I think if you are rejected for lack of experience (and not some other reason) completing a MA can only help you. Who knows, your research interests may shift slightly while pursuing a MA and you may end up applying to different POIs if you have to apply again.

Sorry if I wasn't clear! Right now, I am a second semester junior. Next December, I intend to apply to 2 clinical psych PhD programs. In the event that I do not get in, my back-up plan is to pursue a masters. After I complete my masters, I would reapply to the PhD programs. Because I do not want to relocate, I would be reapplying to the same programs I was rejected from a couple years back; however, this time around I would have not only an MS, but also more research (something I lack right now). My question, essentially, is should I even bother applying to the PhD programs next December or should I wait, do a masters, and then apply after that? I don't want a former rejection to hurt my chances next time around.

 

[BostonPsych715]

If you do a Masters think about what you want out of it. For example, BU's program is great, but it's 1 year and therefore does not prepare you for licensure if you want to be a Masters level clinician. I understand your ultimate goal is a Ph.D but if you don't get into one eventually, then I'm not sure what you can do with that degree. I opted for a 2 year program so that if I did not get into PhD programs, I could be a licensed clinician and continue on my way. Some schools, like BC for example, I think offer two different masters one is 1 year and the other is 2 years. Maybe I'm switching the schools around but just think about that if you want something to fall back on.

That is a good point. I suppose if I could not get into a PhD program the second time around, I would still like to be a clinician so perhaps the 1 year program is not a good fit for me. I am also considering BC (though I thought that was 1 year as well?), Bridgewater State (2 years, strong emphasis on clinical work), and Brandeis (1 year).

 

[WisNeuro]

Whether or not a program takes masters students is very program specific. I was part of a program that never took masters students, and my PhD is from a program that averaged taking a masters student every year. Really depends on the culture there. If anything though, only applying to 2 programs and limited geographic flexibility will limit your chances more than anything else.

 

[BostonPsych715]

A couple thoughts:

1) As you've said, geographically restricting yourself in psychology generally doesn't pan out too well, unless you're willing to sacrifice in a variety of areas (e.g., attending a program that may have a very high tuition, not provide solid training, and/or not make you competitive for internship and beyond). Restricting yourself to an area as popular as MA is particularly problematic, especially given the competitiveness of most doctoral programs in the state.

2) RE: if there's a chance, there's always a chance, it's just a matter of how large. In your case, given the relatively limited research experience, you unfortunately may not stack up well with folks against whom you'll be competing. However, if you're only looking at 5 programs, my thoughts are that it couldn't hurt to apply. It's generally not at all frowned upon to re-apply from year to year (or after a few years), so I wouldn't worry about that. I'd also suggest throwing in some masters programs as well, given that you can always turn down the offer if you opt for something else.

3) RE: the "something else" I just mentioned, in your case, it might be more beneficial to try and secure a paid or volunteer RA position than to actually attend a masters program. Your GPA is solid, so it's really just the research experience you're needing to shore up. The downside is that RA spots can be hard to find, so again, throwing in a few masters program apps just in case couldn't hurt.

My top choice is Suffolk University. Funding has been a problem at this institution. Only 50% is funded and only for the first two years. I am willing to make that sacrifice to stay in Boston. I am also considering UMass Boston which is slightly more competitive, but the professor I am working with currently graduated from the school and will write me a phenomenal letter of rec. Also, UMass Boston specifically is looking to diversify their applicants (they even go so far as to encourage individuals of minority backgrounds to apply on their website). My father was born on a small island off the coast of Africa. I am bilingual and I have experience working in urban environments. I'm not sure whether or not this will help me stand out, but I do think it is a valuable skill.

I've also considered the PsyD route at MSPP but I've heard terrible things about the school and it's made me highly weary of spending the money to go there.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

My top choice is Suffolk University. Funding has been a problem at this institution. Only 50% is funded and only for the first two years. I am willing to make that sacrifice to stay in Boston. I am also considering UMass Boston which is slightly more competitive, but the professor I am working with currently graduated from the school and will write me a phenomenal letter of rec. Also, UMass Boston specifically is looking to diversify their applicants (they even go so far as to encourage individuals of minority backgrounds to apply on their website). My father was born on a small island off the coast of Africa. I am bilingual and I have experience working in urban environments. I'm not sure whether or not this will help me stand out, but I do think it is a valuable skill.

I've also considered the PsyD route at MSPP but I've heard terrible things about the school and it's made me highly weary of spending the money to go there.

Diversity generally helps, yep. Although the lack of research experience, despite the strength of your rec letter, may still hamstring you. Again, though--as I said above, wouldn't hurt to apply. However, the funding issue sounds precarious. I know you mentioned that it's a sacrifice you're willing to make, but I'd continue to give it some thought. As someone who attended a funded program and still took out more loans than I'm happy with, and who is currently paying them back, I can tell you it's not at all fun.

 

[BostonPsych715]

Diversity generally helps, yep. Although the lack of research experience, despite the strength of your rec letter, may still hamstring you. Again, though--as I said above, wouldn't hurt to apply. However, the funding issue sounds precarious. I know you mentioned that it's a sacrifice you're willing to make, but I'd continue to give it some thought. As someone who attended a funded program and still took out more loans than I'm happy with, and who is currently paying them back, I can tell you it's not at all fun.

Thank you. I appreciate all your help. May I ask what your opinion of the PsyD is? I am drawn to MSPP because of all of the internships you get to do (3 years worth) and that I will still be able to become a clinical psychologist. I am just scared of how expensive it is. Many people say this is not a real degree and you will not be able to become a professor. Do you find this to be true?

 

[HomeworkHelper]

I would honestly recommend looking for a job as an RA for 1-2 years. That will help you out more than a masters will, especially because you may not get much research experience that way and that's what you need. Masters are helpful if you need to prove you can do graduate level work (b/c of lower GPA or lower test scores) and that doesn't seem to be your case. I'm familiar with BU's masters program, some people get good research experience, especially if they do the program part time for two years, but a number get more minimal experience. Why not apply for RA positions in the area and get paid for doing research instead of paying for a masters?

 

[cara susanna]

It's me, AGAIN. Bare with me.

I've posted several times on this website before, but as a junior who's recently decided to pursue Clinical Psychology, I have a lot of questions and a lot of work to do before next December. I appreciate everyone who is willing to answer my (seemingly never-ending) questions.

To give you a brief background about myself, I'm a junior at a large state school. I'm a psych major with a minor in human biology. My GPA's a 3.8, I'm a part of the honors program (will write honors thesis), a Psi Chi member, and Alpha Lambda Delta inductee. Aside from school, this summer I am working on a peer review journal with my professor. This coming semester, I am assisting another professor in a research lab. I will also be doing a clinical internship next fall. I've yet to take the GRE, but I test well. I will probably score much higher in verbal/writing than I will in quantitive (math is not my strong suit). Because I have done so well in research methods and other classes where I've had to write research papers, many professors have asked me if I'm considering grad school. This has always been an intention of mine, but only recently have I explored the different programs and decided to pursue the very competitive clinical psychology; because of my late decision, I do not have the years of research experience my competitors do. My areas of interest include biology psychology and abnormal psychology.

I am from the Boston area, and I do not intend to go outside of Massachusetts for my schooling. I know people warn against limiting yourself geographically, but I am very close with my family and cannot see myself living far away for 5-7 years. I do not have the money to fly back and forth. In addition, I see myself in a hospital setting in the future and Boston has some of the best hospitals.

My questions are: 1) Do you think there is any chance I will get into a clinical program with my lack of experience? 2) In the event that I am not accepted, I plan on pursuing a master's in psychology to beef up my research experience. Because I want to stay in Massachusetts, I would be re-applying to the same schools. Is reapplying something that is done in this field or frowned upon?

I am not sure if I should get my Masters first, and then apply to PhD programs or if I should apply to both types of programs senior year and roll the dice that I may gain acceptance (keep in mind that I would be reapplying to the same schools in a couple years if I don't get in!).

Any help is appreciated!

I just want to warn you that even if you get into a program in Boston, it will still be hard to stay there. You have to complete a predoctoral internship in order to graduate. All of them are pretty competitive, but Boston ones are SUPER competitive. If you're okay with living far away for a year or two, then never mind my warning. 😉

 

[AcronymAllergy]

Thank you. I appreciate all your help. May I ask what your opinion of the PsyD is? I am drawn to MSPP because of all of the internships you get to do (3 years worth) and that I will still be able to become a clinical psychologist. I am just scared of how expensive it is. Many people say this is not a real degree and you will not be able to become a professor. Do you find this to be true?

My opinion of the Psy.D. as a whole is that I can appreciate and understand the impetus behind its development, and if properly implemented, the training seems solid and entirely comparable to a Ph.D. The trouble is that the "practice-heavy" mindset of the degree has leant itself to being largely appropriated by for-profit professional programs. These programs then, in turn, tend to be very expensive and uncompetitive, admit large cohorts, and don't seem to do a consistently appropriate job of preparing their students for internship and beyond (based on various outcome metrics).

I don't have any direct experience with MSPP, but it sounds like it's potentially one such less-than-stellar program. Given the high pricetag, steering clear might be your best bet.

 

[BostonPsych715]

I would honestly recommend looking for a job as an RA for 1-2 years. That will help you out more than a masters will, especially because you may not get much research experience that way and that's what you need. Masters are helpful if you need to prove you can do graduate level work (b/c of lower GPA or lower test scores) and that doesn't seem to be your case. I'm familiar with BU's masters program, some people get good research experience, especially if they do the program part time for two years, but a number get more minimal experience. Why not apply for RA positions in the area and get paid for doing research instead of paying for a masters?

Are these positions easy to come by? I'm not even sure how to find them. My fear is that I would not find one, and be stuck working at the same coffee shop I've worked at since I was 17.

 

[WisNeuro]

The estimated cost of attendance is 57k a year. Not worth it in any way imo. you'll be paying those loans off for decades.more than 200k at the low end.

 

[bostongal109]

You can PM me

 

[BostonPsych715]

My opinion of the Psy.D. as a whole is that I can appreciate and understand the impetus behind its development, and if properly implemented, the training seems solid and entirely comparable to a Ph.D. The trouble is that the "practice-heavy" mindset of the degree has leant itself to being largely appropriated by for-profit professional programs. These programs then, in turn, tend to be very expensive and uncompetitive, admit large cohorts, and don't seem to do a consistently appropriate job of preparing their students for internship and beyond (based on various outcome metrics).

I don't have any direct experience with MSPP, but it sounds like it's potentially one such less-than-stellar program. Given the high pricetag, steering clear might be your best bet.

MSPP's tuition is $36,000 per year. I'm not sure how that compares with other PsyD programs. I've heard mixed reviews. Around New England, it's respected. In other states, not so much (but that isn't a concern to me because I don't want to relocate). I do know that 82% of graduates pass the EPPP. The website has a section where the current students describe what they like about the school and they all say how friendly and helpful the faculty are. They're doing internships which interest me. It's very tempting. I just don't want to spend tons of money and then have difficulty finding a job.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

The estimated cost of attendance is 57k a year. Not worth it in any way imo. you'll be paying those loans off for decades.more than 200k at the low end.

Holy cow, yeah, I'd avoid anywhere with a COA in the $50k+ range. Heck, I'd avoid anything even half that high.

 

[BostonPsych715]

Holy cow, yeah, I'd avoid anywhere with a COA in the $50k+ range. Heck, I'd avoid anything even half that high.

Ideally, I want to go the PhD route. As I've mentioned, Suffolk is my top choice; however, I am not as qualified as many of my competitors. Yes, I could take time off and get more experience. But that still does not guarantee my acceptance into these programs. I am just trying to be open minded. I really want to practice clinical psychology so I have to make sacrifices one or another. Spending large amounts of money scares me, but relocating scares me, too! I am committed to psychology, but I am also committed to my family. 5-7 years is a long time for someone like me to be away from home! I'm not sure how valuable a contribution I would be in a clinical field if I was unhappy being so far away from family and friends. I'm just trying to take everything into consideration.

 

[HomeworkHelper]

Are these positions easy to come by? I'm not even sure how to find them. My fear is that I would not find one, and be stuck working at the same coffee shop I've worked at since I was 17.

Not "easy" in the sense there isn't one method for finding them, but they are available. ABCT's listserv has postings, especially in the spring, institution job pages (e.g . for MGH) and online sites like indeed.com also have postings as well. Talk to your psych program to see if they get postings from area researchers. I had a friend cold-email researchers she wanted to work with asking if they would have RA positions open. She got her position that way. Takes some work and persistence, but it's worth pursuing that while you pursue other options.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

Ideally, I want to go the PhD route. As I've mentioned, Suffolk is my top choice; however, I am not as qualified as many of my competitors. Yes, I could take time off and get more experience. But that still does not guarantee my acceptance into these programs. I am just trying to be open minded. I really want to practice clinical psychology so I have to make sacrifices one or another. Spending large amounts of money scares me, but relocating scares me, too! I am committed to psychology, but I am also committed to my family. 5-7 years is a long time for someone like me to be away from home! I'm not sure how valuable a contribution I would be in a clinical field if I was unhappy being so far away from family and friends. I'm just trying to take everything into consideration.

I completely understand. I would just say that in my own personal case, I'd much rather be away from family for 5-7 years and be nearly debt-free than stay in the area, limit my options throughout my training, and finish with debt that I'd be repaying for the next 10+ years. But I'm of course not you, and this is obviously a decision you'll need to make on your own based on your own values and goals.

I can say that I actually enjoyed being away at school, on internship, and on postdoc much more than I'd originally expected. I was also able to get back home to visit once every couple months, which was enough for me at the time.

 

[WisNeuro]

There's a sacrifice somwhere. Not being georaphically flexible will make it difficult down the road as well (i.e., getting an internship, finding a job, etc). Also, that amount of debt will also make things difficult family wise. I'd rather sacrifice a shorter time frame (5-7) than a longer frame (decades).

 

[psychstudent6]

I am also from Boston area and faced the same dilemma upon applying because I want to stay close to my family and have never lived away from Massachusetts. Honestly the thing that made me change my mind was that many Boston schools didn't have research that I was overly interested in; a couple yes and I applied to those but most of the schools with interests that aligned with mine were a little further away. Also most people I talked to did not recommend doing a masters this time around as a back up for me seeing as it costs a lot of money and you can gain experience as an RA. I mean if you don't have money to fly back and forth you might want to rethink the money for a masters degree...
I would just say don't limit yourself now because you never know what you might find outside of Massachusetts.

 

[WisNeuro]

Totally agree, I actually getting to move and experience different parts of the country was huge for my personal development. I'm back where I want to be in the Midwest now, but I am very glad I went to several different places for education/training.

 

[BostonPsych715]

Totally agree, I actually getting to move and experience different parts of the country was huge for my personal development. I'm back where I want to be in the Midwest now, but I am very glad I went to several different places for education/training.

I've been thinking this over and I actually spoke about it with my parents last night. I think I would be okay going as far south as Maryland or as far west as New York/Pennsylvania. I just can't see myself in Colorado or Michigan... somewhere so far I would only be able to see my family for Christmas. I guess my ultimate fear is that I would complete my PhD and become rooted in the state where my school is and then not be able to find a job in Massachusetts and be stuck down there for years. Maybe I'm getting ahead of myself lol

 

[AcronymAllergy]

To be fair, and in the interests of full disclosure, I will say that I knew one person in my grad school cohort who ended up leaving due (in part) to being unhappy and feeling out of sorts by being so far away from their family. However, there were other factors that also contributed to this person's ultimately leaving the program, and that's the only person I went to school with for whom it was a significant factor/issue.

 

[BostonPsych715]

I am also from Boston area and faced the same dilemma upon applying because I want to stay close to my family and have never lived away from Massachusetts. Honestly the thing that made me change my mind was that many Boston schools didn't have research that I was overly interested in; a couple yes and I applied to those but most of the schools with interests that aligned with mine were a little further away. Also most people I talked to did not recommend doing a masters this time around as a back up for me seeing as it costs a lot of money and you can gain experience as an RA. I mean if you don't have money to fly back and forth you might want to rethink the money for a masters degree...
I would just say don't limit yourself now because you never know what you might find outside of Massachusetts.

The only masters program that makes sense for someone like me would be BC's because it is research based. Their website states that it is specifically for psychology students who need research in order to get into a doctoral program. There is no clinical/licensing component. You apply to work directly with a professor, similar to a PhD program and do research. Yes, it is expensive but it would make me a very competitive applicant. This route appeals to me the most. I suppose I could take time off and work in random labs, but the uncertainty of this option does not appeal to me.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

I've been thinking this over and I actually spoke about it with my parents last night. I think I would be okay going as far south as Maryland or as far west as New York/Pennsylvania. I just can't see myself in Colorado or Michigan... somewhere so far I would only be able to see my family for Christmas. I guess my ultimate fear is that I would complete my PhD and become rooted in the state where my school is and then not be able to find a job in Massachusetts and be stuck down there for years. Maybe I'm getting ahead of myself lol

That increased "catchment" area would open up a significant number of grad school and internship options.

In my case, I can say that being within broad driving distance of home (i.e., >2 hours but <10) helped me to get back and see folks more than I'd initially expected.

 

[BostonPsych715]

To be fair, and in the interests of full disclosure, I will say that I knew one person in my grad school cohort who ended up leaving due (in part) to being unhappy and feeling out of sorts by being so far away from their family. However, there were other factors that also contributed to this person's ultimately leaving the program, and that's the only person I went to school with for whom it was a significant factor/issue.

I am open minded to an extent. I would consider other states in New England or even as far as New York to the west or Maryland down South. I just cannot see myself so far away that a plane is my only option. But seeing as I will likely do a masters first, maybe I will grow up a little bit more and the prospect will not seem so scary in 2 years.

 

[BostonPsych715]

That increased "catchment" area would open up a significant number of grad school and internship options.

In my case, I can say that being within broad driving distance of home (i.e., >2 hours but <10) helped me to get back and see folks more than I'd initially expected.

I think I could do between 5-10 hours away. That doesn't seem so crazy. I value your advice so much. Slightly off topic, would you recommend a masters program for someone like me (high academic standing, minimal research experience)? I am considering BC's masters program because it is designed specifically for psych students with good grades, but no research. It is a stepping stone toward a doctoral degree. You work one on one with a specific professor to research. There is no emphasis on counseling/licensure.

 

[cara susanna]

I think I could do between 5-10 hours away. That doesn't seem so crazy. I value your advice so much. Slightly off topic, would you recommend a masters program for someone like me (high academic standing, minimal research experience)? I am considering BC's masters program because it is designed specifically for psych students with good grades, but no research. It is a stepping stone toward a doctoral degree. You work one on one with a specific professor to research. There is no emphasis on counseling/licensure.

As others have suggested, I think I'd look more at RA jobs than Masters programs. Boston has so, so many RA jobs.

And to address your fear of getting "stuck" where your grad program is--that isn't likely to happen. Most people move for internship and many move again for post-docs and jobs.

I would also suggest that you look more at the broader NE area. You're lucky that there are so many great programs within a decent travelling distance.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

I think I could do between 5-10 hours away. That doesn't seem so crazy. I value your advice so much. Slightly off topic, would you recommend a masters program for someone like me (high academic standing, minimal research experience)? I am considering BC's masters program because it is designed specifically for psych students with good grades, but no research. It is a stepping stone toward a doctoral degree. You work one on one with a specific professor to research. There is no emphasis on counseling/licensure.

I would second the thinking of cara and others--in your case, I'd recommend an RA position as the first option, and a research-oriented masters as the second option (in no small part because the former will either be free or will pay you, while the latter will be expensive at BC). If the deadline for BC's masters program is approaching, then applying wouldn't hurt, but I'd also spend some serious time looking for research positions while I waited to hear back about the admissions decision.

And yes, 5-10 hours is very doable in terms of driving. You won't make it back every week, but even something like a long weekend makes that sort of trip an option.

 

[BostonPsych715]

I would second the thinking of cara and others--in your case, I'd recommend an RA position as the first option, and a research-oriented masters as the second option (in no small part because the former will either be free or will pay you, while the latter will be expensive at BC). If the deadline for BC's masters program is approaching, then applying wouldn't hurt, but I'd also spend some serious time looking for research positions while I waited to hear back about the admissions decision.

And yes, 5-10 hours is very doable in terms of driving. You won't make it back every week, but even something like a long weekend makes that sort of trip an option.

None of this will be happening until next year. BC's deadline wouldn't be until February 1st next year. I'm only a junior. When would I begin applying for jobs as a research assistant?

 

[AcronymAllergy]

None of this will be happening until next year. BC's deadline wouldn't be until February 1st next year. I'm only a junior. When would I begin applying for jobs as a research assistant?

Others on here who've applied for those jobs could likely give a better answer than me, but my knee-jerk response would be a few months before graduation (or perhaps earlier, if you think you could swing a full-time or part-time job while still in school).

 

[Sendtrees]

You had a very specific q, OP, that is getting a bit lost as people address parts of your story that will help or hurt your chances. I think this is telling, in that whether you apply to a program after being rejected the first time is not the thing that's going to limit you. You can make a choice to stay in Boston, but it will limit you. No amount of research experience can change that. It is a huge benefit to be bilingual and from a minority group that is under-represented in clinical psychology, perhaps enough of a benefit to overcome the limitations of your CV. I join others in recommending you work in a research lab over getting an MA, if need be. And above all, stick with your instinct to be afraid, very afraid, of the price tag of a PsyD program.

 

[notfullyfathomd]

I agree with others who have posted, that reapplying with more experience will certainly not work against you -- I know of several people who have ended up at great programs on the second round of applications.

I'm also from the Boston area and applied to grad school the same year as several coworkers who were geographically restricted. I think you'll have more options if you expand your search to areas within a drivable radius of Boston (e.g., UMass-Amherst, UConn, URI, University of VT all have great clinical programs), but I certainly know several people who were fortunate to be able to stay in Boston for grad school, internship, and postdoc.

I also encourage you to look into research assistance jobs in addition to master's programs. The Boston VA, for example, often hires a group of RAs each year, and I think they make their offers before you would hear from master's programs so that you could apply to both. You could also look at BU (CARD) and MGH and email individual researchers whose work you're interested in. If you go the master's route and definitely want a doctorate eventually, I think you'll do best if you look for a master's with a significant research component, rather than clinical work (which you'll get plenty of in a phd program!).

 

[BostonPsych715]

I agree with others who have posted, that reapplying with more experience will certainly not work against you -- I know of several people who have ended up at great programs on the second round of applications.

I'm also from the Boston area and applied to grad school the same year as several coworkers who were geographically restricted. I think you'll have more options if you expand your search to areas within a drivable radius of Boston (e.g., UMass-Amherst, UConn, URI, University of VT all have great clinical programs), but I certainly know several people who were fortunate to be able to stay in Boston for grad school, internship, and postdoc.

I also encourage you to look into research assistance jobs in addition to master's programs. The Boston VA, for example, often hires a group of RAs each year, and I think they make their offers before you would hear from master's programs so that you could apply to both. You could also look at BU (CARD) and MGH and email individual researchers whose work you're interested in. If you go the master's route and definitely want a doctorate eventually, I think you'll do best if you look for a master's with a significant research component, rather than clinical work (which you'll get plenty of in a phd program!).

Thank you so much! The greater NE area doesn't scare me. In fact, where I'm in school now is 2 hours away from home and my friend from Maine lives closer to school than I do! Now that I am considering an RA position, how much guidance will I get if I'm accepted? I've looked at a few postings on indeed.com to get an idea, and many required experience with programs like MatLab which I've never used before. I've used SPSS a little in school, but not extensively. Would I receive any sort of training or would I be thrown in the deep end? The latter outcome may cause me to lean towards the masters program at BC.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

Thank you. I appreciate all your help. May I ask what your opinion of the PsyD is? I am drawn to MSPP because of all of the internships you get to do (3 years worth) and that I will still be able to become a clinical psychologist. I am just scared of how expensive it is. Many people say this is not a real degree and you will not be able to become a professor. Do you find this to be true?

MSPP is very expensive AND has a very poor match rate. Add in cost of living and it is a really bad idea.

You can be a professor at a good program w a (university based) Psy.D, though you need to be a standout applicant, and even then it can be challenging.

 

[WisNeuro]

Yeah, MSPP has been hovering around the 50% mark in matching in the last few years, before that it was even worse. Couple that with the extreme expense and you have a pretty bad combo.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

I guess my ultimate fear is that I would complete my PhD and become rooted in the state where my school is and then not be able to find a job in Massachusetts and be stuck down there for years. Maybe I'm getting ahead of myself lol

While networking plays a role in securing positions in competitive markets, being from another state or part of the country is SUPER common bc ppl usually relocate for internship and postdoc/fellowship. Fellowship can have some bearing on where you practice, but quality training will make you competive most anywhere.

Some ppl "stay local" for everything in places like CHI, S.FL, NYC, BOS, etc...but they usually sacrifice training (e.g. non-APA acred internship, limited training experiences), which can be very short-sighted.

 

[WisNeuro]

As T4C has hinted at, it's very common for people to move. In the last couple places I was at, it seemed to be very common that people were from the area, but had done grad school/internship/fellowship somewhere else and had moved back for career. There weren't too many who had done all of their training in that home city.