So let me get this straight...

[Syzygy117]

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So from talking to professors and looking over the forum I think I understand what I need for a quality PsyD application.

Good GPA (3.5+)
+
Good GRE (1300?)
+
Research Experience (RA, Lab, Poster Presentation, If you really want to a thesis)
+
Internship/Clinical Experience (Group Home, Hospital, Community Service w/e)
+
Good Letters of Recommendation
+
Good Fit (Seems easy enough, so many issues in psychology are fascinating)

Nods all around? 👍

 

[stigmata]

The other thing you need is luck, and maybe to qualify as a minority.🙂

 

[krisrox]

So from talking to professors and looking over the forum I think I understand what I need for a quality PsyD application.

Good GPA (3.5+)
+
Good GRE (1300?)
+
Research Experience (RA, Lab, Poster Presentation, If you really want to a thesis)
+
Internship/Clinical Experience (Group Home, Hospital, Community Service w/e)
+
Good Letters of Recommendation
+
Good Fit (Seems easy enough, so many issues in psychology are fascinating)

Nods all around? 👍

I think you've got it down, but if your GRE/GPA is lower, you can probably still make it.

Also, good fit is underrated.

 

[Syzygy117]

The other thing you need is luck, and maybe to qualify as a minority.🙂

Luck = Check
Minority Status = Negative

I think you've got it down, but if your GRE/GPA is lower, you can probably still make it.

Also, good fit is underrated.

I'm sure my GRE score will be lower, I tried to take a practice test for lulz, my ego was broken

So emphasize my fit with the school and professor/s in my personal statement?
"I want to go to X university to work on Y research with Z professor."👍

 

[VeggieDelight]

So emphasis my fit with the school and professor/s in my personal statement?
"I want to go to X university to work on Y research with Z professor."👍

Yes, in your PS, but it's not that simple. I also agree that fit is underrated because many people hear "tailor your statement" and proceed to write that they are interested in Y topic and in the work of Z professor at X school. The end. But you have to make your argument believable. I use the word "argument" because you really are making a case for your appropriateness for the program.

So, for example, if you find a professor's work in psychotherapy with GAD interesting, explain WHY. If you have experience in this particular area, you can go into some specific aspects of it. If not, you can talk about how your current work spurred an interest in therapy with this disorder and how skills you have picked up will be beneficial to or align with what the professor does. Also, talk about a program's practicum opportunities as not just "interesting" or "unique", but ones that will help you to achieve your particular goals, and explain how.

 

[ltj999]

So from talking to professors and looking over the forum I think I understand what I need for a quality PsyD application.

Good GPA (3.5+)
+
Good GRE (1300?)
+
Research Experience (RA, Lab, Poster Presentation, If you really want to a thesis)
+
Internship/Clinical Experience (Group Home, Hospital, Community Service w/e)
+
Good Letters of Recommendation
+
Good Fit (Seems easy enough, so many issues in psychology are fascinating)

Nods all around?

My sum GRE score was a bit lower, but my writing was in the 97% percentile and I got a number of acceptances. (Granted I also had quite a bit of research/clinical experience).

For many more research oriented programs "fit" is more than just "interest." Experience, knowledge, networking, funding (a biggie), are all often parts of "fit." Granted there is great variance between programs, professors, and even within some professors themselves depending on the applicant's CV. (ex: If a student is applying to work with a professor who studies x, student hasn't studied x, but studied y. But the student used structural equation modeling to study y which professor also uses to study x. That student could "fit" very well because of this, even if they have never done work with x before.)

As an applicant, try to understand that many rejections are NOT because of your resume, but because of circumstances almost totally out of your control (funding, current lab size, other students applying your year, the size of your nose, eye color, if you eat Wheaties … etc, I think you get the picture).

 

[Maychild]

So if I don't have any of these except for the GPA right now, how long would it realistically take me as a single mom who's been staying at home for the past 4 years to get there? I'm starting to think that maybe I'll never get to go to grad school after all, it all seems so intimidating 😱!

 

[ltj999]

Honestly, its up to your own drive and dedication. Its hard work for sure, but if your driven enough it's absolutely possible.

Energy in = Result out

Its just often many (including myself) greatly underestimated the energy needed to get the result I wanted...

 

[stigmata]

Single mom= big plus.

 

[psychmama]

So if I don't have any of these except for the GPA right now, how long would it realistically take me as a single mom who's been staying at home for the past 4 years to get there? I'm starting to think that maybe I'll never get to go to grad school after all, it all seems so intimidating 😱!

It can be intimidating, but it works out if you take it a step at a time. That's what I did. First back to school for the Psych GPA and recs, then study for and take the GRE, then the research (although I was light on this aspect, but it was okay because I applied mostly to Psyd and practice-oriented Phd programs). Then 5 yrs of classes, then a year of internship...now I'm headed to postdoc. All together it's taken me 9 yrs start to finish (including the years to prepare for grad school). Your mileage may vary, of course. It's a long haul, but I'm proof that it's possible. 🙂 Most doctoral programs take 5-7 yrs start to finish (including internship).

PS- I'm not a single mom, but I am a mother of three. I know something about being stretched in too many directions 🙄.

 

[PsychScience]

Single mom= big plus.

Not sure that this would be the case for all programs. In fact, I can't think of many Ph.D programs where this would give you a huge advantage. I definitely can see how you can spin it in a personal statement (there are very few examples of personal responsibility larger than this!).

So if I don't have any of these except for the GPA right now, how long would it realistically take me as a single mom who's been staying at home for the past 4 years to get there? I'm starting to think that maybe I'll never get to go to grad school after all, it all seems so intimidating 😱!

In terms of timeline, its hard to say for you how long it would take without more info, when you say you have the GPA right now, what do you mean? Is it in psychology or in another field? Do you have the basic psych courses, or do you need to go back to school to fulfill some requirements.

Psychmama gave a pretty good synopsis of a timeline, but you may be further along in the process.

 

[psychmama]

Psychmama gave a pretty good synopsis of a timeline, but you may be further along in the process.

True. I needed to spend about 18 mos getting ready before I could even apply to grad school. I needed to go back and take college psych credits, do some research, and make friends with enough profs to get decent recommendation letters. I was in a sort of unique situation because I'd been out of college for almost 20 yrs, working in an unrelated field for more than a decade. It sounds like the OP will not have that problem, which should help.

 

[PhishGirl]

Hi....why should it be a benefit to be a minority or a single mom? I'm neither and am mildly insulted by this.

 

[stigmata]

It shouldn't be, but it is. Programs aim for 'diversity' and this can include others such as late career students etc... I am none of these either, but it would have likely helped.

 

[psychmama]

It shouldn't be, but it is. Programs aim for 'diversity' and this can include others such as late career students etc... I am none of these either, but it would have likely helped.

For what it's worth, being a "late career" student can help but not always. I'm pretty sure that while it was an asset at a few places I interviewed, other programs and internship sites preferred students who were younger, with fewer outside obligations, and more...shall we say..."malleable". Whatever -- none of us can easily change who we are (nor would we usually want to) so there you go. Take it or leave it.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

For what it's worth, being a "late career" student can help but not always. I'm pretty sure that while it was an asset at a few places I interviewed, other programs and internship sites preferred students who were younger, with fewer outside obligations, and more...shall we say..."malleable". Whatever -- none of us can easily change who we are (nor would we usually want to) so there you go. Take it or leave it.

Strongly agree. I came in from a different profession and in general it was seen as an asset, but a couple of places asked about "fit" and adjusting from being the boss to essentially being the bottom rung for the better half of a decade.

As for the family piece....I think it complicates things, but it can be doable. I don't see it as a "plus" to a program because they tend to frown on anything that eats into your program time. Some programs will be more okay with something taking up a little bit of time, while other programs would prefer you sleep in your lab....just in case there is a snow storm, flood, Day of Reckoning, or anything that would keep you from crunching that data!

 

[futureapppsy2]

Strongly agree. I came in from a different profession and in general it was seen as an asset, but a couple of places asked about "fit" and adjusting from being the boss to essentially being the bottom rung for the better half of a decade.

As for the family piece....I think it

complicates things, but it can be doable. I don't see it as a "plus" to a program because they tend to frown on anything that eats into your program time. Some programs will be more okay with something taking up a little bit of time, while other programs would prefer you sleep in your lab....just in case there is a snow storm, flood, Day of Reckoning, or anything that would keep you from crunching that data!

I agree that the single mom- or just a being a parent, period- may be a bigger issue at research Heavy programs that expect A LOT of lab time and near constant availability, though that may not be irsurmountable. There were/are a good number of parents-some single parents- in the balanced but clinically-leaning clinical PhD program at my undergrad, and they seemed to make it work, though it definitely added another layer of complexity / difficulty.

Good luck!

 

[Syzygy117]

Thanks for the help.

I need one more thing straightened out.

What is an appropriate amount of research and clinical/internship experience?

I am going into my junior year and have no research or internship experience.

I plan to get an RA gig as soon as I move back to school so I WILL have a year of research experience when I put my application together. I also plan to do a APA conference poster with some other students.

I also have a house of corrections gig lined up for next summer. So I will have 1 summer of "clinical" experience.

So,
1 yr Research EXP + Summer Clinical EXP = Enough to be competitive?!?

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

Reading the WAMC thread in this forum. It will give you a bunch of stat examples, feedback from members, and it can answer a lot of questions for you.