WAMC: What Are My Chances

[psychmusic]

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My major concern is more how close the match has to be. For example- I work in cognitive neuroscience studying both memory and addiction. I really either want to go into neuropsych assessment of traumatic brain injury or stroke (or potentially into addiction), and I know I want to focus largely on research. I am having trouble figuring out how closely my current research activities need to match with POI research to have a shot.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

My major concern is more how close the match has to be. For example- I work in cognitive neuroscience studying both memory and addiction. I really either want to go into neuropsych assessment of traumatic brain injury or stroke (or potentially into addiction), and I know I want to focus largely on research. I am having trouble figuring out how closely my current research activities need to match with POI research to have a shot.

They don't have to be an EXACT match, as your interests may very well change in school, perhaps even more than a few times (mine certainly have). Basically, at the very least, you'll want to find a neuropsychologist as a POI, and will want to be sure he/she works with either adults or children, depending on your interests (sounds like you're leaning more towards adults, so applying to work with a pediatric neuropsychologist would be a poorer fit).

It shouldn't be terribly difficult to find a faculty member who works, or has worked, with both TBI and stroke. If your chosen POI doesn't, you could look into whether someone/somewhere else in the program does, at least.

Beyond that, just be sure your POI has, at the least, done some research in your area of interest. If you want to focus on forensic neuropsych, be sure the POI has published and/or practiced in that area. If you're interested in the neuropsych of addiction, be sure your POI has practiced and/or published in alcohol/substance use/abuse. If you want to involve imaging, be sure it's available and that your POI has worked with it. If you find a closer match than that, awesome; if not, honestly, I'd think you'd still be seen as compatible by most programs (although this is just my opinion).

 

[paramour]

My major concern is more how close the match has to be. For example- I work in cognitive neuroscience studying both memory and addiction. I really either want to go into neuropsych assessment of traumatic brain injury or stroke (or potentially into addiction), and I know I want to focus largely on research. I am having trouble figuring out how closely my current research activities need to match with POI research to have a shot.

Another option is to look at the other programs of graduate study within depts that offer clinical. You may be able to combine your interests by locating a prof outside the clinical dept (say in cognitive psych or whatever) who works with these issues. Although the prof may not be in clinical, you may be able to propose collaborating with that particular faculty member while working within the clinical dept. There are *some* programs that may allow this, and ours has done or considered it with a few students. The trick is finding the connections.

 

[psychmusic]

I keep posting questions in this thread because I don't want to clutter the boards with any more individual questions about myself, so I apologize, but here it goes.

I have been looking into the Clinical program at UColorado Boulder for a while now, and it will be my first choice by a LONG SHOT, but I have two questions about it.

First, their full disclosure data indicates they did not accept any new students for 2010, which seemed strange and troubling to me, and I was wondering if anyone knew why that was.

Second, the school would be my first choice by such a long shot that I might not even apply to doctoral programs next year (currently junior undergraduate) so that I could strengthen my research experience before applying (looking seriously into RA positions or potentially MS programs like Villanova). I've got a great GPA (3.9 general, 3.93 psych), and I expect solid GRE scores, two years in a cognitive neuroscience lab, and one semester in an addiction psychiatry lab, but no publications or presentations outside of my college. My question, then, is more of a plea for someone to talk some sense into me. I know that it would be stupid to put off applying just to increase my chances at ONE SCHOOL, but the program seems to fit absolutely everything I would want. I know that even after strengthening my application, my chances are incredibly slim.... so I'm just looking for some advice, and don't be afraid to tell it like it is...

 

[Psychadelic2012]

My question, then, is more of a plea for someone to talk some sense into me. I know that it would be stupid to put off applying just to increase my chances at ONE SCHOOL, but the program seems to fit absolutely everything I would want. I know that even after strengthening my application, my chances are incredibly slim.... so I'm just looking for some advice, and don't be afraid to tell it like it is...

Keep very, very, very low expectations and don't count on it. It's usually a death wish to only apply to one program.

 

[clinical psych]

I applied to only one program this year (clinical PhD)...Got 1st alternate on the waitlist...I really had my heart set on one program in particular and went for it! There is still some hope..we'll see!

 

[nika751]

I simply looked for schools that seemed to have some similar interests to mine. I didn't really understand the whole "school fit" thing until I interviewed. Once I interviewed I quickly discovered what this term means. It was easy to tell once I was there. I would say apply to places that look interesting to you and where the faculty research matches some of your interests. Then when you interview you can see how you fit there.

I'm not sure if this is the appropriate place, but I have a question.

I know that in the SOP one of the major things to address is how well you fit the program. I honestly have no idea how to do this. Literally none. As a matter of fact, I don't even quite understand how to assess whether or not I'm a good fit for the program, which is probably an important thing to figure out before I apply!

 

[eligh]

Hi everyone,

I just went through the application process this year and I was rejected from all doctorate-level schools I applied to. I was offered one interview, which just so happened to be my top choice. While I felt the interview went well, I received disappointing news today (I wasn't even wait listed!). I have asked POI's for advice for next year, although some did not respond, and a few suggested research fit was a problem, even though they made mention of good fit prior to my sending away the application. I am going to post my stats; I hope someone can provide me with some guidance on how I might improve for next year. The one concern I have are my GRE scores, although I wonder if it's truly worth re-writing.

Undergraduate GPA: 3.7/4.0 (BA Honors in Psychology)
Graduate GPA: 4.0/4.0 (MA Counseling Psychology)
GRE: 154V 152Q 4.0AW
-2 first author publications (I hope to increase this to 3 by next year), 6 posters/presentations
-Currently serving as a reviewer for two well known journals in my area
-Over 3 years of research experience
-About 2 years experience in mental health care

The schools I applied to are as follows:
Bowling Green State University, Clinical Psychology
Duquesne University, Clinical Psychology
University of Tennessee--Knoxville, Clinical Psychology
Oklahoma State University, Clinical Psychology
University of Montana, Clinical Psychology
Marquette University, Clinical Psychology
University of Arkansas, Clinical Psychology
Iowa State University, Counseling Psychology
Virginia Commonwealth University, Counseling Psychology
University of Utah, Counseling Psychology

It is perhaps worth mentioning I am a Canadian student. I look forward to hearing your comments.

 

[napsych8771]

Hi everyone,

I just went through the application process this year and I was rejected from all doctorate-level schools I applied to. I was offered one interview, which just so happened to be my top choice. While I felt the interview went well, I received disappointing news today (I wasn't even wait listed!). I have asked POI's for advice for next year, although some did not respond, and a few suggested research fit was a problem, even though they made mention of good fit prior to my sending away the application. I am going to post my stats; I hope someone can provide me with some guidance on how I might improve for next year. The one concern I have are my GRE scores, although I wonder if it's truly worth re-writing.

Undergraduate GPA: 3.7/4.0 (BA Honors in Psychology)
Graduate GPA: 4.0/4.0 (MA Counseling Psychology)
GRE: 154V 152Q 4.0AW
-2 first author publications (I hope to increase this to 3 by next year), 6 posters/presentations
-Currently serving as a reviewer for two well known journals in my area
-Over 3 years of research experience
-About 2 years experience in mental health care

The schools I applied to are as follows:
Bowling Green State University, Clinical Psychology
Duquesne University, Clinical Psychology
University of Tennessee--Knoxville, Clinical Psychology
Oklahoma State University, Clinical Psychology
University of Montana, Clinical Psychology
Marquette University, Clinical Psychology
University of Arkansas, Clinical Psychology
Iowa State University, Counseling Psychology
Virginia Commonwealth University, Counseling Psychology
University of Utah, Counseling Psychology

It is perhaps worth mentioning I am a Canadian student. I look forward to hearing your comments.

Your stats seem very solid, though admittedly I have no idea how the new GRE scores breakdown. Two questions come to mind: the first is whether or not you have solid letters of recommendation. These are very important in most applications, so make sure you received solid letters from professors and/or research mentors. The second question is what are you interested in studying? Are you applying to work in labs with a topic/population you're experienced in? Given the responses from POIs, you should make sure you applying to the right programs, with labs that are in your interest area. This doesn't necessitate that your previous experience be in this area (though it helps) but make sure these POIs research/area of interest is similar to yours.

 

[eligh]

Thank you for your response. The new GRE score I posted translates to a 520V 670Q.

I am sure that 2/3 of my letters of rec are outstanding. Ive known and worked with each of these letter writers for about 3 years plus now. The third latter may or may not be, but I share a personal relationship with him, so it most likely is. That said, I haven't asked any of my letter writers directly, so I might take the step to do that.

I did make quite an effort to seek out mentors who share similar interests, although one concern is that my interests have changed recently from the research I have been involved in over the past four years. In fact, one of my POI's said I would've been interviewed if I targeted professors in the area I was working in previously (they had two professors in that area) because, according to her, they were the better match. I'm developing a review manuscript currently in my new area of interest which I hope to publish before the next application cycle.

My feeling sometimes is that none of this is worth trying to make sense of. Perhaps I was just outdone by hundreds of other students with really high GRE scores.

 

[busybusybusy]

One thing that may be an issue is that your MA is in counseling psych and you applied to many clinical psych programs. Not that it is this way for all clinical psych programs, but I have heard that many do not take people with counseling masters degrees. It's kinda of a catch-22 because some counseling programs only take people with masters degrees. Just something to think about.

 

[eligh]

That's a great point. I had wondered about that, but, in the end, didn't think that universities would hold it against me. My thought, then, is that humanistically-oriented clinical programs (my preference) may be most open to accepting someone with a counseling background. I know of three: Clark, Duquesne and Bowling Green. If anyone can add to this list, please do.

I think it would be in my best interest to apply to predominantly counseling doctoral-level programs next year, though there aren't too many folks in counseling psychology who do the research I do.

 

[CatsFan]

Thank you for your response. The new GRE score I posted translates to a 520V 670Q.

I am sure that 2/3 of my letters of rec are outstanding. Ive known and worked with each of these letter writers for about 3 years plus now. The third latter may or may not be, but I share a personal relationship with him, so it most likely is. That said, I haven't asked any of my letter writers directly, so I might take the step to do that.

I did make quite an effort to seek out mentors who share similar interests, although one concern is that my interests have changed recently from the research I have been involved in over the past four years. In fact, one of my POI's said I would've been interviewed if I targeted professors in the area I was working in previously (they had two professors in that area) because, according to her, they were the better match. I'm developing a review manuscript currently in my new area of interest which I hope to publish before the next application cycle.

My feeling sometimes is that none of this is worth trying to make sense of. Perhaps I was just outdone by hundreds of other students with really high GRE scores.

Kind of going out on a limb here, but if your interests changed recently, maybe they're worried that your interests will change again, and you'll end up not being a good fit for the lab? Or maybe it wasn't clear enough in your personal statement what your new area of interest is?

 

[eligh]

Kind of going out on a limb here, but if your interests changed recently, maybe they're worried that your interests will change again, and you'll end up not being a good fit for the lab? Or maybe it wasn't clear enough in your personal statement what your new area of interest is?

Yes, both points are defiinite possibilities. I think I may consult someone around how to construct an appropriate statement of research interest

 

[Johnny411]

Hey everyone,

I am currently a 3rd year biology major with aspirations to go to medical schools, but I recently decided that medical is not for me. So I have been looking into the career path of clinical psychology since I have been taken a good amount of elective psych classes for my major. However, my GPA is low ( like a 2.8), but my psych GPA is a 3.4. My GRE score is a 1300, but I will be retaking it to see if I can get a better score.. I also plan on taking the psych GRE test. I will be working as a research assistant for a developmental psych prof this summer and next school year. I have been volunteering at hospitals and mental health hospitals. With the mental health hospitals, I have worked one-on-one with psychologists and have been very interested in the work that they do. I have been volunteering there for about 2.5 years now and at hopitals for about 4 or 5 years. I have also been volunteering at a retirement home where I worked a patient that has dementia. I am really interested in being a clinical psychologist, but my GPA is probably they only thing that will potentially not get me into the ph.d programs.

So my two questions are "what are my chances" and should get a MA degree in general psych to make my application more competitive. Also, would it be better to apply to both MA programs and Clinical ph.d programs just to be safe?

Thank you all in advance 😀

 

[deliciousgoose]

Hi everyone,
It is perhaps worth mentioning I am a Canadian student. I look forward to hearing your comments.

Hi fellow Canuck!

It is definitely important to take your status as an international student into account. Some schools are far less open to taking international students than other schools because of extra costs involved (e.g. any school in the UC system). It's not a bad idea to contact schools in advance and find-out their perspective on international students.

If you can I would try to bring-up your GRE scores. Many schools have an unofficial cut-off of 1200, and some top schools have a cut-off of 1350. I am not sure where you are located, but could you try and volunteer with researchers in your new field? Having recommendations from individuals in your field can really go a long way in altering your chances of admission.

 

[Synchronicity]

Hi everyone,
I'm International applicant, had applied for the first time this year. I'm little confused and disappointed right now: got rejection few hours ago. But being in this forum and reading about application process has assured me that I'm not alone. I'm looking for some guidance.

My credentials-
1. Three year graduation in Applied Psychology, honors; GPA=4.0
2. Two years Masters (with clinical psychology as specialization); GPA=3.9
3. Mater's Dissertation on "Neurocognitive function and functional outcome in schizophrenia patients" (currently working on its manuscript to submit for publication)
4. Four months of posting in state psychiatric unit
5. Five independent professional presentations in my country
6. General Revised GRE: 310 and Psy GRE:650
7.TOEFL scores: 115/120 (iBT)

I have done my graduation and post graduation from very prestigious state university and have good extra-curricular credentials. I was college secretary, editor of college journal, class co-ordinator, have done voluntary social work with special children.

This year I was very unsure of my chances and applied to two Ph.D Clinical psychology programs. I interviewed for one, got wait listed and just received rejection. I'm interested in Schizophrenia spectrum disorders and neuropsychology.

Now my questions-
1. Should I retake psych GRE? Mine seems quite low. I had some unforeseen troubles during the paper and screwed up my scores....
2. I felt I lack experience. What kind of research forays will strengthen my profile in terms of my research interest?
3. Can I apply for paid RA positions in USA? Should I consider this option or is better to get more research experience in my country as getting the latter will not be troublesome...
4. Should I apply this year again with some more experience or get research experience for two years before applying again
4. Anything else that I should consider

Thanks. Looking forward to your replies..... 🙂

 

[Pragma]

Hey everyone,

I am currently a 3rd year biology major with aspirations to go to medical schools, but I recently decided that medical is not for me. So I have been looking into the career path of clinical psychology since I have been taken a good amount of elective psych classes for my major. However, my GPA is low ( like a 2.8), but my psych GPA is a 3.4. My GRE score is a 1300, but I will be retaking it to see if I can get a better score.. I also plan on taking the psych GRE test. I will be working as a research assistant for a developmental psych prof this summer and next school year. I have been volunteering at hospitals and mental health hospitals. With the mental health hospitals, I have worked one-on-one with psychologists and have been very interested in the work that they do. I have been volunteering there for about 2.5 years now and at hopitals for about 4 or 5 years. I have also been volunteering at a retirement home where I worked a patient that has dementia. I am really interested in being a clinical psychologist, but my GPA is probably they only thing that will potentially not get me into the ph.d programs.

So my two questions are "what are my chances" and should get a MA degree in general psych to make my application more competitive. Also, would it be better to apply to both MA programs and Clinical ph.d programs just to be safe?

Thank you all in advance 😀

I would say yes to the bolded question. I hear experimental Ph.D.s are more valuable.

Your GREs are not bad and I think GPAs really vary from University to University. WHy not aim high and see how you do? You can always apply for a backup Master's program if you are determined to begin school either way right away.

 

[eligh]

Hi fellow Canuck!

It is definitely important to take your status as an international student into account. Some schools are far less open to taking international students than other schools because of extra costs involved (e.g. any school in the UC system). It's not a bad idea to contact schools in advance and find-out their perspective on international students.

If you can I would try to bring-up your GRE scores. Many schools have an unofficial cut-off of 1200, and some top schools have a cut-off of 1350. I am not sure where you are located, but could you try and volunteer with researchers in your new field? Having recommendations from individuals in your field can really go a long way in altering your chances of admission.

Thanks for your response. I will certainly check in with universities next year to see if they usually accept international applicants. The thing about GRE scores is I checked most of the stats for schools and I ensured that I fell in the average range of accepted applicants, or slightly below (verbal is lacking). I'm thinking of steering in the direction of counseling programs next year (though I will target a few humanistic clinical programs), because I have come to the conclusion that the counseling orientation is, in fact, a better fit. Counseling generally has a lower GRE cutoff. Only one of my letter writers is a psychologist, but all do psychological research and are regarded highly in their respective fields.

Confused. Haven't given up, though.

 

[Johnny411]

I would say yes to the bolded question. I hear experimental Ph.D.s are more valuable.

Your GREs are not bad and I think GPAs really vary from University to University. WHy not aim high and see how you do? You can always apply for a backup Master's program if you are determined to begin school either way right away.

Omg, thank you for the advice. I really thought I didn't have a chance, but I will for sure apply very broadly and see how I do. What does an eperimental psych do?

 

[Synchronicity]

Hi Everyone...

I really wish someone responds to my previous post. By reading various threads I have come to know that sdn members are serious students and professionals who believe in nurturing, supporting and giving back to the community. I would be really grateful if fellow members can spare my situation a thought. Being international applicant has it's own twists to the process, hence any suggestions/ observations/ advice in straightening things out could be really helpful.

Thanks again!

Hi everyone,
I'm International applicant, had applied for the first time this year. I'm little confused and disappointed right now: got rejection few hours ago. But being in this forum and reading about application process has assured me that I'm not alone. I'm looking for some guidance.

My credentials-
1. Three year graduation in Applied Psychology, honors; GPA=4.0
2. Two years Masters (with clinical psychology as specialization); GPA=3.9
3. Mater's Dissertation on "Neurocognitive function and functional outcome in schizophrenia patients" (currently working on its manuscript to submit for publication)
4. Four months of posting in state psychiatric unit
5. Five independent professional presentations in my country
6. General Revised GRE: 310 and Psy GRE:650
7.TOEFL scores: 115/120 (iBT)

I have done my graduation and post graduation from very prestigious state university and have good extra-curricular credentials. I was college secretary, editor of college journal, class co-ordinator, have done voluntary social work with special children.

This year I was very unsure of my chances and applied to two Ph.D Clinical psychology programs. I interviewed for one, got wait listed and just received rejection. I'm interested in Schizophrenia spectrum disorders and neuropsychology.

Now my questions-
1. Should I retake psych GRE? Mine seems quite low. I had some unforeseen troubles during the paper and screwed up my scores....
2. I felt I lack experience. What kind of research forays will strengthen my profile in terms of my research interest?
3. Can I apply for paid RA positions in USA? Should I consider this option or is better to get more research experience in my country as getting the latter will not be troublesome...
4. Should I apply this year again with some more experience or get research experience for two years before applying again
4. Anything else that I should consider

Thanks. Looking forward to your replies..... 🙂

 

[AcronymAllergy]

Hi Everyone...

I really wish someone responds to my previous post. By reading various threads I have come to know that sdn members are serious students and professionals who believe in nurturing, supporting and giving back to the community. I would be really grateful if fellow members can spare my situation a thought. Being international applicant has it's own twists to the process, hence any suggestions/ observations/ advice in straightening things out could be really helpful.

Thanks again!

Your GPA is fine, so no need to worry about that. The main "flags" that pop up to me are, as you've mentioned, your GRE score and research experience. Additionally, being an international applicant can be a good thing for some schools, but a hindrance at others. The fact that you only applied to two programs was also a big red flag, as it significantly decreased your chances of gaining an interview from the outset. What I would suggest:

1) Yes, retake the GRE. My "quick and dirty" conversion of your scores to the old scale (assuming a 155/155, as I don't know what you actually made on each area) suggests you were in the ~1050 range. Ideally, you'd want to crack 1300 (old scale), although breaking 1200 (again, old scale) should get you past any official and unofficial cut-offs at most programs. Breaking 1100 is almost an absolute must.

2) Get more research experience. I honestly don't know that it'd make a huge difference if you got it in the US vs. where you are currently, although paid RA positions are hugely competitive, so your international status might make finding one somewhat difficult. You mention how many presentations you have, but not how long you've been working on research; was it only for a few months, or has it been a couple years? Also, five professional presentations could be good, but "professional presentation" is a hugely variable term. Were these posters at local or national scientific conferences, talks at small and local professional meetings, etc.?

3) You don't mention anything about either personal statements or letters of recommendation. Both of these aspects of your application are very important. Who wrote your letters (e.g., psychologists, physicians, grad students), and were they strong? Did you have faculty and peers review your personal statements and provide you feedback?

4) Apply to more schools. Neuropsych is a very competitive specialty, and while most programs are going to offer your actual degree in general clinical psychology rather than explicitly focusing only on neuropsych at the grad school level, the labs that are geared toward neuropysch are very popular. Aim for something more along the lines of 12-15 applications rather than 2 or 3. Importantly, though, be sure your interests (research and clinical) match well with the programs to which you apply. You're interested in SMI/schizophrenia and neuropsych, which is a very niche area; find faculty who do this type of research and stick to applying to those places.

 

[eligh]

Just to clarify, your GRE scores aren't too bad. According to the old scale a 155V (530) 155Q (700) converts to about a 1230

http://www.ets.org/s/gre/pdf/concordance_information.pdf

Perhaps try to get a year or two worth of research experience as a Research Associate. I don't imagine it to make a difference where you get your research experience as long as the research team you work with is relatively active in research dissemination (peer-reviewed publications, presentations, posters, workshops, etc). And DEFINITELY apply to more schools. You should generally target about ten, give or take.

The work you've done until now is quite impressive! My thought is with some extra added effort, you will certainly gain admission. You could apply next year. I mean, you were very close to gaining admission; the fact that you were interviewed and subsequently wait listed at one of the two schools is a good sign. Whether you apply next year or hold off is up to you. That said, more research experience can only work in your favor, and may help you better understand what you want in a program.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

Just to clarify, your GRE scores aren't too bad. According to the old scale a 155V (530) 155Q (700) converts to about a 1230

http://www.ets.org/s/gre/pdf/concordance_information.pdf

Perhaps try to get a year or two worth of research experience as a Research Associate. I don't imagine it to make a difference where you get your research experience as long as the research team you work with is relatively active in research dissemination (peer-reviewed publications, presentations, posters, workshops, etc). And DEFINITELY apply to more schools. You should generally target about ten, give or take. But your stats look great! My thought is with some extra added effort, you will certainly gain admission.

You could apply next year. You were very close to gaining admission. The fact that you were interviewed and subsequently wait listed at one of the two schools is a good sign. Whether you apply right away or hold off is your own personal choice.

Ahh, I was apparently using a horribly-crafted conversion chart that must've used the verbal score values for both subject areas; apologies.

 

[Synchronicity]

Hi,
Thanks a million for the invaluable inputs (AcronymAllergy and eligh)

A few points-
1. Four of my presentations were at national level and one international level

2. I had 4 LORs - one from my dissertation supervisor (distinguished professor) at MA, one from another professor- faculty at MA, one from undergrad Assistant Prof and one more from HOD & Professor of Psychiatry at State medical college, he was my field work supervisor. All of them hold me in good standing. I know they must have put good words for me.

3.My supervisor and my friends who already got into US PhD clinical psychology programs helped me polish it. So I feel it must be worthy enough but there's always scope for improvement. Any further suggestions will be really helpful.

4. During my MA I worked for just two semesters on my dissertation and several other small departmental projects. Nothing exceptional...so far

Now I have started working on getting publications and have applied to RA positions at both my country and USA. I will definitely apply to more schools next time.

My psychology GRE score is 650. Should I take it again? Is it worth it? Yes my score was 155 in both verbal and quant. I hope this score of 1230 as per old pattern is safe, and I don't need to retake it

Thanks for the tip on choosing POI...Do you have any suggestion or names on mind?

Thanks again...
🙂

by AcronymAllergy
Your GPA is fine, so no need to worry about that. The main "flags" that pop up to me are, as you've mentioned, your GRE score and research experience. Additionally, being an international applicant can be a good thing for some schools, but a hindrance at others. The fact that you only applied to two programs was also a big red flag, as it significantly decreased your chances of gaining an interview from the outset. What I would suggest:
by eligh
Just to clarify, your GRE scores aren't too bad. According to the old scale a 155V (530) 155Q (700) converts to about a 1230

http://www.ets.org/s/gre/pdf/concord...nformation.pdf

Perhaps try to get a year or two worth of research experience as a Research Associate. I don't imagine it to make a difference where you get your research experience as long as the research team you work with is relatively active in research dissemination (peer-reviewed publications, presentations, posters, workshops, etc). And DEFINITELY apply to more schools. You should generally target about ten, give or take.

The work you've done until now is quite impressive! My thought is with some extra added effort, you will certainly gain admission. You could apply next year. I mean, you were very close to gaining admission; the fact that you were interviewed and subsequently wait listed at one of the two schools is a good sign. Whether you apply next year or hold off is up to you. That said, more research experience can only work in your favor, and may help you better understand what you want in a program.

 

[eligh]

Synchronicity,

I'm not sure what a 650 means--I never wrote the subject GRE test because none of the schools I targeted required it. The GRE of 1230 is okay--a 1300 would be ideal, but I don't think a 1230 would keep you out. The one other thing I might suggest (other than publish and get more research experience), is try taking some research methods courses at the graduate level (e.g., advanced qualitative methods). It could help some.

 

[Synchronicity]

Synchronicity,

I'm not sure what a 650 means--I never wrote the subject GRE test because none of the schools I targeted required it. The GRE of 1230 is okay--a 1300 would be ideal, but I don't think a 1230 would keep you out. The one other thing I might suggest (other than publish and get more research experience), is try taking some research methods courses at the graduate level (e.g., advanced qualitative methods). It could help some.

Thanks.

I have taken advanced papers on qualitative methods and stats. So, I have that covered!

 

[deliciousgoose]

My psychology GRE score is 650. Should I take it again? Is it worth it?

What is that as a percentile? If you are below 80th percentile I would take it again, otherwise I wouldn't bother. My understanding is that nobody takes Psych GRE scores very seriously unless you don't have a strong undergraduate psych background (e.g. did a BSc in a different field).

I rocked the psych GRE and I don't think it made a bit of difference in my application.

 

[Synchronicity]

Hi deliciousgoose,

Yeah my Psych GRE percentile is quite low it's 69. But my I have by BA and MA (clinical Psych) in Psychology. My GPA is good. And I aspire to apply for PhD in Clinical psych, this requires or recommends Psych GRE. So probably, I should take it again.....(?)

What is that as a percentile? If you are below 80th percentile I would take it again, otherwise I wouldn't bother. My understanding is that nobody takes Psych GRE scores very seriously unless you don't have a strong undergraduate psych background
.

 

[Kappadocia]

Hi deliciousgoose,

Yeah my Psych GRE percentile is quite low it's 69. But my I have by BA and MA (clinical Psych) in Psychology. My GPA is good. And I aspire to apply for PhD in Clinical psych, this requires or recommends Psych GRE. So probably, I should take it again.....(?)

I think 650 is fine. I wouldn't take it again if I were you, especially since the committee doesn't put as much weight on it as compared to the general GRE. A score of at least 1300 on the general GRE would be ideal (to make yourself competitive, not to just merely pass the cut off score).

 

[Synchronicity]

thanks 🙂

I think 650 is fine. I wouldn't take it again if I were you, especially since the committee doesn't put as much weight on it as compared to the general GRE. A score of at least 1300 on the general GRE would be ideal (to make yourself competitive, not to just merely pass the cut off score).

 

[AcronymAllergy]

Hi deliciousgoose,

Yeah my Psych GRE percentile is quite low it's 69. But my I have by BA and MA (clinical Psych) in Psychology. My GPA is good. And I aspire to apply for PhD in Clinical psych, this requires or recommends Psych GRE. So probably, I should take it again.....(?)

It's up to you if you'd like to retake it, of course, but I can say that back when I applied, of the 10-12 PhD programs I chose, none required the Psych GRE.

 

[deliciousgoose]

It's up to you if you'd like to retake it, of course, but I can say that back when I applied, of the 10-12 PhD programs I chose, none required the Psych GRE.

I think 650 is fine. I wouldn't take it again if I were you, especially since the committee doesn't put as much weight on it as compared to the general GRE. A score of at least 1300 on the general GRE would be ideal (to make yourself competitive, not to just merely pass the cut off score).

I agree that a higher general GRE score would be advantageous.

I also think that if you did your BA & MA internationally a poor score on the subject GRE will be weighed more heavily than if you completed your BA & MA at American universities.

 

[Synchronicity]

I agree that a higher general GRE score would be advantageous.

I also think that if you did your BA & MA internationally a poor score on the subject GRE will be weighed more heavily than if you completed your BA & MA at American universities.

Yeah,
This is what I was contemplating..... Thanks for the thought!

 

[StephNeves]

Hi Folks!

After going through a good amount of posts, I'm ready to take the plunge and ask WAMC!

Here is my story:
UGPA: 3.4
PsychGPA: 3.5
Major: Psychology w/ Concentration in Cognitive Neuroscience (from GWU)

Decided to join Teach for America (personal reasons, I came from a low-income background and wanted to give back to a similar community). Had to get my MAT (Masters in Art of Teaching) from American University. GPA: 3.85.

PsychGRE practice tests are around a 700, haven't taken the general test (will do so in May).

Worked in the ER as a research assistant doing HIV swab tests, animal behavior research at the National Zoo.

Currently I am a research assistant at an autism surveillance study funded by the CDC, I've been there for two years, with experience in almost every step of the research process. Through this, I have 5 posters (2 national, 2 international conferences) and 1 first author paper which will hopefully be published. Pretty solid LORs from this.

Frankly, I'm overwhelmed with the application process, but I would like to apply to Clinical PhD programs and would probably apply to PsyD programs as well. Could anyone point out some good reaches/possibilities? There are about 50 schools on my list and I'm curious to see what people would say) I could see myself working with general developmental disabilities, not necessarily autism. I'd want some the program to be partially funded and I REALLY want/need to stay in the Northeast for family reasons.

So, WAMC?

 

[graduappy]

So Im a psychology undergraduate and Im trying to decide what programs to apply to. Here is my biggest proplem though, my GPA isnt as good as it should be. Since a lot of you have gotten accepted, I would love your opinions on whether it would be realistic of me to even apply for a PhD or PsyD program (I havent decided yet).

I have a 3.4 Psych GPA and a 3.35 overall GPA
My upperlevel GPA however is 3.7

worked at a research lab for 2 years and have recentely entered a new one

TAd for two different professors

I am a certified mediator and a certified victim's advocate

volunteered at a domestic abuse shelter

Interened with a Therapist at her office

am vice president of Psi Chi and treasure of psych society

My biggest problem right now is my gpa and maybe my gre(I will be taking it this summer) I also am in need of another strong letter writer.

Is this enough??

 

[AcronymAllergy]

You'd be best served, and would likely receive the most helpful responses, by posting this in the "WAMC: What Are My Chances?" thread, as it's dedicated entiretly to this exact type of question.

 

[deleted176373]

You'd be best served, and would likely receive the most helpful responses, by posting this in the "WAMC: What Are My Chances?" thread, as it's dedicated entiretly to this exact type of question.

Some people deserve their own thread.

I wouldn't worry if your stats are good enough, don't let that get in the way of applying. If you don't apply, you'll never know.

 

[futureapppsy2]

Moving to WAMC

 

[thewesternsky]

So Im a psychology undergraduate and Im trying to decide what programs to apply to. Here is my biggest proplem though, my GPA isnt as good as it should be. Since a lot of you have gotten accepted, I would love your opinions on whether it would be realistic of me to even apply for a PhD or PsyD program (I havent decided yet).

I have a 3.4 Psych GPA and a 3.35 overall GPA
My upperlevel GPA however is 3.7

worked at a research lab for 2 years and have recentely entered a new one

TAd for two different professors

I am a certified mediator and a certified victim's advocate

volunteered at a domestic abuse shelter

Interened with a Therapist at her office

am vice president of Psi Chi and treasure of psych society

My biggest problem right now is my gpa and maybe my gre(I will be taking it this summer) I also am in need of another strong letter writer.

Is this enough??

The upward trend on your GPA is a good thing. Take a practice test or two in preparation for the GRE. Aim for *at least* 1200 total (310-ish total on the new scale), and preferably 1400 total (321 or so on the new scale). If you're not getting there, study.

If you apply widely, have good letters of recommendation, and your research interests fit well with the labs you're applying to.... Then you should then have a decent chance at funded programs.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

The upward trend on your GPA is a good thing. Take a practice test or two in preparation for the GRE. Aim for *at least* 1200 total (310-ish total on the new scale), and preferably 1400 total (321 or so on the new scale). If you're not getting there, study.

If you apply widely, have good letters of recommendation, and your research interests fit well with the labs you're applying to.... Then you should then have a decent chance at funded programs.

This. Assuming you're able to "sell" your match with each program, and you have a semi-coherent idea of what topics/populations you'd like to research and work with in grad school, you should stand a chance at landing a few interviews/admissions offers.

But as thewesternsky mentioned, work to get your GRE above 1200 or 1300 on the old scale; without that, your odds are likely going to decrease significantly in light of your below-average (relative to other applicants) GPA.

 

[leirah]

Hello all, super new to forums so I don't know if I'm even posting correctly or not, but it's a first time calling long time listener type of thing so I've read on and off for about a year. Really I was just going to post a question really quick regarding senior theses but I didn't know the best place to put a question (yet) so I might as well make this relevant to the thread:

Senior Psychology major with a minor in Counseling and Educational Psychology. 3.707 cum gpa, 3.911 major gpa. Finishing up the honors curriculum at my university in the coming months to try to compensate for the fact that I come from a not very competitive large state school. Technically I could have finished school this spring (if I was at my university) because I came in with so many credits from high school and my undying love for summer classes, but I decided to stay for a fourth year so I can further raise my GPA and develop a better relationship with professors, as well as because I wondered if I would be laughed at for applying to such programs before I was even 21 (this June).


Worked at a counseling training center (where counseling MA/PHD students do their practicums) for 2 years. Worked a crisis hotline for 6 months (will go back) and became a certified victims advocate for sexual assault victims last summer.
Research assistant last semester and will do it again this coming summer.
Currently on a study abroad student exchange and I have a position as an English tutor.


Haven’t taken any practice GREs yet but I bought my book and plan on studying the hell out of it this summer. So at this point: WAMC? Any suggestions?


Also the question I was getting at in the beginning: a year or so ago when I was looking at what makes a student competitive on different schools’ websites I read some things about theses. That’s when I decided to do the honors curriculum (which ends with a honors thesis at the end) to make myself more competitive. But recently I started thinking: if you apply in or around December and the honors thesis is typically your last semester, is it even worth it to do seeing as they won’t have an honors thesis to see? Unfortunately I just found out that the deadline for submitting a proposal is in May and I have no topic or mentor at the moment, so my only hope is in the spring, but by then I will already have applied, so is it even worth it?



Thanks to those who suffered through this ridiculously long post. All replies and suggestions are greatly appreciated 🙂

 

[PsychPhDHopeful]

Hi Leirah - Absolutely do the thesis! You will regret it if you don't. Although you are applying in the fall, there is no guarantee that you will get accepted into a program. In addition, programs will view it favorably if you are working on your thesis, even if it hasn't been completed. It also gives you some great one on one time with an advisor and should lead to a better letter of recommendation.

Finally - it sounds like you are very bright. However, depending on where you intend to apply, 2 semesters of undergraduate research may not be sufficient for funded PhD programs but you could get some consideration from university based PsyD programs.

If fully funded PhD is your goal, consider taking a year off and bolster your research experience. Good luck!

 

[stevenjw]

I have a somewhat unique position and would really appreciate some advice. I got a BS in Accounting in 2007 from a solid undergraduate program. I then worked about 3 years in the that field and decided it wasn't for me.

I quit my job and began volunteering at a crisis hotline, it's been about a year now. By the end of this semester, I'll have taken 5 psych classes (and also statistics). In these classes, I'll have either a 3.6 or 3.83 gpa. My undergraduate GPA, however was a 3.0.

I haven't taken the GRE yet, I'll study for a month after this semester and tackle it.

couple questions:

1)I realize my only shot at getting into a decent phd program would be to do research, because I've done none. Would doing a year of research give me a good chance at a decent phd program? Granted I got a good GRE score of course.

2)I think I'm more interested in a psyd program though. what are my chances at getting into a good psyd program? What can I do to boost my chances? Would taking more time to do research further my cause towards a psyd?

3)general advice? really anything would be helpful to me! Thanks so much.

I've got a list of about 20 programs I'd be potentially interested, including wright, pgsp, roosevelt, MA school of prof psych, rutgers, loyola, george wash, wheaton, u denver, and indiana u. I've even got a couple "fall back" options such as JFK and pacific outside portlant.

Thanks so much for your input.

 

[dumbledoresgirl]

I have a somewhat unique position and would really appreciate some advice. I got a BS in Accounting in 2007 from a solid undergraduate program. I then worked about 3 years in the that field and decided it wasn't for me.

I quit my job and began volunteering at a crisis hotline, it's been about a year now. By the end of this semester, I'll have taken 5 psych classes (and also statistics). In these classes, I'll have either a 3.6 or 3.83 gpa. My undergraduate GPA, however was a 3.0.

I haven't taken the GRE yet, I'll study for a month after this semester and tackle it.

couple questions:

1)I realize my only shot at getting into a decent phd program would be to do research, because I've done none. Would doing a year of research give me a good chance at a decent phd program? Granted I got a good GRE score of course.

2)I think I'm more interested in a psyd program though. what are my chances at getting into a good psyd program? What can I do to boost my chances? Would taking more time to do research further my cause towards a psyd?

3)general advice? really anything would be helpful to me! Thanks so much.

I've got a list of about 20 programs I'd be potentially interested, including wright, pgsp, roosevelt, MA school of prof psych, rutgers, loyola, george wash, wheaton, u denver, and indiana u. I've even got a couple "fall back" options such as JFK and pacific outside portlant.

Thanks so much for your input.

I just graduated with a BA in Psychology this past December and will be attending a Clinical Psychology PhD program in the fall, so I can't really speak to applying to programs with a BA not in psychology, but here's my two cents for what it's worth:

Because you don't have research experience and your BA isn't in psychology, I don't think doing one year of research is going to help you. Especially if you were planning on applying during that same year (submit applications in December, after which you will have only had a few months working in that research lab...even though you will have a year by the end of the summer). Does that make sense? I think you would have to do two years of research in order to be competitive (so work one full year and apply during the second year in your lab...that way you can also have a shot at getting a recommendation letter from your lab supervisor, since he/she will have known you for a year by the time you start applying).

Please keep in mind that the above advice is applicable only if you are aiming for admission at a Clinical Psychology PhD program...I did not apply to any PsyD programs and I am not familiar with the amount of research experience they require, if any.

With regards to your GPA (again, only PhD-related advice) I think you might be better off going for a Master's in Psychology. That way you will have a Master's GPA and you will be able to show competency in Psychology (I don't think the 5 courses you took will count for much if they don't amount to a degree, but that's just my opinion and I am not sure about that). Your undergraduate GPA is fine but probably not competitive enough for PhD programs, which is why having a Master's GPA is also a good idea. I am not sure about GPA requirements for PsyD programs, but I'm assuming they're pretty similar in terms of what counts as "competitive."

I think the best advice I can give you (I know I've already said this) is to get involved in a research lab. Other than meeting criteria (GPA/GRE scores), I think research experience is one of the main factors taken into consideration in the admissions process. You will also be able to establish a better idea of what kind of research you are interested in, which will help you when applying to schools.

I hope this helps!🙂

 

[whyeh]

Dear SDN responders,

I will be applying to Clinical Ph.D programs during the 2012-2013 cycle, and I would like to have some suggestions from SDN members!

Background:
I am a Canadian applicant who applied to 3 Clinical Psychology Ph.D programs (UC-Berkeley, University of Arizona, and University of Florida) in 2009. I received an interview from UF. At the time of application, I had the following credentials:

Undergraduate GPA = 3.95/4.00 from Psychology (Hon.) with a minor in Statistics
GRE General = 360(V), 790(Q), 5(writing)
GRE Psychology = 720
Clinical Experience = 0.5 years of mental health hospital volunteering (organize and sell donated cloth to mental health patients)
Research Experience = volunteered research assistant in different labs and forensic research unit for 2 years; was writing an Undergraduate Honors Thesis; 3 conference presentations (international meeting: 2 first author; student based national meeting: 1 second author)

Looking back, I feel that I was extremely lucky to even get an interview...


Since then, I have added the following credentials to my application:

Will be getting a M.Sc degree in Neuroscience from a top institute in the field (not an American school, though...)
GPA from Master's: 3.57/4.00 (molecular biology based courses absolutely killed me)
Research Experience: Poster presentation at 3 national meetings and 5 international meetings as the first author; led a research project at the Master's level; 2nd author publication in a peer-reviewed journal.
Relevant clinical experience: Research project involved healthy human participants whom I screened for medical and psychological anomalies. From the screening process, I learned to use psychological evaluation tools such as the Structured Clinical Interview - DSM 4 and various questionnaires (BDI, BECK, etc...). I was also responsible for maintaining the participants' psychological and physical health under the supervision of a medical doctor. I also have treatment related experience with patient and research assistants.


SO! Aside from the obvious that I need to improve my GRE verbal score, are my credentials good enough to be competitive at top tier schools? I am asking because there are relatively few PIs in my field of interest compared to other fields. I am also debating whether I should use Fall 2012 to write and publish or to volunteer in a clinical setting. Given that I have material to write at least 3 papers (4 if I get positive results from a case study), should I focus on writing papers or should I write less and volunteer more? I keep getting the feeling that I do not have enough clinical experience to compete for a Clinical Ph.D spot...


Thank you for reading and for providing me with valuable inputs. Your help is greatly appreciated.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

Dear SDN responders,

I will be applying to Clinical Ph.D programs during the 2012-2013 cycle, and I would like to have some suggestions from SDN members!

Background:
I am a Canadian applicant who applied to 3 Clinical Psychology Ph.D programs (UC-Berkeley, University of Arizona, and University of Florida) in 2009. I received an interview from UF. At the time of application, I had the following credentials:

Undergraduate GPA = 3.95/4.00 from Psychology (Hon.) with a minor in Statistics
GRE General = 360(V), 790(Q), 5(writing)
GRE Psychology = 720
Clinical Experience = 0.5 years of mental health hospital volunteering (organize and sell donated cloth to mental health patients)
Research Experience = volunteered research assistant in different labs and forensic research unit for 2 years; was writing an Undergraduate Honors Thesis; 3 conference presentations (international meeting: 2 first author; student based national meeting: 1 second author)

Looking back, I feel that I was extremely lucky to even get an interview...


Since then, I have added the following credentials to my application:

Will be getting a M.Sc degree in Neuroscience from a top institute in the field (not an American school, though...)
GPA from Master's: 3.57/4.00 (molecular biology based courses absolutely killed me)
Research Experience: Poster presentation at 3 national meetings and 5 international meetings as the first author; led a research project at the Master's level; 2nd author publication in a peer-reviewed journal.
Relevant clinical experience: Research project involved healthy human participants whom I screened for medical and psychological anomalies. From the screening process, I learned to use psychological evaluation tools such as the Structured Clinical Interview - DSM 4 and various questionnaires (BDI, BECK, etc...). I was also responsible for maintaining the participants' psychological and physical health under the supervision of a medical doctor. I also have treatment related experience with patient and research assistants.


SO! Aside from the obvious that I need to improve my GRE verbal score, are my credentials good enough to be competitive at top tier schools? I am asking because there are relatively few PIs in my field of interest compared to other fields. I am also debating whether I should use Fall 2012 to write and publish or to volunteer in a clinical setting. Given that I have material to write at least 3 papers (4 if I get positive results from a case study), should I focus on writing papers or should I write less and volunteer more? I keep getting the feeling that I do not have enough clinical experience to compete for a Clinical Ph.D spot...


Thank you for reading and for providing me with valuable inputs. Your help is greatly appreciated.

Regarding that last point (IMO): without a doubt, focus on the research. Volunteering/clinical exposure, particularly when it's not obtained by practicing at the master's-level, isn't given nearly as much weight during applications as is research experience.

Edit: As a personal anecdote, I know of many people admitted to clinical Ph.D. programs who had limited or no clinical/volunteer experience. I don't think I know anyone who was admitted with limited/no research experience.

 

[CraveMyThoughts]

Hi everyone this is my very first post on this forum,

I'll be applying to PhD Clinical Pysch programs in the fall. I want to eventually end up practicing Clinical Neuropsychology.

Here are my stats:

I'm an African American female. I first started as a chemical engineering major at UT Austin, absolutely hated it, and as a result did not do well! Finally, switched to psychology during my sophomore year after transferring university's in which I fell in love with the field of psychology. I'm minoring in Biology as well.

GPA: 3.2 overall
Psyc GPA: 3.4
^ I know these are kinda low to be really competitive, but those years as an engineering major greatly hurt my GPA, I'll be explaining this in my personal statement though. Should I apply to some MA programs to try and boost my graduate GPA?
Havent taken GRE's yet, I'm taking it in October.

Currently work in a cognitive research lab for a Professor at my school, started that in Fall '11. I'll be starting/running my own experiment this summer as well. No publications however.

I'm going to an interview tomorrow at a Hospital for an internship in their psychiatric ward (I'm quite nervous). Hopefully, this will help supplement my clinical experience, since I have none thus far!

Also, no letters of rec yet, although I plan on asking my adviser, the professor whose lab I work in (he wrote one for me already for the McNairs Scholar Program), and I'm not too sure who the last one will be quite yet.

I plan on applying to:

UT Southwestern (first choice)
University of Houston
University of Texas at Arlington (lowest on my list)
Howard University
University of North Carolina (go Tar Heels! I was born and raised in North Carolina)
UCLA
UNT

Any feedback would be wonderful. Thanks!

 

[bunderj]

Hi everyone this is my very first post on this forum,

I'll be applying to PhD Clinical Pysch programs in the fall. I want to eventually end up practicing Clinical Neuropsychology.

Here are my stats:

I'm an African American female. I first started as a chemical engineering major at UT Austin, absolutely hated it, and as a result did not do well! Finally, switched to psychology during my sophomore year after transferring university's in which I fell in love with the field of psychology. I'm minoring in Biology as well.

GPA: 3.2 overall
Psyc GPA: 3.4
^ I know these are kinda low to be really competitive, but those years as an engineering major greatly hurt my GPA, I'll be explaining this in my personal statement though. Should I apply to some MA programs to try and boost my graduate GPA?
Havent taken GRE's yet, I'm taking it in October.

Currently work in a cognitive research lab for a Professor at my school, started that in Fall '11. I'll be starting/running my own experiment this summer as well. No publications however.

I'm going to an interview tomorrow at a Hospital for an internship in their psychiatric ward (I'm quite nervous). Hopefully, this will help supplement my clinical experience, since I have none thus far!

Also, no letters of rec yet, although I plan on asking my adviser, the professor whose lab I work in (he wrote one for me already for the McNairs Scholar Program), and I'm not too sure who the last one will be quite yet.

I plan on applying to:

UT Southwestern (first choice)
University of Houston
University of Texas at Arlington (lowest on my list)
Howard University
University of North Carolina (go Tar Heels! I was born and raised in North Carolina)
UCLA
UNT

Any feedback would be wonderful. Thanks!

I'd say focus on getting very good GRE scores, to compensate for your somewhat lower GPA (like 1400-ish on the old scale, sorry I'm not familiar with the new one), and getting as much research experience as humanly possible. You need presentations and publications, not just experience in a lab. You really don't need the clinical experience so much, but you'll NEED solid research experience to be taken seriously, especially at top-tier programs like UCLA. Also, work on really cultivating those relationships with your soon-to-be letter writers. You want them to know a lot about your research interests and be able to speak, in depth, as to why you're amazing and will be an exceptional grad student. And of course, you should apply based on fit fit fit. Know yourself and what you want to study, get research experience (and hopefully pubs/presentations) in that area, and then find labs that match well with that. Good luck!

 

[sm4angel]

Hi All,

I am also in a somewhat unique position as I was not a psychology major as an undergraduate (graduated 2010 from a competitive college with a BS in Biological Sciences). I took a few psych classes to fulfill general ed requirements and did relatively well (As and Bs). I was a pre-med student (pressured into it by my parents) and have been working towards that since graduation without any luck. However, I have begun to realize that I'm simply unhappy with the track that I have been on. My interest in psychology has always been a huge part of my life, but simply put on the back burner because my parents were gunning for medical school which is whole other story. Anyway, I wanted to apply for PsyD programs, but dont really know what to do to be a competitive applicant. Here are my stats:

UGPA: 2.95 - my major was biological sciences which was one the hardest majors at my school
Masters gpa: 2.8 - did a masters in biomedical sciences to get into medical and hated every minute of it
3 years of research experience with excellent LORs - mostly neuroimaging/neuropsych research with developmentally disable kids so I've had experience doing behavioral testing as well imaging testing (MRI, EEG...etc)

I haven't taken the GRE, but plan to soon. Since my gpa is so low I was planning to take some psychology classes at a local college (kind of like a post-bacc) to show my competence in the sugbject as well as take the psych subject GRE. I know people have suggested going the masters route, which I dont mind doing if A) the masters could lead to a career as well and B) would help me get into PsyD programs. Unfortunately, I'm not sure what kind of masters I should be getting (MSW, MA, MS...etc) and in what subject (clincal counseling, clinical psychology...etc). Any and all advice would be much appreciated.

PS. Anyone know anything about the PhD program at stanford? Is it in conjunction with Palo Alto University or are they two separate things?