WAMC: What Are My Chances

[brainwrangler]

I've posted here asking for advice before, but have updated my profile and have some new questions.

5.5 years of research experience in a few different areas, with 1.5 as a full-time lab manager. Currently working in a cognitive neuroscience lab.

1 first authorship, two middle authorships, and a number of posters and presentations, mostly in cognitive neuroscience. Only clinical experience is a honors thesis (1 year in that lab).

GPA 3.9
GRE 170V/159Q/6.0W, psychology GRE 800

No clinical experience: I tried to volunteer at a hotline this spring and summer, but internal issues meant I never took any calls. Now looking into a 2nd crisis line, but won't have very much experience at all by the deadline.

One of my old PIs strongly suggested I consider neuroscience PhD programs instead, given my profile. Most labs fitting my interests (dementia, aging, neurodegenerative disorders, and the intersection of neuropsychology and neuroimaging) are housed in clinical programs, and I've been really missing the human aspect in my current lab.

Am I a viable candidate for clinical programs?

Any advice would be much appreciated!

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[psych.meout]

I've posted here asking for advice before, but have updated my profile and have some new questions.

5.5 years of research experience in a few different areas, with 1.5 as a full-time lab manager. Currently working in a cognitive neuroscience lab.

1 first authorship, two middle authorships, and a number of posters and presentations, mostly in cognitive neuroscience. Only clinical experience is a honors thesis (1 year in that lab).

GPA 3.9
GRE 170V/159Q/6.0W, psychology GRE 800

No clinical experience: I tried to volunteer at a hotline this spring and summer, but internal issues meant I never took any calls. Now looking into a 2nd crisis line, but won't have very much experience at all by the deadline.

One of my old PIs strongly suggested I consider neuroscience PhD programs instead, given my profile. Most labs fitting my interests (dementia, aging, neurodegenerative disorders, and the intersection of neuropsychology and neuroimaging) are housed in clinical programs, and I've been really missing the human aspect in my current lab.

Am I a viable candidate for clinical programs?

Any advice would be much appreciated!

Well, what do you want to do for a career, because neuroscience PhDs are different from clinical doctorates. The former don't lead to licensure like the latter do, which means that their career trajectories can be quite different. If you want to do any clinical work (not research on clinical populations or topics), the neuroscience PhD isn't going to get you there.

 

[brainwrangler]

Well, what do you want to do for a career, because neuroscience PhDs are different from clinical doctorates. The former don't lead to licensure like the latter do, which means that their career trajectories can be quite different. If you want to do any clinical work (not research on clinical populations or topics), the neuroscience PhD isn't going to get you there.

Thanks for the reply! I want to pursue a clinical career while continuing to do research, hence my original interest in clinical doctorates. I’m particularly interested in doing neuropsychological assessment and potentially collaborating with MDs and treatment teams. A neuroscience PhD would not help me with my career goals.

My main concern is that my profile as an applicant apparently doesn’t really reflect this, hence my old PI’s advice. As an undergrad I made some odd course choices and ended up with a heavily neuroscience-oriented CV. I’m worried, essentially, that I don’t really look like a good neuropsych candidate because I’ve done a lot of other things and haven’t got much hands-on clinical experience.

 

[psych.meout]

Thanks for the reply! I want to pursue a clinical career while continuing to do research, hence my original interest in clinical doctorates. I’m particularly interested in doing neuropsychological assessment and potentially collaborating with MDs and treatment teams. A neuroscience PhD would not help me with my career goals.

My main concern is that my profile as an applicant apparently doesn’t really reflect this, hence my old PI’s advice. As an undergrad I made some odd course choices and ended up with a heavily neuroscience-oriented CV. I’m worried, essentially, that I don’t really look like a good neuropsych candidate because I’ve done a lot of other things and haven’t got much hands-on clinical experience.

Honestly, your PI is giving you bad advice. Your choice in degree should be based on the career you want, not what experience you already have. If you are deficient in certain areas, the goal should not be to settle with a degree and career you don't want. Instead, you should get supplementary experience to fill in any gaps and then pursue the degree and career you actually want.

In your particular case, I wouldn't worry about the lack of clinical experience. Most applicants for clinical programs don't have substantial clinical experience without already having graduate degrees, because you simply aren't qualified to get most jobs with that level of experience with just a bachelor's degree. You have a substantial research background in neuroscience, which is what many neuropsych faculty are looking for. I don't think you really need clinical experience with what you've posted here, but if you want to be thorough about it, look for psychometrist positions. They pay fairly well, provide great neuropsych experience, and are obtainable with just a bachelor's degree.

 

[brainwrangler]

Honestly, your PI is giving you bad advice. Your choice in degree should be based on the career you want, not what experience you already have. If you are deficient in certain areas, the goal should not be to settle with a degree and career you don't want. Instead, you should get supplementary experience to fill in any gaps and then pursue the degree and career you actually want.

Thanks again for your time and for the reassuring answer

To clarify how much experience I have (or don’t), I never took a single call for the hotline I tried to work with from April-July. They were going through some internal reorganization at the time and a lot of balls seemingly got dropped. Some of the schools I’m looking at specifically request a paragraph or 2 about clinical experience in the SOP; should I take this as a strong indicator these schools aren’t a good fit for me?

Last night my current PI gently discouraged me from trying to get any real clinical experience at all for this fall’s application round. They’re probably right that it would look naive and desperate (my words), but I’m worried I’ve painted myself completely into a corner since I have functionally zero experience.

With these clarifications, do I still sound like a good candidate for this application round?

 

[sylviat]

daughter is coming from Penn State - undergrad Psychology degree.
3.5 GPA has not taken GRE yet. Wants to do a Psy D program
money not an issue.
how difficult are these programs to get into?
Should she apply to many schools?
Apply to some Masters Programs as a back up plan?

 

[Justanothergrad]

daughter is coming from Penn State - undergrad Psychology degree.
3.5 GPA has not taken GRE yet. Wants to do a Psy D program
money not an issue.
how difficult are these programs to get into?
Should she apply to many schools?
Apply to some Masters Programs as a back up plan?

The best thing you can do for your daughter
1. Encourage her to be on here asking questions and taking note of the answers rather than you
2. Encourage her to figure out how to be involved in research, including taking a gap year if needed, in order to get into competitive funded programs that produce better outcomes. This is the critical component to training in psychology and any steps to help her with this will pay off 10-fold in her professional skills, professional opportunities, and personal satisfaction with training. I can't underscore how bad poor training is.
3. Encourage her to be on here asking questions and taking note of the answers rather than you.

Also see my answer below.

Bad training means worse job prospects. There are numerous threads on here about these programs and other PsyD programs. You are better to help support her for a year while she is volunteering in a lab and then applies to a funded programs with good training, if that is what makes her not competitive now. This is cheaper in the long run and better for career training. Programs that are easy to get into are easy to get into for a reason- no one wants to go.

You should encourage your daughter to do this research herself as well. I suspect she does not have a strong grasp of the difference between PsyD and PhD, nor does she likely understand the risks associated with poor training. Knowing how to apply and what it means is critical to ensuring that you (not someone you trust) knows the field you are trying to devote your professional life to.

 

[deleted656923]

Thanks again for your time and for the reassuring answer

To clarify how much experience I have (or don’t), I never took a single call for the hotline I tried to work with from April-July. They were going through some internal reorganization at the time and a lot of balls seemingly got dropped. Some of the schools I’m looking at specifically request a paragraph or 2 about clinical experience in the SOP; should I take this as a strong indicator these schools aren’t a good fit for me?

Last night my current PI gently discouraged me from trying to get any real clinical experience at all for this fall’s application round. They’re probably right that it would look naive and desperate (my words), but I’m worried I’ve painted myself completely into a corner since I have functionally zero experience.

With these clarifications, do I still sound like a good candidate for this application round?

Yes. Clinical experience really don't weigh as much as research experience for admission to doctoral Clinical Psychology programs. Your scores are stellar and your research experience is plenty. Don't stress too much.

 

[wtfook]

Thanks again for your time and for the reassuring answer

To clarify how much experience I have (or don’t), I never took a single call for the hotline I tried to work with from April-July. They were going through some internal reorganization at the time and a lot of balls seemingly got dropped. Some of the schools I’m looking at specifically request a paragraph or 2 about clinical experience in the SOP; should I take this as a strong indicator these schools aren’t a good fit for me?

Last night my current PI gently discouraged me from trying to get any real clinical experience at all for this fall’s application round. They’re probably right that it would look naive and desperate (my words), but I’m worried I’ve painted myself completely into a corner since I have functionally zero experience.

With these clarifications, do I still sound like a good candidate for this application round?

When I interviewed at clinical programs, many people outright stated they don't care about clinical experience. When you start your clinical training in a PhD program, almost everyone assumes by default that you have never been in a space with a client before. They might ask you what experience you have with such and such population and it can be helpful to have worked with people to some clinical capacity, but clinical programs especially assume they're building your clinical skills from the ground up. It is infinitely more a danger to not have any research experience. Since you have plenty of research experience and even some publications, you're fine. You want your research experience to at least be tangentially related to the research you want to do in the future, which is also helpful.

Honestly, the only thing you should REALLY be focusing on rather than stressing over your lack of clinical experience, is what specifically you would like to focus your research on in a doctoral program and which advisors in which programs you'd like to apply to work with based on those interests. Your acceptance into a clinical program will depend WAY more on the fit you have with an advisor than on whatever clinical experience you'll be able to amass between now and next year when interviews start coming in.

As a side note, it's probably good to relax a bit. It's great that you're passionate about the work and really want to succeed, but sometimes being too critical of your experiences and finding holes where there are none in your qualifications can reflect in your performance at interviews. It's good to find a balance between realistic criticism of your qualifications and recognizing your strengths. If you come off too high strung at an interview, sometimes people will wonder about your ability to handle a significantly more stressful doctoral environment. It's totally fine to be worried but also your stats look great. You seem to have a strong chance of getting in somewhere so long as you pick a geographically diverse range of schools with advisors who fit your interests. But also if it doesn't work out this year it really is fine. It's actually quite normal to apply a couple times before getting in, and it really says nothing about your ability to succeed in a doctoral program.

 

[SolRed]

Hi everyone, I'm applying for Fall of 2019 straight from undergrad. BS in Psych, will be graduating Summa Cum Laude.

GPA: 3.81, psychology GPA: 3.94
GRE: 154V and 149Q

Research experience: 3 years of research experience (started my first semester freshman year) 5 labs. All research positions have been for at least 1 year. I also have lab manager experience and am currently working on an independent project that I managed to get a grant for. None of my research has been low level (data entry). I have a balance between quantitative research and qualitative research.

-I've presented two posters (one at a national conference and won an award for my presentation), three posters with my name on it.
-I have one first author publication in a high impact, top 10 journal. In November I'll be presenting another poster and in the works of writing another publication.

Awards:
-Research award from my department.
-Poster presentation award

Clinical experience:
-I have a certification in the interdisciplinary assessment and treatment of neurological patients where I worked with a team of healthcare graduates (I represented clinical psychology) where we had a patient and had to assess and develop a treatment plan.

-I have 3 strong diverse letters of recommendation.

-I know my GRE's are the weak point in my application, but I am hoping my research experience and GPA can overlook this aspect. I do have advanced math and statistics coursework. I received A's in Calculus I , Psychological Statistics, Advanced Research Design and Advanced Research Statistics I. As well as A's in quantitative related fields such as Programming Abstractions, Healthcare Epidemiology and Economics.

 

[psych.meout]

Hi everyone, I'm applying for Fall of 2019 straight from undergrad. BS in Psych, will be graduating Summa Cum Laude.

GPA: 3.81, psychology GPA: 3.94
GRE: 154V and 149Q

Research experience: 3 years of research experience (started my first semester freshman year) 5 labs. All research positions have been for at least 1 year. I also have lab manager experience and am currently working on an independent project that I managed to get a grant for. None of my research has been low level (data entry). I have a balance between quantitative research and qualitative research.

-I've presented two posters (one at a national conference and won an award for my presentation), three posters with my name on it.
-I have one first author publication in a high impact, top 10 journal. In November I'll be presenting another poster and in the works of writing another publication.

Awards:
-Research award from my department.
-Poster presentation award

Clinical experience:
-I have a certification in the interdisciplinary assessment and treatment of neurological patients where I worked with a team of healthcare graduates (I represented clinical psychology) where we had a patient and had to assess and develop a treatment plan.

-I have 3 strong diverse letters of recommendation.

-I know my GRE's are the weak point in my application, but I am hoping my research experience and GPA can overlook this aspect. I do have advanced math and statistics coursework. I received A's in Calculus I , Psychological Statistics, Advanced Research Design and Advanced Research Statistics I. As well as A's in quantitative related fields such as Programming Abstractions, Healthcare Epidemiology and Economics.

Your stats are more than competitive and you shouldn't worry about some middling GRE scores with the rest of your resume. Realistically, what would hold you back are the things you can easily control from here. Just make sure your personal statement is stellar and avoids the kisses of death, don't geographically restrict your applications, make sure your recommenders write great letters and get them in on time, make sure you're applying to programs and POIs with excellent fit, and prep well for interviews.

 

[wtfook]

Your stats are more than competitive and you shouldn't worry about some middling GRE scores with the rest of your resume. Realistically, what would hold you back are the things you can easily control from here. Just make sure your personal statement is stellar and avoids the kisses of death, don't geographically restrict your applications, make sure your recommenders write great letters and get them in on time, make sure you're applying to programs and POIs with excellent fit, and prep well for interviews.

I don't know. A 149Q seems pretty low. What is typically the screening score for the GRE? I think mid 150s is generally ok so long as everything else is fine (154V is probably passable), but some programs might screen out a 149Q. I would recommend the OP try and take the test again but that might not happen in time for this round of applications. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to apply this year and see.

 

[Psychjailguy]

Okay, so I have been reviewing the "WAMC" thread for a few days now. I want to see if I have any kind of chance at the moment. I want to note my scores V:144, Qual: 142, writing 3.0. I hold a B.S in Criminal Justice, minor in Psych (GPA 3.65); MS in Criminal Justice (GPA. 3.84). I also have am currently enrolled in a MS in Clinical mental health counseling, current GPA 3.63. I took the GRE one time in 2014 and basically did not study for it at all. I was working full-time, taking care of my ill father, who passed in 2017 and applying to the MS program for CJ. I just took the GRE because my school told me I needed to. I think I took it about two or three weeks after I was told I had to. I know I have to retake the GRE to be considered for "reliable" Ph.D. or Psy.D programs.

I know my scores are well embarrassing compared to others who have posted on here. I do not have basically any research experience; however, I have what you would call extensive work experience. I have work for a County Correctional facility as a correctional officer (CO) for two years while in school; then a Federal Prison as a CO for 6 months. I then obtained a state job as a police officer. My father ended up dying last year and I had to resign from my job because I was basically a mess and could not do such a high-stress job with the passing of my father. I worked 6 hrs away, the family had to come first at that time

Honestly, I have a few specific interests one is to work at a county, state or federal jail or prison as a psychologist. I have the Masters and Bachelors in CJ, so I think with the psych background it would work out perfectly. I also have aspirations to teach at a college somewhere (community college or small or large university), I do not have children, or a significant other to hold me back geographically. I have identified a few schools and I think they would be what is considered the "lower" to "lowest" tier of Psy.D and Ph.D. schools in counseling psych. I am realistic and believe I will have to take the GRE just because of the 5-year rule for test scores. I am just wondering if I can get in anywhere with my work experience, CURRENT GRE scores, and High GPA. I have gotten another job in engineering until I am done with my current MS program, anticipated graduation is less than eight weeks away!

-Marshall University (#1 choice)
-Chicago School of Professional Psychology
-Indiana State University
-Adler School of Professional Psychology
-Alliant International University -Fresno, CA (Ph.D.)
-California Lutheran University
-Marywood University
-Spalding University

I know this is not an inspiring list, but based on my scores this is what I have come up with. If anyone has other suggestions for program that would be greatly appreciated. I basically am only striving for a "accreediated" APA program and I can work with it from there. Anything would be greatly appreciated.

I also would appreciate GRE tips people might have I plan on re-taking the GRE in December of this year and will actually be studying for it this time (I know terrible that I did not do this before) I kind of only took the GRE before because it was required. I now needless to say understand the importance of the GRE and the way people actually need to study and prep for the test.

 

[wtfook]

Okay, so I have been reviewing the "WAMC" thread for a few days now. I want to see if I have any kind of chance at the moment. I want to note my scores V:144, Qual: 142, writing 3.0. I hold a B.S in Criminal Justice, minor in Psych (GPA 3.65); MS in Criminal Justice (GPA. 3.84). I also have am currently enrolled in a MS in Clinical mental health counseling, current GPA 3.63. I took the GRE one time in 2014 and basically did not study for it at all. I was working full-time, taking care of my ill father, who passed in 2017 and applying to the MS program for CJ. I just took the GRE because my school told me I needed to. I think I took it about two or three weeks after I was told I had to. I know I have to retake the GRE to be considered for "reliable" Ph.D. or Psy.D programs.

I know my scores are well embarrassing compared to others who have posted on here. I do not have basically any research experience; however, I have what you would call extensive work experience. I have work for a County Correctional facility as a correctional officer (CO) for two years while in school; then a Federal Prison as a CO for 6 months. I then obtained a state job as a police officer. My father ended up dying last year and I had to resign from my job because I was basically a mess and could not do such a high-stress job with the passing of my father. I worked 6 hrs away, the family had to come first at that time

Honestly, I have a few specific interests one is to work at a county, state or federal jail or prison as a psychologist. I have the Masters and Bachelors in CJ, so I think with the psych background it would work out perfectly. I also have aspirations to teach at a college somewhere (community college or small or large university), I do not have children, or a significant other to hold me back geographically. I have identified a few schools and I think they would be what is considered the "lower" to "lowest" tier of Psy.D and Ph.D. schools in counseling psych. I am realistic and believe I will have to take the GRE just because of the 5-year rule for test scores. I am just wondering if I can get in anywhere with my work experience, CURRENT GRE scores, and High GPA. I have gotten another job in engineering until I am done with my current MS program, anticipated graduation is less than eight weeks away!

-Marshall University (#1 choice)
-Chicago School of Professional Psychology
-Indiana State University
-Adler School of Professional Psychology
-Alliant International University -Fresno, CA (Ph.D.)
-California Lutheran University
-Marywood University
-Spalding University

I know this is not an inspiring list, but based on my scores this is what I have come up with. If anyone has other suggestions for program that would be greatly appreciated. I basically am only striving for a "accreediated" APA program and I can work with it from there. Anything would be greatly appreciated.

I also would appreciate GRE tips people might have I plan on re-taking the GRE in December of this year and will actually be studying for it this time (I know terrible that I did not do this before) I kind of only took the GRE before because it was required. I now needless to say understand the importance of the GRE and the way people actually need to study and prep for the test.

What exactly is it that you want to do in these facilities? Because if your ultimate goal is to practice therapy, you can do that with an MSW or Master's in Mental Health Counseling. You don't actually need a doctorate. You can also teach with those degrees as well. In my master's in counseling program, we had adjunct master's level instructors. You DEFINITELY can teach adjunct with a master's at a community college. Doctorates require a lot of research and if you're not that interested in research, you can honestly achieve your career goals for a lot less money and time.

 

[Psychjailguy]

What exactly is it that you want to do in these facilities? Because if your ultimate goal is to practice therapy, you can do that with an MSW or Masters in Mental Health Counseling. You don't actually need a doctorate. You can also teach with those degrees as well. In my master's in counseling program, we had adjunct master's level instructors. You DEFINITELY can teach adjunct with a master's at a community college. Doctorates require a lot of research and if you're not that interested in research, you can honestly achieve your career goals for a lot less money and time.

So, yes you are right I basically want to do therapy. Basically, work at a correctional facility and use it as a good basics to gain experience, along with the required hours to get my LPC. I will be done with the Mental Health Counseling degree this year and wanted to see if I should waste any time trying to apply for this cycle of Ph.D. programs. The main reason I would want to get a doctorate is to try and get a tenure-track position somewhere. I assume that I could do this with a Masters degree, but thinking that a "professional" Psy.D school is the realistic goal if I want to do this. Honestly, I think I am just weighing my options to see if I should retake the GRE and if it would even be worth it.

 

[deleted656923]

...wanted to see if I should waste any time trying to apply for this cycle of Ph.D. programs.

Well, you definitely won’t make it with that kind of expectation or attitude.

 

[Justanothergrad]

So, yes you are right I basically want to do therapy. Basically, work at a correctional facility and use it as a good basics to gain experience, along with the required hours to get my LPC. I will be done with the Mental Health Counseling degree this year and wanted to see if I should waste any time trying to apply for this cycle of Ph.D. programs. The main reason I would want to get a doctorate is to try and get a tenure-track position somewhere. I assume that I could do this with a Masters degree, but thinking that a "professional" Psy.D school is the realistic goal if I want to do this. Honestly, I think I am just weighing my options to see if I should retake the GRE and if it would even be worth it.

A masters degree isn't going to get you a tenure-track position. A PsyD is not the ideal either. Although it's possible with a PsyD, most TT have a PhD. This is because part of the job is publication and most PsyD programs exclude that as part of their training. I don't hire an accountant who has never done taxes to do mine. Same reason they don't hire folks without research experience. If you can get one, it will be at a small liberal arts school where you aren't expected to do as much research. You will still have difficulties there even without research.

 

[deleted343839]

The main reason I would want to get a doctorate is to try and get a tenure-track position somewhere. I assume that I could do this with a Masters degree, but thinking that a "professional" Psy.D school is the realistic goal if I want to do this. Honestly, I think I am just weighing my options to see if I should retake the GRE and if it would even be worth it.

You could teach at some colleges with a master's degree, but only as an adjunct (low pay, no job security, no benefits). To get a college or uni tenure-track position you will be at a real disadvantage with a PsyD.

Honestly, I have a few specific interests one is to work at a county, state or federal jail or prison as a psychologist. I have the Masters and Bachelors in CJ, so I think with the psych background it would work out perfectly. I also have aspirations to teach at a college somewhere (community college or small or large university), I do not have children, or a significant other to hold me back geographically.

Going back to your earlier post, it would be helpful to think about what you would most like to do with 75-80% of your working hours as a psychologist. It would be hard to hold a TT job and a position as a psychologist in a correctional setting simultaneously (most of these jobs will be full time). You could work as a psychologist and adjunct a course on the side, though - much more doable. Conversely, you could hold a full time faculty job and have a small private practice on the side (though you would need to focus on attracting a clientele that is not incarcerated).

 

[wtfook]

So, yes you are right I basically want to do therapy. Basically, work at a correctional facility and use it as a good basics to gain experience, along with the required hours to get my LPC. I will be done with the Mental Health Counseling degree this year and wanted to see if I should waste any time trying to apply for this cycle of Ph.D. programs. The main reason I would want to get a doctorate is to try and get a tenure-track position somewhere. I assume that I could do this with a Masters degree, but thinking that a "professional" Psy.D school is the realistic goal if I want to do this. Honestly, I think I am just weighing my options to see if I should retake the GRE and if it would even be worth it.

In order to achieve a tenure track position, you need to spend most of your time publishing, doing a post doc that's research oriented, etc... You wont get a tenure track position because you have an LPC. You wont get it because you have years of clinical experience as a therapist at a correctional facility. You'll get it because you've been teaching classes and publishing papers. So honestly, like MamaPHD said, you should think about what you actually want to spend your hours doing. If you have a passion for clinical practice, just stick with the LPC and teach some adjunct classes. If you have a passion for research and teaching, then go ahead and get a PhD. That'll allow you to be most competitive for the field. It sounds right now like you are VERY ambivalent about a doctorate so I'd recommend just waiting. Interviewers will be able to smell that ambivalence, especially if you are lacking in research experience already. They'd want to know what you want to research, how your interests are aligned with theirs, and how serious you are about research. If you cant answer those questions, you wont get accepted. And the interview process is VERY expensive. It might be better to just work on your LPC, teach adjunct, and take up with a research lab on the side. If you find you enjoy the teaching and the research, lean into it more heavily to get the experience, boast your resume, and apply later with a better GRE score once you're more sure.

 

[deleted954468]

Hi folks, looking for a brutally honest assessment here for child clinical psych programs:

GPAs (approximations from a non-US system):
MS (psych, very competitive school): 3.91
MA (psych, very competitive school): 3.93
Undergrad (not psych, not very competitive school): 3.55

GRE:
169V, 5.0AW, and the kicker: 148Q.
I took it twice, and despite that all my practice tests (including ETS' own) were in the 157-159 region for quant, the actual test sparks such a serious panic in me that I can't seem to do any better than that. I don't have time to take it again for this cycle, so it is what it is for now.

Research experience:
8 months full-time paid RA at a top US university working with elementary-school aged children with NDD
1 year volunteer RA at a top UK university working with adolescents on a study into emotion regulation and digital technology
6 months volunteer data management assistant for a large study into depression in adolescents
2 empirical dissertations (1 for each master's degree), one of which won an interdepartmental award

I guess what I'm here for is if I should even bother applying this year, given my quant score.

#4303

 

[jdawg2017]

Hi folks, looking for a brutally honest assessment here for child clinical psych programs:

GPAs (approximations from a non-US system):
MS (psych, very competitive school): 3.91
MA (psych, very competitive school): 3.93
Undergrad (not psych, not very competitive school): 3.55

GRE:
169V, 5.0AW, and the kicker: 148Q.
I took it twice, and despite that all my practice tests (including ETS' own) were in the 157-159 region for quant, the actual test sparks such a serious panic in me that I can't seem to do any better than that. I don't have time to take it again for this cycle, so it is what it is for now.

Research experience:
8 months full-time paid RA at a top US university working with elementary-school aged children with NDD
1 year volunteer RA at a top UK university working with adolescents on a study into emotion regulation and digital technology
6 months volunteer data management assistant for a large study into depression in adolescents
2 empirical dissertations (1 for each master's degree), one of which won an interdepartmental award

I guess what I'm here for is if I should even bother applying this year, given my quant score.

#4303

That Q score is pretty rough, not gonna lie (31% is low average, but not great when successful applicants usually have at least a 70% or higher in each section). I would consult with your letter writers on how you want to explain that score. This is going to be especially important if you are applying to funded PhD programs (which are competitive than PsyD programs) and if the program you are applying to or work you want to do has a heavy quant basis.

I'm just a student, but as a person on an advisory committee I'd be curious as to why you got two masters degrees, both in psychology... at least to me that seems kind of weird (but maybe it's something about the European system... IDK).

Other than that, your stats are pretty good. If you have any papers or posters that are peer-reviewed, be sure to mention those.

 

[deleted954468]

That Q score is pretty rough, not gonna lie (31% is low average, but not great when successful applicants usually have at least a 70% or higher in each section). I would consult with your letter writers on how you want to explain that score. This is going to be especially important if you are applying to funded PhD programs (which are competitive than PsyD programs) and if the program you are applying to or work you want to do has a heavy quant basis.

I'm just a student, but as a person on an advisory committee I'd be curious as to why you got two masters degrees, both in psychology... at least to me that seems kind of weird (but maybe it's something about the European system... IDK).

Other than that, your stats are pretty good. If you have any papers or posters that are peer-reviewed, be sure to mention those.

Thank you so much for your feedback! Yeah, I was a little vague about my actual degrees for privacy purposes. The first is a theory-heavy degree and the second is a conversion master's (as I don't have a bachelor's in psych), which would have been necessary for applying to PhDs in some European countries.

I do not have any papers or posters, which is just a real shame because where I got my degrees, pre-doctoral research is seriously downplayed. I had to beg for research experience at even a master's level, so I'm grateful for what I got (with an American, lol), but there were not opportunities to publish, etc. Do you think this would be a problem?

It's a good idea to talk to my letter writers, yeah. I always do great in stats and data analysis classes, though only one of those would show up on my application.

 

[wtfook]

Thank you so much for your feedback! Yeah, I was a little vague about my actual degrees for privacy purposes. The first is a theory-heavy degree and the second is a conversion master's (as I don't have a bachelor's in psych), which would have been necessary for applying to PhDs in some European countries.

I do not have any papers or posters, which is just a real shame because where I got my degrees, pre-doctoral research is seriously downplayed. I had to beg for research experience at even a master's level, so I'm grateful for what I got (with an American, lol), but there were not opportunities to publish, etc. Do you think this would be a problem?

It's a good idea to talk to my letter writers, yeah. I always do great in stats and data analysis classes, though only one of those would show up on my application.

Research is very important to get into a funded program in an American institution. While lacking a publication may not break you, not having any kind of presentation experience, not even a poster, will definitely hurt you, especially if you already have a very low Quant score. I would take the GRE again honestly to see if you can raise the quant score. Or take some time to do more research, present, do something. Schools in the US also care very much about what your research interests are, how they fit with the advisor's current work, and whether you have a clear idea of what you want to be doing research wise in the next 5 years. And not just, "I want to work with kids" or even "I want to study depression in adolescents." When I was interviewing, potential advisors asked me some very specific questions about what my research plans were.

 

[superglobal]

I screwed up my GRE yesterday. I want an opinion on whether this is still worth a shot. I'm an international applicant with a strong work background in the areas I'm applying in (3 yrs of work ex in trauma, juvenile justice and global mental health). I have a Master's in Clinical Psychology from a prestigious university in my country and some publications.

GPA - 3.89

GRE - 162V, 152Q and (probably) 6 AW.

I have strong letters of rec and hopefully a decent SoP. Need to know if the Quant score is enough to rule me out.

 

[deleted954468]

Research is very important to get into a funded program in an American institution. While lacking a publication may not break you, not having any kind of presentation experience, not even a poster, will definitely hurt you, especially if you already have a very low Quant score. I would take the GRE again honestly to see if you can raise the quant score. Or take some time to do more research, present, do something. Schools in the US also care very much about what your research interests are, how they fit with the advisor's current work, and whether you have a clear idea of what you want to be doing research wise in the next 5 years. And not just, "I want to work with kids" or even "I want to study depression in adolescents." When I was interviewing, potential advisors asked me some very specific questions about what my research plans were.

Okay, thanks. And by "do more research," do you mean that 2+ years as an RA and 2 dissertations is not enough research work by volume, or that it isn't enough because it didn't involve presentations?

 

[jdawg2017]

Okay, thanks. And by "do more research," do you mean that 2+ years as an RA and 2 dissertations is not enough research work by volume, or that it isn't enough because it didn't involve presentations?

If you got no pubs or presentations out of that, then yes, that is not enough research work. You have years of experience, but no evidence of productivity when it comes to metrics that matter to the field (e.g., publishing your work).

 

[Psychjailguy]

A masters degree isn't going to get you a tenure-track position. A PsyD is not the ideal either. Although it's possible with a PsyD, most TT have a Ph.D. This is because part of the job is publication and most PsyD programs exclude that as part of their training. I don't hire an accountant who has never done taxes to do mine. Same reason they don't hire folks without research experience. If you can get one, it will be at a small liberal arts school where you aren't expected to do as much research. You will still have difficulties there even without research.

I think after getting some feedback there is certainly more to just getting a Tenured-Tracked position than just stating that I would like it. I think the majority of, if not all researchers would love a TT position. After reviewing everything I do think a Psy.D might be the more rational option because I would like to work in a correctional setting as either an LPC or staff psychologists. Being an adjunct is something I have not really thought about before now. Honestly, just doing that on the side and concentrating on working full-time at a correctional facility I think would be better for me not only because of my previous experiences but also because the cost of interviews and most likely not getting in anywhere with my GRE scores as they are. I think being able to teach is something I am interested in, but as an adjunct, you do not have the same expectation of publishing as a full-time TT position would require. For the most part, I do not have any real research experience because I have been working full-time throughout my college years and taking care of my father. So, being able to just enjoy my work and teach on the side might be much more doable.

Now with that said the challenge becomes how to get into a Psy.D program. I am looking into the Miller Analogies Test (MAT). There is some college I have been told that take this. Is this an "easier" test and does anyone know other Psy.D or Counseling Psych Ph.D. programs that accept the MAT?

 

[WisNeuro]

I think after getting some feedback there is certainly more to just getting a Tenured-Tracked position than just stating that I would like it. I think the majority of, if not all researchers would love a TT position. After reviewing everything I do think a Psy.D might be the more rational option because I would like to work in a correctional setting as either an LPC or staff psychologists. Being an adjunct is something I have not really thought about before now. Honestly, just doing that on the side and concentrating on working full-time at a correctional facility I think would be better for me not only because of my previous experiences but also because the cost of interviews and most likely not getting in anywhere with my GRE scores as they are. I think being able to teach is something I am interested in, but as an adjunct, you do not have the same expectation of publishing as a full-time TT position would require. For the most part, I do not have any real research experience because I have been working full-time throughout my college years and taking care of my father. So, being able to just enjoy my work and teach on the side might be much more doable.

Now with that said the challenge becomes how to get into a Psy.D program. I am looking into the Miller Analogies Test (MAT). There is some college I have been told that take this. Is this an "easier" test and does anyone know other Psy.D or Counseling Psych Ph.D. programs that accept the MAT?

The most rational option is to consider all reputable programs, including PhDs. The vast majority of PhDs are working in primarily clinical careers. No reason to take 80+% of your options off the table at the start. As for the research stuff, you'll need research experience for both the reputable PsyDs and clinical PhDs. You can always go the diploma mill route, but then you have to get ready to likely settle for a considerably lower salary and fewer job prospects.

 

[wtfook]

Okay, thanks. And by "do more research," do you mean that 2+ years as an RA and 2 dissertations is not enough research work by volume, or that it isn't enough because it didn't involve presentations?

When you say dissertation, were these master's level or undergraduate level? I ask because in the United States, we only call the research project you do in order to obtain your PhD a dissertation. For the other degrees, they are called a thesis. While a master's and undergrad level thesis/dissertation is great and shows you can design a project, I know that many candidates have achieved those things AND presented that research or published that research. So that's what I mean. I've seen feedback from this website to others that you could work for a lab for years but unless it resulted in a product of some sort which you contributed to, the program may wonder why you worked somewhere for so long but wasn't able to participate in writing up a manuscript or presenting data for that project. I'm not saying your experience isn't great or that you didn't contribute. It was 2 years so that's great and an RA position for that long always looks great on your resume. But they will probably ask about your contribution to that lab and may bring up why you did not present data for that lab, so be prepared for that.

 

[deleted954468]

When you say dissertation, were these master's level or undergraduate level? I ask because in the United States, we only call the research project you do in order to obtain your PhD a dissertation. For the other degrees, they are called a thesis. While a master's and undergrad level thesis/dissertation is great and shows you can design a project, I know that many candidates have achieved those things AND presented that research or published that research. So that's what I mean. I've seen feedback from this website to others that you could work for a lab for years but unless it resulted in a product of some sort which you contributed to, the program may wonder why you worked somewhere for so long but wasn't able to participate in writing up a manuscript or presenting data for that project. I'm not saying your experience isn't great or that you didn't contribute. It was 2 years so that's great and an RA position for that long always looks great on your resume. But they will probably ask about your contribution to that lab and may bring up why you did not present data for that lab, so be prepared for that.

They were both master's level. (I did one for undergrad too, but it's not in a relevant field.) That's a great discrepancy to point out, though, so to avoid confusion I may refer to them as theses in some cases. Thank you!

Re: the necessity of pre-doctoral publishing, I noticed a gap between the convictions of students about this and those of research associates, so I decided to poll the researchers I currently work with. Of the 6 I asked (all privately), all said that having your name on a publication is evidence that you had a generous lab/PI, not that you are more qualified for a PhD than others. Four mentioned an applicant of a few years prior who was particularly impressive because she had designed her own research, gotten a grant, and published as a sole author during undergrad, but that is crazy rare (for now).

Even though this is just one university's department, I think it's much better evidence than what I'm hearing through people who have been accepted to programs but weren't directly involved in the admissions process. The concern about proving my contribution through presenting/publication (and not through skills I can speak to and recommendation letters) seems odd, too, as for all my positions, I contributed in the first 1-2 years of 3-5 year projects. My name will show up on the eventual publications, but am I supposed to wait until the projects wrap up and my name is in print before I apply for PhDs? Avoid projects that aren't near the publication stage? It just seems like if this is the standard, admissions committees are bizarrely oblivious to the varying timelines research projects adhere to. Am I missing something about the U.S. system?

 

[WisNeuro]

Am I missing something about the U.S. system?

Yes. It's not that unusual for an undergrad to not have a publication. Many don't, but the ones that do stand out quite a bit (if it's quality). A greater number will have a poster presentation at a national conference or such, which definitely helps. Now, when people come in from masters programs, with multiple years of research, and a thesis or two, to not have multiple poster presentations and/or a submitted publication, something seems off. It speaks to a failure to turn that research into something productive in the end and they will view it as a red flag. Especially on the presentation front as those are generally low hanging fruit. Now, there may be some extenuating circumstances. For example, a long-term RCT, although even those release preliminary findings after data collection phases.

 

[wtfook]

They were both master's level. (I did one for undergrad too, but it's not in a relevant field.) That's a great discrepancy to point out, though, so to avoid confusion I may refer to them as theses in some cases. Thank you!

Re: the necessity of pre-doctoral publishing, I noticed a gap between the convictions of students about this and those of research associates, so I decided to poll the researchers I currently work with. Of the 6 I asked (all privately), all said that having your name on a publication is evidence that you had a generous lab/PI, not that you are more qualified for a PhD than others. Four mentioned an applicant of a few years prior who was particularly impressive because she had designed her own research, gotten a grant, and published as a sole author during undergrad, but that is crazy rare (for now).

Even though this is just one university's department, I think it's much better evidence than what I'm hearing through people who have been accepted to programs but weren't directly involved in the admissions process. The concern about proving my contribution through presenting/publication (and not through skills I can speak to and recommendation letters) seems odd, too, as for all my positions, I contributed in the first 1-2 years of 3-5 year projects. My name will show up on the eventual publications, but am I supposed to wait until the projects wrap up and my name is in print before I apply for PhDs? Avoid projects that aren't near the publication stage? It just seems like if this is the standard, admissions committees are bizarrely oblivious to the varying timelines research projects adhere to. Am I missing something about the U.S. system?

Right I agree with what @WisNeuro said above. I think I may not be articulating myself well. The point ISN'T to have published before applying to programs. That is why I said a presentation OR publication. Many people (including undergraduates) have SOME kind of poster presentation credit to their name, even if it's just something that was going on in their home institutions. It shows that they could synthesize data, turn it into a product, and make meaning out of it. That is something that a doctoral student has to be able to do. Maybe you analyzed data. Maybe you entered data. Maybe you helped develop codes or collected data from patients. But did you collect that data together, make meaning out of it, do research on hypothesis, and tie it together into some sort of poster, presentation, or paper? And if not, do you have that ability? So if you're WORKING on something, that's great! Or if you HAVE contributed to helping with something similar and can speak on that, that's also great. But the point isn't to have some superficial notch on your belt saying you've published. The point I'm trying to make is that you could be involved in a lab for years doing a lot of the background work but have zero experience turning all that data into something that tells a story. And so you should be able to feel confident you can prove you DO have that experience and if you feel like you can then great. Go ahead and apply. Although I may recommend trying to raise the quant score first. it's pretty low and will hold you back.

 

[Advice_Needed]

Hi all, I am looking for honest feedback on strength of my application for School/ Clinical Child psychology PsyD programs. I attend a public university (application rate ~35%), and I am receiving a BA in Psychology on the Applied Behavior Analysis track and BS in Accounting with an Education minor. I am in the honors program for both majors. GPA: 3.83, Psychology GPA: 3.9. GRE Scores: 161Q, 158V, 4.5W with minimal studying, will be taking again in a few weeks.

Clinical Experience:
2 yr teacher's aide at ABA school for children with ASD (8 hr/wk)
3 yr executive board member and current Director/President of program that takes underprivileged and foster children on Saturday day trips (6 hr/wk)
1 yr volunteer at school for at risk youth (2 hr/wk)
7 yr volunteer/ employee at summer camp for individuals with disabilities
2 yr co-founder and VP of Best Buddies (2 hr/wk)

Research Experience (I know it is extremely lacking):
1 semester in psycholinguistics lab. I am hoping to write an honors thesis, but I am not sure it will be approved.
I mainly focused my time on applied/clinical experiences, and I know I am late to research. However, I want to pursue research regarding ABA and treatment for children with ASD, and most of my outside experiences are relevant to that focus.

Looking to apply to St. Johns, Kean, Pace, Yeshiva, Albany
I appreciate all the help/ advice I can get!

 

[psych.meout]

Hi all, I am looking for honest feedback on strength of my application for School/ Clinical Child psychology PsyD programs. I attend a public university (application rate ~35%), and I am receiving a BA in Psychology on the Applied Behavior Analysis track and BS in Accounting with an Education minor. I am in the honors program for both majors. GPA: 3.83, Psychology GPA: 3.9. GRE Scores: 161Q, 158V, 4.5W with minimal studying, will be taking again in a few weeks.

Clinical Experience:
2 yr teacher's aide at ABA school for children with ASD (8 hr/wk)
3 yr executive board member and current Director/President of program that takes underprivileged and foster children on Saturday day trips (6 hr/wk)
1 yr volunteer at school for at risk youth (2 hr/wk)
7 yr volunteer/ employee at summer camp for individuals with disabilities
2 yr co-founder and VP of Best Buddies (2 hr/wk)

Research Experience (I know it is extremely lacking):
1 semester in psycholinguistics lab. I am hoping to write an honors thesis, but I am not sure it will be approved.
I mainly focused my time on applied/clinical experiences, and I know I am late to research. However, I want to pursue research regarding ABA and treatment for children with ASD, and most of my outside experiences are relevant to that focus.

Looking to apply to St. Johns, Kean, Pace, Yeshiva, Albany
I appreciate all the help/ advice I can get!

Are you applying this year or next year?

 

[Advice_Needed]

Are you applying this year or next year?

This year

 

[TomOxford]

Hi everyone, I am applying to the clinical psychology program at Duquesne. It is a hail mary application more or less, but I thought I would ask.

Undergraduate major: Philosophy, Minor: Psychology (15 credit hours)
Cumulative gpa: 3.38/4.0; psychology gpa: 3.0; major gpa: 3.71
GRE: taking the real thing on Nov 14, but on the practice ETS test, I got a Verbal 158, and Quantitative: 151
Research experience: 2 semesters in an interdisciplinary, cognitive scientific AI lab doing qualitative research which led to two presentations and one professional conference (which had a publication in the proceedings)
Teaching experience: I was a teaching assistant and graded papers and assignments for an introduction to puzzles and paradoxes course
Publications: 3 publications, one in philosophy in an undergraduate journal; plus 2 essay prizes
Coursework: two courses in phenomenology and one in existentialism, all the usual intro psychology courses: human memory, social psych, child psych, etc. with an A+ in abnormal
Conferences: 3 professional conferences, one at a prestigious phenomenology conference at Duquesne with my philosophy advisor who also presented her paper
Letters of recommendation: on-point. I attended two professional conferences with and was the TA for one letter writer, and the other was my research adviser and had a publication with; the third letter writer I did an independent study with which led to a publication
Writing sample: it is on the phenomenology of loneliness and does a philosophical analysis of loneliness. it won me an essay prize and was presented at two conferences

It is a long-shot and sorry for the long post. But what could I say in my entry essay to improve my chances? I am researching faculty members and recent dissertations and so forth. I am going to reach out to a faculty member soon as someone I may want to work with. Any tips?

Thanks!

 

[WisNeuro]

It is a long-shot and sorry for the long post. But what could I say in my entry essay to improve my chances? I am researching faculty members and recent dissertations and so forth. I am going to reach out to a faculty member soon as someone I may want to work with. Any tips?

Thanks!

Duquesne gets about 100 applications and accepts about 7 people each year. Your GPA is a decent amount under the average, and a psych GPA of 3.0 is ....not good. Unless you just destroy the GRE, your odds are not great.

 

[psych.meout]

This year

And you're taking the GRE again in a few weeks? When are combined School/Clinical program applications due?

Most clinical program applications are due around 12/1 to 12/15.

 

[psych.meout]

Hi everyone, I am applying to the clinical psychology program at Duquesne. It is a hail mary application more or less, but I thought I would ask.

Undergraduate major: Philosophy, Minor: Psychology (15 credit hours)
Cumulative gpa: 3.38/4.0; psychology gpa: 3.0; major gpa: 3.71
GRE: taking the real thing on Nov 14, but on the practice ETS test, I got a Verbal 158, and Quantitative: 151
Research experience: 2 semesters in an interdisciplinary, cognitive scientific AI lab doing qualitative research which led to two presentations and one professional conference (which had a publication in the proceedings)
Teaching experience: I was a teaching assistant and graded papers and assignments for an introduction to puzzles and paradoxes course
Publications: 3 publications, one in philosophy in an undergraduate journal; plus 2 essay prizes
Coursework: two courses in phenomenology and one in existentialism, all the usual intro psychology courses: human memory, social psych, child psych, etc. with an A+ in abnormal
Conferences: 3 professional conferences, one at a prestigious phenomenology conference at Duquesne with my philosophy advisor who also presented her paper
Letters of recommendation: on-point. I attended two professional conferences with and was the TA for one letter writer, and the other was my research adviser and had a publication with; the third letter writer I did an independent study with which led to a publication
Writing sample: it is on the phenomenology of loneliness and does a philosophical analysis of loneliness. it won me an essay prize and was presented at two conferences

It is a long-shot and sorry for the long post. But what could I say in my entry essay to improve my chances? I am researching faculty members and recent dissertations and so forth. I am going to reach out to a faculty member soon as someone I may want to work with. Any tips?

Thanks!

I agree with WisNeuro, but I'd like to add that the odds of getting into any one particular program are very small. There are just too many other factors beyond your own credentials (e.g., who the other applicants are and what credentials they have, how competitive you are compared to these other applicants, how different faculty members review applications, which faculty are taking students in that cycle). That's why it's recommended for you to apply to at least 12 programs.

With your GPA, you should probably look into master's programs in something like experimental or clinical psychology. They would demonstrate that you can do graduate-level coursework and give you the opportunity for more research experience.

 

[biscuitsbiscuits]

Hi all, I am looking for honest feedback on strength of my application for School/ Clinical Child psychology PsyD programs. I attend a public university (application rate ~35%), and I am receiving a BA in Psychology on the Applied Behavior Analysis track and BS in Accounting with an Education minor. I am in the honors program for both majors. GPA: 3.83, Psychology GPA: 3.9. GRE Scores: 161Q, 158V, 4.5W with minimal studying, will be taking again in a few weeks.

Clinical Experience:
2 yr teacher's aide at ABA school for children with ASD (8 hr/wk)
3 yr executive board member and current Director/President of program that takes underprivileged and foster children on Saturday day trips (6 hr/wk)
1 yr volunteer at school for at risk youth (2 hr/wk)
7 yr volunteer/ employee at summer camp for individuals with disabilities
2 yr co-founder and VP of Best Buddies (2 hr/wk)

Research Experience (I know it is extremely lacking):
1 semester in psycholinguistics lab. I am hoping to write an honors thesis, but I am not sure it will be approved.
I mainly focused my time on applied/clinical experiences, and I know I am late to research. However, I want to pursue research regarding ABA and treatment for children with ASD, and most of my outside experiences are relevant to that focus.

Looking to apply to St. Johns, Kean, Pace, Yeshiva, Albany
I appreciate all the help/ advice I can get!

School psych doctoral student here. You look like a decent candidate for those programs. Write a phenomenal personal statement (ask trusted faculty to provide feedback, revise, revise again) and nail the interview and I think you have a chance. Also make sure you are aware of the cost of some of these programs up front. They're not cheap; some provide better funding than others. Any reason you're not considering Rutgers?

 

[Advice_Needed]

And you're taking the GRE again in a few weeks? When are combined School/Clinical program applications due?

Most clinical program applications are due around 12/1 to 12/15.

My earliest application is due on 12/31. I am taking it again two weeks from today.

 

[Advice_Needed]

School psych doctoral student here. You look like a decent candidate for those programs. Write a phenomenal personal statement (ask trusted faculty to provide feedback, revise, revise again) and nail the interview and I think you have a chance. Also make sure you are aware of the cost of some of these programs up front. They're not cheap; some provide better funding than others. Any reason you're not considering Rutgers?

I decided that I wanted to pursue a PsyD instead of a Masters very late, so the Psych GRE deadlines passed. Rutgers requires it.

 

[wtfook]

I decided that I wanted to pursue a PsyD instead of a Masters very late, so the Psych GRE deadlines passed. Rutgers requires it.

There's also Baylor. They're also a funded PsyD program. Your stats are strong enough that you'd have a chance with PhD programs as well. Is there a reason why you're not applying to more of those? I believe St. John's is a clinical PhD Program so you do have one.

 

[Advice_Needed]

There's also Baylor. They're also a funded PsyD program. Your stats are strong enough that you'd have a chance with PhD programs as well. Is there a reason why you're not applying to more of those? I believe St. John's is a clinical PhD Program so you do have one.

Truthfully, I did not think I would get in. I am only in my first semester of research now, and although I am assisting with running subjects and data interpretation, I did not think that was enough. Currently, I am looking into applying to these PsyD programs and their corresponding doctoral fellowships and graduate assistantships in hopes of receiving free/reduced tuition and/or a stipend. They are mainly merit based, so I am attempting to increase by GRE score by a few points.

Also, I am most interested in the applied treatment of individuals with ASD, so I thought a PsyD with a practitioner-scholar model may be best. I really appreciate your advice, and I will expand my program search.

 

[WisNeuro]

Also, I am most interested in the applied treatment of individuals with ASD, so I thought a PsyD with a practitioner-scholar model may be best. I really appreciate your advice, and I will expand my program search.

Or you could get an ABA certification. Save yourself tens of thousands of dollars and a few years. If the applied treatment is what you want to do on a day to day basis, that'd be the way to go. The people doing this in my large metro area are all masters level. There may be a doctoral level supervisor or two, but the majority of jobs are lower level.

 

[Emilyw916]

I’m curious to see if I have a chance at clinical psych PhD programs this cycle. Please let me know your thoughts

GRE verbal: 161
GRE quant: 150 (I know...)
Undergrad gpa: 3.52 (though I took three additional post baccalaureate psych classes w/all As, so it’s technically a little higher)

Some relevant experiences:

Two publications (one second author, one third author), one publication under review.

Eight conference presentations (five first author, three second author)

Four years as an undergraduate research assistant
One year as a post - baccalaureate research assistant at an Ivy League university
One and a half years as a full time psych research coordinator at the VA
Summer experience working at a psychiatric hospital
Summer experience working in a hospital ER
Psi Chi membership
Trained in administering many diagnostic interviews

I have a bunch of other clinical exp, but I’m mainly interested in whether or not my research exp is enough to get me into a program. Thanks!

 

[WisNeuro]

I’m curious to see if I have a chance at clinical psych PhD programs this cycle. Please let me know your thoughts

GRE verbal: 161
GRE quant: 150 (I know...)
Undergrad gpa: 3.52 (though I took three additional post baccalaureate psych classes w/all As, so it’s technically a little higher)

Some relevant experiences:

Two publications (one second author, one third author), one publication under review.

Eight conference presentations (five first author, three second author)

I have a bunch of other clinical exp, but I’m mainly interested in whether or not my research exp is enough to get me into a program. Thanks!

That quant hurts, I'd say it depends on where those pubs and posters were accepted/presented.

 

[Emilyw916]

That quant hurts, I'd say it depends on where those pubs and posters were accepted/presented.

The conferences were primarily national conferences (ADAA, APSS, ABCT) and Ivy League resesrch conferences

The pubs were in the Journal of Affective Disorders and Journal of Social and Clincal Psychology.

 

[WisNeuro]

The conferences were primarily national conferences (ADAA, APSS, ABCT) and Ivy League resesrch conferences

The pubs were in the Journal of Affective Disorders and Journal of Social and Clincal Psychology.

The national conferences help, the ivy league conferences are the same as regional conferences and are less helpful. The pubs are good, those definitely buoy the chances.

 

[Emilyw916]

The national conferences help, the ivy league conferences are the same as regional conferences and are less helpful. The pubs are good, those definitely buoy the chances.

Ok, fingers crossed! Thank you for your response