WAMC: What Are My Chances

[paramour]

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Thanks.
I did take a course, complete robbery of my money.
I am only applying to professors who have similar interests, and I will tailor my essays to each professor very well. I have also contacted and will contact them again in 2 months. I will ask how much weight they put on the gre...surely no one professor gets more than 50 apps, so I am confident they will know of me and at least look at my app.

I wouldn't bet on it. There are some profs who get a ton of apps due to popularity of a particular research area and/or simply because they're simply that gosh darned awesome. It happens (and has in our program quite a few times).

Keep in mind that regardless of whether the prof may (or may not remember you), your app may never make it to them if someone else is doing the screening. I've seen it happen. Then when someone else asks prof about it, they look dumbfounded.. Who's X? I know I didn't receive an app from that person... and had to go and dig it from the discard pile that never made it past the first cut.

 

[paramour]

I'm pretty sure most programs don't even look at the writing scores. Also, from what I gather, it'll be hard to get past that GRE barrier even if you had many publications. And you are saying you are basically applying to all top-tier-ish schools (in reference to the top 50 comment you made)? A mid-tier may look at your app with that GRE score and that's a big fat may. You are best off applying to programs and POIs that have similar research interests that are mid-tier, but even then it may be hard to get past the GRE cutoff. I don't know how much more you studied, but since you raised it 100 points perhaps you can double your effort and hopefully go up another hundred at least? That will still be really low for most programs but definitely better. I'm in the same stinky GRE boat (1040) as you so I'm sharing info I've been told by others and gleaned from the board. Perhaps you should invest in a GRE course if you feel you can't raise it on your own anymore.

I know individual profs who look at writing scores, but they're not going to ignore someone's GRE scores simply because you had awesome writing scores. Instead, they want and expect those writing scores to be up there in addition to the rest of your application packet. They may use those writing scores as another point to help weed folks out if they're not "high enough" OR to make the decision between applicants (because some folks desire/prefer students who can write). But, if you have low GRE scores and high writing scores, I don't see someone saying they'll overlook the low GRE scores in light of a high writing score.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

I know individual profs who look at writing scores, but they're not going to ignore someone's GRE scores simply because you had awesome writing scores. Instead, they want and expect those writing scores to be up there in addition to the rest of your application packet. They may use those writing scores as another point to help weed folks out if they're not "high enough" OR to make the decision between applicants (because some folks desire/prefer students who can write). But, if you have low GRE scores and high writing scores, I don't see someone saying they'll overlook the low GRE scores in light of a high writing score.

Agreed. I earned a perfect score on writing (back when it was, I believe, the first year the score actually "counted"), and it was never mentioned in any of my contacts with programs. Conversely, my advisor has mentioned GRE scores (in a general sense) off-handedly at least a half-dozen times over the past few years.

With a GRE <1000, as has been said, it's the (perhaps unfortunate) reality that your app may never even make it to the professor for review, as many programs have a hard-and-fast cut-off of 1000 or 1100. It's essentially the same deal as having a GPA <3.0.

 

[MusicalMind]

Hi there,

At the age of 32, I have recently discovered that I want to become a psychologist. I'm a professional violinist and teacher, and hold Bachelors and Masters in Performance and Suzuki Pedagogy from good schools. I've taught violin in the Suzuki method (ages 3 and up) for the past 10 years or so, published an article in a professional journal, and recently gave a lecture on nurturing self-esteem in children . Overall, I've been fairly successful in my current field. I love music and always will, but I know it's time for me to go into the next phase of my life.

I really, really want to go for the Psy D. The problem is that my psychology course work is very limited. I'm currently taking a few of the basic classes (Statistics, Abnormal Psych, Social Psych) and will take more, but I'm wondering if that will be enough. I'm prepping for the GRE as we speak. I'll also be undergoing training for a suicide hotline starting in September.

I've been in therapy myself for many years, and as a result am very well acquainted with CBT, etc. Because of my own depression, I've made it my life's mission to find out everything I can about how the brain works. So despite not having a lot of coursework, I do know a fair bit. I have a compelling life story that has brought me to this point, so I'm really looking forward to the personal statement.

Give it to me straight. Do I have a shot at getting into a decent PsyD program? Will they possibly overlook my inexperience, or should I look into Masters programs instead?

FWIW, I live in the DC area and am looking at GW and Argosy, but also considering other programs such as U of Hartford (I did my undergrad there)

Thanks!

 

[nessa34]

Hi there,

At the age of 32, I have recently discovered that I want to become a psychologist. I'm a professional violinist and teacher, and hold Bachelors and Masters in Performance and Suzuki Pedagogy from good schools. I've taught violin in the Suzuki method (ages 3 and up) for the past 10 years or so, published an article in a professional journal, and recently gave a lecture on nurturing self-esteem in children . Overall, I've been fairly successful in my current field. I love music and always will, but I know it's time for me to go into the next phase of my life.

I really, really want to go for the Psy D. The problem is that my psychology course work is very limited. I'm currently taking a few of the basic classes (Statistics, Abnormal Psych, Social Psych) and will take more, but I'm wondering if that will be enough. I'm prepping for the GRE as we speak. I'll also be undergoing training for a suicide hotline starting in September.

I've been in therapy myself for many years, and as a result am very well acquainted with CBT, etc. Because of my own depression, I've made it my life's mission to find out everything I can about how the brain works. So despite not having a lot of coursework, I do know a fair bit. I have a compelling life story that has brought me to this point, so I'm really looking forward to the personal statement.

Give it to me straight. Do I have a shot at getting into a decent PsyD program? Will they possibly overlook my inexperience, or should I look into Masters programs instead?

FWIW, I live in the DC area and am looking at GW and Argosy, but also considering other programs such as U of Hartford (I did my undergrad there)

Thanks!

As you might guess, your grades in the psych coursework you are taking and your GRE scores will affect your chances, so it depends on those. Two other things:

-do you have any research experience related to psych? Will you be able to get any before you apply? I know PsyDs don't weight it as heavily, but I think they like to see at least some.

-be careful of talking about how your own mental health issues made you interested in the field. That's a perfectly legit way of getting into psychology, but you need to show that you are interested in the field beyond your personal experience with it.

good luck!

 

[nessa34]

Big range indeed. I just want to get in! I have researched all these school's faculty and have common research interests with many. I have not received any feedback from my applications except a big SORRY you didn't get in. 🙁

That's frustrating 🙁 I'm sorry.

Applying to that wide of a range may not be helping you, though. What do you want to do after you get in? Someone who would be happy and successful at UNC or Penn State would suffer in a PsyD program, and vice versa. That you're applying to those and everything in between may be a red flag.

Have you been able to get feedback from any mentors about your application? My thought is that yes, your GRE is not awesome, but with the rest of your CV and with five tries, you should at least have interviews. Something is not working out here that is less tangible- program/advisor fit, recommendations, personal statement, etc. If someone who knows you and the application process could help you out with those aspects, it may shed some light onto what is going on.

 

[madpsych78]

Your stats look pretty good. I would consider further whether you want to pursue school psychology or educational psychology programs. Sometimes the terms are used interchangeably, but school psychology places more emphasis on working directly with students and the school systems, while educational psychology is more research-oriented.

I can't speak to educational psychology programs, but the lack of publications is not as important for school psychology programs as it would be for the PhD clinical psychology programs. Still, it couldn't hurt to get some experience in this area. When I applied to a specialist in school psychology program I had a poster presentation under my belt; when I applied to a PhD program, I had another poster presentation and my thesis as research experience, and still managed to interview with 4 out of the 6 schools I applied. Your experience as a special education teacher will look really good.

Hey Everyone!

I just wanted to see if anyone knows the competitiveness of school/educational psychology programs. I have spent the last three 1/2 years as a high school special education teacher specializing in students with ED & LD in the transition age group.

Stats:

Undergrad GPA: 3.85 - Double Major in Elementary / Early Childhood Education with a minor in Special Education

Masters GPA: 4.0 - Educational Specialist - in Emotional Disorders, Learning Disabilities, & Developmental Cognitive Disorder

GRE - I am taking it in June.

Letters of Recommendation - 1 - Special Education Dean 2 - Supervisor 3 - Academic adviser 4 - Superintendent 4 - Principal 5 - Professor / colleague

Publications - ZERO 🙁

Research - Thesis for my Masters

Awards/Honors - Magna Cum Laude, Dean's List, Atheletic Academic Honor Roll, Gamma Sigma Alpha (honor society), Order or Omega (leadership society), and Delta Kappa Gamma (teacher excellence society)

I would like to focus on suicide, depression, and emotional disorders in the teenage population. I had one of my students a year ago commit suicide, and it validated my decision to get my PhD.

The schools I am considering are:

University of Minnesota
University of Wisconsin
Duquesne
University of Denver
University of North Carolina
University of Texas
Harvard
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Northwestern University
University of Kansas

Any ideas or tips for me on how to stand out?

 

[PsychPhDone]

You have some great qualifications here. Your GRE is a little low ,but not so low that you'd get thrown away at all programs. I'd revisit your list...it's part hardcore research, part not. If you want to go the research route, I'd suggest applying to more programs and make them less geographically limited.

Ask to look at your letters and be sure to get your CV/pers statement reviewed by faculty you've worked with.

Hello.
This is my 5th year applying to the Clinical Psych Program. I'd love to know what I'm doing wrong. I took the GRE 8 times in order to raise my score, took a Kaplan Preparatory course and it hasn't helped. My first language is not English so that might be a problem, but if they filter me out by my score they don't even get to read my explanation in my personal statement. I assume that's why I haven't even gotten an interview.
Credentials:

Undergrad GPA: 3.89
Grad GPA: 3.78 (M.S. Neuroscience)
Psych GPA: 4.0

GRE: 1120; 5.0 Analytical

Research Experience: Undergraduate Honors Thesis; 2 years RA at Yale University school of Medicine; 2 Years Clinical Research Specialist at University of Baltimore; 1 poster presentation HBM; 1 oral presentation TBI symposium; 4 Journal articles (2- 2nd author 1-1st author)

Clinical Experience: Mental health Center; career counselor and extensive clinical day to day experience with the family of trauma patients in present position

I want to study mostly stress, anxiety and emotion.

Schools I'm applying.
Phd Counseling

Southern Illinois University Carbondale
University of Notre Dame
University of Florida

Phd Clinical Psych

University of North Carolina Chapel Hill
American University
George Mason University
George Washington University
University of Delaware
Penn State University
Virginia Commonwealth University

I also have a couple of PsyD programs, but only as back-ups.

Any help. I MEAN any help. would be appreciated.

 

[legoac]

I would love to apply to Clinical Psychology (PhD) programs this Fall, but I am not sure if I am ready. I am mainly concerned by my lack of research experience.

I am primarily interested in both normal and abnormal child development, specifically language aquisiton, cognitive development, and social-emotional development in young children 0-3.

Should I apply this year despite my less than stellar research experience or should I go for a related Master's first? I would strongly prefer to apply this year, but only if I have a snowball's chance.

Here's the stat breakdown:

GPA

Overall GPA: 3.70
Psych GPA: 3.83
Last 60 Credits: 4.0

GRE

Q: 160 (84%, ~760)
V: 164 (94%, ~660-670)
A: 4.5 (72%)

Clinical-ish

-6 months as a unit clerk in the children's ward of a hospital
-4 years in childcare working with children displaying a variety of physical and behavioral disorders
-1.5 years working with a speech-delayed child
-1.5 years leading two-year-old and toddler classrooms including many students with physical and behavioral disorders and involving a lot of interaction with behavioral, physical, speech, and occupational therapists

Research

-Currently working on motion planning/robotics research in Computer Science full-time for the summer
-Not exactly research, but pre-school job involved tracking each child's development in the physical, cognitive, social-emotional, and language domains through observation and writing monthly reports detailing their progress
-Hoping to find a Psychology professor to work with this year, not definite

Letters of Recommendation

I should have one strong one from my current research supervisor, and either two at least decent ones from professors I will have taken classes with, also possibility of one very strong one from my former boss who is a Speech Therapist but I am not sure if this would be better than an academic letter​

 

[mewtoo]

I would love to apply to Clinical Psychology (PhD) programs this Fall, but I am not sure if I am ready. I am mainly concerned by my lack of research experience.

I am primarily interested in both normal and abnormal child development, specifically language aquisiton, cognitive development, and social-emotional development in young children 0-3.

Should I apply this year despite my less than stellar research experience or should I go for a related Master's first? I would strongly prefer to apply this year, but only if I have a snowball's chance.

Here's the stat breakdown:

GPA

Overall GPA: 3.70
Psych GPA: 3.83
Last 60 Credits: 4.0

GRE

Q: 160 (84%)
V: 164 (94%)
A: 4.5 (72%)

Clinical-ish

-6 months as a unit clerk in the children's ward of a hospital
-4 years in childcare working with children displaying a variety of physical and behavioral disorders
-1.5 years working with a speech-delayed child
-1.5 years leading two-year-old and toddler classrooms including many students with physical and behavioral disorders and involving a lot of interaction with behavioral, physical, speech, and occupational therapists

Research

-Currently working on motion planning/robotics research in Computer Science full-time for the summer
-Not exactly research, but pre-school job involved tracking each child's development in the physical, cognitive, social-emotional, and language domains through observation and writing monthly reports detailing their progress
-Hoping to find a Psychology professor to work with this year, not definite

Letters of Recommendation

I should have one strong one from my current research supervisor, and either two at least decent ones from professors I will have taken classes with, also possibility of one very strong one from my former boss who is a Speech Therapist but I am not sure if this would be better than an academic letter​

If you have good financial resources and could possibly join in on a psych professors research right now it may be worth it just so you don't say "What if I...?" later. But I'd only do that if I had money to spare. Truly, with you lack of research experience it may be all but impossible to get into a phD program. A psyD is another story, but you say you want a phD. If you got a masters in something like experimental psych and completed your thesis it would definitely help. However you GPA is very good so you may want to consider post- bacc RA-ing for a year. If you started RA-ing at school this year, by the end of the second year you would have 2 years experience (which is the norm) and if you could get in on posters or pubs you'd be an awesome candidate. You'd also gain some awesome LORs if you do your best.

What is your GRE old-scale? I think those percentiles are good, but I'm not sure if they correlate to around a 1200. If they do then the only thing you have to work on is research experience.

 

[neuroabigail]

That's frustrating 🙁 I'm sorry.

Applying to that wide of a range may not be helping you, though. What do you want to do after you get in? Someone who would be happy and successful at UNC or Penn State would suffer in a PsyD program, and vice versa. That you're applying to those and everything in between may be a red flag.

Have you been able to get feedback from any mentors about your application? My thought is that yes, your GRE is not awesome, but with the rest of your CV and with five tries, you should at least have interviews. Something is not working out here that is less tangible- program/advisor fit, recommendations, personal statement, etc. If someone who knows you and the application process could help you out with those aspects, it may shed some light onto what is going on.

I want to teach at a university, do some research and also have a private practice. A PhD would allow me to do all those things no? I have worked with several mentors and they all agreed that my application is solid. So again, the only thing I keep coming back to is my crappy GRE score.

 

[legoac]

If you have good financial resources and could possibly join in on a psych professors research right now it may be worth it just so you don't say "What if I...?" later. But I'd only do that if I had money to spare. Truly, with you lack of research experience it may be all but impossible to get into a phD program. A psyD is another story, but you say you want a phD. If you got a masters in something like experimental psych and completed your thesis it would definitely help. However you GPA is very good so you may want to consider post- bacc RA-ing for a year. If you started RA-ing at school this year, by the end of the second year you would have 2 years experience (which is the norm) and if you could get in on posters or pubs you'd be an awesome candidate. You'd also gain some awesome LORs if you do your best.

What is your GRE old-scale? I think those percentiles are good, but I'm not sure if they correlate to around a 1200. If they do then the only thing you have to work on is research experience.

It comes out to about 1420-1430 on the old GRE (660-670 Verbal and 760 Quant).

You are probably right about the research, it is very weak. I think the best solution is your suggestion of taking a year off or doing a master's. (On a side-note, anybody know of any resources listing terminal Master's programs in Experimental or Cognitive Psych? I am having trouble finding them, my searches for terminal programs keep bringing up programs specifying that they do not offer terminal degrees.)

 

[Glees]

Hello everyone!

I will be applying to Ph.D. programs in the fall, and I have a strong sense of the research topics I want to work with. Specifically, I am interested in gender, minority groups, stigma and resilience, and how that all affects health and close relationships. I have been searching for the perfect Clinical programs for over a year, but I have also found myself gravitating toward a few Social Psychology programs. The programs I have narrowed down to are based on how well their research interests and philosophies match my own. So now on my list of programs I will be applying to, six are Clinical and four are Social.

Does this reflect poorly on me in any way? Am I sending a message to those writing me recommendations that I am uncertain about my aspirations? Is there any way that schools can see what other programs I am applying to--and if they can, will they view it as me being wishy-washy?

Or perhaps I'm being too paranoid?

Thank you all for you help!! 🙂

 

[mewtoo]

It comes out to about 1420-1430 on the old GRE (660-670 Verbal and 760 Quant).

You are probably right about the research, it is very weak. I think the best solution is your suggestion of taking a year off or doing a master's. (On a side-note, anybody know of any resources listing terminal Master's programs in Experimental or Cognitive Psych? I am having trouble finding them, my searches for terminal programs keep bringing up programs specifying that they do not offer terminal degrees.)

Then definitely if you get some research experience along with that GRE I'm sure you'd be a very competitive applicant even for top-tier schools. Have you searched SDN for any threads about those sort of programs? If you have and can't find any you should start a new thread asking about it. I'm sure the other SDN members will be able to point you in the right direction.

 

[neuroabigail]

I have been told that this list is top tier. Any suggestions for schools which are ranked lower but still have a good balance of research and clinical course work, for PhD in clinical psychology? US news rankings don't help, because this is where I got this list from and it's still too competitive for me to get in.

University of North Carolina Chapel Hill
American University
George Mason University
George Washington University
University of Delaware
Penn State University
Virginia Commonwealth University
Vanderbilt University
Uniformed Services University
University of Virginia

 

[dumbledoresgirl]

I have been told that this list is top tier. Any suggestions for schools which are ranked lower but still have a good balance of research and clinical course work, for PhD in clinical psychology? US news rankings don't help, because this is where I got this list from and it's still too competitive for me to get in.

University of North Carolina Chapel Hill
American University
George Mason University
George Washington University
University of Delaware
Penn State University
Virginia Commonwealth University
Vanderbilt University
Uniformed Services University
University of Virginia

I recommend not using the US news rankings...you can use the list just to get names of schools to look at and then weed them out based on how competitive they are / lack of research fit, but you should really just forget about rankings and just focus on finding professors that match your research interests. It would be hard for anyone to suggest schools for you without knowing your research interests (sorry if you already mentioned them and I missed that post, I tried looking at your other posts and didn't see anything).
What field of research are you interested in?

Also, if all you want is a program that is balanced, you should look at the Insider's Guide...they rank programs on a scale of 1-7 (research oriented to clinically oriented), so that might help you narrow down the list 🙂

 

[roubs]

I have been told that this list is top tier. Any suggestions for schools which are ranked lower but still have a good balance of research and clinical course work, for PhD in clinical psychology? US news rankings don't help, because this is where I got this list from and it's still too competitive for me to get in.

University of North Carolina Chapel Hill
American University
George Mason University
George Washington University
University of Delaware
Penn State University
Virginia Commonwealth University
Vanderbilt University
Uniformed Services University
University of Virginia

When I applied I used competitiveness as the best proxy for "elite". The insider's guide collects all that info in one place. For example the past 3 years UNC has admitted an average of 1.4% of applicants, where as George Mason has admitted an average of 4.9% of applicants. Both numbers may look eye poppingly small but there is a meaningful difference there. Don't stack yourself with all schools in the 1-2% range. If I were to guess I'd say you have 5-6 in that range right now. I'd expand your list by 5-6 schools and make sure they all come from less competitive programs.

 

[neuroabigail]

When I applied I used competitiveness as the best proxy for "elite". The insider's guide collects all that info in one place. For example the past 3 years UNC has admitted an average of 1.4% of applicants, where as George Mason has admitted an average of 4.9% of applicants. Both numbers may look eye poppingly small but there is a meaningful difference there. Don't stack yourself with all schools in the 1-2% range. If I were to guess I'd say you have 5-6 in that range right now. I'd expand your list by 5-6 schools and make sure they all come from less competitive programs.

Great advice thank you.

 

[neuroabigail]

When I applied I used competitiveness as the best proxy for "elite". The insider's guide collects all that info in one place. For example the past 3 years UNC has admitted an average of 1.4% of applicants, where as George Mason has admitted an average of 4.9% of applicants. Both numbers may look eye poppingly small but there is a meaningful difference there. Don't stack yourself with all schools in the 1-2% range. If I were to guess I'd say you have 5-6 in that range right now. I'd expand your list by 5-6 schools and make sure they all come from less competitive programs.

I recommend not using the US news rankings...you can use the list just to get names of schools to look at and then weed them out based on how competitive they are / lack of research fit, but you should really just forget about rankings and just focus on finding professors that match your research interests. It would be hard for anyone to suggest schools for you without knowing your research interests (sorry if you already mentioned them and I missed that post, I tried looking at your other posts and didn't see anything).
What field of research are you interested in?

Also, if all you want is a program that is balanced, you should look at the Insider's Guide...they rank programs on a scale of 1-7 (research oriented to clinically oriented), so that might help you narrow down the list 🙂

Got it. I will check the insider's guide for better placement. As far as interests here and stats here is my previous post:
"Undergrad GPA: 3.89
Grad GPA: 3.78 (M.S. Neuroscience)
Psych GPA: 4.0

GRE: 1120; 5.0 Analytical

Research Experience: Undergraduate Honors Thesis; 2 years RA at Yale University school of Medicine; 2 Years Clinical Research Specialist at University of Baltimore; 1 poster presentation HBM; 1 oral presentation TBI symposium; 3 Journal articles (2- 2nd author 1-1st author)

Clinical Experience: Mental health Center; career counselor and extensive clinical day to day experience with the family of trauma patients in present position

I want to study mostly stress, anxiety and emotion"

 

[roubs]

Got it. I will check the insider's guide for better placement. As far as interests here and stats here is my previous post:
"Undergrad GPA: 3.89
Grad GPA: 3.78 (M.S. Neuroscience)
Psych GPA: 4.0

GRE: 1120; 5.0 Analytical

Research Experience: Undergraduate Honors Thesis; 2 years RA at Yale University school of Medicine; 2 Years Clinical Research Specialist at University of Baltimore; 1 poster presentation HBM; 1 oral presentation TBI symposium; 3 Journal articles (2- 2nd author 1-1st author)

Clinical Experience: Mental health Center; career counselor and extensive clinical day to day experience with the family of trauma patients in present position

I want to study mostly stress, anxiety and emotion"

You may be falling under the GRE cutoffs for programs like UNC Chapel Hill, Penn State, Vanderbilt, Virginia. It's too bad you couldn't get a 1200 with several tries but it may indicate that you should ditch applying to any elite programs at all.

 

[nessa34]

Hello everyone!

I will be applying to Ph.D. programs in the fall, and I have a strong sense of the research topics I want to work with. Specifically, I am interested in gender, minority groups, stigma and resilience, and how that all affects health and close relationships. I have been searching for the perfect Clinical programs for over a year, but I have also found myself gravitating toward a few Social Psychology programs. The programs I have narrowed down to are based on how well their research interests and philosophies match my own. So now on my list of programs I will be applying to, six are Clinical and four are Social.

Does this reflect poorly on me in any way? Am I sending a message to those writing me recommendations that I am uncertain about my aspirations? Is there any way that schools can see what other programs I am applying to--and if they can, will they view it as me being wishy-washy?

Or perhaps I'm being too paranoid?

Thank you all for you help!! 🙂

I applied to a mix of clinical and experimental programs, and nobody brought it up as a negative- or necessarily knew that I was doing it. Schools will ask what other schools, but not what specific programs, you are applying to. I chose based on individual professors or groups of researchers and then applied to whatever program I needed to work with them. If you have a clear grasp of what you want to study, and find it spans disciplines, I would say this shows you to be more focused and would be a positive.

 

[neuroabigail]

You may be falling under the GRE cutoffs for programs like UNC Chapel Hill, Penn State, Vanderbilt, Virginia. It's too bad you couldn't get a 1200 with several tries but it may indicate that you should ditch applying to any elite programs at all.

Good point. So just apply to mid-tier schools? and by Virginia you mean U. of Virginia?
Any suggestions of these so called mid-tier institutions?

 

[dumbledoresgirl]

I want to study mostly stress, anxiety and emotion"

Northern Illinois University is a very balanced program (at least they came off that way during the interview) and I'm pretty sure it's considered mid-tier. They have professors doing research in each of your interest areas. Off the top of my head, Dr. David Bridgett (emotion regulation in children), Drs. Angela Grippo and Leslie Matuszewich (biological models of stress-Neuroscience program), and Dr. David Valentiner (anxiety disorders and related emotional processes). And yes, I memorized the professors' research areas 😳

They also have a heavy trauma focus, if you're interested in post traumatic stress at all.

I'm starting there in August so I can't really speak to how good the program is in terms of training / how balanced they actually are, but from what I can tell it sounds like it's pretty much in the middle on the research-practice spectrum. 🙂

 

[paramour]

Northern Illinois University is a very balanced program (at least they came off that way during the interview) and I'm pretty sure it's considered mid-tier. They have professors doing research in each of your interest areas. Off the top of my head, Dr. David Bridgett (emotion regulation in children), Drs. Angela Grippo and Leslie Matuszewich (biological models of stress-Neuroscience program), and Dr. David Valentiner (anxiety disorders and related emotional processes). And yes, I memorized the professors' research areas 😳

They also have a heavy trauma focus, if you're interested in post traumatic stress at all.

I'm starting there in August so I can't really speak to how good the program is in terms of training / how balanced they actually are, but from what I can tell it sounds like it's pretty much in the middle on the research-practice spectrum. 🙂

Just FYI - Keep in mind that Drs. Grippo & Matuszewich aren't clinical, so although it may be possible to collaborate with them, he would still need another primary faculty advisor (e.g., Valentiner, Wu, Orcutt, Bridgett). Much of their research also tends to be animal-based, so quite different than the clinical folks. Still some interesting stuff going on regardless... 👍

EDIT: Forgot to mention that they're listed (or were listed?) as a 5/7, in the direction of "research emphasis."

 

[dumbledoresgirl]

Just FYI - Keep in mind that Drs. Grippo & Matuszewich aren't clinical, so although it may be possible to collaborate with them, he would still need another primary faculty advisor (e.g., Valentiner, Wu, Orcutt, Bridgett). Much of their research also tends to be animal-based, so quite different than the clinical folks. Still some interesting stuff going on regardless... 👍

EDIT: Forgot to mention that they're listed (or were listed?) as a 5/7, in the direction of "research emphasis."

Really? That's interesting, at the interview I was told they were rated a 3...that's kind of a big jump. But then again I was told that by a student in the program, so maybe the rating changed since they've used the Insider's Guide.

And I completely forgot to mention that they were not clinical faculty--my bad!

 

[paramour]

Really? That's interesting, at the interview I was told they were rated a 3...that's kind of a big jump. But then again I was told that by a student in the program, so maybe the rating changed since they've used the Insider's Guide.

And I completely forgot to mention that they were not clinical faculty--my bad!

The last Guide I saw was dated 2011, I *think* (which is where I pulled the info).

EDIT: Just Googled and the 2012/2013 edition shows a 5. 🙂

Also, it's not entirely uncommon for folks to work with folks in other areas (e.g., cognitive, social, neuroscience & behavior), so it's certainly doable if someone's interested in another area's research. They're simply not the primary advisors for clinical students.

 

[slatemusings]

*

 

[jnine]

your stats are great for SP PhD. based on the info you've provided, you're likely to get multiple offers. make sure you're aware about what a SP does and that your interests align with the degree. also get a good feel for what each program is like and again make sure that your interests also align with the perspective of the department. of course, look for departments with approaches that match best with what you want to learn. spend a lot of time on the websites and talk to a grad student in each program.get a feel for what scientist practitiioner training is really like. good luck.

 

[neuroabigail]

Ok.
So here is a new list. It's extensive. Please let me know which ones I probably have no chance of getting into, or just plain bad schools...
any help is appreciated.

Stats:
Undergrad GPA: 3.89
Grad GPA: 3.78 (M.S. Neuroscience)
Psych GPA: 4.0

GRE: 1100; 5.0 Analytical

Research Experience: Undergraduate Honors Thesis; 2 years RA at Yale University school of Medicine; 2 Years Clinical Research Specialist at University of Baltimore; 1 poster presentation HBM; 1 oral presentation TBI symposium; 3 Journal articles (2- 2nd author 1-1st author)

Clinical Experience: Mental health Center; career counselor and extensive clinical day to day experience with the family of trauma patients in present position

I want to study mostly stress, anxiety and emotion; w a focus on neuropsych.


Palo Alto University
Suffolk University
University of Rhode Island
University of Utah
Drexel University
University of Houston
Washington University
University of Southern Mississipi
Brigham Young
American University
George Mason University
George Washington University
University of Delaware
Penn State University
Virginia Commonwealth University
Vanderbilt University
Uniformed Services University
University of Virginia
University of Northern Illinois

 

[AcronymAllergy]

Ok.
So here is a new list. It's extensive. Please let me know which ones I probably have no chance of getting into, or just plain bad schools...
any help is appreciated.

Stats:
Undergrad GPA: 3.89
Grad GPA: 3.78 (M.S. Neuroscience)
Psych GPA: 4.0

GRE: 1100; 5.0 Analytical

Research Experience: Undergraduate Honors Thesis; 2 years RA at Yale University school of Medicine; 2 Years Clinical Research Specialist at University of Baltimore; 1 poster presentation HBM; 1 oral presentation TBI symposium; 3 Journal articles (2- 2nd author 1-1st author)

Clinical Experience: Mental health Center; career counselor and extensive clinical day to day experience with the family of trauma patients in present position

I want to study mostly stress, anxiety and emotion; w a focus on neuropsych.


Palo Alto University
Suffolk University
University of Rhode Island
University of Utah
Drexel University
University of Houston
Washington University
University of Southern Mississipi
Brigham Young
American University
George Mason University
George Washington University
University of Delaware
Penn State University
Virginia Commonwealth University
Vanderbilt University
Uniformed Services University
University of Virginia
University of Northern Illinois

After a cursory glance, I'd say that looks like a fairly diversified list to me. If you haven't checked out UF (Gainesville) or UAB (Birmingham) yet, you could also give them a look, as they both offer significant neuropsych training (although I honestly don't know if faculty at either school are combining neuro with stress/anxiety/emotion).

 

[neuroabigail]

After a cursory glance, I'd say that looks like a fairly diversified list to me. If you haven't checked out UF (Gainesville) or UAB (Birmingham) yet, you could also give them a look, as they both offer significant neuropsych training (although I honestly don't know if faculty at either school are combining neuro with stress/anxiety/emotion).

Great! thanks for the input! 👍

 

[paramour]

After a cursory glance, I'd say that looks like a fairly diversified list to me. If you haven't checked out UF (Gainesville) or UAB (Birmingham) yet, you could also give them a look, as they both offer significant neuropsych training (although I honestly don't know if faculty at either school are combining neuro with stress/anxiety/emotion).

Just a few thoughts:

1. It's Northern Illinois Univ, not U of Northern Illinois. 😉
2. Most (all?) students (in the clinical program) have at least a 1200+ GRE.They seem to be getting more selective re: that particular stat due to increased numbers of applicants over the years. They can stand to be choosy (and even if the program may pass you for the initial screening, there are some profs who may weed you once they receive your app once they're trying to narrow down their lists...).
3. Some of the profs you'd be applying to work with (due to your interests) receive TONS of applications and they also are the ones who tend to be notorious for interviewing the most applicants on interview day.
4. With #2 & 3, I would highly encourage you to verify that you contact your profs of interest BEFORE applying to express interest and all that jazz. You're going to need to make sure you stand out and your app gets that attention. You've got some good points, so don't let them get overlooked or overshadowed by your GRE.

G'luck!

 

[Glees]

Any thoughts on how many schools you should apply for? I was planning on applying to 10 or 11, but I've noticed a lot of people here are applying to 15-17. I would feel bad for my recommendation writers, and I don't want to go broke! Is it really necessary to apply to that many schools? And if so, any tips on keeping your recommendation writers from going crazy?

 

[AcronymAllergy]

Any thoughts on how many schools you should apply for? I was planning on applying to 10 or 11, but I've noticed a lot of people here are applying to 15-17. I would feel bad for my recommendation writers, and I don't want to go broke! Is it really necessary to apply to that many schools? And if so, any tips on keeping your recommendation writers from going crazy?

Anywhere from 10-15 seems to be the norm, so 10 or 11 (assuming they're a good fit) should be fine.

 

[FacelessMage]

Yeah, I think your stats and exp make you a competitive applicant.

Thanks so much! (Love the pic)

 

[T120]

Hi all, hoping someone can evaluate my chances at my targeted PsyD Programs. I posted a few months ago so its almost the same post but since then a few things have changed and i haven't gotten any input thus far. any help would be greatly appreciated.

2.51 Undergraduate GPA ( I know, I had a tough time with some family related issues. As with many others, I know, we all have our own stories and problems. It is what it is).

3.7 Graduate GPA (This is certainly more indicative of my ability).

GRE: Taking in September
Psy GRE: Still tossing idea around

Professional Affiliations
Associate Member of APA
Psi Chi
ACBT Associate Member

Workshops/Certifications
Cognitive Behavioral Certification Workshop, LIU 2012
Mental Disorders, 1199SEIU Workshop, 2012
Child Abuse and Neglect Certification, 2011
Youth Violence and Prevention Workshop, 2011
PMCS Training, 2011 - Crisis prevention and preventative crisis training for psychiatric emergencies.
Suicide Assessment Workshop, 2011.
(I plan to attend a few more pertinent workshops this summer through my continuing education program for work).

Research:
Meta-analysis of different types of medications for Schizophrenia with a Psychiatrist at my job. Doing data extraction, Possible publication.

Clinical Experience:
Domestic Violence Shelter- Intern Hotline and Case worker
Psychiatric Hospital- Emergency Evaluation and Admissions Dept
Total at time of applications: 1.5 years

Letters: Psychiatrist at my job (research), supervisor at my job(clinical ability), 1-2 professors from graduate program (academic ability), including program director.

Overall: I am hoping my initiative with my graduate GPA, a solid GRE and Psy GRE score, clinical experience, and research experience (though not a lot) will help overcome a low UGPA. In addition, I am not the best standardized test taker. For the sake of argument, I am estimating an average score but really hoping and working toward at least a 1200 on the old scale.

Schools

CW Post- Clinical
Yeshiva- Clinical
Pace- School/Clinical
Florida Tech- Clinical
Hartford- Clinical
Nova- Clinical
Rutgers: Clinical
Hofstra- (PhD)

exploring a few more schools to be narrowed down including pepperdine, pgsp/stanford, jfk, loyola, and perhaps massachusetts school of professional psychology



Thoughts? Do i have a shot at a PsyD? Things that worry me are a potential mediocre GRE score and the lack of research experience (even though PsyD doesn't necessarily require it Id like to be proficient and show initiative). Also, I do have interest in Hofstra's PhD program but is it worth it to apply with the lack of research experience I have ? I am seeking out more experience this summer to supplement but I know people say 2 years is a requirement for any PhD program...

Thanks
Tom

 

[Glees]

Alright, I'm going to give this a shot. I feel pretty comfortable with my qualifications, but do any of you see any weaknesses I should work on? Thanks!

Undergrad: Double majored in Psychology and Women & Gender Studies at Clark University
Goal: Research-oriented program that focuses on women and minority issues
GPA: 3.83
Psychology GPA: 3.88
GRE: V-650, Q-700, A-4.5, Psyc-690
Research experiences: 2 years as undergrad RA (work related to my desired field of study), 1.5 years as full-time RA (work that is not very related to my desired field of study); 1 independent capstone research project as an undergrad; 2 poster presentations and 1 interactive presentation; 2 first-authored articles (however, one is more of a review paper, and the other is a brief report on baseline data)
Clinical-ish experience: I work at a community mental health center as a research assistant (a stretch, but I think I've gained some degree of clinical experience from being on-site), 6 months working for a rape crisis hotline
Letters of recommendation: 3 strong recommendations from my undergrad psychology adviser, my current supervisor (has a Ph.D.), another current supervisor (has LCSW)

The schools I am applying to are:
Clinical: UMass Boston, UMass Amherst, U of Rhode Island, Duquesne, Stony Brook, U of Georgia
Social: Cornell, Penn State, U of Connecticut, Yale, George Washington

 

[roubs]

Alright, I'm going to give this a shot. I feel pretty comfortable with my qualifications, but do any of you see any weaknesses I should work on? Thanks!

Undergrad: Double majored in Psychology and Women & Gender Studies at Clark University
Goal: Research-oriented program that focuses on women and minority issues
GPA: 3.83
Psychology GPA: 3.88
GRE: V-650, Q-700, A-4.5, Psyc-690
Research experiences: 2 years as undergrad RA (work related to my desired field of study), 1.5 years as full-time RA (work that is not very related to my desired field of study); 1 independent capstone research project as an undergrad; 2 poster presentations and 1 interactive presentation; 2 first-authored articles (however, one is more of a review paper, and the other is a brief report on baseline data)
Clinical-ish experience: I work at a community mental health center as a research assistant (a stretch, but I think I've gained some degree of clinical experience from being on-site), 6 months working for a rape crisis hotline
Letters of recommendation: 3 strong recommendations from my undergrad psychology adviser, my current supervisor (has a Ph.D.), another current supervisor (has LCSW)

The schools I am applying to are:
Clinical: UMass Boston, UMass Amherst, U of Rhode Island, Duquesne, Stony Brook, U of Georgia
Social: Cornell, Penn State, U of Connecticut, Yale, George Washington

Why are you applying to both clinical and social? I could see a problem if 100% of your research exp is in one area and not the other. Are you having your recommenders write a different letter for each program type?

 

[Glees]

Why are you applying to both clinical and social? I could see a problem if 100% of your research exp is in one area and not the other. Are you having your recommenders write a different letter for each program type?

I'm interested in stigma and resilience and how these things affect health and close relationships, which seems to span both disciplines. The full-time position I have now is purely clinical, but my undergrad research had to do with adoption and had some social psychology elements to it. And yes, I was going to ask them to write two different kinds of letters (and hopefully they will say yes!).

 

[roubs]

I'm interested in stigma and resilience and how these things affect health and close relationships, which seems to span both disciplines. The full-time position I have now is purely clinical, but my undergrad research had to do with adoption and had some social psychology elements to it. And yes, I was going to ask them to write two different kinds of letters (and hopefully they will say yes!).

I get how research interests overlap and I know a lot of clinical folk who do work that incorporates social, but do you actually want to do clinical work with individuals? Do you view it as a "eh I either will or I won't" kinda thing? Do you envision your participants as always being connected to the health or mental health system? If so I think it'd be easier to start clinical and collaborate in the social direction rather than the converse. Of course you have good qualifications so it's possible you'll get in regardless, but if this cycle doesn't go in your favor I would look at narrowing down what career path you want.

 

[da3mite]

Hello all. This is my first post on this board and I'm looking forward to see what information there is to offer! Thanks in advance for help here!

I am a rising senior, psychology major at the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor) and I have been working most of the summer on studying for the GRE (General and psychology subject) and organizing for upcoming grad school applications. However, I need some advice.

My adviser recommended that even though many people wait a couple of years after undergrad to try for their Ph.D's, I could try for my top schools right after undergrad and if that doesn't work out, I can go the typical route of Master's or completing independent research. I have a 3.76 GPA, a 3.93 GPA within psychology and extensive research experience (involved in 3 labs) but without an honors thesis. However, I am going to be very busy in the fall just with research, classes and preparing for 2 presentations at a psychology conference, so I may not have much time to even apply to my top PhD programs for fall 2013. Additionally, I would have some time this summer but not a lot, with ongoing research and studying hard for the GRE.

I also am a little unsure of which psychology I most prefer. I am currently split between I/O psych and social psych. If I go forward and spend time applying to PhD programs, my grades could potentially slip and/or I could not be putting my best effort forward because of schedule. Also, I could get into a program and then realize a couple of years down the road that maybe social psych, for example, isn't even right for me and organizational is what I really want to do.

Thus, I am asking if any of you would have any idea of my chances of getting into the top PhD programs, social or I/O, like Stanford, NYU, Harvard, Michigan etc, so to see if it would be worth my time.

Additionally, if any of you have some recommendations of some exceptional-separate from PhD programs-Master's programs in social psych or I/O psych, in case I don't immediately apply to PhD programs, that would be much appreciated.

Thanks for reading through this and helping out!

 

[paramour]

Keep in mind that your fall grades for the upcoming year likely aren't going to be submitted when you apply, so even if they "slip" a bit, they're unlikely to be reviewed at the time of your application. Even if they do "slip" a bit, I think most of us are at the point where a little bit of slippage is not going to cause irreparable damage to the GPA this late in the game (unless you decide to fail all your classes in a single swoop?).

With your stats, experience, and alma mater, I suspect that you're in a good place to be applying to I/O or social programs. My alma mater was a no-name state school, and we still had a few random folks who managed to land decent slots at competitive (NON-clinical) programs. You'd knock them out of the ballpark on all counts.

Not knowing what you want to do could be an issue. I know some people who handled this by applying to both and seeing which way the winds blew them. Others took off a year or two to spend more time with research (or *something else*) so they could hone their interests and make sure they were investing their time and money on something they were really keen on doing for a significant chunk, if not the rest, of their lives. This is something you need to determine for yourself. Would you be happy with either ole' one? Or do you want to make sure that you're in THE right one? Some folks are more flexible or inflexible than others...

G'luck!

 

[G Costanza]

I think to make it into a top program you have to be able to explain very clearly not only why the specific division of psych (I/O, social...) is the best fit you but also that particular program. It sounds like you have a little soul searching to do before you can honestly answer those questions. I guess I would suggest figuring out what division of psych you want to pursue but remember that you're not making a lifelong decision here, just a commitment for the next 5 years.

 

[szymk1sm]

Additionally, if any of you have some recommendations of some exceptional-separate from PhD programs-Master's programs in social psych or I/O psych, in case I don't immediately apply to PhD programs, that would be much appreciated.

Thanks for reading through this and helping out!

Look into Central Michigan's I/O Psych program--you can apply for just the Master's degree.

 

[da3mite]

That helps a lot, thank you!

It does seem like Central Michigan has a pretty solid separate I/O Master's program. Does anybody have any other recommendations in either the I/O or Social psych realm? Once again, I may want it to help boost me into a top Ph.D program.

Thanks again!

 

[PsydDhopeful]

Hello everyone,
I am a student at PCOM's clinical M.S. program. I have a graduate GPA of 3.55 and an undergraduate GPA of 3.56. I have a practicum which began a few days ago as well 3 months worth of experience as a tech in a psychiatric rehabilitation clinic. I have GRE scores 500v 750q and 4.5w as well as 560v 650q and 4.5w I have a psych GRE of 680. I have 2 years of undergrad research experience and a publication in Psi Chi undergraduate journal. Based on this info I was hoping I could get some suggestions on where I could hope to be accepted. I am worried about my graduate GPA, was anyone accepted with a GPA similar to this? Also I am living out of Philadelphia so the closer to Philadelphia the better though I am open to all suggestions and advice. I really would appreciate any feedback I could get. 🙂

 

[cara susanna]

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=686573

 

[PsydDhopeful]

Hello everyone,
I am a student at PCOM's clinical M.S. program. I have a graduate GPA of 3.55 and an undergraduate GPA of 3.56. I have a practicum which began a few days ago as well 3 months worth of experience as a tech in a psychiatric rehabilitation clinic. I have GRE scores 500v 750q and 4.5w as well as 560v 650q and 4.5w I have a psych GRE of 680. I have 2 years of undergrad research experience and a publication in Psi Chi undergraduate journal. Based on this info I was hoping I could get some suggestions on where I could hope to be accepted. I am worried about my graduate GPA, was anyone accepted with a GPA similar to this? Also I am living out of Philadelphia so the closer to Philadelphia the better though I am open to all suggestions and advice. I really would appreciate any feedback I could get.

 

[PsychAggie12]

This is my second time applying, so I'm a little nervous. Last time I had NO idea what I was doing, so this year I'm really doing my research, refining my personal statement, and contacting PI's early. I have a Master's in Neuroscience and am interested in studying the interplay between trauma exposure and substance abuse (although I'm applying to PI's who do research on either trauma or addiction). Here are my stats:

Undergrad GPA: 3.75
Grad GPA: 3.86
Psych GPA: 4.0
GRE: 163 (V), 163 (Q) ... About a 1430 on the old system

Research: 1 year as lead RA on addiction study using animal model (~20 hours/wk), 2 months as intern on clinical research project, currently working as psychiatric medical research coordinator

Clinical: 3 years as student worker in Drug and Alcohol Rehab program on college campus, 2 years volunteering on rape hotline, plus lots of volunteer work with all different populations

Applying to:
Texas A&M, UNT, SMU, UTSouthwestern, Baylor (PsyD), LSU, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, U. Houston and others in the region (all Clinical Psychology PhD)

Any ideas on my chances this time around?

 

[futureapppsy2]

This is my second time applying, so I'm a little nervous. Last time I had NO idea what I was doing, so this year I'm really doing my research, refining my personal statement, and contacting PI's early. I have a Master's in Neuroscience and am interested in studying the interplay between trauma exposure and substance abuse (although I'm applying to PI's who do research on either trauma or addiction). Here are my stats:

Undergrad GPA: 3.75
Grad GPA: 3.86
Psych GPA: 4.0
GRE: 163 (V), 163 (Q) ... About a 1430 on the old system

Research: 1 year as lead RA on addiction study using animal model (~20 hours/wk), 2 months as intern on clinical research project, currently working as psychiatric medical research coordinator

Clinical: 3 years as student worker in Drug and Alcohol Rehab program on college campus, 2 years volunteering on rape hotline, plus lots of volunteer work with all different populations

Applying to:
Texas A&M, UNT, SMU, UTSouthwestern, Baylor (PsyD), LSU, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, U. Houston and others in the region (all Clinical Psychology PhD)

Any ideas on my chances this time around?

Your research and clinical experience both look very good, so I imagine that I've been competitve most places, assuming good research it. Good luck!