WAMC: What Are My Chances

[propsych]

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Hi everyone, this post is WAMC for a clinical psych phd program as well as asking for some other advice, so it's all in one place and you can see my stats.
Below are my stats followed by questions

Here is a "redacted" version of my CV:

My new, hyphenated name
Address
e-mail
Phone #
__________________________________________________________________

Education

May 2018 Bachelor of Arts: College Name
Psychology Last 60+ credits GPA 4.0
Psychology Major GPA 4.0
Survey Research Minor GPA 4.0
Cumulative GPA 3.015
GRE
Current (pre studying scores: 155V, 150Q)
Lets assume I get at least 160 on both after studying
Psych GRE, can do very well on this

Fellowships

September 2017- May 2018 National Science Foundation- Research Experience for
Undergraduates Fellowship (NSF REU)

Manuscripts
Submitted
PI, A2, A3, A4, My hyphenated name, A6, A7, A8, A9, A10(famous) (This paper will be submitted within the next few weeks, and it is my first paper in the new lab). It has many authors at it is a neuropsych/development paper coming from a big lab.

(will be helping with other developmental papers this year)
In Prep (all from my old lab)(many of these rely on me "writing the 1st draft" and giving to 1st author to make better, so its all been slowed down)
My hyphenated name, A2, A3, A4, & PI. (in prep). Title of paper
PI, My hyphenated name, A3, & A4. (in prep). Title of paper
PI, A2, My hyphenated name, & A4. (in prep). Title of paper
PI, A2, & My hyphenated name, A4 (in prep). Title of paper
PI, A2, My hyphenated name, & A4 (in prep). Title of paper

Conference Presentations
Posters

1. (not accepted yet-95% chance it will be) My hyphenated name, A2, & PI. (2019, November). New England Psychological Association
2. My old, unhyphenated name, A2, A3, A4, PI. (2019, June). Topic specific conference.
3. My old, unhyphenated name, A2, A3, A4, A5, A6, PI (2019, June). Topic specific conference.
4. My old, unhyphenated name, A2, & A3. (2019, May). local conference
5. My old, unhyphenated name, A2, A3, A4, & PI (2019, May). Association for Psychological Science, Washington, D.C.
6. A1.*, My old, unhyphenated name*, A3, A4, A5, & PI. (2019, May). Association for Psychological Science, Washington, D.C.
7. My old, unhyphenated name., A2, A3, A4, A5, PI (May, 2019). The British Psychological Society, Harrogate, England.
8. My old, unhyphenated name, A2, A3, A4, PI (2019, April). Western Psychological Association, Pasadena, California.
9. My old, unhyphenated name, A2, & PI (2019, March). International Convention of Psychological Science, Paris, France.
10. A1, My old, unhyphenated name, A3, A4, A5., & PI (2019, March). International Convention of Psychological Science, Paris, France.
11. A1, My old, unhyphenated name, A3, A4, A5 (2019, March). Eastern Psychological Association, New York, New York.
12. My old, unhyphenated name, A2, A3, A4, A5, PI (2019, March).Eastern Psychological Association, New York, New York.
13. My old, unhyphenated name, A2, A3, & PI (2018, November). New England Psychological Association, Worcester, Massachusetts.
14. My old, unhyphenated name, A2, A3, & PI (2017, May). Local College conference
15. A1, A2., A3, A4, A5, My old, unhyphenated name, A6, A7 & PI (2017, May). Association for Psychological Science, Boston, MA.

Oral Presentations
1. A1, My old, unhyphenated name, A3, A4., A5, A6, A7 & PI. (2017, April). Local College conference

Research Experience

Senior Research Support Specialist (Letter 1: good but can’t speak too much to my research abilities as I am basically a data collector here; famous lab/PI) (Can also ask another Phd in this lab to write a good letter)
Lab 2- Title of lab, location
November 2018- Present
Advisor: PhD

Recruit, screen, schedule, and consent participants for the “study”(name removed). Conduct structured interviews on alcohol and drug use, relationships, and horrible experiences. Administer neuropsychological assessments (Tower of London and Visual Span). Maintain organized participant records, enter all data into the monthly data harvest. Assist in manuscript preparation. Administer EEGs, correct issues with readings via overrides, and clean data.-( what I will be able to do in a few months.)

Post-Graduate Researcher (Letter 2: Excellent: worked here for a few years.)
Lab 1
My college
November 2018- Present
Advisor: PhD

Aid in new study design (developing new iteration of “study”). Advise research assistants on IRB applications, research protocols, and current study procedures. Prepare manuscripts with PI and team and create and present poster presentations. Monitor ongoing research studies (communicate with current study leads about study progress and needs).

Lab Manager
Lab 1
My college
May 2017- November 2018
Advisor: PhD

Managed 8 research assistants in the running of 4 psychological studies (study names). Wrote IRB applications and interacted with IRB submission software. Developed two experimental studies with team: study names, and one normative study: study name

Managed a freelance programmer in creating a dependent variable item (math task that measures effort) according to the blueprint we created. Provided assistance with the preparation of project-related reports, manuscripts, and presentations, and presented research findings at conferences. Verified the accuracy and validity of data entered into databases, performed data entry, and completed other clerical work as required for project completion.

Developed and implemented research quality control procedures. Recruited, screened, scheduled, and consented research participants. Allocated and managed laboratory space and resources. Interviewed, managed and trained research assistants. Communicated interdepartmentally in order to ensure blank and blank collaboration. Conducted literature reviews on blanks. Trained research assistants in blank watch initialization and data analysis.

Research Assistant
Lab 1
My college
October 2016- May 2017
Advisor: PhD

Completed literature reviews blanks. Assisted in data collection
(study). Edited IRB application documents and presented research findings at national and local conferences.

Principle Investigator
Advanced Survey Research Practicum Course Project
My college
January 2018- September 2019
Advisor: (deceased; no recommendation letter)

Only student to obtain IRB approval. Independently designed an experimental survey study exploring the effects of expectations on performance and subjective evaluation/enjoyment of a task (mirror-tracing task). Data analysis in SPSS depicts non-significant results. Submitted as a poster presentation to a conference in 2019.

Research Assistant
Name
college
July 2017- January 2018

Acquired and organized research materials from internet libraries and books. Performed general computer work as well as professional correspondence. Operated office equipment such as fax machines, copiers, and phone systems, and use computers for spreadsheet, word processing, database management, and other applications.

Clinical Experience

Intern (no recommendation letter: they probably don’t even remember me by name)
Name
location
June 2017- January 2018

Lead one-on-one guided journaling sessions with clients admitted to the alternative to incarceration for drug related crimes program. Completed and maintained records and reports of patients' histories, progress, and services provided. Referred clients to treatment programs based on research of rehabilitation programs and client histories


Professional Affiliations

2017- Present Student member of the Association for Psychological Science
2018- Present Student member of the New England Psychological Association
2018- Present Student member of the Eastern Psychological Association

Skills
Microsoft Word, Excel, and Powerpoint proficient
Fluent in Russian
Qualtrics proficient
blank watch initialization, data download, and analysis
SPSS- basic familiarity

Questions:

1) How competitive am I if I apply this fall to the following schools (im interested in clinical psych with a developmental component):
Uni of Minnesota twin cities
uPenn- currently my favorite option
drexel
yale
uni of washington
uni of wisconsin-madison
uni of pittsburgh
uni of rochester
indiana uni -bloomington
Fordham uni
CUNY city college

2) I may not apply at all this year (alternatively, if I apply and don't get in)-- what should I be doing in my time between applications to strengthen my chances of getting into these programs?

3) Will it look bad that most of my crazy productivity (at least with posters) was when I was an undergrad? My current lab is an actual job, so I don't have as much freedom or ability to get into independent projects (basically have to hop on to other people's work as a nth author)

3a) will I be less competitive the longer I wait to apply? with a slower rate of productivity since undergrad?

4) Is it ok that all my posters and research experience is not in developmental psych considering that's what I want to research in grad school? *though I am managing to get on work within my current lab that contains developmental aspects.

5) I have decided to hyphenate my name professionally, but not legally. Will it be safe/ok to apply to grad school using my legal name, but include all of my posters/papers that will have my hyphenated name like shown above? Will they be able to put that together and not get confused?

6) are there any fully funded programs that have great developmental clinical labs that I am missing/ or programs you think I would have a good/great shot at?


Thank you!!!

 

[jdawg2017]

Questions:

1) How competitive am I if I apply this fall to the following schools (im interested in clinical psych with a developmental component):
Uni of Minnesota twin cities
uPenn- currently my favorite option
drexel
yale
uni of washington
uni of wisconsin-madison
uni of pittsburgh
uni of rochester
indiana uni -bloomington
Fordham uni
CUNY city college

2) I may not apply at all this year (alternatively, if I apply and don't get in)-- what should I be doing in my time between applications to strengthen my chances of getting into these programs?

3) Will it look bad that most of my crazy productivity (at least with posters) was when I was an undergrad? My current lab is an actual job, so I don't have as much freedom or ability to get into independent projects (basically have to hop on to other people's work as a nth author)

3a) will I be less competitive the longer I wait to apply? with a slower rate of productivity since undergrad?

4) Is it ok that all my posters and research experience is not in developmental psych considering that's what I want to research in grad school? *though I am managing to get on work within my current lab that contains developmental aspects.

5) I have decided to hyphenate my name professionally, but not legally. Will it be safe/ok to apply to grad school using my legal name, but include all of my posters/papers that will have my hyphenated name like shown above? Will they be able to put that together and not get confused?

6) are there any fully funded programs that have great developmental clinical labs that I am missing/ or programs you think I would have a good/great shot at?


Thank you!!!

1) You seem to have good chances based on productivity. I would explain explicitly in your personal statement a few things. First, that your current job doesn't afford as much productivity as undergrad. Second, why your overall GPA is low (some pre-med classes, something...?). A 3.0 overall (despite high major GPA) is the only thing I am worried about; this will probably be mitigated if you can actually get a 318-320+ on the GRE.

2) If you don't apply, keep working in paid research (if possible) and try to get at least one first-author publication actually published. Having published peer-review research (not in a garbage journal, BTW) is a game-changer when comparing good candidates.

3) See comment #1. Simply explain this, but also say your experineces in paid research are valuable, b/c they are (e.g., managing IRB bullsh*t, scheduling people, technical stuff, etc.).

4) I am confused, so you want to do clinical but are researching developmental? I don't think this really matters as long as you are a research match with a mentor who cares about developmental things.

5) I would explain this in your cover letter, probably in the first paragraph, honestly. I know lots of people who do the opposite (legal hypenation, maiden name for research), but not the other way around. They might put it together, but to me it's not worth risking confusion. you could also ask your mentors and/or admissions coordinators at schools to which you will apply for their advice.

6) Developmental and clinical are two enormous fields. PM me with a more specific area of "developmental" research if you want any advice in this area. I can't provide any commentary on "developmental" alone.

 

[jdawg2017]

Hi all! I'm a rising college senior at a competitive liberal arts college hoping to apply to clinical psych Ph.D. programs this fall to start in fall 2020, but I'm considering taking time off to get an RA position as I'm aware it might help my chances of getting into a good program. Any thoughts/advice appreciated!

Current stats:

• Major: Psychology, Minor: Politics
• Undergraduate GPA: 3.62
• Junior year GPA: 3.92 (hoping to bump my GPA in the coming school year -- I've heard of putting junior/senior GPA separate on apps/CV)
• Psych GPA: 3.67
• GRE: will be taking soon

Presentations:

• 1 poster presented at a national conference
• listed as an author on 1 poster presented at another national conference
• presented research at 2 school poster sessions
• Will be submitting posters to national conferences for the upcoming year (expecting to give ~2 more professional presentations by end of senior year)

Publications:

• 1 submitted
• 2+ in preparation, I think it's likely that I'll be a co-author on more than one published paper by the end of my final year of college.

Research: 2 years total, 2 summers of full-time research

• Topics of interest and research experience: psychopathology, personality disorders, suicidality, self-harm
• Current position: senior research assistant and lab coordinator
• 2 years of research in the same lab at school
• 1 semester of research abroad in Denmark (worked in a hospital, part of an international research team of medical doctors, psychiatrists, and neuroscience Ph.D.students)
• 1 summer (3 months, full time) of research at Yale working on a clinical trial of a medication
• - I have been able to get a lot of experience working with different people and different lab settings/dynamics. I have experience with all stages of the research process, from initial design to publication. I have experience giving clinical assessments to research participants and have done a lot of work with SPSS and am learning R. Most of my research (all but the semester in Denmark) has been on the same research topic, so my work is focused and my goals are to remain in this research area.

Other:

• I have been awarded research funding two summers in a row from my college and received a grant to attend the conference I mentioned above.
• I have experience as a volunteer for Crisis Text Line
• I have years of tutoring experience and will be a TA in the fall for a psych disorders class

Grad programs I'm considering:

• Harvard
• Penn State
• UMass Amherst
• University of Washington

I'm considering other schools that have relevant labs, but these would be my top choices. Any thoughts on my chances if I were to try to go straight in from undergrad?

1. If your GRE is good, academic stats seem fine. Even with a GPA of 3.6 I wouldn't feel the need to justify a 3.9 or whatever junior/senior year GPA winds up being. Maybe discuss in personal statement if you absolutely bombed freshman year or something, as a read of a transcript can show that.

2. Good research stats; even better if submitted pub is accepted by the time you submit apps.

3. Going straight from undergrad is possible with this (very similar stats and story to me - different research area, and I got in applying straight out of undergrad).

4. I would broaden your school list (I assume you have more than 4). At least ~8-10 increases your odds of getting in somewhere substantially; also, broaden away to not just coastal schools (most competitive for obvious reasons).

Hope it helps!

 

[RingoCeleste]

Good morning everyone. New to this forum/psychology in general. My goal is to apply for a PsyD/PhD program for attendance fall of 2020. Trying to see where I stand and to give myself and my family realistic expectations. I'll try and be succinct with my personal snapshot.

Desired Programs: In order of preference: UConn (PhD), URI (PhD), UHart (PsyD), Rutgers (PsyD), Springfield College (PsyD), UConn (MSW). I am pretty set on living in or around Connecticut. My backup will be getting my MSW (UConn)
Personal stats: Male, 28yo at time of application submission. Spent the last 7 years as a helicopter pilot/military officer.
Undergrad GPA: 3.77 (Sociology at UConn)
GRE General: 161V/164Q/6.0W
GRE Psychology: Taking in September
Research Experience: Independently designed and led a field experiment for the US Army to predict future successes/effects of modern warfare on human behavior. I developed a 22 page lab report, but not published in typical academia standards, it was just used by the Army to assess its units. It was a pretty massive project leading a team of 12 observers involving 300+ people with months of planning. I don't feel great about this, but I'm proud of the work and it shows the scope of responsibility and understanding of the scientific method.
Related Work Experience:
o Several leadership roles to include being a commander of a 132 person organization.
o Only certified sexual assault/harassment victim advocate in a 552 personnel organization while deployed to Afghanistan, providing counseling and education training sessions to both civilian contractors and military (attended a multi-week course to achieve this certification)
o Completed 150 hours of clinical observer training at a military hospital observing clinical psychologists/social workers while an undergrad
Volunteer Experience: 134 hours to date as an online crisis counselor
Key Accolades:
o Represented the US military, conducting cross talks with South Korean and Japanese military officers in Seoul, South Korea.
o Achieved rank of Captain
o #1 Cadet in the state of Connecticut, top 5% in the nation based on a criteria of GPA, leadership assessments, and physical fitness.
o Deans list for 7x semesters

Thank you all for your time. I genuinely look forward to chatting with you like minded folks and being a part of this community.

 

[deleted343839]

Good morning everyone. New to this forum/psychology in general. My goal is to apply for a PsyD/PhD program for attendance fall of 2020. Trying to see where I stand and to give myself and my family realistic expectations. I'll try and be succinct with my personal snapshot.

Desired Programs: Clinical Psychology at Yale (PhD), UConn (PhD), UHart (PsyD), University Rhode Island (PhD). I am pretty set on living in Connecticut again, or fairly close (URI). My backup will be getting my MSW.
Personal stats: Male, 28yo at time of application submission. Spent the last 7 years as a helicopter pilot/military officer.
Undergrad GPA: 3.77 (Sociology at UConn)
GRE General: 161V/164Q/6.0W
GRE Psychology: Taking in September
Research Experience: Independently designed and led a field experiment for the US Army to predict future successes/effects of modern warfare on human behavior. I developed a 22 page lab report, but not published in typical academia standards, it was just used by the Army to assess its units. It was a pretty massive project leading a team of 12 observers involving 300+ people with months of planning. I don't feel great about this, but I'm proud of the work and it shows the scope of responsibility and understanding of the scientific method.
Related Work Experience:
o Several leadership roles to include being a commander of a 132 person organization.
o Only certified sexual assault/harassment victim advocate in a 552 personnel organization while deployed to Afghanistan, providing counseling and education training sessions to both civilian contractors and military (attended a multi-week course to achieve this certification)
o Completed 150 hours of clinical observer training at a military hospital observing clinical psychologists/social workers while an undergrad
Volunteer Experience: 134 hours to date as an online crisis counselor
Key Accolades:
o Represented the US military, conducting cross talks with South Korean and Japanese military officers in Seoul, South Korea.
o Achieved rank of Captain
o #1 Cadet in the state of Connecticut, top 5% in the nation based on a criteria of GPA, leadership assessments, and physical fitness.
o Deans list for 7x semesters

Thank you all for your time. I genuinely look forward to chatting with you like minded folks and being a part of this community.

What are your career goals? There are some important differences among these programs on your list that will matter a great deal in terms of preparing you for a future career in the field.

Though you have some very unique and interesting work experiences, because you have not had a large amount of supervised research experience and no peer reviewed/refereed research projects, you would be less competitive for research-heavy programs such as UConn or Yale. Also, since you majored in sociology, I'm curious about how much psychology coursework you've had. Most programs require a certain number of prerequisite courses, though if you minored in psychology this would probably suffice for most.

More information on your training goals will help me and others give you more direction. Hope this helps. I'm grateful for your service to our country.

 

[RingoCeleste]

Thank you MamaPhD for the quick reply, I appreciate you taking the time to read and respond to my post. My career goals are to be a research scientist or teach, as psychological studies interest me. But I absolutely could see myself wanting to be a psychologist in a clinical setting, though I will highlight research as my primary interest as to not appear wishy-washy with schools. I am not against PsyD financially, as I'll have the GI bill+yellow ribbon program+savings to keep me out of debt. As far as specifics, I've started drafting personal statements for each program, researching the faculty members and I've found an advisor at each PhD program that resonates most with my background/interests (PTSD, behavioral and stress management research, etc.) While I haven't worked with PTSD or abnormal behavior in a clinical setting, I've handed it while leading large organizations and as a victim advocate.

As far as prereqs, the programs I listed all stated on their website they just require a bachelor's degree and do not list out specific courses like I've seen medical schools do. Most of my coursework was sociology, and while studying for the psychology GRE I realize that much of the content is the same. I only took one psychology titled class which I received an A. I'm hoping to do well on the psychology GRE to help quell some apprehensions about my psychology knowledge (also UHart requires it!)

Please let me know how much more specific I should be or what else I should look into, I welcome the candid feedback with thick skin.

 

[jdawg2017]

Thank you MamaPhD for the quick reply, I appreciate you taking the time to read and respond to my post. My career goals are to be a research scientist or teach, as psychological studies interest me. But I absolutely could see myself wanting to be a psychologist in a clinical setting, though I will highlight research as my primary interest as to not appear wishy-washy with schools. I am not against PsyD financially, as I'll have the GI bill+yellow ribbon program+savings to keep me out of debt. As far as specifics, I've started drafting personal statements for each program, researching the faculty members and I've found an advisor at each PhD program that resonates most with my background/interests (PTSD, behavioral and stress management research, etc.) While I haven't worked with PTSD or abnormal behavior in a clinical setting, I've handed it while leading large organizations and as a victim advocate.

As far as prereqs, the programs I listed all stated on their website they just require a bachelor's degree and do not list out specific courses like I've seen medical schools do. Most of my coursework was sociology, and while studying for the psychology GRE I realize that much of the content is the same. I only took one psychology titled class which I received an A. I'm hoping to do well on the psychology GRE to help quell some apprehensions about my psychology knowledge (also UHart requires it!)

Please let me know how much more specific I should be or what else I should look into, I welcome the candid feedback with thick skin.

Not MamaPhD, but wanted to chime in here.

1) Why not consider some schools in MA? There are a handful of excellent clinical programs in and around Boston if clinical is what you are looking for, specifically. The training in PTSD, specifically, is also excellent at many training sites in and around the area (e.g., the Boston VA, McLean Hospital, etc.). Not sure of PTSD researchers in clinical around Boston (not my area of expertise at all), but it's worth looking into if you don't mind going a little bit further. Same probably goes for NYC area, though I admit I know close to zero about NYC.

2) I'm amazed by your solid general GRE stats (6.0 AW is almost unheard of I think...). But, given your lack of background in psychology from your education, you would probably need to crush it on the psych GRE to let schools know you have the basic background knowledge. Most, if not everyone I know in clinical psych programs, majored or minored in psych in college. Your coursework in grad school will likely be mostly didactic, meaning there is a baseline assumption of your knowledge of psychological topics. If you don't know your basic psych, this can come back to haunt you when taking licensing exams, quals, etc. Also, some schools (maybe not the ones you listed) do explicitly state on their websites high preferences for applicants with X, Y, Z classes under their belts.

3) I am almost wondering if it would be worthwhile, in your specific case, to do a research-heavy post-bacc for 1-2 years before applying or work in a research assistant job at a VA or PTSD center where you can gain more knowledge about psychological concepts and also get some publications and posters under your belt. As MamaPhD said, your chances of getting into a clinical PhD without posters or pubs to your name is low (even with your stats and unique background), as research productivity is highly valued. It may be a different story for PsyD programs. I am not super familiar with the GI bill, but I don't think it will cover the exorbitant tuition and fees, plus cost of living. This is compared to tuition being free/you getting paid by assistantships at most PhD programs.

Hope this helps!

-J

 

[RingoCeleste]

It does help, thank you. I do prefer a doctoral level degree for the prestige and opportunities it provides me. Especially if I take the PsyD route, I want to work for the VA or commensurate philanthropic clinic for veterans. The gaps in my resume are the same I've been identifying, and I am continuing to research more PsyD programs to increase my probability of acceptance.

Though I wonder, has there been any precedent for either (1) a student lacking true research experience being accepted into a decent PhD program or (2) a student with strong scores, GPA, experience, etc. being accepted into a PsyD program while missing a perrequisite class? In my case, I have not taken abnormal psych (I'm going to enroll in an online course this weekend!). Additionally, Rutgers requires a biology bases for psychology class. I have taken a human biology for social workers course, as well as a general biology class during my undergrad and I'm not sure if these will suffice. I will try and find someone at Rutgers to answer my question, but I'm curious how rigid these requirements are. Human biology for social workers at cursory glance has very similar, if not the same material.

 

[StellaB]

It does help, thank you. I do prefer a doctoral level degree for the prestige and opportunities it provides me. Especially if I take the PsyD route, I want to work for the VA or commensurate philanthropic clinic for veterans. The gaps in my resume are the same I've been identifying, and I am continuing to research more PsyD programs to increase my probability of acceptance.

Though I wonder, has there been any precedent for either (1) a student lacking true research experience being accepted into a decent PhD program or (2) a student with strong scores, GPA, experience, etc. being accepted into a PsyD program while missing a perrequisite class? In my case, I have not taken abnormal psych (I'm going to enroll in an online course this weekend!). Additionally, Rutgers requires a biology bases for psychology class. I have taken a human biology for social workers course, as well as a general biology class during my undergrad and I'm not sure if these will suffice. I will try and find someone at Rutgers to answer my question, but I'm curious how rigid these requirements are. Human biology for social workers at cursory glance has very similar, if not the same material.

If research is your primary interest, you will most likely want to avoid getting a PsyD. At the very least it will limit your academic career prospects.

 

[RingoCeleste]

I agree Stella, but I'm starting to hedge my bets now and look at myself realistically. If I'm not PhD quality, I'd still love a career in psychology and get licensure. I may need to start stacking the deck in favor of a PsyD now :\ Practicing as a PsyD would still be an absolute honor and pleasure.

 

[psych.meout]

It does help, thank you. I do prefer a doctoral level degree for the prestige and opportunities it provides me. Especially if I take the PsyD route, I want to work for the VA or commensurate philanthropic clinic for veterans. The gaps in my resume are the same I've been identifying, and I am continuing to research more PsyD programs to increase my probability of acceptance.

Though I wonder, has there been any precedent for either (1) a student lacking true research experience being accepted into a decent PhD program or (2) a student with strong scores, GPA, experience, etc. being accepted into a PsyD program while missing a perrequisite class? In my case, I have not taken abnormal psych (I'm going to enroll in an online course this weekend!). Additionally, Rutgers requires a biology bases for psychology class. I have taken a human biology for social workers course, as well as a general biology class during my undergrad and I'm not sure if these will suffice. I will try and find someone at Rutgers to answer my question, but I'm curious how rigid these requirements are. Human biology for social workers at cursory glance has very similar, if not the same material.

You're extremely unlikely to even get an interview at even balanced, Boulder model doctoral programs without any actual research experience, and this is even more remote at research-heavy places like UCONN and Yale. Look at it from their perspective, yes, your other credentials are great, but how do they know you have the aptitude and interest for research if you haven't really done it yet? They don't want to admit someone only to have them quit because they can't hack the research or they lose motivation to persevere through the difficult parts of the program.

As far as Rutgers goes, it and other funded PsyD programs like Baylor actually function more like balanced PhD programs than they do more typical PsyD programs, especially those at professional schools. In particular, they are going to expect more research from you, both in terms of your prior experience and that you'll do in their program. One consequence of their funding is that these programs are exceedingly more competitive than other PsyD programs. Without research experience, you're going to be less competitive there.

I agree Stella, but I'm starting to hedge my bets now and look at myself realistically. If I'm not PhD quality, I'd still love a career in psychology and get licensure. I may need to start stacking the deck in favor of a PsyD now :\ Practicing as a PsyD would still be an absolute honor and pleasure.

That seems to be a bit of a false choice. A third option would be to take some time to get research experience and then apply to programs that fit your interests and goals.

 

[deleted343839]

Though I wonder, has there been any precedent for either (1) a student lacking true research experience being accepted into a decent PhD program or (2) a student with strong scores, GPA, experience, etc. being accepted into a PsyD program while missing a perrequisite class?

I'm sure both of these scenarios are possible and have happened. They're just not all that likely, especially the first.

If I'm not PhD quality, I'd still love a career in psychology and get licensure.

I agree with the suggestion @jdawg2017 gave to consider working for a couple of years as a research assistant in a psychology research setting. If your ambition is to conduct research and teach, there is every reason to make yourself competitive for a training program that will set you up for success as a candidate for tenure-track faculty positions. Based on the information you've provided, you seem to have the aptitude and motivation, but just not all of the relevant experiences that make for a strong candidate. You seem to be in a bit of a hurry, but I urge you to consider taking some time to become more competitive for the kind of training programs that would best meet your needs.

 

[RingoCeleste]

I've decided against delaying my education to gain research experience. It's not feasible with my wife and daughter. I'd rather attend a less competitive program or become an LCSW. With that said, how would be chances be at getting a PsyD at UHart, Rutgers, or William James University? I see Rutgers being the biggest stretch for me.

 

[psych.meout]

I've decided against delaying my education to gain research experience. It's not feasible with my wife and daughter. I'd rather attend a less competitive program or become an LCSW. With that said, how would be chances be at getting a PsyD at UHart, Rutgers, or William James University? I see Rutgers being the biggest stretch for me.

So, we've gone from you wanting to do research and teach to doing doctoral-level clinical work to being an LCSW. It's probably a good idea to take some time and figure out what you actually want to do on a daily basis for a career and then figure out what degree will get you there rather than being in a rush to get started and picking the wrong degree and/or program.

Even if you decide to go with one of the unfunded PsyD options in the region, which is something generally advised against here, it's important to understand that moving is a normative practice for doctoral training in psychology. It's just not realistic to never move for doctoral training. Even if you do a doctoral program in the area, you'll likely need to move at least once, either for internship or post doc.

 

[RingoCeleste]

What can I say? I have many interests. I wanted to be an astronaut but I am still satisfied with my aviation career. I definitely have my preferences, but I've decided to tailor where I apply to vs. taking a few extra years to build additional experience. This is based on the pros/cons I've weighed out, and the fact I will be happy working in the mental/behavioral health field in a variety of capacities. I've spoken and seen both psychologists and LSCWs in action and both are noble professions in my eyes. I truly thank you all for your candid feedback, it has been helpful in organizing my bean counter.

I'm not against moving. I've moved eight times over the last decade of my life with the military. But I do want to spend a few years at least near my family for some of the time I'm in school, even if it's semi-temporary before the doctoral program requires me to relocate. With non-stop deployments, there are some family members I haven't seen since high school!

I've revised my list of schools I anticipate on applying to based on where I feel my range is. Original post has been editted with this. In order of preference: UConn (PhD), URI (PhD), UHart (PsyD), Rutgers (PsyD), Springfield College (PsyD), UConn (MSW).

 

[deleted343839]

What can I say? I have many interests. I wanted to be an astronaut but I am still satisfied with my aviation career. I definitely have my preferences, but I've decided to tailor where I apply to vs. taking a few extra years to build additional experience. This is based on the pros/cons I've weighed out, and the fact I will be happy working in the mental/behavioral health field in a variety of capacities. I've spoken and seen both psychologists and LSCWs in action and both are noble professions in my eyes. I truly thank you all for your candid feedback, it has been helpful in organizing my bean counter.

I'm not against moving. I've moved eight times over the last decade of my life with the military. But I do want to spend a few years at least near my family for some of the time I'm in school, even if it's semi-temporary before the doctoral program requires me to relocate. With non-stop deployments, there are some family members I haven't seen since high school!

I've revised my list of schools I anticipate on applying to based on where I feel my range is. Original post has been editted with this. In order of preference: UConn (PhD), URI (PhD), UHart (PsyD), Rutgers (PsyD), Springfield College (PsyD), UConn (MSW).

Nothing is stopping you from applying. However, University of Hartford wants to see evidence of coursework equivalent to at least a minor in psychology, and I don't think there is an easy way around that. Springfield College is more vague about their admission requirements, but likewise they will want to see some background coursework in psychology. The other programs on your list are more of a reach, to be fair. I can't comment on the MSW since I'm not very familiar with what admissions committees for those programs are looking for.

As I mentioned earlier, you seem more than capable but you just don't have the set of background courses and experiences that make for a competitive applicant. This is not a perfect analogy, but it would be like kind of like me applying for a PhD program in statistics. I know more applied stats than most psychologists, I've run many statistical tests for my own work, and I'm familiar with the work that statisticians do, but no one would seriously look at my application because I don't have the foundational mathematical background.

One last bit of advice - as you go forward, if there is any way to write up your previous project as a poster presentation, I'd give it a try. Best of luck to you.

 

[jdawg2017]

I've decided against delaying my education to gain research experience. It's not feasible with my wife and daughter. I'd rather attend a less competitive program or become an LCSW. With that said, how would be chances be at getting a PsyD at UHart, Rutgers, or William James University? I see Rutgers being the biggest stretch for me.

FWIW, I do not think doing research for ~2 years as a research assistant is "delaying your education" - it is basically part of your education if you want to do a PhD and be a researcher, because we all have to start somewhere on the research track. Some research jobs can pay between $35 and 40k... I know that is not a lot, but if you have other benefits from your military service (e.g., VA healthcare, IDK other ones b/c I have no affiliation to military) then it's not totally unreasonable. It's a job - I am not suggesting someone in your particular situation volunteer in a lab or something.

But, if you really just want to do clinical work, PsyD or (even cheaper) LCSW would be better. I echo the others, though, that if you want to teach or do research these degrees make it significantly harder to be a TT professor, or most other academic jobs (aside from maybe training other PsyDs or LCSWs).

 

[WisNeuro]

It does help, thank you. I do prefer a doctoral level degree for the prestige and opportunities it provides me.

Man, are you going to be disappointed if you go through with it. This may have been true 20+ years ago, but there is very little prestige, academic jobs are harder and harder to come by, and midlevels are saturating the market for therapy type jobs. I would strongly advise against any decision based on "prestige," it'll only set you up for some very expensive disappointment.

 

[RingoCeleste]

Thank you all for the feedback. Certainly not just going for prestige, though that is the icing on the cake for me. I've been told there are more opportunities/better chances to work for the VA as a psychologist than as a LCSW (please let me know if you have a different take!)

That's a fair analogy MamaPhD! It sounds like based on my decision to not pursue an RA position first, and the fact that I will be equally happy doing clinical work, a PsyD or MSW is best for me. With that said, I will be signing up for a few core psych classes online to complete before applications are due (abnormal psych and developmental psych seem to be the two most PsyDs list as "shall have" rather than "should have"). Does anyone have any recommended online schools to take these at? Just off a cursory search and price comparison, UC Berkeley and William James seem like two decent options. I'd like to hear any thoughts on taking online prereqs. With my current career, online is the only forum I'd be able to take these classes.

 

[WisNeuro]

That's a fair analogy MamaPhD! It sounds like based on my decision to not pursue an RA position first, and the fact that I will be equally happy doing clinical work, a PsyD or MSW is best for me. With that said, I will be signing up for a few core psych classes online to complete before applications are due (abnormal psych and developmental psych seem to be the two most PsyDs list as "shall have" rather than "should have"). Does anyone have any recommended online schools to take these at? Just off a cursory search and price comparison, UC Berkeley and William James seem like two decent options. I'd like to hear any thoughts on taking online prereqs. With my current career, online is the only forum I'd be able to take these classes.

If I see William James on a transcript, huge red flag to me, known diploma mill.

 

[ExploringOptions]

Thank you all for the feedback. Certainly not just going for prestige, though that is the icing on the cake for me. I've been told there are more opportunities/better chances to work for the VA as a psychologist than as a LCSW (please let me know if you have a different take!)

That's a fair analogy MamaPhD! It sounds like based on my decision to not pursue an RA position first, and the fact that I will be equally happy doing clinical work, a PsyD or MSW is best for me. With that said, I will be signing up for a few core psych classes online to complete before applications are due (abnormal psych and developmental psych seem to be the two most PsyDs list as "shall have" rather than "should have"). Does anyone have any recommended online schools to take these at? Just off a cursory search and price comparison, UC Berkeley and William James seem like two decent options. I'd like to hear any thoughts on taking online prereqs. With my current career, online is the only forum I'd be able to take these classes.

I’d suggest ASU for online classes if you want/need to take them that way. If you want to dm me, I can give you some names of professors who I’d recommend specifically.

 

[WisNeuro]

ASU is another one that makes me wary of an application. The online route is tricky, in many ways, it will be a red mark on an application for doctoral work, combined with lack of research experience, it will definitely be a hindrance for reputable program admittance.

 

[ExploringOptions]

ASU is another one that makes me wary of an application. The online route is tricky, in many ways, it will be a red mark on an application for doctoral work, combined with lack of research experience, it will definitely be a hindrance for reputable program admittance.

Why do you say that about ASU? Genuinely curious, as I have not heard that from others. Obviously in person is best, but is there something specific about asu you’d caution against?

 

[WisNeuro]

Why do you say that about ASU? Genuinely curious, as I have not heard that from others. Obviously in person is best, but is there something specific about asu you’d caution against?

They're generally looked at as a slight step above Phoenix, questions about the rigor of the classes. Fair or not, it's the impression out there, they're also not doing themselves any favors with their spammy ads.

 

[ExploringOptions]

They're generally looked at as a slight step above Phoenix, questions about the rigor of the classes. Fair or not, it's the impression out there, they're also not doing themselves any favors with their spammy ads.

Interesting. Thanks for the info. You’re the first person I’ve heard that from. I know a few of the professors who teach there, and I know they teach their online classes the same as their in person ones, so this surprises me. Several have won awards for their work in psychology (national prestigious awards). Not all professors are equal of course, but I find it surprising to paint the whole program with such a broad brush. Perhaps the ones I don’t know are less rigorous in their standards.

 

[WisNeuro]

Interesting. Thanks for the info. You’re the first person I’ve heard that from. I know a few of the professors who teach there, and I know they teach their online classes the same as their in person ones, so this surprises me. Several have won awards for their work in psychology (national prestigious awards). Not all professors are equal of course, but I find it surprising to paint the whole program with such a broad brush. Perhaps the ones I don’t know are less rigorous in their standards.

I would caution against equating prestige in academia with acumen in teaching. In academia, research productivity is paramount, teaching is generally an afterthought. Some are good at both, but when one of those things is the primary driver of your career, you tend to emphasize that.

 

[ExploringOptions]

I would caution against equating prestige in academia with acumen in teaching. In academia, research productivity is paramount, teaching is generally an afterthought. Some are good at both, but when one of those things is the primary driver of your career, you tend to emphasize that.

Agreed. Some of the awards are for teaching though. I wonder if some of the feeling is based on a general disdain for online education in general though and not program specific. I 100% agree that there are terrible online programs. But I also think there are some quality ones. But the old guard will fight to the death to denigrate them because they view any change as bad. Sorry to veer off topic of the thread, but thank you for your insight.

 

[WisNeuro]

Agreed. Some of the awards are for teaching though. I wonder if some of the feeling is based on a general disdain for online education in general though and not program specific. I 100% agree that there are terrible online programs. But I also think there are some quality ones. But the old guard will fight to the death to denigrate them because they view any change as bad. Sorry to veer off topic of the thread, but thank you for your insight.

There may be quality ones, but the vast majority of online options are unregulated trash (Phoenix, Argosy, Alliant, etc). It's not necessarily due to "change being bad" it's more likely the experience of seeing pretty much only terrible things come from this area for most of its existence.

 

[RingoCeleste]

A few questions.

(1) I went on ASU's website and it seems they more or less don't offer pick and choose courses, rather you actually have to pay tuition and sign up for a degree program (not what I am looking for). Is there a way to just take a course now? Due to being July and applications being due in December, I need to act now if I am going to complete these course(s) in time.
(2) I suppose any online courses I take will be from a "degree mill", and I agree it isn't as quality as attending a reputable four year school. But given that I have a four year degree from a decent school in Sociology, would I be "making any money" by demonstrating I have taken a few online courses in psychology to fulfill prereqs, coupled with a strong performance on the psychology GRE? I'd be at least selecting schools that I've heard of and not Phoenix or Miami Surfing University 🙂
(3) Is the William James PsyD program also a red flag, or just their online coursework? I ask, because they were a program I was considering as well for a PsyD.

Sorry for the barrage of questions, I appreciate all responses.

 

[deleted343839]

A few questions.

(1) I went on ASU's website and it seems they more or less don't offer pick and choose courses, rather you actually have to pay tuition and sign up for a degree program (not what I am looking for). Is there a way to just take a course now? Due to being July and applications being due in December, I need to act now if I am going to complete these course(s) in time.
(2) I suppose any online courses I take will be from a "degree mill", and I agree it isn't as quality as attending a reputable four year school. But given that I have a four year degree from a decent school in Sociology, would I be "making any money" by demonstrating I have taken a few online courses in psychology to fulfill prereqs, coupled with a strong performance on the psychology GRE? I'd be at least selecting schools that I've heard of and not Phoenix or Miami Surfing University 🙂
(3) Is the William James PsyD program also a red flag, or just their online coursework? I ask, because they were a program I was considering as well for a PsyD.

Sorry for the barrage of questions, I appreciate all responses.

Is there a local university or college where you can take some courses as a non-degree seeking student? Not sure if your GI benefits cover that (ie, outside of a degree program) but that seems like a reasonable course of action. Some traditional universities offer courses in evening or online format and it isn't reflected on the transcript.

The things you should care about with any PsyD program are their accreditation and their match rates to APA accredited internships, all of which you can easily find on the program web site. William James does not have a good reputation.

I think it's easy to trash talk about the "old guard" when you're not an educator who is actually accountable for people's learning. I work at a medical school where a good proportion of the first year medical students watch most of their basic science lectures from home. However, the medical students also still do all of the in-person things that really matter, so functionally their training is equivalent to the days when everyone piled into a huge lecture hall at the same time to passively receive the same information. But it is well understood that most medical training can't be done remotely, or crammed into evenings and weekends. The same cannot necessarily be said for online training programs in psychology, which promise big but mostly fall short when it comes to providing the kind of intensive face time and hands-on training that doctoral students get in traditional programs. The outcomes speak for themselves.

 

[RingoCeleste]

Unfortunately no psychology programs near me to include online courses in psychology. MamaPhD, do you feel I would increase my chances of acceptance into a PsyD program if I were to take a few of the prereqs (abnormal and developmental psych) from either UC Berkely online or William James? I'm not sure where else I could a) take these classes online, b) take them on a set and constrained schedule before applications are due. I called some more "reputable" schools that have online courses. While I can take courses as a non-degree seeking student, it would still follow their semester schedule and therefore I would not be complete with the courses until after the typical December 1st deadline for applications.

Also, was that paragraph about the "old guard" directed at me? I'm not quite sure what you were talking about, a lot of that went over my head.

 

[deleted343839]

Unfortunately no psychology programs near me to include online courses in psychology. MamaPhD, do you feel I would increase my chances of acceptance into a PsyD program if I were to take a few of the prereqs (abnormal and developmental psych) from either UC Berkely online or William James? I'm not sure where else I could a) take these classes online, b) take them on a set and constrained schedule before applications are due. I called some more "reputable" schools that have online courses. While I can take courses as a non-degree seeking student, it would still follow their semester schedule and therefore I would not be complete with the courses until after the typical December 1st deadline for applications.

Also, was that paragraph about the "old guard" directed at me? I'm not quite sure what you were talking about, a lot of that went over my head.

Having prerequisite courses >>> having no prerequisite courses. If you are committed to applying this year, I would suggest that you do your best to meet the admission requirements as best as you can.

I did not intend to direct the last paragraph at you in particular. People sometimes insinuate that those of us who are wary of online degree programs are just old and stuck in our ways, but it's actually much more nuanced than that.

 

[RingoCeleste]

Random question. While researching William James, I see a lot of concern about their APA internship match rate. All of these forum posts/discussions I've seen were from around 2016-2017. On their admissions data (Clinical PsyD Student Admissions, Outcomes, and Other Data at William James College) they showed a 50% match rate up through 2015-2016. Yet from 2016-2017 and on, they boasted a 100%, 95%, and 94% match rates for each following year respectively. Is there an explanation other than William James starting to show true growth as a program?

 

[psych.meout]

Random question. While researching William James, I see a lot of concern about their APA internship match rate. All of these forum posts/discussions I've seen were from around 2016-2017. On their admissions data (Clinical PsyD Student Admissions, Outcomes, and Other Data at William James College) they showed a 50% match rate up through 2015-2016. Yet from 2016-2017 and on, they boasted a 100%, 95%, and 94% match rates for each following year respectively. Is there an explanation other than William James starting to show true growth as a program?

Probably a captive internship to game the system.

 

[MAClinician]

It is a captive internship over 2 years instead of the usual 1 year as students attend part time.

 

[psych.meout]

It is a captive internship over 2 years instead of the usual 1 year as students attend part time.

Oof, so an extra year in a crappy program? I wonder how much they charge during internship.

 

[freudianslipper0]

Hi everyone! I’m one year out of undergrad and currently working at a child psychiatry clinic, where I’ve been able to accrue some really exciting research, teaching, and clinical experience. I have yet to take the general GRE, but am wondering what you all think of the rest of my “stats.” What are my chances like? What types of programs (PhD, PsyD; “top,” average, etc. programs). Thanks a lot in advance!

Undergrad GPA: 3.95 (Major: Psychology; minor: child and adolescent mental health)
Psych GRE: 98th percentile
GRE: taking this summer

-2.5 years in a research lab, 6 months supervising undergraduate RAs. I’ve essentially been part of a project from the ground up- from the IRB submission/approval to data collection to now managing the people collecting data as I draft our first manuscript.
-Will have one manuscript in review (I’m first author) by the time I apply this fall
-1.5 years of clinical experience: helped lead group therapy sessions for teens with ASD and teens with social anxiety.
-Will have (I hope!) two glowing letters of recc
-Name on one poster that was presented at a conference (I did not present at or attend the conference)
-One semester TAing an intro to psych class for undergrads. Led a weekly 60-minute mandatory recitation class for two groups of 30 students. Graded their assignments, held office hours, etc.
-2 years TAing a class on child mental health (mostly involved grading and holding office hours)
-Taught a guest lecture (the same one three times over the course of a year) on anxiety disorders for an undergraduate class. A really great opportunity that fell into my lap after working with a professor!

 

[deleted343839]

Hi everyone! I’m one year out of undergrad and currently working at a child psychiatry clinic, where I’ve been able to accrue some really exciting research, teaching, and clinical experience. I have yet to take the general GRE, but am wondering what you all think of the rest of my “stats.” What are my chances like? What types of programs (PhD, PsyD; “top,” average, etc. programs). Thanks a lot in advance!

Undergrad GPA: 3.95 (Major: Psychology; minor: child and adolescent mental health)
Psych GRE: 98th percentile
GRE: taking this summer

-2.5 years in a research lab, 6 months supervising undergraduate RAs. I’ve essentially been part of a project from the ground up- from the IRB submission/approval to data collection to now managing the people collecting data as I draft our first manuscript.
-Will have one manuscript in review (I’m first author) by the time I apply this fall
-1.5 years of clinical experience: helped lead group therapy sessions for teens with ASD and teens with social anxiety.
-Will have (I hope!) two glowing letters of recc
-Name on one poster that was presented at a conference (I did not present at or attend the conference)
-One semester TAing an intro to psych class for undergrads. Led a weekly 60-minute mandatory recitation class for two groups of 30 students. Graded their assignments, held office hours, etc.
-2 years TAing a class on child mental health (mostly involved grading and holding office hours)
-Taught a guest lecture (the same one three times over the course of a year) on anxiety disorders for an undergraduate class. A really great opportunity that fell into my lap after working with a professor!

What kind of training program are you looking for? In general it looks like you're in pretty good shape, assuming you can get strong LORs and perform well on the GRE. Try to get another poster accepted (maybe the manuscript you are now working on?) in the meantime. And do what you can to get that manuscript out ASAP.

 

[BorderlineQueen]

I started off at community college where I maintained around a 3.7 gpa . I then transferred to a university where I had trouble adjusting to being on my own junior year . My university gpa is a little low but by the time I graduate next spring I should have around a 3.4-3.5. I haven’t taken the GRE yet . Also I have only around 8 months of research experience so far . Should I go to a clinical psych masters program first ? Or will I be competitive enough for clinical psych PhD if I get more research experience?

 

[WisNeuro]

WAMC thread.

 

[WisNeuro]

Random question. While researching William James, I see a lot of concern about their APA internship match rate. All of these forum posts/discussions I've seen were from around 2016-2017. On their admissions data (Clinical PsyD Student Admissions, Outcomes, and Other Data at William James College) they showed a 50% match rate up through 2015-2016. Yet from 2016-2017 and on, they boasted a 100%, 95%, and 94% match rates for each following year respectively. Is there an explanation other than William James starting to show true growth as a program?

As other have said, captive internship. I would still not take a person from this program for internship or fellowship. Additionally, I only refer out to other professionals who I know went to reputable programs.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

I started off at community college where I maintained around a 3.7 gpa . I then transferred to a university where I had trouble adjusting to being on my own junior year . My university gpa is a little low but by the time I graduate next spring I should have around a 3.4-3.5. I haven’t taken the GRE yet . Also I have only around 8 months of research experience so far . Should I go to a clinical psych masters program first ? Or will I be competitive enough for clinical psych PhD if I get more research experience?

Mod Note: I've merged this into the WAMC thread.

Quick answer: if you do well on the GRE and get more research experience (ideally with some amount of productivity, such as a poster), your GPA should be ok. Just be sure to apply broadly.

If you aren't able to get much more in the way of research experience/productivity, or are wanting to be competitive at top-tier programs, a research-focused psych masters might help.

 

[freudianslipper0]

Mod Note: I've merged this into the WAMC thread.

Quick answer: if you do well on the GRE and get more research experience (ideally with some amount of productivity, such as a poster), your GPA should be ok. Just be sure to apply broadly.

If you aren't able to get much more in the way of research experience/productivity, or are wanting to be competitive at top-tier programs, a research-focused psych masters might help.

Hi! Follow-up question- though I’m not OP. Which programs are considered “top-tier”? Are there a set of programs that are universally well-regarded, or is there a resource you could share? It’s tough to find any sort of objective data on this!

 

[psych.meout]

Hi! Follow-up question- though I’m not OP. Which programs are considered “top-tier”? Are there a set of programs that are universally well-regarded, or is there a resource you could share? It’s tough to find any sort of objective data on this!

Doctoral programs in psychology don't really work like that. As long as it's fully-funded and has good outcome statistics, especially internship match rates, there really isn't any ranking system of programs. It's more about what kind of research the faculty are doing and if it matches up to your interests. That's why you really shouldn't apply to programs based on perceived rankings. Admissions are about fit and applying just because a program seems to be better or more prestigious, like Yale, will likely hurt your chances.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

Hi! Follow-up question- though I’m not OP. Which programs are considered “top-tier”? Are there a set of programs that are universally well-regarded, or is there a resource you could share? It’s tough to find any sort of objective data on this!

As was said above, it's difficult in psychology, as there isn't a universal "top-tier" list; it can vary a lot based on area(s) of interest. Any one program may be very well-known in some areas, for example, and not well-known in others. It might be more accurate to describe them as "top-tier labs."

 

[deleted343839]

Hi! Follow-up question- though I’m not OP. Which programs are considered “top-tier”? Are there a set of programs that are universally well-regarded, or is there a resource you could share? It’s tough to find any sort of objective data on this!

Well, there ARE programs that tend to get a lot of respect across the board. But it's not like the way that undergraduate institutions are typically "ranked." More importantly, if a program does not include an important center or lab relevant to your chosen/desired field, or if the mission of its training program is not a good fit with your career goals, then it's probably not a good fit at all. And you might find top researchers in a given field in unexpected places.

 

[The Hamster Man]

Hi everyone, I am considering applying to various PsyD programs this fall. Copying an earlier poster's template.

Programs:
-Rutgers
-Loyola Maryland
-Indiana State University
-Yeshiva
-Roosevelt
-Denver University

Undergrad GPA: 3.68 (Psychology with minor in Cognitive Science from UCLA)
GRE General: 169 Verbal / 159 Quant

Research Experience:
Worked in an emotion lab for 2 years, where I mostly ran experiments and did data entry. However, I did get the chance to co-author a paper about multilingualism and emotional expression. I did not formulate the hypothesis or even figure out the analyses to run, but I basically rewrote the entire introduction section, wrote the results section, ran some analyses in SPSS, and wrote the discussion section. It has been submitted and accepted to an undergraduate journal.

-I currently work at a mental health clinic and am potentially working on a research project to study efficacy of neurofeedback on our client's outcomes.

Related Work Experience:
-Crisis Hotline for a year
-ABA for 4 months
-Outpatient Mental health clinic for a year

I am worried about my lack of research experience as well as lack of research focus, hoping PsyDs do not weigh that as heavily. The mental health clinic research is not through an academic institution and I'm not sure how much that will count. However, I mostly plan on practicing psychology. My GRE scores according to the official Psychology Guide by Norcross are more than sufficient for all these programs, and are above average. For example, Rutgers GRE average for their psy.d. program is 157 V and 153 Q.

Do you guys think I have a good chance for Rutgers in particular, and the other programs?

 

[WisNeuro]

I am worried about my lack of research experience as well as lack of research focus, hoping PsyDs do not weigh that as heavily. The mental health clinic research is not through an academic institution and I'm not sure how much that will count. However, I mostly plan on practicing psychology. My GRE scores according to the official Psychology Guide by Norcross are more than sufficient for all these programs, and are above average. For example, Rutgers GRE average for their psy.d. program is 157 V and 153 Q.

Do you guys think I have a good chance for Rutgers in particular, and the other programs?

The reputable PsyDs, like Rutgers, value research experience much like balanced PhDs. Rutgers is pretty selective, so you have a decent chance, but like any other good program, they only accept something like 5% of applicants. If I were you, I'd broaden my search to include more balanced and practice oriented, fully funded PhDs.

 

[The Hamster Man]

The reputable PsyDs, like Rutgers, value research experience much like balanced PhDs. Rutgers is pretty selective, so you have a decent chance, but like any other good program, they only accept something like 5% of applicants. If I were you, I'd broaden my search to include more balanced and practice oriented, fully funded PhDs.

I don't think I'm competitive enough for PhDs because of my lack of a clearly defined research focus. I don't have any posters, and am only coauthor on one student publication. My recommendation letters would just be from my clinical supervisors at work (who are PHD psychologists) and my doctoral student PI. Do you think it's still worth applying to PhDs?

 

[psych.meout]

I don't think I'm competitive enough for PhDs because of my lack of a clearly defined research focus. I don't have any posters, and am only coauthor on one student publication. My recommendation letters would just be from my clinical supervisors at work (who are PHD psychologists) and my doctoral student PI. Do you think it's still worth applying to PhDs?

Ok, but the funded PsyD programs are generally as competitive as PhD programs and value research experience and focus. The point is that you might not be competitive for them at this moment, but you could become competitive relatively quickly.