WAMC: What Are My Chances

[mjr2013]

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Since your career interests include doing clinical work, it would probably be a good idea to directly ask about this for the joint social work and psychology PhD program. Those kinds of joint programs are often focused on training TT faculty, career researchers, and policy makers, with far less emphasis, if any, on clinical work.

I'm not in social work, but my understanding is that social work PhDs are more for research and policy anyways. There's also the doctor of social work (DSW) degree that's more practice-oriented, kind of like a PsyD for social workers.

Furthermore, a joint social work-psych PhD wouldn't really make you a practicing psychologist, the provision of your degree would be as a social worker. You wouldn't be eligible for positions designated for licensed clinical, counseling, or school psychologists, as you scope of practice would be different.

Thank you for replying! Part of the program is that you gain an MSW on the way to your PhD, which allows for more clinical application than the "typical" PhD in Social Work or Social Welfare. That said, it is a good point about not being a practicing psychologist at the end of the day and that it is (even more so than the stereotypical PhD program in Clinical) a research program. It would be more difficult (and you'd make less money) to go all the way through with a PhD, to just turn around and do exclusively practice after becoming a LCSW. That's certainly not (exclusively) what I would want to do.

Rather, I am envisioning a (very roughly and very preliminarily) 60/20/20 split between research/teaching/practice, which is why I think a children's hospital attached to a university would make sense.

Of course, if there is something I'm wildly not understanding, please throw things at me. 🙂 But also let me know if this response makes sense given your concerns.

 

[deleted343839]

Rather, I am envisioning a (very roughly and very preliminarily) 60/20/20 split between research/teaching/practice, which is why I think a children's hospital attached to a university would make sense.

My advice is to identify folks who have the kinds of careers you are interested in and work backward. Learn about their education and training paths. If you don't find anyone who has the kind of degree you are seeking, that would be useful information.

For what it's worth, what you described is not at all an uncommon career path for clinical science-trained pediatric psychologists.

 

[Sweatshorts]

I will have two glowing letters of rec and a third from a Co-I on a project I’ve been on who I have worked a lot with, but not as much direct research or supervision. The third is also a prominent clinical psychologist. I have the chance to ask a 4th if they would be willing to write me a letter of recommendation. I worked very closely with them on a big research project, but they’e a PhD in medical anthropology. Does it make sense to keep my 3rd as my 3rd and then go after the 4th to add to apps who accept 4?

 

[2ndTimeHopeful]

This is my 3rd try for clinical psych Ph.D. I’ll have to retake the GRE’s if I’m not successful. I had 2 interviews for the 2018 cycle but they weren’t great fits and I wasn’t offered admission.

GRE V161/Q161 W4
psych GRE: 640
Masters GPA 3.9
Bachelors GPA 3.4/ Psych GPA 3.5 (graduated with psych honors
awards: 2 financial research grants, psychology student research award in master’s program
licensed BCBA
Publications: 1 research publication in top Ivy League medical journal & one book review in highly regarded publication, one poster presentation at an international conference. Master’s Thesis & senior honors thesis.
Research experience: currently working in one of the top university research facilities as a Sr. Research specialist using specialized neurophysiology equipment

clinical experience: over 1000 hours at a day habilitation program
recommenders: two highly regarded well known (famous)researchers, my supervisor for current position & the director of my master’s program

 

[2ndTimeHopeful]

This is my 3rd try for clinical psych Ph.D. I’ll have to retake the GRE’s if I’m not successful. I had 2 interviews for the 2018 cycle but they weren’t great fits and I wasn’t offered admission.

GRE V161/Q161 W4
psych GRE: 640
Masters GPA 3.9
Bachelors GPA 3.4/ Psych GPA 3.5 (graduated with psych honors
awards: 2 financial research grants, psychology student research award in master’s program
licensed BCBA
Publications: 1 research publication in top Ivy League medical journal & one book review in highly regarded publication, one poster presentation at an international conference. Master’s Thesis & senior honors thesis.
Research experience: currently working in one of the top university research facilities as a Sr. Research specialist using specialized neurophysiology equipment

clinical experience: over 1000 hours at a day habilitation program
recommenders: two highly regarded well known (famous)researchers, my supervisor for current position & the director of my master’s program

I also worked as a research intern for 2 summers at an Ivy League school under the mentorship of a very well known researcher and worked as an RA part time while earning my master’s degree. Will my masters GPA be enough to compensate for my bachelors GPA?

 

[WisNeuro]

Short answer, it depends on where you apply. One of the things that may be holding you back is perceived lack of productivity within research. By that, I mean that you seem to have a lot of time spent in labs and the additional masters work, but not very much in the way of poster presentations and publications commensurate with that amount of time. So, some of the more powerhouse programs may look down on that.

 

[singasongofjoy]

Hi everyone,

I’m posting because my husband has dreamed of being a therapist and studying psychology. We just moved to Seattle for my PhD studies so we’re stuck here for 5-7 years. We have decided it is a good time for him to pursue a doctoral program in psychology. He is most interested in adult psychology, being a clinical therapist, and having doctoral level knowledge to do diagnostics and work on the most cutting-edge therapy modalities. University of Washington has a Clinical PhD program he is very interested in and there are a few other PsyD programs here but they cost a lot and we already have a lot of debt from my studies. But either way we will go through with whatever is the best program that accepts him that he likes, as long as it’s in washington

My question is this: Can we still apply and have a shot in admissions given my husband’s lack of formal research but his strengths in other areas?

Pros:
- Full-time SPED teaching for 6 years
- 3.98 GPA (Summa Cum Laude)
- 4.0 GPA in psych classes
- Various prestigious honor societies

Cons:
- No formal university or hospital research experience
- Restricted to Seattle, and haven’t found RA or volunteer opportunities where he has been accepted yet
- No GRE score yet (still studying, test is in October, planning on a 160 V/Q each)
- No Psych GRE but we can prepare for that if it may help??

My husband has spent 6 years as a special education teacher in 3 different states. He has learned and applied many psychological and educational techniques and statistics to teach children with disabilities. Can we write about this in the SOP like it’s some kind of experience related to psychology that could help his app?

He has a 3.98 Summa Cum Laude GPA. He graduated from a small state school with a BA in Spanish. As a result he is also fully formally bilingual in English and Spanish and has worked with at-risk and ESL students a lot. He took a few psychology courses (intro to psych and human sexuality) but didn’t think at the time to become a therapist and he didn’t have the chance to do research in psychology. He began a career in special ed teaching instead for 6 years.

Now we’re in Seattle and we can’t find any research positions for him. Faculty won’t take him even on a shadow/volunteer basis because he’s not a student. And he works full time as a teacher to help me start our first year in Seattle. How can we overcome this obstacle in admissions? Can we with a combination of post-bacc + work experience in special education + psychology GRE test??

So to help his app he has started the UC Berkeley Psychology online post-bacc and has initiated the Research Methods course to hopefully have access to some research projects and topics to write about in his SOP. Could this meaningfully help his app?

Would it be helpful to write in the application that we are Washington residents and strongly prefer a Seattle acceptance because I live and work here? We’re at the application stage and trying to figure out what chances we have if we apply to:
University of Washington (PhD)
Seattle University (PsyD)
Antioch University (PsyD)

Wonder if he would be interested in looking at school psych programs? I know you said he'd prefer adult, but if he is open to considering options and could also enjoy working with kids a bit longer he might want to entertain the idea since it would present more options of programs to consider.

 

[jdawg2017]

er, it depends on where you apply. One of the things that may be holding you back is perceived lack of productivity within research. By that, I mean that you seem to have a lot of time spent in labs and the additional masters work, but not very much in the way of poster presentations and publications commensurate with that amount of time. So, some of the more powerhouse programs may look down on that.

Agreed. Any publications or posters in the works right now at your current job? Under review/accepted before the time you apply is better.

 

[2ndTimeHopeful]

I have a poster presentation in the works and a few publications coming up but I think they are all too early to put on my resume.

 

[WisNeuro]

I have a poster presentation in the works and a few publications coming up but I think they are all too early to put on my resume.

You can put a "manuscripts in preparation" section into your CV. Only for manuscripts, not for posters. It isn't a huge boost, but it helps to see what someone is working on.

 

[2ndTimeHopeful]

You can put a "manuscripts in preparation" section into your CV. Only for manuscripts, not for posters. It isn't a huge boost, but it helps to see what someone is working on.

Thank you

 

[Ginger0211]

Hi all,

Career changer here! Interested in Counseling/School Psych programs and wondering what my chances are for acceptance.

Undergraduate GPA: 3.2 (Upward trend..I didn't take college too seriously my first two years)
M.S. in Sustainability: 3.83
Since 2018...
Grad. Certificate in Guidance & Counseling (18 hours): 4.0
Psych GPA: 4.0 (12 hours)
GRE: 159V/150Q/4.0AWA

Professional Experience: Certified School Counselor (1 year), Human Development Instructor (5 years)

Volunteer Experience: Camp counselor and grant writer for a non-profit providing day camp for children housed in local homeless and women's shelters.

I was an RA with 2 second author publications and 2 international poster presentations, but not in psychology so I recognize that it will likely not benefit my application much.

Research Interests: Latino/a mental health, multicultural issues, cultural responsiveness in counseling/educational settings, resiliency

I am trying not to limit myself geographically as I know that I am not the most competitive applicant and I have done due diligence in identifying professors with common interests. My rec letters should be strong. I am solely interested in PhD programs.

Applying to:

Texas A&M University (Counseling)
Oklahoma State University (Counseling)
University of Central Arkansas (Counseling)
University of Northern Colorado (School)
Northern Arizona University (Combined Counseling/School)
Teachers College, Columbia (Counseling)
University of Montana (School)
University of Western Michigan (Counseling)
Purdue (Counseling)
Texas Woman's University (School)

Any feedback is greatly appreciated!

 

[kn1397]

Reposting with updated stats. Applying to clinical psych PhD programs this fall. Hoping to get a sense of how competitive my app will be given all of this.

Current stats:

• Major: Psychology, Minor: Politics
• Undergraduate GPA: 3.62
• Junior/senior year GPA: 3.92 (only junior year so far, I was advised to keep this on my resume)
• Psych GPA: 3.67
• GRE: 158V/156Q/TBA writing (just took today)

Presentations:

• 1 poster presented at a national conference
• listed as an author on 2 posters presented at national conferences
• presented research at 4 school poster sessions
• Poster just accepted to a conference in February, submitting soon to another spring conference

Publications:

• 1 in press
• 1 in preprint
• 4 in preparation

Research: fall 2017-present, 2 summers of full-time research (one 6 week, one 12 week

• Current position: senior research assistant and lab manager
• 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 an ivy, working on a clinical trial of a medication
• experience with R, SPSS, EEG admin, Qualtrics, various clinical interviews
• Thesis: currently conducting a senior thesis. utilizing computational methods to analyze task data.

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 am currently a TA for a psych disorders class

 

[jdawg2017]

stats

This all sounds pretty good (GRE can be higher, but I think you score as it stands at 314 is okay (for people who still care about the GRE, which is frankly total garbage).

4 manuscripts in prep seems high to me. I am always skeptical when people list more than 1-2 "In prep" manuscripts on a CV, because to me in prep means *theoretically* less than 1-2 months away from submission, not "I ran analysis and have something on paper kind of." I would pick maybe the top 2 to mention unless you genuinely think they are all moving out the door during interview season (which, if so, bravo!). Where are you on the manuscripts? First or second is better than middle-of-the-pack out of two-dozen authors.

I think you have good stats. Now, the thing is using all of this to your advantage by targeting your list of schools you are applying to and identifying researchers at these schools who will help you build on your previous background to do something new and transition you into being an independent clinical scientist.

 

[Lights_Up29]

As I putting my applications together for this cycle, I am a bit worried about my chances seeing as I never took the PsychGRE. None of the schools to which I am applying require the Psych GRE, but do you think this will hurt my application because I never took the exam?

 

[psych.meout]

As I putting my applications together for this cycle, I am a bit worried about my chances seeing as I never took the PsychGRE. None of the schools to which I am applying require the Psych GRE, but do you think this will hurt my application because I never took the exam?

Not unless they explicitly require it.

 

[deleted343839]

As I putting my applications together for this cycle, I am a bit worried about my chances seeing as I never took the PsychGRE. None of the schools to which I am applying require the Psych GRE, but do you think this will hurt my application because I never took the exam?

Nah, you're fine. This is not worth worrying about at all.

 

[deleted343839]

Reposting with updated stats. Applying to clinical psych PhD programs this fall. Hoping to get a sense of how competitive my app will be given all of this.

Current stats:

• Major: Psychology, Minor: Politics
• Undergraduate GPA: 3.62
• Junior/senior year GPA: 3.92 (only junior year so far, I was advised to keep this on my resume)
• Psych GPA: 3.67
• GRE: 158V/156Q/TBA writing (just took today)

Presentations:

• 1 poster presented at a national conference
• listed as an author on 2 posters presented at national conferences
• presented research at 4 school poster sessions
• Poster just accepted to a conference in February, submitting soon to another spring conference

Publications:

• 1 in press
• 1 in preprint
• 4 in preparation

Research: fall 2017-present, 2 summers of full-time research (one 6 week, one 12 week

• Current position: senior research assistant and lab manager
• 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 an ivy, working on a clinical trial of a medication
• experience with R, SPSS, EEG admin, Qualtrics, various clinical interviews
• Thesis: currently conducting a senior thesis. utilizing computational methods to analyze task data.

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 am currently a TA for a psych disorders class

You're in great shape on paper. Now it's about interviewing well and finding a good fit. But I agree with @jdawg2017, listing 4 manuscripts "in preparation" looks a little like padding though it's not going to raise any major flags.

 

[jespo51]

Hey guys,
I'm looking at just PsyDs. Any advice/ insights very appreciated! I'm wondering what my chances are for the Clinical/Counseling programs at:
Roosevelt University
Springfield College
University of Denver
Pepperdine University
Yeshiva University

Undergrad GPA: 3.05
Major (Psych) GPA: 3.6

Getting a Master's of Psychology at Pepperdine University
Master's GPA: 4.0

One year of relevant clinical experience at an inpatient mental health rehabilitation with a population I want to specialize in.
No research experience. I wrote a literature review in the master's program if they ask for writing sample.

GRE:
159: Vocab
4.5: Writing
148: Quant.

Any guesses?

 

[zigzag0118]

Hey guys,
I'm looking at just PsyDs. Any advice/ insights very appreciated! I'm wondering what my chances are for the Clinical/Counseling programs at:
Roosevelt University
Springfield College
University of Denver
Pepperdine University
Yeshiva University

Undergrad GPA: 3.05
Major (Psych) GPA: 3.6

Getting a Master's of Psychology at Pepperdine University
Master's GPA: 4.0

One year of relevant clinical experience at an inpatient mental health rehabilitation with a population I want to specialize in.
No research experience. I wrote a literature review in the master's program if they ask for writing sample.

GRE:
159: Vocab
4.5: Writing
148: Quant.

Any guesses?

I have actually spoken personally with one of the professors from this program and can tell you in good faith that you are a very good candidate. It is completely clinically focused and requires/ includes no research components. Just make sure you write a compelling personal statement about your desire to serve as a practicing clinician. Do a little research on their populations, but understand that unlike a masters degree where you might get a more normal sample of the population, a PsyD will work with more abnormal populations AND have a social justice component.

Your stats are great.

 

[WisNeuro]

If someone wants to do zero research, they should really just get a masters or social work degree. It's cheaper, will still let them do therapy and the earning potential is very similar to what a PsyD who doesn't understand research or assessment can do.

 

[jdawg2017]

If someone wants to do zero research, they should really just get a masters or social work degree. It's cheaper, will still let them do therapy and the earning potential is very similar to what a PsyD who doesn't understand research or assessment can do.

My only thought was that PsyDs might be good for people interested in neuro assessment but not interested in research, but frankly I think a lack of interest in research (at least in reading it very actively and maybe publishing some) makes for not the best neuropsychologist.

 

[WisNeuro]

My only thought was that PsyDs might be good for people interested in neuro assessment but not interested in research, but frankly I think a lack of interest in research (at least in reading it very actively and maybe publishing some) makes for not the best neuropsychologist.

It definitely is not, I've only a few board complaints in my life, and they have all been PsyD "neuropsychologists" who's complete and utter lack of understanding in what they were doing led to gross misdiagnoses and negligence. I will gladly throw those people under the bus, note their negligence in my reports to assist with any lawsuits, and report them to the board as they are clearly practicing beyond their competence.

 

[coconut123]

Hello-

Is it possible to get into a clinical psych Ph.D. program without being published? I've worked in multiple research labs gaining extensive research experience (I attended a large well-known R1 school). I completed a Honors thesis, but this was not published. I graduated in 2018 and have been working as a psychometrist for the past year (while simultaneously working in VA research lab). SO I do have various research experiences, however without a publication is acceptance into a psych Ph.D. possible??

Thank you!

For context, here are other stats about me: GPA: 3.74, V: 158, Q: 154., A: 4.5, Psych GRE: 720. Pretty average across the board!

 

[deleted989913]

Hello-

Is it possible to get into a clinical psych Ph.D. program without being published? I've worked in multiple research labs gaining extensive research experience (I attended a large well-known R1 school). I completed a Honors thesis, but this was not published. I graduated in 2018 and have been working as a psychometrist for the past year (while simultaneously working in VA research lab). SO I do have various research experiences, however without a publication is acceptance into a psych Ph.D. possible??

Thank you!

For context, here are other stats about me: GPA: 3.74, V: 158, Q: 154., A: 4.5, Psych GRE: 720. Pretty average across the board!

My grad program is very research-focused and about half of my cohort entered the program without publications. Most (if not all) did have posters at a conference, though (can you submit your honor's thesis?). I was one of those who did not have pubs but my letter writers told me that they wrote about their confidence in my ability to publish, which may be something you can talk to your letter writers about, particularly if they supervised you on your thesis.

 

[WisNeuro]

Hello-

Is it possible to get into a clinical psych Ph.D. program without being published? I've worked in multiple research labs gaining extensive research experience (I attended a large well-known R1 school). I completed a Honors thesis, but this was not published. I graduated in 2018 and have been working as a psychometrist for the past year (while simultaneously working in VA research lab). SO I do have various research experiences, however without a publication is acceptance into a psych Ph.D. possible??

Thank you!

For context, here are other stats about me: GPA: 3.74, V: 158, Q: 154., A: 4.5, Psych GRE: 720. Pretty average across the board!

Definitely possible. For research heavy places, it will be a tough row to hoe, but many students make it into more balanced PhDs without a pub. Having a poster presentation is pretty big though, but still not a necessity.

 

[qyzhu98]

Hello everyone! I am new to this community and try to get an idea of my chances at a PsyD program.
I am an international student and plan to apply for a PsyD program this year.

Major: Applied Psychology at NYU
Undergrad GPA: 3.5/4.0
Psychology GPA: 3.70-3.75/4.0
GRE: 158 Verbal 169 Quant 4.0 AW
Research Experience:

• 2 semesters in a neurology lab studying the localization of brain function using Ecog and Electrical Stimulation Mapping
  • Have experience with multiple clinical databases
  • Good at SPSS, Stata, office products and basic knowledge of MATLAB
  • The first and second author of two presented neurological posters
• 2 semesters as a student counselor at a college-prep program
  • Help high school students from high-need communities with their college planning (academic and non-academic assistance)
  • Designed and executed group activities that emphasize social adjustments

Other Experience

• Shadowing experience: I have shadowed some psychiatrists working in a hospital this summer
• Been a research assistant at a psychology lab for a summer that focuses broadly on education and biofeedback such as HRV of research participants.

I am broadly interested in assessment, both psychological and neuropsychological. My research interests encompass cognitive malfunctions and neuropsychology in general. (Alzheimer's disease is one of my favorite topics!).
I am applying to PsyD programs at the following schools:

1. Baylor University
2. Indiana State University
3. George Washington University
4. Palo Alto University (PGSP-Stanford Consortium)
5. Widener University
6. Rutgers (Not sure, I don't have a GRE psychology score but might take the test next April)

I am most concern about my GPA, my freshman year was a wreck....so I don't have any honors or awards
I would be very much appreciated for any suggestions/ advice and I am also looking for more programs to apply for!

 

[jdawg2017]

Hello everyone! I am new to this community and try to get an idea of my chances at a PsyD program.
I am an international student and plan to apply for a PsyD program this year.

Major: Applied Psychology at NYU
Undergrad GPA: 3.5/4.0
Psychology GPA: 3.70-3.75/4.0
GRE: 158 Verbal 169 Quant 4.0 AW
Research Experience:

• 2 semesters in a neurology lab studying the localization of brain function using Ecog and Electrical Stimulation Mapping
  • Have experience with multiple clinical databases
  • Good at SPSS, Stata, office products and basic knowledge of MATLAB
  • The first and second author of two presented neurological posters
• 2 semesters as a student counselor at a college-prep program
  • Help high school students from high-need communities with their college planning (academic and non-academic assistance)
  • Designed and executed group activities that emphasize social adjustments

Other Experience

• Shadowing experience: I have shadowed some psychiatrists working in a hospital this summer
• Been a research assistant at a psychology lab for a summer that focuses broadly on education and biofeedback of homosexuals during interviews.

I am broadly interested in assessment, both psychological and neuropsychological. My research interests encompass cognitive malfunctions and neuropsychology in general. (Alzheimer's disease is one of my favorite topics!).
I am applying to PsyD programs at the following schools:

1. Baylor University
2. Indiana State University
3. George Washington University
4. Palo Alto University (PGSP-Stanford Consortium)
5. Widener University
6. Rutgers (Not sure, I don't have a GRE psychology score but might take the test next April)

I am most concern about my GPA, my freshman year was a wreck....so I don't have any honors or awards
I would be very much appreciated for any suggestions/ advice and I am also looking for more programs to apply for!

Just curious why you are only looking at PsyDs? Most (but not all) good neuropsychologists I know were trained in PhD programs because a solid basis in ongoing research (or at least a strong desire to keep up with the literature) is helpful in neuropsych. It sounds like you have good research experiences, so why not shoot for funded PhDs? Most PsyDs are not funded or very underfunded.

Your GPA is okay, could be better, but not a cause for concern. Your GRE is great (169 Q!). Is English not your mother tongue (or a second language)? If so, lower AW and language can be explained, but I don't think either of those scores are concerning, personally. Would be great if one or both of those poster presentations were submitted as papers to journals (even better if published).

As an aside, if you are applying this cycle and Rutgers requires the psych GRE, I don't think you can apply. Taking in April won't help admission decisions made typically by March.

 

[deleted343839]

Hello everyone! I am new to this community and try to get an idea of my chances at a PsyD program.
I am an international student and plan to apply for a PsyD program this year.

Why would you not apply to Ph.D. programs as well? You're eliminating some of the best training opportunities available to an aspiring neuropsychologist.

Please don't think that your interest in a practice-oriented career should dissuade you from attending a Ph.D. program. This is a common myth and I encourage you to search this board for more information about the two degrees.

focuses broadly on education and biofeedback of homosexuals during interviews

Wait, what? Maybe reword this bit?

 

[qyzhu98]

Just curious why you are only looking at PsyDs? Most (but not all) good neuropsychologists I know were trained in PhD programs because a solid basis in ongoing research (or at least a strong desire to keep up with the literature) is helpful in neuropsych. It sounds like you have good research experiences, so why not shoot for funded PhDs? Most PsyDs are not funded or very underfunded.

Your GPA is okay, could be better, but not a cause for concern. Your GRE is great (169 Q!). Is English not your mother tongue (or a second language)? If so, lower AW and language can be explained, but I don't think either of those scores are concerning, personally. Would be great if one or both of those poster presentations were submitted as papers to journals (even better if published).

As an aside, if you are applying this cycle and Rutgers requires the psych GRE, I don't think you can apply. Taking in April won't help admission decisions made typically by March.

Hi! Thank you for your reply!
All my recommenders told me to look for some Ph.D. programs, but my concern is I will probably still go into practice after finishing a Ph.D. (I know a lot of clinical PhD graduates did). I kind of enjoy research but I simply don't know if I can handle it for 5-7 years. Another thing is I don't have any related research experience in the field I am interested in. I want to research Alzheimer's disease but I work mainly with epileptic patients and brain mapping. So I don't know if I should still apply for some Ph.D. programs or work as a research coordinator at an AD center for 1-2 years and see how it goes. I would love to hear your thoughts on this!
And yes, English is my second language. So please bear with me for some grammar mistakes 🙂

 

[qyzhu98]

Why would you not apply to Ph.D. programs as well? You're eliminating some of the best training opportunities available to an aspiring neuropsychologist.

Please don't think that your interest in a practice-oriented career should dissuade you from attending a Ph.D. program. This is a common myth and I encourage you to search this board for more information about the two degrees.



Wait, what? Maybe reword this bit?

Thank you for your reply!
I guess the main reason for not applying for a Ph.D. is I am not sure if I can do research for another 5-7 years. And it's very difficult to find the right mentor! There is a program at USC I have interest in and I am looking into it!
And thank you for pointing that sentence out, I will edit it right away!

 

[WisNeuro]

Hi! Thank you for your reply!
All my recommenders told me to look for some Ph.D. programs, but my concern is I will probably still go into practice after finishing a Ph.D. (I know a lot of clinical PhD graduates did). I kind of enjoy research but I simply don't know if I can handle it for 5-7 years. Another thing is I don't have any related research experience in the field I am interested in. I want to research Alzheimer's disease but I work mainly with epileptic patients and brain mapping. So I don't know if I should still apply for some Ph.D. programs or work as a research coordinator at an AD center for 1-2 years and see how it goes. I would love to hear your thoughts on this!
And yes, English is my second language. So please bear with me for some grammar mistakes 🙂

There are many balanced and more clinically oriented PhD programs out there. I will also add that neuropsychology is a practice area where a very strong grounding in research and statistics/psychometrics is essential.

 

[qyzhu98]

There are many balanced and more clinically oriented PhD programs out there. I will also add that neuropsychology is a practice area where a very strong grounding in research and statistics/psychometrics is essential.

Thank you! I am still searching for those programs.

 

[deleted1017236]

Thank you! I am still searching for those programs.

When I applied years back, I found this book quite helpful for getting a sense of which programs were considered more balanced. If I remember correctly they had a rating from emphasis on clinical to emphasis on research for each program.

Amazon product ASIN B07Z8NDDRB

 

[qyzhu98]

When I applied years back, I found this book quite helpful for getting a sense of which programs were considered more balanced. If I remember correctly they had a rating from emphasis on clinical to emphasis on research for each program.

Amazon product ASIN B07Z8NDDRB

Thank you! I have this book but I'm not sure if it has the rating. Will check that later!

 

[propsych]

Hi everyone, I have posted before, but I'm finally applying this month and have my most up date date info.

I am applying to the following schools for clinical psych:
1)uni of rochester
2)uni of washington
3)wisonsin-madison
4)harvard
5)indiana bloomington
6) one local masters program (if accepted I probably wouldn't go anyway)

GPA
Undergrad gpa: 3.029 (had a 2.1 first two years of college, got straight A's last two years, and this is the outcome. I worked really hard and I did mention this change in my personal statement. Should I remove the scary looking 2.1 from my statement?)
psych major gpa: 4.0
survey research minor gpa: 4.0
Last 60+ credits gpa: 4.0

GRE
161V, 151Q, 4.5AWA
Psych GRE: waiting on results

Posters (15 total):
1st author on 10 (only 2 are local-college level, the rest are international, national, and regional
2nd author on 4 (mix of conference levels)
6th author on 1 (first national conference)

Manuscripts (all in prep- 7 total):
1st author (1), 2nd author (1), 3rd author (3), 5th author (2)
(these 5th authorship ones are in my most recent lab and actually pertain to what I want to do in grad school, whereas the others are not related at all (still psych methods, just different content area).

Research Experience (total 3 years):
Lab A:
3 years (1 as an RA, 1 as Lab manager, 1 as post-grad researcher(concurrent with time at Lab B))
I did everything here: IRBs, hiring, new study design, data collection/cleaning, posters, manuscripts etc.........the post grad position is now, and is remote work where i basically consult on studies I started and write papers.
Not the content area I wish to research in grad school
During lab manager year I was also an NSF REU fellow in this lab

Lab B:
1 year (full-time job as an RA post graduating- current position)
Collect data (eeg, neuropsych, interviews), recruit, consent etc. help with lit reviews for manuscripts in research content area I am interested in.
Actual Lab focus is not on content area of interest.

3rd experience:
I was in an advanced survey research practicum class and conducted a study through the irb. Went on to present findings (lack there of lol) at a college conference. Teacher is now deceased so no letter. I was only student to go through irb.

Recommendation Letters (total 3):
1. Lab A: Excellent (from PI)
2. Lab B: Excellent (from famous? PI/lab)
3. Professor (not yet Dr. ): good? I took one class with him but we did speak about research etc. and he said he is happy to write me a good one. (My other

Clinical Experience:
6 month internship with a clinical population of no interest to me personally but it was a good experience and helped rule out a pop.


I have reached out to a few potential professors, and they mostly encouraged me to apply unless they were not taking any applications. No one directly told me "no" to my low gpa when I asked, but I'm guessing they kinda have to say that.

Anyway, I appreciate any feedback! Thanks!

 

[deleted1017236]

Hi everyone, I have posted before, but I'm finally applying this month and have my most up date date info.

I am applying to the following schools for clinical psych:
1)uni of rochester
2)uni of washington
3)wisonsin-madison
4)harvard
5)indiana bloomington
6) one local masters program (if accepted I probably wouldn't go anyway)

GPA
Undergrad gpa: 3.029 (had a 2.1 first two years of college, got straight A's last two years, and this is the outcome. I worked really hard and I did mention this change in my personal statement. Should I remove the scary looking 2.1 from my statement?)
psych major gpa: 4.0
survey research minor gpa: 4.0
Last 60+ credits gpa: 4.0

GRE
161V, 151Q, 4.5AWA
Psych GRE: waiting on results

Posters (15 total):
1st author on 10 (only 2 are local-college level, the rest are international, national, and regional
2nd author on 4 (mix of conference levels)
6th author on 1 (first national conference)

Manuscripts (all in prep- 7 total):
1st author (1), 2nd author (1), 3rd author (3), 5th author (2)
(these 5th authorship ones are in my most recent lab and actually pertain to what I want to do in grad school, whereas the others are not related at all (still psych methods, just different content area).

Research Experience (total 3 years):
Lab A:
3 years (1 as an RA, 1 as Lab manager, 1 as post-grad researcher(concurrent with time at Lab B))
I did everything here: IRBs, hiring, new study design, data collection/cleaning, posters, manuscripts etc.........the post grad position is now, and is remote work where i basically consult on studies I started and write papers.
Not the content area I wish to research in grad school
During lab manager year I was also an NSF REU fellow in this lab

Lab B:
1 year (full-time job as an RA post graduating- current position)
Collect data (eeg, neuropsych, interviews), recruit, consent etc. help with lit reviews for manuscripts in research content area I am interested in.
Actual Lab focus is not on content area of interest.

3rd experience:
I was in an advanced survey research practicum class and conducted a study through the irb. Went on to present findings (lack there of lol) at a college conference. Teacher is now deceased so no letter. I was only student to go through irb.

Recommendation Letters (total 3):
1. Lab A: Excellent (from PI)
2. Lab B: Excellent (from famous? PI/lab)
3. Professor (not yet Dr. ): good? I took one class with him but we did speak about research etc. and he said he is happy to write me a good one. (My other

Clinical Experience:
6 month internship with a clinical population of no interest to me personally but it was a good experience and helped rule out a pop.


I have reached out to a few potential professors, and they mostly encouraged me to apply unless they were not taking any applications. No one directly told me "no" to my low gpa when I asked, but I'm guessing they kinda have to say that.

Anyway, I appreciate any feedback! Thanks!

When I applied, minimum of 10 sites was recommended to me. Since the sites you have right now are very competitive ones, I would think this may be especially beneficial to you, regardless of stats!

I would also consider how far along those 7 in prep papers really are. I was asked very detailed questions about in prep papers on interviews and having 7 to keep track of would be challenging, especially if (as I would suspect) some are not quite fully hashed out.

Re the GPA, congrats on bringing that up, I can imagine that was tough! Can one of your letter writers discuss this? It may come off better from them versus in your statement but hopefully others more directly involved in the process can chime in here.

Best of luck to you!

 

[propsych]

When I applied, minimum of 10 sites was recommended to me. Since the sites you have right now are very competitive ones, I would think this may be especially beneficial to you, regardless of stats!

I would also consider how far along those 7 in prep papers really are. I was asked very detailed questions about in prep papers on interviews and having 7 to keep track of would be challenging, especially if (as I would suspect) some are not quite fully hashed out.

Re the GPA, congrats on bringing that up, I can imagine that was tough! Can one of your letter writers discuss this? It may come off better from them versus in your statement but hopefully others more directly involved in the process can chime in here.

Best of luck to you!

I hear you about increasing application count, however I will do that next year if (and most likely) I don't get accepted to one of these. I believe one of them is addressing it, though there is only so much I can ask of them. thanks for the feedback!

 

[psych.meout]

Recommendation Letters (total 3):
3. Professor (not yet Dr. ): good? I took one class with him but we did speak about research etc. and he said he is happy to write me a good one. (My other

What do you mean "not yet Dr.?" Is this person an intern or post doc or something?

Regardless, do you have anyone else who knows you better than that? One class and chatting about research doesn't really make for a great recommendation. It's best to have someone who knows you well and who can speak to how you would perform as a grad student in a doctoral program, not just how you do in undergrad courses.

I don't know if the combination of knowing you in such a brief context and not actually having a doctorate makes for a great reference.

 

[propsych]

What do you mean "not yet Dr.?" Is this person an intern or post doc or something?

Regardless, do you have anyone else who knows you better than that? One class and chatting about research doesn't really make for a great recommendation. It's best to have someone who knows you well and who can speak to how you would perform as a grad student in a doctoral program, not just how you do in undergrad courses.

I don't know if the combination of knowing you in such a brief context and not actually having a doctorate makes for a great reference.

He's in process of getting his PhD.
I don't really have any other option. My two other letters are stellar so it'll have to do. I've only worked closely with two people.

 

[jdawg2017]

He's in process of getting his PhD.
I don't really have any other option. My two other letters are stellar so it'll have to do. I've only worked closely with two people.

Unless it's one of the PIs, I would advise asking for a letter (ASAP, like literally after you read this) from whoever supervised you on your clinical internship. That will be infinitely more valuable than someone who does not have their PhD (grad student?) and taught one class in which you chatted with them.

 

[pediatric_psydoc]

Unless it's one of the PIs, I would advise asking for a letter (ASAP, like literally after you read this) from whoever supervised you on your clinical internship. That will be infinitely more valuable than someone who does not have their PhD (grad student?) and taught one class in which you chatted with them.

Agreed. The supervisor can attest to your clinical skills, vs this grad student? who can basically attest to your academic skills. Your academic skills are reflected in your transcripts. Your research skills are attested by your letters from your PIs, which is great. A letter about clinical skills would make your LORs more well-rounded as far as skills go, IMHO.

 

[psych.meout]

He's in process of getting his PhD.
I don't really have any other option. My two other letters are stellar so it'll have to do. I've only worked closely with two people.

So, a grad student?

Honestly, no matter how much you got along with this student or how impressed they were with your performance in class, this is not going to be a great reference. Grad students just don't have sufficient experience in research, teaching, clinical work, or mentoring to be able to properly assess someone in terms of their aptitude for grad school or as a psychologist. I say this as a grad student who has done all of those things and worked closely with undergrads, both as RAs and in classes I've taught.

The clinical supervisor would be a much better reference.

 

[propsych]

Agreed. The supervisor can attest to your clinical skills, vs this grad student? who can basically attest to your academic skills. Your academic skills are reflected in your transcripts. Your research skills are attested by your letters from your PIs, which is great. A letter about clinical skills would make your LORs more well-rounded as far as skills go, IMHO.

Thanks, I really appreciate all this feedback. The clinical internship was so long ago though (and the supervisor will both not remember me too well/ wouldn't know how to write a letter based on what I know about them) that I feel the letter would not have much value either. I'm kind of riding on my two really good ones and hope to get more familiar with someone else professionally within the next year who can write me a letter next time.

This third letter aside, what do you think of my application overall. I am going into it expecting to get no interviews really, and kind of taking it as a learning experience, but do you think there's a chance at all with what I have going on now?

 

[jdawg2017]

Thanks, I really appreciate all this feedback. The clinical internship was so long ago though (and the supervisor will both not remember me too well/ wouldn't know how to write a letter based on what I know about them) that I feel the letter would not have much value either. I'm kind of riding on my two really good ones and hope to get more familiar with someone else professionally within the next year who can write me a letter next time.

This third letter aside, what do you think of my application overall. I am going into it expecting to get no interviews really, and kind of taking it as a learning experience, but do you think there's a chance at all with what I have going on now?

That is a bit challenging. I would not hedge bets on 2 good letters and one random letter. It would look like to reviewers of your application that you cannot network well. Even a professor from another area who you know well could contribute more value than a graduate student. For example, I am bilingual (Spanish is my second language), so I had the chair of my undergrad's Spanish dept (with whom I took several courses) write about my desire to learn this language and understand latinx cultures deeply. Every school I went to mentioned this letter on interviews, even more than a famous PI who wrote one of my other ones (LOL).

If you don't think you are getting in this cycle, why apply now versus wait and actually get another letter and move some of those "in prep" papers to (ideally) published? Assuming you can continue to work in your current role and maybe expand out and network more with another PI on another project, that is my personal suggestion. Why waste money on applications if you feel you aren't going to succeed?

It's hard to say whether or not you will get interviews; it's kind of a crap shoot. One thing others have said elsewhere is not to list 7 in prep pubs. Maybe pick the 3 closest to submission. 7 in prep pubs, frankly, looks and sounds fake depending largely on how one defines "in prep." Having run an analysis and writing a little bit does not cross my mental threshold, and frankly nothing is better than actually submitted or published.

Your GPA showed good improvement, but the low overall GPA may not be good. Definitely address this improvement in your SOP and factors relating to poor beginning GPA. Your Q on the GRE is also a bit low (41%), as programs tend to value the Q highly. Again, getting interviews with these stats vs your other great experiences will largely depend on a variety of factors.

 

[pediatric_psydoc]

Thanks, I really appreciate all this feedback. The clinical internship was so long ago though (and the supervisor will both not remember me too well/ wouldn't know how to write a letter based on what I know about them) that I feel the letter would not have much value either. I'm kind of riding on my two really good ones and hope to get more familiar with someone else professionally within the next year who can write me a letter next time.

This third letter aside, what do you think of my application overall. I am going into it expecting to get no interviews really, and kind of taking it as a learning experience, but do you think there's a chance at all with what I have going on now?

I would drop the application to the masters degree program. You said if you were accepted you wouldn’t go, so it doesn’t seem there’s a point in applying. You’re wasting your time and resources as well as the time of the people who are reviewing your application.

Add more sites, especially since as others have said these are highly competitive. I believe your response when that was suggested was you would do that next year if it came to that. I think it would be best to minimize the likelihood of there being a next year of applications by adding more sites this year. Don’t add programs that aren’t reputable or legitimate, but add legitimate, well-funded programs to maximize the likelihood of being accepted this year by finding a place in which you are a good fit.

Also agree to drop “in prep” manuscripts. “Under review” or “submitted for review” is fine but not “in prep.” Better to have three published papers than looking like you’re fluffing your CV with “in prep” work.”

 

[propsych]

That is a bit challenging. I would not hedge bets on 2 good letters and one random letter. It would look like to reviewers of your application that you cannot network well. Even a professor from another area who you know well could contribute more value than a graduate student. For example, I am bilingual (Spanish is my second language), so I had the chair of my undergrad's Spanish dept (with whom I took several courses) write about my desire to learn this language and understand latinx cultures deeply. Every school I went to mentioned this letter on interviews, even more than a famous PI who wrote one of my other ones (LOL).

If you don't think you are getting in this cycle, why apply now versus wait and actually get another letter and move some of those "in prep" papers to (ideally) published? Assuming you can continue to work in your current role and maybe expand out and network more with another PI on another project, that is my personal suggestion. Why waste money on applications if you feel you aren't going to succeed?

It's hard to say whether or not you will get interviews; it's kind of a crap shoot. One thing others have said elsewhere is not to list 7 in prep pubs. Maybe pick the 3 closest to submission. 7 in prep pubs, frankly, looks and sounds fake depending largely on how one defines "in prep." Having run an analysis and writing a little bit does not cross my mental threshold, and frankly nothing is better than actually submitted or published.

Your GPA showed good improvement, but the low overall GPA may not be good. Definitely address this improvement in your SOP and factors relating to poor beginning GPA. Your Q on the GRE is also a bit low (41%), as programs tend to value the Q highly. Again, getting interviews with these stats vs your other great experiences will largely depend on a variety of factors.

Thank you for the advice, I will certainly strongly consider dropping the in-prep list down to the works closest to being submitted and to ones I've done lots of work on contribution wise. I am set to be an author on 7, but yes, only a few will be ready enough to be submitted within the next few months. I mostly wanted to show that I really had to grind to dig myself out of a hole and managed to get myself on these papers, posters, and jobs. I have addressed my gpa in my SOP in a short first paragraph. As it stands, the flow is: address gpa, research experience 1, research experience 2, education/career goals, fit with program.

I hear you confirming that my weaknesses are in my low overall gpa, unbalanced gre, and 1 blah letter, and perhaps no published papers. I'm just hoping all the research experience pulls through for me lol.

In regards to the MA program, I'm on the fence and want to keep my options open. I might be into taking a grad level stats class or something while I wait to apply again if need be.

 

[propsych]

I would drop the application to the masters degree program. You said if you were accepted you wouldn’t go, so it doesn’t seem there’s a point in applying. You’re wasting your time and resources as well as the time of the people who are reviewing your application.

Add more sites, especially since as others have said these are highly competitive. I believe your response when that was suggested was you would do that next year if it came to that. I think it would be best to minimize the likelihood of there being a next year of applications by adding more sites this year. Don’t add programs that aren’t reputable or legitimate, but add legitimate, well-funded programs to maximize the likelihood of being accepted this year by finding a place in which you are a good fit.

Also agree to drop “in prep” manuscripts. “Under review” or “submitted for review” is fine but not “in prep.” Better to have three published papers than looking like you’re fluffing your CV with “in prep” work.”

got it, thanks for taking the time to respond. I will likely drop some of the in-prep papers.

 

[jdawg2017]

MA program, I'm on the fence and wa

Don't misunderstand me. I think you have strong qualifications. At the same time, these application cylces are a crap-shoot, so you never know what is going to happen and small things can impact the overall impression of PIs. I agree with expanding your search and not applying twice for no reason. It's less of a learning experience than you may think.

 

[deleted1017236]

Don't misunderstand me. I think you have strong qualifications. At the same time, these application cylces are a crap-shoot, so you never know what is going to happen and small things can impact the overall impression of PIs. I agree with expanding your search and not applying twice for no reason. It's less of a learning experience than you may think.

Definitely agree with the posters above, it's just a hard situation to predict, especially not knowing to what degree you have good fit with those programs. Re treating applying as a learning experience, I have multiple friends who applied two or even three times and they didn't get any feedback about the strengths or weaknesses of their applications. One or two PIs responded to such a request, and it was for programs that they were being strongly considered for after the interview phase. Even so, the feedback was quite predictable (work on publishing more). Your case could of course play out differently, but if you are expecting feedback that helps you apply in the next round, I'm not sure it's typical to get that!