WAMC: What Are My Chances

[summerbabe]

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2 schools that I really want to apply to still require it (strong mentor match, great neuropsych programs)

I'm gonna make the assumption that these 2 programs value the GRE more in their admissions/screening process than most other programs (and not even a literal deadly airborne virus that can spread rapidly within
enclosed spaces is pausing this preference).

1. Are you likely to improve your score even with significant effort? How did you prepare before and could a new prep approach help? Is your GRE in the same percentile range as SAT/ACT and other standardized tests you've taken in the past?

2. Have you communicated with these 2 mentors already? If you're worried about being screened out but have already corresponded previously with a PI, you can always send an update that you've submitted your application and look forward to being in touch. Now, if a place has a hard GRE cut off and you're below it, it might not matter. But if it's to weed out potentially bad applications, then a PI could theoretically go into a discard pile and extend you an interview, since it'll be him/her extending an offer for their lab (assuming the program operates on this type of model).

 

[DrBakedGoods]

Hi everyone! Apologies for posting again, I just can't decide if I should retake the GRE (again) Verbal&Quant: 309 Verbal: 154 Quant: 155 Writing: 4.5
I'm applying to PhD programs and want to be a clinical neuropsychologist. I'm not the best GRE test taker (I've taken it before and got a 308), but should I try to take the exam once more before the application deadlines? I'm hard on myself as I'm sure we all are, but I don't want my low scores to be the thing that screens me out. Though most schools waived the GRE requirement this year, 2 schools that I really want to apply to still require it (strong mentor match, great neuropsych programs). What do you think? Thank you in advance for reading, your advice is always truly appreciated.

Here are my other stats if it's helpful:

Major: Biology and Psychology, 2018
GPA 3.8 / Psych major GPA: 3.95
Psi Chi (psych) and Sigma Xi (science and engineering)

Research:
- 1 publication (3rd author of 4)
- 1 manuscript in prep (4th of 5)
- 4 presentations (one national, one at the state level, two at my university)
- Research methods course (independent research project)
- Senior thesis (independent research project)
- Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship in a lab for 10 weeks
- I've been in a lab at a Univeristy Hospital for 2.5 years as an RC managing 4 brain injury studies. I do informed consent, data collection, interviews, neuropsych assessments and data management for all of them
- Currently involved in three projects that will be papers eventually but not anytime before app deadlines.

Clinical:
- I interned at at a neuropsych private practice for one semester during undergrad administering and scoring neuropsych assessments for various clinical populations
- 1 year of shadowing a rehab psychologist at a rehab hospital
- 2 years of attending my boss's brain injury clinic, writing up the histories for him, taking observations and writing up the clinical reports

I don't know how much this matters, but in terms of teaching experience, I was a chem tutor and a mentor to freshman undergrads for one year too.

Thanks!

Those are fairly low GRE scores for most PhD programs. I would suggest looking at the two schools that are requiring it and see what the average GRE scores for who they've accepted in the past (each website should have this information). That would give you a rough idea of what you may need to achieve to at least get an interview. Usually I would say 315-318 are on the lowest I've seen at programs, with 320~ being average.

 

[DrClinPsyAdvice]

Applying to Psych Grad School in the time of COVID

Uncensored Advice from Dr. Mitch Prinstein

All are welcome, but especially BIPOC and first-generation students

Tuesday October 13, 4PM – 5:30PM ET

RSVP for Zoom Link

 

[representwitpixels]

Do GRE screening cut-offs eliminate based on writing score or primarily verbal and quant? Asking because I had some tech issues with the writing on the at-home test that hurt me (got a 3.0 and 320+ on main sections) and ETS still hasn't answered my letters two months later. Not going to take it again but if it's an immediate toss-out I'd rather save the admissions fees for the 2 programs on my list that require it.

 

[WisNeuro]

Do GRE screening cut-offs eliminate based on writing score or primarily verbal and quant? Asking because I had some tech issues with the writing on the at-home test that hurt me (got a 3.0 and 320+ on main sections) and ETS still hasn't answered my letters two months later. Not going to take it again but if it's an immediate toss-out I'd rather save the admissions fees for the 2 programs on my list that require it.

IME, it was predominantly Verbal, followed by quant score.

 

[RosyCounselor]

Hi, all!

Normally, I'm someone who just lurks forums but I wanted to take the chance to figure out what my chances were for a clinical psychology program because, well, it's better to rip the band aid off and find out, right? So, here's my stats: (And thank you all and any who read and let me know their thoughts. I appreciate any time and effort put forth here).

Undergraduate:
Major: Psychology, 2018
GPA: 3.4 / Psych major GPA: 3.75

Graduate:
Masters of Arts: Clinical Psychology
GPA: 3.29

Research:
- 1 publication (3rd author of 4)
- 2 presentations (one international, one at my university)
- Master's thesis (currently in progress of working on proposal)
- Ran undergraduate research lab as part of my assistantship during my master's
- I was an undergrad research assistant for three of my four years during undergrad (the first position was for a semester where I cleaned data, the next was the biggest where I assisted for two and a half years (cleaning data, scheduling appointments, proof reading studies, etc.), and the last lasted a year where I also cleaned data and researched articles for meta-analysis.

Clinical:
- I interned at at a college counseling center for 9 months during my second year of my master's program, performing individual therapy, running an LGBTQ support group, performing outreach for college students involving mindfulness and DBT skills
- I also interned at a college psychological testing center for 6 months during my second year of my master's, performing therapy, providing testing for ADHD (including IQ, achievement, and personality assessments)
- 2 years managing college psychological testing center (i.g. ordering testing protocols, managing the wait room, organizing test kits, etc.)

I haven't provided my GRE stats as a result of the schools I'm applying to not taking them into consideration due to COVID. (In addition, my GRE scores are a weak part of my application. I'll add the schools I'm applying to in case that helps consideration any?

Schools:
Western Michigan University
Eastern Michigan University
University of Michigan
University at Albany
Case Western Reserve University
Utah State University
Wichita State University
University of Massachusets Boston
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
University of South Dakota
University of Toledo

 

[summerbabe]

Normally, I'm someone who just lurks forums but I wanted to take the chance to figure out what my chances were for a clinical psychology program because, well, it's better to rip the band aid off and find out, right?

I'm a clinician so this is based on my experiences being involved in admissions for my lab during my funded PhD program

A lower graduate GPA than undergrad might raise red flags since 1 or 2 Cs during your PhD can result in academic probation and potentially dismissal depending on the program. I'm unfamiliar with your programs you listed but I imagine you'll be on the lower end of the applicant pool stats wise, both for undergrad and grad GPAs.

You seem to have a good range of research experiences, which is a positive. Were these different labs/projects on related topics or unrelated? How do these experiences fit with what you're hoping to research during the PhD and the PIs/research labs you've identified? If there's a lot of continuity in past topics and future directions, that could help in boosting your application, since some PIs may preference the quantity/quality of research.

 

[RosyCounselor]

I'm a clinician so this is based on my experiences being involved in admissions for my lab during my funded PhD program

A lower graduate GPA than undergrad might raise red flags since 1 or 2 Cs during your PhD can result in academic probation and potentially dismissal depending on the program. I'm unfamiliar with your programs you listed but I imagine you'll be on the lower end of the applicant pool stats wise, both for undergrad and grad GPAs.

You seem to have a good range of research experiences, which is a positive. Were these different labs/projects on related topics or unrelated? How do these experiences fit with what you're hoping to research during the PhD and the PIs/research labs you've identified? If there's a lot of continuity in past topics and future directions, that could help in boosting your application, since some PIs may preference the quantity/quality of research.

So for my research, the first and last lab/projects I was involved in (a little bit of cog sci and clinical psych that focused on religion and porn) aren't related to my current research interests. My current research interests are related to the three - four projects I was involved with in the second lab which is investigating ACT and therapy outcome research. My publication and posters are also related to it though they work off the same project, to be honest.

As for my grades, while I never got any Cs, the prof that mainly taught my classes was a hard grader and I have him as a writer for my LOR, if that makes up for anything? At this point, based off your feedback, should I not try this round of apps and figure out something to boost my application or just give it a try?

 

[summerbabe]

investigating ACT and therapy outcome research

Excellent, not having a focused research area is often a barrier to good PI/program fit.

the prof that mainly taught my classes was a hard grader and I have him as a writer for my LOR, if that makes up for anything?

Even if a reviewer makes the connection between a strong LOR but weaker grades in that prof's classes, my hunch is that it won't matter any/much.

At this point, based off your feedback, should I not try this round of apps and figure out something to boost my application or just give it a try?

If all of your schools have profs interested in ACT research, they can value your research experience and think that your future directions synch up better with their research programs than somebody else with better stats/other research. But compared to another applicant with similar research background/output, I think you'd be at a disadvantage since they would have demonstrated more previous success and programs are always wary of possible attrition.

One benefit of applying this cycle is learning more about programs and potential PIs. Even if you are not successful, hopefully you'll get some interviews and the opportunity to solicit feedback. There were people in my lab who re-applied and got in their 2nd time after adding to their CV. Good luck!

 

[DrBakedGoods]

Excellent, not having a focused research area is often a barrier to good PI/program fit.


Even if a reviewer makes the connection between a strong LOR but weaker grades in that prof's classes, my hunch is that it won't matter any/much.


If all of your schools have profs interested in ACT research, they can value your research experience and think that your future directions synch up better with their research programs than somebody else with better stats/other research. But compared to another applicant with similar research background/output, I think you'd be at a disadvantage since they would have demonstrated more previous success and programs are always wary of possible attrition.

One benefit of applying this cycle is learning more about programs and potential PIs. Even if you are not successful, hopefully you'll get some interviews and the opportunity to solicit feedback. There were people in my lab who re-applied and got in their 2nd time after adding to their CV. Good luck!

Would 100% back this up in terms of applying for this cycle even if not successful. With no traveling costs and not having to take/send the GRE to school. All you're (maybe?) paying for are the application fees. It's a good time to see how well you can do and get some valuable feedback from the programs you're interested in about how you can improve your application for future cycles.

 

[RosyCounselor]

Summerbabe - Thank you so much for the advice, feedback, and time you spent looking over my comments and giving me feedback. I was a little freaked out at first but the information you've given me is comforting and from an unbiased perspective which I appreciate greatly. It'll help for discussion points for my personal statement and allows me to consider myself fairly so again, thank you very much!

DrBakedGoods - Thanks for the reassurance and advice as well. I had been focusing on the points you mentioned while wrapping up my masters classes but what lead me to posting here was a lot of imposter syndrome and doubts haha so it's nice to have someone else comment as well! 🙂

 

[futureapppsy2]

IME, it was predominantly Verbal, followed by quant score.

When I applied, I remember quant being prioritized over verbal; no one really looked at writing, IIRC.

 

[Justanothergrad]

When I applied, I remember quant being prioritized over verbal; no one really looked at writing, IIRC.

ditto

 

[WisNeuro]

When I applied, I remember quant being prioritized over verbal; no one really looked at writing, IIRC.

Interesting, I believe my program may have been using it as a proxy for overall intelligence as the verbal has a stronger relationship to IQ. Not saying it's right or wrong or endorsing one or the other, just an observation. We also didn't put much stock in the writing score. We did require the subject GRE, but it was pretty much just used as another cutoff.

 

[DrClinPsyAdvice]

Recently, a large sample of faculty in research oriented PhD programs in clinical psychology were asked to indicate the most important qualities thet look for in graduate admissions. Here's what they said:

¢Scientific curiosity - interested in many topics, ideas, and intrinsically rewarded by scientific inquiry
¢Critical Thinking - can recognize divergent/contradictory perspectives and challenge viewpoints/ideas
¢Good interpersonal skills - encodes, interprets, and responds to social cues in a typical manner
¢Analytical thinking - can recognize patterns, trends, summarize broader concepts from specific details, and demonstrates logic-guided thinking
¢Problem Solving Skill - can identify problems, generate/recommend a variety of solutions
¢Open-minded - is open to new perspectives and ideas
¢Independence and self-guided inquiry - pursues additional knowledge, independent educational experiences beyond requirements
¢Works well within a team - acknowledges others' contributions, cooperates, collaborates, assists others
¢Takes Initiative - Volunteers to do more, take full advantage of opportunities to expand knowledge, skills, and abilities.
¢Openness to supervision and personal insight - can reflect upon and review his/her prior learning, solicit feedback, and change behavior

Note - many of these can be conveyed in a personal statement. Make sure you keep these in mind when you draft your's!

 

[Dazen]

Recently, a large sample of faculty in research oriented PhD programs in clinical psychology were asked to indicate the most important qualities thet look for in graduate admissions. Here's what they said:

¢Scientific curiosity - interested in many topics, ideas, and intrinsically rewarded by scientific inquiry
¢Critical Thinking - can recognize divergent/contradictory perspectives and challenge viewpoints/ideas
¢Good interpersonal skills - encodes, interprets, and responds to social cues in a typical manner
¢Analytical thinking - can recognize patterns, trends, summarize broader concepts from specific details, and demonstrates logic-guided thinking
¢Problem Solving Skill - can identify problems, generate/recommend a variety of solutions
¢Open-minded - is open to new perspectives and ideas
¢Independence and self-guided inquiry - pursues additional knowledge, independent educational experiences beyond requirements
¢Works well within a team - acknowledges others' contributions, cooperates, collaborates, assists others
¢Takes Initiative - Volunteers to do more, take full advantage of opportunities to expand knowledge, skills, and abilities.
¢Openness to supervision and personal insight - can reflect upon and review his/her prior learning, solicit feedback, and change behavior

Note - many of these can be conveyed in a personal statement. Make sure you keep these in mind when you draft your's!

This is a great list (thanks Mitch!). What stood out to me the most is how helpful it is to show times you have created and followed through on your own ideas, whether that is in research or work. Grad students need to be independent and self-driven, so showing a history of that curiosity and creativity will go a long way.

 

[Kamalory]

A lot of my programs ask that if you have presented a poster or have authored a paper, to submit that along with your application as a professional work sample. However, due to COVID-19, a conference that I presented at replaced posters with Data Blitzes - which is basically a poster but in a more simplified PowerPoint presentation - due to the virtual format, which made for easier oral presentations. Should I submit a copy of the PowerPoint as a supplementary material? I plan on reaching out to programs regarding this, but thought I would also ask for advice here (this would not replace a writing sample). 🙂

Edit: As another question - I have submitted a poster presentation for a conference in April; decisions will not be sent out until mid-December, but all of my programs have a deadline prior to that. Is it appropriate to add a submitted presentation to my CV (and if it is accepted, to add it as an 'upcoming' presentation?).

Thank you!

 

[Dazen]

Hi all,

Was wondering if there are any specific recommended resources for personal statements? I have a rough draft that I feel reasonably confident about, and am currently circulating with some grad school friends and one of my recommenders, but since none are in psychology (I have an engineering background) I want to make sure I'm presenting myself in the best possible way for clinical programs. The biggest things I'm concentrating on are ensuring I describe my my past work well and connect it to what my POI does, and to compellingly explain my career change (engineering -> finance -> wilderness therapy -> clinical psych)

 

[summerbabe]

Should I submit a copy of the PowerPoint as a supplementary material?

Yes since it's clearly your professional work.

Is it appropriate to add a submitted presentation to my CV (and if it is accepted, to add it as an 'upcoming' presentation?).

Yep, just clearly indicate it's being currently reviewed and has not been accepted yet (e.g., 'poster submission under review'). Some people will also list potential projects as "under development" when they haven't been submitted yet.

and one of my recommenders, but since none are in psychology

Are your other letter writers psychologists? If they agreed to write you a rec, I would think they'd be willing to give some feedback. It would be concerning to see a PhD/PsyD application from somebody who has zero letters from PhD/PsyDs.

The biggest things I'm concentrating on are ensuring I describe my my past work well and connect it to what my POI does, and to compellingly explain my career change (engineering -> finance -> wilderness therapy -> clinical psych)

While personal background and motivation to pursue a doctorate is important (and when written well and concisely, can help you stand out), the bulk of your personal statement should describe what's prepared you to be successful in doctoral studies (e.g., previous research projects you've worked on and what you learned from these contributions), how your intended doctoral research interests line up with your POI's work, and your fit with the program (e.g., interest in being trained in the scientist-practitioner model).

 

[Dazen]

@summerbabe, thanks! Really appreciate the thoughts.

All three of my letters are from PhDs, but because none of the research I did in undergrad was in the psych department, they are a combination of engineers and ecologists. They are willing to look over my statement, but I also know they're in different fields. The bulk of my personal statement is talking about my research experience, which is primarily mathematical modeling and statistics of qualitative systems, which I feel comfortable talking about. I also do have a pretty specific research interest that I've both described and connected to POI's work. The reason I listed career change above is because it's what I'm most worried about - I think in a vacuum my stats and research are competitive for PhD programs, but I'm concerned that I won't be able to articulate why I am committed to this career path.

 

[WisNeuro]

@summerbabe, thanks! Really appreciate the thoughts.

All three of my letters are from PhDs, but because none of the research I did in undergrad was in the psych department, they are a combination of engineers and ecologists. They are willing to look over my statement, but I also know they're in different fields. The bulk of my personal statement is talking about my research experience, which is primarily mathematical modeling and statistics of qualitative systems, which I feel comfortable talking about. I also do have a pretty specific research interest that I've both described and connected to POI's work. The reason I listed career change above is because it's what I'm most worried about - I think in a vacuum my stats and research are competitive for PhD programs, but I'm concerned that I won't be able to articulate why I am committed to this career path.

I'll second the concern of @summerbabe , not having at least one psychologist as a letter writer may turn some acceptance committees off. The thought it that someone wanting to take on the substantial effort of graduate work in psychology would have explored this in some way with someone in the field.

 

[PsyD2019]

Hi,

I was hoping someone could give me some feedback on my profile. I am a bit of a non-traditional applicant and also older. I am unfortunately restricted to the NYC area so will only be applying to programs there in Counseling and Clinical psychology, both PhD and PysD (mostly). I have been wanting to apply since 2018 after graduating, but also didn't want to rush, then life and kids happened and so here I am really committed to applying this year.

BA: Went to an international school outside the US (really bad grades! GPA 2.8 or so, so that obviously looks horrible on application) but didn't graduate there, then moved to the US and finished my BA in Liberal Arts in the US with a decent GPA 3.75.

MA: Did a MA in Counseling at a top tier school and graduated with a 4.0

Research: Worked in 2 research labs, one in which I have been for the past 3 years and still actively engaged. Have led individual research projects and mentored undergrad students as part of the lab and co-authored manuscripts.

Publications: 1 publication, 2 in preparation, 1 under review, I am hoping one of those will be published before I apply.

GRE: HORRID. quant 145, verbal 160. Thankfully many schools are waiving it this year, but this is obviously a huge hurdle for me.

Letters of Recommendation: One from my lab professor, who is also the head of the clinical psych PhD program at my previous grad school, this will be a super strong letter. 2nd one from my previous internship supervisor who is a PhD, although in social work, but she is excellent and I expect a strong letter, 3rd one from a professor and psychologist from one of my courses I took in grad school.

Clinical experiences: 600 hours of clinical practicum during grad school in a reputable outpatient clinic at Weill Cornell, 2 years of clinical experience working in private practice since graduating where I still am now, also have engaged in clinical work through my research lab. Tons of clinical training and workshops.

Misc: International applicant, fluent in 3 languages, not sure that even matters

Strong research fit with some of the schools/labs I am applying to, although I realize that matters less for PsyD

List of schools:
LIU Post PsyD, LIU Brooklyn PhD Clinical Psych, Rutgers PsyD Clinical Psych, Pace PsyD School-Clinical Pysch, Yeshiva PsyD Clinical Psych, Fordham PhD Counseling Psych, Columbia PhD Counseling Psych (one can dream), LaSalle PsyD and Widener PsyD *although I doubt I would be able to commute to Philly but throwing them in there. I am debating whether I should also apply to CUNY/John Jay


I feel it's going to be nearly impossible for me to get in, given the competition, but was hoping for some feedback!

Thank you so much!

 

[HopefulPsych21]

Hi,

I was hoping someone could give me some feedback on my profile. I am a bit of a non-traditional applicant and also older. I am unfortunately restricted to the NYC area so will only be applying to programs there in Counseling and Clinical psychology, both PhD and PysD (mostly). I have been wanting to apply since 2018 after graduating, but also didn't want to rush, then life and kids happened and so here I am really committed to applying this year.

BA: Went to an international school outside the US (really bad grades! GPA 2.8 or so, so that obviously looks horrible on application) but didn't graduate there, then moved to the US and finished my BA in Liberal Arts in the US with a decent GPA 3.75.

MA: Did a MA in Counseling at a top tier school and graduated with a 4.0

Research: Worked in 2 research labs, one in which I have been for the past 3 years and still actively engaged. Have led individual research projects and mentored undergrad students as part of the lab and co-authored manuscripts.

Publications: 1 publication, 2 in preparation, 1 under review, I am hoping one of those will be published before I apply.

GRE: HORRID. quant 145, verbal 160. Thankfully many schools are waiving it this year, but this is obviously a huge hurdle for me.

Letters of Recommendation: One from my lab professor, who is also the head of the clinical psych PhD program at my previous grad school, this will be a super strong letter. 2nd one from my previous internship supervisor who is a PhD, although in social work, but she is excellent and I expect a strong letter, 3rd one from a professor and psychologist from one of my courses I took in grad school.

Clinical experiences: 600 hours of clinical practicum during grad school in a reputable outpatient clinic at Weill Cornell, 2 years of clinical experience working in private practice since graduating where I still am now, also have engaged in clinical work through my research lab. Tons of clinical training and workshops.

Misc: International applicant, fluent in 3 languages, not sure that even matters

Strong research fit with some of the schools/labs I am applying to, although I realize that matters less for PsyD

List of schools:
LIU Post PsyD, LIU Brooklyn PhD Clinical Psych, Rutgers PsyD Clinical Psych, Pace PsyD School-Clinical Pysch, Yeshiva PsyD Clinical Psych, Fordham PhD Counseling Psych, Columbia PhD Counseling Psych (one can dream), LaSalle PsyD and Widener PsyD *although I doubt I would be able to commute to Philly but throwing them in there. I am debating whether I should also apply to CUNY/John Jay


I feel it's going to be nearly impossible for me to get in, given the competition, but was hoping for some feedback!

Thank you so much!

It seems like all of these schools are in New York/close to New York. Do you absolutely have to geographically limit yourself? I've always been told that's one of the worst things one can do while applying, unless it's absolutely necessary.

 

[PsyD2019]

It seems like all of these schools are in New York/close to New York. Do you absolutely have to geographically limit yourself? I've always been told that's one of the worst things one can do while applying, unless it's absolutely necessary.

I am not happy about having to limit myself geographically but I have 3 kids that are all under 3 (2 of them were born at the same time thus why I took a little hiatus from applying 🙂), and my husband cannot relocate because of his work. We are also dependent on his income at the moment. I also have a sick parent that lives closeby who I need to take care of, which is why I have to apply in the area. (don't HAVE to but the consequences of moving, without even knowing where wouldn't be great and I am not sure how we would all manage)

 

[summerbabe]

I feel it's going to be nearly impossible for me to get in, given the competition, but was hoping for some feedback!

With an MA, professional clinical experience, and some research output, I think you'd be generally competitive for self-pay PsyD programs but I don't have direct knowledge of how competitive the NYC grad school scene is. I also don't know how many of your programs are self-pay, partial assistance, or fully funded but have you and your family really mapped out what (if any) debt load would be manageable when factoring in compounding loan interest, any debt you already carry, and realistic future net income?

For funded programs, your quant GRE could hurt more if you are matched up against a similarly competitive applicant for an interview spot or an admission offer since that's a very objective and comparable datapoint (as opposed to whose poster is more 'impressive') since these programs will also have less spots per cohort. Likewise for how much scrutiny your previous research may receive (e.g., authorship number on your pub, what journal it was submitted to, etc) in addition to fit with a PI. It's also likely that your clinical experiences could factor in less since many people get accepted without prior clinical experience.

One from my lab professor, who is also the head of the clinical psych PhD program at my previous grad school, this will be a super strong letter

Is that program in NYC and if so, are you applying there? If so, I would imagine that could be a good shot since they have worked with you directly.

I am not happy about having to limit myself geographically

Totally understand that not everybody can be flexible but have you given thought to internship? According to APA, there are 60 accredited NY internships, including many outside of NYC. Would you be able to move temporarily out of state in 4-5 years? Do a split residence in upstate NY or a neighboring state? Or would you delay matching for a year to build up a CV (but potentially pay another year of tuition and without future guarantee of a NYC match)? Or take a non-APA accredited internship and potentially limit future job opportunities?

 

[DrBakedGoods]

Hi,

I was hoping someone could give me some feedback on my profile. I am a bit of a non-traditional applicant and also older. I am unfortunately restricted to the NYC area so will only be applying to programs there in Counseling and Clinical psychology, both PhD and PysD (mostly). I have been wanting to apply since 2018 after graduating, but also didn't want to rush, then life and kids happened and so here I am really committed to applying this year.

BA: Went to an international school outside the US (really bad grades! GPA 2.8 or so, so that obviously looks horrible on application) but didn't graduate there, then moved to the US and finished my BA in Liberal Arts in the US with a decent GPA 3.75.

MA: Did a MA in Counseling at a top tier school and graduated with a 4.0

Research: Worked in 2 research labs, one in which I have been for the past 3 years and still actively engaged. Have led individual research projects and mentored undergrad students as part of the lab and co-authored manuscripts.

Publications: 1 publication, 2 in preparation, 1 under review, I am hoping one of those will be published before I apply.

GRE: HORRID. quant 145, verbal 160. Thankfully many schools are waiving it this year, but this is obviously a huge hurdle for me.

Letters of Recommendation: One from my lab professor, who is also the head of the clinical psych PhD program at my previous grad school, this will be a super strong letter. 2nd one from my previous internship supervisor who is a PhD, although in social work, but she is excellent and I expect a strong letter, 3rd one from a professor and psychologist from one of my courses I took in grad school.

Clinical experiences: 600 hours of clinical practicum during grad school in a reputable outpatient clinic at Weill Cornell, 2 years of clinical experience working in private practice since graduating where I still am now, also have engaged in clinical work through my research lab. Tons of clinical training and workshops.

Misc: International applicant, fluent in 3 languages, not sure that even matters

Strong research fit with some of the schools/labs I am applying to, although I realize that matters less for PsyD

List of schools:
LIU Post PsyD, LIU Brooklyn PhD Clinical Psych, Rutgers PsyD Clinical Psych, Pace PsyD School-Clinical Pysch, Yeshiva PsyD Clinical Psych, Fordham PhD Counseling Psych, Columbia PhD Counseling Psych (one can dream), LaSalle PsyD and Widener PsyD *although I doubt I would be able to commute to Philly but throwing them in there. I am debating whether I should also apply to CUNY/John Jay


I feel it's going to be nearly impossible for me to get in, given the competition, but was hoping for some feedback!

Thank you so much!

There are a couple of new programs in the NYC area that you might be interested in. Montclair State has a Clinical Psych program that is initially accredited. Same with William Paterson as a new PsyD option.. I'm sure there are others in that area if you look more closely at Northern NJ (and if Rutgers is on your list, WPU and MSU are definitely doable commuting wise) - obviously that depends on if you find a faculty member there you're interested in working with. Also -- if you could get your Quant score up 10 points, it would help loads, your verbal isn't bad.

I think you have a decent shot at getting an interview at least so don't be too pessimistic yet!

 

[PsyD2019]

Thanks, everyone! I wish I could apply to my current school/lab, but it's first of all SO competitive (Ivy League, fully funded, only accepts 2 students per year) and my professor is also not taking any doctoral students next fall. I will definitely try to get my quant score up.

How does everyone feel about a lot of programs not requiring GRE's but some giving the option to submit it - I plan to not submit it to those who waived them - they claim they look at all applications unbiased, since it is not a requirement this year, but I wonder if someone who submits them would be at an advantage?

 

[bookwormpsych]

Thanks, everyone! I wish I could apply to my current school/lab, but it's first of all SO competitive (Ivy League, fully funded, only accepts 2 students per year) and my professor is also not taking any doctoral students next fall. I will definitely try to get my quant score up.

How does everyone feel about a lot of programs not requiring GRE's but some giving the option to submit it - I plan to not submit it to those who waived them - they claim they look at all applications unbiased, since it is not a requirement this year, but I wonder if someone who submits them would be at an advantage?

Some programs specifically state NOT to submit them at all, regardless of whether you have taken it or not. I wouldn't know, but maybe this a measure in place to keep a situation like this from happening?

 

[PsyD2019]

Yes! I wish all programs that waived them would say that, I feel it makes the whole process much easier and less biased! I am more worried about the programs who have waived it, but also mention that you can submit it if you like, some even recommend it, despite it not being a requirement, so I am a bit worried it will be biased there, does that make sense?

 

[summerbabe]

How does everyone feel about a lot of programs not requiring GRE's but some giving the option to submit it - I plan to not submit it to those who waived them - they claim they look at all applications unbiased, since it is not a requirement this year, but I wonder if someone who submits them would be at an advantage?

Admissions is a crapshoot. Let's say a program has 5 slots and each PI can realistically interview 6-8 candidates. If 100 people apply, some applications will clearly be from people who aren't ready and some will immediately stand out. The rest will be people with potential to be successful in grad school but we can't logistically interview everybody so cuts need to happen.

Program can use objective criteria/assign point totals to help with this process and if that's the case, GRE scores shouldn't factor into that. However, it can still be consider as something supplemental (e.g., somebody who has 2 pubs can submit 2 professional products versus somebody who only has 1, a non-required 4th LOR, etc). And even if objective data is used, subjective decisions are still needed.

For example, if you have a group of candidates all within an equal range and only some can receive interview offers due to space restrictions, high GRE scores (or really anything else, required or supplementary) can potentially help an application stand out just a bit more and squeeze onto the end of the interview list (or fall into the reject pile).

Ultimately, this is a very subjective and non-transparent process because you never quite know what a program/PI is looking for so it doesn't hurt applying and receiving feedback through the process. You can be more competitive than you think or less competitive based on so many different factors.

One year, my PI had 2 equally strong candidates and the person who my PI felt like they had a better interpersonal fit with received the first admission offer because my PI valued a potentially more pleasant mentoring and collaboration relationship for the next 4-5 years. And if I was a prof, I would totally do something similar if all things were equal.

 

[alts98]

Hi to those reading!

I was hoping to get advice on what to work on to help prepare me for the application process next fall. A little background:

Undergrad GPA: 3.70 Psychology and Criminal Justice (completed honors program with honors thesis)

Experience: Worked as an undergrad RA in two labs in my alma mater for 2+ years, and worked as a part-time RA at Brown for almost a year now and now currently working at another Ivy League university as a full-time RA. (One semester as a TA for a course on clinical psych)

Publications: Have over 20 poster presentations and two publications as fourth author and currently working on a first-author publication. I hope to get a few more posters from my new position and at least one more publication (as third or fourth author maybe).

My interests revolve around psychology and forensic/law so I am planning on applying to a couple of different programs that had faculty that fit my interests: Clinical Psychology PhD, joint JD-PhD (in Clinical psych), and Clinical Psych Phd-MPH programs. Some of the schools currently on my list are University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Drexel, John Jay, Clark Univ, GSU, among many others I still need to narrow down. Does anyone have any advice on what I should be focusing on? I plan on taking the GRE in February and LSAT in April and am starting to study now. Should I get an additional part-time RA position or what should I focus on in the personal statements? If you have any suggestions for faculty who is interested in forensic, sexual assault, prevention and policy or anything along those lines that would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!!

 

[tb12321]

Hi everyone! I'm freaking out about my chances of getting into a program, looking at the numbers of accepted students compared to applicants is so intimidating and I really am not sure where I stand. Here are my stats-

• Overall GPA- 3.633 (was a bio major for the first 2 years and completely sucked at it so it brought my overall GPA down significantly)
• Psych GPA- 3.971
• Junior/Senior GPA- 3.97
• GRE- 307 (only 2 of my programs are requiring, and for one the average of the accepted student is a 306)
• I have 3.5 years of research experience, completed an independent honors thesis my senior year, and presented at an undergraduate conference
• 3 strong letters of recommendation, one from someone who is very well known in the field most of my potential mentors do research in
• Lots of clinical experience (Nurse Assistant in a psych facility and homecare, now director of activities at a building for people with special mental health needs)
• Lots of leadership and volunteer experience (president of my sorority, in charge of many fundraisers, graduated with over 200 community service hours)

I'm applying to (funded) scientist-practitioner PhD programs in mostly clinical psych (and a few counseling psych programs). What are my chances of admission to clinical PhD programs?

Are there any newer clinical psych PhD programs that don't have as many applicants? Thank you 🙂

 

[summerbabe]

• I have 3.5 years of research experience, completed an independent honors thesis my senior year, and presented at an undergraduate conference
• 3 strong letters of recommendation, one from someone who is very well known in the field most of my potential mentors do research in

I think your raw stats are fine and line up with what many successful PhDs have upon admission.

Do you have any journal publications or presentations at professional conferences or plans to do so (e.g., honors thesis)? 3.5 years of research experience is good but funded PhD programs will likely be placing a lot of emphasis on your tangible research output and using that to judge your ability to continue to be productive with research in the PhD program (MA thesis, dissertation, contributing to other lab projects, etc).

As for an LOR from somebody well-known, that can be helpful, especially if it's backed up with project(s) headed up by this person. However, if you weren't able to publish or present something with them, a program might wonder if you were primarily doing 'grunt work', which would usually compare less favorably to somebody who got on a pub or poster with an unknown academic.

What are my chances of admission to clinical PhD programs?

A lot will depend on fit and then luck in terms of your direct competition for interview offers. The quality and quantity of applications will likely ebb and flow from year to year for each program and each PI so I think a lot of applicants are feeling uncertain regardless of their CV. Good luck!

 

[LeavesFromTheVine]

Hi to those reading!

I was hoping to get advice on what to work on to help prepare me for the application process next fall. A little background:

Undergrad GPA: 3.70 Psychology and Criminal Justice (completed honors program with honors thesis)

Experience: Worked as an undergrad RA in two labs in my alma mater for 2+ years, and worked as a part-time RA at Brown for almost a year now and now currently working at another Ivy League university as a full-time RA. (One semester as a TA for a course on clinical psych)

Publications: Have over 20 poster presentations and two publications as fourth author and currently working on a first-author publication. I hope to get a few more posters from my new position and at least one more publication (as third or fourth author maybe).

My interests revolve around psychology and forensic/law so I am planning on applying to a couple of different programs that had faculty that fit my interests: Clinical Psychology PhD, joint JD-PhD (in Clinical psych), and Clinical Psych Phd-MPH programs. Some of the schools currently on my list are University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Drexel, John Jay, Clark Univ, GSU, among many others I still need to narrow down. Does anyone have any advice on what I should be focusing on? I plan on taking the GRE in February and LSAT in April and am starting to study now. Should I get an additional part-time RA position or what should I focus on in the personal statements? If you have any suggestions for faculty who is interested in forensic, sexual assault, prevention and policy or anything along those lines that would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!!

I know that Chitra Raghavan at John Jay focuses on IPV, sexual assault, and sex trafficking. As for your application, I think you are in good shape. Your research productivity is good, even better if the posters and/or publications align with your research interests. I would make sure that your personal statement is cohesive as it tells the story of how your various research/work experiences lead to your current and future research/career interests, while highlighting the skills you gained along the way.

 

[USA_Troll]

Hi everyone! I'm freaking out about my chances of getting into a program, looking at the numbers of accepted students compared to applicants is so intimidating and I really am not sure where I stand. Here are my stats-

• Overall GPA- 3.633 (was a bio major for the first 2 years and completely sucked at it so it brought my overall GPA down significantly)
• Psych GPA- 3.971
• Junior/Senior GPA- 3.97
• GRE- 307 (only 2 of my programs are requiring, and for one the average of the accepted student is a 306)
• I have 3.5 years of research experience, completed an independent honors thesis my senior year, and presented at an undergraduate conference
• 3 strong letters of recommendation, one from someone who is very well known in the field most of my potential mentors do research in
• Lots of clinical experience (Nurse Assistant in a psych facility and homecare, now director of activities at a building for people with special mental health needs)
• Lots of leadership and volunteer experience (president of my sorority, in charge of many fundraisers, graduated with over 200 community service hours)

I'm applying to (funded) scientist-practitioner PhD programs in mostly clinical psych (and a few counseling psych programs). What are my chances of admission to clinical PhD programs?

Are there any newer clinical psych PhD programs that don't have as many applicants? Thank you 🙂

Your numbers and research activities are fine but it is tricky to suggest a program without knowing your specific research experience and interests... Most important is how you fit with a given mentor or program. Often, students prepare well but the preparation is futile without a direction or specific focus. For every site you apply, you should have a solid grasp on the literature where your potential mentor is focused. APA accredited PhD programs are the most competitive of all graduate programs. This is because nationally there a so many psychology students and so few APA accredited programs. Thus, mentors have the ability to be very choosy even at R2 and R3 programs, and tend to pick students who are already active in their perspective fields.

In general, IMO, way too much emphasis is placed on GRE, and rigor of education on this site while very little is mentioned about the importance of fit. Maybe fit is expected to be common knowledge, and for those with high pedigree educations that is probably the case. But when I see others who are limiting their searches to narrow geographic localities, it makes me wonder if these students understand the importance of fit. After graduating from an R3 teachers college, I applied to four PhD programs. Each program was selected for a specific purpose with no regard for prestige. They were selected specifically for how I fit with potential mentors. I had a 3.98GPA and a 301 total score on my GRE. I had completed an undergraduate honors thesis that developed into a first author publication. I received interviews from all four programs and was offered at three. I ended up moving 2200 miles with a family of 5 to my program of choice, and fit was the top priority. Most would agree that my GRE was trash. However, my skills were recognized as valuable to the places I applied, and my LORs and research experience demonstrated I could succeed in graduate school. My APA accredited program has been incredibly successful with 100% internship match rate over the last five years, so its not like I was scraping the bottom of the barrel. I am currently in my fourth year, and I am sitting on four internship interviews with no rejections thus far. Simply put, find professors who you align with, be active in their fields, and do your best to develop professional relationships before you apply. This is how you make yourself an excellent fit for a given mentor or program.

Sorry for the rant and I hope this helps some young professional realize its not about only about your stats, or pedigree. IMO, preparation with a purpose to facilitate fit is most important. 😊

 

[representwitpixels]

Your numbers and research activities are fine but it is tricky to suggest a program without knowing your specific research experience and interests... Most important is how you fit with a given mentor or program. Often, students prepare well but the preparation is futile without a direction or specific focus. For every site you apply, you should have a solid grasp on the literature where your potential mentor is focused. APA accredited PhD programs are the most competitive of all graduate programs. This is because nationally there a so many psychology students and so few APA accredited programs. Thus, mentors have the ability to be very choosy even at R2 and R3 programs, and tend to pick students who are already active in their perspective fields.

In general, IMO, way too much emphasis is placed on GRE, and rigor of education on this site while very little is mentioned about the importance of fit. Maybe fit is expected to be common knowledge, and for those with high pedigree educations that is probably the case. But when I see others who are limiting their searches to narrow geographic localities, it makes me wonder if these students understand the importance of fit. After graduating from an R3 teachers college, I applied to four PhD programs. Each program was selected for a specific purpose with no regard for prestige. They were selected specifically for how I fit with potential mentors. I had a 3.98GPA and a 301 total score on my GRE. I had completed an undergraduate honors thesis that developed into a first author publication. I received interviews from all four programs and was offered at three. I ended up moving 2200 miles with a family of 5 to my program of choice, and fit was the top priority. Most would agree that my GRE was trash. However, my skills were recognized as valuable to the places I applied, and my LORs and research experience demonstrated I could succeed in graduate school. My APA accredited program has been incredibly successful with 100% internship match rate over the last five years, so its not like I was scraping the bottom of the barrel. I am currently in my fourth year, and I am sitting on four internship interviews with no rejections thus far. Simply put, find professors who you align with, be active in their fields, and do your best to develop professional relationships before you apply. This is how you make yourself an excellent fit for a given mentor or program.

Sorry for the rant and I hope this helps some young professional realize its not about only about your stats, or pedigree. IMO, preparation with a purpose to facilitate fit is most important. 😊

"be active in their fields"
That is a stretch for some students and a lot of CV buffing is constrained by economics, geography, access to quality advisement, a fair degree of chance etc. I imagine some faculty are more rigid about what they're looking for and less interested in equity than others which gets to your suggestion. Though it is my sincere hope that the field can support students from all walks of life who demonstrate potential and interest. Diversity in experiences and backgrounds, I suspect, ultimately benefits the field.

 

[Redpancreas]

Does she have chances for clin psych?

-Canadian International looking into US programs
-GRE-319, 159 QUANT, 160 VERBAL
-Graduated from 4 year Canadian undergrad school with honors with major in psychology with A-B average. GPA scales to 3.6
-Multiple job experiences: 1 year as psychometrist/case manager at a memory clinic, 1 year as a research assistant at a top mental health research hospital in canada heavily involved in EEG data, clinical trials for alzheimer drugs, and administration of clinical trials.
-Research interests include cognition in elderly (alzheimers/parkinsons)
-Competence in RedCAP/Matlab/SPSS/others.
-Her research interests focus on Alzheimer's disease and cognition in the elderly. She'd do a much better job explaining it.

 

[Temperance]

Could I get a program list? No major geographical preference. She prefers APA accredited programs and a PhD program given that most PsyDs are not funded and do not allow graduate assistant work from my understanding of what she's saying.

I don't know if there is a prepared list of programs where there are faculty conducting research in your friend's specific area, but a good place for your friend to start is potentially looking for papers of work that your friend would like to eventually do during graduate school and beyond and then seeing who the authors are, what institutions they're affiliated with, and if they're in a psychology department. Professional societies sometimes have this information (for example, ABCT's Sexual and Gender Minority Special Interest Group maintains a list of faculty conducting research in LGBTQ+ health who are taking students each year).

 

[ZaneyDoc]

Hi folks! I'm applying to a few schools for Counseling Psychology. The program I'm most excited about is Georgia State's program. I'm curious what you think my chances are.

Education:
BS in Psychology and Human Services (3.5 GPA)
Master of Education, Educational Counseling, Clinical Mental Health Counseling emphasis (Research 1 university, 4.0 GPA) Graduating May 2021

Clinical Experience:
During my undergraduate studies, I gained clinical experience running groups with individuals diagnosed with substance-related disorders.
Counseling practicum - Inpatient behavioral health hospital
Counseling internship - I provide individual counseling to undergraduate students in a college counseling center

Research Experience:
Worked as a research assistant in a psychology research lab (for over a year). No publications here, but did have a poster presentation.
During my time in graduate school, I 1) co-authored a manuscript, and 2) am part of a team in the planning stages of writing a conceptual article

GRE:
Way less than stellar. Verbal 153, Quant 143, Writing 3.5. This was taken in 2017. I haven't been able to retake due to COVID.

Recommendations:
Three VERY strong recommendation letters from current professors and supervisors.

Letters of Intent:
I believe that mine are very strong,

Thank you for your feedback!!!

 

[rileyjj]

Hi, everyone! This was my first time applying to (research-oriented) Clinical Psych PhD programs, and I'm both really excited and nervous! I'd really appreciate your guys' input on what you think my chances of admission are . . .

Education:
B.A. in Psychology (High Honors in Psychology and graduated with Highest Distinction); GPA: 3.97

Research Experience:
Worked as an undergrad RA in three different labs for a total of 2.5 years (The most recent lab dealt with exactly the research I'm hoping to pursue, and the PI is a prominent researcher in this area); Completed a Senior Honors Thesis with this lab under the mentorship of aforementioned PI; Have shared first authorship on the manuscript currently under review (based on the study I conducted for my thesis); Have given three poster presentations on previous research projects (two through my university and one on my thesis at an international conference); Currently working as a paid, full-time RA (I started in September, since I graduated this past April - The pandemic screwed over the initial job offer I had lined up for after graduation, and it took some time to find another position)

Clinical Experience:
I fear there is not much for me to report here . . . However, in the lab I worked in most recently and the lab I currently work in, I dealt/deals with participants from clinical populations

GRE:
N/A - I didn't submit it due to the fact that all the schools I applied to waived this requirement

Letters of Rec:
One is from the PI I discussed above, the second is from another PI, and the third is from a professor I had

Statement of Purpose:
Straightforward and relatively short and sweet; Got feedback from my PI and grad students from the lab; Revised what feels like 100 times

Super interested to hear your thoughts! Thanks you!!

 

[mdwpsyd]

Hi folks! I'm applying to a few schools for Counseling Psychology. The program I'm most excited about is Georgia State's program. I'm curious what you think my chances are.

Education:
BS in Psychology and Human Services (3.5 GPA)
Master of Education, Educational Counseling, Clinical Mental Health Counseling emphasis (Research 1 university, 4.0 GPA) Graduating May 2021

Clinical Experience:
During my undergraduate studies, I gained clinical experience running groups with individuals diagnosed with substance-related disorders.
Counseling practicum - Inpatient behavioral health hospital
Counseling internship - I provide individual counseling to undergraduate students in a college counseling center

Research Experience:
Worked as a research assistant in a psychology research lab (for over a year). No publications here, but did have a poster presentation.
During my time in graduate school, I 1) co-authored a manuscript, and 2) am part of a team in the planning stages of writing a conceptual article

GRE:
Way less than stellar. Verbal 153, Quant 143, Writing 3.5. This was taken in 2017. I haven't been able to retake due to COVID.

Recommendations:
Three VERY strong recommendation letters from current professors and supervisors.

Letters of Intent:
I believe that mine are very strong,

Thank you for your feedback!!!

The Georgia State Counseling Psychology PhD program is highly competitive, with an acceptance rate of roughly 2.5% (my estimate). In 2019 the average GRE scores were 160 for Verbal (86th percentile for all GRE, not just psychology) and 160 for Quantitative (76th percentile) [I used the Magoosh percentile calculator.]

The vast majority of PhD programs in clinical and counseling psychology are looking for scientist-practitioners, i.e., research psychologists who also do some clinical work. So it's important to ask yourself: Do I want to be a research psychologist or a health service provider psychologist? Do I want training as a scientist-practitioner (PhD) or as practitioner whose work is deeply rooted in psychological science (PsyD)?*

Back in the Stone Age when I applied to grad schools (1985), I knew I wanted to be a health service provider psychologist. I appreciate research and read scholarly articles voraciously, but I did not want to be a research psychologist. I applied to only PsyD programs, despite advice from all of my (excellent) undergrad professors to get a PhD. I've never looked back and enjoy being a practitioner who bases his clinical work on psychological science.

I wish you all the best,

Mark

*[Added on 14 Dec 2020 @ 10:57 MST] - Other folks have pointed out (in other threads) that most PhD psychologists end up becoming healthcare service provider psychologists, so I rephrased my original question.

 

[alts98]

Hi folks! I'm applying to a few schools for Counseling Psychology. The program I'm most excited about is Georgia State's program. I'm curious what you think my chances are.

Education:
BS in Psychology and Human Services (3.5 GPA)
Master of Education, Educational Counseling, Clinical Mental Health Counseling emphasis (Research 1 university, 4.0 GPA) Graduating May 2021

Clinical Experience:
During my undergraduate studies, I gained clinical experience running groups with individuals diagnosed with substance-related disorders.
Counseling practicum - Inpatient behavioral health hospital
Counseling internship - I provide individual counseling to undergraduate students in a college counseling center

Research Experience:
Worked as a research assistant in a psychology research lab (for over a year). No publications here, but did have a poster presentation.
During my time in graduate school, I 1) co-authored a manuscript, and 2) am part of a team in the planning stages of writing a conceptual article

GRE:
Way less than stellar. Verbal 153, Quant 143, Writing 3.5. This was taken in 2017. I haven't been able to retake due to COVID.

Recommendations:
Three VERY strong recommendation letters from current professors and supervisors.

Letters of Intent:
I believe that mine are very strong,

Thank you for your feedback!!!

I would recommend retaking the GRE is possible (should be offered online now due to COVID if you can't/don't want to do it in person). Otherwise you have a good chance of getting to the interview stage- good experience! (in my opinion)

 

[alts98]

Hi, everyone! This was my first time applying to (research-oriented) Clinical Psych PhD programs, and I'm both really excited and nervous! I'd really appreciate your guys' input on what you think my chances of admission are . . .

Education:
B.A. in Psychology (High Honors in Psychology and graduated with Highest Distinction); GPA: 3.97

Research Experience:
Worked as an undergrad RA in three different labs for a total of 2.5 years (The most recent lab dealt with exactly the research I'm hoping to pursue, and the PI is a prominent researcher in this area); Completed a Senior Honors Thesis with this lab under the mentorship of aforementioned PI; Have shared first authorship on the manuscript currently under review (based on the study I conducted for my thesis); Have given three poster presentations on previous research projects (two through my university and one on my thesis at an international conference); Currently working as a paid, full-time RA (I started in September, since I graduated this past April - The pandemic screwed over the initial job offer I had lined up for after graduation, and it took some time to find another position)

Clinical Experience:
I fear there is not much for me to report here . . . However, in the lab I worked in most recently and the lab I currently work in, I dealt/deals with participants from clinical populations

GRE:
N/A - I didn't submit it due to the fact that all the schools I applied to waived this requirement

Letters of Rec:
One is from the PI I discussed above, the second is from another PI, and the third is from a professor I had

Statement of Purpose:
Straightforward and relatively short and sweet; Got feedback from my PI and grad students from the lab; Revised what feels like 100 times

Super interested to hear your thoughts! Thanks you!!

I think you are in good shape- you have an impressive amount of research for a recent graduate and a good GPA with an honors thesis could help boost your application. I don't think it matters that you started your new job until September since it is understandable that not a lot of labs were hiring or even working from late March- end of summer! Clinical experience I have heard is not necessarily needed for clinical psych PhD programs so you're good there. If you have experience working in the field you want to go into and you know those three letters of recommendation are strong, then I think you should expect to hear from at least 1-2 schools for interviews! Best of luck!

 

[Sir_Drew97]

Hi everyone,
Glad to join this forum. I’m applying to Clinical PhD programs just looking to see any updates On any of them. I’m looking into psychodynamic programs and am interested in the research of personality and personality structures as well as defense mechanisms. Programs i applied to included UPitt, Duquesne, CCNY, Penn State

I wasn’t able to take GRE this cycle but everything is else is very solid in my app (thesis experience, TA, 3.92 GPA BA/MA).

don’t have any lab experience which is probably only flaw I have... recommendations and all the intangibles are very strong

any thoughts on what those programs might think or anything.

 

[psych.meout]

Hi everyone,
Glad to join this forum. I’m applying to Clinical PhD programs just looking to see any updates On any of them. I’m looking into psychodynamic programs and am interested in the research of personality and personality structures as well as defense mechanisms. Programs i applied to included UPitt, Duquesne, CCNY, Penn State

I wasn’t able to take GRE this cycle but everything is else is very solid in my app (thesis experience, TA, 3.92 GPA BA/MA).

don’t have any lab experience which is probably only flaw I have... recommendations and all the intangibles are very strong

any thoughts on what those programs might think or anything.

Lacking research experience like that is a very significant "flaw," especially at programs like Penn, which is clinical science oriented and gets a lot of applicants, the most competitive of whom have extensive research experience.

 

[Sir_Drew97]

Lacking research experience like that is a very significant "flaw," especially at programs like Penn, which is clinical science oriented and gets a lot of applicants, the most competitive of whom have extensive research experience.

Was figuring that for Penn State but what about UPitt or Duquesne; those have intrigued me the most. With CCNY as honorable mention

 

[psych.meout]

Was figuring that for Penn State but what about UPitt or Duquesne; those have intrigued me the most. With CCNY as honorable mention

Pitt is another PCSAS program, so it will be a similar situation to Penn. For Duquesne, It's less about the orientation and more about the limited spots. If the program only has a handful of openings because it's fully funded, why should they pick someone who doesn't have research experience over someone who does?

 

[Sir_Drew97]

Pitt is another PCSAS program, so it will be a similar situation to Penn. For Duquesne, It's less about the orientation and more about the limited spots. If the program only has a handful of openings because it's fully funded, why should they pick someone who doesn't have research experience over someone who does?

It isn’t like I wasn’t going to enroll in a lab which I was supposed to which I had made known. A faculty member at Duquesne didn’t directly say anything about an interview but gave me his personal number and told me if I want to call him back in second week of Jan. How should I interpret that??

 

[summerbabe]

any thoughts on what those programs might think or anything.

For me, the biggest predictor of success for completing a PhD is demonstrated previous engagement and contribution to original, peer reviewed scholarship.

I'm unfamiliar with the programs you applied to but general expectations can range anywhere from 1st/2nd authorship in high impact journals to 3rd/4th author poster contributions.

If you have none of the above, I wouldn't count on a funded offer this cycle since much of your competition will.

 

[Sir_Drew97]

For me, the biggest predictor of success for completing a PhD is demonstrated previous engagement and contribution to original, peer reviewed scholarship.

I'm unfamiliar with the programs you applied to but general expectations can range anywhere from 1st/2nd authorship in high impact journals to 3rd/4th author poster contributions.

If you have none of the above, I wouldn't count on a funded offer this cycle since much of your competition will.

I have a poster contribution in the world but just one however.