WAMC: What Are My Chances

[TXneuronerd15]

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Hi all, currently I'm wondering about my chances at the following institutions:
1.) The University of South Alabama
2.) The University of North Texas
3.) The University of Texas at Tyler
4.) The University of Toledo
5.) Kent State University
6.) The University of Houston
7.) Nova Southeastern University
8.) Sam Houston State University

Master's GPA( UT Tyler): 3.39( had a 3.7, but have to craft an explanation as to why I, as best as I can, objectively assert that my final GPA isn't indicative of my academic potential; let's say combination of not seeking help when I needed it( unforeseen hiccups).
Research: Psi Chi Conference at UT Tyler; The social cognition of Patients with TBI and Schizophrenia

Poster presentation of an independent lit review of various psychotropics and their efficacy on reducing visual hallucinations- Letourneau University

2 years as a TA for Advanced Psychopathology course and 1 for Assessment of Personality(clinical mental health assessment)

Bachelor of Arts GPA( Concordia College- Moorhead, MN): 2.94( same applies here; picked the music major and then the Pre-Med route and grades proved that pre-med not the major for me, minor was also too difficult given my high school background; Neuroscience).

Research: Presented poster at the Celebration of student scholarship at Concordia College and the Red River Psychology Conference the following; Visual Short-Term Memory(VSTM) is context-specific

For what it's worth, I did receive a phone call from the U of South Alabama to better gauge granting me an interview. This is what motivated me that trying one more time might prove prudential.

To sum up, I'm wondering about my odds of acceptance with being published compared to without. On the one hand its getting more competitive every year, so I want to apply this cycle without being published and getting as far as I did without being published yet( albeit at one school) makes me wonder if applying now is better. However, given my GPA and 50th percentile GRE score at best, suggests that my best chances of any kind of admission status anywhere ( some have probationary) is to wait until publication. Regardless, I would clarify my mistakes and setbacks( didn't do the first time) in my statement of purpose and improving my stats grade in my master's program of a "C" to an "A" hopefully would get me in.

Any thoughts?

Best,
TXneuronerd15

 

[summerbabe]

For what it's worth, I did receive a phone call from the U of South Alabama to better gauge granting me an interview. This is what motivated me that trying one more time might prove prudential.

Did you apply to this same list of schools during the last cycle? And did you end up getting that USA interview or any others?

Have you bolstered your CV since? Do you feel like you are applying to profs with better research fit this time around? Generally speaking, these 2 improvements will move the needle the most but if things haven't changed on your end, I wouldn't expect major changes in how review committees react to your application.

1.) The University of South Alabama
2.) The University of North Texas

USA is a pretty new program and Mobile, AL might turn off some applicants. I know multiple UNT grads who are competent professionals and from what I gather, the program is quite competitive and productive research wise.

Lastly, what it is about a doctorate that is necessary for you/career interests? Are you making a compelling case to a review committee that you have a clear direction and grasp of this field and you have the receipts to be successful (e.g., publications, GPA, etc). I'm sure you've given plenty of thought to this topic but I also think most people are worse at articulating this rationale to strangers than they would give themselves credit for. Good luck!

 

[TXneuronerd15]

Did you apply to this same list of schools during the last cycle? And did you end up getting that USA interview or any others?

Have you bolstered your CV since? Do you feel like you are applying to profs with better research fit this time around? Generally speaking, these 2 improvements will move the needle the most but if things haven't changed on your end, I wouldn't expect major changes in how review committees react to your application.

USA is a pretty new program and Mobile, AL might turn off some applicants. I know multiple UNT grads who are competent professionals and from what I gather, the program is quite competitive and productive research wise.

Lastly, what it is about a doctorate that is necessary for you/career interests? Are you making a compelling case to a review committee that you have a clear direction and grasp of this field and you have the receipts to be successful (e.g., publications, GPA, etc). I'm sure you've given plenty of thought to this topic but I also think most people are worse at articulating this rationale to strangers than they would give themselves credit for. Good luck!

Did you apply to this same list of schools during the last cycle? And did you end up getting that USA interview or any others?

Have you bolstered your CV since? Do you feel like you are applying to profs with better research fit this time around? Generally speaking, these 2 improvements will move the needle the most but if things haven't changed on your end, I wouldn't expect major changes in how review committees react to your application.

USA is a pretty new program and Mobile, AL might turn off some applicants. I know multiple UNT grads who are competent professionals and from what I gather, the program is quite competitive and productive research wise.

Lastly, what it is about a doctorate that is necessary for you/career interests? Are you making a compelling case to a review committee that you have a clear direction and grasp of this field and you have the receipts to be successful (e.g., publications, GPA, etc). I'm sure you've given plenty of thought to this topic but I also think most people are worse at articulating this rationale to strangers than they would give themselves credit for. Good luck!

Hi, and thanks for the prompt response. Appreciate it. To clear up, I’ve only ever applied one cycle. I was saying that I’m thinking of applying a second go around, but am wondering how much of a difference being published would be versus not in increasing my chances of acceptance.
Between last application and this next one I am going to:

1.) Improve my stats grade from a C to an A

2.) Articulate my gpa as not a truly valid measure of potential( very carefully I may add)

3.) Getting published?( this is what I’m trying to figure out; apply this winter without it, or next year with it).

4.) GRE

My niche is becoming neurocognitive and psychotic disorders. The faculty I’m interested in working with this cycle is a much better fit than last. This time I stuck to the areas of research and teaching that I’ve done and any close variants in these areas for potential further study.

Lastly, I need to spend some soul searching time on selling myself in my statement of purpose. I applied 6 years ago and can’t recall what I wrote. Although to teach and do research full time on these topics requires a doctorate, that’s not a compelling reason to pursue one. Also staying with a master’s doesn’t grant me the flexibility to do whatever I desire in the field, or usually get bigger research grants .

Hope this helps, and thanks for your input so far!
TXneuronerd15

 

[summerbabe]

I'm a clinician and my perspectives are only based on being involved in the interview process at my funded PhD program during multiple application cycles so YMMV.

1.) Improve my stats grade from a C to an A

Probably not a major difference maker as the modal applicant is assumed to be at this level.

2.) Articulate my gpa as not a truly valid measure of potential( very carefully I may add)

It's always helpful to provide context but whether it makes a difference probably depends on how many applicants you're competing against. Let's say a PI has 10 potential applicants next cycle. Your GPA context will be measured against their GPA/context/academic potential.

3.) Getting published?( this is what I’m trying to figure out; apply this winter without it, or next year with it).

This is likely going to be the biggest difference maker. In a standard scientist-practitioner model, grad students will be working with their PIs to publish in exchange for mentorship. Think from a PI's perspective - they are screening people for future potential and likely want to see a track record of contributing to productive projects (papers, posters, etc) since that suggests the candidate is more likely to have the skills/work ethic to continue being successful under their guidance.

4.) GRE

Average is probably just fine. High is nice but likely won't be a difference maker. Low might raise some eyebrows, especially if the competition is much higher.

My niche is becoming neurocognitive and psychotic disorders. The faculty I’m interested in working with this cycle is a much better fit than last. This time I stuck to the areas of research and teaching that I’ve done and any close variants in these areas for potential further study.

Having a focus is really important. I've had some incidental exposure to folks working in this field and some of them are research beasts. I think it's also a pretty tight knit field, as many subspecialties tend to be (e.g., PIs being very aware of other PIs and having strong opinions about other labs). YMMV but some labs in this subfield may be on the higher end of admission competitiveness.

Although to teach and do research full time on these topics requires a doctorate, that’s not a compelling reason to pursue one.

I just looked at the CV of a grad school friend who secured a really good tenure track assistant prof gig following internship. They have 15 peer-reviewed pubs associated with their grad school lab, including things that they collaborated on after graduating and others in review/prep. Their PI is a known figure in that field (e.g., they've done NPR interviews when that topic came to the forefront) and quite ambitious. My friend and others in that lab worked waaaaaaaay harder than I did during grad school to attempt to set themselves up for these academic careers. In general, many very hard-working and smart grad students who excel in grad school will not achieve this goal due to supply/demand issues in higher ed/AMC jobs.

Most people start in psychology because they are interested in the material. But IMO there's being interested in a topic and then there's putting in the work required to contribute to emerging work in that field and possibly make it a career. And if this is the path that you truly want (e.g., you wouldn't want to practice as a PhD clinician), you don't need to get into just any grad program but you need to get into a lab where the PI is productive and can have you publishing with them ASAP, has connections in the field, and has successfully mentored people who are now in academia, all of which takes more prep than the average PhD candidacy.

There are different standards for academic careers in other psychology areas such as multiculturalism, vocational counseling, understanding help seeking behaviors, etc and different levels of academia (R1 vs R2 vs R3 vs community college) but anything neurocognitive is likely pretty hardcore because people in multiple disciplines want in on the action.

Good luck and YMMV as these are only based on what I've experienced in the field as a clinician.

 

[The Cinnabon]

Education:
Psych BS with 2 semesters remaining (at a mediocre but inoffensive state school)
GPA: 3.9
Psych GPA: 4.0


Research Experience:
1.5 Years in Public Health research with a publication currently under review (Co-author, only the PI and I worked on this) dealing with Behavioral Healthcare resources for pediatric populations. I focused more on data analysis and drafting up the publications/presentations, I also assisted with study design and implementation. (great experience and rare(er) from what I've been seeing).

A minor stint in those 1.5 years doing Oncology research but it didn't pan out and didn't interest me (I was pre-med for a decent bit so any research was good)

Interviewed for a Trauma Lab position, possible trauma lab position offer for the next two semesters. (crossing my fingers here)

No Posters (my other PI seldom did posters and COVID didn't help, but if all goes well with the review I will be a co-author on the manuscript.)

Co-authored a report on preliminary data findings to the local health department regarding the behavioral healthcare project.

Have "won" 2 grants (PI did all the work)


GRE:
Tbd but going off practice scores Quant is hovering in the higher 160s while Verb is hovering in the lower 160s.

Letters of Rec:
Pretty standard PI and psych professor LORs.

Research Interests:
PTSD and Military Psychology (as a civilian)

Any Other Info:
No geographical restrictions here with building a school list, I would literally move to Barrow, Alaska, or somewhere equally as awful if it was a funded reputable Ph.D. program.
8K USD saved up for app cycle(s). (A gift from my mother back when I was a pre-med for one med app cycle).




I didn't apply this cycle, obviously, and plan on doing 1-2 gap years as a research RA (which is a total pain in the backside to secure). What are some glaring issues with my app and what should I focus on? I figure my no.1 priority right now is not screwing up my decent GPA in the end, not bombing the GRE, and getting PTSD research and at least one poster ASAP but is there anything else I should focus on, or am maybe putting too much emphasis on?

 

[WisNeuro]

Education:
Psych BS with 2 semesters remaining (at a mediocre but inoffensive state school)
GPA: 3.9
Psych GPA: 4.0


I didn't apply this cycle, obviously, and plan on doing 1-2 gap years as a research RA (which is a total pain in the backside to secure). What are some glaring issues with my app and what should I focus on? I figure my no.1 priority right now is not screwing up my decent GPA in the end, not bombing the GRE, and getting PTSD research and at least one poster ASAP but is there anything else I should focus on, or am maybe putting too much emphasis on?

What's an offensive state school? 🙂

But anyway, GPA is good, research experience is also good for where you are at, predicted GRE scores would be good (though some schools are not looking at this anymore). I think you're doing what you need to be doing by trying to get into a trauma focused lab. Honestly, with what you have, I'd consider applying in the upcoming cycle to start for the 2022-23 year. If even just a handful of schools that seem like a very good fit. There's a chance, and even if you don't get in this cycle, it'll give you some experience of how the application/interview process works for the next go round.

 

[The Cinnabon]

What's an offensive state school? 🙂

But anyway, GPA is good, research experience is also good for where you are at, predicted GRE scores would be good (though some schools are not looking at this anymore). I think you're doing what you need to be doing by trying to get into a trauma focused lab. Honestly, with what you have, I'd consider applying in the upcoming cycle to start for the 2022-23 year. If even just a handful of schools that seem like a very good fit. There's a chance, and even if you don't get in this cycle, it'll give you some experience of how the application/interview process works for the next go round.

Well actually if you go off my school's NCAA football record it can be considered highly offensive but not for academics 😉.

Also thanks for the reply, I just got the email back that I got into the trauma lab so this was great to hear too.

 

[futureapppsy2]

Well actually if you go off my school's NCAA football record it can be considered highly offensive but not for academics 😉.

Also thanks for the reply, I just got the email back that I got into the trauma lab so this was great to hear too.

I agree with @WisNeuro — you have strong qualifications! I might try to get a few conference presentations, just because they are expected, but publications, if accepted, will generally carry much more weight.

 

[futureapppsy2]

What's an offensive state school? 🙂

But anyway, GPA is good, research experience is also good for where you are at, predicted GRE scores would be good (though some schools are not looking at this anymore). I think you're doing what you need to be doing by trying to get into a trauma focused lab. Honestly, with what you have, I'd consider applying in the upcoming cycle to start for the 2022-23 year. If even just a handful of schools that seem like a very good fit. There's a chance, and even if you don't get in this cycle, it'll give you some experience of how the application/interview process works for the next go round.

Agree with this as well—I think you’d be decently competitive this coming cycle.

 

[lackluster]

Hi! I'm planning on applying to clinical psych Ph.D. programs this fall, and wanted to get some feedback on whether or not I’m a competitive applicant.

Education:
B.S. in Psychology
GPA: 3.65; Psych GPA: 4.0
Currently in my last year of a master’s in clinical mental health counseling.
Grad GPA: 4.00

Research Experience:
- I've been an RA for the last year and a half in the psych department at my university. I've done data collection, coding, & cleaning, literature reviews, interview transcription, collected articles for a meta-analysis, submitted proposals to the IRB, etc. a lot of the research isn't clinical though, as I'm mainly working with a social psych / quantitative methods professor. I did get one clinically relevant publication from this RA though and I’m the fourth author.
- I'm also currently an RA with a well-known clinical psych PI in a depression/anxiety lab at an R1 school. I started last fall. I’ve been learning how to use R and I’ve made a lot of progress in my stats abilities. right now I’m making the final edits on a first-authored manuscript to hopefully submit for publication this fall. starting to get another research project off the ground.
- Through my master’s program, I got a poster proposal accepted to be presented at a state-wide counseling conference in the fall. It’s more conceptual/practice-focused rather than research-focused though

GRE:
165V, 165Q, 6.0W

Letters of Rec:
- I think I’ll have one from my current RA, but I’ve been working mainly with one of the current doctoral students so I think she might be writing it and then the PI will sign it or something like that
- one from the social psych / quantitative PI
- one from a professor from my master’s program. he has a doctorate in counselor education and teaches my program's research & stats class, assessment class, and psychopathology class.

Clinical Experience:
- In the spring semester I interned at a partial hospitalization program for a wide range of disorders, but mostly mood and anxiety
- I have an internship lined up for the fall at a CBT, anxiety/OCD-focused private practice
- Did a year of volunteering as a crisis counselor for a crisis hotline
- Volunteered with a virtual “OCD Camp” for kids (not sure if this counts as clinical experience)

Teaching Experience:
- I've been a graduate assistant in the psychology department of my master's university for almost two years, providing course-related assistance to faculty and tutoring undergraduate students.

Research interests: OCD and anxiety disorders

I’m planning on applying to a mix of scientist-practitioner and clinical science programs (University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, Binghamton, Northern Illinois, West Virginia, Northwestern, Florida State, University of Florida, University of Miami, Case Western Reserve). I might reconsider some schools though - I feel like my counseling master's and clinical experience will make me seem more practice-focused, so I think I might have a better shot with scientist-practitioner rather than clinical science programs. Although I think I’d really enjoy a research-focused program too.

What are my chances of getting into a program this round? Do I need another year or two of research experience? Thanks in advance!! 🙂

 

[TrinityThree]

Hello everyone. I am preparing for applying to Psy.D programs in Clinical Psychology and Ph.D in Counseling programs for the 2021-2022 application cycle.

Education:
Master in Psychology , GPA: 3.98;
B.A. in Psychology, GPA : 3.71
Berkeley Summer Session in Psychology, GPA : 3.80

GRE:
V-161
Q-168
Analytical-4

Research Experience:
Was a RA for 1 years in our research lab.
1 group research project (published, second author, in Chinese)
1 poster(first author, under review, in Chinese)
1 poster presented in the Positive Psychology Conference published(the corresponding author, in English)
1 manuscript set for potential publication (second author, under review, in English)
1 review about positive emotion(first author, in preparation, in Chinese)
1 publication about meta-review to be published hopefully later last year (second author, in preparation, in English)

Clinical Experience:
6 months, online part-time therapist in the Deep Learning Lab of the XiHu university in CHina
6 months, online mental health counselor
3 months, crisis hotline
3 months, listener on the 7 cups website
3 months, assistant of counselor
6 months, Family Support Group counselor for people with special mental health needs


Letters of Rec:
Still working on it.
I hope to have three solid letters of recommendation. 1 from a prestigious professor at my graduate university who is a social psychologist, 1 from a young clinical psychologist at my university, and one from the therapist in the private setting that I work for.

Statement of Purpose:
Still working on it.

other Info:
4 months, Teaching Assistant – ‘Physiological Psychology’
4 months, Teaching Assistant – ‘Introduction to Cognitive Neuroscience’
4 months, Teaching Assistant – ‘Time Perception and Visual Perception’
I am good at Python, SPSS and have learned R and AMOS.

I am considering applying for these programs:
Psy.D.：
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey(Psy.D.)
Baylor University(Psy.D.)
Palo Alto University/PGSP-Stanford PsyD Consortium
The Wright Institute(Psy.D.)
Long Island University–Post Campus(Psy.D.)
Biola University (Psy.D.)
University of San Francisco (Psy.D.)
University of Washington(Psy.D.)
University of Roosevelt (Psy.D.)
Indiana University of Pennsylvania(Psy.D.)
Pepperdine University(Psy.D.)
University of Denver(Psy.D.)

Counseling Ph.D. ：

Boston University(Counseling Ph.D.)
Auburn University(Counseling Ph.D.)
Marquette University(Counseling Ph.D.)
University of Iowa(Counseling Ph.D.)
University of Kansas (Counseling Ph.D.)
Virginia Commonwealth University(Counseling Ph.D.)
University of Buffalo/State University of New York (Counseling Ph.D.)
University of Missouri–Columbia (Counseling Ph.D.)
Marquette University (Counseling Ph.D.)
Indiana University-BloomingtonAuburn University(Counseling Ph.D.)


What do you guys think I need to improve/ what do you think realistically my chances of getting into these Counseling Psych PhDs programs and of Clinical Psych PsyDs programs?
Should I consider applying to MA programs or full-time RA as well just in case?

 

[summerbabe]

What are my chances of getting into a program this round? Do I need another year or two of research experience? Thanks in advance!! 🙂

Certainly enough to apply during the next cycle and I think you'd get interviews if you're applying to programs with good fit.

Some PIs might think you have more than enough experience/pubs while some may think otherwise (I probably would not want to be in those labs unless I was determined to be an R1 academic) so that's gonna be the luck of the draw and who you are competing against.

I feel like my counseling master's and clinical experience will make me seem more practice-focused, so I think I might have a better shot with scientist-practitioner rather than clinical science programs. Although I think I’d really enjoy a research-focused program too.

What are your career goals? If you intend to practice, I'd argue that PhD program orientation isn't all that important. It's more important to get the types of training experiences pre-internship (eg., easier to get neuro experience in a metro than a rural area).

 

[YoungFrancis]

Hello everyone. I am preparing for applying to Psy.D programs in Clinical Psychology and Ph.D in Counseling programs for the 2021-2022 application cycle.

Education:
Master in Psychology , GPA: 3.98;
B.A. in Psychology, GPA : 3.71
Berkeley Summer Session in Psychology, GPA : 3.80

GRE:
V-161
Q-168
Analytical-4

Research Experience:
Was a RA for 1 years in our research lab.
1 group research project (published, second author, in Chinese)
1 poster(first author, under review, in Chinese)
1 poster presented in the Positive Psychology Conference published(the corresponding author, in English)
1 manuscript set for potential publication (second author, under review, in English)
1 review about positive emotion(first author, in preparation, in Chinese)
1 publication about meta-review to be published hopefully later last year (second author, in preparation, in English)

Clinical Experience:
6 months, online part-time therapist in the Deep Learning Lab of the XiHu university in CHina
6 months, online mental health counselor
3 months, crisis hotline
3 months, listener on the 7 cups website
3 months, assistant of counselor
6 months, Family Support Group counselor for people with special mental health needs


Letters of Rec:
Still working on it.
I hope to have three solid letters of recommendation. 1 from a prestigious professor at my graduate university who is a social psychologist, 1 from a young clinical psychologist at my university, and one from the therapist in the private setting that I work for.

Statement of Purpose:
Still working on it.

other Info:
4 months, Teaching Assistant – ‘Physiological Psychology’
4 months, Teaching Assistant – ‘Introduction to Cognitive Neuroscience’
4 months, Teaching Assistant – ‘Time Perception and Visual Perception’
I am good at Python, SPSS and have learned R and AMOS.

I am considering applying for these programs:
Psy.D.：
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey(Psy.D.)
Baylor University(Psy.D.)
Palo Alto University/PGSP-Stanford PsyD Consortium
The Wright Institute(Psy.D.)
Long Island University–Post Campus(Psy.D.)
Biola University (Psy.D.)
University of San Francisco (Psy.D.)
University of Washington(Psy.D.)
University of Roosevelt (Psy.D.)
Indiana University of Pennsylvania(Psy.D.)
Pepperdine University(Psy.D.)
University of Denver(Psy.D.)

Counseling Ph.D. ：

Boston University(Counseling Ph.D.)
Auburn University(Counseling Ph.D.)
Marquette University(Counseling Ph.D.)
University of Iowa(Counseling Ph.D.)
University of Kansas (Counseling Ph.D.)
Virginia Commonwealth University(Counseling Ph.D.)
University of Buffalo/State University of New York (Counseling Ph.D.)
University of Missouri–Columbia (Counseling Ph.D.)
Marquette University (Counseling Ph.D.)
Indiana University-BloomingtonAuburn University(Counseling Ph.D.)


What do you guys think I need to improve/ what do you think realistically my chances of getting into these Counseling Psych PhDs programs and of Clinical Psych PsyDs programs?
Should I consider applying to MA programs or full-time RA as well just in case?

You're competitive for counseling and clinical PhDs. Don't apply to any of the PsyDs (except for Rutgers and Baylor if you want). Apply for RA positions if you don't get in this cycle. Don't apply for master's programs as they won't be worth it in your case (you already have plenty of experience and good GPAs). Are you currently in a research job? I'm guessing your career goals are clinically focused rather than research. If that's the case, you should still add clinical psych phds to your list. Most people who graduate from those programs go on to clinical careers.

 

[YoungFrancis]

Hi! I'm planning on applying to clinical psych Ph.D. programs this fall, and wanted to get some feedback on whether or not I’m a competitive applicant.

Education:
B.S. in Psychology
GPA: 3.65; Psych GPA: 4.0
Currently in my last year of a master’s in clinical mental health counseling.
Grad GPA: 4.00

Research Experience:
- I've been an RA for the last year and a half in the psych department at my university. I've done data collection, coding, & cleaning, literature reviews, interview transcription, collected articles for a meta-analysis, submitted proposals to the IRB, etc. a lot of the research isn't clinical though, as I'm mainly working with a social psych / quantitative methods professor. I did get one clinically relevant publication from this RA though and I’m the fourth author.
- I'm also currently an RA with a well-known clinical psych PI in a depression/anxiety lab at an R1 school. I started last fall. I’ve been learning how to use R and I’ve made a lot of progress in my stats abilities. right now I’m making the final edits on a first-authored manuscript to hopefully submit for publication this fall. starting to get another research project off the ground.
- Through my master’s program, I got a poster proposal accepted to be presented at a state-wide counseling conference in the fall. It’s more conceptual/practice-focused rather than research-focused though

GRE:
165V, 165Q, 6.0W

Letters of Rec:
- I think I’ll have one from my current RA, but I’ve been working mainly with one of the current doctoral students so I think she might be writing it and then the PI will sign it or something like that
- one from the social psych / quantitative PI
- one from a professor from my master’s program. he has a doctorate in counselor education and teaches my program's research & stats class, assessment class, and psychopathology class.

Clinical Experience:
- In the spring semester I interned at a partial hospitalization program for a wide range of disorders, but mostly mood and anxiety
- I have an internship lined up for the fall at a CBT, anxiety/OCD-focused private practice
- Did a year of volunteering as a crisis counselor for a crisis hotline
- Volunteered with a virtual “OCD Camp” for kids (not sure if this counts as clinical experience)

Teaching Experience:
- I've been a graduate assistant in the psychology department of my master's university for almost two years, providing course-related assistance to faculty and tutoring undergraduate students.

Research interests: OCD and anxiety disorders

I’m planning on applying to a mix of scientist-practitioner and clinical science programs (University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, Binghamton, Northern Illinois, West Virginia, Northwestern, Florida State, University of Florida, University of Miami, Case Western Reserve). I might reconsider some schools though - I feel like my counseling master's and clinical experience will make me seem more practice-focused, so I think I might have a better shot with scientist-practitioner rather than clinical science programs. Although I think I’d really enjoy a research-focused program too.

What are my chances of getting into a program this round? Do I need another year or two of research experience? Thanks in advance!! 🙂

You're probably competitive for those programs but definitely apply to more than just that list. There are many more clinical programs that have faculty who align with your interests. You would also be competitive for counseling psychology programs as well but your research interests align much more with clinical psych faculty from what I can tell. Having a counseling masters is not a problem. You can make it clear in your personal statement that you are more research-oriented.

 

[Clownfish_Jesus]

Hello~ I plan to apply to Clinical Psychology Ph.D. programs this fall and would like feedback on my current application stats.

Education:

• Current B.A. in Psychology student at a SLAC that is somewhat selective
• Major GPA: 3.51 [by the time I graduate it will be between a 3.6-3.7]
• Overall GPA: 3.4 [again by the time I graduate it will be between a 3.5-3.6]
• GRE: I am retaking because my AWA was appalling [I spent too long prepping my essays and did not really get to write them]
• I have technically taken 3 stats classes: 1 was for the AP exam, 1 was for psych [got a B], and the other was during Spring 20 [I didn't know that it would be better to have a B- in an upper-division math stats class than a P].

Research Experience:

• I am currently an RA and have been since January 2021. I know that this is not a long time to be one [about a year once I apply] however, I and another student came up with this project together [with a Psych professor] and managed to turn in the IRB before the summer started and got it approved. We should have a poster or two before application season. Also, the professor stated that she believes that we could turn in a manuscript before Fall 22.
• I am also part of my school's Honor's Program and will be completing a research project with the same professor with who I am already working with. We should have the IRB in before the end of Fall this year and get it approved so that we can collect data by November 21. This professor will also be writing me a LOR.
• I have written a research paper for my Honor's religion class and presented it at my undergrad symposium. The religion professor I worked with to create the paper, will be writing me a LOR.
• In my math stats class, we did 2 major projects [1 used government data of ~50 data points; the other we collected ~50 participants on our own] and we analyzed the data on our own before writing a research paper.
• My school also has a psych research methods class where we submit a mock IRB proposal, collect and analyze data, and write a paper. However I don't think that I am going to list this since it just has ~20 participants, is a group project, and did not find significance.

Research Interests:

• It has to do with racial disparities in mental health and how can we improve the measures (for Schizophrenia and Autism, specifically).

Programs I want to apply to:

• UT Southwestern Medical Center
• University of Houston
• University of North Texas
• Southern Methodist University
• University of Iowa
• Idaho State University
• Florida State University
• Nova Southeastern University
• Arizona State University
• University of Nevada, Las Vegas

*NOTE* I don't mind religious schools [am currently at one] but I myself am not religious at all. The last time I went to church was elementary.

I also plan to get my writing professor to write me a LOR to show that my writing is not as awful as my first AWA score may say [it was a 2.0]

Should I apply to Counseling Psych too?

Thank you~~~

 

[gohogwild]

WAMC

Not being graduated, I am just posting this to put some feelers out- so thank you for reading!

Education

Rising 4th year

B.S. in Psychology with a Focus in Global and Transnational Engagement

Small liberal arts college. The school is well known among the hippies I meet.

GPA 3.95 (recieved a B in molecular bio/genetics)

19 years old-- not mentioning that to be an ass but to emphasize that I am open to taking time between undergrad and grad to improve.


Research Experience

7mo (>1.5yrs by the time I graduate) in a Behavioral Neuroscience lab (not at my college). It’s a well-established, productive lab (PI has published 150+ studies over his life) and I am currently heading a study with another student. For the project, we will be traveling to another college to learn techniques to bring back to the home lab. Students who make a significant contribution get their name on the paper and it should be at least under review by the time I graduate.

1 conference paper presentation on the experience of young people in intentional communities.

7mo in historical research, using GIS to create maps demonstrating racial residential patterns of the college town. This is something I am being paid for and will likely be fruitless as far as getting my name on anything, but I think I can get an LOR out of it, and I like helping the professor I work with. Remote work.

To complete an honors thesis on the role and function of the early trans internet. I may change this to fit my research interests better..

On the advisory board of a PhD dissertation concerning trans wellbeing, gender dysphoria, and suicidality via Zoom w/ Texas Tech’s clinical psych department.

Attending (but not presenting) a developmental psychobiology conference & (separate) evolutionary psychology conference come November. Doubt that matters.


Clinical Experience

Camphill volunteer for 5 months, meaning I lived as a part of an intentional community supporting and living with adults with intellectual disabilities. I worked alongside them, administered medicine, consider them friends, etc.

Sexual Health and Family Planning intern along the US/Mexico border for 3 months (cut short by pandemic), where I adapted a program concerning chronic care (diabetes population) to the needs of a state organization. I got to shadow MDs, PAs, and a psychiatrist in the process.


LORs

I expect two very good LORs from my psych professor and the neuroscience PI, and one good, maybe somewhat flat LOR from the history prof. Just a personality thing.

My college also provides ‘narrative grades’ next to our letter grades on our transcripts written by professors, all of which have been positive. Sometimes too nice.

GRE

Have not taken it yet. I am historically terrible on standardized testing. Hesitant to even drop the $400 for Magoosh & the test but likely will.

SOP
Working on it. In the past I have received positive feedback on my writing.

Scholarships
I have received 2 scholarships, one being need-based and one being because an alum liked me when I interviewed with them.


Research Interest

General: Psychobiology, trans populations, CBT.

Specific: I am very interested in any program that has any form of evolutionary psychopathology involved or would be encouraging (or tolerant!) of involving evolutionary concepts into my dissertation. I am big Richard Dawkins, Steven Pinker, Robert Wright fan, and it would be a dream to find the right fit. I have even fiddled with the idea of applying to an evolutionary psychology phd program, but the idea of teaching as a career is not something I entirely jibe with. We'll see.


Programs that I am interested in

Suffolk University (produced a grad who heads one of the leading resources in evolutionary psychopathology)

Binghamton University (Also good with this stuff, has a neurophysiology department who is involved with the EP movement)

Rutgers (has made appearances EP movement)

Other than that, I’m still coming up with other schools/advisors. These are def reach schools.


Future Plans
Talking to people? Attending conferences? Trying to get a poster with the study with the behavioral neuroscience thing I'm doing? Not sure! Please say words!

As always, thank you in advance for your feedback! 🙂

 

[summerbabe]

B.S. in Psychology with a Focus in Global and Transnational Engagement

As a fellow liberal arts grad who created their own major, I loled at this lingo.

Students who make a significant contribution get their name on the paper and it should be at least under review by the time I graduate.

If this doesn't come through by the next application cycle, you'll likely face significantly more barriers of direct admission from undergrad and maybe need to take a gap research year.

I am very interested in any program that has any form of evolutionary psychopathology involved or would be encouraging (or tolerant!) of involving evolutionary concepts into my dissertation. I am big Richard Dawkins, Steven Pinker, Robert Wright fan, and it would be a dream to find the right fit. I have even fiddled with the idea of applying to an evolutionary psychology phd program, but the idea of teaching as a career is not something I entirely jibe with.

Most PhD/PsyDs end up in bread and butter clinical roles (outpt therapy, specialty residential units/treatment centers, neuropsych/forensic evals, etc) - is that where you see yourself? Since this interest feels way more suited for the academic world, which doesn't seem like a good fit for you? And it could make you seem like a 'poor fit' for PhD programs that don't have faculty interested in this niche even if your CV/stats are very competitive.

Overall, it's totally fine to have academic interests as separate from your clinical interests (my dissertation was in vocational psych but I work in the VA and doubt I'll ever do anything clinically related to my dissertation) but having a clear direction is often helpful in finding programs with good fit, writing your SOP and for interviews.

 

[summerbabe]

We should have a poster or two before application season. Also, the professor stated that she believes that we could turn in a manuscript before Fall 22.

For people applying directly out of undergrad, having posters and pubs I think is really important since you're likely competing against other students who may be enrolled in MS programs and have more opportunities to showcase the potential for being successful in a PhD program.

I also plan to get my writing professor to write me a LOR to show that my writing is not as awful as my first AWA score may say [it was a 2.0]

If you are allowed 3 LORs and 1 is already from a non-psychology discipline, this seems like a poor use of your final choice IMO. You need people to speak to your ability to be successful in an intensive psychology graduate program so people with that personal experience and experience working with you are usually best able to do so.

Programs I want to apply to:

• UT Southwestern Medical Center
• University of Houston
• University of North Texas
• Southern Methodist University
• University of Iowa
• Idaho State University
• Florida State University
• Nova Southeastern University
• Arizona State University
• University of Nevada, Las Vegas

How did you choose these programs? Some on your list are extremely competitive AFAIK and others I didn't know had PhD programs.

Should I apply to Counseling Psych too?

You should apply to programs that are a good fit as the PhD degree and one's ability to practice with it will be exactly the same. But your learning experiences, interactions with faculty, training and research opps, and program culture will vary widely.

 

[Clownfish_Jesus]

For people applying directly out of undergrad, having posters and pubs I think is really important since you're likely competing against other students who may be enrolled in MS programs and have more opportunities to showcase the potential for being successful in a PhD program.

If you are allowed 3 LORs and 1 is already from a non-psychology discipline, this seems like a poor use of your final choice IMO. You need people to speak to your ability to be successful in an intensive psychology graduate program so people with that personal experience and experience working with you are usually best able to do so.

How did you choose these programs? Some on your list are extremely competitive AFAIK and others I didn't know had PhD programs.

You should apply to programs that are a good fit as the PhD degree and one's ability to practice with it will be exactly the same. But your learning experiences, interactions with faculty, training and research opps, and program culture will vary widely.

Thank you very much for your honest feedback!

Just to clarify, I have 2 letters from psychology faculty members [1 I already mentioned that I did research with and the other who I am about to take my 3rd and final class with] but I didn't mention that for some reason lol.

I chose those programs because of the faculty members. I had to really narrow down my research interests and these were the very few programs with faculty members that were somewhat related to my interests and weren't in areas that my parents and mentors have warned me away from (i.e. Alabama as a liberal WOC).

I understand that rejecting a school based solely off of its location is not the best however, I think it's also important to consider the fact that if the programs have no minorities [sexual, racial, etc] then how can they help me to be more open-minded? Sure they can teach theory but, my second psychology professor warned me away from a program because she [as a very recent graduate from this program] had met the first black woman to graduate from that particular school's entire psychology program, as a peer in a random psych class. I just don't think that I would feel comfortable in a school like that too.

I was asking about Counseling Psych because I was unsure if they would be able to work with the same populations I want to work with [people who have psychotic episodes and ASD individuals]. I would be happy just doing research and teaching, or teaching at a small university and seeing clients as well while still doing research. I am a weirdo who enjoys much of the research process, which is strange to me considering how much I hated writing until college hahaha.

Also the lowest EPPP pass rate for all of those programs is above 85%, if I'm remembering correctly.

 

[summerbabe]

I had to really narrow down my research interests and these were the very few programs with faculty members that were somewhat related to my interests and weren't in areas that my parents and mentors have warned me away from (i.e. Alabama as a liberal WOC).

Totally fine to narrow schools based on what's important for you but it might also decrease your chances of finding both mentorship fit as well as program fit.

One thing to consider is that in many conservative areas, college towns tend to be much significantly more liberal and grad students are much more able to stay within a college 'bubble'. That still might not be a good fit for each person but being a UA grad student living in Tuscaloosa, AL is probably a very different experience than living in a random AL town.

I think it's also important to consider the fact that if the programs have no minorities [sexual, racial, etc] then how can they help me to be more open-minded? Sure they can teach theory but, my second psychology professor warned me away from a program because she [as a very recent graduate from this program] had met the first black woman to graduate from that particular school's entire psychology program, as a peer in a random psych class. I just don't think that I would feel comfortable in a school like that too.

Maybe one way to look at it is what's more important (if you could only choose one): having peers of similar background(s) or a program that is welcoming of difference?

I'm a male POC who attended a PhD in a southern state, did internship and fellowship in another southern state, and now still reside in the US South. We are in a remarkably white field unfortunately. Even in areas with larger than average black and brown state populations (like where I've spent time as a trainee and staff), the number of psychologists of color is still abysmal for a whole host of reasons.

My personal bias is that the more heavily a program is clinical science/research based (e.g., where the typical response to any question is 'Well, what does the data say?'), the less likely it might be attuned to multiculturalism/social justice/etc. Obviously, this will be different place by place and especially if there are faculty interested in things like racial disparities in MH as you are interested.

Counseling psych programs tend to place greater emphasis on social justice and multiculturalism. Some are very clinical science and research oriented, some less so. One marker of distinction that might be helpful is the % of people who go on to work in college counseling center/private practice outpatient therapy settings versus hospital/academic medical center/academia settings.

I was asking about Counseling Psych because I was unsure if they would be able to work with the same populations I want to work with [people who have psychotic episodes and ASD individuals].

Personally, I think it's more important to look at what types of clinical opportunities are available to students. A majority to the entirety of your clinical training will happen outside of the school (esp if there's no program-run training clinic). My program was rural-ish so it would have been impossible for me to get neuropsych training but I got plenty of hospital assessment experience as my integrated reports and assessment hours for internship applications were well above the mean.

If you want SMI and ASD experience, make sure there's infrastructure in place to get these experiences, especially if you'll need to head off-campus for them. Even if there are providers or hospitals doing that work in the area, some will not want to supervise prac students.

I would be happy just doing research and teaching, or teaching at a small university and seeing clients as well while still doing research.

If your career goal is academia, get as much mentoring now as you can on the realities of higher ed and future tenure track jobs. Read Inside HigherEd. Things are rough even for the best and brightest and I don't think anybody knows how things will change in the near future. And it's quite likely that you'll also be living somewhere that won't be anywhere near your ideal and making way less money than the average PhD level clinician.

This isn't to say you shouldn't pursue this path but the reality is that the ratio of PhD students who enter grad school with plans on full-time academia and those who actually end up in these roles is not great for a whole host of reasons.

 

[EvenKeeledShip]

Hello, I'd like to know what you good people think of my chances!

I’m applying to non-funded PsyD programs with strong ( >90%) APA match rates:

GWU
Yeshiva
Widener
Loyola
LaSalle
PGSP
Mercer

Also considering some funded, middle-of-the-road counseling PhD programs. I’d love feedback specific to applying to both types of programs.

GRE (have not taken yet, but practice test scores are):

Quant-158 (65th percentile)
Verbal-163 (92nd percentile)
Analytical Writing-5
Psychology Subject - 720

Undergrad Degree / GPA:

B.S. in Political Science / 3.15 overall undergraduate GPA (will explain below) / 4.0 Psych GPA

Relevant course work (all psych coursework taken at community college post-grad):

3 hours of undergraduate statistics
3 hours of research methods
15 hours of undergraduate psychology

Research experience (15 hrs/week):

1 year post-undergrad
R.A. for 2 Labs at University of Texas and 1 lab at Stanford
1 Poster Project for Lab at UT

Work experience:

3 years in B2B sales post college graduation

Clinical Experience:

Volunteer for Texas Youth Helpline (intermittently for 1 year)
Group Facilitator / Leader for NAMI Central Texas (1 year)
Countless hours of mentorship experience with people in recovery from substance abuse as part of my personal recovery (not through an official organization & still unsure if this belongs anywhere on my applications at all)

Summary

I graduated with a B.S. in PoliSci 4 years ago. I’ve been preparing for graduate school in psychology for a little over a year. In that time I’ve taken 18 hours of courses, including 15 undergraduate hours in psychology (3 in research methods). I’ve also R.A.’d for 3 labs at 2 quality universities and gotten a poster.

My GPA from undergrad sucks as I was in addictive addiction to drugs and alcohol and suffering from untreated mental illness (and yes, my recovery from both is a large reason I’m interested in pursuing a PsyD). I’ve been sober for 3 years now.

Given that I have a 4.0 in Psych courses, I wonder if that will be enough to at least help attenuate my terrible undergraduate GPA. Does the fact that these classes were via a community college hurt me terribly?

Thoughts on my odds at PsyD’s with good APA match rates as well as middle of the road Counseling PhDs? I’m decently nervous about my chances even for the PsyD.

This may be out of line on this thread, but any commentary on whether I should mention my personal history for explanatory reasons (i.e. mental health and addiction in undergrad) on my statements would be appreciated too.

Thank you!

 

[summerbabe]

My GPA from undergrad sucks as I was in addictive addiction to drugs and alcohol and suffering from untreated mental illness (and yes, my recovery from both is a large reason I’m interested in pursuing a PsyD). I’ve been sober for 3 years now.

Congrats! That's awesome!

Does the fact that these classes were via a community college hurt me terribly?

Were all of these courses taken at community college? Admissions panel will care more about classes more central to grad success such as research methods and stats than your general core and plenty of people will do those at a CC before transferring to their 4-year.

This may be out of line on this thread, but any commentary on whether I should mention my personal history for explanatory reasons (i.e. mental health and addiction in undergrad) on my statements would be appreciated too.

Safest bet is to not disclose specifics about mental health to avoid over-disclosing, especially since having appropriate boundaries is an important part of one's future clinical work. But plenty of people talk about what helped them to gain more focus or direction and what they learned from that process, regardless of whether mental health or personal health was a contributing factor.

Thoughts on my odds at PsyD’s with good APA match rates as well as middle of the road Counseling PhDs? I’m decently nervous about my chances even for the PsyD.

Have you fully considered the financial ramifications of a self-pay PsyD? This will impact every financial decision you make the rest of your life (house, kids, retirement). I had a VA colleague from a program on your list and they also had an active private practice outside their 40 hr/wk VA job and I imagine their debt played a large role in that. And as you already know, you've already done plenty of meaningful things in mental health without any licenses and the majority of active clinicians have a licensable MA/MS.

For funded counseling psych PhDs, especially ones that aren't tied to R1 universities and especially in a less desirable locations, you likely would be in consideration for interview invites with a poster on your pub, previous research experience, good GREs, and extracurriculars. It's too hard to say beyond that because fit and your competition are so variable. You could get a ton of interviews and be at the top of multiple lists or very few.

Also, take a look at how active your prospective PIs are in publishing. The ones who are crazy productive already are more likely to expect their incoming students to have more robust CVs and be more ready to immediately jump into 1st or 2nd authoring articles.

Will you have solid or better LORs from any of the PIs for your 3 labs? That could go a long way of clarifying your potential for doctoral success. Are you still involved with those labs or have ongoing projects that will be on your CV by the time you apply (even as a 'under review' or 'in process' item)?

If I were in your shoes, I would apply to a wide range of funded PhDs that you feel like are a good fit, including clinical programs if they fit, in addition to PsyDs. If you find that you're having luck with interviews from PhDs, even if you end up not getting an offer, that could be good motivation to spend another postbac year to further boost the CV and re-apply as many people need a second round for admissions (myself included).

If you end up getting shut out of PhD interviews and only have PsyD interviews/offers, I would think really really hard about the financial consequences, including making Excel spreadsheets to estimate debt (remember, grad loans accrue interest as soon as they are dispersed) and how much you anticipate making post-taxes (it's way less than the net number) and speaking to a financial advisor if possible. Perhaps getting a LCSW degree can allow you to do almost everything you want career wise? Or spend more time boosting the CV and re-apply later. Good luck!

 

[EvenKeeledShip]

Were all of these courses taken at community college? Admissions panel will care more about classes more central to grad success such as research methods and stats than your general core and plenty of people will do those at a CC before transferring to their 4-year.

First, thank you for the incredibly helpful response! Seriously.. this is great information.

Yes, all Psych courses were taken at community college as online classes (as well as Statistics and Research Methods). The reasoning for this is a combination of bad timing (thanks COVID), but also the fact that I needed to work full-time, and online CC courses made the most sense. I hope I don't end up regretting that decision. I took the Psych GRE to show my Psych knowledge absent a Psych bachelors degree (I scored a 720), but I understand that some schools do not take this test score.

Have you fully considered the financial ramifications of a self-pay PsyD? This will impact every financial decision you make the rest of your life (house, kids, retirement). I had a VA colleague from a program on your list and they also had an active private practice outside their 40 hr/wk VA job and I imagine their debt played a large role in that. And as you already know, you've already done plenty of meaningful things in mental health without any licenses and the majority of active clinicians have a licensable MA/MS.

I have, and I would vastly prefer to get into a funded program. I'm just truly unsure of my competitiveness for funded Clinical, and even for Counseling programs. That being said, I'm determined to get a doctoral degree and I will go the PsyD route if I have to. I'm not willing to compromise with match rates or accreditation, but I can stomach the cost if I must (with some family help).

Will you have solid or better LORs from any of the PIs for your 3 labs? That could go a long way of clarifying your potential for doctoral success. Are you still involved with those labs or have ongoing projects that will be on your CV by the time you apply (even as a 'under review' or 'in process' item)?

The good news is that I am still involved with two of the labs, and possibly a third for the upcoming semester! I have ongoing projects in both of the first two, and have secured a solid LOR from the PI of one of those labs. I am going to ask for an LOR from the PI of the other lab, but I'm not sure she knows me well enough yet to write a good one. That being said, we're going to work together a lot this semester, so it seems possible.

If I were in your shoes, I would apply to a wide range of funded PhDs that you feel like are a good fit, including clinical programs if they fit, in addition to PsyDs. If you find that you're having luck with interviews from PhDs, even if you end up not getting an offer, that could be good motivation to spend another post-bac year to further boost the CV and re-apply as many people need a second round for admissions (myself included).

I know this is such a subjective question, but how many PhD applications do you think is reasonable to take on over the next few months, assuming I will be submitting about 6 PsyD applications? No worries if that's too subjective to answer, I just thought I would ask, as I'm really unsure of how many PhD apps I should try to take on.

Thank you again for the excellent advice.

 

[summerbabe]

Yes, all Psych courses were taken at community college as online classes (as well as Statistics and Research Methods). The reasoning for this is a combination of bad timing (thanks COVID), but also the fact that I needed to work full-time, and online CC courses made the most sense.

Hopefully it will be fine. You'll take those classes again your 1st or 2nd semester during any doctoral program but you never know what some people will be sticklers for and we as a field aren't exactly known for our lack of neuroticism lol.

That being said, I'm determined to get a doctoral degree and I will go the PsyD route if I have to. I'm not willing to compromise with match rates or accreditation, but I can stomach the cost if I must (with some family help).

Determination is fantastic. But assuming you were a traditional-aged college student without a spouse or kids, financial decisions and what you're willing to do as 22-25 yo is lightyears different than when you're further along in age and other people become your primary responsibility (assuming family is something you want).

If you're open to it, get some guidance from others that you trust because dropping $250,000 to work a career where you're likely to net $50,000 to $60,000 annually is a big deal, regardless of how much you'd enjoy the work because the weight of that debt can lead to a ton of stress, regret, bitterness and potentially even ruin relationships. Debt is no joke!

I hear news stories on student loan debt and some of the people interviewed have like $20-50k but I know colleagues who have been working full-time for years and still have 6 figures of loans and aren't able to pay them back nearly as much as they'd like/should due to new debt (mortgage, car) and raising kids and that is a huge pressure that I am fortunate to not deal with. And I assume I have plenty more peers in this situation that I just don't know about.

And also consider whether doing a MA/MS program is an option. My MS program was fully funded (except for the last summer) and required an original thesis and participation on a research team so that was what prepped me for a PhD.

I know this is such a subjective question, but how many PhD applications do you think is reasonable to take on over the next few months, assuming I will be submitting about 6 PsyD applications? No worries if that's too subjective to answer, I just thought I would ask, as I'm really unsure of how many PhD apps I should try to take on.

If you have a hard cap on how much you can spend on application and transcript fees, that would be a simple answer. If not, it really depends on how much time you can devote to researching programs and completing SoPs and such. As a first-time applicant, I would apply as widely as possible to programs where I have a genuine rationale for wanting to attend (PI researches x and I did a poster on xy versus 'hey this school is by the beach') because any interview you secure is an opportunity to truly learn about what grad school will be like and compare it to your theoretical view of grad school being a great fit for your life.

When I applied my 2nd time around (as I was completing a MS), I only applied to 5 programs and got interviews with 4 and offers from my top 2. And there's no way I would have known to apply to these programs or how to present myself well during my first cycle (and of course, my MS program).

 

[EvenKeeledShip]

And also consider whether doing a MA/MS program is an option. My MS program was fully funded (except for the last summer) and required an original thesis and participation on a research team so that was what prepped me for a PhD.

Yes, I thought about that! Doing a Masters is certainly an option for me. I actually planned to research and apply to some Masters programs as backup options to boost my C.V. and give me some research experience.

Would you have any suggestions for researching Masters programs that would be appropriate for my context and could actually help me get to my goals of being accepted in to PhD programs (as-funded-as-possible, research-heavy)? I'm actually kind of clueless about Psych Masters degrees as I've been totally focused on PhDs and PsyDs.

 

[summerbabe]

Would you have any suggestions for researching Masters programs that would be appropriate for my context and could actually help me get to my goals of being accepted in to PhD programs (as-funded-as-possible, research-heavy)?

Don't know a ton either. But one difference is that some are stand-alone programs while others may be run in conjunction with a PhD program so resources (like labs) are shared.

Nothing wrong with stand-alones but those programs will likely have to put in more effort to provide robust research opportunities and those faculty need to be especially motivated to remain engaged when they may not have the same publish/perish pressures as faculty at higher research institutions.

 

[szymk1sm]

Would you have any suggestions for researching Masters programs that would be appropriate for my context and could actually help me get to my goals of being accepted in to PhD programs (as-funded-as-possible, research-heavy)?

It's been a while, but two programs that come to mind are Central Michigan University & Wake Forest. They have master's in like general or experimental psychology (requires a thesis) and have had students go on to PhDs in clinical psychology.

 

[fellwynd2]

I'm applying to clinical psychology PhD programs this fall for admission in Fall 2022 with the hope of becoming a clinical neuropsychologist and researcher. I'll also be applying to masters programs to be safe, and I'm posting this to determine if I need to be applying more to masters or to PhD. Also I'd like to know if I should quit my current job to find something more relevant, even though I really like it. My PI from undergraduate research has also offered to email programs with people he knows for me.

Education:
BS Psychology with an emphasis in neuroscience and a minor in biology. I took premedical prerequisites because I was on the fence about doing PhD or MD, so my GPA is a bit lower.

Stats:
GPA 3.54
GRE: 319 V- 162 Q- 157

Research Experience:
Worked as a research assistant in a clinical neuroscience lab for 3 years. Presented at 3 undergraduate conferences. Presented original research at the Organization for Human Brain Mapping. I also have had experience doing research with an industrial organizational psychology lab that works with NASA and with personality assessment. Also I will hopefully have 2 papers in the process of publication by the time that I apply, one of which as a first author, but I'm uncertain. Additionally, I attended the Baylor College of Medicine and Emory University online research lecture series in Summer 2020, and I've worked on some other projects that were cancelled due to Covid.

Work/Clinical Experience:
I have worked all through college, working first as a biology lab assistant, then as a security guard, and now lastly as an Ophthalmic Medical Assistant. Obviously working as a Medical Assistant I've gotten a lot of clinical experience, including working with patients one on one to discuss their medical issues. This does occasionally include discussing mental health, as many of our patients have anxiety or dementia that we have to account for while seeing them. Also I've been an intern at my state's department of revenue HR department. One weakness of my application is I have little to no clinical psychology experience, with 16 hours of shadowing 2 different clinical psychologists, some minor volunteering, and some neuropsychological assessment experience from research. I do have experience working in mental health organizations on campus though, wherein I used my knowledge to help fellow students. I'm also certified in Mental Health First Aid.

Other potentially significant things:
I organized a fundraiser for Parkinson's twice, I started a club that is the only one of its kind in the US, and I made an unofficial minecraft graduation for my school which was featured in the wall street journal.

I'm currently planning on applying to the following programs in addition to others that I've yet to determine:

PhD:
-University of Alabama Birmingham
-Emory University
-Vanderbilt
-University of Texas at Austin
-Georgia State

MS in Clinical Psychology:
-Georgia Southern
-Augusta University

MS in Neuroscience:
-Wake Forest

 

[futureapppsy2]

I'm applying to clinical psychology PhD programs this fall for admission in Fall 2022 with the hope of becoming a clinical neuropsychologist and researcher. I'll also be applying to masters programs to be safe, and I'm posting this to determine if I need to be applying more to masters or to PhD. Also I'd like to know if I should quit my current job to find something more relevant, even though I really like it. My PI from undergraduate research has also offered to email programs with people he knows for me.

Education:
BS Psychology with an emphasis in neuroscience and a minor in biology. I took premedical prerequisites because I was on the fence about doing PhD or MD, so my GPA is a bit lower.

Stats:
GPA 3.54
GRE: 319 V- 162 Q- 157

Research Experience:
Worked as a research assistant in a clinical neuroscience lab for 3 years. Presented at 3 undergraduate conferences. Presented original research at the Organization for Human Brain Mapping. I also have had experience doing research with an industrial organizational psychology lab that works with NASA and with personality assessment. Also I will hopefully have 2 papers in the process of publication by the time that I apply, one of which as a first author, but I'm uncertain. Additionally, I attended the Baylor College of Medicine and Emory University online research lecture series in Summer 2020, and I've worked on some other projects that were cancelled due to Covid.

Work/Clinical Experience:
I have worked all through college, working first as a biology lab assistant, then as a security guard, and now lastly as an Ophthalmic Medical Assistant. Obviously working as a Medical Assistant I've gotten a lot of clinical experience, including working with patients one on one to discuss their medical issues. This does occasionally include discussing mental health, as many of our patients have anxiety or dementia that we have to account for while seeing them. Also I've been an intern at my state's department of revenue HR department. One weakness of my application is I have little to no clinical psychology experience, with 16 hours of shadowing 2 different clinical psychologists, some minor volunteering, and some neuropsychological assessment experience from research. I do have experience working in mental health organizations on campus though, wherein I used my knowledge to help fellow students. I'm also certified in Mental Health First Aid.

Other potentially significant things:
I organized a fundraiser for Parkinson's twice, I started a club that is the only one of its kind in the US, and I made an unofficial minecraft graduation for my school which was featured in the wall street journal.

I'm currently planning on applying to the following programs in addition to others that I've yet to determine:

PhD:
-University of Alabama Birmingham
-Emory University
-Vanderbilt
-University of Texas at Austin
-Georgia State

MS in Clinical Psychology:
-Georgia Southern
-Augusta University

MS in Neuroscience:
-Wake Forest

IMO, keep your job and apply to the programs you mentioned.

 

[summerbabe]

One weakness of my application is I have little to no clinical psychology experience, with 16 hours of shadowing 2 different clinical psychologists, some minor volunteering, and some neuropsychological assessment experience from research.

Can't say for every program but clinical experiences probably range from nearly irrelevant to possibly giving you the edge when compared to a similarly qualified applicant. And more relevant for counseling psych PhDs than clinical.

Also I'd like to know if I should quit my current job to find something more relevant, even though I really like it.

I don't see why you would need to do so unless it interferes with continuing to work on your pending projects or you find something better.

My PI from undergraduate research has also offered to email programs with people he knows for me.

This can potentially be very helpful. I know multiple people who had mentorship lineage play a role since a PI is more likely to trust a colleague than a rec from a random PhD.

-University of Alabama Birmingham
-Emory University
-Vanderbilt
-University of Texas at Austin

I don't know anything specific about these clinical programs but these are 4 of the most prominent research universities in this part of the US so you might have some really strong competition. Good luck as you build out your list and move forward!

 

[fellwynd2]

Can't say for every program but clinical experiences probably range from nearly irrelevant to possibly giving you the edge when compared to a similarly qualified applicant. And more relevant for counseling psych PhDs than clinical.

What exactly do you mean by this? I don't quite understand. Are you saying I don't need to worry as much about it?

I don't know anything specific about these clinical programs but these are 4 of the most prominent research universities in this part of the US so you might have some really strong competition. Good luck as you build out your list and move forward!

Do you think I should reach lower then? That is something I'm worried about. I'm planning on applying to other lower schools obviously but I also wanted to give those schools a shot too. Oh and thank you for the good luck wishes!!! 🙂

 

[fellwynd2]

Can't say for every program but clinical experiences probably range from nearly irrelevant to possibly giving you the edge when compared to a similarly qualified applicant. And more relevant for counseling psych PhDs than clinical.

So you're saying I shouldn't worry about it? I was beginning to think I should try and get a part time job at a local counseling clinic or do volunteering.

I don't know anything specific about these clinical programs but these are 4 of the most prominent research universities in this part of the US so you might have some really strong competition. Good luck as you build out your list and move forward!

Do you think I should reach lower then? That is something I'm worried about. I'm planning on applying to other lower schools obviously but I also wanted to give those schools a shot too. Oh and thank you for the good luck wishes!!! 🙂

 

[summerbabe]

So you're saying I shouldn't worry about it? I was beginning to think I should try and get a part time job at a local counseling clinic or do volunteering.

Yup, plenty of people enter clinical programs with zero hands-on experience. And it seems like the more research oriented the program, the less weight clinical experiences hold. Volunteering seems more helpful for terminal MS programs.

Do you think I should reach lower then?

Unless you have a cap on how much you can spend on app fees or time to put together applications, I'd apply wherever you think you'd be a good fit. IMO the admissions process is ridiculously subjective since so much depends on what each PI is looking for at that moment so you never know.

 

[DrClinPsyAdvice]

Important info for folks applying to clinical psych programs: Council of University Directors of Clinical Psychology - Predoctoral Competencies

 

[Mason_Ost]

Important info for folks applying to clinical psych programs: Council of University Directors of Clinical Psychology - Predoctoral Competencies

Thank you for posting this! I found it to be very interesting and useful.

 

[NeuroPsychosis]

I have a question that's been circulating in my head for a while: when clinical psychology programs outside of California state that their program requirements do NOT meet licensure in the state of CA, does this mean that achieving CA licensure is out of reach? How can someone meet CA licensure if their program was out of state and clearly states that it doesn't?

I am happy for some resources as I am considering practicing in CA, although with chance that I will be landing a program outside of CA.

Thank you.

 

[summerbabe]

when clinical psychology programs outside of California state that their program requirements do NOT meet licensure in the state of CA, does this mean that achieving CA licensure is out of reach?

CA requires a few really specific courses outside the normal APA curriculum so zero non-CA based programs will meet this requirement.

But there are companies that offer those courses as online continuing education which will meet CA licensure requirements so it’s very doable. Definitely prioritize APA accredited everything and pick this up at the very end (if you end up wanting to practice there).

 

[NeuroPsychosis]

CA requires a few really specific courses outside the normal APA curriculum so zero non-CA based programs will meet this requirement.

But there are companies that offer those courses as online continuing education which will meet CA licensure requirements so it’s very doable. Definitely prioritize APA accredited everything and pick this up at the very end (if you end up wanting to practice there).

Thanks! I did realize that these courses can be taken after completing the doctoral program...(as they said- "during the application process") so that is a little comforting to know.

 

[Mason_Ost]

Hello everyone. I am curious to get some advice and evaluation of my potential in regards to getting into a clinical or counseling psychology program for this next cycle

I am interested in both PsyD and PhD programs (granted the PsyD program doesn't cost me an arm and both legs).

Education:
B.A. in Psychology with a cum GPA of 3.402 and Psych GPA of 3.687 (A's in all research courses/stats and clinical such as Abnormal Psych and Behavioral Neuropsychology, etc. My GPA is on the lower end specifically because of one math class that destroyed me (which I didn't even need to take 🙁).

Research Experience:
Was a TA for one year for our research lab, oversaw 30+ individual's research work and progress. Got approval through the IRB for multiple student research projects, including my own. Did one group research project (unpublished) for a semester and am currently working on a manuscript set for potential publication (first author) that should be completing within a couple months at most. First author, and have done basically every major part of the process. I am aware this could be very beneficial to my application, but that is where my research experience ends. My area does not have any research opportunities that I am aware of, so this was the best I could do while also working full-time.

Clinical Experience:
I work currently as a Community Based Rehabilitative Service worker (CBRS) formerly known as PSR (Psycho-social rehabilitation), so I have some exposure in the mental health field and also am a certified Pharmacy Technician (so I have a pretty solid understanding of the use of SSRIs SSNRIs) which I believe is important to know extensively about in any field of psychology. I am also conducting psychological assessments as a psychologist service extender right now as well, and give somewhere between 30-40 different batteries to various patients.

GRE:
Took it once last year, did not study AT ALL. V(58th) Q(46th) AW(82nd) percentile(s). Plan on studying hard and taking it again for this next cycle. Although I am slightly under the impression that it may not be necessary.

Letters of Rec:
I have three solid letters of recommendation. one from a prestigious faculty member in my undergraduate who is a clinical psychologist, second from a highly respected I/O psychologist at my university, and third from the head Pharmacist that I work for (professional career, not sure if this is a good letter or not). I plan on supplementing my third letter from the pharmacist for the psychologist I work under with my assessment job.

Statement of Purpose:
Really solid in my estimation, but will brush up significantly for the next application cycle.

What do you guys think I need to improve/ what do you think realistically my chances of getting into a PhD program next year? Should I consider applying to MA programs as well just in case? After seeing how absurdly intense the competition is, to say I am absolutely terrified would be an understatement.

THANK YOU ALL. The information I have received here thus far has been extremely helpful.


- I should also mention that I was offered acceptance into 3 different clinical PsyD programs last year, but after much contemplation thought it would be best to retry for another cycle and hope to get into a funded or partially funded program if possible.

 

[NeuroPsychosis]

Hello everyone. I am curious to get some advice and evaluation of my potential in regards to getting into a Clinical or Counseling psychology program for this next cycle

I am interested in both PsyD and PhD programs (granted the PsyD program doesn't cost me an arm and both legs).

Education:
B.A. in Psychology with a cum GPA of 3.402 and Psych GPA of 3.687 (A's in all research courses/stats and clinical such as Abnormal Psych and Behavioral Neuropsychology, etc. My GPA is on the lower end specifically because of one math class that destroyed me (which I didn't even need to take 🙁).

Research Experience:
Was a TA for one year for our research lab, oversaw 30+ individual's research work and progress. Got approval through the IRB for multiple student research projects, including my own. Did one group research project (unpublished) for a semester and am currently working on a manuscript set for potential publication (first author) that should be completing within a couple months at most. First author, and have done basically every major part of the process. I am aware this could be very beneficial to my application, but that is where my research experience ends. My area does not have any research opportunities that I am aware of, so this was the best I could do while also working full-time.

Clinical Experience:
I work currently as a Community Based Rehabilitative Service worker (CBRS) formerly known as PSR (Psycho-social rehabilitation), so I have some exposure in the mental health field and also am a certified Pharmacy Technician (so I have a pretty solid understanding of the use of SSRIs SSNRIs) which I believe is important to know extensively about in any field of psychology. I am also conducting psychological assessments as a Psychologist server extender right now as well, I have given somewhere between 30-40 different batteries to various clients.

GRE:
Took it once last year, did not study AT ALL. V(58th) Q(46th) AW(82nd) percentile(s). Plan on studying hard and taking it again for this next cycle. Although I am slightly under the impression that it may not be necessary.

Letters of Rec:
I have three solid letters of recommendation. 1 from a prestigious faculty member in my undergraduate who is a clinical psychologist, 1 from a highly respected I/O psychologist at my university, and one from the head Pharmacist that I work for (professional career, not sure if this is a good letter or not). I plan on supplementing my third letter from the pharmacist for the psychologist I work under with my assessment job.

Statement of Purpose:
Really solid in my estimation, but will brush up significantly for the next application cycle.

What do you guys think I need to improve/ what do you think realistically my chances of getting into a PhD program next year? Should I consider applying to MA programs as well just in case? After seeing how absurdly intense the competition is, to say I am absolutely terrified would be an understatement.

THANK YOU ALL. The information I have received here thus far has been extremely helpful.


- I should also mention that I was offered acceptance into 3 different clinical PsyD programs last year, but after much contemplation thought it would be best to retry for another cycle and hope to get into a funded or partially funded program if possible.

Hey! it's nice reading your information...I am also applying this cycle (to clinical science programs). I believe it could really be not worth re-taking the GREs....lots of programs have either removed them or made them optional. I made a spreadsheet with list of schools and noted which ones required GREs....basically non of the 12 on my list requires them. But some might argue that it can be a GPA puncher.

 

[Slowtown-21]

Hello,

I'm just an incoming junior wanting to get some advice on my planned next steps and competitiveness for a clinical psychology PhD (specialization in neuropsychology) based on my current research experience.

Education:
B.S. in Psychology specializing in neuroscience (still have 2 years left)
Overall GPA: 3.96
Psych GPA: 4.0


Research Experience:
1.5 years in a clinical research lab where I have presented at 3 conferences, 2 of which were PowerPoint presentations and 1 that was a poster presentation. Listed as an author for a possible poster for a national/international neuropsychopharmacology conference. Clinical population is patients with schizophrenia and use of EEG/ERP. Seeing if a paper I wrote is publishable right now and working on a research proposal for a national scholarship currently. Did two full-time summer research experiences in this lab that were funded (one of which was McNair). Get to interact with healthy subjects and patients, do some data entry, assist with EEG cap setup and get to see EEG recordings, practice administering neurocognitive assessments, and help with data analysis using Python.

~1 year in a computational neuroscience lab where I will potentially be involved in a manuscript for a project I have been working on with a neuroscience PhD student for the past year. Developing my skills in Python and data analysis. Will be learning a statistical language (mainly R) this upcoming fall. I also get paid within this lab.

GRE:
To be determined, thinking about taking it this winter or next summer

Research Interests (Broad for now):
Schizophrenia, Neuropsychology, Neurophysiology

Fun Fact:
I like reading random books on the field of neuropsychology for fun and was a mentee in a mentorship program by the Society of Black Neuropsychologists (SBN)

Future Goals:
Do a 2-year psychology honors program at my institution, applying this fall. Apply for a nationally competitive scholarship focused on research. Continue in these labs where I can hopefully contribute to a manuscript for both labs. Potentially apply to clinical PhD programs for Fall 2023-2024 cycle (straight out of undergrad), or become a full-time research assistant at the clinical research lab I currently volunteer at after I graduate (~1-2 year position).



I know that I'm doing pretty good right now but am I on the right track to be competitive enough to apply straight out of undergrad when that time comes? I wouldn't have to pay as much for fees during the application process since I can get fee waivers as a McNair scholar. Is there anything that I should keep mind while deciding whether to apply straight out or take gap years? Is there anything else I should focus on in terms of my future goals for the next two years or so?

 

[summerbabe]

Is there anything that I should keep mind while deciding whether to apply straight out or take gap years? Is there anything else I should focus on in terms of my future goals for the next two years or so?

You’ve obviously worked really hard and stayed focus on your goals so congrats! You’re further along as an incoming junior than the majority who apply directly from undergrad and still have 2 more years to add to your CV (and hopefully a peer reviewed article).

For admissions specific steps, I’d recommend continuing or furthering your networking to help identify programs/labs that you may want to apply to. Since you have specific interests, that’s great in the sense that you’re probably better able to identify programs that are a good fit (and vice versa). But you’re also going to be ruling out a lot of other programs (probably more so than the average applicant) so do your leg work and make those connections since you’re also likely to be competing against similarly minded peers who have impressive CVs.

On the personal side (and I’m assuming you’re traditional college aged), I’d think about how you’d want the rest of undergrad and your 20s to look. Going straight into a PhD at age 21-23 means you’ll have spent your formative young adult period in pursuit of education/credentialing, which is totally fine if that’s our primary goal.

But if there’s other things that are priorities (studying abroad, internships, undergrad extracurriculars, fun, family, gaining work experience before grad school), don’t feel pressured to sacrifice all of those needs. And in case you are maxing yourself out in undergrad to keep up, taking a breather will be OK.

With a strong CV, grad school will be there whenever you apply and I think you’ll be viewed competitively. But once you enter grad school, you’re pretty locked in schedule/time-wise for those 5-7 years and then most immediately move into a career. Good luck!

 

[Slowtown-21]

You’ve obviously worked really hard and stayed focus on your goals so congrats! You’re further along as an incoming junior than the majority who apply directly from undergrad and still have 2 more years to add to your CV (and hopefully a peer reviewed article).

For admissions specific steps, I’d recommend continuing or furthering your networking to help identify programs/labs that you may want to apply to. Since you have specific interests, that’s great in the sense that you’re probably better able to identify programs that are a good fit (and vice versa). But you’re also going to be ruling out a lot of other programs (probably more so than the average applicant) so do your leg work and make those connections since you’re also likely to be competing against similarly minded peers who have impressive CVs.

On the personal side (and I’m assuming you’re traditional college aged), I’d think about how you’d want the rest of undergrad and your 20s to look. Going straight into a PhD at age 21-23 means you’ll have spent your formative young adult period in pursuit of education/credentialing, which is totally fine if that’s our primary goal.

But if there’s other things that are priorities (studying abroad, internships, undergrad extracurriculars, fun, family, gaining work experience before grad school), don’t feel pressured to sacrifice all of those needs. And in case you are maxing yourself out in undergrad to keep up, taking a breather will be OK.

With a strong CV, grad school will be there whenever you apply and I think you’ll be viewed competitively. But once you enter grad school, you’re pretty locked in schedule/time-wise for those 5-7 years and then most immediately move into a career. Good luck!

Thank you so much for the reply. I will continue the networking bit but more importantly I will keep pursuing fun activities that I didn't include the post and I'm definitely not opposed to the idea of taking the gap years as a way to take that breather and help prevent burnout. This is really helpful and I'll definitely keep thinking and reflecting on these things.

 

[Mason_Ost]

Hey! it's nice reading your information...I am also applying this cycle (to clinical science programs). I believe it could really be not worth re-taking the GREs....lots of programs have either removed them or made them optional. I made a spreadsheet with list of schools and noted which ones required GREs....basically non of the 12 on my list requires them. But some might argue that it can be a GPA puncher.

Thank you for that insight. I am really torn about retaking it honestly. Studying for it and retaking it is a decent amount of $$$ that I would like to have for the application cycle. However, do you think that my GPA puts me in enough of a competitive position for me to not require a solid GRE?

 

[summerbabe]

Thank you for that insight. I am really torn about retaking it honestly. Studying for it and retaking it is a decent amount of $$$ that I would like to have for the application cycle. However, do you think that my GPA puts me in enough of a competitive position for me to not require a solid GRE?

Since time is always a limiting factor, I would focus on your manuscript. If it's submitted for review by application cycle and you also have a rec from the lab lead who helped guide that project, would likely be the 2nd author, and can speak to your initiative, focus, academic aptitude, etc, IMO that would outweigh whatever possible bump on your GREs. I also think that would be a bigger differentiator when it comes to who you're competing against since you've had some success with PsyD applications and boosting your CV is the path towards a funded PhD.

I have three solid letters of recommendation. one from a prestigious faculty member in my undergraduate who is a clinical psychologist, second from a highly respected I/O psychologist at my university, and third from the head Pharmacist that I work for (professional career, not sure if this is a good letter or not). I plan on supplementing my third letter from the pharmacist for the psychologist I work under with my assessment job.

I think most applicants naturally over-value their LORs. Unless somebody else is aware of the work that the prestigious or well-respected psychologists have done in the field, they are just another faceless professional. And unless each letter is also speaking specifically to your qualities in a non-generic way, these letters might hold less weight than you imagine. I would also definitely ask your assessment supervisor for a letter since they should be able speak to your professionalism, competence, aptitude for learning, ability to be supervised, etc.

In terms of general advice, it's gonna be nearly impossible to say how competitive you will be without more info about where you are applying, selectivity of the programs you were accepted last cycle, what research interests you have (some areas are more competitive than others), how well you fit with programs/labs you are applying to, and most importantly, what your competition look like. During my years in grad school, our application #s would vary quite a bit from year to year. Regardless, each PI would winnow things down to a handful to invite to interviews but there's a big difference between deciding to invite 5 from a stack of 10 or 50.

However, my hunch is that for funded PhDs, you'll likely to be competing against some people who have more than 1 year of RA experience and/or more lines on their CV in terms of accepted posters and journal articles so fit might be even more important, as well as adding to your CV the next few months if possible. Good luck!

 

[Mason_Ost]

Since time is always a limiting factor, I would focus on your manuscript. If it's submitted for review by application cycle and you also have a rec from the lab lead who helped guide that project, would likely be the 2nd author, and can speak to your initiative, focus, academic aptitude, etc, IMO that would outweigh whatever possible bump on your GREs. I also think that would be a bigger differentiator when it comes to who you're competing against since you've had some success with PsyD applications and boosting your CV is the path towards a funded PhD.

I think most applicants naturally over-value their LORs. Unless somebody else is aware of the work that the prestigious or well-respected psychologists have done in the field, they are just another faceless professional. And unless each letter is also speaking specifically to your qualities in a non-generic way, these letters might hold less weight than you imagine. I would also definitely ask your assessment supervisor for a letter since they should be able speak to your professionalism, competence, aptitude for learning, ability to be supervised, etc.

In terms of general advice, it's gonna be nearly impossible to say how competitive you will be without more info about where you are applying, selectivity of the programs you were accepted last cycle, what research interests you have (some areas are more competitive than others), how well you fit with programs/labs you are applying to, and most importantly, what your competition look like. During my years in grad school, our application #s would vary quite a bit from year to year. Regardless, each PI would winnow things down to a handful to invite to interviews but there's a big difference between deciding to invite 5 from a stack of 10 or 50.

However, my hunch is that for funded PhDs, you'll likely to be competing against some people who have more than 1 year of RA experience and/or more lines on their CV in terms of accepted posters and journal articles so fit might be even more important, as well as adding to your CV the next few months if possible. Good luck!

If I am being completely honest, I do not particularly have any preference of where I attend. I am not interested in doing research at or pursuing a position at any r1 universities. I would mainly like to focus my professional goals around clinical work, therapy, assessment and hopefully prescription rights for the clients that I see. I am fortunate enough to have a family that all does therapy and other mental health services, and so I have a secured job position that should pay well.

Not that I want to receive poorer quality education, but I do not think of myself as being competitive enough for top tier programs. I don't mean to down-play my potential, but intentionally like to keep my expectations low in most scenarios. I enjoy a moderate work life balance, and do not (at the moment) see myself diving head first into too much of a program that I wouldn't be able to pursue other avenues of interest for myself. Although, with that said - I am very capable I believe of handling a Phd or PsyD program, and do not want to settle for a Masters if I can help it. I mainly am just fully aware of how insane the competition for the programs are, and want to remain as realistic as possible.

So - in terms of programs I plan on applying to, I am shooting for middle tier programs that aren't too competitive, nor bottom of the pack. This cycle I am going to be very top heavy in terms of applying to PsyD programs, as I believe that is where my best chances lie - and then sprinkling in clinical PhD and counseling PhD programs that I have a shot at. Perhaps a few hail Mary's. though.

I have consciously attempted to keep my research interests broad, as I don't think I should narrow them at this point. With that said, I am very interested in the relation of believe to psychosis, medical rights for psychologists, cognitive fallacies in decision making, and a broad range of neuroscience topics.

I am also open (but lament the option), of doing a terminal Masters program to bump up my stats if I need to.

Thank you for your response, I hope that information helps. Could I hear your thoughts on this? I really appreciate it a loooooooot.

 

[summerbabe]

I am not interested in doing research at or pursuing a position at any r1 universities. I would mainly like to focus my professional goals around clinical work, therapy, assessment and hopefully prescription rights for the clients that I see.

You’re describing where the vast majority of applicants fall and where probably 90%+ eventually end up career-wise even if they had interest in research so a key for funded PhD programs will be to stand out and differentiate yourself from the competition and at least for PhDs, that differentiator is often research since GPAs, GREs, previous coursework, etc fall within a more narrow range.

I have consciously attempted to keep my research interests broad, as I don't think I should narrow them at this point.

Makes sense and I would also draw distinctions between what you’re interested in, what you identify as a focus in statements of purpose, what you focus on during grad school, and what you do career wise. For example, what I researched in grad school is practically in a different field than what I do clinically today.

IMO, it’s important to be able to specifically identify some concrete interests with hopefully some congruent experiences because if you’re applying to mentorship-based programs, your PI will have some really specific ongoing research projects and future directions of interest and they will likely be evaluating how your interests and skills can help further those projects so somebody who aligns more closely will likely be deemed a better fit when they can articulate that in a SOP. And an SOP that is too broad or vague is not likely to tempt a PI to invite you for an interview to get to know you better IMO.

I am shooting for middle tier programs that aren't too competitive, nor bottom of the pack.

My only experience is being a PhD student but I see funded programs as more fluid. Yes, there are top programs with well-known leaders in the field and R1 resources but beyond that, the biggest distinction might be the availability of funding and less so any USNews-style ranking of undergrad, law, and MBAs. There are countless people who might be the top choice for their program but couldn't sniff an interview at other similar programs, which IMO speaks to fit.

This cycle I am going to be very top heavy in terms of applying to PsyD programs, as I believe that is where my best chances lie

If you go that route, make sure to crunch the numbers again, even if you have family connections. Debt and interest on your principle is no joke, especially $200,000+ worth of it. Self-pays continue to get more expensive but I don’t really see the field matching pace (I work for the VA so my pay is locked in).

 

[Berry0770]

Hello,

I'm just an incoming junior wanting to get some advice on my planned next steps and competitiveness for a clinical psychology PhD (specialization in neuropsychology) based on my current research experience.

Education:
B.S. in Psychology specializing in neuroscience (still have 2 years left)
Overall GPA: 3.96
Psych GPA: 4.0


Research Experience:
1.5 years in a clinical research lab where I have presented at 3 conferences, 2 of which were PowerPoint presentations and 1 that was a poster presentation. Listed as an author for a possible poster for a national/international neuropsychopharmacology conference. Clinical population is patients with schizophrenia and use of EEG/ERP. Seeing if a paper I wrote is publishable right now and working on a research proposal for a national scholarship currently. Did two full-time summer research experiences in this lab that were funded (one of which was McNair). Get to interact with healthy subjects and patients, do some data entry, assist with EEG cap setup and get to see EEG recordings, practice administering neurocognitive assessments, and help with data analysis using Python.

~1 year in a computational neuroscience lab where I will potentially be involved in a manuscript for a project I have been working on with a neuroscience PhD student for the past year. Developing my skills in Python and data analysis. Will be learning a statistical language (mainly R) this upcoming fall. I also get paid within this lab.

GRE:
To be determined, thinking about taking it this winter or next summer

Research Interests (Broad for now):
Schizophrenia, Neuropsychology, Neurophysiology

Fun Fact:
I like reading random books on the field of neuropsychology for fun and was a mentee in a mentorship program by the Society of Black Neuropsychologists (SBN)

Future Goals:
Do a 2-year psychology honors program at my institution, applying this fall. Apply for a nationally competitive scholarship focused on research. Continue in these labs where I can hopefully contribute to a manuscript for both labs. Potentially apply to clinical PhD programs for Fall 2023-2024 cycle (straight out of undergrad), or become a full-time research assistant at the clinical research lab I currently volunteer at after I graduate (~1-2 year position).



I know that I'm doing pretty good right now but am I on the right track to be competitive enough to apply straight out of undergrad when that time comes? I wouldn't have to pay as much for fees during the application process since I can get fee waivers as a McNair scholar. Is there anything that I should keep mind while deciding whether to apply straight out or take gap years? Is there anything else I should focus on in terms of my future goals for the next two years or so?

Wow! You are way more competitive than I was as a junior in college, and even when I applied to programs last year (I am currently in my first year at a clinical psych phd program with a neuropsych focus). You are in great shape to apply, seriously.

One thing you may want to consider is other hobbies/interests. I know it may be hard, but try not to stress out too much right now. For example, I was on a sports team and I had other hobbies in school that I enjoyed. I also took three years off between college and starting my phd program and worked as an RA. I will never regret that decision. I was in a fun city, I enjoyed my early twenties, I traveled a little, made new friends, went on hiking trips etc. I mention all of this because when you get to grad school you are in it for a very long time. And if you are in neuropsych you are in it for 8+ years! That's a long time. If you don't have other hobbies/interests, the potential for burn out could be huge. Plus, when I was interviewed, a very common question that I got was, "what do you like to do for fun?" Just food for thought. You're a junior in college, the phd programs are not going anywhere. Make time to enjoy life too.

P.S I am also an SBN mentee 🙂 I'd be happy to chat further about grad school and apps if you are ever interested.

 

[fingerscrossed44]

Hi,

Really trying to decide if I should apply to schools in 2022 or 2023. I'd appreciate any advice!

Stats:
Undergrad GPA (BA in Psych): 3.68
Grad GPA (MA in Counseling): 3.8
GRE: TBD, my scores expired and I have to take it again

Research Experience:
-10 months as a research interventionist/research assistant at a major cancer center. I plan to stay here until I get into a program. Right now I run participants, do some data abstraction, and serve as the interventionist. There's a good chance I'll get to do more soon and I'm hoping it will lead to a presentation or publication.

-1 year as a research coordinator for a company that helps coordinate clinical trials. My role here was mostly administrative: managing site communication, running meetings, creating REDCAP surveys and coordinating the abstract and manuscript committees (but I never got the chance to actually do any writing, unfortunately). My team focused on pediatric diabetes.

-1.5 years as an RA in grad school in a pediatric cancer lab and an eating disorder lab. I transcribed interviews, coded data, did literature reviews, and contributed to a manuscript that wasn't published.

Clinical Experience:
-7 months as a vocational rehabilitation intern (working with people with disabilities to help them find and keep jobs)
-5 months doing mental health counseling at the cancer center I mentioned above
-4 months doing mental health counseling at a homeless shelter

My ultimate goal is to work at an AMC and my research would focus on psycho-oncology. So far, I know I'd apply to these schools:
1. CUNY Health Psych & Clinical Science
2. UNCC Clinical Health
3. IUPUI Clinical Psych
4. VCU Counseling Psych
5. UM Clinical Psych
6. Fordham Clinical Psych

I don't think I'd feel comfortable applying unless I had at least 1 presentation or pub under my belt but I'm curious to know what everyone else thinks. Thanks!

 

[summerbabe]

I don't think I'd feel comfortable applying unless I had at least 1 presentation or pub under my belt but I'm curious to know what everyone else thinks.

As things stand currently, if these PIs/programs really value research productivity and they receive lots of apps, it could be an uphill battle as the breadth of your research experiences probably wouldn’t outweigh other candidates whose CV includes posters and pubs.

At the same time, if fit is really good and that mentor isn’t flooded with tons of quality apps in a particular cycle, I wouldn't rule out receiving interview offers.

In terms of weighing whether to apply in 2022 or 23, it’s not uncommon for people to apply multiple times to the same program/PI (if needed) and I think most PIs would welcome reapplying when that individual has clearly improved their CV so you can definitely shoot for continuing to develop your CV and taking a shot with Fall 2022 apps. Good luck!