WAMC: What Are My Chances

[Ollie123]

My apologies, the question is in the title. What are my chances of being accepted into a UC Clinical Psychology PhD program.

As good as anyone's?

I'm not really sure how to answer that. It sounds like you are doing what you need to do to be competitive. No one can pin a number on anything because it all depends on who you want to work with, who else is applying in a given year, what KINDS of experience you got in those labs and how that maps on to your goals, whether those faculty members are even taking students that year, etc. You could be an all star who applies to the wrong lab and doesn't get in because they don't have experience with xyz that happens to be what is needed at that time.

No idea what a UROPs is or what it means to author one (is it an undergrad research journal?). If it's not an actual publication in a legit journal, I'd be careful using words like "authored" in application materials.

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[rerope]

Hello! I wanted to get some input.

I am 26 years old, finishing up my BA in Psychology at a UC, work in 3 research labs currently and have been for the past year.
GPA: 3.82
GRE's are in progress but am not a good test taker so that might not be competitive
Have received 2 research grants so far. Authored 3 UROPS, first author on 2 of them.
Will have 3 excellent letters of recommendation.

Thank you!

You should post in the WAMC thread with more details. you'd properly get more help there.

 

[Temperance]

What is your research area of interest? What would you want to do once you complete your PhD?

If you're concerned with average GPAs and GRE scores, then the "Student Admissions, Outcomes, and Other Data" documents should include it, as the University of California campuses have been including those statistics (e.g., UC Berkeley, UCLA). As Ollie123 stated, those numbers aren't going to be nearly as important as fitting with your potential mentor's research.

 

[PsychPhDone]

Hello! I wanted to get some input.

I am 26 years old, finishing up my BA in Psychology at a UC, work in 3 research labs currently and have been for the past year.
GPA: 3.82
GRE's are in progress but am not a good test taker so that might not be competitive
Have received 2 research grants so far. Authored 3 UROPS, first author on 2 of them.
Will have 3 excellent letters of recommendation.

Thank you!

What kind of grants and what is a UROP? What have been your responsibilities in those labs?

 

[Fali1991]

Thank you, the grants I received were $800 and $750 respectively towards the labs I work for as well as for participant recruitment.
UROP is an undergraduate research program at the school. You have a faculty member mentor you and you can receive funding for your research.

 

[psych.meout]

Hello! I wanted to get some input.

I am 26 years old, finishing up my BA in Psychology at a UC, work in 3 research labs currently and have been for the past year.
GPA: 3.82
GRE's are in progress but am not a good test taker so that might not be competitive
Have received 2 research grants so far. Authored 3 UROPS, first author on 2 of them.
Will have 3 excellent letters of recommendation.

Thank you!

It has already been asked, but what did you do in these labs and how long were you in them? What were your responsibilities and contributions? Did you mostly perform data entry and cleaning or did you contribute more profoundly in designing the study, doing more advanced data analyses, writing the manuscript, etc? Were you a co-author on any publications or poster presentations from research in these labs?

As far as the "UROPs" are concerned, be careful to be crystal clear about what they are when discussing them, whether its in personal statements or at interviews. Don't exaggerate or inflate their importance by not emphasizing that they are just undergraduate research programs in your undergrad program. Discussing them as being "first authors" could give the false impression that these were publications in peer-reviewed scholarly journals or presentations at national or regional conferences.

It's understandable that you would not want to have to move to go to grad school, no one really likes doing that, but it's a reality for grad school. Restricting your applications to programs in California and especially to UC programs is the fast track to getting denied any interviews, let alone any admission offers. Even the most competitive applicants will only hinder their chances by being geographically selective in their applications, but especially so when you are talking about a high-demand region like California. Furthermore, trying to match to a program, because it is in the UC system or California in general misses the point that the admissions process is about fit. No matter how much you like the UC system or living in California, if you don't have a strong match with a POI and the overall program, your chances will be substantially lower. And don't make the mistake of trying to shoehorn yourself into a lab in which you aren't interested simply because it is at a UC program. You could be quite miserable for the better part of a decade.

 

[atroposlachesis]

Just to throw in another question...for the past year I've been taking courses at community colleges. These are:

General Biology: A
Medical Terminology: A
Anatomy and Physiology I & II: Both A's

I'm facing an uphill battle with my application, but am wondering if these classes would at least give me a small boost. Both in terms of demonstrating my passion for the biological science components of psychology and in showing my grade improvement. My undergrad GPA is very low (3.2) due in large part to an undiagnosed neurological condition. After I received a diagnosis and treatment, I went on to get a 3.9 during my M.S. in Counseling program, and I'm hoping that my improved cognition and dedication will be further evidenced by these additional post-grad scores.

However, I know that undergrad scores weigh very heavily and the fact these courses were taken at a community college may diminish their value in the eyes of admissions teams. Thank you for reading my inquiry and I strongly appreciate any feedback.

 

[psych9595]

Hello everyone! I am a recent grad from an NYC private college, and was pre-med there. I actually have put in applications for medical schools, but I am also wanting to apply to PhD or PsyD programs here in the city. I am interested in working in geriatrics, trauma, or childhood psych, and wanted to know with my GPA, little research experience, and lower MCAT scores (I know they don't take MCAT scores, but I wasn't sure if they'd come up on my record ??) whether or not I could make it.

I'm taking a gap year now to work & work in research, but what kind of research also would be best?

Looking for: yes/no on whether I can make in into a grad program, recommendations for programs, and what type of research I should get into

1. Psych GPA: 3.3 | Overall GPA: 3.2
2. No GRE yet
3. MCAT: 501 & 499
4. Mixed races
5. Private NYC undergraduate college
6. One year-long internship with a research child & mother psychology program based in a pediatric practice; no research through school
7. Volunteering: one year in a geriatric unit, non-profit fundraising for 4 years
8. Activities: worked two jobs during undergrad & participated in orchestra
9. One withdrawal of a class (was part of the neuroscience undergrad curriculum, but then i switched to psych)

Thank you!!!

 

[deleted343839]

Just to throw in another question...for the past year I've been taking courses at community colleges. These are:

General Biology: A
Medical Terminology: A
Anatomy and Physiology I & II: Both A's

I'm facing an uphill battle with my application, but am wondering if these classes would at least give me a small boost. Both in terms of demonstrating my passion for the biological science components of psychology and in showing my grade improvement.

I don't think this helps you. One might question why you are taking these courses if psychology is your interest. It looks more like you've been preparing for nursing school.

 

[atroposlachesis]

I don't think this helps you. One might question why you are taking these courses if psychology is your interest. It looks more like you've been preparing for nursing school.

Thank you for your feedback, MamaPhD. The perceived irrelevance is confusing as it seems many of the current psychology programs emphasize neurobiology/physiology, especially in relation to behavioral neuroscience and cognition/perception. But I do see where you're coming from and could see the admissions teams reacting similarly.

 

[psych.meout]

Thank you for your feedback, MamaPhD. The perceived irrelevance is confusing as it seems many of the current psychology programs emphasize neurobiology/physiology, especially in relation to behavioral neuroscience and cognition/perception. But I do see where you're coming from and could see the admissions teams reacting similarly.

Ok, but there are specific courses that relate to these neuroscience and psychophysics areas, e.g. Behavioral neuroscience, sensation and perception, cognitive psychology, etc.

The courses you took aren't necessarily bad to have, it's just that they don't add much compared to more psychology specific courses. They might help a bit depending on the research being done by your POIs at given programs, but not universally.

 

[deleted343839]

Thank you for your feedback, MamaPhD. The perceived irrelevance is confusing as it seems many of the current psychology programs emphasize neurobiology/physiology, especially in relation to behavioral neuroscience and cognition/perception.

I didn't mean to imply the courses were irrelevant. But in context (BA psych --> master's in counseling --> extra bio/pre-health professions courses) it doesn't strike me as obvious that you're aiming for a doctoral program in psychology. I don't think it hurts you, but I don't think it helps all that much either. A better use of your time would be to re-take your GRE and get some more research products (posters, pubs) out.

A 3.2 undergraduate GPA is on the low end but it's not going to eliminate you from consideration if in other respects your application is strong.

 

[PsychPhDone]

Hello everyone! I am a recent grad from an NYC private college, and was pre-med there. I actually have put in applications for medical schools, but I am also wanting to apply to PhD or PsyD programs here in the city. I am interested in working in geriatrics, trauma, or childhood psych, and wanted to know with my GPA, little research experience, and lower MCAT scores (I know they don't take MCAT scores, but I wasn't sure if they'd come up on my record ??) whether or not I could make it.

I'm taking a gap year now to work & work in research, but what kind of research also would be best?

Looking for: yes/no on whether I can make in into a grad program, recommendations for programs, and what type of research I should get into

1. Psych GPA: 3.3 | Overall GPA: 3.2
2. No GRE yet
3. MCAT: 501 & 499
4. Mixed races
5. Private NYC undergraduate college
6. One year-long internship with a research child & mother psychology program based in a pediatric practice; no research through school
7. Volunteering: one year in a geriatric unit, non-profit fundraising for 4 years
8. Activities: worked two jobs during undergrad & participated in orchestra
9. One withdrawal of a class (was part of the neuroscience undergrad curriculum, but then i switched to psych)

Thank you!!!

Agree with the others, the CC courses don't add anything.

With a 3.2 GPA, you'll have to knock the GRE out of the park. MCAT is irrelevant. When I see that (especially a very recent one), I see an applicant that thinks psych is a backup to med school. I wouldn't report it.

 

[atroposlachesis]

I didn't mean to imply the courses were irrelevant. But in context (BA psych --> master's in counseling --> extra bio/pre-health professions courses) it doesn't strike me as obvious that you're aiming for a doctoral program in psychology. I don't think it hurts you, but I don't think it helps all that much either. A better use of your time would be to re-take your GRE and get some more research products (posters, pubs) out.

A 3.2 undergraduate GPA is on the low end but it's not going to eliminate you from consideration if in other respects your application is strong.

MamaPhD and PsychPhDStudent, you are awesome!! I can't thank you enough for your honest feedback. Thanks to you two, I can plan out my next steps (taking GRE classes, pursuing more research opportunities). I'm also perceiving that this circuitous route - while allowing me to gain relevant knowledge - could actually be a disadvantage, and that it's especially important to evidence my specific intent towards psychology.

 

[PsychQEH]

Hi Everyone!

Long time reader and I've finally found enough confidence to share my experiences/qualifications in hopes of my success in getting accepted into a PhD program in either Clinical Psychology (with a health focus) or Counseling Psychology. Please read away and any honest feedback is greatly appreciated! Thank you so much!

Undergraduate degree from R01 university: B.A. Psychology, 3.81 Cumulative GPA, 3.95 Psychology GPA

GRE General Test as of June 2017: 151V (52%), 151Q (43%), 5.5AWA (98%)

I'm geographically flexible. Thinking my research experiences and GPA will carry more weight than my GRE scores.

Strong personal statement and 3 letters of recommendation from my current PI and 2 faculty members at undergraduate institution.

Current research experience:

Six months with current lab as a Research Coordinator (40 hours per week) in academic medical center. Contribute to: administering research protocol, data collection/cleaning/analysis, lit reviews, study development/recruitment/retention, IRB submissions and adherence, manuscript writing/prep, conference presentations. Trained in administering the SCID-V and QIDS.

Past research experience:

Three years in lab as undergraduate partaking in a plethora of research programs funded by NASA, National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, and the National Institute of Environment Health Sciences pertaining to mind/body and behavioral health interventions for disaster workers and emergency responders. Data entry, study development, workshop administration, IRB submissions, manuscript writing, conference presentations.

Research productivity:

2 publications (1 in press from undergraduate lab as second author; 1 manuscript in preparation as first author).

1 poster presentation at national conference (second author).

1 seminar given at regional conference on empathy and meaning-making following critical incidents.

Research interests:

Constructive/illusory post-traumatic growth, meaning-making interventions, mind/body medicine, emergency responder/humanitarian aid worker health and resilience, integrated primary care psychology. Personality characteristics, cognitive restructuring processes, and emotion regulation skills that contribute to the maintenance of PTG and amelioration of physical health conditions comorbid with traumatic exposure (PTSD, HIV/HCV, hazardous substance use, unexplained medical symptoms).

My end goal is to work with the VA, in a primary care clinic or academic medical center doing both research and evidence-based practice.

 

[deleted343839]

MamaPhD and PsychPhDStudent, you are awesome!! I can't thank you enough for your honest feedback. Thanks to you two, I can plan out my next steps (taking GRE classes, pursuing more research opportunities). I'm also perceiving that this circuitous route - while allowing me to gain relevant knowledge - could actually be a disadvantage, and that it's especially important to evidence my specific intent towards psychology.

It's not necessarily a disadvantage as long as you also take the time and effort to bolster the parts of your application that count most (esp. research). People frequently "wander" a bit before committing to a doctoral program. Your wanderings are OK. It's more a matter of making sure you do the things that must be done given finite time, energy, etc.

 

[davidxavi]

Question about research. I used to be premed and did clinical research in cardiology. Would clinical psychology phd programs value publications in unrelated fields at all?

 

[Central_Perk]

Question about research. I used to be premed and did clinical research in cardiology. Would clinical psychology phd programs value publications in unrelated fields at all?

I did clinical research in the medical field as well before applying to clinical psych PhD programs, and had a pub in an unrelated field. I found it was valuable experience if you find some way to connect it to psychology. For example, there is a large body of research examining cardiac disease and cognitive function. You can also talk about chronic disease, chronic pain, coping, etc. If you have any interest in health psych, it is great to have some background knowledge in the medicine. I've found my research experience to be extremely helpful in grad school.

 

[reticke]

Hey guys! I could use some help deciding whether or not to apply this cycle--I'm graduating from undergrad this year and know that there are cases of undergrads being accepted directly into PhD programs upon graduation (I'm looking at Clinical Psych and maybe Counseling Psych PhDs), but after reading a lot of these posts I feel like it may not be worth the money applying this fall. Here is what I have so far:

GPA: 3.6 (as of now, in a university that's top 10 and known for grade deflation)
Research: Only will be half a year at the time of application this fall. Mostly data collection and entry, some patient assessments, though I'm pushing to be included in more. Extremely low chances of having a paper or poster presentation, to my knowledge.
Clinical: 1 year volunteering in a psychiatric hospital, working on the unit floor with nurses. A lot of patient interaction and help with running groups.
LOR: Not EXTREMELY close to any particular professors but reasonably close, I was hoping to get LORs from my current PIs but am concerned about the quality of these letters given they've only known me for a few months.
Biggest areas of interest: Geriatrics, dementia, delirium, Alzheimer's
Schools I've looked into so far: UCLA, UNC, Emory, Northwestern, USC Dornsife, UCCS, UA, UA at Birmingham, Texas A&M, Wash U, Memphis, University at Albany

I know it's hard to make predictions without GRE scores, but would love some help. If my chances are impossible this year then I'd take a gap year or two to work an RA position (since I feel like that's my weakest spot currently), but has anyone seen success in being accepted into a program despite having limited research? Also, what other weak spots in my application should I direct focus to?

 

[psych.meout]

Hey guys! I could use some help deciding whether or not to apply this cycle--I'm graduating from undergrad this year and know that there are cases of undergrads being accepted directly into PhD programs upon graduation (I'm looking at Clinical Psych and maybe Counseling Psych PhDs), but after reading a lot of these posts I feel like it may not be worth the money applying this fall. Here is what I have so far:

GPA: 3.6 (as of now, in a university that's top 10 and known for grade deflation)
Research: Only will be half a year at the time of application this fall. Mostly data collection and entry, some patient assessments, though I'm pushing to be included in more. Extremely low chances of having a paper or poster presentation, to my knowledge.
Clinical: 1 year volunteering in a psychiatric hospital, working on the unit floor with nurses. A lot of patient interaction and help with running groups.
LOR: Not EXTREMELY close to any particular professors but reasonably close, I was hoping to get LORs from my current PIs but am concerned about the quality of these letters given they've only known me for a few months.
Biggest areas of interest: Geriatrics, dementia, delirium, Alzheimer's
Schools I've looked into so far: UCLA, UNC, Emory, Northwestern, USC Dornsife, UCCS, UA, UA at Birmingham, Texas A&M, Wash U, Memphis, University at Albany

I know it's hard to make predictions without GRE scores, but would love some help. If my chances are impossible this year then I'd take a gap year or two to work an RA position (since I feel like that's my weakest spot currently), but has anyone seen success in being accepted into a program despite having limited research? Also, what other weak spots in my application should I direct focus to?

None of your qualifications are necessarily bad, they're just mostly mediocre at best. You have limited research experience in terms of time, responsibilities, and contributions, which is going to be one of your most limiting factors. I would take a gap year for that alone. Your letters of recommendation are the next biggest concern. You want those letters to be absolutely glowing, though while also being realistic and mature. If you're already concerned about the quality of these letters, you should rethink who you have asked to be references or you should take a gap year to get closer to the people you've already chosen. The latter would kill two birds with one stone by allowing you to get more research experience while the PIs get more chances to know you and your contributions.

As with everything, it's as much about how you discuss what you've done as the content of what you've actually done. You need to develop a cohesive narrative of what you did, why you did it, what you learned from it, how it prepared you for graduate school, how it contributed to your research interests for grad school and beyond, how it comports with your POIs and programs, etc. This includes your clinical experience, even though most applicants don't have substantial experience that would significantly improve their admissions chances. I probably had less research experience and more clinical experience than my competition, but it was the way I talked about what I have done that got me my offers.

Other than that, study really hard for the GREs. From personal experience, my high scores were specifically noted by interviewers. And don't bank too much on the "known for grade deflation" stuff. You're competing against people who had nearly perfect GPAs, but who aren't using excuses like that to explain why their credentials aren't better.

 

[js90015p]

WAMC of getting into clinical Ph.D. programs?:
Undergrad GPA (at time of application): 3.6
GRE Verbal: 156
GRE Quant: 148
GRE Writing: 4.0 (Retaking next month)

Research Experience: Been a research assistant in a psycho-oncology research lab for the last year. First author on at least three poster submissions, including one thesis which will be submitted for publication (Maybe before application deadlines) and second author on one other publication/poster presentation.

Clinical Experience: One year neuropsychology internship, and one year special education/ school psychology internship.

LOR: Two amazing letter from professors, one who also was my thesis advisor, and one letter from my neuropsychology internship advisor.

Do my grades and scores mean I won't get in? I feel like I have other things to offer, but my scores aren't that great. I will be applying to about 15 schools all over the country. Do I have any chance?

 

[reticke]

None of your qualifications are necessarily bad, they're just mostly mediocre at best. You have limited research experience in terms of time, responsibilities, and contributions, which is going to be one of your most limiting factors. I would take a gap year for that alone. Your letters of recommendation are the next biggest concern. You want those letters to be absolutely glowing, though while also being realistic and mature. If you're already concerned about the quality of these letters, you should rethink who you have asked to be references or you should take a gap year to get closer to the people you've already chosen. The latter would kill two birds with one stone by allowing you to get more research experience while the PIs get more chances to know you and your contributions.

As with everything, it's as much about how you discuss what you've done as the content of what you've actually done. You need to develop a cohesive narrative of what you did, why you did it, what you learned from it, how it prepared you for graduate school, how it contributed to your research interests for grad school and beyond, how it comports with your POIs and programs, etc. This includes your clinical experience, even though most applicants don't have substantial experience that would significantly improve their admissions chances. I probably had less research experience and more clinical experience than my competition, but it was the way I talked about what I have done that got me my offers.

Other than that, study really hard for the GREs. From personal experience, my high scores were specifically noted by interviewers. And don't bank too much on the "known for grade deflation" stuff. You're competing against people who had nearly perfect GPAs, but who aren't using excuses like that to explain why their credentials aren't better.

Thanks a bunch, psych.meout, this was exactly the kind of advice that I was hoping for! I really appreciate it.

 

[deleted343839]

If my chances are impossible this year then I'd take a gap year or two to work an RA position (since I feel like that's my weakest spot currently), but has anyone seen success in being accepted into a program despite having limited research?

I didn't have much in the way of research products (1 poster and no publications), but I had over two years of research experience with a record of increasing responsibilities on multiple projects.

To be competitive at the programs you mentioned you would almost certainly need more research experience than you have right now, and it would help to have experience in research on geriatrics or cognitive disorders. It's really helpful if you work for a PI who knows other faculty in the field and can help get your name out. I think that taking a gap year or two to get this experience is a great idea.

Otherwise, keep your grades up and ace the GRE. My advice is stop volunteering and turn your attention to research, GRE, and grades.

 

[davidxavi]

I did clinical research in the medical field as well before applying to clinical psych PhD programs, and had a pub in an unrelated field. I found it was valuable experience if you find some way to connect it to psychology. For example, there is a large body of research examining cardiac disease and cognitive function. You can also talk about chronic disease, chronic pain, coping, etc. If you have any interest in health psych, it is great to have some background knowledge in the medicine. I've found my research experience to be extremely helpful in grad school.

Thanks for the reply, Central_Perk
Are admissions officers looking for research more to verify you're interested in research than just that you know the research process? I have heard that any research is good research because it teaches you the process, but I don't know how true this is.

 

[MustangPhD]

Hey guys! Need some honest advice on whether or not I'll be competitive if I decide to apply this fall

I'll be a senior this upcoming year
GPA: 3.9 (Psych 3.9 as well)
GRE: I'm getting around 155-158 on Q and V... Going to keep studying and it will improve to at least a solid 158s (aiming for 160s in both, though); Getting anywhere from 750-800 on Psych GRE
LORS: Fantastic - I'm on a first name/meet the family/dinner with one of my Professors, very close/well respected by two other faculty members
Research: Will have a year with one lab, and a half year with two additional labs when I apply (so a year and a half with one, a year with two once i graduate)...All I've done so far is recruit participants, go through a pilot study, learn to read the data, but will be much more involved this coming year... The only problem is I wouldn't count on any pubs (hopefully a poster though)... I have an internship this summer that is entirely research based and I will have another internship for the fall/spring where I'll be an RA learning assessment and/or imaging techniques (and it's at a well respected Research Foundation)
Clinical: All I'll have is the internship and working with troubled kids at a summer camp for one summer

Questions: Will my lack of publications/posters really hinder my chances at PhD programs?
If the research I'm currently doing with all of my labs and internships don't match with the Professors of interest at the schools, even if I have a lot of good research experience will that limit my opportunities?

Schools I'm applying to: Baylor, Rutgers, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Roosevelt University (PsyDs)
UTSW, Houston University, Sam Houston State University, UNC Greensboro, VCU, Texas Tech, Eastern Michigan, San Diego/SDSU Joint Program (PhDs)

 

[AcronymAllergy]

WAMC of getting into clinical Ph.D. programs?:
Undergrad GPA (at time of application): 3.6
GRE Verbal: 156
GRE Quant: 148
GRE Writing: 4.0 (Retaking next month)

Research Experience: Been a research assistant in a psycho-oncology research lab for the last year. First author on at least three poster submissions, including one thesis which will be submitted for publication (Maybe before application deadlines) and second author on one other publication/poster presentation.

Clinical Experience: One year neuropsychology internship, and one year special education/ school psychology internship.

LOR: Two amazing letter from professors, one who also was my thesis advisor, and one letter from my neuropsychology internship advisor.

Do my grades and scores mean I won't get in? I feel like I have other things to offer, but my scores aren't that great. I will be applying to about 15 schools all over the country. Do I have any chance?

Mod Note: Merged into the WAMC stickied thread.

I don't see a huge problem with the GPA. The GRE could be an issue, although I don't know the percentiles of those scores and my ability to interpret them on the fly since they've been re-scaled is lacking. The best thing you can do, as you've already mentioned, is to apply broadly. If you're able to do better on the retake as well, that would be excellent; it's the biggest "rate-limiting step" in your application at present.

 

[PreDrANB]

Hi All,

Has anyone started an application thread for this round? I've seen APPIC application threads but none for the PhD/PsyD apps. I know its super early but I'm already anxious

 

[deleted861892]

I am currently at a 3.4 Undergraduate GPA. I had a rough first two years during the start of college but the last 2.5 years college I have been on Dean's List every semester. I am an international student seeking to apply to a PsyD and PhD psychology program. (I'm not really sure as to programs caring much about having diverse people in their programs) I have taken my GRE and am around the 150/170 for both sections. Reading past forums and speaking to professors, I can tell that my chances of actually getting into graduate school are very low. I briefly thought about going to a Master's route to gain more experience and better my GPA but I want to end up in a PsyD/PhD program so I thought that it may be a waste of time and money. I have many volunteer work in the mental health field as well as being a undergraduate research assistant. Before applying to graduate school, I am planning to get a job as a Human Technologist for a NIMH approved research study. Does any one have any recommendations? Anything would be helpful!

 

[AcronymAllergy]

I am currently at a 3.4 Undergraduate GPA. I had a rough first two years during the start of college but the last 2.5 years college I have been on Dean's List every semester. I am an international student seeking to apply to a PsyD and PhD psychology program. (I'm not really sure as to programs caring much about having diverse people in their programs) I have taken my GRE and am around the 150/170 for both sections. Reading past forums and speaking to professors, I can tell that my chances of actually getting into graduate school are very low. I briefly thought about going to a Master's route to gain more experience and better my GPA but I want to end up in a PsyD/PhD program so I thought that it may be a waste of time and money. I have many volunteer work in the mental health field as well as being a undergraduate research assistant. Before applying to graduate school, I am planning to get a job as a Human Technologist for a NIMH approved research study. Does any one have any recommendations? Anything would be helpful!

Mod Note: Merged into the WAMC thread

 

[RagingShadow]

I'm going to be a senior in the Fall and will be applying to PhD programs in developmental psychology, hoping to do autism related research.
-Applying to U Rochester, U Penn, U Pitt, U Conn, U Maryland College Park, Georgetown, Boston U, U Mass Lowell, U Mass Amherst, and Grad Center at CUNY. Also applying to the Yale Child Studies Center and the Emory University Autism post bac positions
-GPA: 3.76 (BA Psychology (Applied Behavior Anlysis) and BS Human Development, Education Minor)
-GRE (Expected) V: 156-160, Q: 154-156, Writing: 4.5-6.0
-Planning on taking Psych GRE in September, but haven't taken practice test yet, so not sure on expected scores
-Extra Curriculars: President of Psi Chi and our Student Psychological Association and am creating a mentoring program between psych grad students and undergrads. Editor in Chief for our undergraduate psychology research journal. Created a social group for students on the autism spectrum through the disability services offices
-Research Experience: 1 year in a Neuroscience Parkinson's lab; 2 poster presentations (at poster events at my school) and a paper that will hopefully be in press come application season; 1 year in a clinical lab assisting on a dissertation on tele-education; 2 poster presentations (at a school poster event) and I will be continuing in this lab for the rest of my senior year. Beginning an Honors Thesis on stigma and autism that will hopefully lead to a first author paper, but not until after the app deadline and likely the interviews. I am trying to get in on a new study on autism and language processing, but we'll see if it goes anywhere...
-Letters of Rec: Definitely two very strong letters from my research supervisors who I've also had 2 classes each with and a good to strong letter from the head of my program who is super renowned in his field (which is tangential to mine but not directly related) and I took a class with and did very well in (hopefully he will be on the committee reviewing my honors thesis).
-Other/Clinical: Have worked in a special needs respite type center for 3 years and in a school for autistic children for 2 years; had internships at two other businesses that assisted disabled people and I will have to complete an additional internship this spring in a field related to disabilities

 

[psych.meout]

I'm going to be a senior in the Fall and will be applying to PhD programs in developmental psychology, hoping to do autism related research.
-Applying to U Rochester, U Penn, U Pitt, U Conn, U Maryland College Park, Georgetown, Boston U, U Mass Lowell, U Mass Amherst, and Grad Center at CUNY. Also applying to the Yale Child Studies Center and the Emory University Autism post bac positions

Admission to developmental psych grad programs is likely going to be substantially different than clinical programs, as will be the programs themselves, so I'm not sure exactly what you should look at for these programs.

-GPA: 3.76 (BA Psychology (Applied Behavior Anlysis) and BS Human Development, Education Minor)
-GRE (Expected) V: 156-160, Q: 154-156, Writing: 4.5-6.0
-Planning on taking Psych GRE in September, but haven't taken practice test yet, so not sure on expected scores

As always with the GRE, this is one of those "don't count your chickens until they hatch" situations. Don't bank on having certain scores on the actual test, even if you have taken practice tests, and especially if you haven't. There are so many other variables, e.g. anxiety, that can influence test performance that you should be as conservative as possible until you get the best scores you can.

-Extra Curriculars: President of Psi Chi and our Student Psychological Association and am creating a mentoring program between psych grad students and undergrads. Editor in Chief for our undergraduate psychology research journal. Created a social group for students on the autism spectrum through the disability services offices
-Research Experience: 1 year in a Neuroscience Parkinson's lab; 2 poster presentations (at poster events at my school) and a paper that will hopefully be in press come application season; 1 year in a clinical lab assisting on a dissertation on tele-education; 2 poster presentations (at a school poster event) and I will be continuing in this lab for the rest of my senior year. Beginning an Honors Thesis on stigma and autism that will hopefully lead to a first author paper, but not until after the app deadline and likely the interviews. I am trying to get in on a new study on autism and language processing, but we'll see if it goes anywhere...

Again, I'm not exactly sure about developmental psych programs, but I would not put too much stock into poster presentations for a poster event at your undergrad. It's qualitatively different from having a poster at an international, national, or even regional conference. Some admissions committees might simply disregard it as padding.

Otherwise, your research experience looks quite good, though I don't know exactly what developmental psych programs expect. They might want more research experience than clinical programs, e.g. as they are not licensable degrees.

-Letters of Rec: Definitely two very strong letters from my research supervisors who I've also had 2 classes each with and a good to strong letter from the head of my program who is super renowned in his field (which is tangential to mine but not directly related) and I took a class with and did very well in (hopefully he will be on the committee reviewing my honors thesis).

The first two letters sound great, but I'm not sure how much weight the latter provides if your main interaction with this professor is a single class.

-Other/Clinical: Have worked in a special needs respite type center for 3 years and in a school for autistic children for 2 years; had internships at two other businesses that assisted disabled people and I will have to complete an additional internship this spring in a field related to disabilities

Do developmental psych programs put much weight on clinical experience?

 

[studentofthemind]

Good morning!

I hope to gain admission to either a Ph.D. program in Counseling Psychology or a Psy.D. program in Clinical Psychology. These are all public universities with funded programs. I made the first contact with a number of professors in the past month. Many of them have written me back, and two want to continue the conversation and set up times to speak on the phone.

Academic background: I will be graduating with my BS in Psychology May 2018. I have a 3.64 GPA and will be taking the GRE in one week. My education is very broad, having taken classes such as Addictions, Crisis Intervention, Grief, and Bereavement, Ethics and Professional Issues, Physiological Psychology, Interpersonal Communication, Abnormal/Abnormal Child Psychology, etc.

Clinical background: I work full-time for an outpatient addiction treatment facility. Along with being the admissions coordinator/office manager, I run four groups per week. These include Family Orientation, Relapse Prevention, and Step Group. I attend weekly individual/group supervision and treatment team meetings. I helped to design and apply an extension program that is now up and running (and I work full-time here now). This program is very specialized and has given me the opportunity to expand my competency in working with individuals who do not have the same belief system as me (which has furthered my interest in multicultural competency). I also sit in with our physician during some of her initial and follow-up assessments for our patients. I have also had positions working for sober-living homes.

Research background: I volunteer in a lab that investigates how children learn about emotions. Right now I am helping with a follow-up study exploring how children respond to their mother's emotions (the mothers have a history of depression). I work with the kids during our 3-hour visits (interviewing them, helping them with questionnaires on Qualtrics, "training" them on how to use rating scales, etc.) and have experience with recruitment and coding. No publications or poster presentations.

I'm interested to hear what you all think my chances are, considering my background and the enthusiasm I've gotten from faculty members!

 

[psych.meout]

Good morning!

I hope to gain admission to either a Ph.D. program in Counseling Psychology or a Psy.D. program in Clinical Psychology. These are all public universities with funded programs. I made the first contact with a number of professors in the past month. Many of them have written me back, and two want to continue the conversation and set up times to speak on the phone.

Academic background: I will be graduating with my BS in Psychology May 2018. I have a 3.64 GPA and will be taking the GRE in one week. My education is very broad, having taken classes such as Addictions, Crisis Intervention, Grief, and Bereavement, Ethics and Professional Issues, Physiological Psychology, Interpersonal Communication, Abnormal/Abnormal Child Psychology, etc.

Clinical background: I work full-time for an outpatient addiction treatment facility. Along with being the admissions coordinator/office manager, I run four groups per week. These include Family Orientation, Relapse Prevention, and Step Group. I attend weekly individual/group supervision and treatment team meetings. I helped to design and apply an extension program that is now up and running (and I work full-time here now). This program is very specialized and has given me the opportunity to expand my competency in working with individuals who do not have the same belief system as me (which has furthered my interest in multicultural competency). I also sit in with our physician during some of her initial and follow-up assessments for our patients. I have also had positions working in sober-living

Research background: I volunteer in a lab that investigates how children learn about emotions. Right now I am helping with a follow-up study exploring how children respond to their mother's emotions (the mothers have a history of depression). I work with the kids during our 3-hour visits (interviewing them, helping them with questionnaires on Qualtrics, "training" them on how to use rating scales, etc.) and have experience with recruitment and coding. No publications or poster presentations.

I'm interested to hear what you all think my chances are, considering my background and the enthusiasm I've gotten from faculty members!

How long have you been working in this lab?

 

[studentofthemind]

How long have you been working in this lab?

Hello! Since January of this year. I'll continue working with them until I start graduate school.

 

[psych.meout]

Hello everyone.

This fall, I will be going into my junior year as an Undergrad Psych major and I am really hoping to go into a counseling psychology PhD program after my undergraduate studies.

Long story short, I changed my major around multiple times and my GPA has been influenced by some of the classes that I took as a nursing major - science classes -.

Overall GPA - 3.459
Psych GPA - 3.65

Even with a hypothetical best chance scenario of me getting 4.0 for the next two years until graduation, my overall GPA will only be at 3.69 if I am lucky.

I've been working as a research assistant for a couple month now in my university's behavioral psychology department and will continue at least for one more semester to a year.

I will have a poster presentation, a little over a year of research experience and hopefully a solid GRE score by the time I apply.

I am just really worried because I heard most applicants have almost close to a 4.0 GPA both cumulative and psych when I'm not even close to it. Also, the only clinical experience I have so far is volunteering at a local psychiatric hospital for about a year.

Would it be a smarter idea if I focus on getting into a MA in Counseling before I apply for a PhD in Counseling psychology? I know most MA programs aren't funded but I am willing to go through with it if that will improve my chance of getting into a funded PhD program.

Any advice/feed back and insights will be helpful!!

You should post this in the WAMC thread

 

[AcronymAllergy]

Hello everyone.

This fall, I will be going into my junior year as an Undergrad Psych major and I am really hoping to go into a counseling psychology PhD program after my undergraduate studies.

Long story short, I changed my major around multiple times and my GPA has been influenced by some of the classes that I took as a nursing major - science classes -.

Overall GPA - 3.459
Psych GPA - 3.65

Even with a hypothetical best chance scenario of me getting 4.0 for the next two years until graduation, my overall GPA will only be at 3.69 if I am lucky.

I've been working as a research assistant for a couple month now in my university's behavioral psychology department and will continue at least for one more semester to a year.

I will have a poster presentation, a little over a year of research experience and hopefully a solid GRE score by the time I apply.

I am just really worried because I heard most applicants have almost close to a 4.0 GPA both cumulative and psych when I'm not even close to it. Also, the only clinical experience I have so far is volunteering at a local psychiatric hospital for about a year.

Would it be a smarter idea if I focus on getting into a MA in Counseling before I apply for a PhD in Counseling psychology? I know most MA programs aren't funded but I am willing to go through with it if that will improve my chance of getting into a funded PhD program.

Any advice/feed back and insights will be helpful!!

Mod Note: Merged into the WAMC thread

 

[psych.meout]

Hello everyone.

This fall, I will be going into my junior year as an Undergrad Psych major and I am really hoping to go into a counseling psychology PhD program after my undergraduate studies.

Long story short, I changed my major around multiple times and my GPA has been influenced by some of the classes that I took as a nursing major - science classes -.

Overall GPA - 3.459
Psych GPA - 3.65

Even with a hypothetical best chance scenario of me getting 4.0 for the next two years until graduation, my overall GPA will only be at 3.69 if I am lucky.

I've been working as a research assistant for a couple month now in my university's behavioral psychology department and will continue at least for one more semester to a year.

I will have a poster presentation, a little over a year of research experience and hopefully a solid GRE score by the time I apply.

I am just really worried because I heard most applicants have almost close to a 4.0 GPA both cumulative and psych when I'm not even close to it. Also, the only clinical experience I have so far is volunteering at a local psychiatric hospital for about a year.

Would it be a smarter idea if I focus on getting into a MA in Counseling before I apply for a PhD in Counseling psychology? I know most MA programs aren't funded but I am willing to go through with it if that will improve my chance of getting into a funded PhD program.

Any advice/feed back and insights will be helpful!!

Your GPA is far from terrible and a 3.69 by the time of graduating is definitely competitive for doctoral programs. Focus on getting straight As in school, study hard and do well on the GREs, and get as much research experience as you can, especially with increasing levels of responsibility and productivity (e.g. publications and posters).

From there, you need to focus on "fit" with the programs and POIs to which you apply, preparing good personal statements, and getting excellent recommendation letters.

You'd definitely have a shot if you get all of this done, but even if you don't get in your first time applying, look for a full-time research position after you graduate to further bulk up your research resume.

 

[aln22]

Hi Everyone,

I am currently a post-bacc with the goal of one day pursuing a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology. I applied to programs last year, but was unfortunately rejected (I'm assuming because of my GRE score) However, I am planning on retaking the test in August to (hopefully) improve my score.

Here is everything that I have so far:

V: 148
Q: 152
AW: 4.5

Undergrad Cumulative GPA: 3.67
Undergrad Psychology GPA: 3.81
Magna Cum Laude
Dean's List for last 4 semesters of undergrad

Research Experience: 3 years in a research lab that examines how the effects of biological responses relate to certain interpersonal stressors. I am also in the process of working on a poster presentation for this lab.


Clinical/Volunteer Experience:
~1.5 years working as a crisis hotline counselor
~3 years volunteer at a Boys and Girls Club (here I have implemented a mindfulness intervention program and administered surveys and questionnaires such as the PANAS-C, CERQ)


I know my GRE scores are pretty low..But I feel like everything else is pretty decent. Is there anything else that I should be adding/improving on in order to become more competitive this time around?

Also, would it be smarter to focus on getting into a MA before I apply to a PhD if my GRE scores continue to be mediocre? Or should I take another year off and continue to do research? I know I'd have to pay out of pocket for a MA, but if it will improve my chances of getting into a funded PhD program, I will do it.


Anything helps, thank you!

 

[psych.meout]

Hi Everyone,

I am currently a post-bacc with the goal of one day pursuing a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology. I applied to programs last year, but was unfortunately rejected (I'm assuming because of my GRE score) However, I am planning on retaking the test in August to (hopefully) improve my score.

Here is everything that I have so far:

V: 148
Q: 152
AW: 4.5

Undergrad Cumulative GPA: 3.67
Undergrad Psychology GPA: 3.81
Magna Cum Laude
Dean's List for last 4 semesters of undergrad

Your GPA is fine, but your GRE scores need to come up a bit, probably a minimum of 75th percentile for each.

Research Experience: 3 years in a research lab that examines how the effects of biological responses relate to certain interpersonal stressors. I am also in the process of working on a poster presentation for this lab.

What are/were your duties in this lab? Was it just data entry and cleaning or did you substantially contribute to the conceptualization and design, analysis, and any manuscript prep?

Three years is kind of a long time to be in a lab and have no productivity unless it's a substantially long-term study.

Clinical/Volunteer Experience:
~1.5 years working as a crisis hotline counselor
~3 years volunteer at a Boys and Girls Club (here I have implemented a mindfulness intervention program and administered surveys and questionnaires such as the PANAS-C, CERQ)

Um...what exactly is going on with this "mindfulness intervention program?"

For what are you "intervening?" Based on the measures you listed, is this concerning some form of psychopathology or sub-clinical emotional distress/dysregulation? Are you doing this under the supervision of someone who has substantial training with interventions and ideally is licensed in some way, especially if this is concerning psychopathology?

What is the purpose of using this measures? Is this some kind of research study or is it for QI? Did you go through some kind of IRB before doing any of this? Do you have the informed consent of these minors and their parents/guardians?

 

[ZTG1992]

Hello,

I am curious if anyone can help me understand what types of PhD programs I should be applying for considering what I want to do. I am interested in becoming a clinical neuropsychologist eventually, but I am unsure if I should be applying specifically to neuropsychology programs, or clinical psychology programs and do a post-doc later. I am concerned I will not be as competitive for neuropsychology programs/faculty, and I am not sure what the best approach is.

My stats are:
UG GPA: 3.65 (Psyc 3.8)
Grad GPA: 4.0 (I am finishing my master's)
GRE: 161/157 (working on improving
LoR: 3 very strong letters
Research experience: 4 years in a community research lab; about 30 poster presentations (1st author on half, 2nd or 3rd on other half), 2 publications (2nd author on both; working on 3rd). My research was not strictly clinical, but I often incorporated measurements of depression/suicide. I have won a couple research awards from conferences, but nothing amazing.
Clinical experience: Limited, a year of clinical-related with high school students, but nothing directly with clinical populations
Teaching: I have taught an undergraduate statistics course (mostly ANOVA/Regression), and have worked as an aid in another stats course for 2 years
Statistics skills: SEM, Regression (mediation/moderation), HLM (roughly), ANOVA designs, other stuff

However, I am concerned that my neuroscience experience is going to prevent me from being competitive in a neuropsych program, and I don't think a traditional clinical program is right for me unless it offers at least a couple neuropsych/science courses. I don't mind doing research in anything clinical, I am just worried a strictly-clinical psychology program will eliminate my option to do a neuropsychology post-doc.

If anyone has any advice on neuropsychology programs versus clinical I would appreciate it. Also, is it possible to go to a program with heavy neuropsychology courses and work with a faculty who does not do anything neuropsychology? That may improve my odds.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

Hello,

I am curious if anyone can help me understand what types of PhD programs I should be applying for considering what I want to do. I am interested in becoming a clinical neuropsychologist eventually, but I am unsure if I should be applying specifically to neuropsychology programs, or clinical psychology programs and do a post-doc later. I am concerned I will not be as competitive for neuropsychology programs/faculty, and I am not sure what the best approach is.

My stats are:
UG GPA: 3.65 (Psyc 3.8)
Grad GPA: 4.0 (I am finishing my master's)
GRE: 161/157 (working on improving
LoR: 3 very strong letters
Research experience: 4 years in a community research lab; about 30 poster presentations (1st author on half, 2nd or 3rd on other half), 2 publications (2nd author on both; working on 3rd). My research was not strictly clinical, but I often incorporated measurements of depression/suicide. I have won a couple research awards from conferences, but nothing amazing.
Clinical experience: Limited, a year of clinical-related with high school students, but nothing directly with clinical populations
Teaching: I have taught an undergraduate statistics course (mostly ANOVA/Regression), and have worked as an aid in another stats course for 2 years
Statistics skills: SEM, Regression (mediation/moderation), HLM (roughly), ANOVA designs, other stuff

However, I am concerned that my neuroscience experience is going to prevent me from being competitive in a neuropsych program, and I don't think a traditional clinical program is right for me unless it offers at least a couple neuropsych/science courses. I don't mind doing research in anything clinical, I am just worried a strictly-clinical psychology program will eliminate my option to do a neuropsychology post-doc.

If anyone has any advice on neuropsychology programs versus clinical I would appreciate it. Also, is it possible to go to a program with heavy neuropsychology courses and work with a faculty who does not do anything neuropsychology? That may improve my odds.

Mod Note: Merged into the WAMC thread

 

[psych.meout]

Hello,

I am curious if anyone can help me understand what types of PhD programs I should be applying for considering what I want to do. I am interested in becoming a clinical neuropsychologist eventually, but I am unsure if I should be applying specifically to neuropsychology programs, or clinical psychology programs and do a post-doc later. I am concerned I will not be as competitive for neuropsychology programs/faculty, and I am not sure what the best approach is.

My stats are:
UG GPA: 3.65 (Psyc 3.8)
Grad GPA: 4.0 (I am finishing my master's)
GRE: 161/157 (working on improving
LoR: 3 very strong letters
Research experience: 4 years in a community research lab; about 30 poster presentations (1st author on half, 2nd or 3rd on other half), 2 publications (2nd author on both; working on 3rd). My research was not strictly clinical, but I often incorporated measurements of depression/suicide. I have won a couple research awards from conferences, but nothing amazing.
Clinical experience: Limited, a year of clinical-related with high school students, but nothing directly with clinical populations
Teaching: I have taught an undergraduate statistics course (mostly ANOVA/Regression), and have worked as an aid in another stats course for 2 years
Statistics skills: SEM, Regression (mediation/moderation), HLM (roughly), ANOVA designs, other stuff

However, I am concerned that my neuroscience experience is going to prevent me from being competitive in a neuropsych program, and I don't think a traditional clinical program is right for me unless it offers at least a couple neuropsych/science courses. I don't mind doing research in anything clinical, I am just worried a strictly-clinical psychology program will eliminate my option to do a neuropsychology post-doc.

If anyone has any advice on neuropsychology programs versus clinical I would appreciate it. Also, is it possible to go to a program with heavy neuropsychology courses and work with a faculty who does not do anything neuropsychology? That may improve my odds.

From the way you worded your post, I think you may be a little confused. If you want to get licensed and be a clinical neuropsychologist, you need to go to a accredited clinical psychology doctoral program first and foremost. There are no licensable doctoral programs in just neuropsychology, that's just not how things work in the US.

You'll want to apply to clinical PsyD or PhD programs (preferably fully-funded ones with very high accredited internship match rates) with faculty who are doing neuropsych-related research and which have clinical practica opportunities in neuropsych. Some programs have neuropsych "tracks," but these are far from necessary and are often just branding. Having a track in neuropsych does not necessarily mean a program has a stronger neuropsych focus than those which do not. Conversely, many programs have very strong neuropsych foci without having any neuropsych tracks, e.g. University of Alabama-Birmingham.

As for POIs, you can have a mentor who is not into neuropsych, per se, but you'll still want to get research experience and productivity in neuropsych. This is not really that hard to arrange, because neuropsych can relate to virtually any other psych research area. For example, you could have a mentor who is focused on pain research with no previous focus in neuropsych, especially as pain and cognitive dysfunction are both often symptoms/consequences of many medical problems, from head injuries to neurodegenerative diseases to cancer. Researching cognitive functioning in pain populations would allow you to overlap your neuropsych interests with their pain focus. You could study the character of the cognitive dysfunctions reported by pain patients (e.g. attention, working memory, executive functioning, etc.), perceived disability, pain catastrophizing, and cogniphobia (i.e. are reports of cognitive dysfunction signs of actual dysfunction or are they the consequences of other psychosocial issues, like anxiety and expectations of disability), malingering and response bias (there are already issues of overreporting or factitious symptoms in pain populations for the purposes of obtaining medications or disability/accommodations), etc.

Regardless of who is your mentor, you want to make sure you get plenty of experience doing neuropsych assessment during grad school, as well as having the didactic experiences and coursework necessary to give you a solid foundation in neuropsych. That said, don't neglect other clinical experiences and opportunities. You want to have a solid generalist foundation in clinical psychology before you further specialize at internship and post-doc.

The Houston Conference Guidelines are mostly a vertical, not linear, model. You need to get the didactic training and experiences in neuropsych, but you don't necessarily have to get them at the same stages as everyone else. The more you focus on these things during your grad program, the less you'll have to get done during internship and post-doc. This could even be to the point that you get a more generalist internship, because you already completed so much in your program prior to internship. The less you get done during your grad program, the more essential a neuropsych heavy internship is. Either way, you need to get a neuropsych post-doc in order to get boarded in neuropsych, and you definitely want to get boarded.

 

[PsychQEH]

Hi Everyone!

Long time reader and I've finally found enough confidence to share my experiences/qualifications in hopes of my success in getting accepted into a PhD program in either Clinical Psychology (with a health focus) or Counseling Psychology. Please read away and any honest feedback is greatly appreciated -- Thank you so much!

Undergraduate degree from R01 university: B.A. Psychology, 3.81 Cumulative GPA, 3.95 Psychology GPA

GRE General Test as of June 2017: 151V (52%), 151Q (43%), 5.5AWA (98%)

I'm geographically flexible. Thinking my research experiences and GPA will carry more weight than my GRE scores.

Strong personal statement and 3 letters of recommendation from my current PI and 2 faculty members at undergraduate institution.

Current research experience:

Six months with current lab as a Research Coordinator (40 hours per week) in academic medical center -- will plan to be in this position for about 18 months before starting grad school. Contribute to: administering research protocol, data collection/cleaning/analysis, lit reviews, study development/recruitment/retention, IRB submissions and adherence, manuscript writing/prep, conference presentations. Trained in administering the SCID-V and QIDS.

Past research experience:

Three years in lab as undergraduate partaking in a plethora of research programs funded by NASA, National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, and the National Institute of Environment Health Sciences pertaining to mind/body and behavioral health interventions for disaster workers and emergency responders. Data entry, study development, workshop facilitation, IRB submissions, manuscript writing, conference presentations.

Research productivity:

2 publications (1 in press from undergraduate lab as second author; 1 manuscript in preparation as first author with collaborative relationship from members of SBM).

1 poster presentation at national conference (second author).

1 seminar given at regional conference on empathy and meaning-making following critical incidents.

Research interests:

Constructive/illusory post-traumatic growth, meaning-making interventions, mind/body medicine, emergency responder/humanitarian aid worker health and resilience, integrated primary care psychology. Personality characteristics, cognitive restructuring processes, and emotion regulation skills that contribute to the maintenance of PTG and amelioration of physical health conditions comorbid with traumatic exposure (PTSD, HIV/HCV, hazardous substance use, cancer, unexplained medical symptoms).

My end goal is to work with the VA, in a primary care clinic or academic medical center doing both research and evidence-based practice.

 

[heydayday]

Hi!
I'm thinking of applying this cycle for clinical ph.d + a couple experimental masters programs and was hoping to get some insight on my standings!
Stats:
Undergrad GPA: 3.77
GRE: 157 V/149 Q (dont have percentiles or writing score yet since i just took it last week)
LOR: 3 pretty strong letters (all research mentors)
Research experience: 2 years in labs at my university, 1 summer undergraduate intensive research program. Several poster presentations and 1 publication(first author)
Clinical experience: 1 year ( 1.5 year by app due dates) working at a crisis hotline. 3 years working in a community psych clinic. 3 years of peer education/mentor program participation.
No teaching experience

I'm looking to apply regionally in the southwest (which i know is a risk but its for personal reasons). My top schools rn are U of Arizona, Southern Methodist University, UT Southwestern, Wake Forest, etc.

Thanks!

 

[deleted343839]

I'm looking to apply regionally in the southwest (which i know is a risk but its for personal reasons). My top schools rn are U of Arizona, Southern Methodist University, UT Southwestern, Wake Forest, etc.

That's an interesting set of choices. What is your career goal?

 

[coug46]

Hey all!

I just wanted to toss my stats out here and get some last minute advice before applying to PhD programs this coming cycle.

GPA: >3.75
GRE: >160 V / >160 Q
Posters: 3 at national conferences; 2 from a local undergraduate conference (one of which is a first author presentation)
Papers: 2 have been submitted and are in the review process, both of which I am the first author. I am anticipating the submission of two additional papers following the application deadline. All of these papers were legitimately my own, from start (IRB process) to finish (the analysis, writing, and submission).
Grants: I have won four grants totaling more than $4,000 and a scholarship that will pay more than $10,000 towards tuition to a graduate program (of course, depending on whether I get accepted).
Statistics background: I received my minor in statistics. I was trained in non-parametric and parametric SEM, Bayesian Methodologies, and can code in SAS, Stata, and R.
Clinical Experience: Not of utmost importance, but I do have 1 year of clinical experience in a residential treatment center.

I have reached out to some of the professors that I am interested in working with that I felt have have good fit, feel like I have good LOR secured, and am just wondering if there is anything that I could do that would bolster my application before this cycle begins? Is there anything else I can do that would help my chances? Also, what would you recommend talking about when writing in a personal statement?

 

[deleted343839]

I have reached out to some of the professors that I am interested in working with that I felt have have good fit, feel like I have good LOR secured, and am just wondering if there is anything that I could do that would bolster my application before this cycle begins? Is there anything else I can do that would help my chances? Also, what would you recommend talking about when writing in a personal statement?

It looks like your background is in good shape and I expect that you will get multiple interviews. Fit and interpersonal factors are going to be key. If you are attending a conference it's worthwhile to look for opportunities to interact with faculty you might want to work with. Hopefully your mentors can help facilitate some introductions for you. Good luck!

 

[psychpotato]

delete

 

[pandapanda]

Hello guys!
I’m a Psychology specialist, and I'd be greatly indebted if you could offer me some advice/point out some weaknesses.

I'm applying to Psy.D. programs at:
- Rutgers
- PGSP-Stanford Consortium
- LaSalle

GRE:
- V: 164
- Q: 162
- Analytical: 4.0

Undergrad GPA:
- 3.8

Research Experience:
- 1 year RA coding videotapes
- 1.5 year RA running participants, ethics proposal
- designing and implementing of study - no significant results
- worked on an independent project: analyzing data & writing up a formal report

Clinical Experience:
- trying to get a volunteer position at the counseling/distress hotline
- will have around 2 months of experience by the time I apply

Thanks a lot!

 

[PsychPhDone]

Hi y'all!
I'm applying to clinical PhD programs this fall and it's safe to say that I'm completely freaking out! Ah! I wanted to post my stats here to see if anyone had any input on my chances of getting accepted into a funded program this cycle/if there is anything that I can do to make my application stronger. I was also wondering if there are any weaknesses in my application that I should either address in my personal statement or ask my letter writers to address? Any advice would be super appreciated.

B.A. in psychology with a minor in women's and gender studies.
Cumulative GPA: 3.75, not sure if it matters by my GPA for my last year of undergrad was 4.0
Psych GPA: 3.80
GRE: Haven't taken it yet, but I'm studying a lot using Magoosh, ETS, and Manhattan Prep. My goal is to get a cumulative score of 320+.
Honors, grants, ect: Magna cum laude, Deans list, "student of the year" award from my school's psychology department, award for overall outstanding academic achievement, undergraduate research assistantship grant. I also did a senior honor's thesis.

Current research experience:
- 3 years volunteering as an RA in a lab at my undergrad university: training new RAs, qual/quant data analysis, manuscript prep, presentations, IRB prep.
- 2 years working as a RA in a hospital: data entry, qual and quant data analysis, recruitment, study design/conceptualization, manuscript prep, presentations. I interned here during undergrad and have continued on to work full time after graduating.
- 6 months as a RA in another lab at my undergrad university: developing a training program for new RAs, conducting qualitative interviews.
Past research experience:
- 3 months as a RA on a project for another university: organizing/facilitating data collection.

Publications/presentations:
1 second author pub, will have some more manuscripts under review at application time including a 1st author pub.
5 first author posters/oral presentations and 3 co-authored posters at a mix of local and national conferences.

LOR:
Two from professors from undergrad who I had classes with and worked in their labs. One from the PI that I currently work with at my RA job. I'm confident that my letters will be strong.

Research interests:
Minority mental health disparities, social determinants of health, HIV prevention, LGBT+ psychology, adolescent mental health, community based mental health interventions.

I don't have any clinical experience other than sometimes helping run groups at the hospital where I work. I also don't have any teaching experience.

Thanks!

You didn't mention what kind of programs you're applying to. Regardless, I think you're in good shape. I'd highlight any empirical projects you've taken the lead on (or a really big role on), especially your thesis or anything that's resulted in a product (pub/pres).