catmom92

I'm a PhD student and have interviewed applicants to our program the past few years. Here are the specific things that come to mind from interviewing people: Try to remain calm and use coping skills to control your anxiety. Nerves are expected, but if you're literally shaking with fear, it raises doubts on how you're going to be able to handle stressful clinical interactions in grad school. Have an idea for a research project (e.g., research questions, population, etc.). But be careful about proposing something super expensive that isn't feasible (e.g., fMRI research if your PI doesn't have access to that). Don't advertise (even to grad students!) that you already got in somewhere and think you'll choose that school because you love it. It's rude. Don't steal your host's research idea and then propose it as your own to the PI during the interview (yep, one of the applicants I hosted did this...and my PI saw through it quickly). So basically - if you remain relatively calm, have a feasible research idea, and don't do anything blatantly rude/unethical, you should be good!

I emailed the graduate coordinator today and he informed me that NOT all interview invites for the clinical PhD program interview day have gone out. However, they seem to be cutting it close and I'm starting to lose hope...

Same here! Thank you and congrats!

I'm interested in suicidal thoughts and behaviors. I was pretty calm throughout the whole application process, but now that everything is in and I'm just waiting, I'm super nervous. Wishing everyone luck!!

Hi daisy_may, thank you for the feedback! Right now I'm planning on applying to 18 schools, which feels verrrry overwhelming, but I have gotten a pretty good head start and I want to give myself the best chances. I was advised to apply to 15-20.

The department I'm in is affiliated with Brown, but I don't technically work there. And thank you for the advice on applying to multiple PIs at each school! I appreciate all of your feedback, it's helping me to ruminate a little bit less about my chances or lack thereof.

Hi St0chastic - Thank you for the feedback and pointing me towards that other thread, very helpful. My GPA from junior fall onward was at least a 3.9 (I had a 3.4 average freshman and sophomore years), so hopefully that will give me a little boost. I'm applying to a range of schools competitiveness wise (with no geographic limitations) because I'm mostly choosing based on mentor fit. I'm hoping for the best and working hard on my applications, but realistically I'm expecting to need to apply multiple cycles.

Hi all – So I’m an occasional lurker, now a first time poster! I’m planning to apply to clinical psychology PhD programs this fall. I thought I’d share my stats/background – I appreciate any and all feedback. I know that the process is incredibly competitive and hope that I have a chance. I know that increasing my quantitative GRE score would improve my application buuuut I’ve taken it three times (studying incredibly hard for 6 weeks the third time around, including with a private tutor) and cannot will myself to take it again. I imagine it will keep me out of some of the more competitive programs but hope that it’s adequate for others. GPA: 3.7 GRE: 157Q, 165V, 5.5AWA Research experience: - 2 independent research projects during undergrad (part of two different research seminars). - Two years in an emotion/mood lab during undergrad - 1.5 years (at time of applying) full time Clinical Research Assistant in my area of interest. Volunteer experience: - Hospice volunteer - Group facilitator for children’s grief support groups - Crisis hotline Posters: 13 (most at national conferences, 1st author on 5) Publications: 1, more of a brief report References: 3 solid ones Thoughts? Thank you in advance!