What are my chances??

[csierrah]

Hi Everyone,

I was hoping that you could help me out. I'm thinking of applying to graduate school right now (so that if I get accepted I would start my program on Sept. 2011), The problem is that I'm not confident that my application package is strong enough. Here are some details.

Honors degree in Psychology (also a major in sociology)

Undergrad GPA - 3.6 - but the last two years of my undergrad were much better.

GRE Score - 1170 (V - 520, Q - 650)

I've been invoilved in a crisis centre providing telephone crisis councelling for the community for almost 9 months now (and I can get a letter of reference there). Also, I have been working as a RA at the psychiatry department of one of the universities I will be applying to (here I can also get excellent letters of reference).

So as you can see, my application package is not that impressive. That being said there re things I could do to improve my chances. For startes, I could re-wrtie the GRE (which I can do in the next months or so if I study hard). I could also try to work with my supervisors to get a publication in place (this is not a given though). I could get more experience as a crisis councellor (which is related to clinical skills). And lastly. I could probably stablish relationships with postential supervisors at the different schools I am applying to.

Since I see some room for improvement I'm thinking that it might be good for me to halt all my efforts to meet the deadlines for the programs I'm applying for (which are in December/January). This is where your experience/opinion comes in handy. What do you guys think?

Also, I'm 24 right now and if I aply and get into a program for September 2011 I will be 25, but if I wait anohter year I'll be 26. Obviously I want to start/finish the programs as soon as possible, but I also want to make my application better.

Let me know if you think it is better to wait or to apply right now.

Thanks.

[neuropsych76]

Hi Everyone,

I was hoping that you could help me out. I'm thinking of applying to graduate school right now (so that if I get accepted I would start my program on Sept. 2011), The problem is that I'm not confident that my application package is strong enough. Here are some details.

Honors degree in Psychology (also a major in sociology)

Undergrad GPA - 3.6 - but the last two years of my undergrad were much better.

GRE Score - 1170 (V - 520, Q - 650)

I've been invoilved in a crisis centre providing telephone crisis councelling for the community for almost 9 months now (and I can get a letter of reference there). Also, I have been working as a RA at the psychiatry department of one of the universities I will be applying to (here I can also get excellent letters of reference).

So as you can see, my application package is not that impressive. That being said there re things I could do to improve my chances. For startes, I could re-wrtie the GRE (which I can do in the next months or so if I study hard). I could also try to work with my supervisors to get a publication in place (this is not a given though). I could get more experience as a crisis councellor (which is related to clinical skills). And lastly. I could probably stablish relationships with postential supervisors at the different schools I am applying to.

Since I see some room for improvement I'm thinking that it might be good for me to halt all my efforts to meet the deadlines for the programs I'm applying for (which are in December/January). This is where your experience/opinion comes in handy. What do you guys think?

Also, I'm 24 right now and if I aply and get into a program for September 2011 I will be 25, but if I wait anohter year I'll be 26. Obviously I want to start/finish the programs as soon as possible, but I also want to make my application better.

Let me know if you think it is better to wait or to apply right now.

Thanks.

Hi, I'm just another future applicant so take my advice with a grain of salt. I think you should retake the GRE because many places have a cutoff of 1200 or more. Your RAship may make up for this but sometimes a low GRE will take you out of the first screening of applications. (This is my biggest worry!)

Good luck!

[lorax]

Overall, I think you have an okay package. I agree that a higher GRE would boost your chances. I'm not sure what you mean when you say "it might be good for me to halt all my efforts to meet the deadlines for the programs I'm applying for"; does that mean that you're thinking of quitting your work to put together your application?

I don't know if you'd be able to get a publication out by December, but I think with enough work you'd for sure be able to have a few conference presentations or posters by then, so I think it'd be beneficial for you to focus on that this summer. I don't think most people expect applicants to have a publication, so it'll be a plus if you do publish, but it won't really make you look bad not to have one.

[TheDude]

People have been admitted to clinical programs with lesser stats than yours...just read threads from last year.

The one thing that puts them over the edge is research! If you don't test well you have to be able to make up for it with legitimate means in the other parts of the application.

Look, the GRE is my worry. I ace school tests in the hardest classes, but these standardized tests just always have scared the bejesus out of me!!! I'm studying and taking mid or late September. I'm hoping that will be it and I won't have to cram one more round.

You've got your GRE's done really early and have plenty of time to improve.

Get on a publication if you can, but be weary if you haven't been involved with a project and you go to a professor 3.5 months before crunch time starts asking if you can get your name on a publication it might be taken the wrong way.

Conferences for work you have done are key get them!!

Keep you're head up!!!!!

Overall, I think you have an okay package. I agree that a higher GRE would boost your chances. I'm not sure what you mean when you say "it might be good for me to halt all my efforts to meet the deadlines for the programs I'm applying for"; does that mean that you're thinking of quitting your work to put together your application?

I don't know if you'd be able to get a publication out by December, but I think with enough work you'd for sure be able to have a few conference presentations or posters by then, so I think it'd be beneficial for you to focus on that this summer. I don't think most people expect applicants to have a publication, so it'll be a plus if you do publish, but it won't really make you look bad not to have one.

Edited July 2, 2010 by musicforfun