Social Psychology Fall 2014 Applicants

[SocialConstruction]

Hey Fellow Social Applicants!

 

I thought I would start a thread to share information regarding the scary process of applying to social psychology programs! Hopefully those of us interested in this domain can use this thread to keep each other encouraged, to compare notes, and to discuss interests and POI's. 

 

I'll start by saying I've narrowed my list of schools to 9 final Ph.D. programs, and am in the process of contacting my POI's currently, with limited success (4 have replied with generic, "thanks for you interest! I look forward to your application" emails, one has not responded) and I plan to touch base with the rest by the end of next week... Where is everyone else in the process? 

 

 

[social_treehugger]

I'm glad you started this thread. I've contacted all the POI's that I'm interested in, and most have replied. 5 said they aren't accepting students, 2 blandly encouraged me to apply, and 4 enthusiastically encouraged me to apply (attached articles they authored related to my interests, wrote long paragraphs, etc.)

 

My top POI before I started this process was conveniently the most receptive. This is likely because she shares ALL of my research interests (feminist and critical psychology, discourse deconstruction, sexualities, prejudice, etc). She asked for my transcript, CV, 2 writing samples, and my cell number. We spoke for a half hour the other day and I think it went well, except when she asked who I was reading I totally blanked. The only articles I read this summer were assigned by my boss (a social psych prof whose area is unrelated) and I just didn't have the energy to do leisure journal reading after a day at the office. I explained that to her and while she sounded unimpressed, I think my point was reasonable. Since then, she has sent me 13 articles to read (lol). She also sent me her grad students' contact information. At this point I am very invested in her lab (already my first choice before any contact with the prof) and would kill to get accepted.

 

Edit: I should note that I'm applying to Canadian MA programs, which is likely why profs actually with detailed emails

Edited September 1, 2013 by social_treehugger

[SocialConstruction]

It sounds like you're doing great! I wouldn't mind the blip in the phone interview -- it still sounds like you've got a great connection going. 

 

And you're applying to Toronto! Me too! Who's your POI there? 

[social_treehugger]

Yeah, that's what I'm trying to tell myself...I tend to over think things. My POI at U of T is Alison Chasteen. Who's yours?

[SocialConstruction]

Yeah, that's what I'm trying to tell myself...I tend to over think things. My POI at U of T is Alison Chasteen. Who's yours?

I'm interested in working with Nick Rule. He does really cool research on people's abilities to accurately guess others' social attributes (sexual orientation, career success, etc.). 

[social_treehugger]

I remember looking at his profile and finding his topics interesting, but ultimately his methods weren't a great fit for me. Best of luck!

[gellert]

Hey all!  I'm applying to social programs as well.  (And I'm strongly considering adding Toronto to my list of places to apply, though not for the same POI.)

 

I'm applying to around 15 schools.  I've drafted my letter for POIs but haven't sent it out yet.  Application jitters.  I suppose I might send it out today.

[SocialConstruction]

Good luck! Initial contact is always so exhilarating.

[stereopticons]

Hello there! I'm doing this again! I'm applying for what is probably going to be primarily social programs with a few behavioral neuroscience or clinical programs thrown in. I'm still working on finalizing my list and emailing POIs. 

[ihatechoosingusernames]

Hello! I'm applying to social, applied social, and community psychology programs...I take the GRE at the end of this month. Would have done it sooner but my math skills are lacking...I feel like I need to go apologize to my 9th grade math teacher for not doing my homework back then! 

[Angua]

Greetings and good luck, social-types!   I just wanted to wish you all well, and also to encourage some of you to consider applying to business school programs as well as psychology departments.  Depending on your interests, you might find POIs who are social psychologists but teaching in B-schools that are better fits than "traditional" psychologists.  I applied to both, and am happy to chat with you about the experience, but I never would have considered the program I wound up in if a mentor of mine hadn't suggested I consider business -- so I wanted to do the same for you!

 

Whatever you are applying to, best of luck!

[SportPsych30]

What if we don't have any business background? I'm interested but skeptical. I'm not looking forward to the GMAT either haha

[DarwinAG]

O Splendid a social psychology thread. Ditto with what Angua said. I'm currently a first year social psychology student at University of Michigan. Feel free to contact me about the process since it it still relatively fresh in my memory.

[psychdork]

Like DarwinAG, I'm also a first year social psychology grad student so feel free to contact me as well.  Best of luck everyone!

[rganthon]

Hi everyone! I just decided about a week ago to apply for grad school instead of taking the year and a half off and then applying. I have everything I need except for my GRE scores, but I'm taking it in a month so I'm not worried about it.  I'm a bit freak out though because I have not emailed any POIs (even though I have a list for each school). Do you think I should email them now or should I not even bother since its so late?

[DiVitaJ]

Hi - I am applying for Fall 2014 Social Psych grad programs. I just decided to apply to UBC too. Does anyone know if they will do phone/skype interviews? I am a US citizen and trying to think about if I should get my passport to travel to Vancouver if they only do in person interviews...  

[jakem]

Not to be "that guy", but I'd like know what you guys think about stats and being realistic. My stats are below. I'd like to get into a top-30 school, if possible. Is this being realistic?

 

GPA: 3.67

psychology GPA: 3.88

GREs: 165V, 165Q, 4.5W

Psychology GRE: 700

research background: 3 labs, 4 presentations (2 national), 1 peer-reviewed journal article, 1 undergraduate journal article

 

Thoughts?

[gellert]

^ Depends on if your research experience fits with what you want to study, and networking.  If you don't have those, take two years off and get them.  If you do, then full steam ahead?

Edited November 5, 2013 by gellert

[estepano]

Recruiting graduate students - Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology Program, Social Cognition and Behavior Lab

Dr. Elena Stepanova is accepting a graduate student (Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology program) for the fall of 2014 to work in her Social Cognition and Behavior Lab, Department of Psychology, The University of Southern Mississippi.  Individuals interested in social cognition and cross-cultural research are encouraged to apply. Current lab projects include effects of discrimination on alcohol cravings; effects of exposure to nicotine and alcohol cues on social judgments; facial cues and mechanisms of social (ethnic and racial) categorization. More information about Dr. Stepanova’s research is available at http://www.usm.edu/psychology/faculty/elena-stepanova. Interested applicants should apply by January 3, 2014 at https://usmgrad.admissionpros.com/default.asp.  More information about the program and department is available at https://www.usm.edu/psychology and http://www.usm.edu/experimental-psychology

[ihatechoosingusernames]

Just decided last minute not to apply to UMich anymore...guess all you UMich wannabes have one more person out of the running 

[stereopticons]

Just decided last minute not to apply to UMich anymore...guess all you UMich wannabes have one more person out of the running 

 

I did too...my decision was based on the fact that I never heard back about a fee waiver.

[gellert]

Decided not to apply to Columbia last-minute, here. Based off of good old fashioned future decision scenarios.

[JadeS]

I decided not to apply to NYU last minute but then decided to apply to UBC a few days later... I also applied to one of the POI from UBC's old students. It's a small world.

[PsycD]

Glad to see this thread.  Anyone else want to join me in doing a swan off a bridge after the Dec 1st deadline blitz??? Good luck, everyone!

[SocialConstruction]

I'm curious about everyone's thoughts on this story (particularly thoughts from previously successful applicants). A professor at UCLA recently responded to an email I sent them back in August to say, "so sorry I forgot about this, I AM looking for a student for the next year, so why don't you tell me more about your interests?" 

 

So I did. 

 

The next day, they wrote me back suggesting we speak on the phone, to which I excitedly responded with my availability for the coming week. 

 

Then, nothing... It's been two weeks since I responded to their email. I'm wondering what I should think about all this? My friends have just told me not to worry, because the end of the semester is a busy time. But I'm concerned this means they are no longer interested. 

 

Has anyone else had an experience like this? The strange thing was, this happened before I had submitted my application. Most other professors have told me they don't engage in a lot of communication with applicants prior to the submission deadlines.