Vocho

Thanks so much to all who replied, this thread really helped me figure out what I needed to do. I'll be attending a master's program this year!

Hey, I'm on the wait list at Wake Forest, but I haven't heard anything in a while and I have to reply to another school by April 15 at the latest. Has anyone heard from them recently?

I was originally encouraged by programs who don't require an undergrad in psych and others who claim to be willing to overlook certain requirements if other aspects of the application are strong, but I didn't realize the research experience along with lack of related courses was such a deal breaker. I spent most of the last few months studying crazily for the gre (in music little attention is paid to anything apart from how well you play your instrument) and I did much better than I had hoped, but at the expense of virtually everything else. bcaitlin - at one point I thought my topic of interest and music background would be the theme of my personal statement, but you're right - it would serve much better as an intro. juilletmercredi - you have saved me hours of time - and I don't think I would have even found the post-bacc option. It seems like a good one if the master's doesn't work out. Thank you all for taking the time to respond, it's great to hear different opinions. It's a hard pill to swallow, mostly because it means a year or two of going seriously into debt regardless of which option I choose, but I'd rather face it now than further down the road.

I appreciate your honest and straightforward response. Do you recommend a master's program in general psychology?

Hey thanks for your response. I'm looking for PhD programs, since that is ultimately my goal and most programs seem to include the master's degree, if I'm not mistaken. I have volunteered for a research program starting in January, but I fear this may be too little too late. I had hoped to avoid waiting another year since I'm not getting any younger.

Hi, I'm hoping someone might be able to give me advice. I graduated in 2000 with a Bachelor of Music and have spent the last several years playing in a professional orchestra. I'd like to study cognitive psych, specifically in relation to music, but I'm not sure if this is realistic because of my background. I have no research experience and I've never even taken a psych course, although my 'numbers' are good (gpa and gre). Am I just wasting time and money by applying this year? Any help would be appreciated!