ms8609

Hi all - Apologies in advance if this is an annoying question because yes, I know, this information is probably available scattered about the web in various places. However, I've had a surprisingly hard time wrangling it all together so was just hoping maybe some collective wisdom could provide a shortcut. In short the question is: what are known as the "best" IO psych MA programs for prospective students interest in applied work after graduating (i.e., non-academic work)? I've read the US News Rankings and the SIOP rankings, but neither is particularly up-to-date or helpful. I know that Mich. St., Penn St., and a few others are known as the "best", but my impression is that those are very academically-oriented programs. One added wrinkle: I'm particularly interested in schools in cities in the Northeastern US (primarily: Boston, NYC, Chicago, Philly, DC). So far, it seems like the program at NYU fits my criteria pretty well. But beyond that, I'm still grasping. Any help would be HUGELY appreciated.

Hi guys - I'm hoping to apply to several I/O Psych MA and/or PhD programs for Fall 2013. I have a good undergrad GPA from the psych department of a respected liberal arts school, and strong GRE scores. I've been out of undergrad for 4 years, employed for the duration as an analyst at a media research and consulting firm. However I have at least 2 gaping holes in my application material/background: 1. I have literally no undergrad research experience whatsoever. I volunteered for a summer at a psych lab (at a different university than where I got my undergrad degree), but it was so insubstantial that I'm pretty reluctant to even mention it on my CV. I.e., if I were asked about it, I would have a hard time justifying how the experience prepared me in any way for a career in higher academia. 2. While I can definitely acquire 3 recommendations from people who will say nice things about me (2 undergrad professors, 1 work supervisor), I'm concerned my academic references won't be able to say much of value besides that I was a bright and conscientious student. I do have a really strong interest in the field and some work experience that I think is legitimately relevant to I/O psych (at least in an applied sense), and I don't think I'll have trouble expressing this in my statement. However I'm just very concerned that the lack of any real evidence or testimonies as to my performance in and suitability for academic research will hurt my chances. So, my questions are as follows: 1. Any thoughts as to how much this will hurt me? I.e., will it eliminate me from consideration from the top programs? Does it make a difference in terms of MA vs. PhD (in other words, would I have significantly better chance of getting into an MA program)? Does it help at all that I have a substantial amount of experience in media/market research in a business context, or not really? 2. Anything I can do in the meantime (i.e., before sending my applications in the next month or so) to mitigate the potential negative impact of that blemish on my background? E.g., would it help for me to reach out to professors in programs I'm really interested in? And if so, does it seem like a better approach to directly address my lack of academic experience and insist that my interest is serious, or to just express my interest in the field in a general way? Any thoughts or advice would be incredibly appreciated.