BeingThere
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Posts posted by BeingThere
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Andy Fields' book, Discovering Statistics with SPSS (or R) would be a great refresher if you have access to SPSS. Also his website, www.statisticshell has video lectures and tutuorials on it that would be good refresher material for all the undergrad foundational stats stuff.
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I like PsychGirl's suggestions.
I just want to add that I have not come across a psychology master's program that doesn't want incoming students to have at least some psychology coursework background. And for PhD programs, research experience seems to be nearly a requirement to get in.
What you could do - if you haven't already - is look up some programs you are interested in applying to and finding out what their minimum requirements are as far as previous psych coursework (usually at least introductory coursework and a research methods/stats course.)
Psychgirl gave excellent suggestions for getting research experience.
Good luck to you!
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Cats sleep a lot. Some estimates are 18 hours a day. My cats probably sleep most of the day while I'm at work. I assume this because a.) not much of their food is gone and b.) they are always stretching and just getting up when I come in the door from work.
Adult or kitten? Depends, as folks have said, how much time you want to devote in the beginning. Kittens should not be left alone all day. Kittens are more social (for obvious evolutionary reasons that have to do with survival). However, it is true that adopted adult cats may have some issues. But you could get a crazy neurotic kitten also. Temperament is likely genetic as much as it is environmental.
Keeping your cat indoors is less expensive and less dangerous for the cat. If you let your cat outdoors, you must get them flea treatment and keep their shots current to keep them healthy. If you keep your cat indoors, then you don't need to worry about flea treatment or exposure to feline leukemia (or getthing in fights with other cats, or getting hit by a car, etc.)
One of my cats will scratch on any wood that is unpainted. He also uses his cardboard scratching box. He scratches a lot. My other cat eats metal. He chewed off the antenna from my little CD player boom box. He will pull apart paper clips. He also chews paper. Maybe he has pica. Oh, and he unplugs cords from outlets. Anyway, just be prepared for some.....um...quirks. It makes life interesting and usually it's things you can live with, or adapt to. But you will have to adapt! People think cats are low maintenance and compared to dogs, maybe they are - but they are definitely a measurable amount of maintenance. Getting a cat means you will be living with another sentient being who has their own idea of how things should be - and their own idea of what a good time looks like. (That exam you have at nine the next morning? Well, they scheduled it on the wrong day becuase tonight is run-around-the-house-like-a-crazed-hellbeast-for-no-reason night between 3am and 5am, according to your cat.)
- fortsibut and bibliophile222
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Ah, well I think I misread some of your initial comments in light of your recent post.
How many topics can you work on in your doctoral program? Well, there are time constraints, faculty expertise constraints, and resource constraints. I am not really sure, but I am hoping three is manageable as I have three that I have strong interest in. My research interests overlap with one another, so much of the knowledge I require for one topic will be useful for the other two. I would question whether it would be practical to study three vastly unrelated topics in grad school.
I was fortunate to get accepted into a program where different faculty have expertise in all three of my interests (but no one faculty shares all three of my interests) and I feel confident that this will allow me to explore all three in the four-five years I am there. There is also room to grow (as my interests may change). This was something I also seriously looked for in a program. I would not have been attracted to a program that studied only my interests and nothing more. What would I do if, in year 2, my interests developed in something the program faculty could not guide me in?
I guess as far as the second part of your question, I am not sure that you have a problem. I don't think the expectation is to have perfect research fit and to have interest in/experience with each and every thing a faculty member studies. A rough fit is often good enough. Faculty know that your interests are going to change and grow during the course of your graduate career (and beyond.)
The program I chose does not follow the traditional mentor model where you are bound to one faculty for your whole ride and you must work under them and do what they do. My program lets you change advisers if you realize you would be a better fit with another faculty in the department. They also encourage working with more than one faculty. Maybe look for programs where this is the case for you. Especially if you expect your research interests to evolve, don't apply to a program where you will be stuck working with one faculty member who only studies X, and won't have the opportunity to explore other topics with other faculty.
Look for flexibility in the programs, and look for a rough match in research in a program which will offer you the opportunities to grow and explore.
And having more than one faculty in a program that match your interests is fantastic! That's not a problem. The way I handled it was in my personal statements, I discussed why I wanted to work with each faculty member I was interested in. Of course, this worked for me because, again, I was applying to programs where i knew I would be welcome to work with more than just one faculty.
I am not seeing that you have a problem, Saman.
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Why are you interested in I/O psychology? What about it interests you? That's where you start. And read a ton of articles (if you haven't already) until you find something that gets you excited. Or three things that interest you. If you haven't pinpointed a few research topics that excite you, maybe you haven't gotten yourself exposed to enough I/O.
Conversely, if you are thoroughly schooled in I/O (took undergrad courses in it or in business) and you still haven't identified one or a few topics that really grab you, then maybe trying to get a PhD in I/O is not going to be the best idea. Maybe the applied route would suit you more. Maybe start with getting into a master's program and identifying your interests there?
As far as having no experience on a topic and wanting to convey the basis for your interest in a topic, yeah, you will have to do better than, "Well, it sounds interesting." Why does it sound interesting? Can you relate it to personal experience somehow? Have you observed anything in your own job that impacted you regarding that topic?
I guess what I've taken three paragraphs to say is this: find it. Whatever it is. Don't worry about research fit right now. Worry right now about doing more reading and experiencing to find your genuine, gut-level, "might even do this for fun in my spare time" research interests.
And yes, they may change over time, but you have to actually have them first. This is meant to address your question about "molding yourself" to your POI. That's just not how it works. If I read too much between the lines, forgive me. But really, you will serve yourself best if you worry less right now about picking programs to apply to and focus much more on reading up on I/O literature until you find the thing that sparks your imagination/curiosity.
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As the clock winds down, I would like to state my appreciation for this forum and for what a wonderful resource it's been for me.
This forum - and particularly this I/O sub-forum - was a life-saver for me through this process of preparing to apply, actually applying, and then the nail-biting weeks of waiting to hear back. And I want to thank all of you for commisserating about the stress and the disappointments, sharing insights and information, and being cheerleaders at times.
I hope to run into many of you at I/O conferences in the next few years (even if I don't know you were one of the many compatriots on this forum!)
I'll still be checking in on here to see others' decisions, but I just felt like telling you all how much you've helped me through this process.
Cheers! -
Is there a School Psychology version of this SIOP website?
And Saman, you sound like a great candidate for PhD programs. I'm lacking research experience myself, and I feel like that's so important in a candidate. Good luck to you!
Haoran,
Have you looked at the APA division for School Psychology on the APA website? They may have a similar listing there.
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This is one part of the answer:
http://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc421.html
irs.gov has the most reliable tax information. I wouldn't trust other sources without either going through a tax accountant or checking with the IRS. You can also call and talk to someone there and get answers to your questions. But the irs.gov website has pretty extensive documentation on all the tax codes, including those relevant to grad students.
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http://www.evanmarckatz.com/blog/letting-go/should-i-stay-with-my-wimpy-boyfriend/
Seriously, one of the main deterrents I have to entering academia is having to deal with people who can't function in a normal environment. Out of the numerous grad students and professors I have dated, I would say about 2-3 have had problems with normal life activities similar in magnitude to this guy, and whereas it didn't bother me very much, most of the time I was like, WTF. People in academia just seem so anxious about everything, in a way that people in other high-stakes high-profile jobs such as finance or medicine aren't. It really makes one reconsider the precariousness of academic life.
Basically, I hate scholars because they're petty, I hate students because they're stupid... Why am I here?
Oh, I think it's pretty obvious why you're here.
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I have been on this site over a year and just now found this thread.
Thanks to the OP for starting it. It's been great to read through and see the wide range of experiences and ages and histories.I'm finishing up my first undergraduate degree this semester. I had a great career without having completed a college degree but I hit a wall with it and found I wasn't fulfilled, so going back to school to finish up the last 60 credits was a great opportunity to switch fields. I am fortunate, in a way, to have needed to go back and finish my undergrad degree before applying to grad school, because I had ready access to letters of recommendation.
I just turned 50 a couple months ago and have been accepted to my top choice PhD program to start this fall. (I'll worry about the odds of getting a job as a newbie in this field at 55 when the time comes. For now, the next hurdle is that PhD degree.)
I don't know if my age has been a factor in schools hesitating to accept me. I got offers and quite a bit of interest from many of the schools I applied to. I did have a strange phone conversation with the program chair of one school I applied to. This person called "to talk to me about my application" yet she only asked me questions related to my age. She didn't ask me anything about my qualifications or my interests. But that was all right; I was prepared for the age questions.
I haven't come across any other instances of noticeable reaction to my age in the application process. All feedback I've gotten has been positive (the above incident wasn't negative; it just gave me pause.) And as I've said, I have been accepted to a great program, so I say: go for it.
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An interesting turn of events: I received a pretty late offer from University of Akron for their Ph.D. program. Funding guaranteed for first year, "most likely" for all five years.
Haven't heard much about them recently, here or elsewhere, but I do hear they were often ranked well among I/O programs.
Anyone have anything to share about them?
Most likely going to opt for their program over the two Master's, although leaving the Bay Area is a frightening thought.
Congratulations!
Akron is a very good program! (And it's very inexpensive to live there.)
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On 4/1/2014 at 11:54 PM, ns418 said:
My partner was just accepted into a PhD program at UMN and we're trying to research good places to live and such. He and I have a 1-yr old daughter together, but I like to think we're still young and fun (I'm 33, he's 28)…that said, we're over the partying single life, but still like to explore the city and have social lives, so we'd probably want our neighborhood to reflect similar values. He studies Theatre and I'm an artist and writer. We also (like everybody else) want to keep rent as affordable as reasonably possible. He's already visited the city and campus but I won't have the opportunity to before we move and start shopping for rentals. Suggestions for neighborhoods to check out?
Also, finding some community will be huge for us. We're living in LA now and that aspect has really been lacking, given that we have a child and he's still only an undergrad (graduating this spring). LA traffic doesn't help our cause much either. Ha. Anyone have ideas or resources for grad students with families? And what about daycare?
If anyone has some good sources (websites or books) for general info on life in Minneapolis, neighborhoods, the city's personality, etc., I'm all ears. There's so much garbage on the internet…..most of what I'm finding is either your typical tourist stuff or quotes for moving trucks, and the like.
Thanks in advance!
Hi ns418,
I'm moving up there also and have been searching for reliable info. Also a non-traditional grad student. I found this site pretty informative: http://www.city-data.com/forum/
Good luck! (BTW, I am a theatre ex-patriot -and visual artist- but making a career change. Congrats to your husband for getting into their program!)
I wish I had more info for you but everything I think I know has been from my very short visit, this forum, and the City Data forum.
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Stay in the Bay Area! Once you leave, you will never be able to afford to go back!
Just kidding. No, I'm not. -
I did not find a better or more comprehensive listing than the one at siop.org. But yes, I looked down at the bottom of each listing to see when it was last updated, then went to the program website to get more info. (And UT Knoxville no longer offers a PhD in I/O psych.)
Regarding whether to apply to programs that list higher grades/scores than yours for their average accepted students, I would say yes, apply to the program if your research interests/experience align very well with the faculty and program even if your scores are a bit lower than their average accepted. I got into a very good program with a quant score that was lower than their stated average. Research fit is key. It's not the only thing, but it's a key thing.
I started building my list by doing just what you are doing: scouring the siop listings and then going to and reading through the websites of the schools I identified that I might be able to get into. But look beyond the numbers, too. It may sound corny but this is the time to dream and to reach a little bit.
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I am considering signing a lease. Before I do, does anybody have any experience with - or know the reputation of - Elmwood Properties (they manage a few apartment buildings/rental houses in the part of Como that is just north of Dinkytown)? Any input would be much appreciated.
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I'm deciding between two Master's programs and would greatly appreciate any insight from everyone:
San Jose State University
M.S. in I/O Psychology
Teacher's College, Columbia University
M.A. in Psychology - Organizational
I don't hear much about these two programs on the net, making the decision difficult.
SJSU is near Silicon Valley and boasts connections with companies like Apple and Google, but the school itself is not very well known. TC is near New York and gives a degree from a famous school, but the program itself is "not I/O". I'm unsure whether the fame of a school or the available connections is more important in the long run.
I am interested in obtaining a degree that will allow me to work in an applied setting, but also prepare me with the option of further education in Ph.D.
Thanks in advance for your time and input!
Munashi has good suggestions. Also, find out about internships at both places. Do you get the opportunity to intern while you are in each program? If so (and I hope so), then where do students do their internships? Find out if there really are Silicon Valley company connections through SJSU.
EDIT: just saw your reply post after I posted this. Sorry, I don't have any info on the program reputations. However, I think that the type of connections you can make while in a master's program can be as important as the program reputation if you are not going to go on to a PhD. And I have to say I'm not really sure program reputation matters much if you are going on to a PhD. Your performance while there (publications and conference presentations) and the quality of your thesis should carry more weight.
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Where do alums from this program end up working? Is there a network of people in the field that have graduated from there? That is what I would want to know.
- Chops13 and Quant_Liz_Lemon
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Just FYI, MTurk doesn't allow requesters from outside the United States, though there are some workarounds like getting a friend with a U.S. credit card or going through an intermediary company that uses MTurk's AOI (e.g. CrowdFlower). They won't confirm but we all think it's something to do with money laundering laws, e.g., people outside the country funneling money to people inside.
Thanks, Lewin. I did not know that. Bummer.
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Congratulations, Bren! That's wonderful news. Minnesota, as you know, is a top notch program and they are lucky to have you.
Thanks, Munashi, and congratulations to you as well! Penn State has an amazing program! I hope to run into you at some conferences in the future!
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Hey guys,
I'm doing my dissertation on the dark triad traits narcissism, psychopathy and I was just wondering since its related to the forum would you take time to do my questionnaire. It doesn't take a long time and is 100% anonymous. I need more participants so your input would be much appreciated.
http://www.esurveycreator.com/s/personalityresearch
Thanks.
Shek1_11,
Have you looked into using Amazon Mechanical Turk? You can get participants at a very small cost. I collected data for a study recently using that and it worked very well. I did have to spend a little money, but it was very, very little. If you have any funds at all, you might want to look into it. Most people on this forum (psychology, graduate students or seniors/juniors) are likely going to recognize questions re machiavellianism or narcissism, etc (to echo Lewin's concern about socially desirable responding).
You can link an existing survey to MTurk. Just a thought.
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I have decided to accept my offer from University of Minnesota.
After giving it considerable thought, it really was my first choice and there was no other offer I could have gotten that would have made me change my mind. I've let Michigan State, Akron, and Penn State know to take me off their waitlists, so if anyone else is on those waitlists, they just got a little bit shorter!
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It's the Michigan State bottleneck.
Many who got offers from there are waiting to attend the Visiting Weekend before they let go of their other offers or let go of their offer from MSU. At least I think that's the case for me.
I've got plenty to keep me busy in the meantime, but it is sort of uncomfortable to have it still up in the air. I'm a planner and it's hard to not be able to start making definite plans yet.
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Auto-tuned anything.
Which undergrad major should I pursue for Clinical Psychology w/ track in Neuropsych?
in Psychology Forum
Posted · Edited by Bren2014
Cornell may be offering more money, but have you compared the cost of living between the two places? I bet it's cheaper to live near UofR than Cornell. Further, you don't need to come from an elite undergrad to get into a top grad program. Quality and relevance of research experience is probably more important than the name on your undergrad diploma for grad school admissions. UofR is a well-respected school, and it sounds like they can offer you more relevant research experience (and more, quantity-wise as well?). Don't be swayed by the shiny pretty things. Content is more important than labels.