RubyBright

rose parade

April 1 - the day that even if I heard from my university, I'm not sure I would believe them! It's a cruel day for waitlisted students...

I'm sorry I don't have something more constructive to offer, but have you considered signing up for a temp agency? It can sometimes be a good way to get an in on a job that will later become permanent.

Definitely PhD comics. (Piled Higher and Deeper)

Bionica - I PMed you regarding one of your schools.

Wow, that is terrible! I was lucky in that all of my applications were completely online. I hope that you're offered a spot at one of your other top schools.

With April about to start, we only really have a couple of weeks left. I had to decline my non-funded offer, so if I don't hear from my waitlisted school by April 15, I'll be rocking my backup school... my undergrad institution. I hope I didn't say anything too bad on my senior exit survey...

You guys are awesome. Your words of support mean a lot to me!

I was just wondering if anyone has any experience with this. I don't want to dramatize my experience; I know that most people have gone through a difficult break up that makes them feel like their life is being torn apart. I'm just concerned about how this will affect my start at grad school. I'm not a very social person, and my confidence has really taken a hit because of this, as well as affecting a chronic medical condition. Any experience or advice?

empty nest

That depends on if you're going for a master's or a PhD. In most PhD programs, your research fit with your POI is your ticket into the program. Many PhD applications ask you to indicate your top three-five professors you'd like to work with. If the professor in question is accepting students for their lab, and they choose your application out of all the rest, you will be assigned to them, either as your first-year mentor, or as your assumed PI for the entire time you'll be at the school. This is often how you receive funding, as well. Needless to say, the POI is important to your admission. Contacting them ahead of time helps you assess whether or not you have similar research interests and if they're accepting students for the coming year, as well as helps you stand out from the pile of applications being reviewed.

If you're interested in computers or engineering, you could look into human factors. Despite the lack of "psychology" in the name, it is a psychology sub-field. I've noticed that you're thinking in terms of getting into a PhD program. But the question is... what kind? You say that you want to, "specialize in a sub-field that has some future, I believe (to maximize their acceptance chance, of course)." However, PhDs are rarely, if ever (at least not in the U.S.) granted in general psychology. You earn a PhD in, say, cognitive psychology, or social psychology, or quantitative psychology. So I think you need to reorient yourself - it isn't about choosing a field of psychology that will maximize your chance of being accepted to grad school. It's about choosing your career path in general. If your degree is anything like American ones, you will take some survey classes during your first and second year that will allow you to explore different areas in psychology. These may help crystallize your options. I do recommend getting into a lab for research experience as early as possible. Also, just because you mentioned it - a biology class or two wouldn't hurt. You should know the basic functioning of neurons, and neurons are cells. A cell biology course paired with more information on the brain would help orient you on how the brain works. Good luck to you!

You weren't talking about New York, earl.palomino. You said that master's programs "do not ever give you the access to mentorship and research that phd programs give you." I understand that you're talking about the OP's schools, but it's important to note for his/her future applications that not all master's programs are created the same. I agree with PsychGirl1, that some master's programs are both respectable and useful. Personally, I'm considering a partially-funded master's program that can lead into a PhD at the same school (of course, I'm not in clinical pscyh, like the OP). As for NYU and TC Columbia, I have no experience with their reputation. Have you tried talking directly to professors and current students in the program, though? If there is some flaw in your application (i.e., GPA), considering a master's may be useful, though not necessarily one from the programs you were admitted to during this round. Good luck!

Ahhh! Congratulations, Sansao! I'm excited for you! (GradCafe needs that partying emoticon that Skype has!)

Hi, mtjamieson! Welcome to our (very little) corner. If you're looking at east coast schools, you may find that many of the schools only do combined master's-PhD programs. Don't be scared off from that - you can definitely still go into industry with a PhD. Plus, you're a lot more likely to find funding in a PhD program than in a master's program. If you do see a school that supposedly offers a terminal master's, do some digging and find out if the program is actually active.

delicious noodles

Funding varies by program, but obviously if the people on the first-round decline their offers, they won't be using that financial aid. So it will theoretically go to people who are being accepted off the waitlist (barring specific fellowships that require nominations). I know that the school I'm waitlisted at funds everyone who is admitted. So if I'm given an offer later, it will include funding.

Could you be happy at the programs you were admitted to, or would you be settling? Were the programs you were admitted to master's or PsyD programs?

I guess I should check when theirs is; my school already had our break. That's hard, sdx! Did you have a POI you could email at the school?

I already have items (sweatshirts, t-shirts, and the all-important coffee mug!) bookmarked from the school's online store for my two top choices... glad to know I'm not alone!

This is interesting. I hope you get more responses.

doggy paddle

I'm starting to wonder when it's acceptable to email and ask about the status of the waitlist. Anyone have experience with this? I was told I was waitlisted over a month ago, and have heard nothing since then.

Many of the programs I looked at require a minor's worth of classes (15-18 credits). Absolutely take a research methods/experimental class, and a stats class. Beyond that, check what your local university considers "core" classes for a psych major, and consider taking those.

Well, I wish you luck!