GodelEscher

OP, Firstly congratulations on the news! I know it may seem like a frightful endeavor during your program but I do believe it is possible. Personally, I applied to a PhD program as a single mom and transitioned well with my daughter. Currently, I am 7 months pregnant and will be organizing my tight schedule to have her during spring break. Taking 6 classes plus working on dissertation outline, lit review and maintaining a GA position while very pregnant (with a toddler at home) is quite a challenge for me. Since my boyfriend is out of state, I am realistically on my own with all of this. So, it is possible! I wish you well and enjoy it because it goes fairly quickly and next thing you know your child is running around and talking. Make sure you find a supportive network in your program, I have wonderful faculty members who are family oriented and make it oh so much nicer and less stressful. Especially since I am expecting another and I have only completed my first semester as of now. Either way, having a child is a life changing experience that can be frightful but a wonderful transition that is a treasure.

Ditto. I worked my tail off getting into a Counseling psych PhD program but I don't feel "excited." Now I am just anxious about the limitations of my program and the heavy course loads. I know this is what I wanted but now I just want more (is this possible?). I am already looking for different TA positions to get experience and I just started my GA position. Every time I succeed I never celebrate because I never get the exhilaration of getting to the "top." Once I get passed a hurdle, I'm always looking for another higher hurdle. Now I am questioning my future...*sigh*

Not everyone is 22-24 yrs old. I have many possessions and will have to pay a substantial amount to move my things across the country. I suppose when you get older and have lived in a three bedroom home, you tend to have furniture that is not worth tossing to purchase again in another state. I know I definitely don't see the point of letting go my beautiful red leather couch...or my other edgy modern furniture (or three flat screens). I guess being older and working in surgery as my first career helped with my expensive furniture addiction. Either way- feel lucky you have little, I remember those youngin' days where I could shove all my stuff in a car and drive. There are pros and cons to everything I suppose!

Unfortunately, from going through the application cycle recently..saying you want to be a psychologist and helping the mentally ill will not benefit you. Stating that in your SOP will most likely put you into a very large pile. Also, it seems odd you applied to Masters level program in Sociology, Neuroscience/Cognition? That will not prepare you to be a licensed psychologist (I am assuming you want to work with clients from your mental illness comment). It is possible to go from undergrad directly to counseling/ Clinical PhD programs. Just my 0.02 cents

One thing I did not prepare for was the $$ needed to get me through the summer...eeek but I am trying to smile through all my stress =) and doing a little martial arts- that helps a ton

Just sending out some good vibes to those stressing about starting there PhD programs- Any positive encouragement you would like to share? Mine- Appreciate what you have and be hopeful for the future. It won't be easy but it will be worth it! Oh and...Dance a little, it might help the stress!

Being too specific may hurt you in application process. It is better to have general interests but show through your essay on your promising ideas. That perspective may be more forgiving. Also, although you may be set in your interests now- they may change in grad school. Many if not all PhD students I know went in to a program with one idea of what they will research only to change it once they were in depth in to the program....

Unfortunately this information varies across programs and dependent on the competitiveness each year. My suggestion is that if you really want this route- understand all aspects of what it takes to encompass the lifestyle (licensing, APA accreditation on programs, internship crisis, income level, etc.). Then re-evaluate if you are willing to sacrifice time, money and your life. If you are then gain years of multiple experience, get close to your letter writers (be exceptional in their eyes), get excellent GRE's, make a goal of 4.0 for your last two years in school, get many scholarships, and take every opportunity to publish, show your posters at conferences, give talks, etc. Be the most competitive of all. That is it. Any less and your application will fall in to the "lesser than" pile. Oh and don't be afraid to move anywhere. Being geographically limited...is limited (that goes for internship as well). Need more tips ? PM. I have plenty of angst to share about competitiveness (j/k...maybe)

Pullman, WA- fairly inexpensive city to live in but very old apartment complexes and I think I might stay in graduate housing since they were recently built so it's hard to compete with that. I currently live in a fairly inexpensive city as well to that is steep to me considering the area. It is quite different than living in Orange county, CA though. I once lived in a 500 sq ft studio for almost $1,000 a month (ouch).

I unfortunately am in between a rock and a hard place. I applied for graduate housing but it is a little on the expensive side. At 780$ for a 2 bedroom 2 story townhouse (800 sq ft) it feels a little over the top (I need 2 bedrooms- for the kiddo). So I am contemplating whether I should risk applying for an apartment not on campus (sight unseen & forefeting $150 deposit) or just move there. I just don't want to move and then have to move again. And I do not (repeat-do not) have easy things to move. Like big screen tv's I can't carry and a sofa that is double my height and weight. Oh and does not help that I highly doubt I will pass their credit check (housing off campus)...oh what to do?

How is the housing situation going for everyone? I am having a difficult time finding a place and graduate housing is pretty full (waitlist). I am a little nervous I won't get in to the grad housing...now looking at places but all of them seem to be older houses. Has anyone looked at duplexes there? I am looking for a spacious 2 bedroom for under (700$) in Pullman.....EEEeek

I got in! After all my complaining! I got in. I am going to Phd program in counseling. I am so excited

I feel ya: 17 applications; 4 interviews; 3 waitlist; 2 post interview rejects; waiting on 2 more and rejections in between. Oh and a partridge in a pear tree. Counseling Psych PhD application process is rough....crossing my fingers on MSW-clinical program (my eyes are on this one) especially since it is the city where I live (no moving)

applying for Counseling PhD programs- 13 rejections and counting (4 interviews): I have come to acknowledge that this intense rejection is linked similarly to the tragic realization after I got injured performing at CalArts after 9 interviews, intense auditions in ballet, modern and world dance and 9 acceptances ranging from UCLA to CalArts...that I could no longer do what I was passionate about. Ridden by physical therapy and chronic pain I had to leave the stage. Falling into nursing I found potential to counsel others and found my way to counseling psychology. Now I have injured myself again in my own career (rejection) and realize that maybe this is not my year for the path that I felt destined to do. What has the artistry of my creativity done in this moment? Pave another path to counsel...I applied to a MSW-clinical program without the 1-5% acceptance rate that appreciate my work, my art, my advocacy for my patients. It was not what I intended, but I have become humble through this process. I have fallen but now I have gotten up. I am injured but I am going through the painful intellectual stretching my mind needs to understand a new element (social work). But that is life. Just because I did not get in does not mean I am not competitive, because I know I was among the top choices in some universities. But now I know that just because I know that I am capable of a PhD does not mean other people know that. In some regards, programs are able to find the best out of the group and need something to filter out the most most competitive and those who have the most relevant experience. I simply do not have that. It is hard to "prove" you are capable when you are a post-bacc up against a practicing masters LPC with a private practice... so maybe I am not going to a PhD counseling program in the fall, but I am going to a funded masters program in MSW and applying for their joint MSW/PhD program in the fall (as the admissions counselor at the program suggested). In some way I learned through applying for 12+ schools (and getting rejections) that I belong in social work after all.

You look for other programs with rolling admissions....I found one local program; applying right now (wish me luck!)