earl.palamino

you sound perfect. focus on your statement of purpose and finding the right prof/research/personality match.

Stony Brook is an awesome opportunity. And CHEAP compared to NYU. Either way, lab work or Stony Brook and you'll be on the right track. Better than an MA from NYU or Columbia.

oops, sorry poopie.

Accepted: University of Pennsylvania Temple Vanderbilt Rutgers University of Virginia Boston University Rejected: Columbia TC Fordham Harvard

is your program in new york? i doubt it. the programs in new york are profit centers. if you need them because you do not have a background in psych, then they are useful. but they are expensive, and when weighed out in pro and con fashion, they do not make sense for someone with a good foundational BA in psych, as i said.

i am sure they do not totally SUCK. but masters programs do not ever give you the access to mentorship and research that phd programs give you. there is a really limited amount of advantage that masters programs provide. if you have no background in psych, than a masters program me be necessary. if you have a BA in psych, then you should pursue a research position for a year or two. get a job in the field and prove/test yourself. do not go for a masters. it's a waste of time if you have a BA.

sorry to hear about your father. that's hard. take care of yourself too. self care. if i were you, i would not go into the columbia ma program. i would check out other, cheaper alternatives first. check out the CUNY schools or other public options. a masters from columbia will bot guarantee a phd track at columbia and it will get you into debt. if you feel you need more school and better grades, go public or a masters program.

take a stats class and an experimental class to show your chops, take a developmental course, a social course, and an abnormal psych course to learn the landscape. these courses form the backbone of any masters program and will show up on your transcript as a really well developed and prepped non-psych major path. they will also prepare you really well for the psych gres. also, yeah just like the gal above said, work in a research lab and get some experience that way.

masters programs are about making money for the school, not about giving money to students. not a nice trade to offer the rejects. columbia will give money for masters degrees when pigs fly.

yes, they sent me an email telling me to "check my status online" -- once you sign onto the portal, there's a link that takes you to a status page -- i don't have the link any more -- but if you did not interview and you have not heard anything, 99.99% they rejected -- boo, columbia, bad form!!

yes. letting people know on a timely basis is really they least they owe us. they had our applications for more than three months. no sympathy for a massively endowed school that plays the ratings game as much as anyone else. basic simple consideration in response from a clinical psych program is not much to ask. otherwise, make the application FREE.

they finally sent out rejections. 3 months later, and no responses to any of my calls or emails to check my status. i feel really disappointed not because i didn't get in (i knew i didn't get in because i didn't get interviewed), but i am really disappointed that they don't even bother to send out an email. after all the hard work and effort, they sent me to a webpage and delivered a form letter. even a mail-merged email would be better than sending me a note to go retrieve a rejection. this is crap. the message it sends is that they got who they wanted for whatever reasons they had, and whatever it is that i was hoping for, it just didn't matter. i find it just plain disappointing. so many other schools handle themselves so much better. not cool, columbia.

If you want to get a PhD, do not go into a master's program. It is much better to embark on your PhD right away instead of wasting time and money on a master's program that you don't need (you did get into PhD programs even though they are not your top picks). Master's programs, by and large, are money-makers for the university. You will not get the attention you want out of master's faculty and you will just be repeating some of the coursework you get in a master's program later on in a PhD program. Do not waste your time on the NYU master's program. If NYU really wanted you, they would find a way to expand their PhD offering. It is possible (difficult, but possible) to change the way these private schools motivate themselves. Attending an unnecessary and expensive master's program at a name brand school is not the way to encourage new thinking in our dysfunctional academic culture.

too much focus on US News and World Report, too little focus on making your personal contribution to the field. stop worrying about stats, start thinking about your personal trajectory.

blah blah blah... the world is not about rankings... at least the real world is not about rankings... the real world is about individuals, right?

your experience is invaluable and SOME program will rate it and admit you for it... BUT, you need to find that right program! that's your challenge... find the program whose profs are studying what you want to study and reach out to those profs NOW... don't wait until you've decided to apply, reach out and inquire now, start a relationship and see "who bites"... you are just young enough and just experienced enough to offer a program a great balance of openness and mastery... i think this balance is one of your calling cards. good luck!

Anyone heard from Fordham since the interview days?

The hardest first question i got was: "So, what can I tell you?"

yes, that sounds like the right strategy. thanks for your advice.

still no word from CUNY on my end either

Sorry about that. I meant, they are offering me $15K per year in research assistantship but the costs for the school at $30K per year.

Does anyone have any tips about negotiating for funding? When's the best time to do it? Right away or wait a while and to how competitive things get? I have a few acceptances, but my first choice is expensive and only gave me a 50% assistantship. Need some pro advice.

a few friends have heard from LIU already

Still waiting to hear from Fordham, post-interview. Friend of mine has not heard from CUNY either.

You should definitely email the prof you put in your statement of purpose. If you had contact with this prof before applying, you should get a reply. I have gotten a couple of considerate replies. That said, I also got two schools who have ignore every email I've sent them. So, depends on the quality and sensitivity of the individual you have as your contact. It's worth trying for sure!