clinpsy

I haven't applied more than once, but I would think that you'd hope these documents would change! If you're strengthening your candidacy over the next year, you should have a lot more to add to your personal statement. You also should have more research experience, which would contribute to a stronger CIHR proposal. I think it would be fine to resubmit the same documents, but if they didn't help you the first time around, I'm not sure you would want to use them again.

Hmm.. I haven't heard anything from them yet! Thanks for clarifying.

@Jiggs1987 I noticed in your signature that you were rejected from Concordia - did you receive a formal rejection from them??

*crickets*

Part of it is aligning yourself with the right people, and part of it is luck (or being in the right place at the right time). My current school (where I'm finishing undergrad) only has a couple of clinical psychologists, because the school doesn't have a clinical psychology program, so I approached one of them a few years ago for a position as an RA. I thought this would help me get a sense of the kind of research clinical psychologists conduct, and of course it allowed me the opportunity to network with other individuals in the field. I began as a volunteer RA for this professor, which eventually turned into a paid position. I made sure to mention my interest in pursuing a career in clinical psychology early on, and this professor was very receptive to the idea of mentoring me and helping me become a competitive applicant (invited me to conferences, recommended specific courses to take, supervised my honours thesis, etc.). My other mentor is a social psychologist and provided me with a different perspective on applications and grad school, which I found very helpful. I kind of lucked out finding this mentor, as I was approached by their previous lab manager with an offer to take over as lab manager when they left for grad school (I was approached because I became quite well known in the department as the omnipresent RA - I worked as an RA in many different labs). I also say part of finding a good mentor is luck because my mentors have truly gone above-and-beyond in terms of what they have done for me. I'd suggest trying to find a mentor who is actively researching an area that interests you, which will make you a better fit for faculty that you apply to in the future (and opens up networking opportunities). It's also a good idea to make it known that you intend to apply to clinical programs (or whatever program you will be applying to) early on, and to full-out ask your prospective mentor if they would be willing to act as your mentor. This is particularly important because it shows that you not only want research experience, but that you look up to them, and want to learn as much as you can from them. They'll likely think of you more often when opportunities arise. For instance, if they're attending a conference, they may not think to invite their RA, but they would probably think to invite their mentee! By solidifying a mentor-mentee relationship with a faculty member, you're setting yourself up for success, because mentors want to see their mentees succeed! As an aside, it's always a good idea to ask current grad students for advice - they're where you want to be, so they know what it takes to get there. I received a TON of amazing advice and support from the grad students in the psychology department, all of whom I met through RA work. Let me know if you have any other questions!

Aside from the usual advice (study for GREs, get excellent grades, research experience, etc.), I think the component that is arguably the most important is: find a fantastic mentor (or two, as I did). I made sure to strategically seek out mentors (a few years ago) who would prepare me the best for the application process and graduate school. Without them I truly do not think I would have been admitted in my first round. Not only did my mentors provide me with invaluable research opportunities (conferences, posters, publications, amazing LORs, etc.), but also they really helped me through the application process. They helped me understand the process of choosing the right schools for me, they looked over my SOPs and scholarship proposals, and they gave me an incredible amount of moral support! Feel free to PM me if you want any other advice.

Congrats!!

You never know! Good luck

Ugh. Do we ever! Have you had any interviews yet? Is this your first application cycle?

I can imagine! *ding* hope! disappointment. *ding* hope! disappointment. *ding* hope! disappointment... glad you got that filter working!

Not to mention the incessant email inbox refreshing

Hmm.. it's hard to say why faculty might change their minds throughout the process - lots of factors could lead to this decision (e.g., something came up in personal life; didn't get funding they wanted; a student decided to stay when they were going to graduate, etc.)

Check out Dr. Andrew Ryder at Concordia in Canada (http://chp.concordia.ca/dr-andrew-g-ryder/). His work might be up your alley.

School Name: University of WindsorDegree: PhDType: Clinical Psychology, Adult Clinical TrackNotified via: Email for Skype interviewInterview Date: Sometime between now and Jan 25. Will be contacted to set up specific date/time.

Congrats!

Don't be too hard on yourself! You're absolutely right, it's still early yet - you may be surprised The Canadian schools, at least, are only beginning to reach out to potential students. Stay positive!

Ah I see - I'm not looking to focus on child/developmental programs, so that must be why we don't have overlap. Have you heard from any schools yet? What's your top choice? I have a friend at U of Toronto in child clinical, she loves it there.

School Name: University of WaterlooInterview Invite Received: 1/3/16 Degree: PhDType: Clinical PsychologyNotified via: Email from POIInterview Date: 1/8, 1/11, 1/12, or 1/13Additional Info: Email from POI with invitation for in-person interview.

CONGRATS! Super awesome. Who is your POI?