Gepetto13

I have always looked older than I really am. At 15 I looked 18. At 18 I looked 22. At 25 I looked 30. I shudder to think how old people think I am when they see me...

I do know two people who made it into a top program (clinical and social) who were in their late 30's, and some others who were late 20s. Though most people I know who get in are between 22 and 27, really. I'm basing this on an N of about 30.

That does worry me - the age issue. I'm in my early 30's and, frankly, it's none of their business why I'd want to get a psych phd at that age. All they should care about is whether or not I can complete the program successfully and if my interests/skills match what they are looking for. And being older, you'd think they'd see me as someone who is serious, mature, and has experience being disciplined with working regular hours, deadlines, etc. Aside from the fact that it's completely illegal (on a federal level) to discriminate based on age. But go and prove that they do.

Well said. Very well said.

You are absolutely correct. It is possible to get into grad school without any publications and what matters is your potential. I can't argue with you on that since you've done it, and I know people who've also done it (albeit several years ago). What I was really trying to say was that having publications will vastly increase your chances. Having even 1 pub - even if it's an undergrad journal - is very, very helpful. You don't need to have 5 or 6 - that's the amount you'd have as you graduate with the PhD (if you're lucky!). But something is always better than nothing, especially when competition is fierce. That being said, if you have exhausted your good research ideas (or are intransigent and want to keep doing what you're currently doing), that can work against you. To echo previous comments, it's a combination of different factors that come together to make an application strong + luck. Just like getting a regular job. Actually, we can be scientific and call it "Gepetto's Formula," with weights: Admission = 3*(Good ideas and statement + great reference letters) + 2/3*(some research experience * # of degrees) + 6/5*( decent grades and decent test scores) + 2(luck) + e

Exactly. The reality is that a large part of this is who know you, and who they know. Merit comes into play, of course, but it's not just merit. Plus, different programs/professors will not interview/admit candidates for very questionable reasons that have nothing to do with any objective criteria. It's not exactly peachy in academia...

I think the undergrad school matters (or your most recent university) not for the GPA, but for the letters you get. Letters from faculty that are at least semi-well known (or have lots of friends/colleagues...maybe some of the people you are applying to work with) are critical. And the most well known faculty tend to be at "better" universities (with some exceptions). The GPA is also important, but I think it's less so.

I think the problem is that many more people are applying and professors need some way to distinguish applicants. At top programs, it's a combination of pubs, recommendations, personal statement (fit with interests) and then grades and everything else. When you're being funded, I think departments want proof that you can produce something for them - hence the pubs. It used to be that you didn't need any pubs to get in, but now that's only true for lower tier PsyD programs (where you pay tuition) or clinically oriented PhD programs (where you pay some tuition; not the top tier clinical PhD programs). It's kind of sad, isn't it? That you basically have to have no life as an undergrad (so you can kill yourself doing research) to get into grad school in psych. But to be able to truly understand psychology - and come up with good research ideas - you need to have some sort of life experience and understanding of what goes on in the real world.

That is the conundrum. You need publications to get into grad school, but grad school is (really) the place where you get publications.

Stony Brook?? What?? So soon? Yes can you please PM me your POI as well? Thanks.

This depends, though by and large the interview means you are on the very short list. Treat all interviews as if it's up in the air, but don't get too nervous. Be yourself.

Haha yes that's one interpretation

I think each program has its own schedule of sending out invites. Some like to do it before SPSP, some after. But, given that SPSP is very late this year (end of February), I imagine no program will wait until March to make any decisions. I think, realistically, if you/we haven't heard anything by about about February 5 or 6, we're SOL.

Were the interview invites for Social psych? Or some other sub-specialty?

Has anyone heard anything about Stony Brook Social-Health? There's loose talk they are going to notify people starting next week, but some people have already gotten responses. Anybody know what's going on there?

SPSP is a good time. I'll be headed there (if the weather permits...one of my flights has already been cancelled and i'm booked on a later flight...). And there's usually some good partying going on too in the evenings, especially Saturday night. Oh, and yes, there's lots of good info to be had and people to meet professionally.

I haven't heard anything from Stony Brook. As far as I can tell, neither has anyone else. It's hard to say if that's because everyone on this site is going to be rejected without interview (unlikely, but who knows?) or if they are deliberately waiting until after SPSP this week and will start notifying people next week.

As far a U of Rochester, their interview weekend this year is definitely the weekend after SPSP (which is Feb 13-15). They do clinical, social, and developmental at the same time (it's a small program). If you haven't been invited by now, chances are extremely slim (rarely, if they don't like anyone they interview, they may do a 2nd round of phone interviews. But usually they just won't take anyone if that's the case).

I wonder if they are waiting until SPSP (or just before or just after) to decide who to interview. The word on the street is that in the past they've done interviews about 10 -14 days or so after SPSP. But SPSP is next weekend - time is awfully close.

I think their clinical dept has already done invites (and perhaps even interviews). But social all I've heard is crickets...

Has anyone heard or know anything about stony brook's social-health program? Have they contacted anyone?

Why not?

I haven't heard anything on Stony Brook. Though I think they conduct their interviews a week or two after SPSP (which is late this year on Feb 13-15).

Was this for a social program or clinical?

Any one here know anything about StonyBrook Social-Health program's schedule? I think their clinical department is in the process of sending out invites but I can't find any info anywhere on Social.