Saila09

Apply to schools for which you can write strong personals statements. Feel free to have a few safety schools, but applying to schools simply based on acceptance rate seems misdirected.

A PhD is a research degree. Do you have an interest in research? What school are you at that doesn't have any PhD faculty...? If you want to teach at the college level that you clearly can with just a Master's.

It has happened to me before. It was a departmental change. Before, history of chicken pox was sufficient. Now, they do a blood test. Makes sense. It varies from place to place.

Thanks for your feedback. I guess I should update this. I got into my top choice! I finished my second bachelor's degree using USU's distance learning program. There's a difference between an "online school" vs. a real school (i.e., a non-profit, accredited school) that offers online options. In other words, U of Phoenix may be trashed, but I don't think a state school would be.

Check EdFind for the GPA/GRE ranges of accepted applicants.

Unlike all the previous posters, I picked the strongest program (which also happened to be the most expensive). I really think I'm going to the best program in the country. As such, I expect to receive top-notch training as well as the best career opportunities afterwards - job placements and/or PhD route. It came down to this: Which would I rather live with? Debt, or regret of knowing I turned down an amazing opportunity? I feel confident that I will be able to pay of my student loans in 5-ish years. Make no mistake, debt is a huge undertaking. But I'm not foolish with my money and consider this a wise investment in my future.

This is highly unethical IMO...

Do you already have a bachelor's degree?

One of the schools I was accepted at did not offer a thesis option. It was a deal breaker for me.

Cheaper for residents since they have been paying taxes that support their local universities. Private universities don't have in-state/out-of-state differences. They're expensive for everyone.

That's not true. Some people don't do one in clinical fields, e.g., social work, psychology.

Those standards are the minimums. There are programs who exceed those standards, while some barely meet them.

There is a website where you can find a proctor in your area. If you don't have one, then yes. You can call your local library. Most likely they will do it for free. Their is a registration process on their end.

This is true but students go through many "revise and resubmits" before they formally present their thesis. They get feedback throughout the process to prepare them for the final product. If the committee members don't feel like a student is ready, he/she most likely won't present.

It is an investment in your future. I know this is tough, but I think it will pay off in the end.

Working full-time will be a huge challenge. I switched to part-time a few weeks in.

Got accepted to 2 "top 5" programs and got wait listed by a much lower ranked, smaller, private school. Fit matters. My previous experiences probably didn't "fit" with this program. It's best to visit the programs and decide for yourself. Of course travel can be cost prohibitive, so the next best thing is to talk to the people there. As stated above, take those rankings with a grain of salt. However, they do mean "something" - some of it quantifiable (e.g., acceptance rate, dollars for funding, other resources) and some of it not (e.g., prestige, connections). It depends on your goals. If you just want "a" degree and "a" job - then rankings probably mean nothing. On the other hand, if you are looking for specific research and/or clinical experiences - a higher ranked school may be better suited to your needs. Again - higher ranked does not automatically mean "better"... It just depends on your goals and what you want out of a program.

U of Iowa has their wait list stats on the website. I think it was 40? It might be worth it to call your programs and ask about your status. Each department is different.

Good points made by the above posters. I should have used a different word - "unimportant" may have been too dismissive. My intention was to suggest that it may not matter. Generally speaking, the largest factor of admission for PhD programs is research experience. If you can do this at your master's-only program, then you could very well be just fine. Arguably, a program with a PhD carries more prestige and possibly greater options. I just don't think it should be the focus of your decision-making process. Maybe it would be helpful to think of what training experiences each university offers in more specific terms.

Some schools have limited spots for "extended" programs, like the U of Arizona. Other programs, like Vanderbilt, have ~25% of their incoming class without backgrounds. I think prereqs/second-bachelor's are a good option. That's what worked for me and it has served me well.

Your master's program not having a PhD program is unimportant. Would you be able to do a master's thesis? What makes you so certain regarding your interest area? I ask this in a respectful way. Most graduate students - including those in PhD programs - change their "interest" area several times over. PhD admissions are not like master's admissions. You find a mentor. Do you have a potential mentor at Iowa?

Would you mind sharing how you ended up with 100k undergraduate debt?

I recommend calling. They can at least tell you where they are in the process. Good luck!

They are apparently somewhat behind on their applications. They got over 600 so they're still working through them. I'm glad I have other acceptances - they didn't sound very confident. They may even send out late acceptances in the summer. Good luck everyone!

Woah, woah, woah. No, you are not doomed for life. You don't have to jump into another career. Try to breathe and think this through. It's perfectly fine to work a few years before getting a master's or not getting a master's at all. Give yourself time to figure things out.