andruw000

Nichole -- I am applying for the first time myself this fall. From what I've read, most programs seem to take a hollistic approach when reviewing applications. In no particular order, you will want solid GRE scores (1200+ old scale) and GPA, strong LOR, a focused SOP, research experience and/or experience working with children. Most PhD program pages list the average scores of admitted students, so I would start their if you're concerned about your GRE/GPA. Also, make sure that your research interests align with at least a couple of faculty members at each school in which you plan to apply. Most schools want to know that you will be a good "fit" for their program. I hope that helps.

i was being facetious. i understand the significance of all aspects of an application. it was simply meant as a compliment to the poster's strong test scores.

not suggesting your sop wasn't good, but you probably could have turned in a comic strip for your sop and still received interviews with test scores like those!

Program: school psychology, PhD Research interests: the emotional and behavioral issues of children (including LGBT when applicable), particularly fear, depression, and anxiety and their relation to academic and social functioning in schools. Introduction: Growing up is hard. As contrived as it sounds, it’s unequivocally true. Children deal with a variety of emotional, behavioral, and academic challenges that have a salient affect on their success in school. On many occasions during my primary and secondary studies, I felt stupid, scared, depressed, and worst of all, alone. What I’ve discovered over the past four years as an educator is that my experiences were hardly uncommon, rather, nearly all students face these same challenges at some point during their youth. And while most children are able to overcome these problems on their own or with the help of a parent or teacher, others cannot. This is the primary reason why I want to study school psychology. That is, to be a child-advocate for the “others”; an expert that can research the specific issues related to fear, depression, and anxiety, assess for the causes, and develop a plan to alleviate them. As a teacher, I often find myself frustrated observing the problems students face, but not possessing the education, experience, or skills necessary to identify the causes and treat them. As a result, I would like to develop these skills by studying school psychology at (insert university). My following paragraphs will be tailored to the specific program, professors, and correlated research interests. In addition, I will discuss my educational and work background. Are there any thoughts or opinions on my introduction? Does my earnestness come through?

I am looking for schools that offer an Ed.S. in school psychology but have a waiver policy for the GRE. For instance, both Seattle University and Lewis and Clark College offer an Ed.S. in school psychology and a GRE waiver policy for students who have previously earned a master degree. I already have a master of education and am not interested in taking the GRE again, as my previous experience with the exam did not go well. If anyone knows of schools other than Seattle University and Lewis and Clark College that offer a GRE waiver for school psychology please let me know. Thanks!