I'm also getting a head start on application process! This will be my first time applying for a PhD.
I'm looking into social psychology programs in LA and NY areas
LA: UCLA, USC, UC Irvine
NY: The New School, NYU, Columbia ???, Rutgers in Newark
Still researching schools in other states, but hoping to keep the number I apply to around 6.
Something that might set me apart, which is also my biggest concern, is that I have been working in user experience research and design since I graduated from my master's in human-centered design. So I have research experience technically, but it isn't the standard lab or field style research, since it's done at a corporate level. I hope that serves as a boost rather than a hindrance :/