aphdapplicant

"How do you do research in psychology - is it like you go out somewhere and do people-watching?" "How do you do research with something SUBJECTIVE like personality?" "Oh so you want to be a psychiatrist (or therapist)?"

I LOVE that people don't get how PhD admissions aren't just about scores...and how they seem to think it works like undergrad - that if you want to go, you just have to sign up!

Strike three

That wonderful muffintop feeling...I've developed a thing for Taco Bell, potato stick chips, and dark beer this app season

I'm also curious - just see one rejection, acceptance, and interview from this year in the results...probably I'll be part of the mass herd of rejections, I'm assuming.

I know SO many people who got in off waitlists - I'd be THRILLED/ ELATED to be told I'm on a waitlist right now...I would enthusiastically accept an offer if I were second choice (or any choice!)! I think it works out just fine - a lot of first choice candidates have multiple offers and POIs understand that they may not necessarily get their first choice student and it works nicely anyway.

Hey that's great news! Hopefully, you'll get it! I hear you on the "I should've said this or that" - I think about that with my interviews - it's just so hard to say the right things (or what you think would be ideal) in those situations, sometimes (for me). I'm with you on the faux-casual email... My news is...nothing! Silence. I emailed - didn't call.

Yes! Fingers crossed! I too am in the wonderful boat of applying to clinical programs btw!

Yes, yes I have! Accepted by one of the top programs (declined their offer) and, most of the schools that I thought would be most inclined to accept me, were the first to reject me (note: my research interest matched nicely with POIs at lower ranked schools and my SOP was virtually unchanged [just the part at the end where you tell them how much you love their program and your POIs was modified appropriately]!)!!!!!

Nope! There isn't a big difference for those programs.

I like the idea of printing and framing my rejection emails (snail mail ones too) and hanging them on the wall - too bad I'm probably too lazy to do it

I'm in that really comfortable two month post-interview wait stage, where I am not sure if they are waiting till the end to reject me with the rest of the herd or if I am a backup plan. I'm not too hopeful (just realistic!). Still, I want to know: yes, no, or maybe. I'm calling tomorrow!

He probably won't ask. If he does, I'd be honest. He probably won't assume you're only interested because it's your only offer: 1) he probably assumes you're interested for the reasons specified in your SOP and because you see it the way he does ( i.e. that you and the program are a good fit) 2) you're applying to clinical psychology - the most competitive program out there - they wouldn't be surprised that they're your only offer. Many applicants are rejected across the board for clinical, as I am sure you know.

Vacuum bag

Good choice - I'd also apply to another discipline if it had researchers with similar interests to mine.

This. Them: "Oh, psychology? Do you design those myspace personality tests?" Or "Are you psychoanalyzing me?"

Opposite of you morning people - if the world were my way, we'd go to bed at 6am, wake up by 2pm, and be functional 4pm to 4am.

Goat cheese

1) ANTIsocial - it doesn't mean introverted; it's the opposite of PROsocial behavior (i.e. positive/beneficial behavior towards others) - e.g., stealing, violence. 2) schizophrenia/schizophrenic - doesn't mean multiple personalities; it is a psychotic disorder (i.e. features symptoms that involve being out of touch with reality - e.g. delusions and hallucinations) 3) bipolar - doesn't mean loving someone one minute and hating them the next (that's characteristic of Borderline Personality Disorder); refers to a disorder featuring episodes of mania or hypomania and depression - these are mood episodes (vs. rapidly fluctuating interpersonally-driven emotions)

First, congrats on 5/8 acceptances! Those are spectacular results, especially for psychology admissions! I didn't contact any of my POIs - and I was accepted to one (declined the offer) and interviewed at another school. If I had to do it over, I would've started earlier and emailed POIs - it would've given me a better gauge for goodness of fit and would've been useful to see if they were taking students (I wouldn't be surprised if some of my apps were tossed because of this). I'm most grateful to grad cafe for the results section and some insider information about certain schools and interviews!

I'll apply till I get in. I'm not interested in clinical work; however, I'm interested in basic research on certain disorders. My preference is for a nonclinical program - it's just a lot more difficult to find SP or developmental researchers with similar research interests. But that's what I'm doing now - intensive nonclinical POI shopping! One of the top Personality Disorder researchers was rejected across the board his first round...the number of application cycles it takes to be admitted is not a valid measure of one's potential. Most applicants have strong GPAs and GREs - it's all about fit. I learned that it's difficult to predict how your goodness of fit will be perceived by the program/POI. I've been rejected from schools I thought would consider me well-matched and interviewed at schools I considered the biggest stretch. However, I never went into it expecting to get into any particular school, nor did I expect to get in anywhere (not pessimistic - just realistic - it happens to lots of people!) or interviewed. The hardest part is coming so close and having it slip through my hands in the end. Oh well. Next year, hopefully.

Yeah, it's weird. I visited another lab a few years ago whose PI was interested in narcissism - the students said he was like his research interest. I heed the warnings - I have difficulty believing that, if all the students experienced the POI negatively, my experience would be any different.

My housemate hates ranch dressing and sour cream (I don't!)!

I've only had one whiskey sour, but I really liked it. I just got into liquors - I like scotch, rye whiskey, bourbon, and pisco (ever had it?). I LOVE beer, especially dark beer (stouts, double IPA).

I spent August through February potty training my 25 year old housemate. He was a fan of the one flush technique, leaving me presents three times per day. I politely confronted him. Most people would be embarrassed and check to make sure everything went down. Not him! After four months, I reached my limit - it took six weeks of notifying him via text about each offense, plus telling him he couldn't use my dishes if it continued. I didn't want to make the ultimatum, but, after four months, all I wanted was a present-free bathroom - not to gag each time I walked in there.