athlete2academic

Hey Gray Cat, congrats on the interview! New England will be chilly, so be prepared. As for attire, I wouldn't view buying a suit while in the U.S. as your only option. If you already have one you like, you wouldn't necessarily have to "pack" it. I've travelled on several domestic flights that have a place inside the cabin where passengers hang their suits so they don't get wrinkled. Only much smaller planes (intra-regional jets) lack this luxury. You'll be on an international flight, so you should have no problem asking the flight attendants to store a suit if you choose to do so. Also, most airlines allow for one carry-on item (backpack, etc.), then one "personal item" (a suit, for instance). Until I started traveling regularly, I didn't know about this option. That said, unless you are a frequent flyer, I doubt most people are aware of this. It takes away all the anxiety of arriving at your destination and finding a wrinkled suit. Again, congratulations and good luck!

I agree with ISILYA on a number of levels. As one of my research advisors put it, "Everyone wants to do Clinical." Not literally, but you get the point. Not to defer you - only to put things in perspective - I've interned in labs where the current Clinical students applied to 15+ programs coming directly from undergrad and did not get accepted. These were not bad students, either. They took a few years off, gained some valuable experience working as techs, and had their choice of programs when they reapplied. With that many applicants (most Clinical programs receive 100+ applicants, if not more) and so few spots, you have to be more than just a "good applicant." You sound like you have the ability to stand out, though. Study hard for the GRE and more research experience (while getting a letter-writer in the process) is key. Your internship should stand out. Make sure you highlight your strengths on your CV. Good luck, and to answer your question: you absolutely have a realistic chance.

If it is possible (and practical) for you to change this information then yes, change it. However, I've never heard of a school communicationing solely via phone. Even those who have received phone calls regarding interviews have received emails to confirm (I have actually NOT received a phone call - just emails). If you're worried about a faculty member calling you and not being able to reach you, consider changing your answering machine message to reflect your current situation; direct them to your email which, I'm guessing, will be your primary form of communication while abroad. Just a thought. Hope it helps. Good luck!

This made me LOL...probably because this is exactly how I feel. Maybe I'm selling myself short, maybe not (the same goes for you!). I've gotten this advice, too. Definitely agree. Per the graduate students I've worked with, one of the biggest changes is the professor-student dynamic. Instead of outright "superior-inferior" (sounds harsh, but you get the point), it's more like, to quote a past thread I remember reading, these professors are training future colleagues, maybe even training them to take their place one day (some instances more literal than others). Maybe outside the original orbit of this thread, but could any current graduate students weigh in on this? I'd be interested to hear different perspectives...

For those of you who replied, thanks for all the tremendous answers. It seems like funding is the central theme...then the "fit" of the school a close second. That tells me there is a balance of logic (head) and emotion (heart) when picking a school. I've noticed some psychology decisions popping up in the "Results" section; good luck to everyone who applied! And again, thanks for providing some insight on the topic. Hopefully all of us 2015-ers will have the fortunate problem of having to pick between two great schools.

Thanks for the reply, IPHI. It's interesting to hear that there is indeed a type of "feeling" involved. Particularly interesting, too, that had you not of felt that, you probably would not be where you are today. I can see how having this feeling would make things easier; on the flip side, it might complicate things much more if you had this feeling about two programs. Maybe you're right, though, that things have a way of working themselves out. Thanks for replying, Liz. I've interned in two labs - one that was "hands off," and the other that was much more "hands on." I see pros and cons to both and really believe it comes down to a student's personal preference. In both labs all the students were very independent (a vital skill for being a graduate student, I would imagine). In the "hands off" lab, students seemed to rely much more on the guidance of one another (older graduate students, post-docs, etc.). Just an observation. Also, I'm glad you mentioned the "feel" of the department. I agree that being inserted into a lively program is certainly much better than one that's stagnant. If I get the opportunity to interview, that'll be something I'll keep in mind. Thanks again. Good point, Spunky. Can't agree more.

Hi, people of GC. After roaming these parts for some time, I finally have a question. This does not at all reflect my situation; I have not been informed of any admissions decisions. This is purely out of curiosity. Also, this may fit better in a "Decisions" forum, but I'm more interested in the perspectives of students studying psychology. Those of you who were accepted into multiple programs, what made you pick one program over another? I've heard things ranging from location, funding, faculty members to a program's outcomes/goals and how it functions within the larger scope of the university (among others). Those all seem to be vital elements, too. But what if you're stuck between two (or three, ...) great schools that you can see yourself at in the future? Was there some type of intrinsic feeling deep in your gut that said "go here" instead of there? As for those of us who are currently applying and could possibly be faced with this problem (a good problem to have, nonetheless), what will you be looking for to "break the tie?" A feeling? Something intangible? I'd love to hear any perspectives you may have. As always, thanks.

Depending on where you are thinking of applying, programs usually have on their website "data" or even just suggestions for what a competitive applicant looks like. For instance, this is directly off of UC-Riverside's website: "In general, students with at least a 3.50 GPA in the last two years of upper division undergraduate work and a master's degree, along with a combined GRE score of 1100 or above have a higher rate of admission to our program." This is pretty generic; some schools clearly value research experience over anything else. Publications and presentation certainly help - but I can't speak to how admissions committees see an application with neither of the two. Perhaps IPHI could better answer that since he/she is in the midst of their graduate career. Using the word "unrealistic" is a bit harsh...I think. I've heard of people getting accepted into programs with no research experience but great GRE scores and a well-written SoP. After all, while everyone wants to have well-rounded application, the fact of the matter is, it only takes one person on the admissions committee (maybe your PoI?) to like a piece of your application in order for you to get an interview. In my opinion, what it comes down to is your confidence level. What I mean is, if you're confident in your application and that confidence shines through on paper - and you clearly outline what your interests are - I think your application is fair game. I can't realistically tell you that it will be as strong as those applicants who have been working on their application for months. But, who's to say you're not better qualified than them anyway? Everyone who applies is anxious! Forums like these are to help relieve that anxiety while providing insight

It can definitely be done, yes. I applied to a number of School Psychology programs and started this process back in late August. That's rather early, though. A few things you may want to consider: You may want to check with your letter writers and see if they can realistically submit a good, thoughtful letter for you before the deadline (since it is in the very near future). This may influence who writes your letters. Just something to think about. You'll most likely have to cut down on your draft process. My SoP took 8 or so drafts to perfect; I sought the help and guidance of many others, too. Not saying yours will take 8 (that's a lot, I know), but you'll have to hammer out your supporting materials fairly quickly in order to meet a January deadline. Depending on how many schools you are planning on applying to, this certainly can be done. Each addition school you apply to is more and more work, though. If you're confident in the strength of your application and think you can be a competitive applicant, absolutely, go for it. As for the specific schools you mention, I'm really not sure. IPHI is right in that Oregon requires an extra exam. That was actually one of the reasons I decided against applying there. As for UC-Riverside, I applied there and have not heard that the program is struggling. Maybe I don't know the full story; I cannot attest to that comment one way or another. No matter your decision, best of luck to you.

I did not know this occurs. It's interesting, really. I was lucky enough to intern in two high-profile labs this summer at a large, research-orientied university. Rarely did I come in contact with the actual professor who headed the lab. My day-to-day interactions were with graduate students. Granted, not many were first or second years; the majority were third and forth years with deep experience. Assuming that all graduate students hold themselves to as high a standard that my summer "colleagues" did, I would have no problem with them screening my application. I agree with earlier posts to an extent, though. Graduate students are competitive by nature - probably a reason they're in the position that they're in. That said, I would hope a graduate student would not "toss" my application because he/she sensed...a threat (not sure of the correct term here). All in all, I'm not uneasy about it. It's just part of the process, I suppose. I applied to 8+ programs, all of which I consider to be "big." My question is...what's big?