Val006

After 2 years of assertively applying for grants, I finally was awarded and now next semester don't have to teach and pay my own salary to do my dissertation research. Its very cool!

Anyone apply for the DFSA? Only one week left of waiting after all of these months! Fingers crossed and best of luck to all of you.

Regardless kudos to you, it sounds like you have your eye on the prize and you nothing is going to stop you! Consultative work would be pretty great, if you could somehow pick something like that up. Don't forget to, you can always apply for grants, I just got my first one awarded this year and now for my last year I wont have to work for the university and can focus 100% on my research. It might not be in the immediate future but at least something to think about. Where there is a will there is a way and there are always options!

Hi there, I am sorry about your conundrum. i couldn't imagine, I am in my mid 30s but single and no kids and in my 3rd year of my PhD... I couldnt imagine doing this with a family let alone a full time job. My take is you get what you put it in and it sounds like you are pulled in a million different directions. My concern is that if you are working you wont be able to invest as much into publications and grants and also miss out on research and teaching experience. I don't know if this is a horrible idea but have you considered taking out student loans, taking the stippend and devoting yourself full time to your PhD? Just a thought! Regardless it soudnds like you have amaing focus and are very ambitous, all the best!

I am in my 3rd year PhD in a Social Work Program at a top 10 R1 institute. I applied for 5 psychology PhD programs and 2 Social Work programs, I got into none of the PhD programs (however i have an undergrad and master's degree in social work). I think a big critique depending on the program you apply for is having a minimum of two years in the field prior to application. I had low GRE scores however because I had 5 years of experience and varied experience in the field, I think it helped round out my application. I would suggest really making a strong argument about why you do not need 2 years (for example you have a strong focus and know you want to pursue research etc.) As I mentioned our school wont even look at applications unless they have 2 years post MSW experience so i would encourage you to check out the schools you are interested in and prepare to have a strong justification. Speaking to our school again, we typically get 35-50 applicants and accept 4-6 so its not overly competitive. It sounds like you are well positioned. If you have any questions, feel free to message me. Good luck!

Were you asking about MSW or PhD? I am Canadian and am in my second year for my doctoral studies, I have 4 years full funded, stipend, benefits etc. I can't speak to all MSW scholarships, I am pretty sure they are limited but most R1 schools for PhD are fully funded.

I applied to the DFSA because I am studying in the US but I believe April 18th is the date CIHR will be making notifications.

I am in social work so my trajectory may not be the same as yours as I appreciate that psychology is quite competitive but I would be curious to hear the discrepancies within our disciplines. My program suggested 4 or 5 in the whole doctoral program (its a four year program) however my adviser and I think this is far from being competitive and I am aiming for 4 a year so hopefully will come out with around 16... so far I am on target. How does this compare with your experience?

Sorry for the delayed response... I check this blog a lot less these days! I am living off the stipend, although things are definitely tight. I lucked out and found a pretty cheap housing situation and sold my car before I left so don't have to pay for transportation which also helps but after working in the field for 5 years and making a relatively decent salary it has been a hard adjustment, living pay check to pay check. In the summer we can work an additional 20 hours a week and I have been offered a clinical position on a research grant doing clinical trials so I am hoping that will also help with some savings. One of my peers in my class took out a federal loan, but she is also living in housing that is much more expensive than mine. So really I think it comes down to your comfort level and what type of lifestyle you are willing to have. Hope that is helpful

Happy Soul, I just wanted to share my experience to perhaps provide you with some optimism and hope. I am an international student from Canada, was involved in the application process last year for a PhD program in psychology and social work. Unfortunately I wrote my GREs at the last minute and did horribly... I decided to still proceed and submit my applications (despite they were top Universities in America). Social Work is more holistic in their perspective and low and behold my strengths and experiences behind my GREs were acknowledged and I am now in my first year in a PhD Program in Social Work at a top 10 ranking school. Don't give up hope... it sounds like you have amazing perseverance and the intelligence to go along, good luck!

There are some schools that will do joint MSW/PhD programs although from what I understand this is a lot more competitive and lots of the Universities are looking for advanced research experience to show that you are doctoral ready. I was speaking with one of the students who is doing a joint program, her biggest critique was that it is very demanding workload wise and she felt that she did not have the time to obtain practice experience leading up to the doctoral work. Depending on your trajectory and overall goals, would probably depict if this would be the best route for you or not. Good luck.

Hi there, I am in my first year PhD program (Canadian citizen) studying in the United States... I am not eligible to apply for F31, given I am not a permanent resident. I am wondering if there are any comparable grants that I can apply for and which one would be most reputable given my trajectory. Any insight would be most helpful!

In my program which is a fully funded PhD program, we are required to maintain B+ average or potentially will encounter academic probation.

Good luck!

There just seems to be red flags left right and centre. In the past when I am applying for school, I approach every interaction as a glimpse into what my experience will be like, including the quality of education I will be receiving. I think it sounds like it would be worth doing some more investigation work, speaking to previous students, looking at accreditation etc. and match it up against what your expectations are. Good luck!