JoePianist

Fordham certainly doesn’t mince words... 

Fordham certainly doesn’t mince words... 

Fordham just sent out an email with the following:
"We write to inform you that the Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program (CPDP) has extended all admission interview invitations, and all available interview slots are now filled. The CPDP will not be extending any additional interview invitations. As noted in our previous communication regarding the program admission process, only candidates selected for an interview are considered for admission.  

We realize that this news is disappointing. The admissions committee faces the daunting task of selecting a limited number of candidates for interviews from a large pool of strong applicants. This year is especially challenging, with a record number of applications for only a very small number of admission slots."
Well, that's finalized.

I really was not ready for how stressful it would be AFTER submitting applications. This is my first cycle, and I've heard from one program (UMD College Park- had prelim, but not invited to formal interviews) but have not heard anything from anywhere else. I applied only to 6 programs all in the DC area or nearby so I'm sure that's a limitation, but wow I never would have guessed how overwhelming this gets. 
Good luck to everyone else out there! I'm new to gradcafe, but it's nice to have somewhere to talk to people who understand this whole process. 

Yup – As I said earlier, applicants with existing connections to their potential POI will nearly always have the edge in applications. Very happy to hear this worked out for you, @rainbow56!

(big hugs) ?

I'm totally with you. I work as a project manager on several projects and it's incredibly hard to stay focused smh I hate how much i'm looking at my phone, I literally can not stay focused. I, too, love research and could honestly not see myself doing anything else.
It sucks if we don't get in this round because that literally means we have to wait another year to possibly go through this again (only the strong survive though, right? ? ) I wouldn't even mind as much if we could apply in like June/july as well as December, that would make it a little easier. Its also the dauntingness of having to AGAIN ask professors and colleagues to submit LORs. This is my 3 cycle and I honestly wouldn't feel comfortable asking my recommenders again, im sure they're thinking "if you haven't gotten in by now, maybe do something else "  idk so many thoughts...good luck, friend! 

Hi I’m on the same boat with having a hard time focusing on work. I truly just want to nap my days away and wake up to refresh my emails. This is my first time applying though, so I’m so sorry to hear about your situation. If you truly can’t see yourself doing anything different, I wouldn’t give up if I were you! This seems to be SUCH a strange year to apply. I have had acquaintances get multiple interviews in years past with less experience, so I think this year is an anomaly for all of us who haven’t heard back yet from anywhere. 
 
I know it doesn’t sound hopeful to wait another year to apply, but at least we can apply again in September (only 8 months away)! What are you doing now, if you don’t mind me asking? I think any experience you can get in the next year will help your chances of getting in next cycle. I think it’s about luck too  

I'm having a really hard time focusing and staying motivated. Focusing on my current lab work has been so difficult this month.
I'm waiting to hear back from so many places but the anxiety is really difficult. This is my second round and I don't think I can put myself (or afford to put myself) through this again but I really don't know what else I'd do. I sincerely love research and clinical work and I can't see myself doing anything different. I've thought about becoming a psych NP but I'd have to start all over (I don't have a BSN or any of the prerecs). I'm just nervous and see my options dwindling. 

Ugh, I was afraid of this. I get the appeal for PI's, but this gets quite close to gatekeeping territory for me. Especially with COVID, networking has become even more difficult. ?

For those looking for post bac RA & research coordinator positions, I used these sites to job hunt:
https://gupsychology.wordpress.com/
https://psychologyjobsinternships.wordpress.com/
https://undergrad.psychology.fas.harvard.edu/post-graduate-research-jobs
http://clinicalpsychgradschool.org/pbacc.php
https://psych.wustl.edu/news/psychology-research-opportunities-undergraduates-post-bacs
https://main.hercjobs.org/jobseekers/index.cfm
I think ultimately I wound up finding my RA job on Indeed, so that's also a good place to look. I cold emailed some people with no success (I don't think it's weird to do that!) and searched career portals of hospital systems & universities I was interested in.

Hi all  - 
I’ve noticed quite a bit of anxiety and heartbreak over in the ‘21 Clinical/Counseling thread. Since this is about the time of year when a lot of psychology applicants (of all disciplines!) start assuming or receiving rejections, I thought it might be helpful to have a central space where disappointed applicants can vent and receive support. I know that these applications are sometimes years in the making; we sacrifice sleep, health, and time with our loved ones to achieve our dreams. The jolt of hope when you go to refresh your email, coupled with the disappointment when there’s nothing new there...I know that dance well. 
 
For those of you who are facing that disappointment, I hope you will use this thread to reach out for comfort. For those of you who have been there and might have words of wisdom and experience, please share how you got through it!
Brianna Baker, through her YouTube channel Becoming Dr. Baker, posted a video today that I thought was timely: “Rejected from Everywhere I applied to: My story & How to Bounce Back from Graduate School Rejection”

This is the dirty secret: Applicants who already have pre-established connections to their identified mentors through their current or previous PI will always have the edge in applications. It’s the same deal in job applications for any career field: Employers trust who they know.

Damn, that’s legitimately brutal. Hopefully you get accepted elsewhere so that this POI regrets not extending you an invite.

Damn, that’s legitimately brutal. Hopefully you get accepted elsewhere so that this POI regrets not extending you an invite.

You’re only waitlisted for an interview if the program tells you so.

Damn, that’s legitimately brutal. Hopefully you get accepted elsewhere so that this POI regrets not extending you an invite.

Ugh I hate that GradCafe has a limit on reactions!! I'm trying to heart and upvote everyone but I ran out of reactions ? thats a true sign that I've been glued to my computer all day 
Anyways this is me telling you all that I heart and upvote all of you ❤️ 

I would also ask them about their research areas. People love to talk about themselves and their work, and it's nice show a little interest. You also never know what those conversations may bring - it's not unheard of to make really good impressions on more than one faculty member and have multiple people in a program interested in you. 

I try to go as broad as possible! Trends in the field, attributes of successful students, the environment of the program, things they wish they knew before starting a PhD. My favorite thing to ask is how they would describe the values of the program, the department, and the university. 

I see some people saying programs are focusing more on personal statements, CVs, and letter of recs now that they aren’t looking at the GRE (optional or waived). I am glad about the GRE but the heavy letters of rec emphasis worries me a bit even more though. While the pandemic certainly created a barrier for the GRE (one that was already existing for BIOPOC and Disabled at that) my thesis PI ended up hospitalized with COVID and couldn’t write my letter. I had a backup but she was not an academic reference backup. Sure she has overseen my clinical work and other research work, but it’s not in an academic setting and it’s not as extensive. She also isn’t as familiar with the academia application process and what to say. 
I am quite certain it’s impacting my chances. Basically while it’s nice they’re being more inclusive, I wish people would think of these possible scenarios too. 

I haven’t been involved in the admissions process; but according to my own advisor who’s served on the admissions committee for UAB’s PhD Clinical Psychology program, admitted candidates typically have little-to-no research publications. In our program, it’s also common for admitted candidates to lack an honor’s (undergraduate) thesis or a master’s thesis. I, myself, didn’t have any research publications nor any thesis when I received my offer of admission.

To neutralize any questions pertaining to “Why don’t you have X?”, tell them it’s a goal you’re actively working, describe any barriers you encountered (e.g., lack of publication opportunities for undergraduates in PI’s laboratory), and describe any recent plans or efforts to obtain that goal. 
This question is basically gauging your ability to self-evaluate and your willingness to seek and integrate feedback. Interviewers basically want to hear that you sought feedback on your previous application and how you applied that feedback for this current application cycle.

To neutralize any questions pertaining to “Why don’t you have X?”, tell them it’s a goal you’re actively working, describe any barriers you encountered (e.g., lack of publication opportunities for undergraduates in PI’s laboratory), and describe any recent plans or efforts to obtain that goal. 
This question is basically gauging your ability to self-evaluate and your willingness to seek and integrate feedback. Interviewers basically want to hear that you sought feedback on your previous application and how you applied that feedback for this current application cycle.

Thank you for that, it's nice to not feel alone. 
 
Unfortunately, a lot of things are complicating my situations. Visa issues, long distance relationships and personal finances so this was probably my first and last try to apply for Clinical Psych. Prepped my whole undergrad for it (like everyone else here I am sure), today just feels dim...as if I let a lot of people down. I know I won't feel this in the morning but it seems almost cruel, commuted for hours to work at a lab where I did grunt work before I could get to write a paper, gave up many many many outings and opportunities to make good memories with friends all with the goal of getting into a clinical psych program. I am so appreciative of the sweet reply this prof gave me but it just makes me feel a little mad at the world cause it feels like I literally couldn't have done any more than I did hahah ok sorry. emo rant over.