constant_wanderer

psychface: you know, what continues to surprise me in clinical psychology is the number of folks who seem to be in need of a therapy session or two. The individual I described was obviously someone who liked testing folks out like that, but I'm pretty sure he wasn't putting on an act. I guess once you make it as a professor, especially in clinical psychology, where folks would put up with almost anything for a chance of getting in, you suddenly have all the power in the world over students -- and you know it. 'Power trip' might be a useful term to describe some individuals in psychology, and the best thing we can do is not to act like that towards folks more junior than ourselves once we get in. So, IMHO, the best we can do is just not be intimidated, and believe in ourselves no matter what (ahh, so corny!) when dealing with professors and graduate students.

EastCoasting: really good advice! From my own experience of interviewing at one of the most competitive clinical programs in the States (4% acceptance rate), I'd add: stay positive -- some of your interviewers will really try to test you. One of the three professors who me put up his feet in front of me on the desk between us, began with a generic 'Tell me about yourself', and then proceeded to take apart every single research and clinical experience I offered in answer. So, keep your cool, keep on talking, ask them questions, pretend you're not nervous or intimidated. Pay attention to your interviewers, and if they appear bored -- wrap up, don't rant on! Also, this is not the time to be critical of your home school, past colleagues and supervisors, or your research field in general. It's important to strike a balance between remaining true to yourself, while being pleasant. Also, you must be able to tie together your past experiences, current work, and future research plans. Phew... I hope this makes sense.

0daughterbeloved: I guess I cope by keeping busy with other things. I have a fairly stressful part-time job in a mental health setting, a bunch of volunteering gigs, and some semblance of a social life that keeps me distracted from dwelling on the anxieties of the waiting game too much... avoidant coping? Although I am also a compulsive email-checker, for sure. On the topic of sending thank-you notes to my references: I only sent them the Christmas cards this season, but will be sure to follow up with a card and maybe some neutral gift like a potted plant in April, once I know if/where I'll be accepted to. I'm not too sure: would sending chocolate or alcohol be not an appropriate gesture in an academic setting, especially if the receptients are of a different gender?

The cyanide story and the woman who sent photos of herself intended for her partner to her POI by accident definitely share the gold in this category!

The worst are the folks who are surprised I don't want to listen to their problems for free ... 'But you're a psychologist!!! Don't you want to help people?" On an unrelated note: how are folks coping with the waiting anxiety?

Na'ama: 1. Master's thesis is perfectly fine as a research paper sample. For the other one, pick the paper that you feel reflects your writing and thinking skills the best. 2. These are two separate papers: one is a statement describing personal reasons for pursuing graduate studies in clinical psychology; another is a statement describing professional and research training that you feel has prepared you for grad school in psych, as well as a description of your research interests in grad studies.

Just re-visited the applicant page at UC Berkeley... Invitations will be coming out around December 23rd...a.k.a. tomorrow. Oh. my. goodness. I'm not nervous, not nervous at all. Not at all. Perfectly calm. GAAAH!

With many of us waiting for invitations, and some of having already received some, I think a thread aggregating all of the advice and brainstorming on interview tips is in order. Anyone would like to share?

I'm reading this thread, and then, I'm looking at the viewing stats (22'000? whoa!), and I think we should all chill. Whether or not we get one invitation or 15, whether we get in or not ... this is not the end of the world. We are all talented, competitive people, and we don't need a grad school diploma to tell us so (although yes, it would be nice). In any case, a grad diploma doesn't even guarantee employment this days... so what are we all getting worked up about? Even if we don't get in absolutely anywhere, we still have a future. Just of a different kind: as entrepreneurs, homemakers, or just in other fields of study. Grad school admissions are not worth the panic, the tears, and the stress. Nothing, nothing at all, is worth the kind of pressure we are putting on ourselves now. And anyway, getting into grad school is not only a reflection of our individual talent. It often takes a very privileged background, an undergrad without too many stressors (e.g. major breakups, mental illness, etc.), and often just sheer luck. Also, the culture in psych research labs can be very intimidating, and quite frankly, unfriendly to minorities and students with special needs. So, it's really not a reflection of our brilliance. Also, as psychologists, we'll be working with folks from backgrounds that are much less privileged than ours, folks who'll be often just as brilliant as ourselves, but who never had a chance to even consider going to grad school... If at that point we let ourselves for a moment think that we are somehow superior because we had the money and the time to sit through a five-year doctorate, we'd be rather shoddy psychologists. Grad school admissions are just one more hurdle to overcome -- they're not a defining point for our self-esteem. No matter what, we'll make a difference in this world, admitted or not. Best wishes to all applicants.

Definitely anxious to hear from them, but I figured: the worst thing that can happen to me is that I'm not invited -- and even then, I'm no worse off than I am right now! Our worth as human beings doesn't depend on our admission to grad school… right? Right?!

searpr: my reasoning is that, on average, all Canadian schools are good schools, yet the best-ranked American schools (I'm thinking Northwestern, WUSTL, Ivies etc.) are the best in the world. I think that, ceteris paribus, gaining a foothold on an academic career ladder is much easier with a doctorate from Berkeley, than with a doctorate from Dalhousie (I'm applying to both, so no offence to Dalhousie). I also think that, beyond the quality of instruction, the relationship with your supervisor, the amount of funding, and the reputation of your program, your future will be defined by the connections you make among the graduate students within and without your program. I'd rather have the connections I'd make at WUSTL or Fordham, than the connections I'd make at U of O… IMHO (again, applying to all three). I'm also fascinated by the States, and want to live there for a few years! (Wanderlust and all.) And of course, these are my private opinions -- folks are free to disagree.

Among some crucial factors for me would be the feel of the lab, my prospective advisor's personality, the fit in terms of research interests, and especially, how many students moved on to post-docs, and where to(!) from the lab I'm interviewing with. And I wouldn't go anywhere that didn't fully cover my tuition, as well as offer a stipend.

A large number of American schools will fully cover tuition for accepted students in clinical science. Then there are scholarships, as well as TA/RAships... The rest is OSAP for me, but I'm willing to go into debt for a chance to study in the States.

28 hours

From my experience, interview offers are made in the period from mid-January to early February. Some schools with exceptionally early deadlines, like Berkeley or Northwestern, will make interview offers as early as mid-December, but these timelines are not typical.

I was shut out last year, and my advice to folks is: be realistic in your applications. If your gut is telling you that you need a bit more research experience, you probably do. If you are only applying to Ivy League schools without the CV/marks to match... you might want to reconsider. And do have a steady Plan B in case you don't get in, which means you might want to be searching for work while waiting for the interview invites in January.

I'm applying to 13 schools + a scholarship. Once you've got the gist of it, it's not too hard. And I'm also very lucky to have folks ready to write so many LOR.