Jay's Brain

First of all, sounds like you already have a very solid application judging by what you've described. GPA is always a factor for a lot of people, but I personally think that making the right connections, being open-minded and positive in terms of communication with potential PIs, and showing your interests through your SOP will go a long way. 

I would say that as long as your GPA makes the minimum cut-off for the programs and schools you apply to, you should at least have a shot of not being triaged by the graduate committee. The next step, and ones that will be really crucial, is finding the right references that will highlight your capability in research and neuroscience. This is VERY important, in my opinion. If your references (2-3 depending on your program) are diverse and can give you strong to excellent referrals (and if they are recognized in their fields), that will propel you. Finally, as an undergrad, having your name in a journal, regardless of the IF, says a lot about your importance on a research team. Clearly you have demonstrated the aptitude and responsibility to have your name as an author. 
 
Discuss your GPA in your SOP (if you find it necessary), but I don't think you need to downplay yourself from the onset. Always play to your strengths, and discuss anything that is limiting in a way that still sheds a positive light. If you jive well with the PIs (and kudos for you speaking to them so early), they can go out of their way to look at your application and recommend you. Not to mention, most graduate programs consider your last two years more closely than your earlier years.
 
Hope this helps!

Hello, UofT 2014ers! Glad to see we are plenty here. And judging from OP's program combo, probably Scarborough campus, too.

I wholeheartedly agree with what's been said--take the year off, work and have time to unwind/deinstitutionalize, and just breathe and focus.

If you're worried about the proverbial "bridge burning" due to your original commitment to School A, you should understand that this situation does not dictate that in anyway. Clearly School B, which will be much better for you short-term and long-term, wants to offer you the best option available. School A, is not giving you any positive reasons other than it being your dream school prior to this conflict. The distance is always a factor, but when you're fully integrated into a program and have made that leap I think you'll find School B makes the most sense. The jitters will go away!

If you're worried about the proverbial "bridge burning" due to your original commitment to School A, you should understand that this situation does not dictate that in anyway. Clearly School B, which will be much better for you short-term and long-term, wants to offer you the best option available. School A, is not giving you any positive reasons other than it being your dream school prior to this conflict. The distance is always a factor, but when you're fully integrated into a program and have made that leap I think you'll find School B makes the most sense. The jitters will go away!

Great advice already above, but just as analogy -- doing well in psych courses, working in a lab, conducting independent research -- these are the equivalent of 'knowing how to play' in psychology. Doing well at the GRE is more like demonstrating that you know how to read sheet music and, as far as psych goes, you haven't even really picked up an instrument yet.... which isn't going to get you into the orchestra.
 
Here's one option that hasn't come up yet, though it might be more challenging.
 
Others have pointed out that you don't stack up (yet) relative to traditional applicants using traditional admissions criteria, but you might get lucky just acknowledging that and pitching yourself as a completely different type of MA student. For example, I know someone who is a retired police officer and always wanted to do an master's related to policing/psychology. He convinced a professor who studies stereotyping to take him on and they did an MA project together that this prof would never have been able to do without having access to the student's former police contacts. That is, the student didn't have a psych background but he had other skills that were useful--i.e., lots of experience in the context they wanted to study. 
 
I recently saw some research looking at spaced vs. massed acquisition of motor skills and they used piano playing. You could find things like that, where you can research something that other applicants can't, because of your music background.   This might require reaching out informally or using your personal networks instead of going the traditional application route.

Everybody has a story of their own to answer this question.

For me, there's been various things that have led me to come to terms with what I want to do. The most basic one is that I'm interested in what I am pursuing. I'm interested in memory disorders and the way that mnemonic processes affects our cognition. My undergraduate degree was in neuroscience and mental health, which intersected very nicely with what I will be doing in September for my Master's program - clinical neuropsychology. 

Less academically, I'm interested in pursuing psychology as a career because I believe that a career as a clinical psychologist gives me an opportunity to help people find themselves. As mentioned, my interest is in memory. More specifically, I am interested in autobiographical memory, which describes the cumulation of moments that we experience across our lifespan. These moments allow us to unlock who we are as individuals, and I want to help others find themselves through in the process.

To be honest, serendipity has played a big role in how I found this field as a direction I want to pursue. It wasn't until my undergraduate honours thesis that my eyes were opened to such opportunities. My supervisor was a great source of motivation and support. And through my thesis with him, I learned that speaking with people, regardless of their age or health, gives you different impressions and views of the world that you may never perceive. I realized that this was something I wanted to do. I wanted to pursue a career where I can learn more about the behaviours of others through research, and be able to see my results translated into helping others. Clinical work and research complements each other and I'll be very satisfied pursuing a career that allows me to do both.

I need help!
 
I am not sure if I want to get a PhD  in clinical psychology or social work. I've currently been accepted into both programs. Both programs will take me 6 years to complete (2 years for masters, 4 years for doctorate).
 
I am really interested in research, and would really like my education to position me to be a well versed researcher. Any thoughts would be appreciated. 

While I agree that it is unlikely, it is not impossible. I was emailed for a phone interview about a week ago from a school that hadn't invited me for the in person interview. Apparently I had been at the top of the waitlist from the beginning but nobody told me. Don't give up hope just yet!