juror#1

Thanks! I applied to the Psychology and Social Behavior program at UCI, but have yet to hear anything so I have kind of given up hope for them, oh well.

I did! It came as a huge surprise very late last night . Though I now have an extremely painful decision to make and have been informed that I need to be prepared to be stalked at the AP-LS conference in 2 weeks...I am ready! Though this is for psychology, so I have no idea when their criminal justice PhD decisions are. Good Luck!!!

To add to my response, last night I heard from my third interview (with an acceptance woohoo!), and they were the ones who said 2-3 weeks. It took them about a week and a half.

I had one school tell me they would let me know last Wednesday (which was two days after the interview) and they did. Then the other two schools (same weekend) told me 2-3 weeks. One school called me 4 days after the interview (with good news luckily) and the other school is still deliberating but a professor emailed me to say that decisions should hopefully be soon.

I am in the same boat! From what I have seen from past years on this forum, they don't appear to do official interviews. Your guess is as good as mine.

I concur haha! Thanks!

I was doing bad yesterday after a rejection, but just got a phone call from my top choice saying I was the first student they chose to accept! Take that other school! Acceptances: 2 Interviews: 3 Rejections: 1

I got my first rejection today, and even though it was from a school I knew I would probably not go to, it still hurts. They said it was because they just don't have the funding, but I am still taking it personally, which I know I shouldn't. I think what is the worst part is that I finally figured out where I want to go for sure (if I am accepted it will be hard to not immediately reply with YES!), and knowing that I have been rejected from this school makes me feel like I might not get accepted to my top choice, even though I know my interview went better at my top choice than the school I was rejected from. Oh well, still have 2 weeks until decision time for the other schools.

I do not know much about the program or the area, but I have been accepted UTEP's Legal Psychology PhD program. Are you going to their visiting weekend? I am in hopes of finding out all about it because, unlike the rest of the places I have applied, I do not know anyone from that area or who has gone to that school. I did hear that housing is fairly cheap...

I am not sure exactly. Probably being a professor, though I have also considered either conducting research for or becoming a Victim Specialist for the FBI. All need PhDs, and I have a good 5 years to decide for sure .

Who were your POIs?? Guess this means I should not hold out hope for UVA, though I think I lost hope a week ago.

I just want to say that I am jealous of those boots, they are awesome.

Right now I would have to say John Jay or University of Nebraska-Lincoln because both are really great programs for my field (psych and law) and both have professors that are a really good fit for me. Though this might also be influenced by the fact that they have at least invited me to interview haha. If I hear from them, Tufts would also be up there because I applied there for one POI in particular, and I think I would jump for joy to work with him.

This is really hard to answer and am not sure I can. My best bet is my research experience, yes I have good grades, decent GRE etc. but I feel like everyone does. I have been conducting research in the exact field I want for almost 2 years now, have helped with over 10 studies, have 2 publications, and a huge list of manuscripts in preparation. My CV is 4 pages long! My knowledge of complex statistics is not necessarily good, but I can discuss mediations like no one's business haha and it got me a TA position for a statistics course. Really that is my best guess, because I know of so many people who have also worked their butts off that I think should have been accepted as well. I really think it is kind of like the lottery Oh and I was a bad potential student, I didn't contact a single professor, so it is definately not that.

I am so glad you got lucky like me and should be able to go to both! And if you need that schedule a bit faster I emailed out my POI and told her and then asked what the last event was, and made sure that she knew I wanted to be there for everything. Good luck with your interviews, I am sure you will knock their socks off with your awesomeness

Are the interview weekend days overlapping or the exact same? I was...well am...in a similar situation where I was contacted by three schools within a 2 week period and their interview weekends are all the same weekend. However, my first one is a Thurs.-Fri. interview, my second one is a Fri-Sun, and my third one is a Sun.-Tues. and I worked it out that I would essentially be there for most of every interview weekend (I am only, sadly, missing the first meet the grad student night at one of the schools) by leaving at insanely early hours to fly to the next school. I was completely honest with each school concerning my situation, as I figured I would rather them know than me trying to sidestep the issue. Each school actually worked harder to accomodate my schedule and make sure I could make it to all the events after I told them (my hope is because they want me that bad to bend over backwards haha). However, if they are the exact same days, I think you should go with the one you have already committed to and ask the other school whether or not you can visit another weekend or at least have phone interviews with them.

Oh I agree that the main argument was about access to opportunities . But you have to admit that with the opportunities comes the facade of prestige. It goes along with your second discussion concerning mentality and in a way the self-fulfilling prophecy of how you are treated as that "snowflake." It is all tied together and the joy of it is trying to separate the individual parts .

Being from Indianapolis I should say Colts...but I have been secretly cheering on the Saints all season

I would say that it is pretty safe that you are in and thus can now relax--Congratulations! As for the other schools and an interview, my standpoint has been, might as well. It never hurts to talk to other schools and keep your options open. Though, from experience, it is hard to be as excited and interested in an interview with a safety school when you know a top school is interested, but you can do it!

First, I want you to know that I do agree with this, and that brand name schools will give more opportunities. However, I believe, at least in getting into grad school, which is what your primary argument focuses on, that brand name may not be as big a requirement (though it helps). Maybe this is me being optimistic, but I feel getting into graduate school is where they will look more at your hard work than at your school pedigree. For example, my current (private liberal arts) university has only 2500 students total and psychology is definately not one of its more known programs. Despite this, opportunities can be made and experience can be had with hard work, and in the end they should take that into account because it really is unfair to condemn an applicant for going to a lesser known school (especially for undergrad when a lot of people are unsure of their exact path to begin with). Now in terms of graduate school, I do think brand name might matter a bit more, but your decision of where to apply should primarily be based on the individual advisor you wish to work with. It does seem to follow the trend that bigger named individuals tend to be at brand name schools, probably because they are offered better perks there than at other schools. It also depends on the person themselves, I know my current research advisor was struggling about whether to accept a job at a big named school or at the tiny liberal arts school she chose. In the end she decided that she was not as hungry for prestige and wanted to work more with the students in a closer relationship. So then it might be that bigger name schools get bigger names, but not necessarily the best people in the field (because my advisor is awesome, but I might be a bit biased ).

Nope, I am still in undergrad

I am only taking 12 hours, with only 2 real classes and then 6 credits worth of independent study research. Then I am the TA for the intro to statistics course for the psychology students. I thought I was copping out and taking a light semester, except stats and my research are ruling my life because they both know I have the time haha, not that I mind. Plus I am already going to be gone for two entire weeks this semester due to interviews and then AP-LS, so I am quite glad I only have two real classes that are not too difficult but still 400 levels. It is kind of strange though, as like Jlloyd87, the past 2 years I have had around 25 credits each semester so this is kind of nice

I actually had this conversation with my research advisor and a couple other faculty members last week... Currently I am applying to Ph.D. programs to study Social Psychology and the Law, which I have fallen in love with but this was not my original plan... My biggest dream ever was to be a forensic anatomical pathologist doing autopsies and what not and then would eventually be elected County Coroner. It was when I took a college anat and phys course in highschool that I discovered my ineptitude at the endocrine system . My choice to go into psychology was, quite literally, merely writing the major down because I was too heart broken over losing my choice field (don't try and say I could have done it because I tried very hard to learn it and to this day still suck at endocrines). But it ended up just fine as I am extremely happy with my field and after hanging out with the county coroner where I attend undergrad, realized that I don't necessarily have to have a medical background to be elected . My second choice would be either an astronaut or an astronomer because space is just incredible.

I will be 22 and straight out of undergrad when I start in the fall. As for the having kids debate...I know I told my fiance that it is not an option for at least the first two years so we can save money and get used to the lifestyle. But, without details, medically I have a slim chance of even having kids and I want them so I want to have at least one in grad school before it is too late. I personally don't think there is a right answer to the baby debate, it all depends on the individuals involved and what they know they can handle.

I met my fiance our freshmen year of undergrad, are both graduating this May, and we are getting married July 10 . He will be following me to wherever I end up for school and looking for jobs within civil engineering.