Clinpsyc01
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Posts posted by Clinpsyc01
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19 hours ago, ZingyNeuron said:
Guys, I feel that it doesn’t make sense to have such ridiculously tiny admissions quotas for clinical psych. It’s not a niche domain, there is a strong need for psychologists in Canada, there is a foreseen labour shortage for psychologists in the next 10 years, so what’s the deal? I come from Europe and in most countries, basically if you want to be a psychologist, it’s not that tough to get in, so I was very surprised to see how different things are in North America. Can you guys explain why this situation here?
On top of costs, there’s also the issue of supervisor availability at external sites (e.g. hospitals, clinics, etc.). Programs need to make sure that their students can find practicum placements where they’ll get good training and supervision. Supervising grad students is a huge time commitment that doesn’t provide much benefit to the supervisor, so it can be hard to find enough suitable placements for students. With larger cohorts, it would probably be impossible and result in poorer training.
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38 minutes ago, dancedementia said:
Ugh. So. Work schedule and flight plans mean I'm going to miss an optional student social at one of the programs I'm interviewing at. Does this put me at a distinct disadvantage?
It's one of my top programs and I SO desperately want to make a good impression, but there is also absolutely no way I can get out of work.
I don’t think this will affect you too much since it’s out of your control and I’m assuming they know that. The social event is a good opportunity to interact with the grad students, but you’ll have plenty of time to make a good impression during the interview day. I think missing the social event is a bigger deal when it’s clear that the applicant is just uninterested, doesn’t want to socialize, etc. (which obviously isn’t the case here).
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57 minutes ago, higaisha said:
I've heard of this at a few places, especially where theres priority sequence for who gets to take a student. I thought that would be the case for mostly committee-led schools, not Rye which is almost entirely POI choice.
I think it’s because Ryerson has a lot of professors compared to some other departments. If they let the POIs give acceptances without any committee involvement, they might end up with 15-20 new clinical students when they can only accomodate ~8.
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2 hours ago, checkingmyemail said:
PSA: Please do not be that applicant that is overly aggressive during social events.
I met an applicant today who was SO aggressive/controlling of every conversation between applicants and graduate students of the program, she was so exhausting. I’m sure she was doing this to be nice/talkative and not come off as uninterested, but it clearly rubbed me the wrong way. These interviews aren’t supposed to be cut-throat or competitions between applicants, folks.
I would NOT want to this person as a classmate or colleague- I hope I never see her again lol ?
Yes!! I can’t stress enough how important this is.
Faculty are usually pretty forgiving because they know interviews are a stressful time. But they WILL remember it if you’re unpleasant to be around, competitive, or clearly trying to overshadow the other applicants. At the interview stage, professors and grad students are really trying to find someone they want to work with for the next 5+ years. And chances are, that is not going to be the person who spends 20 minutes talking about their CV at the interview social event.
- xxxxxxxxxx and jamesmp
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1 hour ago, ZingyNeuron said:
Ahh, so Concordia really is out... stings a bit. Ok, stings a lot but trying to be brave.
It’s been mentioned earlier, but the Concordia interview day is only for about 1/3 of the faculty. Many others will still be interviewing students throughout February. Don’t give up!
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12 hours ago, imonfire98 said:
What would you suggest wearing if interviewing in a state were it’s still snowing heavily? How about shoes?
Like the others have said, nice ankle boots or wear heavier boots and change! There is typically a place where applicants can leave coats, bags, shoes, etc.
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15 minutes ago, Psychology_101_ said:
Hi everyone!!
Is anyone here familiar with the Western shortlist/interview process? My POI emailed me today saying they have forwarded my application to the clinical psych committee who will be reviewing files for the 'very short list". I was under the assumption that the decision-making process usually involved POIs deciding who to invite to interview day and afterwards giving their recommendations to the committee. I'm curious as to why the committee would be reviewing files prior to the interview invites even being sent out? Do they get the final say on who comes to interview day? Any insights would be greatly appreciated!
I believe the clinical committee at Western is pretty involved in admissions and make most decisions as a group, so it wouldn’t surprise me if the committee reviews the selected candidates prior to sending the invites. They don’t tend to interview many people, so maybe they want to be sure that everyone is a good candidate, meets admissions criteria, etc,
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If you did want to consider international programs, Rebecca Pillai-Riddell at York University in Toronto does interesting work on infant/caregiver mental health.
- justacigar and chopper.wife
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I don’t think it’s possible to predict how important connections are for admissions. Of course they can help, but it isn’t a given, and isn’t necessary for acceptance.
I only had connections at two of the programs I applied to, and I was rejected from both (without even an interview at the program where I had the most solid connections). But I was interviewed and accepted by several faculty who hadn’t met or even heard of my past PIs. You never know what will happen with this process.
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10 hours ago, Clinicalpsyc12 said:
Did you receive an interview? If so would you mind PMing me your POI's initials?
I interviewed there previously and know people in the program, so I wanted to mention that not all faculty are doing interviews on that day. It’s just the ones belonging to the clinical health research centre. If you want to know which POIs are interviewing on those days, I can ask my friends. The majority of the faculty conduct their interviews individually throughout January and February.
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A few people brought backpacks when I interviewed and no one seemed to care. I brought a black leather tote because I look young and didn’t want to risk looking like a kid going to school or something.
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4 hours ago, WhatLikeItsHard said:
So, alas, I'm starting to think I won't get accepted this cycle, as 4/7 schools I applied to reached out to individuals already for interviews. For those that have interview offers, can you tell me VERY vaguely (i.e. You definitely don't need to say "I worked with ______ for three years at _____") about your work experiences, match with faculty, etc.?
I'm asking because I graduated with a fairly high GPA, have two years of research experience, two years of clinical experience, one year of teaching experience, a published paper, I was president of a mental health organization at my college, and I had thought both my research experiences methodology-wise and goal-wise fit well with faculty. But it seems like there is something lacking in my application, and I am trying to plan for how to address it for the next cycle.
Do you feel like you have depth in a subject instead of breadth? Do you feel a faculty member is interested in your work because it is similar to their own or because you may bring something new to the table? Any answers are welcome!! Thank you.
I was accepted with a similar profile to you, except I didn’t even have any publications. I think what made the difference for me was that I had in-depth experience in the area of research that I wanted to pursue. My research area is relatively uncommon for clinical psych (unlike depression, anxiety, etc.), so the PI’s were pretty excited that I already had extensive experience with the methodology. I also applied to several schools that were a decent but not perfect fit, and I didn’t hear back from those, so I really think research fit was key for me.
Honestly, the process is a crapshoot, and people get rejected even with very strong applications. Sometimes you just happen to apply against superstars with 10 pubs, or the lab already has someone in mind, or their research is moving in a different direction than you expected. The best thing is just to apply to more programs and really maximize your chances.
Good luck with the rest of your application cycle! You never know what will happen
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1 hour ago, TrustingTheProcess said:
To the person that said to not just get an outfit from Target and go for a more expensive suit from Macy's.. what does that mean exactly? My family is not very well off and I am already strapped for money just from applying to programs. I have always been a bargain shopper trying to get nice pieces from places like TJMaxx, but I am concerned that the lab might judge me for it? I am ready for the harsh reality if that is the case, I would just rather be prepared. My P.I. and all her grad students said wearing a suit for interviews is a must for clinical psych.
I am planning to wear a black tailored blazer, black ankle-length formal pants and a blouse from Express. Does anyone foresee a problem with this attire?
That sounds fine. Most grad applicants won’t have expensive suits, and it’s really just important to look neat and professional. It’s probably only an issue if your outfit is noticeably poor quality, fits badly, is see-through, etc.
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On 1/6/2019 at 2:46 AM, DaphneBanks said:
Is there anyway that I can get away with no blazer? Or is it pretty much mandatory?
Now, I'm really nervous because I was planning on wearing a blouse with a nice pair of slacks/skirt.
You could check out thrift stores if you haven’t already. I’ve also gotten decent blazers at H&M for $20-40 (and that’s Canadian so you can probably find something cheaper in the US).
I have seen people in blouses and dress pants at interviews. I don’t know if affected their admission chances, but don’t worry about it if you have no other option.
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Ryerson varies a lot depending on POI. My understanding is that they don’t submit their choices for the in-person interview until ~3rd week of January, and you could be contacted anytime until then.
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1 hour ago, FallGO said:
Hello guys,
I wonder how much does funding play a role in POIs and committee's decisions? Would I be strongly disadvantaged if I'm not qualified for any external funding?
Thanks!
It is important, but definitely not the only factor at play. For what it’s worth, I was accepted to two programs without applying for funding (I was eligible but had a mix-up with my application). One PI had tons of grant money and was a perfect research fit, and the other program was very well-funded. My outcome could’ve been very different if the programs had problems funding their students.
Dont worry about it too much. Your research experience and GPA are more important.
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7 hours ago, Neurophilic said:
Does anyone know how McGill works? My POI basically said "as long as you get through the admissions committee, I can take you in my lab". Do faculty not have a say in this process? I thought they did for some reason..
In addition to what the other poster said, your POI might not know yet if they’ll be allowed to take a student. Most programs limit their cohorts to 5-10 people so if 15 profs want to accept students or something, the committee will have to establish a priority list.
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Try to enjoy your interviews! They’re a lot less stressful when you frame them as an opportunity to get to know potential colleagues, learn about cool research, and show others what you have to offer. The PI chose you out of probably dozens of applicants- you’re qualified and you deserve to be there. Most PIs won’t grill you about their research or obscure theories or anything, they’re more interested in seeing if you’re a good fit with the lab and if they want to spend the next 5+ years with you.
Also, most interviews have unlimited coffee available. Stay away if you are prone to anxiety lol
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I agree that in-person interviews are typically better. The interviews are just as much for you as for them, and in-person interviews allow you to get a sense of the lab environment, the program, and how your PI interacts with others. I might be biased though because my skype interviews were all SO awkward (maybe it’s just me be) and I know I didn’t give as good of an impression as in person. Some people also judge your interest based on whether or not you attend in person, but it doesn’t sound like that’s the case here.
I wouldn’t worry about it this time since the professor said you wouldn’t be at a disadvantage. It’s just something to consider in the future.
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I would email the department graduate assistant since it’s pretty late to be contacting faculty.
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I think 3 is fine if you’re actually interested in all of them and they are in the same area. For example, if you apply to someone who studies eating disorders, someone who studies dementia, and someone who studies OCD, it will look like you don’t have concrete interests and don’t know what you want to do. But if it makes sense to apply to 3, then go for it. More options is always good.
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I would just wait for the department’s reply. Chances are they will let you attach or email your unofficial score report.
In the meantime, send your official scores ASAP so that they will arrive as soon as they can, even if it’s late. In my experience, the scores took more like 10-14 days to arrive to schools, not 5 weeks, although there was no postal strike at the time.
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6 hours ago, dougie said:
Are you guys using the same research proposal for provincial, federal funding apps? UCalgary Clinical is the only program I'm applying to that requires a research proposal, so I'm thinking of tailoring mine to that particular advisor and then re-using it for OGS and CGS. Would it be an issue that my OGS and CGS applications wouldn't match my POIs at all schools? E.g. the UCalgary one will be focused on child development, many other programs I'm applying to are with adults. Wondering if POIs see your OGS/CGS applications or if they just know if you were funded or not.
For CGS, I don’t think they have access to your proposal, just whether or not you applied. The vast majority of grad students I know are doing research completely different from their funding proposals.
I think OGS might be different and probably varies between schools.
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4 hours ago, dougie said:
Hi all - glad there is a Canadian-specific thread to share in during this stressful process! This is my first time applying to 15 clinical and counselling programs (see my signature for which ones), which is an enormous amount of work but I'm very eager to get at least one acceptance. I'm coming from a career change after 6 years working in marketing research and I'm excited to get back to psych research. Marketing research was initially interesting and fast paced, but eventually became very repetitive and limited in scope. I quit my job as a research manager in August to take a position as an RA at a community agency that focuses on child maltreatment, as I wanted to brush up on my academic research skills and hope to study the impact of traumatic life events on mental health outcomes in grad school. I took a considerable pay-cut to do that, so it would be disappointing if I was rejected this year and missed out on a year's salary as those savings would certainly help with spending 6-8 years in grad school.
My background from undergrad is 3.7 / 4.0 GPA from UofT as a psych research specialist, where I did an honors thesis and an independent research project, and volunteered at 4 different university & hospital research labs. I have 1 publication and 3 conference presentations. From work I've gained experience in project and people management (which should be helpful), data analysis, and interview + presentation skills. I think I'll have a good chance if I can get to the interview stage at a few places - that's been a strong suit of mine after doing a ton of job interviews and presentations over the years. My weakness is my lack of any publications or conferences over the last six years, as all my research projects were internal to the companies I've worked for. Also nothing concrete in terms of POIs - I've had contact with a few POIs who said they would keep an eye out for my application, but nothing super positive. I'm still working on that. In terms of standardized tests, my Psych GRE was 830 / 99th percentile and I just took the General GRE on Monday - 166V (97th), 157Q (65th), AWA not available yet. I am beyond relieved to be done with standardized testing, it was a crazy amount of pressure to add on top of the application process.
@TrindStarr I have a question for you about CGS-M - I know this year we have to select 3 institutions instead of 5, which is unfortunate as it seems like every advisor and school mentions how critical it is to have funding and that receiving tricouncil funding significantly ups your chance of acceptance, as you said. How did you decide which 3 schools to pick? Part of me wants to select the ones I would be most likely to attend if I were accepted due to location, but then I wonder if I should be picking based on how many awards the school has to hand out, access to other funding (e.g. all ON schools have OGS, but I don't qualify for Quebec specific awards because I'm not a resident), or how competitive it is. For example, I've heard Waterloo is insanely competitive for CGS - though I would love to go there, I'm wondering if it would be a waste to submit my CGS application there. Any advice?
Not a current applicant, but I just wanted to add that you should try to find out how schools fund their students when applying for CGS-M. Some schools require profs to fund their students out of their own grants, so they greatly prefer students who have applied for funding. Other places, the money comes from the university/department and they might not care as much. For example, at Western, every student is guaranteed a very decent stipend from the university, so I got the impression that they didn’t prioritize students with funding.
Fall 2019 Clinical Psychology Canadian Applicants!
in Psychology Forum
Posted
Some faculty had an interview day in January, the rest are probably in the process of contacting candidates/interviewing. I believe that the committee is meeting at the end of the month to make final decisions.