ClinicalApplicant07
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Posts posted by ClinicalApplicant07
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On 4/18/2016 at 4:27 PM, MarineBluePsy said:
Congratulations! I've never heard of anything like this happening and am so glad it did.
Thank you so much! My mentor said the same thing about never hearing about this happening so last minute to a student. I'm honestly still in shock.
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For everyone planning to apply again next year, I recommend sending feedback request emails to professors where you made it farther than just submitting an application (i.e., email interview, phone/skype interview, in person interview). They can provide very helpful information and advice for your next round. In my case after sending the feedback request twice over the course of two months, it actually resulted in a request to skype interview which has now resulted in an offer just a few days before the deadline of 4/15. It's absolutely crazy how everything worked out, but it just shows that it's not over until it is over, and that persistence pays off.
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I will also be attending the university of memphis in the fall and I am looking for somewhere to live that's under 800 a month. There didn't seem to be much on trulia.com, it might just be an off time of year to be looking. How did you all pick your apartments when you were searching?
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On 3/20/2016 at 8:00 PM, Applicant 1746 said:
While of course you shouldn't lie at any point in the application process, I do think it's okay to selectively offer information to potential programs/advisers. If you have two main but different interests (say, depression and eating disorders), you may want to mention that you applied to x, y, and z depression-focused labs while on an interview for a depression lab, but not mention the eating disorder-focused labs you also applied to.
Awesome advice, thank you for your input!
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On 3/19/2016 at 4:17 PM, Plasticity said:
Are you interested in more the clinical or research side? If you are going to apply for PsyD programs I don't think publications are a priority.
A side note, as I've seen many people here apply to programs that were a mix, if you were going to apply to both PsyD and PhD programs then to make sure the PhD programs you are applying to do not have a research focus (clinical-science model of training), that could raise eyebrows. Your apps need to "match up". I only applied to one clinical program out of my four apps and the others were more neuro based and I was asked a lot about why the one clinical program (as I should have been asked since it appears as an odd fit).
That's great advice, thank you!
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For those of you that didn't get in this year, what is your plan for the next year? I've been recommended to apply to more schools, add in some counseling psychology programs, and some Psy.D programs. Some professors I've spoken to have said some pretty bad things about Psy.D's but I think it would vary by program. I've seen some great Psy.D programs. I'm also going to try to gain more clinical experience and a few more publications.
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13 hours ago, cpctc1 said:
NO ONE UNDERSTANDS!
It's hard enough for me to understand, and I'm going through it, so it makes sense why people think all you need is a good resume to get in. There are so many factors involved so it can never be a sure thing. Next year I am going to apply to at least 25 places if I can find that many with a good research fit.
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11 hours ago, MarineBluePsy said:
How are you doing with everything? I'm guessing a bit overwhelmed in addition to being frustrated.
Yeah I feel the same as you. I'm trying to cope and just stay positive but I was just not prepared at all for this. All of the faculty and students in my program told me I would "have my pick" of schools. I of course, wasn't that confident, but I had hope that I would get into one school. I'm just going to search for a job closely related to research where I can actually make money to fund my applications next year. I am going to apply to many more programs, as well as less competitive programs with fewer applicants. I'm sorry you are going through this. This whole process is just stressful and devastating. I hope that it turns out better for you than it did for me!
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On 2/18/2016 at 1:38 PM, khunconan said:
I didn't say GRE scores play little role in the admissions process *in general.* I mean his/her scores should be good enough to pass a cut-off of many schools and thus play little role afterward (not all schools, of course). Usually once your scores reach a certain threshold, POI cares much more about research fit and experience (that's why SoP is very important) than GRE (unless you get perfect scores like 170V 170Q 6AWA). If h/she has time and energy to retake the GRE and get higher scores, I'd say go for it. However, raising 155Q to 160+Q is much harder than, for example, 145Q to 150+Q. It is completely possible but h/she must be willing to invest a lot of time and energy for test preparation with no guarantee of success. Even though h/she can break 160 for both sections, there is still no guarantee of acceptance. All in all, I believe his/her research experience (at least in quantity) is very impressive and right now it's much more important to increase relevant experience/skills, find a perfect fit, and know how to sell him/herself in statements/interviews.
That is what my current mentor told me, not to bother retaking them since they fall in the threshold for many schools. I studied so hard the first time, I don't think I could do much better and it would be horrible to do worse. I'm just going to apply to schools that are in my range and below. I think your advice is great! Thanks again!
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On 2/15/2016 at 2:42 AM, MarineBluePsy said:
I'm sorry, I know how much that stings. I do think its good you're motivated to apply again next year. Based on the stats you've posted I'd say you look like a promising candidate on paper, but as a fellow applicant I'm certainly no expert on what adcoms want. How was your AW score on the GRE? Some programs may place a fair amount of importance on that.
Getting back to your original question..... in past application cycles when I needed feedback here are some of the suggestions I was given:
1) Diversify your experience. Meaning challenge yourself to gain clinical experience in unfamiliar populations and perhaps even in groups that might make you uncomfortable initially. Also in terms of research, work on projects outside your interests or even in a different department. Sure your primary interest may be in widgets, but you can learn a lot from working on a project focusing on poppets.
2) Keep reworking your SOP because it likely won't be any good until the dozenth rewrite. Have a lot of people review it, not your friends and family who will just blow smoke up your rear but people who will rip it to shreds.
3) If you had to do a PS then be careful of disclosing too much. We've all had our struggles, but sometimes the crazy is best left in the box.
4) When choosing which schools to apply to be reasonable. Yes look at research fit, but also consider how competitive the program is. There's nothing wrong with throwing your hat in the ring at top tier programs, but more of your applications should be for mid tier programs to increase your odds.
5) In terms of research fit you want to have focused interests without being too narrow. Too narrow can imply you aren't open to some of the broader projects a professor or department may have coming up or that you don't want to be challenged.
This is great advice! I can't tell you how much I appreciate you taking the time to write this for me. I hope you get great news soon!
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On 2/13/2016 at 7:29 AM, JoePianist said:
Going by your credentials on paper, I'm honestly also confused why you haven't received any offers yet :-< My GRE General Exam scores weren't as high as yours and I have far less research experience, but I managed to receive an official offer from a doctoral clinical psychology program that provided tuition remission and stipend. This is my 2nd cycle applying - last year when I was rejected after interviews, I did reach out to the POI's at the schools who interviewed me for some constructive criticism on my application, and I worked on it.
Personally, my biggest issues were my own anxiety going into interviews (one POI said that I appeared "overwhelmingly tense" during interviews) and another said it was just a matter of fit between our research interests. So over the past year, I worked on my anxiety through outside help and honed my research interest through introspection and dabbled in different psychology research labs.
Also, I didn't waste time applying for the *extremely* competitive programs like your Harvard, Yale, UCLA, etc. I applied for programs not based on U.S. News ranking or "name brand," but based on its training quality and its general fit with my interests. For example, I realized over the past year that I'm really interested in programs that emphasized Behavioral Medicine/Health Psychology training, so those are the programs I focused on applying for.
That is awesome! Congratulations on getting an offer! I'm so excited for you! Thanks for the great advice
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On 2/13/2016 at 4:18 AM, khunconan said:
You did not do anything wrong. I believe your GRE scores are good enough and plays little role in the admissions process. Sometimes you can be very, very good but there are still someone who is just a better fit. It's about finding the right person at the right time in the right place. Good luck!
Thank you so much! I'm just going to keep trying! It's my dream and I won't stop working until I achieve my goal!
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On 2/13/2016 at 2:10 AM, Freudian_Slip said:
Wow, your research credentials are amazing. Pretty surprised you've gotten no offers. Are you applying to all top programs?
Your GRE is low, especially for clinical, though not terribly low. It's possible at some schools your app is not making a cut off point for further review because your GRE is too low. I would think for Clinical you'd want 325+.
Your GRE or maybe poor research fits/not as relevant research experience would be first 2 things I would consider.
If you're applying a 4th time, though, I would really throw the kitchen sink at it and see what other maybe auxiliary things you could do to improve--like GRE Subject test, more programming/stats skills, etc. Also would make sure your SOP's are looked at by faculty etc.. You have to really candidly assess your application at a microlevel and see what can be improved
I would also try to email some of your POIs at the schools you applied to and see if you could get any feedback, in addition to your faculty mentors.
This year was my 2nd cycle with no offers apparently forthcoming, so I feel your pain. Don't give up!
Thank you so much! You were so encouraging and I really appreciate your support! I did email the professors and they all cited research fit as the reason for choosing other students, so I need to apply to schools with a stronger fit rather than my specific interests. I wanted to move in a different direction with my research, but that seems to be frowned upon so I'll just have to try again in the area I know the most about (eeg). I'm going to try more like 20-25 apps and add in some counseling psychology programs. I will also be more realistic with the schools I apply to, and cut out my reach schools from this past cycle. I hope you get good news soon!
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On 2/15/2016 at 1:03 PM, Aminoacidalanine said:
Did you get interviews at any of these schools? If you have gotten a lot of interviews but no offers then I would work on interview preparation and social skills rather than your credentials.
I applied to vanderbilt, unc, duke, rutgers, memphis, university of greensboro, university of charlotte, university of georgia, auburn, kansas university, west virginia university, and case western reserve. I got skype interviews at wvu, and phone at memphis and greensboro. I got in person interviews at uga, case western, and uncc. I contacted all of the professors and they said I had great products but cited research fit. Unfortunately, I want to switch from what I am doing now (eeg research) but it seems like schools really like you to have specific experience in their area so I may just apply to a few eeg research labs so I can get in somewhere and get my dream degree. Thanks for your input!
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On 2/16/2016 at 2:38 AM, dancedementia said:
Posts like this terrify the crap out of me. I feel like I am so unprepared going into applications next cycle and I'm honestly panicking trying to figure out how to increase my chances.
I do have a semirelated question though. You mentioned that this was your third time applying - what kind of work were doing in the interim? I know a lot of people say to get a research position but depending on geography, research positions don't necessarily pay the bills (or alternatively, you might not have a good enough background to get a paid position so you have to take on volunteer positions, like I'm doing). What are people's thoughts about working an unrelated full time job and doing research on the side? Does this look shitty or should I really be looking for full-time research positions?!
I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to scare you. There are definitely people in my program with less research, pubs, and gre scores that are getting in. My professor just told me that she thinks I had bad luck this year. She said there was no other way to explain it. I graduated from college in 2013, took a year off to earn money working with children as a caretaker, and then did a 2 year masters program where I was able to be a lab manager and get all of that research experience. I applied to about 1/2 reach schools, and 1/4 in my range, and 1/4 safety. I got three interviews and didn't get offers from any of the schools. I think a major issue is that I'm doing EEG research right now and am applying to professors who do research in areas that I've looked at with EEG but not the specific measures they use. I'm going to apply to 25 next time, add in some counseling psychology programs, and cut out all of my reach schools. You can message me if you want to talk more
I can share any advice I've learned from this process. For the next year I am hoping to get a clinical research job at PPD so I can save up for those 25 applications next year.
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Rejected from 12 schools for clinical psychology
4.0 GPA (undergrad and grad), 155 Q, 161 V, 5 years of research experience, 3 pubs (2 first author), 12 posters, amazing letters of recommendation
I'm going to try again next year but I wish I knew what I did wrong or what they want. I feel like all I've been doing the last 5 years is taking every opportunity I have been given and I don't understand why it isn't paying off. This was my third time applying and I thought it would be my last.
Have you all received any input or advice from faculty other than just try again?
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I know so many qualified candidates who are getting rejections! This is one of the most competitive processes we will probably go through in our lives! I guess we just have to stay positive and keep trying!
- Timemachines and Psych_Law
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1 hour ago, beyondnervous said:
Auburn invitation listed on TCG results page.... Oh boy.
Just curious to know if it was sent from the DCT? (NOT curious to know who your POI was, if this is how you received the invite). Just wanting to know whether a "mass-email with invites" was sent.
Thank you :-)
They emailed this in December: "We intend to extend invitations for on-campus interview via e-mail between now and the end of January. Each of our clinical faculty have their own review process and timeline, which is why there is not a single interview notification date. Do not be discouraged if you learn that a fellow applicant has been selected for an interview, as it may be that the faculty member they applied to work with is simply further along in their review process"
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2 minutes ago, artsy16 said:
No problem @ClinicalApplicant07! I've been incessantly refreshing that page for the past week
I'm trying not to obsess over it, but it's so tempting!
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4 minutes ago, artsy16 said:
@asa.pearl You're better off here: http://thegradcafe.com/survey/index.php?q=psychology SDN tends to be behind in posting interview invites, since they're medically oriented and don't have as many PhD students over there. They get most of their information from here
That is a great resource I didn't know about, thank you for sharing!
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1 minute ago, asa.pearl said:
Hey guys! I'm also a first-time applicant. For those of you who have already received invitations for interviews, would you mind sharing which schools you heard from? I did not know that invitations were ever sent out before the new year.
Thanks!
Most are not sent out until January, but a few schools have sent them out this week. This is a good site to check out as well: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/2015-2016-official-psychology-ph-d-psyd-interview-invite-thread.1173705/ For the most part, it seems like in past years if they did not go out this week, they won't go out until the first or second full week in January. Don't let the worry ruin your holiday!
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2 hours ago, Applicant38 said:
@ClinicalApplicant07 Congrats! I am also applying to UGA. I didn't realize they would start sending invites so early! Would you mind letting us know your POI? Do you know if there is one round of emails or do invites trickle out? I'm anxious now!
Thank you very much! Don't be anxious! I just received an email from Auburn University that their professors each have a different method of contacting students and would be sending invites over the next month and a half, so there is a large chance that UGA is similar and will still be sending out invites. My invite was personalized to me, and not a group message if that makes you feel any better. Don't get yourself too worked up because this is still very early. I know it can be scary but we have awhile before we should start really getting nervous. UGA had an early deadline, but most schools don't send out invites until the first and second week of January. I don't know if it would be appropriate to mention my POI publicly, but I will share if you message me privately.
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School Name: University of Georgia
Date Interview Invite Received: 12/14/14
Degree: PhD
Type: Clinical
Notified via:Email
From:Administrative assistant
Interview Date: 1/25
Additional Info: Social event the night beforeThis school had an early application due date so don't start worrying quite yet if you aren't hearing from places. Most schools don't let you know until early January!
Good luck everyone! -
1 hour ago, cinderellacomplex said:
1st round, applying to 10 Ph.D. and 5 M.A.
Ph.D.:
Kent State
St. John's
Mercer Med School
U Minn
Tulsa
Suffolk
Missouri - St. Louis
GWU
Harvard
U South Dakota
M.A. / M.S.:
UCCS (Colorado Springs)
Boston U
Towson
UNC Wilmington
McGill IPN (Integrated Program in Neuroscience)
For the record, I'm getting my masters at UNCW right now and they are getting a PhD program starting next year. It's a wonderful program and I have nothing but great things to say about it! Good luck!
Rejection Thread!
in Psychology Forum
Posted
In the book, the "Insiders Guide to Clinical and Counseling Psychology Programs" (which I highly highly recommend), it lists the percentage of incoming students for each school who have their masters. That can help you decide which programs to apply to. From my interviews, I found that schools with a lower percentage had many more restrictions on what they would accept from your masters degree, and schools with a higher percentage of incoming students with their masters were more open to masters students and accepting courses/thesis from your previous program. That book also has a scoring system to score yourself against prospective programs and that system predicted where I would get my interviews, so I highly recommend that book
Good luck!