Anxiousapplicant01

Fellowships you usually get your stipend plus tuition without working (or working one year instead of 4) and assistantships you have a set amount of hours you work to earn your tuition remission and/or stipend.

@psychschool I was accepted to both of those phd programs this cycle and those actually ended up being my 2 top choices. I ended up picking temple because that program is very balanced between clinical experience and research experience and I felt like a degree there would give me more options of what to do after graduation (academic positions, working in schools, etc). Also, faculty their are very laid back but still hard working which is a good fit for me. Additionally, they were a better research match for me. UMass Boston is still excellent and I think you should definitely apply to both programs and see what feels right for you and what your goals are.

If you like the research being done by the professors, it's worth opting for. All of the psych programs at Rutgers have a very solid reputation. They are also very competitive programs to get into. But if you think it would be a good research fit, apply. Phd admissions are a crapshoot. Very qualified people get rejected from these programs. So apply and get offers before you rule out decent programs based on prestige...apply to both mid and top tier programs (and honestly I think Rutgers is almost, if not already, a top tier program). If I had to rate, I would give it a 9.

I know this isn't what you want to hear, but there really isn't much you can do at this point. Maybe thank your POI for putting you on the waitlist and letting you know and express some continued interest. Otherwise, you just have to hope that someone who was admitted to work with your POI declines the offer, which you really can't control

@mebm218 I will answer your questions in a PM later today. Don't be nervous! They are really a very welcoming program.

@ohhappyday if you haven't interviewed at temple yet (I am assuming you are going for Ed.S) let me know if you have any questions about interviewing! I interviewed for phd and they said the interview process was pretty similar...just the Ed.S interview is later. The faculty there were super nice.

Don't freak out about hearing back or not. People from the same program hear back at all different times. It depends on POI, whether you were in the top tier of applicants or not, and numerous other factors. Some programs inform their very top candidates first and place others on a waitist without informing them. You just never know where you are in the process of things and the schools will not feel obligated to tell you until something is 100% final.

I applied and was accepted for school psych at temple and here was how it worked for me: I heard from my POI a couple of days after the interview about an unofficial acceptance, but all admissions decisions are made by the school to which you applied. Therefore, after faculty recommendations for admission, you have to be approved by the Dean. For me, this took about 2 weeks from when my POI contacted me. Hope this is useful info!

I definitely wouldn't overanalyze how the interview went as it will drive you crazy. I interviewed at a school that did the interviews in multiple groups and the placement really was random. I was in the first group and first to interview with my POI and I thought that meant I had no shot. Another girl I got to know at the interview was in the second group towards the middle. We were both accepted very quickly after interviews. Lots of factors from the interview day matter, not just the formal interview part. And five questions is probably enough to differentiate applicants. These people pick these questions very carefully. Don't overthink it though... If you and the program are a good fit, what is meant to happen will happen ?

It really depends on the department! One interview I went on faculty were very formal and conservative and that probably would've been frowned upon. However, at another, I walked in to see that the head of department had blue hair! So it really depends, but I would cover the tattoos and take out the piercings to be safe!

I applied to several school psych phd programs and just got invited to my first interview at temple university. So nervous!

Just got an invite for an interview at Temple university (phd school psych) for an interview on January 11