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Timemachines

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  1. Like
    Timemachines reacted to PokePsych in Fall 2018 Waitlist Thread   
    Just got accepted off the waitlist at UVa social psych! Happy happy happy happy. 
  2. Like
    Timemachines got a reaction from H1ppocampus in What's your age when you apply for graduate program for the first time and when you get into one?   
    I think the point in this thread is that its really up to you to assess how ready you feel for graduate level work. I got into grad school the first time at 23, and am now 27 and will be attending this fall (much like other posters in this thread). I applied to masters programs once with several acceptances, and applied to PhD programs twice (first time no luck, second time with 5 acceptances at top 50 R1 universities). I'd hazard a guess that the second round was successful because I was prepared and knew exactly what I wanted out of my education and time in a program. The first time, I mainly just derped around and told people I liked brains.
    I met several incredibly mature young individuals that were still in undergrad at my interviews, so with that, Idont think age is the best way to operationalize capacity to succeed, but rather your focus and preparation. Good luck!
  3. Like
    Timemachines got a reaction from horseshoesandhandgrenades in Fall 2018 Waitlist Thread   
    I accepted an offer at a program and will be releasing offers at Penn State U, U of Arizona, and U of Utah all in clinical psych. I will also remove myself off of the high alternate list at Temple and U of Florida. Good luck guys, wishing you all that last sprint of energy and faith!!
  4. Like
    Timemachines got a reaction from Sherrinford in It's almost over...lessons learned 2018   
    - I wrote about my dying grandmother (albeit 3-4 sentences, certainly not two pages) in my personal statement, and got 9 interviews at R1 PhD programs in clinical psychology. I also have a garbage GPA and GRE. Write about what feels organic and authentic to your personal narrative, even if it feels cliche. 
    - Seek out excellent letters of recommendation, as opposed to simply "good" ones. I sincerely underestimated how important this was until I identified writers that could speak to my character, research productivity, and integrity as someone to work with. This was something that was brought up in almost every conversation I had with prospective PI's at my interviews/pre-interviews. 
    - EXUDE EXCITEMENT. My god, if someone hit me over the face with a brick about this, I may have avoided at least 2 confirmed 1st alternate waitlists due to my lack thereof. I am not an innately excitable person. I come from the northeast...we're grumpy and lack vitamin D. Its incredibly difficult for me to fake excitement, despite great interest in the PI's I applied to work with. I aired on the side of neutrality (not to be confused with being rude/standoffish). I didn't drop the "this program is my top choice, I will come here if I get an acceptance" lines, etc. I think this was just true to my personality, but if you're able to be extra peppy, you may avoid being waitlisted like me
    ...the story ends well, I got 4 acceptances so I guess Im not that big of a dick  
     
  5. Upvote
    Timemachines got a reaction from H1ppocampus in Accepted by 1 program, not in love   
    I did this for a while with a side job while I figured out what I wanted to do. In my case, I had a really weak undergraduate GPA and no independent research so I did a one year masters with that exact purpose at a very research productive uni. Id say don't settle. This will be several years of your life...when you're stuck in the middle of the proverbial PhD tunnel and its too late to turn back, but you can't quite see your way out yet, these feelings will be amplified exponentially.
  6. Upvote
    Timemachines got a reaction from kitcassidance in Accepted by 1 program, not in love   
    I did this for a while with a side job while I figured out what I wanted to do. In my case, I had a really weak undergraduate GPA and no independent research so I did a one year masters with that exact purpose at a very research productive uni. Id say don't settle. This will be several years of your life...when you're stuck in the middle of the proverbial PhD tunnel and its too late to turn back, but you can't quite see your way out yet, these feelings will be amplified exponentially.
  7. Upvote
    Timemachines reacted to jk616 in What were some important questions you asked before accepting an offer?   
    I second all of the above! I also found it really helpful (especially if you're trying to choose between programs) to set up a time to talk with the PI again on the phone to talk more in depth about their projects and how you would fit in with them. It also gives you a chance to talk about projects or research topics you'd like to pursue in grad school that you might not have gotten the chance to/thought you shouldn't talk about during the interview day.  
    Mentor fit was also super important to me so it was nice to chat with them again in a more casual setting with less pressure. Best of luck! 
  8. Upvote
    Timemachines got a reaction from PhDreamer in It's almost over...lessons learned 2018   
    - I wrote about my dying grandmother (albeit 3-4 sentences, certainly not two pages) in my personal statement, and got 9 interviews at R1 PhD programs in clinical psychology. I also have a garbage GPA and GRE. Write about what feels organic and authentic to your personal narrative, even if it feels cliche. 
    - Seek out excellent letters of recommendation, as opposed to simply "good" ones. I sincerely underestimated how important this was until I identified writers that could speak to my character, research productivity, and integrity as someone to work with. This was something that was brought up in almost every conversation I had with prospective PI's at my interviews/pre-interviews. 
    - EXUDE EXCITEMENT. My god, if someone hit me over the face with a brick about this, I may have avoided at least 2 confirmed 1st alternate waitlists due to my lack thereof. I am not an innately excitable person. I come from the northeast...we're grumpy and lack vitamin D. Its incredibly difficult for me to fake excitement, despite great interest in the PI's I applied to work with. I aired on the side of neutrality (not to be confused with being rude/standoffish). I didn't drop the "this program is my top choice, I will come here if I get an acceptance" lines, etc. I think this was just true to my personality, but if you're able to be extra peppy, you may avoid being waitlisted like me
    ...the story ends well, I got 4 acceptances so I guess Im not that big of a dick  
     
  9. Like
    Timemachines got a reaction from Clinapp2017 in It's almost over...lessons learned 2018   
    - I wrote about my dying grandmother (albeit 3-4 sentences, certainly not two pages) in my personal statement, and got 9 interviews at R1 PhD programs in clinical psychology. I also have a garbage GPA and GRE. Write about what feels organic and authentic to your personal narrative, even if it feels cliche. 
    - Seek out excellent letters of recommendation, as opposed to simply "good" ones. I sincerely underestimated how important this was until I identified writers that could speak to my character, research productivity, and integrity as someone to work with. This was something that was brought up in almost every conversation I had with prospective PI's at my interviews/pre-interviews. 
    - EXUDE EXCITEMENT. My god, if someone hit me over the face with a brick about this, I may have avoided at least 2 confirmed 1st alternate waitlists due to my lack thereof. I am not an innately excitable person. I come from the northeast...we're grumpy and lack vitamin D. Its incredibly difficult for me to fake excitement, despite great interest in the PI's I applied to work with. I aired on the side of neutrality (not to be confused with being rude/standoffish). I didn't drop the "this program is my top choice, I will come here if I get an acceptance" lines, etc. I think this was just true to my personality, but if you're able to be extra peppy, you may avoid being waitlisted like me
    ...the story ends well, I got 4 acceptances so I guess Im not that big of a dick  
     
  10. Upvote
    Timemachines got a reaction from H1ppocampus in It's almost over...lessons learned 2018   
    - I wrote about my dying grandmother (albeit 3-4 sentences, certainly not two pages) in my personal statement, and got 9 interviews at R1 PhD programs in clinical psychology. I also have a garbage GPA and GRE. Write about what feels organic and authentic to your personal narrative, even if it feels cliche. 
    - Seek out excellent letters of recommendation, as opposed to simply "good" ones. I sincerely underestimated how important this was until I identified writers that could speak to my character, research productivity, and integrity as someone to work with. This was something that was brought up in almost every conversation I had with prospective PI's at my interviews/pre-interviews. 
    - EXUDE EXCITEMENT. My god, if someone hit me over the face with a brick about this, I may have avoided at least 2 confirmed 1st alternate waitlists due to my lack thereof. I am not an innately excitable person. I come from the northeast...we're grumpy and lack vitamin D. Its incredibly difficult for me to fake excitement, despite great interest in the PI's I applied to work with. I aired on the side of neutrality (not to be confused with being rude/standoffish). I didn't drop the "this program is my top choice, I will come here if I get an acceptance" lines, etc. I think this was just true to my personality, but if you're able to be extra peppy, you may avoid being waitlisted like me
    ...the story ends well, I got 4 acceptances so I guess Im not that big of a dick  
     
  11. Upvote
    Timemachines got a reaction from kitcassidance in It's almost over...lessons learned 2018   
    - I wrote about my dying grandmother (albeit 3-4 sentences, certainly not two pages) in my personal statement, and got 9 interviews at R1 PhD programs in clinical psychology. I also have a garbage GPA and GRE. Write about what feels organic and authentic to your personal narrative, even if it feels cliche. 
    - Seek out excellent letters of recommendation, as opposed to simply "good" ones. I sincerely underestimated how important this was until I identified writers that could speak to my character, research productivity, and integrity as someone to work with. This was something that was brought up in almost every conversation I had with prospective PI's at my interviews/pre-interviews. 
    - EXUDE EXCITEMENT. My god, if someone hit me over the face with a brick about this, I may have avoided at least 2 confirmed 1st alternate waitlists due to my lack thereof. I am not an innately excitable person. I come from the northeast...we're grumpy and lack vitamin D. Its incredibly difficult for me to fake excitement, despite great interest in the PI's I applied to work with. I aired on the side of neutrality (not to be confused with being rude/standoffish). I didn't drop the "this program is my top choice, I will come here if I get an acceptance" lines, etc. I think this was just true to my personality, but if you're able to be extra peppy, you may avoid being waitlisted like me
    ...the story ends well, I got 4 acceptances so I guess Im not that big of a dick  
     
  12. Like
    Timemachines got a reaction from kitcassidance in PhD Final Decision Thread Fall 2018   
    hey folks - how did you word your email rejecting other offers of acceptance? Would highly appreciate the help! Feel like Im writing a novel for something that can otherwise be said succinctly and respectfully
  13. Like
    Timemachines got a reaction from clinical_chicana in PhD Final Decision Thread Fall 2018   
    hey folks - how did you word your email rejecting other offers of acceptance? Would highly appreciate the help! Feel like Im writing a novel for something that can otherwise be said succinctly and respectfully
  14. Upvote
    Timemachines got a reaction from kitcassidance in PhD Final Decision Thread Fall 2018   
    thanks Clinapp - I unfortunately have not. Its been pretty quiet on the part of one particular school which is holding me up in my decision making process, but I otherwise feel like I'll be able to make a more informed decision once I know all my options. At this time, I have to release one outstanding acceptance,  based on the guidelines of only keeping 2 at a time. It has proven to be a more uncomfortable exchange than I imagined...I feel awkwardly guilty, though I know this will open opportunity for other students that feel more passionate about the program, which is a relief. 
  15. Like
    Timemachines reacted to insert Psychologist in PhD Final Decision Thread Fall 2018   
    Honestly, I had similar feelings and procrastinated longer than needed in my e-mails declining offers. All the programs were completely supportive of my decision and some faculty reached out to me afterwards to connect with them at APA in SF this year. Only 1 POI asked me what school I was heading to and when I informed her, introduced me to an old colleague of hers at the school doing similar research as me in a different department. 
  16. Like
    Timemachines reacted to letssee in What were some important questions you asked before accepting an offer?   
    I felt like I had asked most of the questions I had for the faculty during the interview process, so after the offer I focused on talking more to current students. Both of my offers were at programs where I felt like I had good interpersonal connections/research fit to my potential advisor. So although that's obviously extremely important and factored into my decision, I really wanted to consider general culture and the student experience.
    What jobs have recent graduates taken? Are faculty members supportive of people who are considering going into industry? Last one is obviously only relevant if you're considering industry positions What do you do for fun? Kind of an indirect way of asking about the work-life balance. Plus it's a good way to get ideas of what type of things are fun to do in the area and you might find someone with shared interests/hobbies. How many hours a week do you ACTUALLY spend on your assistantship? Most people will be very upfront about this. In my case I was glad I asked because it reassured me that the program is fairly strict about keeping it contained to 20 hours a week and that TA duties etc. don't take away from research or classes. Is it realistic to live on the stipend?  Obviously no one's living in luxury on a PhD stipend, but being able to get a better idea of the financial side of things is important before accepting an offer. You don't want to move to a new city and then realize the COL is higher than you thought it'd be. This is something you could probably also find out online, but it never hurts to get firsthand opinions from someone who's doing it right now. Do people in your cohort ever hang out together outside of work? Again this is personal preference, but I wanted to be in a program where students are actually friends. Granted you should have friends outside grad school as well, but I wouldn't want to spend five years working with people I couldn't hang out with at least occasionally. Honestly, the current students I talked to were all very candid. If you want to know something, ask them! I didn't get the sense that they were trying to hide anything, and I think that that's something you can just kind of pick up on. The general atmosphere at a campus visit is very telling to me. Are these people happy to be spending their day with prospective students? Do they seem genuinely excited about you being a potential new member of the program? Do they seem to get along easily with their advisors (a good hint of how that professor might treat you in a year)? Overall, do you feel like this is somewhere you'd be happy? I think that's probably the question I asked myself at the end of the day.
    The best advice I got from someone during one of my visits was this: Go somewhere where you like the people. Good colleagues and advisors will get you through times where you don't like the work, but a passion for your subject matter rarely makes up for people that make you miserable.
    Hope this helps! Best of luck choosing your program, and feel free to PM me if you want to chat more.
  17. Like
    Timemachines got a reaction from kitcassidance in What were some important questions you asked before accepting an offer?   
    From what I've seen here over the last few weeks, I am noticing I am amongst some folks who are feeling fairly conflicted about making a decision about their future. 
    Time is ticking and I don't feel any closer to being ready with a decision, as I am in a holding pattern of sorts.
    I'm wondering what pieces of information beyond your global thoughts on a program guided your decision to accept an offer - how much did the brand of a program drive your choice?  Are there any red flags to consider, post interview regarding POI productivity and commitment?  When following up with POI post acceptance offer, what Qs did you feel were most important to ask to guide your decision? What questions did you ask yourself (beyond what are my pros and cons) etc.
    I recognize that this is grossly broad but any thoughts would be welcomed as sitting in my own head is proving to be useless...
  18. Upvote
    Timemachines got a reaction from 123pickme in What were some important questions you asked before accepting an offer?   
    From what I've seen here over the last few weeks, I am noticing I am amongst some folks who are feeling fairly conflicted about making a decision about their future. 
    Time is ticking and I don't feel any closer to being ready with a decision, as I am in a holding pattern of sorts.
    I'm wondering what pieces of information beyond your global thoughts on a program guided your decision to accept an offer - how much did the brand of a program drive your choice?  Are there any red flags to consider, post interview regarding POI productivity and commitment?  When following up with POI post acceptance offer, what Qs did you feel were most important to ask to guide your decision? What questions did you ask yourself (beyond what are my pros and cons) etc.
    I recognize that this is grossly broad but any thoughts would be welcomed as sitting in my own head is proving to be useless...
  19. Like
    Timemachines reacted to Left Skew in Changing career plans. How to tell parents? Advice appreciated   
    I would ask them to make a list of pros and cons of both. You do the same, they read yours and you read theirs. When people write down their thoughts it makes the problem more manageable. One thing you don't want to do is go to grad school for other people. It's hard psychologically and not being passionate about what you're doing may influence you to drop out. Then you and your parents lose. At the end of the day it's your life. I'd ask your parents to do more research on psychology because their remarks seem to undermine how dynamic the field is.
    I would strongly suggest you research industrial/organizational (I/O) psychology. It's one of the fastest growing fields and takes aspects from clinical psych as well as OT. It would allow you to follow your passion as well as keep your parents at bay.
    Or you could just threaten your parents by saying, "when you get older, I'm putting you in a home." Works for me.
    Best,
  20. Like
    Timemachines reacted to pettyaspraxis in PhD Fall 2018 Applicants   
    has anyone heard from TC Columbia university's counseling psych phd program? I saw a waitlist post from last friday on the 23rd but wanted to know if others had heard
  21. Upvote
    Timemachines got a reaction from Psych800 in Major indecision about attending program - advice appreciated   
    I really think this is worth reiterating, regardless of the nature of the program (neuro, cog, clinical, dev etc). Ive heard many success stories of people holding off for one more year and really hammering in their efforts to attain their top choices. I also cant imagine committing to a program where I felt really unsure of fit, because I think that the gusto and passion you feel for the subject matter is what keeps your head above water when you're in the trenches around the 2nd and 3rd year. On the other hand, I can understand how this decision may be hard if it's beyond your second time applying, or you feel a certain pressure to start school (social pressures of age/kids/family etc). Its a tough decision either way, but remember that unlike undergrad and your gap years in research, your graduate work will likely pave a much more concrete narrative towards your career, so committing to things of little interest now has potential to impact your internship, post doc/professional placements and research fit. 
  22. Like
    Timemachines reacted to kitcassidance in PhD Fall 2018 Applicants   
    Really tempted to show up to orientation day.  “Oh, I was NOT accepted?? You were very unclear about that, so I figured I should show up just in case.” 
    (Sorry about the school though. Hope you’re finding better luck elsewhere!)
  23. Like
    Timemachines reacted to Clinapp2017 in When is it appropriate to reach out to the program post-interview?   
    Hmmmm... that is tough. I would maybe hold off until early-to-mid March. It sounds like you are in a good place with some good acceptances already on the table, but it is challenging to navigate the situation you are in. I would not show your cards just yet, to use a poker term.  
  24. Like
    Timemachines reacted to gradcafe18 in Fall 2018 Clinical Psych Interview Invites   
    I interviewed at BU about two weeks ago and haven’t heard since. I haven’t heard of anyone else hearing back either though. 
  25. Like
    Timemachines reacted to topsailpsych in Fall 2018 Clinical Psych Interview Invites   
    Finally got an interview invite!
    School: University of Hawaii Manoa
    Type: PhD
    Date of invite: 2/20
    Type of invite: Email from POI
    Interview date(s): 2/23
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