ickmalion

If you'd really be fine going in either direction (clinical = psychopathology & counseling = helping distressed normative pop., albeit with modern nuances blurring the distinction)... Since you're still a ways out on app deadlines why not take the time to pore over each POI's publications and articles? Although they may be addressing similar topics, you mention the angle varies. Ergo, you may find one's quant/qual balance to be your perfect porridge. Or! Consider where they're sourcing their studies from, what age and demographics they work with, and what outcomes they seem to be focusing on (e.g., applied vs. theoretical, etc.). Contact both POI's and discuss your concerns; one or both may help out. You may find that one ends up appealing to you more than the other. Otherwise, you'll be able to write two distinct app essays that clearly justify why you applied to both if/when read together... In which case I think that the risks of applying to both would be minimized. Tl;dr: Go for it if it's really that close, but if you do- do your research.

The first thing I'm wondering, although its a moot point now, is why you accepted a program that has an additional degree requirement that doesn't float your boat when it isn't even sweetening the deal with some funding. c: I just had to say that aloud - but I digress... "Do I leave a clinical program that is not the right fit?" You already answered your question!! An MA to Ph.D. program is good anyway, especially since you'll get the MA in the interim and may be able to shop around for an even better deal than the MA to PhD track you're on... Also, your research interests may shift and grow with you - another good reason to leave some room for options. Most important, remember that grad school is a lot of work. If you aren't happy where you're at, it could end up poisoning your career potential (e.g., slacking off, dropping out, emotional breakdown from being overwhelmed hating the field, etc.) - we get through grad work by being overly passionate about what we do. Go get 'em!

Playing devil's advocate, I would be concerned depending on what program level you're applying for. If it's at the Master's level, I think that's a non-issue since you're really trying out the 'fit' of your potential profession at that point. However, if you're applying to two programs at the Ph.D. level, it might be interpreted that you aren't completely committed to one or the other. This becomes an issue since there is so much funding and program specificity that is inherent with doctoral programs. Ph.D. programs are so selective in the first place because there's a lot of money at stake on the college's end (well, it's not a lot to them, but they're penny-pinchers). A department can't have a student that they've dropped 10 or 20k into to suddenly go run off into the sunset with someone else. Best of luck!

Thank you, I love you. I'm in 1st cycle and I only applied to 3 schools, with 2 who already sent out invites (I wasn't one of them). No one told me how many places to apply to, but then again I'm finishing up my M.A. in School Psych and for most in the profession that's pretty much where academia ends for them. My Plan B was to toss my hat into the employment market (working as a school psych), and switch track for Ph.D. school psych next year since I'm kind of at a loss for what would preclude me from clinical neuropsych when I'm already versed in administering and reporting on neuropsych evals with children, and expressed the desire to balance practice with research (and have publications, pending manuscripts, textbook contributions, national/state presentations, and a pending poster to my name). So I'm guessing if I do more practice-based experiences I'm going to hear more of the same from clinical programs. Hence! That is now my Plan C, and this ORISE business is now my plan B. Hearing about the background you have, and some of the other people who have posted, I know (although I already had the gnawing suspicion) that a lack of hardcore research experience is a gaping hole in my apps. The "craziest" research I've done is paired t-tests on pre- post- surveys and a couple reports on single case studies.

I applied for clinical neuropsych tracks at UH and URI - haven't heard from either of them, and with a plain clinical (Teacher's College - Columbia), I've been frankly dying inside because I'd really like to get on a neuro track without having to post-doc. Interview requests went out over the past two weeks for the 2U's and I'm trying to stave off feeling like garbage. I'm a 158V/150Q/4.0A with a 3.98 B.S. in education and 4.0 M.A. in school psychology. 3 published editorial/reviews, 2 pending manuscripts, 1 pending national poster, 1 national paper presentation (co), 2 state paper presentations (co), 2 years RA/TA, 1 pending personal research project, school psych internship with experience administering and writing psycho-ed evals with neuropsych assessments including the WRAML, NEPSY, and Stanford-Binet, cozy with CHC theory and acquainted with the Luria model, and have worked on textbook materials for cognitive assessment. Obviously, my background is primarily in education and school psychology. ... Short of feasting on the brains of some practicing neuropsychologists in some sort of highlander-zombie bathsalts bad decision, I don't know what else I can do aside from take the blasted GREs again. And this is the point in my night where it's time to start mixing vodka and seltzer. Good luck everyone, and may the odds be ever in your favor!

I applied for clinical neuropsych tracks at UH and URI - haven't heard from either of them, and with a plain clinical (Teacher's College - Columbia), I've been frankly dying inside because I'd really like to get on a neuro track without having to post-doc. Interview requests went out over the past two weeks for the 2U's and I'm trying to stave off feeling like garbage. I'm a 158V/150Q/4.0A with a 3.98 B.S. in education and 4.0 M.A. in school psychology. 3 published editorial/reviews, 2 pending manuscripts, 1 pending national poster, 1 national paper presentation (co), 2 state paper presentations (co), 2 years RA/TA, 1 pending personal research project, school psych internship with experience administering and writing psycho-ed evals with neuropsych assessments including the WRAML, NEPSY, and Stanford-Binet, cozy with CHC theory and acquainted with the Luria model, and have worked on textbook materials for cognitive assessment. Obviously, my background is primarily in education and school psychology. ... Short of feasting on the brains of some practicing neuropsychologists in some sort of highlander-zombie bathsalts bad decision, I don't know what else I can do aside from take the blasted GREs again. And this is the point in my night where it's time to start mixing vodka and seltzer. Good luck everyone, and may the odds be ever in your favor!