dormcat

I took the GRE cold and got a combined score of 306. My quant score was in the 32nd percentile(!!). Real bad. However, I used magoosh for the six months leading up to the second test. I watched every single quant video and took notes like it was a class. I retook the GRE and I didn't do amazing on quant by any means but I got above average and past the cutoff for most if not all my programs with a 70th percentile score. My combined score went up 14 points. My downfall was that I didn't even finish the math sections because I'm so slow at thinking through problems. Practicing is the most important part after learning the concept, you have to just immediately know how to solve it at first glance. Take home message: if you actually have a lot to learn and learn it, yes you can raise your score dramatically, but it will take time.

It seems like no umich grads use the grad cafe, so I'll tell you what the grad students told me when I asked about northwood during my visit. They said it's fine to live there and there's a bus (but that the buses in Ann Arbor aren't always perfect) but that most of the social life stuff happens around central campus. So planning your social life around the bus schedules can be a bit of a bummer. Aside from that they didn't have much to say.

Got a really sweet email from the PI, who apparently is unexpectedly not taking students. Happy to know I didn't have some glaring error in my application!

I ask other interviewees/recruits as well, but I don't think it's really appropriate for a PI to ask during an interview. A lot of us are applying for different areas/types of work. My interests are unfortunately quite niche, to pursue them in grad school I applied to 12 programs across four areas of psych (social, developmental, community, personality). So when someone in the developmental program asked where else I applied, after grilling me about whether I am sure I want to be in developmental program, and I only have two other developmental program I'm applying to...it was really uncomfortable. I didn't really feel like that should factor into their perception of me, regardless of whether or not it's interesting (and it totally is). The only other POI who asked about this specifically asked where I accepted when I declined an offer. Even the grad students at other visits intentionally avoided asking this question and changed the topic if someone else brought it up. At an interview weekend the area chair's "thing" was to ask each recruit what their choices were and give his input, but it was really light-hearted and jovial. During my SC interview, it was after I had already been asked if I actually put in the work for my accomplishments or if my mentor did all the work and gave me credit.... In the right context (not your PI, not during a high-stakes interview) I think it's fine to ask where else one applied, but in that particular interview it was like they were trying to find a weak spot. That experience sounds really positive! The school I accepted has a little mini-party once a month that includes spiked punch and tons of fruit, veggies, and hummus. Won my heart!

If it helps, I've now been rejected from UCSC twice (social and this round developmental). Both my interviews were weird as hell -- both PIs were similar in their off-putting affect/general disinterest during the interview. I've mentioned it before in this thread but this year I felt like I was being grilled (asking me if I really deserved my achievements, where else I applied and for which PIs, etc.). Not sure if you interviewed and still got good vibes about fit. It really stings to be rejected from someplace you feel you're a shoe-in, but in the case of grad school I think everything happens for a reason. Feel free to message me if you want to talk more!

School: University of Michigan Program: joint psych & women's studies program Date of Notification: 1/11/17 Method of Notification: personal email Thoughts: This is my second time applying to grad school and I'm really, really glad I didn't get in the first time. I'm a much stronger applicant now, and because of that I got into my dream program. School: University of Virginia Program: community psych Date of Notification: 2/11/17 Method of Notification: automated and personal email Thoughts: Pretty excited to get in, and my advisor/the faculty/the grad students were all really great, but ultimately not the best fit for my interests and career goals. Wrote a really difficult email yesterday telling the PI I was declining the offer.

School: University of KentuckyArea/Degree: Experimental - developmentalRationalization: No ideaComment: The PI seemed really into me, but I guess they found a better fit elsewhere. Congrats to them!Coping tactics: Archive the email and forget about it School: YaleArea/Degree: SocialRationalization: Color me shocked that I wasn't admitted to YaleComment: Meh, little too competitive for me to get worked up about itCoping tactics: Archive the email and forget about it

Imposter syndrome is very common among women, particularly in academia. I looked up imposter syndrome as it relates to black women and found this article, which you might or might not find resonates with how you're feeling. If you think it might be imposter syndrome, it can just be helpful to know that soooo many other academics (and I'm sure people in industry) feel the same way. I got into a great university after excelling at a small liberal arts university and I feel like I'm going to fail within the first month. There are countless mentions of imposter syndrome on TGC, search for it and I'm sure there are many threads with great advice. For me, knowing most, if not all, of the folks I know in grad school feel the same way helps in some small way. I also plan on getting into therapy once I start grad school to help deal with what the feelings of inadequacy and stress I'll be sure to experience. In general, I think people who want to pursue to "next step" have doubt, but you can't know if you'll succeed if you don't try. Which is cliche, but there's truth in there because you do usually have to push outside your comfort zone to achieve your goals.

Sorry, I was trying to maintain some sense of anonymity (not that having a posting history helps) but they're different areas of psychology. Michigan is interdisciplinary, while UVA is just a more unusual area that doesn't have as much TT "pull" as say, social, developmental, cognitive. Anecdotally, it seems almost everyone who goes to school in AA loves it, which is great. My husband will be touring apartments while we're there, so we'll get an idea of what's realistic for us. I really appreciate your feedback!

Hi all, thanks in advance for any insight. I've tried to figure out the best way to compare the schools from my POV and I think pro/con list is the easiest way to info-dump. UVA pros: second choice, in my and my husband's home state (we don't live there now, but we're close enough to visit on weekends), strong financial package, collaborative and kind faculty, extremely established PI, lower cost of living, summer funding, already familiar with most common methodological and analytic approaches, students all seemed very happy UVA cons: ranked lower, area of field is less competitive on the TT job market, teach all 5 years, PI doesn't really have grants anymore so can't buy me out, older PI so less concerned about publications, only two faculty in the entire department (and only one in my area, my PI) do research in my area of interest Michigan pros: top choice, fantastic research university, faculty are all doing research in my area of interest, teach for 2.5 years, summer funding, additional research and travel funding available, I'd be trained in new (to me) methodology, more politically engaged department, talked with the PI's newest grad (in 2nd year) who had nothing but good things to say Michigan cons: much further from "home", housing costs are friggin insane, borderline frighteningly low stipend considering the aforementioned housing costs, newer faculty member (still assistant professor though is in 5th year), faculty member doesn't have any big grants (but, Michigan provides what UVA intends to come out of PI's grants), talked to a student in the area a few years ago who had nothing but bad things to say (not necessary about my PI, but the general rat race at Michigan) I visit Michigan in the coming weeks and will have a better idea of how I 'fit in' there. I didn't totally feel like I fit in at UVA, but I did really like all the faculty which is just as important to me. However, while all the faculty were great, only 2 faculty have research that makes me want to be at UVA. Aside from my PI, the other came from the same department I've been accepted to at Michigan, and I felt the strongest connection to them even over my PI. I know asking for advice on choosing between my first and second choice seems unintuitive (seeing as I've already ranked them as first and second), but I don't want to be starry-eyed by the ranking and overlook everything else. Obviously both have pros and cons. To make it worse, I am a people pleaser and don't want to disappoint anyone at either institution by not going there so any and all advice is welcome!

I just got an admissions letter, but won't be able to make a decision between that school and one I'm visiting next week until after my visit. Do y'all have any advice on how to thank the PI from uni1 while not being too forward/implying I'll go there? She told me to keep in touch as I made a decision about where to go, but it feels sort of crass to be like "Thanks so much! Btw I'm still considering my options, so stay tuned."

I said my top choice was my top choice during my interview and my PI mentioned in my acceptance email that my enthusiasm was a factor. Also, academia can be a cruel world with more negative feedback than positive. I've never met an academic who didn't love a little tasteful flattery/ego stroke.

School: Berkeley (official rejections are finally out, I guess!)Area/Degree: Social psych PhDRationalization: Terrible, terrible fitComment: I applied because I have family in the bay area, and the PI's research was close enough. Probably came off too strong in my own interests in the SOP and was a walking advertisement for bad fitCoping tactics: Invitations for interviews went out in mid-December, so...I've coped

I couldn't tell you. I got an interview at MSU for human development so I don't know where the psych department is.

I just had an interview weekend where I met with 7 faculty and 3 grad students, each for 30 minutes. I thought I was doomed because I get nervous and then forget things lol. (Once I even forgot what my undergrad thesis was about.) However, I learned very quickly they were just chats and had a very casual vibe. Overall, everyone was so friendly, gracious, and excited to meet the prospectives, which naturally felt great. Almost everyone asked about my interests then pitched their research to me in a way that appealed to me/suggested avenues for collaboration. It was very pleasant and I ended up having a great time! I don't think they'd be paying for you to travel to meet them if they weren't serious about you, so take solace in that and remember you're really the one with the power at this point

Thanks! This is so, so helpful. I'm visiting U of M in a few weeks and will send my husband to these neighborhoods to get a feel for them With a whole house of belongings, two cats, and a spouse it would be a huge pain to sublease for a month -- fingers crossed it doesn't come to that -- but good to know it would be relatively easy to find a place to stay!

Thank you so much! I hadn't looked at burns park -- I heard south of campus is pretty crazy on home game weekends with tailgating and people parking in neighborhoods, would burns park be in this area? My only real motivating factor is being as close to campus as I can afford, as I'd like to walk when weather permits and avoid a bus ride longer than 20 minutes. Figuring out what's affordable will also be tough, I figure the University pays you what they know is enough to live off of but looking at the numbers it seems pretty meager. Do you have an opinion on the school's grad student housing? I'm also noticing that so many places on the two rental companies you suggested are available September 1, which doesn't seem unusual for the area but is unusual for where I'm from (where May/June is the best time to move). My lease is up July 15, and I have two cats so I can't just travel the country like I want to! Is it normal for people to move during the summer and get a sublease? Not to make you the spokesperson for all Ann Arbor transplants, but since you're the only one who's responded... ?

School: University of MinnesotaArea/Degree: Social psychology Rationalization: I wasn't going to take subject test when only 1 of 12 schools I was applying to wanted it. My quant gre score was sub 80th percentile. Other than those two things I thought it was a great fit. Comment: It was my second choice so I'm bummed but I got into my first (and probably third) choice(s) so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Coping tactics: Focusing on the other acceptances

I did an in house interview at UVA this week and most women wore pantsuits, nearly all men wore suits, and a few women wore skirts with blouses or dresses with sweaters/blazers. I was also there to interview for a more relaxed program, so I was surprised so many people dressed in business formal clothing. There was a dinner the night before and I wore a dress with leggings, and a casual dinner the day of the interview to which I wore jeans, a shirt, and a sweater. I took a small black bag with my wallet and phone. My first meeting was with my POI so I left my bag in her lab and only carried a notebook with my schedule and a pen. I'm also going to Michigan recruitment (so many of us here, how cool!) and was planning to bring a larger bag that my snow boots will fit in and bringing flats along to change into. Unfortunately snow boots don't flatter my slacks ??

in response to you and @What'sMyName -- I've already heard from my POI with an acceptance, it seemed to me they made decisions in early January. I was invited to the invitation weekend informally then, and received my letter of offer last week.

Have not heard from umn but I read somewhere around here the social program doesn't interview?

School Name: University of Virginia Date Interview Invite Received: 1/21/16 Degree: PhD Type: Community psych Notified via: Email From: POI Interview Date: 2/2-2/3 School Name: Michigan State University Date Interview Invite Received: 1/21/16 Degree: PhD Type: Human Development Notified via: Email From: Graduate director Interview Date: 2/16-2/17 (only going on 2/16 since my UMich recruitment starts on 2/17 at 9 am)

UC Santa Cruz? I got an email to interview at the beginning of January, but it was for developmental. The PI said the program would be making decisions in the next 2-3 weeks, so by the end of January. Last cycle I applied there and knew by end of January, official rejection came mid-February.

I got an email saying my online application status had changed

I don't think so. I mean, I might be the odd one out, but I have no issue being like, "I have a list of questions I'd like to ask you about the school and department, if we have time" or if they ask if I have questions I am okay saying, "Yes I have a list right here!" I interview undergrads at my work, and I'd rather they come with a written out list of talking points than sit and be like "ummmmmm.................I don't think so" when I ask if they have questions. It shows preparedness! PS - good luck!