vallaboop

186?! Wow, I though my list was crazy. What schools did you find with behavioral neuro programs? If you don't mind me asking.

Does anyone else go back and forth from being like "I've worked really hard, I will definitely get into at least one program" to "ugh it's so competitive there is no way I will get in." ? My anxieties are driving me crazy.

I can't open this for some reason. I will try again later. If it still doesn't work maybe you can try messaging it to me? Thanks again!

Thanks!

That would be great, thank you!

Hi all, I'm about to enter my last year of my clinical psych masters program. I've been working on analyzing data for my thesis for the past year but I have been putting off writing and defending my proposal. I know that seems backwards but I am been more focused on getting the data analyzed so I can write a paper and attempt to get it published so I have totally put my thesis on the back burner. There is no prior research done on the topic I am researching so I am unsure of how to begin. Every time I sit down to start writing I get completely stuck. Any suggestions?

What type of neuro programs are you interested in specifically? What is your research in and what are your GRE scores? It's possible to make up for your GPA and it seems like you are certainly trying to show that you are capable of succeeding.

Are you a member of Psi Chi or APA? If you are they have grants that you can apply to specifically for research. However, they are hard to get and I am unsure of the deadlines. I would look into that if your faculty member can't provide you with funding.

You're welcome! If you have any other questions I'm happy to help as best I can!

That's excellent, if you are doing well in those courses then that will help you out immensely. Continuing researching fields and see what programs interest you. Here is an easy way to find APA credited programs: http://apps.apa.org/accredsearch/?_ga=2.118239437.575731150.1496921700-314806687.1485542017 Looking through these programs and what they offer might help you figure out what track works best for you.

What graduate programs are you interested in?

1. I'm not entirely sure because I am not super familiar with this field. In my opinion it might be best to finish with when you are doing and then return to school for psych - just in case things don't work out in your favor 2. If your thesis could be related to psych or neuro in any way then it could be beneficial. Where have you been taking classes in psych and neuro? Are they graduate level? 3. PhD programs do take students from a variety of fields, you may just be in a "probation" period of sorts. Research experience also depends on the specific program you are interested in. In most cases it is greatly beneficial to have at least some research experience. With that being said, you can make up for this deficit in other ways (excellent GRE scores, continuing to do well in your master's program and finishing your master's so show you can follow through, excellent LOR, etc.) 4. The path to becoming a clinical psychologist is very different than getting a PhD in cog psych or cog neuro. Those programs are research based and do not offer clinical training. In order to become a licensed psychologist you would need to have a PhD in clinical psych (or neuropsychology) or a PsyD. Those are the only programs that allow for sufficient training in areas of diagnosis, treatment and counselling. You can obtain those skills through masters level courses but it is not the same. I would say before you start applying you really need to narrow down your interests. One major factor in getting in a PhD program in this field is how your interests match with faculty, this is particularly important in research. Switching your career path will be difficult but if you are passionate and 100% sure that you want to switch then it is possible. Good luck!

What schools are you looking at? You might want to consider applying to some terminal masters programs if you are worried you are not competitive enough to get admitted directly into a PhD program. Depending on what your GRE scores turn out to be I would say that you have a decent chance of getting accepted but clinical programs are super hard to get into. If you go into a masters program first and show that you can succeed in a graduate school environment it may help your chances of being accepted down the road. Of course, apply to PhD programs as well. It just might be a nice back up plan rather than a post-bacc.

In my opinion there is more hard science based courses in a MS program vs. a MA, however I am not entirely sure and I would suggest looking at the curriculum for the schools you are interested in. For my undergrad it was essentially harder to get a BS than a BA in psychology. I would also say it depends on what you want to do with your career. If you are interested in research and pursuing a research based PhD than I suggest applying to MS programs where a research based thesis is required.

I'm unsure what history programs look for but if you do well at SNHU and have excellent GRE scores, and LOR then you might be okay. The programs you are applying to might not be familiar with SNHU so it might not matter. Online programs and online F2F hybrids are becoming prevalent. There is a decent amount of research and literature showing how online learning can be just as efficacious as F2F learning. However, I firmly believe that depends on the course of study. SNHU is really popular and well known in NH (that's where I'm from) so I know it definitely has a better rap then say Phoenix. Either way, if you can prove that you are a competitive applicant then you should be okay.

Thanks!

Thank you! I think I will schedule it now for August so I will give myself time to retake it if need be. That's a good plan!

Thanks for your advice! I'm planning on taking it in August but I'm working full time and I'm worried I won't be ready by then. Here's to hoping I don't go later than November!

I didn't even think about how they might have already filled the spots. That's a really point, thank you!

Does anyone know when is the latest you can take the GRE to still be able to apply in upcoming application season?

I would recommend reintroducing yourself and thanking for the opportunity to reach out to her. Then from there just ask her how you can strengthen your application and possibly tell her that you look forward to reapplying with the potential to work with her in the future. Or something along those lines...

Thank you for your advice! That is a good point. I know it's definitely a lot harder to gauge graduate schools than undergrad. I guess I'm just trying to make sure I have at least one "safety" school but it's so hard to know. Thanks again!

Does anyone know how to tell how competitive it is to get into a certain program? I want to great a list of schools I'm applying to based on how hard it is to get into them but I'm not sure how to do that.

I totally agree! I'm super anxious about the whole process but reading everyone's stories and seeing what steps they have taken really helps me. I'm glad I could help! If you have any other questions or want any other advice feel free to ask, I'm constantly researching programs and the whole application process.

I know how you feel, I've had quite the bumpy road myself. I applied to neuroscience PhD programs my senior year of college with very minimal research experience, no posters or paper publications and not the best GRE scores or GPA. I was discouraged when I got rejected, I took the semester off, braved it and asked for new LOR to apply to a neuroscience master's program. I got accepted and I was thrilled. However, life being the way it was I had to leave after a semester (even though I had a stellar GPA). I was so upset I didn't know what to do with myself. I finally got a research assistant job and applied to a clinical psychology masters program. I've just finished my first year and I'm ready to try to apply to PhD programs again (this time more specialized and hopefully more prepared). Everyone has their own story and I believe that if your story shows that you are passionate (and I believe that you are with your 3rd attempt at applying) then your LOR writers will have no problem helping you out. I wish you the best of luck, third times the charm!