Sherrinford

You definitely need to get that score up. On the practice exam, were there specific areas you really did bad on (e.g. geometry, algebra)? Focus on those. Also practice problems...keep doing em'. Read the prep books strategies on how to do problems efficiently. I bet if you had all the time in the world you'd do fine, but the test gives you limited time for the problem sets.

Columbia is a great school and in NYC you would have access to good research opportunities. You mentioned wanting to work with a specific professor, but I would not bank on them taking you as a doctoral student bc they worked with you during your MA. It absolutely does happen, but would be a big risk in my opinion. I have numerous colleagues who graduated from Columbia's MA program and most of them are in PhD programs now. But they all have >100k in loans. PhD programs are expensive to apply to and competitive, it may take you more than one try to get in. Unless you're in a funded program, you're going to have incur more loans as well. I would not recommend that you take on those loans. I went to a relatively unknown modest MA program that was very cheap and still got into a funded PhD program.

I had no posters/pubs and a terrible undergrad GPA. I got my Masters with a good GPA and had 2 years of research experience in two different labs, good letters of rec, my GRE scores were like 161 (Verbal) and 156 (Quant). Didn't get a ton of interviews but got accepted into a fully funded program. This was a few yrs ago.

Undergrad at 21, Masters at 24, started PhD at 25

I've had similar levels of responsibility/work when I was getting my Masters. A PhD was another step up from that. And then in 2nd year once I began doing clinical work...it was something different all-together. My advisor said it best, "in grad school you learn how to juggle." I'm sure the transition for you will be easier than it may be for others. But there is a certainly a unique flavor of intensity that clinical psych grad programs have. Congratulations though, I'm going through it and it's definitely been the most exciting/challenging/meaningful periods of my life.

As a current grad student, enjoy the time you have for you will never see its like again.

That's awesome, congrats. I think that is a solid plan. If you are dedicated and passionate about this field (which it seems like you are), then I am confident you have a bright future in this field.

Everyone has given great advice but just want to add my own opinions. To me, there is no situation in which going to a non-funded PsyD or PhD program is a good idea, especially given the tuition rates at these programs tend to be quite high. Unless you are a drug dealer or heir to a large fortune, you're going to ultimately be dealing with paying premiums with exorbitant interest rates for multiple decades...which will be challenging even if you are in the top 20% salary for psychologists. Clearly research is something that engages and interest you. This is a tough position to be in, and you have other commitments and needs to consider. Unfortunately, life is rarely linear and it requires a lot of course-correction. Think of it this way, a gamble of an extra year or two now...to end up at the career/lifestyle that is most meaningful for you for the rest of your life...not the worst deal in the world. You are privileged to even be able to consider these options. Now of course it is a risk and there is no guarantee you will be admitted should you apply again. So if you plan to, you better do your research, talk to professors/researchers in the field, and maximize the potency of your application.

This is true but a little exaggerated. The part I would object to is the "many high quality PsyD programs." Baylor and Rutgers are excellent programs that are leagues above the other PsyD programs, and their degree structure/content is incredibly similar to that of a PhD. As suggested by users above, if projected debt is not a concern, you should prioritize your choices based on APA match rate statistics.

Your dedication and commitment is impressive! Research experience is definitely one of the most important factors for admission into funded PhD programs so you're on the right track. OP, your path to a grad program does not have to be linear. In fact, for a lot of students and even current faculty, their paths certainly weren't linear.

Got my MA straight out of undergrad, applied in 2016 (I was 24), started in 2017 (at 25).

This is going to sound a little harsh, but your post is making you come off as a bit entitled. It is very rare that students, especially at the undergraduate level, are able to design and conduct their own studies in a research lab as soon as they join one. In fact, I would even say it's uncommon after a year. Helping out with the PI and the graduate students' ongoing projects, potentially using some of their data to create a poster are much more realistic goals. Typically you will only be given lower level duties when you start in a lab, as trust is something that has to be built. All of us in grad school have started our research beginnings doing things like data entry, it is normal. But to answer your question, I guess it depends on what your main goals are. If it's to get to do your own study in a relatively quick time-frame, you may not want to stay in the lab unless you're willing to commit to spending at least a semester or two working there first.

For yourself, you should also look into some cost projections of graduate debt if you are limiting yourself to PsyD programs. Even at Rutgers, their PsyD is not fully funded. I believe Bayler is the exception.

While this is possible, I will say that it is certainly not the norm. There's a wide range of programs and different types of programs. Some are research focused, some are clinically focused, some are balanced etc. Some are funded, and others aren't. Typically, the funded programs are research-oriented and will be looking for research experience. Out of all my peers in clinical psych programs, only one of them had very limited research experience. OP: It's difficult to say. Compared to the usual applicants I've seen at interviews/final stages, you do not have as much research/clinical experience. However, with good GRE scores and strong LORs, assuming the quality of your research experience has been good (above just data entry), if you find a PI who is a really good fit with your experience/interests, I would say you should probably give it a shot and apply. But you should be realistic about your chances and have a contingency plan. The purpose of my post is not to dishearten you, but just emphasize that it is a very competitive (e.g. 4-7 applicants out of a 100-200 get admitted) process and many people end up applying a second time.

Not doomed necessarily. You can still have quality research experience without a publication necessarily. Posters should be more reasonable a goal or something attainable. I am in a funded PhD program, did not have any pubs or even posters. But I did have decent research experience.

Tbh, only one of my schools req the Psych GREs and that was the only reason I took that dumb test. I didn't even do well on it but that didn't stop me from getting into a program. However, if you have your Bachelors in a field that isn't Psych, then I definitely think you should take it.

Yes, I second this. The experimental thesis and research I had to do as a result for my Masters was the most valuable component of the degree.

A MA program is certainly not necessary for admittance into a PhD program. In fact, I'd even say it isn't the norm at all. If a clinical program is your ultimate goal, I think the clinical MA would be the better option. Again, the most important thing is your research experience when it comes to programs. Your MA is almost pointless unless you obtained good research experience in that time. You should look at the faculty research between the 2 programs and see what would interest you/where the openings are. Forensics is a specific goal, however, and you may want to contact people who specialize in that for more targeted advice.

I mean, your level of experience and clear commitment is amazing. I'm surprised you weren't accepted your second attempt. These programs are among the most competitive graduate programs in the country and luck is unfortunately a factor too, so don't be too hard on yourself. How many interviews have you generally gotten? What have your mentors told you? What kind of feedback have you gotten on your applications? Usually when I see someone who is awesome on paper but has not had much luck, the issue is something like not applying to labs that are a strong fit with your current experience.

I was 25. I've seen the age range from as low as 20 to as high as early 30s.

You need to request more detailed information. Often, programs don't provide funding after the first 4 years or so once the bulk of the courseload are finished. However, typically once you finish most of your classes you move into "all-but-dissertation" status where the cost of tuition you pay is significantly lessened. But I don't think you typically receive a stipend so that's important. Also note that typically fees/costs are increased for international students. I think it really depends on which factors are most important to you, and what you see as most realistic. You need to be practical and do some estimations/projections of how much you may have to take into loans if you went to Program B. Try to get a sense of what the older grad students pay, take in loans, and the cost of living of the area.

This is a difficult one for sure. My approach would be to generate a list of questions that are really important to me (mostly about lab culture, pros and cons of program and mentor etc.) and email the grad students in both programs. In most cases, they'll be happy to give you honest answers, especially if you're sincere and straight-forward in your email.

1. Amount of debt incurred 2. Research labs in areas that are of interest to you That is the order in which I would make my evaluations for choosing.

Could still be a looong wait. I didn't find out my fate until a few days before the deadline in April.

They will be looked down upon in the sense that it won't do much to strengthen your application. If you are interested in PhD programs, one of the most important variables is the quality and depth of your research experience. When I got my MA, I also did research in a psych lab in the program and gained a lot of experience that came in useful when I applied to programs. My concern if you pursued an online MA and worked full time (unless it's in a research-related position) is that you would not have any opportunities to get research experience.