Jung&Psyched
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Posts posted by Jung&Psyched
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On 6/6/2019 at 7:50 PM, hpomales said:
Hi! I would appreciate any feedback, especially from anyone who has applied/been accepted into the UMD (College Park) PhD Counseling Psych Program!!
I was previously in a PhD clinical psych program, but unfortunately had to leave the program due to financial constraints (an essentially non funded program). I did very well academically in the program, so my transcript is strong.
I have now been working in the field (counseling and research positions) for the last 4 years since then. I was working in the field prior to my first program, so I have a solid CV. Aside from a high GPA and good transcripts, lots of research and applied experience, I have solid LOCs and can write a good statement. My one challenge is the GRE - I didn’t perform exceptionally the first time, although I was accepted into several programs. I looked into UMD’s Counseling Psych program, and noticed it says that they have no GRE cut off scores and don’t provide averages or means of their students. I will have to retake the GRE since mine has expired. I cannot imagine doing better than I did last time, as I’ve been out of school for a little while. My scores were something like:
Verbal: 85th percentile
Quant: 25th percentile
Writing: 5
Does anyone have any insight as to scores like this for this specific program? I honestly don’t anticipate scoring higher than this on the quant.
Thanks!!
I don't have any experience regarding UMD (I am from the DC metro area though and UMD has a good reputation); however, I would say that with your experience and solid verbal and writing scores, I would not let your quant score stop you from applying. Schools will look at your whole application and having one low score should not be a HUGE barrier unless you are applying to extremely competitive counseling psych programs. I also recommend the Magoosh app for studying for the GRE. It helped me a lot on the quant section (brought my score from the 19th percentile to the 45th) ....it gives a lot of testing strategies and tips and tricks for how to approach the quant questions.
Good luck!
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I applied with interested in resilience and parenting and these are a few places that had labs that may match your interests (mostly counseling psych) - Southern Mississippi, Nebraksa, Marquette, and University of Massachusetts.
Good luck !
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On 4/1/2019 at 9:13 PM, aokanlawon said:Hi all,If you have attended any of these programs and can offer any advice that would be helpful too. These are all masters programs that prepare you for PhD programs.Augusta university- Graduate Assistantship offered with full tuition waiver and very small stipend. Does not cover living expensesWestern Carolina university- Graduate assistantship offered with more than enough to cover living expenses but no tuition coverage. Very close research match with lots of great opportunities. Scholarships available during the next semester.Umass(dartmouth)- offering assistantship with 12,000 per semester year and some tuition coverage(amount not specified) Least closest research match
I was planning to apply to Augusta (but then got offered admission elsewhere) and thought their program sounded great! For me, having tuition covered was the most important thing. I will also point out the WCU is reeeeally rural. I've driven through that area a couple times and you are just really really out there. I'm ok with small town living, but for me it was just too secluded (but some people might like that! And the hiking around there is excellent).
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During a group interview I was asked , "What is the one thing you were hoping no one would ask you today?" ?
That really threw me for a loop and there was long silence haha. I finally came up being worried that I would be asked specific research design questions because I have been out of school for awhile and will need to brush up on my research design/SPSS/R skills (obviously not that exact wording haha). Maybe not the best answer to highlight my lack of recent research experience...
I got waitlisted.
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We have moved numerous times at this point for school (husband's undergrad and grad school and now mine) and the best thing I can recommend is get rid of as much stuff as you can so you can cram it into the smallest moving truck possible. Last time we moved the only furniture we kept was our mattress and a coffee table that my husband had hand made. Everything else we bought after arriving and pretty much got everything second hand. Check around the different rental truck company for prices, its surprising how much they vary ! We've been putting extra money aside the past couple of months in preparation for this because moving really is a blow to the budget .
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Southern Mississippi
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On 3/14/2019 at 4:10 PM, InfiniteLoop said:
Hi guys,
Any thoughts on what is an appropriate way to thank your LOR writers? I'm thinking of writing a handwritten note and mailing it to them, but does anyone else do something more elaborate?
I mailed a handwritten thank you note with a small box of fudge from a local chocolate maker. Nothing crazy, but an extra gesture to say thank you for the time they put into advancing my career and education
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9 hours ago, b1b5 said:
Which MA was funded, if you don't mind me asking?
I few masters programs that are funded that I came across while applying this year were : William and Mary, Wake Forest, Augusta State, U of Louisiana at Lafayette, U of Southern Mississippi, UNC Wilmington, and Southern Illinois at Edwardsville.
I also had an awful undergrad gpa and then got some work experience and retook some courses (and got much better grades in them!) and was accepted to a few of the masters programs listed above so don't lose hope
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17 hours ago, sassyyetclassy said:
how much is area playing a factor in y'all's decisions? would y'all go to a quieter town that is farther away from bigger metropolitan cities if you really liked the program?
I think going to visit will really help you decide ! I was choosing between two programs - one right outside a large city and one that is a medium sized town surrounded by a lot of very rural area and I thought there was no way I would like the town vs city. I was completely wrong. When I went to visit I was really surprised by how many restaurants and stores they had, current students shared multiple different community activities that they are involved in outside of school, and the people were just super friendly. I quickly felt much more at home at the school in the smaller town. I think visiting is the only way you will know if its the right fit!
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13 hours ago, mjuniper42 said:
Hi,
I am hoping to get some advice/opinions on two clinical psychology PsyD programs that I'm trying to choose between.
Option A: Midwestern University in Glendale, AZ. From what I've read, they seem to have a bit of a crappy reputation, which is worrisome. Their APA internship match rate is 88%, with a licensure rate of 85%. The school is in my ideal location, and I know that I'd be happy living there based on my hobbies/lifestyle/proximity to loved ones.
Option B: LaSalle University in Philadelphia, PA. I know that this school has a great reputation, isn't newer like Midwestern, has a match rate of 92%, and a licensure rate of 93%. There is no question that LaSalle would provide a better education than Midwestern would. I know that my quality of life would be a lot worse if I chose Philadelphia for numerous reasons (no access to lots of outdoorsy stuff, I don't like big cities like Philly, etc.)
Based on my financial situation, the two schools are equivalent in that regard so the tuition/funding don't play a role in my decision.
I'm unsure of how much weight to put on quality of life vs quality of education, and I'm also unsure if Midwestern is truly THAT bad if they have a match rate of 88%. I got a better feel from the environment at Midwestern, but besides that, I'm lost. Everything I've read here and on the Student Doctor Network seems to be in reference to the Downer's Grove campus, not the Glendale one.
I would explore more why you felt you got a better "feel" at Midwestern. Fit is a big part of the process and going somewhere that you feel comfortable with faculty and the environment can make a huge difference in the education you receive. Going with the best fit for YOU is what is most important. It sounds like both schools have great match rates and you have two excellent options to chose from !
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On 2/26/2019 at 10:07 AM, zuska said:
Thank you very much for your response!
I have read that there is/was a problem with a lot of empty buildings and crime so I am a bit sad that you can confirm this is true. Other than that Roanoke seems really great to me!
Which areas specifically would you avoid? I have read that Melrose Ave is not good.
Thanks again!
I remember that Grandin Village was a good area ! Further out by like Cave Springs, Mill Mountain, and Hollins are all nice and pretty safe areas. You would also probably be in a great location to live behind the large Carilion Hospital in the woodcliff area- it would put you right by the hospital and there is a shopping area with starbucks, grocery store, pharmacy, etc nearby (When I would go to Roanoke to see friends or for work I often ended up around this area near the hospital and never felt unsafe). I would avoid nearly all of downtown and there were some rougher areas out by the mall.
Also, while 26k is not a lot, I do think you will be able to get by on it. Being a fairly rural small city cost of living is pretty reasonable! If you are good with budgeting I think you will be ok!
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18 hours ago, Phoenixphires said:
Hi ya'll!
So, I could use some advice. I've narrowed my options down to two schools, but there's a lot of pros and cons for both programs and I'm having a hard time deciding.
School A: A state school, but well regarded. PI has tenure but is still young-ish, great track record of getting students to publish and go to post docs. Research is interesting, and would teach me a few new techniques (at least). Cons: It's a tiny town, with an army of undergrads in residence. Stipend is pretty low, but I've been nominated for a fellowship. My SO might have a hard time finding work there. LOTS of required courses (2.5 years worth).School B: Private, more renowned school. In a big city, which is one of my favorite places. I would have to learn a LOT to keep up, but it's new skills and branches that I've been interested in learning for awhile (genomics). Cons: Everyone has "warned" me that the PI is "intense" (their word). She definitely seems really driven, as she is up for tenure this year. I can tell she's not mean, per se, but it seems like she expects you to live your life in the lab and doesn't tolerate nonsense. No graduated students yet, due to some truly unfortunate cases where her animals died thanks to building maintenance and her lab had to be shut down. She has a 3rd year and two 1st years now, who all agree she is an excellent mentor but very, very tough.
I would be very nervous going into scenario B. If other students are warning you, that's a red flag; I imagine they would tone down their warnings a bit so "intense" may be an understatement. She also hasn't had any students graduate yet vs the other PI where you already know a lot of students go on to post docs. To me it sounds like location might be what you are really struggling with.....living somewhere you don't like really stinks....but living somewhere you love but never get to enjoy because your PI expects you to work every second of the day might be worse!
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I struggled with this during interviews! I did ask for more descriptions of practicum opportunities in the community, as well as funding (like is health insurance included, is there tuition waivers for summer). Other people asked questions like what the overall environment is (competitive or collaborative), how often faculty mentors meet with students, and opportunities to take part in other research.
It was tough coming up with questions though, and it feels like they ask "Do you have any questions?" about 20 times throughout interview day!!
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On 2/7/2019 at 6:30 AM, zuska said:
Hi guys,
I am thinking of accepting an offer from Virginia Tech and I was hoping to hear from somebody that is based in Roanoke. I am aware that VTech is mainly located in Blacksburg, but I would most likely be based in Roanoke where Fralin and Carilion research institutes are located.
Based on my internet research I really really think I would love this city, but it would be great to hear from somebody that lives/lived there.
Thanks in advance for any comments
I lived just outside Blacksburg for a few years! Roanoke is pretty up and coming. When we first moved to the area (5ish years ago) Roanoke was honestly ...kind of gross. The downtown area had a super cool farmer market on the weekends and a couple cute local shops, but then the rest of the buildings were empty. However, in the past couple years there has been a lot of improvement! A lot of cool new breweries opened (if you like beer - Chaos Mountain Brewing is probably like 20 min outside of Roanoke and was our favorite!), some new shops were going in downtown, the mall area was improving, etc. There is also FANTASTIC hiking nearby - if you like to hike definitely check out Tinker Falls and Dragons Tooth. It definitely has a small city vibe and is very easy to navigate. The area is very economically depressed and unemployment rates are very high, pretty conservative politically, and high crime in certain areas.
The education you will get through Tech and Carilion is top notch! I only ever heard good things from people receiving their education through both of those institutions.
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I graduated from a little known liberal arts university (a fantastic university in my mind, but I'm sure no where I applied had heard of it) and I made a point in my personal statement to use up a few lines emphasizing the benefits of the education I received. I talked about the courses that I felt had prepared me for graduate studies and strengths of my undergraduate institution. I have no idea if that helped or not, but I did get a few interviews and only one place asked me more questions about where I went to undergrad ?♀️
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On 2/15/2019 at 7:52 PM, Katie B said:
Not a PhD interview, but a Master's and clinical nonetheless!
School: University of Houston- Clear Lake
Type: M.A. of Clinical Psych
Date of Invite: 2/15/19
Type of Invite: Email
Interview Dates: They offer four slots: March 6th, 7th, 21st, or 22nd. Due to my work schedule I'll be attending one of the later two slots!
Does anyone have any advice on a Master's interview vs a PhD? The first thing I've noticed is that the timing is massively different, the doctoral is an entire day where the time slots for the masters are only 4 hours. Any thoughts?
My masters interview was more individualized, almost all one on one meetings with different faculty rather than group interviews (which was my experience to have a lot of at doctoral interviews). They will probably about thesis ideas and why that is what you want to study, since you will only be there for two years I think they want to see that you have put a good amount of thought into research and will be ready to jump in quickly. I also got a lot of questions about long term goals (what setting I hope to work in, if I plan to get a doctorate, if I'm interested in teaching, etc), prior work experience, what I have learned from my work experience so far, self care, and how I handle the emotional stress of the mental health field.
Good luck! I've heard great things about UHCL!
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On 2/16/2019 at 2:54 PM, FreudEgg said:
Real talk: can some one plz recommend comfy/ professional/ cute women’s shoes I can wear to interviews and walk around in without having my toes fall off?
This is v important. How do I give a good elevator speech when my toes are purple and my blisters have blisters?
I got Aldo brand loafer flats and wore them to an interview where they emphasized that there would be a lot of walking. I felt like the loafer style looked a little more professional than regular flats and they were way comfier than when I wore heels to the first interview !
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1 hour ago, Psychmeout91 said:
I wasn’t the original poster but I was offered admission last night to work with ED. Good luck!
Wahooo congratulations !! I'm kind of assuming I won't get an offer if two people got offers yesterday....but I can stay positive for a couple more days haha.
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Could the poster for Southern Miss share their POI's initials please ?
Thank you!
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Had my 2nd out of three back to back interview weekends this past weekend and broke out in massive hives the night before the interview. Urgent Care said it was either a reaction to an antibiotic I had been on....or just stress ?. However, feel like I did awesome at my interview despite having welts all over my body (luckily nowhere visible) and slightly puffy eyes. If nothing else, this process is proving that it takes a lot of determination to reach your goals ?
- Psyhopeful, higaisha, xChrisx and 1 other
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I literally had no concerns about attire until I read this thread, thanks ya'll ?
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1 hour ago, spookycat said:
I'm a little late to the discussion on partner issues, but wanted to throw my problems out there too hahaha. My worry is that my partner is VERY excited about one of my programs, which thankfully is my top program as well. They've assured me they are interested and happy to go to any city with me, but they've definitely made it known where their heart lies. But as everyone on this forum knows, this process is fickle and there is absolutely no guarantee that I will get into that program.
So now I not only have to worry about disappointing myself if I don't get into that school, but also my partner who is all but picking out houses there. And it's very hard for people who haven't been through this process to understand just how competitive it all is. I've been told countless times by professors that they often have two or three candidates interview who are all equally fit for the lab, and that it more or less is a coin flip between some candidates. (Which, by the way, raised my blood pressure significantly).
It all becomes so much more difficult when it's not just your own dreams that get crushed in this process ?
Oh I feel this so much!! I'm kind of having the opposite dilemma. I have been offered two interviews so far and one is my top choice program, but my husband has definitely voiced that its in a place he does not want to live, and the other is a good sounding program (but not my top pick) in an area that he absolutely loves.
While I know he will move wherever I decide and we will be happy no matter where we live, it does add an extra layer of stress knowing that it is somewhere that they have to live, work, and find friends in.
It almost makes me hope that I only get one admissions offer so I don't have to make that choice ?
- spookycat and chopper.wife
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On 1/22/2019 at 4:37 PM, ilobebrains said:
I need to take a chill pill. My first interview out of three back-to-back interview weekends is coming up, and I am freaking out. I'm usually someone of moderate, controllable anxiety, but this process is the first time I've been beginning to jolt awake from nightmares and feeling my chest tighten when I wake up. Does anyone have any tips or advice
I try to be mindful and meditate, relax, take deep breaths, exercise... but it's tough Sigh!!
I am experiencing this too!! Working out has been my best friend ....but I'm finding it isn't enough for this situation. ugh.
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2 hours ago, dancedementia said:
Counseling and Clinical are more or less on the same footing nowadays. I'd say their levels of formality will be about the same.
That's kind of what I was thinking.... I bought a blazer today that I am a little more comfortable in, so I'm gonna give it a try!
Research-based Masters Program w/ Clinical Training
in Psychology Forum
Posted
Southern Illinois at Edwardsville, U of Southern Mississippi, and U of Louisiana at Lafayette would all be good places for you to look at!