Left Skew

It's hard being the prettiest girl at the party...you enjoyed your visits everywhere? My programs definitely diverge is some sense. Maybe you should reach out to the other applicants and see if the ones you enjoyed are accepting at particular places?

If you're asking us for help you may as well flip a coin... haha. @hummingbirds Do you know your advisor yet? I would wait until you know your funding and advisor. Also you may freeze to death in Michigan, but it will make you a stronger person. Here is some crowd-sourced info P.S. If you got accepted to George Mason you should not go there because I'm currently on the wait-list, unless you really want to then do it.

This is a good question...formal offers take a while due to all the funding, assistantship, and advisor assignments. I can see that process being highly-dependent on coordination at the department level, was the visit day actually an interview day, and diligence among the program. Hopefully we start hearing back before April 15th.

Oh yeah, forgot to add "alternative visitation day" I couldn't make the one of Friday. Thanks for catching it! Knock em dead @Mo889!

How is everyone declining? A nice standardized email? I just don't want to burn any bridges. Best,

Tentatively, the visitation of the 3 accepted applicants in on the 2nd of March. I know little about the waitlisted candidates. Is anyone going to George Mason on Friday? Or UNC:Charlotte on Monday?

I was just rejected by UMD (SDOS) yesterday, while driving back from ODU's interview weekend. Funny how things go. I have some info on GW, George Mason, and UNC Charlotte if anyone needs it.

Those of you that applied to USF have you heard about this: http://www.tampabay.com/news/education/college/Lawsuit-USF-ignored-student-s-fears-after-she-alleged-sexual-assault_163121596 If so, did it affect your decision?

The one thing I've derived from being in psychology is that you learn "it depends" over and over again. People aren't like gravity or sound, thus of course people will have different reasons. Some applicants want an adviser that fits them perfectly; some what to escape the clutches of their parents; others may not want to graduate knee-deep in debt. However, the intention of the post is not to standardize decisions, it's to provide insight to those that are struggling. From my perspective it's less about what decision is the correct decision and more about what decision you believe in- sometimes all that takes is someone telling you that you're making the right decision. In 6 months time a lot of you will be perfectly fine with your choice. I've had a few interviews where fellow applicants were transferring from other PhD programs, but this was due to very random-effects (e.g., adviser moving away or they wanted to change fields); they still created the opportunity to decide again. Too long;didn't read: For a small fee, I'm willing to pick a program for you. You will like it. You have no right to question my methods.

I wanted to crowd-source some reasons for how people are making their final decisions. I realize this is a convenient spot for a lot of us to be in, but it is also a very difficult one. I know my pre-submission impressions were that I would not be in this predicament; I wholeheartedly expected to be accepted at just one place. But, here we are. Any advice helps! All the best,

What factors are people using to make their decisions? (e.g., Funding, Faculty Fit, Cohort Fit, culture, location?) I'm struggling right now.

Coming from the world of psychometrics: any time you are measuring affective and behavioral constructs via self report you can tend to run into issues. I know little about pymetrics but it's marketed to measure very complex constructs (e.g., emotional intelligence) that are still very debated in the literature. My internet-self is much cooler and more intelligent, my real-self is actually a troll in s human's body; hopefully pymetrics accounts for social desirability.

I have a phone interview with someone from GW on Saturday (02/10). Hopefully this helps.

This is what I know thus far (attached).

How are people dealing with social skills and social awkwardness of the students and applicants? I've had a few situations where we are just sitting in silence. Or the applicants are at a bar but don't know of they should get a beer because they don't want to be the one that "sets the expectation". Little do they know I've been drunk the whole time...

Yeah, I thought it was a bit weird. It's funny how in I/O we concern ourselves with developing valid selection measures, yet programs are asking things that may have very little logic behind them... Just got an email from George Washington (I/O) asking for phone-interview dates.

My two cents and just a short anecdote: the last semester of my masters I was frantically searching for job and decided to sign up for something called the "placement center" at the I/O psychology professional conference (SIOP). The placement center is essentially 2 days of interviews. While at the conference you may get a call, you go to a designated area and interview- it's nonstop. I was fortunate enough to make it to the final round of interviews for a well-known consultation company, but this interview was special. I was invited to a nearby restaurant for breakfast, and I sat down next to 15 other candidates. These people were smarter, arguably more qualified, and more articulate than I, and in walks the CEO. I spent an hour listening to people talk about themselves as he asked questions; I decided not to follow suit and instead I asked him a question, one that made him think. At the end of the breakfast he came over to me and said "I really loved your question." I got a job offer from the company a few weeks later. So... Admissions committees are going to ask similar questions and get a lot of answers that are roughly the same. If you're personable, agreeable and confident you'll do well. However, a question that makes them think, a thoughtful one, will always set you apart.

It means that you may have another POI, or that you're a stand-out that doesn't need to answer an awkward question to make it to the next round.

Did anyone ask the program representative or faculty member that sent out the invite? I think their perspective is pretty valuable. Haha.

Yes it was ODU. @StrawberrySmoothie can you message me your POI?

I just got a feeler email from a program asking me how many schools I applied to and if they have reached out to me yet. Has anyone dealt with this?

If you have the resources, go. There are always people on the wait-list that get accepted. Socialize, charm them, show them what they're missing. You won't better your chances sitting at home.

To add: Just heard back from George Mason (PhD). Their interview day is on the same day (Feb 23rd)... I hastily responded to the UNC: Charlotte email with "I would love to make the drive down". I can't say no to George Mason. Please good people of Grad Cafe guide me. What should I do? I was thinking I could recruit someone to pose as me, all you need are 3 things: a monotone voice, be sarcastic 97% of the time, and been described as "endearingly creepy". Direct message me for applications.

Just got an email from UNC: Charlotte, their interview day is February 23rd. On my way down, I'll be sure to stop at NC State, roll my eyes, then drive into the night.

The OCD person in me wants to reformat the sheet...I wish Grad Cafe would clean up their results, I sent them an email but no response. Grad Cafe Decisions IO.pdf