PsyZei

SAME!!!! My cohort and everyone in the program are freaking amazing. I am 100% convinced this whole process just comes down to luck and am grateful I just one of the ones was lucky enough to get acceptances.

I don't think I have never not found a typo, missing word, or something in an essay, statement, thesis, whatever after I've submitted it ?

Same, I really thought there would be less people wanting to go through the additional stress of applying for programs this year, not more. Shows what I know ?

I think this is the common language used when they are saying they like you and want you be in the program but there are still more official hoops to jump through. I know that with the programs I applied to they all used that type of language to say they had recommended me for admission. I've got a recent example because I recently added a MA program to my plan of study during my PhD. Screenshot: So you having been told this sounds like good news, to me, and that at the very least like you can expect to be interviewing in January. Congrats!

I honestly thought it would be less this year, too.

Ouch!

I saw on Twitter there is talk about 50%+ applicant increases to various graduate psychology programs this year. https://twitter.com/jayvanbavel/status/1334558142240321544?s=19 I don't know how true this is across the board, but just wanted to post a heads up. If the programs you applied at saw these type of increases, you may end up with a more competitive experience than some of us had in past cycles. Remember to be kind to yourself while waiting for and getting results. I'm rooting for all of you.

That is the worst feeling. This year of all years I feel like it's okay to not be ideal. Good luck!

Good luck, rooting for you!

I included at least two, and sometimes three. This was suggested to me by multiple faculty members (and was a good thing, as at one of the places I interviewed I was one of the few interviewees that didn't get a deer in headlights look when handed a piece of paper and asked to list the three faculty we wanted to work with, in order of preference, if we were accepted to the program). In most programs you won't be working exclusively all the time with only one faculty. So they want to know that you will be a good fit for the whole program. I would focus on my main faculty I wanted to work with, and then just add a sentence or two for one or two others to show that I'd done my homework and was interested in the program as a whole. I was invited to interview at 75% of the programs I applied to, so it seemed to work as a strategy well enough ?

I would consider matching people up with current grad students through email instead of zoom meetings. I get the need to do zoom meetings with faculty- but zoom fatigue is real (as al of us in clinical programs doing telehealth, on top of likely also taking &/or teaching virtual classes, right now know). I wonder if it wouldn't be less stressful and fatiguing to be able to exchange emails with a current grad student, and would more closely mimic the conversation that occurs between potential students and current students who are matched up together for hosting when in-person interview days are occurring?

You can get pretty personal. That said, I was very careful on my statement of purpose with what I revealed. There were some things that were personal that I alluded to in every SOP because of the connection to my research and it showing what I overcame (but was worded to do so in a relatively safe manner where I could control the narrative taken away from what I shared). What you are talking about (being the only minority in your town) sounds like an overcoming story that would likely help you in most applications (from my opinion). There were some things about my identity that I left out in most SOPs because I knew it could hurt me more than help me for getting a chance to interview at most programs because of the overwhelming prejudice that exists. So I only included that in the SOPs for the programs that I knew it was safe to do so because of either the program clinical/research focus or because of knowing the views of the PIs in that program on the subject. I know that is not the cut and dry answer you were hoping for. I'm sorry that this is something that still has to be navigated in 2020.

Hello. Since you are in California it's worth noting that there are a lot more strenuous hoops to jump through for being an MFT in California- I don't know if that is true for being a MSW or not. Personally, I can't think of much that would convince me to move to California and deal with those issues as a MFTer. That said, I'm obviously biased towards MFT, lol- and things would likely not be as big of a deal for you if you are doing your degree in California as far as checking all the right boxes. Either way you go, you can still work with systemic therapy- so you should be able to do similar work with either degree. While systems might have originated in the MFT world, MSW has picked it up for a while now and even Psychology has starting to assimilate systems therapy practices. I think as far as being able to do the type of work you want either degree will serve you well. For MFT, you can simply go on the AAMFT site to look for programs and then search through the programs to see what work is being done in each- https://www.aamft.org/COAMFTE/Directory_of_Accredited_Programs/MFT_Training_Programs.aspx Under location just choose California or where ever it is you want to be looking at programs.

Hey, I'm a MFTer also. Yes, you have a good chance for a PhD I think, though Clinical Psych is (of course) as competitive as ever. I'd look at CFT programs with a LGBTQ+ focus in addition to clinical psych and social psychology. We have similar stats. My undergrad was psych, minors in anthropology, sociology, and women's studies. My masters is in Human Development and Family Science, Marriage and Family Therapy. I have certifications in clinical work with trauma as well as working with trauma in families. 4.0 GPAs, some research, presentations, awards, etc... My client and research focus is also LGBTQ+ (Trans population, affects of adverse and minority stress - including ACEs - on identity development). I looked at clinical psych, social psych, counseling psych, various human ecology, and MFT/CFT PhD programs. I chose to attend the University of Iowa CFT PhD program in the Psychological and Quantitative Foundations department, as the clinical focus here is LGBTQ and we have an LGBTQ Counseling Clinic (which helps with if you are wanting to work with research in the LGBTQ population) as well as being a top-tier/Research I university. Just based on what you said, I believe you would have a shot at getting accepted to this and other programs. Have you had any ideas of where you want to apply? When are you planning to apply (if this year you have a time crunch, but could potentially still do it). Feel free to message me or reply here, I'm happy to chat.

My experience is they don't normally check individual grades (they may glance at letter grades to get an idea of what your spread is- but again not really going class by class). They may check to see or ask you if you took a particular class, but likely won't ask you what your grade was in it. Even if they did, I don't think a B would make waves- if it was a C or lower it might, but a B will likely be glossed over.