PsyZei

I do think this is a thing. For most of my applications I tried to show that I was a potential fit with at least two professors in the program. Sometimes that was easy (as there were multiple faculty were similar research interests), but sometimes looked like there being one professor I was an obvious fit with (which I'm sure they could read as being my preference), then one professor I was a fit with peripherally or niche-wise. Example, for one it was like no my research focus in not the same as theirs AND one of their research focuses is improving mental health services for under-served and hard to reach populations and here I am discussing my current research about improving understanding, from a mental health lens, of an under-served and hard to reach population. It's of note that while I did get an interview invite for that program, it was from my preferred POI (not the one for who the fit was more of a reach). Yet, I can't help but feel doing this at the very least doing this shows that I've seriously looked into the complete program/faculty and demonstrates that I will likely do well in connecting to the program as whole, not just to my one specific POI.

For the programs that asked for a writing sample for both masters and PhD, I sent a term paper over my research interest. I figured that showed what my research interests were, how I wrote (academically talked about) them, and showed that I could at least write lit reviews for publications.

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Good luck! The waiting is just killer about this whole process, isn't it?

Woohoo! Wishing you the best of luck in getting an interview!

At 27 I had not even started college yet- instead my last education milestone was graduating from high school in the lower third of my class (and was honestly just happy to have graduated). I didn't even start undergrad college until I was in my 30s- much less masters. I totally know the feeling you are talking about (I literally have children closer to my next oldest cohort-mate's age than I am) AND neither of us is behind. Our journeys are ours. Getting this education and working towards the career is important to me (and I assume you), not the age I do it at. We've both got this ?

Best of luck!

First, breathe ? Second, it sounds like you have a great passion and are really excited about the possibility of getting into a MFT program (hey from another MFTer!)- that is awesome! Your stats sound solid and it sounds like your references are too, that's great. Don't sweat the ADHD thing- I have ADHD and am a 4.0 grad student. All or nearly all grad classes you will take are in your preferred area of focus (MFT or related) unlike gen eds, so focusing on them isn't as hard as- as you discovered with the difference in your psych courses compared to your gen eds. Also, psychology is not an uncommon undergrad major in the field (I and another in my master cohort were both psych undergrads, 2 of us out of 6 total). The research thing isn't going to count unless it was something you published or presented on, but you could definitely talk about how you have participated in class research activities and are really interested in getting more solid academic research experience. Are you applying to master or PhD programs? I think you have a really good chance for a masters program! I wouldn't count yourself out for PhD, and would also be thinking ahead for where to apply next year, what to to do in the next year to fill in gaps (like research), and looking at master programs to apply to this year (many have later deadlines than the PhD programs). It is very common in the MFT field (from my understanding/experience) to not go from undergrad straight to a PhD program, but to go through a clinical MFT/CFT master program first. In fact, some of the schools I applied to for PhD programs require that you have a clinical MFT/CFT master degree coming in. If you were applying to PhD programs, I would consider taking this time while waiting for responses to look at master programs and see if there are any you could still get everything together to apply to for this cycle. As a note, if you are wanting to be a LMFT to practice in the field, you may find you don't need a PhD, as becoming an LMFT only requires a master degree.

This is actually one of the things both my academic and thesis advisors have explained to me (in one case very bluntly in a "here's academia culture you should be aware of" type speech)- networking is one of the key ways of being more likely to get interview invites (or at least a second look at your application to make sure they really didn't want to invite you for an interview). So, I wouldn't feel like this is "the only reason" you were invited and I definitely wouldn't feel like that's a bad thing if it did tip the scale. Every program I have an interview invite to, so far, are programs where I either REALLY chatted up the faculty at conferences &/or at other presentations/guest lectures/etc... (and tried to make sure they would be able to connect me to my application when it rolled around) OR are places that my advisors know the faculty at well, and so were able to create a personal link for me similar to what you are describing (like the interview I'm going to next week is where three of my faculty got their PhD's from, two in the exact program and specialization). Additionally, 2 of the 3 places I haven't heard from (and am starting to assume rejections) I have no human relational/connections to. Before this process, I wasn't expecting networking to have such a big impact (I have little academia or middle/upper class cultural capital, so I was very grateful to have a couple professors who are aware of and take the time to explain stuff like this), but I also relate it to the fact that we are in a social/human science field and the importance of human connection is a thing. tldr: you're not being irrational and you should focus on rocking the interview- cause you are definitely in the running for getting accepted ?

I don't know if my experience would be super helpful for you. To be totally honest, you probably have more than or as much experience with academic expectations as I do. I'm a very nontraditional student and I went through undergrad in just over two years and chose to attend a 2 year master program. So this month actually marks my 4th year in college (I started undergrad in January 2016). I've mostly just let my passion guide me. My stats looked good on paper (4.0 GPA, 165/162/4.5 GRE), but being nontraditional meant that I didn't graduate the best undergrad school or have the same opportunities for research and etc.. that more traditional students did (my spouse was gone for most of the first 12 mos I was in undergrad, I was working, and I have children). My choice in masters program had a lot to do with wanting to fill in gaps in my resume and narrow in on my research/practice focus (get research experience, get more experience with population of focus, get related training/credentials). I had things a little easier, I think, than some in that my interview with my current master program (UCM) also was not very stressful. I already had an acceptance to a psychology (research track) master program (I was a psychology undergrad)- so I knew I was going somewhere. I had also applied to some PhD programs, but was rejected or wait-listed for them (which was not surprising with only two years of being in college at that time, even if my number stats were good). That said, when I was in the faculty interview one of the first things I said (honestly) was that if I was accepted to their program I would be attending. I made no bones and was very up front/open about that fact that even though I was a psychology undergrad student, I felt a real connection with systemic therapy and I really hoped to get to explore that by attending their program as a grad student. So again, something that has consistently steered me well is letting my passion for my career path guide me. If a timeline helps at all, I interviewed in-person on March 2nd of 2018 and got the acceptance email on March 6th of 2018.

I just wanted to say hello to another MFTer! I'm a MFT masters student right now (but I didn't apply to either of those, so I don't know their dates) and am applying to PhD programs this cycle. There's not a lot of us on here, so I just wanted to give a shout out ?

Thank you for this advice!

I still have three programs I haven't heard from. When I check results, no one has posted about them for my degree programs- where they have been posted about in past years BUT normally by only one or two people a year (and sometimes not at all in a year). So part of me wants to just say that I those are probably rejections, and I'll hear from them when they send out their rejection notices; while another part of me keeps thinking they may just be late in sending out interviews this year. Ironically, the first option (if someone else had posted about them, so I knew that they has already sent out interview invites) would be so much less stressful!

I just wanted to update that at my first PhD interview (this past week) I was the only PhD interviewee in a blazer or suit jacket or a button up/dress shirt. I was interviewing for a Couple and Family Therapy PhD program. There were two master interviewees that were wearing suit jackets or blazers, but the other PhD interviewees were just wearing nicer slacks and blouses. It did not seem to be a big deal. It was nice for me, as I was wearing slacks, a button up shirt, and a comfortable blazer- but not a super formal looking blazer. That said, I still do plan to go look for an actual suit set this coming weekend for the rest of my PhD interviews (there was literally blizzard conditions the weekend before my first interview, when I had planned to go suit shopping. I opted to not risk driving and just wear what I already had). I'm just going to keep in mind to not not choose something too traditionally formal. Then I plan to take the outfit I wore last week along for things like dinners or gatherings for things like how my next interview has a student hosted dinner the night before the interviews (as well as an optional student "going out to dinner" gathering on the day of the interviews- but I will probably just wear the suit outfit, minus the jacket, to that). Anyways, I just wanted to update that, similar to what stumbleforward was saying, things might be a little less formal for MFT/CFT related degree interviews. Definitely not casual by any stretch, but I would have been significantly over dressed than others had I worn a super formal looking suit set.

I hear you! I don't actually have any idea when to expect invites to be going out for my programs because GradCafe doesn't have a Human Ecology forum (so I'm literally just floating back and forth between Psychology and Sociology) and without an actual place for the conversation, there hasn't been anything much posted about the programs interview dates and whatnot. So I'm just over hear like.... I know I should really just be happy with the invites I have, but one of my top choices is still in limbo.

Sorry to nose in on a older conversation, but I just wanted to mention that I am applying for this fellowship right now (or I assume what is a sister fellowship- I'm applying for the AAMFT SAMHSA Minority Fellowship Program), and that I was advised not to wait to apply if I was to a doctoral program, but to apply while applying to doctoral programs (as in, I am literally taking a break from drafting an essay for this fellowship right now and, of course, came and search gradcafe to see if anyone else was doing the same). I also have a focus on trauma and resilience in underserved populations (specifically focused on LGBTQ+ and poverty, domestic violence/ipv/child maltreatment). Anyways, best of luck whenever you choose to apply!

I am so glad to hear this. I was going to go look at pant suits this weekend, but we got hit with blizzard weather and everyplace was closed. My first interview is on Wednesday, so now I'm planning to just wear a blazer (that is definitely not a formal suit style blazer- too comfortable of a fit for that), some nicer dress pants I wear to see clients for the first time, and a comfortable solid color shirt under the blazer. I'm not very good at formal to begin with, so the idea of choosing and wearing a suit was stressing me out (I wasn't all that sad about the stores being closed, as a result). My main concession to being business formal is normally making sure my tattoos are covered, to be honest.

I don't think it would be a huge issue, as long as you can show that you have been involved in sociological type pursuits. However (as far as other advice), I am curious if you have looked at the Human Ecology field (as it already merges the human social science with the aspect of human ecological economics, that your current academic background would be a bonus for)? For a quick brief, Cornell University states: "Human Ecology exists to identify and address contemporary human issues from a variety of perspectives. We believe that the challenges facing individuals and societies today are generally too complicated to be understood from a single perspective, but that they require a consideration of a psychological, sociological, economic, design, and scientific approach."

For the “Tell me about yourself” elevator talk I've been planning to, as others say, do a basic CV recap- but include what about me personally as an individual geared me towards those CV milestones. Example: I finished undergrad in 2 years and 3 months... because I was a nontraditional student and knew exactly what I wanted to do so was very motivated to get through undergrad to get to grad school. I pitched and worked with administration to create such and such program at my internship, because I'm part of that minority group and realized that resources for that minority group were extremely lacking in the local area. Etc... I'm focused on my professional/academic highlights, but discussing them in a way that also explains or at least alludes to who I am as a person.

Unfortunately, I think this may just be something that some schools systems are set up to do for all applicants. I've had some of these, including one that was a week after I finished the application and before the application deadline was met (so before it was likely to have been reviewed). I might be wrong, though.

I upvoted it for you ?

Not with Penn State- but I had something similar happen the first time I applied to PhD programs. I contacted the school and it turned out they were switching their system over to a new one and my application had gotten left in the old system. They fixed it without any problem, so like amazingbutternutsquash said- just contact the school.

I got rejected or waitlisted for all the PhD programs I applied to two years ago. I went into a masters program instead and applied again this year- and I've gotten 5 interviews out of applying to 8 schools so far. I used my same GRE scores (162/165/4.5), since it had been less than 5 years. I honestly wouldn't take the GRE again unless you think your scores are a big reason for not getting offers (I didn't have any research experiences, so I knew that was what I needed to fill in). When I decided to do a master program I got a lot of conflicting info on if that was a good idea, but for me doing one was a really good decision. It let me really narrow down what my research interests and populations of focus are and become a lot more knowledgeable about them (and get extra credentials towards those). When I did applications this year it was a lot easier to demonstrate that I really was a good fit with the programs I chose to apply to or a POI in the program and why- and my research, credentials, clinical internship, and etc all backed up what I was saying. I basically used that first year of applying as a learning experiences for how to apply and what I needed to be a competitive applicant. Further, I actually ended up applying for different kinds of programs than I did the first time around (when I just did clinical psychology all the way through) because I realized that while my research interests and populations could fit in with clinical psychology just fine, there were other programs that they fit much better with what I want to do with my career.

Thank you! UNL is one of the top three, of the programs I applied to, for the best fits for me when it comes to POIs and research- I am really excited about this interview!

The money thing is honestly killing me. Very much woohoo for interviews, but money is an issue and flying is too expensive. I've worked out that I'm driving between 3.5 and 6 hours to three of mine, doing a video interview for one, and taking a train to and bus back from the one that's the farthest away. On top, almost every interview is meaning I'm missing one or more classes this semester &/or work. I'm in a MFT master program and I really don't want to stay into the summer to finish up clinical hours (or thesis). Only one person in the cohort before mine didn't stay through the summer to finish clinical hours, and only I and one other person in my cohort is on track to be graduated by May (instead of August)- so that's a very "in the front of my mind" stress. THEN I'm also a parent and all of these interviews are on school days and most are going to be overnight trips. Working out the kids being taken care of and getting to/home from school has been stressful. *I is stressed* is basically my life this semester! *Deep Breath* Just been trying to remember to "trust the process" and trust it will all work itself out.