SocialPsych2018

What are good questions to ask faculty who are interviewing you but are not the mentor you applied to work with? 

I'm a PhD student and have interviewed applicants to our program the past few years. Here are the specific things that come to mind from interviewing people:
Try to remain calm and use coping skills to control your anxiety. Nerves are expected, but if you're literally shaking with fear, it raises doubts on how you're going to be able to handle stressful clinical interactions in grad school.  Have an idea for a research project (e.g., research questions, population, etc.). But be careful about proposing something super expensive that isn't feasible (e.g., fMRI research if your PI doesn't have access to that).  Don't advertise (even to grad students!) that you already got in somewhere and think you'll choose that school because you love it. It's rude.  Don't steal your host's research idea and then propose it as your own to the PI during the interview (yep, one of the applicants I hosted did this...and my PI saw through it quickly).  So basically - if you remain relatively calm, have a feasible research idea, and don't do anything blatantly rude/unethical, you should be good!  

I just left a nice, hand-written thank you note. I think it went over well. 

Anyone else just kind of...politely waiting/politely twiddling thumbs  ...for any kind of response from some schools?  Hehe.

Hi, everyone! 
I recently got an interview invite from one of my top choices (YAY!) In the interview invite, there was mention of a pre-interview social and a post-interview happy hour. This made me NERVOUS, as I really don't know what to expect. 
Could anyone who has ben through this process before give a little insight? Any tips? I am someone who feels better going into things knowing at least a bit of what to expect, so this would be most appreciated. Thanks so much everyone!

This is a really stressful time. Be kind to yourself and do something nice for yourself just because. This is my third application cycle, and I can say that I have watched so many amazing, qualified, wonderful candidates get rejected, and some candidates with a seriously unique/ atypical background get accepted. It is such a gamble that is often sprinkled with some combo of knowing the "right people", luck, hard work, being the right applicant at the right time, funding, and a million other variables that we aren't even aware of. You were probably confident because you are qualified. But being qualified doesn't always equal getting the spot. It is not about you and your self-worth, even though it is easy AF to feel that way. Look how many people are on here freaking out. And that's just the people who are on here and posting. Think about the thousands of applicants who are in your shoes. This does NOT define you. YOU define YOU. Keep your head up, keep busy, and keep going. Rejection is NOT the worst thing in the world, and sometimes, in a crazy way, it helps put you on the right path. 

i feel like schools this year have been sending out their results later than any other years - or is it just me. 
I already have given up on around 5 schools and i applied to 10. 
I am so stressed - more than writing up my app.

Ugh. Their waiting game is too strong ?  

Hi! None of my following points are definite facts or professional advice, just my two cents (more like 6 cents).
1. Congrats on your successful undergrad performance. I think that if you cogently illustrate your time-efficient journey, it can vouch for your certain strengths.
2. GPA/GRE scores will mostly only help you to pass the very first bar (e.g., GPA>3.0 / each GRE section>65th %) of the admissions process (i.e., your application won't be immediately dropped) and adcom/faculties won't look at those scores again once you pass that first bar. Also, GPAs are evaluated regarding the competitiveness of originating schools (e.g., 3.5 from Harvard =/= 3.5 from X Community College).
3. Relevant research experience and substantial byproducts (e.g, specific statistics/clinical/programming skills, presentations/publications, grant approval, leadership roles, etc) are definitely the core factors that will help you pass further bars during the admissions process. Some people accrue enough research experience during their undergraduate, however, most people find it practically hard to gain a competitive research profile (not just a few lines under your CV's "research experience" section but YOUR competitive research profile) while committing as a full-time college student. That is why most people do Master's and/or post-bacc research training in labs/hospitals/etc with matching research/career focus. I also want to add that many of those who do Master's and/or post-bacc before applying to PhD are also the ones who actively worked as student RAs during undergrad, wrote senior theses, and were well-exposed to presentation/publication efforts during their undergrad. And that they (we) do Master's and/or post-bacc years to further advance and well-compete for the narrow PhD opportunities, not because they (we) lack certain qualities or were lazy during undergraduate. It is just that competitive and limited.
4. Strong recommendation letters are other important factors that will help you move forward during the admissions process. I believe that the strong letter not only speak for your research/academic achievements, but also your overall attitude/passion/work ethics/growth/and more which are all important characteristics regarded by grad schools to determine if you are a good fit for rigorous graduate curriculum (e.g., competitions, stress, mentor-student attitude, independence, etc). And for someone to strongly voice for your such characteristics, you need to maintain more professional relationship with the letter writer than a regular undergrad-professor one (e.g., Master's advisor, lab supervisor, etc). Of course, PhD applicants bring at least one strong letter from their undergrad, however, you need to submit THREE strong letters and you don't want these three to all sound the same. This is easily another reason why people often continue their research training after bachelor's.
5. I sincerely don't mean to be rude to you in this 5th point. But it seems like you don't fully understand why the replies on this thread (and everywhere else on the internet) emphasizes "research experience" for Psychology PhD application. Just as one can't ask, "How many coffee dates qualify me to kiss my date without asking her or considering the overall chemistry, etc?", I think it just out of touch to ask how many pubs/presentations you should have to qualify for a psych PhD.
6. Talk to your faculties about this stuff! It sounds like you have a few professors from college who are happy to chat about your plan for advanced education in psychology (and write your letters, I am assuming?).
I didn't mean to write so much initially but oh well. Wish you the best in your academic/professional career!

Sorry, but literally no one in a PhD program will care at all what you got on your SAT. It doesn’t come up, and if you bring it up, it would probably just come off as bragging. My personal feelings here are that you seem to lack the maturity right now for a PhD program. I believe you would come across as overconfident and perhaps even a little arrogant at interviews, and that would be a kiss of death. I’m a mom, so I am a bit blunt. I think you need more time to mature and get that research experience. Yes, the GRE scores are great, but that doesn’t guarantee acceptances. I see plenty of people with your stats get rejected. 
I mean people on here are giving you advice and you’re replying like a child with “exactly how much of this and how much of that do I need?” Even after it’s been explained there is no magic formula. I also suggest you get a post bacc or master’s before applying. I think schools will look at your current profile and wonder why you don’t have more research and research output. Your application fees would likely be more of a donation, especially at top schools. Most people applying to those schools have your stats AND much more research and pubs. The brutal reality is, currently you would not stand out to them with your current credentials. I say wait a year or two and get that experience. I also think programs will be reluctant to go with someone so young. Unfair perhaps, but a reality. I get it too with me being older. Good luck!

It depends by program but all applicants for clinical psych will be in suits. Other disciplines are maybe more laidback. 

omg! that would completely throw me off balance lol. I've been so on edge since January and 2020 began... trying to grapple with the unknown is far harder than i imagined with this whole grad application process x_x

From what I have seen online, it seemed like the expected attire was more business casual and not full suits but I could be mistaken. This website ( http://www.howtogetintograduateschool.com/what-to-wear-to-a-graduate-school-interview/ ) for example says not to over dress

Honestly, none of us can tell you that. It's not a quantitative process. You can be an amazing applicant and still not get in. 

Has anyone heard back from UNC-Chapel Hill, University of Virginia or University of Wisconsin Madison? Have any of these schools made their final interview invites? Thanks!

I'll include some broad/common ones here, as i don't want to give away everyone's specific questions. Anyone can DM me for more questions, though
 
Why do you want to go to (school)? Why do you want to work with me? Why do you want to go to grad school (in general?) What are your research interests, broadly? What topics interest you? What are you looking for in a lab/mentor? What type of mentoring style do you like? Tell me about some research you've conducted. (Be prepared to talk about everything from why the study came into existence, to methods, analyses, what came out of it [e.g., a publication, presentation, it's in progress, etc.]) What research projects would you be interested in doing / what are your research/study ideas? What do you want to do after completing your PhD? (e.g., become a prof, go into clinical, industry, whatever) Do you have any questions for me? (make sure you have questions prepared!)

I usually read 2-3 papers, 3-5 abstracts, like 10 article titles, and prepare answers to questions I anticipate being asked.

I am a program director of a clinical psychology program.
These things happen.  I think the parsimonious response is that the POI is not checking his/her email as frequently during break as they typically do and that is why you have not heard.  My guess is they will be understanding.  If not, honestly, is that a program you want to be at. 
My mother died December 1st of my first year of graduate school.  My program was awesome, letting me go back immediately to make it before she passed, allowing me the option to postpone my finals, etc.  Life happens, and you want to be at a program that gets that.
TL/DR: It will likely be fine, and if it is truly an emergency and they aren't receptive that is not a program I would want to be at.

Just got an unofficial Skype interview invite from Stanford! Damn, didn't expect there to still be schools screening applicants.

Hello! So, I am a little confused about appropriate interview outfits- some sources mention a conservative, formal attire whereas others say that people don't really care as long as it's not too flashy. One website even said that wearing sneakers was okay. In short, on the spectrum of jeans, blouse, (possibly a blazer)and ballet flats to a full of pant suit with medium heeled pumps, what dress code is appropriate for clinical or counseling psychology interviews? Thank you! 

I'll include some broad/common ones here, as i don't want to give away everyone's specific questions. Anyone can DM me for more questions, though
 
Why do you want to go to (school)? Why do you want to work with me? Why do you want to go to grad school (in general?) What are your research interests, broadly? What topics interest you? What are you looking for in a lab/mentor? What type of mentoring style do you like? Tell me about some research you've conducted. (Be prepared to talk about everything from why the study came into existence, to methods, analyses, what came out of it [e.g., a publication, presentation, it's in progress, etc.]) What research projects would you be interested in doing / what are your research/study ideas? What do you want to do after completing your PhD? (e.g., become a prof, go into clinical, industry, whatever) Do you have any questions for me? (make sure you have questions prepared!)

Congrats to you!!!
 
School: NYU
Type: PhD
Date of invite: last Friday
Type of invite: Email from PI
Interview date(s): Two options provided for in-person interview

Just got a call from the same area code as my top school... it was a robo telemarketer. Pure evil. Do POIs even call anymore?

I'll include some broad/common ones here, as i don't want to give away everyone's specific questions. Anyone can DM me for more questions, though
 
Why do you want to go to (school)? Why do you want to work with me? Why do you want to go to grad school (in general?) What are your research interests, broadly? What topics interest you? What are you looking for in a lab/mentor? What type of mentoring style do you like? Tell me about some research you've conducted. (Be prepared to talk about everything from why the study came into existence, to methods, analyses, what came out of it [e.g., a publication, presentation, it's in progress, etc.]) What research projects would you be interested in doing / what are your research/study ideas? What do you want to do after completing your PhD? (e.g., become a prof, go into clinical, industry, whatever) Do you have any questions for me? (make sure you have questions prepared!)

For those applying to Michigan - they don't do formal interviews. They accept you I think and then invite you for the visitng day. Or that was what it was in previous years. (POIs may do of course unofficial interviews).