PsyDuck90

I think that sounds like a good plan. Most faculty will want research assistants to have taken a research methods course at minimum. The research lab's website may have an application process that they explain for those interested in joining the lab. When you do reach out, make sure you have looked at the research the faculty member has put out and familiarize yourself with the current projects listed on the website. It's always good to show you've done your due diligence. I don't think you necessarily need a formal postbacc or anything. Really, just try to get some research posters and the undergrad psych pre-reqs. I literally cannot stress enough how much faculty care about research experience. That and a clearly written statement of purpose which explains your goals and POI fit are probably the biggest factors of your application.

Honestly, that sounds like the best plan if you don't want to ruffle feathers. Also, it is ok to ask questions (at least it should be). The way you form them is important. For instance, can you ask your advisor why these analyses in a way that's like "hey, I know we discussed doing X. I learned Y in my stats class, so I was just curious what makes X preferable over Y?" So it's more about understanding the process and decision making rather than about you attacking the professor's methodology. You're in grad school to learn how to do be an independent scientist, and 1 way to get to that point is understanding the thought process that goes into making certain methodological choices, so you asking questions is a means of getting that insight.

Is there faculty that have more closely aligned research interests? I'm curious why you're working with someone who's expertise isn't that well aligned with yours. Is there another faculty member you have in mind? Also, is your funding directly tied to working with this particular person? In my experience and those of others I know, it isn't that uncommon to work with multiple people in a department throughout your graduate training.

There is 1 free practice test from ETS you can take. There are also books from Kaplan, Princeton Review, and Barron which include practice tests. Most people recommend finding an undergrad intro to psych textbook and reading through that. The Psych GRE is basically just like a cumulative Psych 101 final. Psychology by Ciccarelli and White is what I use when I teach Psych 101. The 5th edition is the most current, but the pdf of the 4th edition can be found online for free. Or, if you have 1 lying around from undergrad, that'll definitely work too.

It's not ideal, but it looks like you can arrange an on-site visit once accepted so you can still gather that data before making a final decision. My suggestion would be to make sure you can speak to a few current students as well, and make sure at least 1 is a current student working with your PI.

I'm about midway through my program, so this change doesn't affect me directly. However, I really echo @PsychApplicant2 in that the general GRE is absolutely useless for clinical psychology programs (among others). Research has shown that it is only predictive of graduate school success for middle-class white males, so as scientists, I'm not sure why PIs are relying on such an invalid measure for student selection. The cost is prohibitive for many people are within a lower economic threshold (the test itself and the cost of sending scores alone are high, without factoring in prep materials) and it doesn't succesfully predict what it claims to predict. Hopefully this shift will help finally kick this stupid test to the curb once and for all.

I imagine the benefit would be the ability to practice law. What specifically are your career goals? An advanced degree is usually still a means to an end. So what is it you hope to do in terms of a day to day job?

Oh yeah, I don't know why the open access option slipped my mind. I immediately thought of the predatory "pay to play" type journals that don't really peer review lol.

I don't think any of the reputable psych journals charge for publishing, at least not to my knowledge. Even though you do not have an official mentor, is there any faculty member who are working with/is an unofficial mentor? If so, I would speak to them. Otherwise, look at the journals that most of your sources are from as a starting point for figuring out what journal may be a good fit to submit to.

The MSW is obtained by graduating the MSW. To get the clinical social work license, you need to do supervised clinical hours and I believe there may be another exam. When you say "psychological testing" what do you mean? The majority of psychological testing can only be done by a psychologist, which is a doctoral level licensure.

Good luck! Feel free to PM me if you have any other questions! I've lived and worked in the area for pretty much my whole life, except for several years away for school.

No car is going to be rough. The NJ transit bus system is fine if you're going to NYC but pretty limited for getting around in general. The Rutgers campus buses are better. I would seriously look into getting a car, even just for grocery shopping. NB is considered a food desert. The only real supermarket in downtown NB is Bravo down George Street, and then there's a Stop and Shop in Highland Park. There's lots of bodegas in NB, but they're more expensive than buying food in a Shoprite or somewhere. So it's a trade off, the places with easy access to fresh food are not easily accessible via public transportation.

You will probably get more bang for your buck in North Brunswick or other surrounding towns (with the exception of East Brunswick, which is pricier) but some New Brunswick complexes to check out are Raritan Crossing, Livingston Terrace, and Tov Manor. In North Brunswick, I would check out the North Village apartments and North Brunswick Crescent. In Highland Park I would look at the Park Apartments in that price range. Highland Park really has a lot of apartments for rent in houses. I am from this area and Highland Park is super cute but I've never actually known someone to live in the few traditional apartments around. They mostly find apartments within private houses. I would reach out to your department and see if they can connect you with any leads. I don't know how much COVID will help you. Undergrads either commute from home, live in dorms, or live in disgusting New Brunswick houses with 10+ people to a house. The grad students live in the area pretty permanently, and there are also just a ton of people who live and work in the area because it is a very central part of NJ (plus NJ is just over-crowded in general).

What's your budget? There are a range of prices, although the average, non-luxury 1 bedroom will be about $1200.

Some parts of Newark are nice, like the Ironbound section. South and West Orange are really nice, Orange is ok, and East Orange is about on par with Newark. Union and Hillside are good. Irvington is on par with Newark and East Orange. Montclair is really nice, but also really expensive. There's a lot towns within 30 minutes of Newark, so there's a lot to choose from. Also, I'm not sure if you or your partner have ever lived in NJ, but traffic can make something typically 30 minutes away turn into an hour plus commute. The Garden State Parkway exits for Newark and the Oranges get pretty backed up especially, so you can be waiting for 30 minutes just to take your exit during rush hour.