Jayne

The psych gre is a joke. Every professor I have talked to told me it doesn't matter much at all and that most programs don't consider its content as very representative of your knowledge in psychology. I did poorly on it and got into more than one program. My general gre scores were pretty good though.

I would plan to take a gap year, but apply to a couple places just in case! It sounds like that professor is interested in working with you. If you think it's a program you would like, it can't hurt to apply. If you don't get in, take your gap year and apply again. Applying will also give you some practice for the next time if you don't get in

I took the test in August and began studying late May.

I also studied for the gre while working full time...it can be a lot. I used the Kaplan book to study, which I found helpful. I set aside entire days or several hours to devote to gre studying. What I think helped me the most was taking several full-length practice tests. I got diagnostic results from those and worked on the areas that needed improvement in between. From my first time taking to test to the second, I ended up bringing my scores from 60th to 80th percentile in verbal, 32nd to 41st percentile in quantitative, and 56th to 83rd percentile in writing! I've been accepted into one of my top programs and I'm beginning this fall

I think it depends on your credentials and the type of programs you're applying to. My first cycle I applied to 17 programs and got in no where, but they were all super competitive programs...had I included even 1 or 2 less competitive programs I might've gotten in. My second time I applied to 12, only about 7 of which I thought would be reasonable -- interviewed at 5, waitlisted at 3, accepted to 2. I could have saved some money and not applied to the more competitive programs but it would have killed me to not even try!

My brother and I were the first to go to college in our family. My dad dropped out of high school and got his GED years later and my mom barely graduated high school. I didn't realize how uncommon this was until I spoke with other students about it. My mom pushed me and my brother academically and wanted us to have more than she did. I will be the first in my family with a doctoral degree! I met a lot of applicants at interviews whose parents were doctors and lawyers or CEOs...I never realized I was an anomaly lol.

This!!!! I wanted to be able to compete with all these trust fund kids so I took unpaid internships, volunteer positions, any lab work I could find regardless of funding...and worked a part time job on the side. All of this did limit my job opportunities though. My parents didn't give me one cent. I have a ton of debt as a result of this (credit cards and student loans) but I got into a PhD program so I'm happy. I'm also in the field of psychology so there aren't many paid opportunities for students anyway.

I'll be working with Dr. Swencionis! What I liked about Ferkauf and his lab the most is that he encourages more autonomous research in his students as opposed to a lab where you are obligated to do research for the professor. The downside of that is it's a bit harder to get funding, but it's definitely still possible. I'm interested in developing a stronger framework for early identification of EDs, including risk factors and prodromal symptoms and hopefully starting a pilot program for prevention and/or early intervention. I described this to him, and he said that it is certainly achievable.

I did my master's at Fairleigh Dickinson metro campus and got in, but a lot of my classmates didn't. It's a good program but it's what you make of it -- I volunteered in 2 doctoral labs, was able to waive myself into several doctoral level courses, and made it a point to take advantage of all opportunities given to me. A lot of my classmates didn't do that and I'm assuming that's why they didn't get in. If at all possible try to go to a program that will license you at the end just in case you don't get into a PhD program. Before going to FDU I was strongly considering Lehigh's program because you are in the track to earn your LPC and they have a strong research emphasis.

I'm about to enter Yeshiva's PhD program and I do ED research! I applied to Reach schools - Temple, Drexel, Stony Brook, University of South Florida, Rutgers (PsyD) Reasonable schools to get in to - Fairleigh Dickinson, Yeshiva, Long Island University (Brooklyn), CUNY, La Salle (PsyD), Chestnut Hill (PsyD), Pace (PsyD) I got waitlisted at FDU, La Salle, and Chestnut Hill and accepted at Pace and Yeshiva. All are good programs to look into if you're interested in working with eating disorders! Also as far as experience goes you sound pretty competitive. I applied right out of undergrad with 2 years of research experience and some good clinical volunteer and internship experience and didn't get in. Now I have a masters in general psych from a research focused program with 2 poster presentations, 5 doctoral level courses with an A or A- grade, 2 years in a graduate research lab, and 2 more years of clinical experience and I got into 2 programs and interviewed at 5.

In any clinical PhD program you'll be able to have that outcome -- a research focused career. It sounds like you would like R1 schools though so your research training will be much more rigorous. But any program you get into can be whatever you make of it.

I am a MA student and applied for the PhD program at my school. I have a good relationship with several professors but the way their admissions process works, to make it less biased, the professors who know me can't review my application. I got waitlisted and ended up accepting an offer elsewhere. I'm not sure still how your program works though, but I imagine a lot of schools have a similar process.

I can't help with finances but I'll also be attending Yeshiva's PhD program in the fall!!!

I applied to clinical psych programs and was advised by several people not to mention my history with an eating disorder in my personal statements -- this was a big reason why I got into psychology in the first place. I did it anyway. I applied to 12 programs, interviewed at 5, waitlisted at 3, and admitted to 2 (one of which was my top choice!) So just be yourself. Be honest. Be you. I was and it turned out pretty well for me! No one knows everything about the process so don't be afraid to take risks sometimes.