justacigar

To the universities who accept unofficial GRE score reports and transcripts - YOU DA REAL MVP! Thanks for saving me around 100 bucks. Love you.

@psycstudent2018 Wow, some schools have deadlines already? All of my apps are due December 1st! Were there preliminary phone interviews?

LOL! GradCafe is not necessarily a reputable source, thats for sure. And it can cause a ton of self-doubt. Take breaks from this site as the application cycle continues on - I was mildly obsessed with checking GC every day last cycle and it was not great for my mental health! Best of luck. Just remember there is not a definitive right or wrong, do what feels best for you

Sorry I couldn't be more helpful! I'm sure they require official if accepted. You're right, better safe than sorry!! I send out my GRE scores and transcripts and still feel like something is going to go wrong ?

I've noticed some professors will explicitly ask you to email them if interested in their lab, usually on their lab website or faculty bio. There really isn't a right or wrong answer, and it could vary quite a bit depending on the program and the professor. Some faculty have a strict no communication policy with prospective students, some want to connect before apps are due. I'd say go with your gut. Unless the PI obviously requests an email, you'll probably be okay. It's also quite a bit late in the process and I've heard that emailing late can be a bad sign ?‍♀️

SUNY Stony Brook I'm assuming? I have it listed as unofficial but I remember it being difficult to find that information. Not sure where I saw that ?

For sure, no doubt about that. It is exhausting every year, so it's strange that the threads are much, much less active than last year around this time

The quietness of Grad Cafe is throwing me off - I remember last year the threads were poppin'. I'm sure once applications are submitted the threads will pick up!

Wholeheartedly agree! Overwhelmed is an understatement. Honestly, the repetition of inputting the same information into applications over and over again is the most annoying part for me right now. SOP review is exciting! I hope you get some useful feedback.

The low word counts are killer! Two of my programs are 500 words. WTF? So short! Thanks for the offer, I will definitely keep that in mind as mine come together!

I believe some schools give you the option to report multiple sets of scores, but I'm not sure - you might want to double check. I personally think the jump in your Verbal and Quant is impressive, and schools would be happy to see that! I do think on some of my applications, they mention you can mix and match as long as you send in both score reports (but that is also expensive)

I have some experience administering cognitive assessments from my undergrad lab position, but I don't think I would use space to discuss that specifically. I agree with putting that in your CV rather than SOP. Maybe talk about what using assessments taught you and how it is informing your lab choice/research directions, or how interacting with participants influenced you

Thanks everyone!! My mini freak-out is over and I'm back to feeling motivated and ready! Best of luck to you all.

Totally agree. I think my mistake has actually been asking too many people to look and help ? which is maybe even worse than not enough! I've gotten some feedback that is was overall really strong, some that suggested lots of edits, but this is the first person to totally rip it apart lol Definitely feels like the edits are never-ending! And I'm sure even once we submit the SOP we'll still think of things to change.

@citrus17 Yay! Glad it's working for you so far. Best of luck to you as well!

Hi everyone! Not really here for advice or with a specific question, i'm just reallllyy feeling the stress of writing SOP's and need to vent/find some camaraderie with other folks prepping for applications. I was feeling somewhat confident about my statement until I received some feedback from a current mentor, who basically ripped it apart lol. Her comments make sense, and I definitely trust her opinions and am working to incorporate her overall ideas. BUT I'm starting to feel burnt out and tired from this whole process. At the end of the day, we have to write what resonates with us, but every time I re-read my statement it looks more and more elementary. I'm ready to just submit and be done with it! Anyone else in the same boat?

For most universities, GRE/GPA will get you through the door. With those GRE scores, even for master's programs, your application might not even make it through the first round for the committee to read what your references have to say. Is it possible for you to retake the GRE? Do you know what the cutoff scores are for those programs?

I was just thinking this thread needed to be revived! I am still going back and forth between clinical and developmental programs and am having a tough time choosing. I'm drawn mostly to developmental psychopathology programs and schools that have both a clinical and developmental program for collaboration between disciplines. I'm leaning towards applying to mostly clinical with developmental psychopathology focus, and maybe a few developmental programs. Its so hard to narrow it down! How are you doing? How is the process going?

I'm going to go against the grain and say yes, send a follow-up email. I sent follow-up emails to the four faculty members I had not heard from and each one of them responded to my follow up. Profs have insane email inboxes and it is highly likely they did not see your original email, or saw it and forgot to get back to you. If they don't respond to the follow up, that is when I would stop trying. I just sent something along the lines of: Dear Prof, I am following up regarding an email I sent about a month ago. I realize your schedule is likely quite busy, but would greatly appreciate any information you can provide in relation to my questions below. I am highly interested in your lab and hope to determine if our interests are as aligned as I hope. OR I'm highly interested in your lab and hope to apply if you are planning on reviewing applications. Sincerely, justacigar

Just FYI, as far as I know UCI is not a clinical psychology program - not sure if that's what you were hoping for

Yeah, I'm assuming her lab will be fairly sparse but maybe that will be better! I could definitely anxiety being raised when you are new faculty for sure. Thanks for the feedback!

Thank you, that is very helpful! The other positive at this school is that there are plenty of other faculty with similar interests who I could consult with (hopefully).

Hi all! I've found a professor at a respected university, and her work is insanely well-aligned with what I hope to pursue. Her bio/research description is basically what I would write if asked. However, she will just be starting at this university this coming Fall (2019), so she is quite literally brand new. I would really appreciate some pros and cons of this, if y'all have any insights. Thanks!

Yikes, that sounds terrible! I'm sorry that happened to you. I understand the need for the profs to go where they need to/want to be, but I can't believe they would accept you as a student and then leave. Is there any chance you could go to the school the advisor works at now (next year)? As far applying to the same schools, I am planning on applying to a few of the same schools as last year, hopefully with a better applicant "package" this time around. I think it shows persistence! Especially if you have improved in multiple areas. To me, that signals we've spent the year bettering ourselves professionally!

Nice, it seems like you have back-up options which is my favorite way to plan, lol. We have some similar school interests! I love GC because it helps me realize I'm not the only one who is freaking out!