SoundofSilence

Oh I see, thanks for sharing. Well it doesn't sound too uncommon. Plenty of programs have clinical or ethical vignettes as part of their interviews. I've never had research scenarios for Canadian programs, but I've had them in the past for grad school in other countries. Seems like an interesting program. Best of luck! ?

I didn't apply at UPEI but would you be willing to share why the process seem unconventional? This is an outside perspective, but maybe looking more into clinical cases, ethical issues, interpersonal situations might be good preparation for a primarily clinical program?

I totally agree. There are so many other factors besides the usual CV things required. Exposure to things like advocacy and volunteer work could definitely help, but also some networking can as well. So many factors involved, many difficult to quantify, as much as we would want some clear answers.

Sorry you haven't heard good news yet this application season. I don't think comparing CVs is going to help. From my perspective, you have an amazing CV - great GPA, a master's, publications and scholarships, tons of research experience. What it comes down to often is things beyond the CV. I mean once you reach the level you are at, other things make a difference. First I do have to say that things have been getting crazy competitive this past few years. I personally know of plenty of cohorts where 80/90% of the incoming class have a master's degree already. I know of one crazy situation where an applicant had a previous PhD degree already. This is insane. However, I also know plenty of faculty members who take students recommended by close colleagues or from their own labs, with just an undergrad degree. Which then boils down to being the right person at the right time, so more a matter of luck. Other times they look for unique skills or experiences to push their research into a different area in the future. So even if it looks like you have overlapping research interests, they might be looking for something else entirely. It's very difficult to say what makes a person more or less compatible for a POI, but there are so many qualified applicants on here, that I doubt it's just a matter of CV.

Congratulations!! ?

Well you have a better chance than just being outright rejected. If they didn't think you had what it takes for their program, you wouldn't be on the waitlist. I realize this is probably of little comfort now.. However, the chances of getting of the waitlist depend on a number of factors - how many students can your POI take, how competitive the program is, and what is the procedure the department follows once a student rejects an offer. In the past, I got into a master's off a waitlist, so I know it can happen. Usually programs that keep waitlist do so because in previous cycles their first ranked applicants declined. You might be able to see from program stats how many people got in from the waitlist in previous years. Hope you hear some good news!?

Woohoo! Congratulations! ?

Those are very good tips, thank you! I was thinking of something along those lines - of having a practicum there to see how the site is like and if it can be a match for my goals. That way I can also connect with some supervisors as well. Thanks!

Thank you! It does make sense. I am considering staying somewhat in the area for my internship, but there are only 3 or so sites available and they are very competitive. So I was trying to get a sense whether they use research productivity to short list some of the applicants. I realize that most people move for their internship, but I've moved so much (including several countries) that it might be better for my family's mental health to stay somewhat local if at all possible. So my main take away points is have enough hours (with good diversity in practicums), be ready/close to ready with the dissertation and have a good reasoning why that particular site and how it furthers your clinical training. What else should I keep in mind to be competitive?

I have a couple of questions for students currently (or recently) going through the internship application process. How much research productivity is needed to be competitive for the match? Please let me know if you are a US or Canadian based, since things seem to be a little different. I am particularly interested in the Canadian experience (but all perspectives are welcome) - mostly because there seem to be fewer options for Canadian applicants. Do programs expect a lot of publications and posters? Or do they expect your research to be easily "translatable" to the clinical work on their site? What would you advise someone just starting out in a program, regarding this aspect?

I agree, it gets kind of annoying. It appears to be an automated feature - as in you get an email periodically until they make a final decision on your application. It's kind of the same if you ask most grad admins, where they can't really tell you anything until the department has a decision for your application, even if other people already are interviewing. We do need to provide feedback to programs and push them in the direction of more transparency, because this is getting ridiculous.

The advice you received above is very good. The short answer is that it won't be easy to get into a Psych PhD program - you will probably need some undergrad psych courses and possibly some psych-relevant research experience. Depending on what you want to do with the degree, you have to seriously consider if it would be worth the time and resource investment or not. Seriously consider avoiding for-profit programs, even if you can afford them. Grad psychology is not like other fields - the highly sought after institutions you mention might not give you the training you need. PI/lab fit is much more important, and that might be at a less "known" school. Have you seen this guide: https://mitch.web.unc.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/4922/2017/02/MitchGradSchoolAdvice.pdf - it might help you get a little oriented so that we can help you with more specific things. One other thing - if you want to combine your law experience with psych, that might give you quite a unique and attractive skillset. Look at programs that do combined JD/PhD degrees - since they are probably more familiar with your previous training and experience, and might have faculty that more closely match your interests, such as the Drexel University JD/PhD program in Law and Clinical Psychology or the Stanford JD/PhD — Law and Psychology.

Sorry to hear that Canadian programs are a bit different, but we also have to pay tuition from our stipend at most programs - I know it's waived at most decent US ones. The tuition here is a tad smaller, but it increases each year, as do the extra school fees. That's why the RA/TA work can add to that; it also might be because some programs have grad students in a union. You think that would get us something, but not much - I've heard they've been trying to raise the funding cap unsuccessfully for quite some time, while our living costs (especially rent) is going up at a scary rate. I cannot imagine also supporting children on this, even with a working spouse.

Oh and another thing that I heard from a grad student recently - there are some government roles with more flexible responsibilities that like hiring students and can work with you, particularly after the first year or so (where you have a ton of classes), to find a good schedule. This can also help clarify the issue of staying in academia or not after graduation - you can see how you work in a gov environment and also can build up your network. These positions seem a better match for students in purely research programs, I think for clinical it might be more tricky.

This is definitely a concern for most of us. However, there are some things you can try if you don't have the opportunity to have some support from a spouse or family - in Canada you can apply even after you get into the program to funding, and that might increase your stipend. Some programs have a "bonus" where if you get a lot of funding, they might add a percentage to top it off. Also working as an RA or TA can supplement your income. This is still a Canada thing, but some grocery stores have a discount day for students - it really ads up. I'm also a big couponer For emergencies, programs have bursaries or may be able to help you in some other ways. The unfortunate reality is that many grad students use loans or credit cards to cover some costs during the program. I wouldn't advise using a credit card, but a loan with good terms might also be an option. If you are a native English speaker, there are platforms out there that link you with kids learning English and you could earn some money and make your own schedule. That might be a better way to increase your income without committing to a part-time job or adding the stress of a commute.

Hello everyone After consulting with several other members (and derailing other topics ?), I would like to propose the creation of an ongoing thread about the trials and tribulations of psychology graduate students. So maybe we can make this a place where current or incoming grad students can talk about what's concerning them, what things they are enjoying in their grad journey, ask/offer advice to others, etc. I would like to propose we also touch upon things that come after graduation and the future of the field in general. So what do you think? What are some day-to-day grad student life things you'd like to talk about with folks currently in a program?

UNB update - I received an email from POI that the committee met and sent out a round of offers. Mine is a no. That's ok Hopefully some good news is headed towards some folks on here

Hey that's great to know, I'm really glad this is happening in your program. In the programs that I am familiar with, in US and Canada, things seem a little bit different. Not sure because it's clinical or maybe I have interacted more with older/more conservative programs. In any case, it sounds like a great experience, hope you enjoy your journey!

Like everything in life, I believe the reality is more nuanced and you're probably both right in some ways. I am going to speak to this from my own experience, having started my grad school career really young, then life got in the way, then re-starting as an older student. To get into a highly competitive program right out of undergrad I was similar to you @I/OWA - I worked hard to accumulate a lot of experience in a short amount of time and also had two bachelor's. I was a first gen student and lived through poverty, so I was exposed to some of life's burdens. I did well in my graduate studies, but now looking back, I can see exactly what @Psyche007 is talking about - it was not easy, I was naïve in many ways and still too young to understand many of the nuances. Since it was clinical psychology, this was even more relevant. I had the research methods knowledge and excellent grades yes, but I lacked many other things. Now going into things at a much older age, I see how I have changed and accumulated a different set of abilities. Skills that will come in handy when it comes to both clinical work but also navigating academia. I do know very young grad students who go through it with flying colors. We have so many bright applicants that it's very likely that the incoming cohorts are really bright and frequently over-achieve. But I still see them insecure with how to deal with internal politics, how to advocate for themselves and how often they are afraid to set the boundaries needed to have a good work/life balance. They also don't know how life is like beyond grad school. Many faculty members take full advantage of these things for their own self-serving purposes and it really angers me. I realize it's only my perspective and my experience; but for me what @Psyche007said was totally true. I might have fought him a decade ago on this, but not anymore. And it's not just clinical - if you want to take your I/O knowledge to the business world after you graduate, you'll still have to accumulate the business experience, even if your research capabilities are flawless. Sometimes you just need to go through certain experiences so that it all comes together. Tangential off-topic: @Psyche007seeing your post reminded me that it would be great to have a current grad student thread - irrespective of our ages, many of us could also use a support system for going through the highs and lows of the PhD. Are you still on board to starting that?

I'm going to fully echo this. I did a research master's to improve my application, but I kept in mind two things: 1) I really liked the degree and the material was really informative and interesting for me and 2) the lab publishes a lot and was supportive from the start of me applying to doctoral level programs after (in research or clinical). Some thesis based degrees get funding more easily as well, but you also have to take into account the cost, and also that you're going to hit the ground running and do a lot of work during your application season, unless you opt to only apply after you graduate. However, it can be a possibility.

OP - can you recreate this poll with a more detailed breakdown of ages?

I think a lot of people don't realize how many older/ non-traditional students are out there. But we are out there And the way things are going with so much competition, we might be starting to see older and older grad students.

Congrats! that is awesome!

Thanks for sharing and congrats on the interview! Wow, I still can't wrap my head around these crazy numbers.

I've seen other people waiting on results. My guess is I didn't meet one of their requirements so filtered me right away (or some other similar reason).