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So happy to see this thread! 
I am a first-generation high school graduate and college student, and have been offered acceptance into two PhD programs. Unfortunately, I grew up in a home that did not support my educational pursuits, and I might end up being the only one of my siblings to be able to claim any of that. I actually had to move out at 13 because the environment was so toxic. Despite that, I graduated second highest ranking student in my high school class and summa cum laude from my undergraduate institution. 
The region I grew up in is extremely rural and not nearly as supportive of higher education as it should be. Many people start families too young  or start working in a manual labor sector (i.e. why my family never finished high school) instead of pursuing other opportunities. I'm hoping to return to rural regions after completing my degree to help change the perception of education and assist with bringing better services (educational, mental health, etc.) to the area. 

Hello everyone! I'm feeling a bit low tonight and thought I would reach out to the kind people of the Grad Cafe :)
Today, a fellow lab member mentioned I am "so quiet." She mentioned a few other things related to my quietness, but long story short, I found this really disheartening, as I am overcoming social anxiety, and the past few months (and the past couple of weeks especially) have personally felt really triumphant as I was so much more vocal in lab, class, and in social situations. I honestly thought I got over my social anxiety recently, and someone pointing out my quietness today really gutted me.
I'm sure my peeps who are likewise shy, socially anxious, or simply trait introverted, are tired of their quietness being pointed out to them. My questions for the crowd are:
(1) How do you respond when someone points out you are quiet? I never understood why people are comfortable pointing this out to someone. Someone's quietness may be characteristic or something they are trying to work on, and I do not know why people think it is helpful or worthwhile to point out someone's quietness to them.
(2) For my friends that are shy, how are you coping with this in academia, where there is pressure to present confidently, competently and consistently? I think I have the competence bit down, but its the confidence that I am working on. I'm in research because I love it, but secondary skills, like presenting, do not come naturally to me. I am working on it. I'd love to hear anyone else's thoughts, struggles, etc.
While there are a lot of people who are both strong researchers and have the gift of gab, I suspect academia also attracts a lot of us brainy people who haven't quite mastered communication, or are a bit eccentric, or whatever it may be :) I hope I'm not alone! Would love to hear from anyone who shares in the struggle, or kind folk in general with a sympathetic word. Thanks, all!

Here's a few I asked
-What question would you ask if you were me? What do you think is something that I should know about the program that hasn't already been said?
-Why did you personally chose to work at this university?
-What was the hardest part about adjusting to this area? (if it's out of state and they also came from a different state)
-What are some expectations you have for your graduate students that might differ from your colleagues?
-Who is your favorite faculty member to collaborate with? (if you're applying to more than one POI and the faculty has stated that they collaborate frequently)
-Are there any programs in place to help the transition into graduate school? (i.e. some mentioned assigning peer mentors or having plenty of new student services)

School: Idaho State University
Concentration: Clinical Psychology
Type: PhD
Date of acceptance: 02/27/19
Notified by: Email from DCT and email prompting me to check portal for status change
Had a mentor question my ability to get into a clinical program. This is validating to the core!

Here's a few I asked
-What question would you ask if you were me? What do you think is something that I should know about the program that hasn't already been said?
-Why did you personally chose to work at this university?
-What was the hardest part about adjusting to this area? (if it's out of state and they also came from a different state)
-What are some expectations you have for your graduate students that might differ from your colleagues?
-Who is your favorite faculty member to collaborate with? (if you're applying to more than one POI and the faculty has stated that they collaborate frequently)
-Are there any programs in place to help the transition into graduate school? (i.e. some mentioned assigning peer mentors or having plenty of new student services)

I've applied to six PhD programs in School Psychology or Clinical Psychology. I received 4 interviews and 1 acceptance so far. 
During my interviews, I have had people mention scholarships I might be eligible for or mention receiving a fellowship. However, some have mentioned that it is something I would need to apply for separately where previously I was under the impression that my POI would put me forward for something like that. 
I'm a first-generation PhD applicant, college-graduate (May 2018), and high school graduate so I might be eligible for a few things, but that also means I do not have the resources others do for this kind of information. I have no financial support from my family and haven't for years, so I want to maximum my funding sources as much as possible. 
I've tried googling a few things, but so far haven't been able to find much that would be relevant to my current situation.
 
Thanks!

Same! I already knew with not having heard anything as well.  I got my first acceptance (TAMU) yesterday too though! So balanced it out. Hopefully, you'll hear more positive responses soon!

Same! I already knew with not having heard anything as well.  I got my first acceptance (TAMU) yesterday too though! So balanced it out. Hopefully, you'll hear more positive responses soon!

Same! I already knew with not having heard anything as well.  I got my first acceptance (TAMU) yesterday too though! So balanced it out. Hopefully, you'll hear more positive responses soon!

Same! I already knew with not having heard anything as well.  I got my first acceptance (TAMU) yesterday too though! So balanced it out. Hopefully, you'll hear more positive responses soon!

Thank you! I did apply to the Curry program. I'm looking at C.B. and M.L. 

I also applied to University of Virginia! Looking through the interview results from the previous years, it looks like they don't send out invites until mid-January or so. I have received invites from University of South Carolina (12/10) and Texas A&M University (12/17). I also applied to Louisiana State University, North Carolina State University, and University of Texas at Austin - nothing from them yet though I have see that LSU sent out some invites already.  

@sgaw10 Glad to see another first generation student! I am first generation everything (high school graduate, college graduate, Ph.D. applicant). I so relate to the imposter syndrome! I finished my undergrad in 3 years and now I'm applying to Ph.D. programs with only a B.S. It's good to acknowledge the accomplishments we have made so far. It's no little thing to be a first generation student, especially if your background is anything like mine (i.e. little support, financially or otherwise). It says a lot about your determination and motivation. Don't forget the benefit of your experiences as a first generation student. Good luck! 

Hi everyone! I decided to create a thread for the peeps applying for school psychology programs for Fall 2019! What schools are you applying to? Are you going for an EdS or PhD program? How did you pick your programs? In general, how is the whole process going for you all? I hope I can get people to add on to this because it would be nice to have people to relate to haha.
I am personally applying for PhD programs. My finalized list (so far) includes: Northern Arizona University, University of Memphis, University of Washington, and University of Virginia.
I am excited to hear about everyone else!