hopefulgrad2019

I had my first rejection of last cycle early in December (from Georgia) and it was very upsetting and I thought it was setting the tone for the rest of interview season. I’m now a first year at my 2nd choice so it all worked out! I guess I would just try to stay positive and I kept telling myself that the rejections were only making my path clearer. I ended up with two interviews to schools in my top 3 and I’m confident it worked out the way it was supposed to but that doesn’t mean I didn’t SOB when I got my first rejection. Hang in there!!! You got this. 

I had my first rejection of last cycle early in December (from Georgia) and it was very upsetting and I thought it was setting the tone for the rest of interview season. I’m now a first year at my 2nd choice so it all worked out! I guess I would just try to stay positive and I kept telling myself that the rejections were only making my path clearer. I ended up with two interviews to schools in my top 3 and I’m confident it worked out the way it was supposed to but that doesn’t mean I didn’t SOB when I got my first rejection. Hang in there!!! You got this. 

I had my first rejection of last cycle early in December (from Georgia) and it was very upsetting and I thought it was setting the tone for the rest of interview season. I’m now a first year at my 2nd choice so it all worked out! I guess I would just try to stay positive and I kept telling myself that the rejections were only making my path clearer. I ended up with two interviews to schools in my top 3 and I’m confident it worked out the way it was supposed to but that doesn’t mean I didn’t SOB when I got my first rejection. Hang in there!!! You got this. 

I had my first rejection of last cycle early in December (from Georgia) and it was very upsetting and I thought it was setting the tone for the rest of interview season. I’m now a first year at my 2nd choice so it all worked out! I guess I would just try to stay positive and I kept telling myself that the rejections were only making my path clearer. I ended up with two interviews to schools in my top 3 and I’m confident it worked out the way it was supposed to but that doesn’t mean I didn’t SOB when I got my first rejection. Hang in there!!! You got this. 

Worry if you don’t hear anything by the 2nd week of February 

Equally as likely, in my opinion. Prelim interviews are usually PI specific and some don’t do them at all where others always do. 

Having your manuscripts as “in-prep” on your CV is perfectly acceptable and encouraged. Most people don’t have publications when they’re applying. 
I would also consider expanding your list to closer to 10 schools to increase your odds. Also, Washington State doesn’t use neuroimaging if you’re interested in that for your training. 

I got a 159V/149Q/5.5 writing and was accepted to a R1 clinical psych PhD program for Fall 2019 if that helps! 
 
Editing to add that a lot of programs will overlook a weakness in one area if you make up for it in another. For example, I clearly had a terrible quant GRE score, and I also had a low undergrad GPA (3.13 cumulative), but I have great research and clinical experience, multiple first-author poster presentations, multiple manuscript collabs, and at the time of applying I had an encyclopedia chapter where I'm first authored in prep in my area of interest. I was convinced I wouldn't make it to the next stage of the process because of my GRE/GPA but I received multiple interviews to my top programs of choice. In short, don't let the numbers get you down!!!! 

I was accepted to a R1 school with 2 pubs in prep (I’m a first year now) and still neither of those in prep manuscripts are published. Schools just want to see that you have that ability but faculty understand how long it takes to get an actual manuscript published. 
Also, if you submitted any posters for conferences that weren’t accepted yet, you can add those to your CV too with the abstract citation then “poster submitted for presentation at the blah blah conference”. 

Yes. As others stated, some may require you to list up to 3 AND explain why they would be a good mentor for you/how their research interests align. I created an excel that outlined the specific requirements of each SOP. They ranged from 500 word limits to 1500 word limits so it’s nice to have it all in one place. Also, if you don’t mention the school by name and make it clear why THAT program over the others, you’re looking at an application in the trash. For example, my current PhD program has a diversity minor and a quantitative methods minor so I mentioned the diversity minor in mine and why that’s appealing to me, etc. It should be clear you did your research on the program. It’s tedious but necessary. 

I got a 159V/149Q/5.5 writing and was accepted to a R1 clinical psych PhD program for Fall 2019 if that helps! 
 
Editing to add that a lot of programs will overlook a weakness in one area if you make up for it in another. For example, I clearly had a terrible quant GRE score, and I also had a low undergrad GPA (3.13 cumulative), but I have great research and clinical experience, multiple first-author poster presentations, multiple manuscript collabs, and at the time of applying I had an encyclopedia chapter where I'm first authored in prep in my area of interest. I was convinced I wouldn't make it to the next stage of the process because of my GRE/GPA but I received multiple interviews to my top programs of choice. In short, don't let the numbers get you down!!!! 

Impressive! Sounds like it was a productive 2 years!
I finished with 160 V, 155 Q, and 5.5 AWA so I'm feeling okay about it   Thank you everyone for all of the replies and insight!

Impressive verbal and writing scores!
From what I gathered from this last cycle was that programs are putting less and less stock in GRE scores. I scored much lower than you on the quant (somewhere in the 30s for percentile) and lower on the verbal section as well and still managed to get interviews and acceptances. As others have suggested, if you can't get the score up to the 60s you still can get into programs, even your top choice.  I even saw programs interview me and others even though they said they had high cutoff scores. 
Just make sure the other parts of your application are really strong and you prep for the interviews which can make or break applicants. 
However, if you can focus on getting that score higher it will make your application cycle a lot easier and less stressful. 

These are similar to my scores and I got into a R1 clinical psych PhD program. If the rest of your CV is strong, one weakness is not going to make them throw out your entire application. Good luck! 

This gives me so much hope! I have similar research experience & research product numbers!

I got a 159V/149Q/5.5 writing and was accepted to a R1 clinical psych PhD program for Fall 2019 if that helps! 
 
Editing to add that a lot of programs will overlook a weakness in one area if you make up for it in another. For example, I clearly had a terrible quant GRE score, and I also had a low undergrad GPA (3.13 cumulative), but I have great research and clinical experience, multiple first-author poster presentations, multiple manuscript collabs, and at the time of applying I had an encyclopedia chapter where I'm first authored in prep in my area of interest. I was convinced I wouldn't make it to the next stage of the process because of my GRE/GPA but I received multiple interviews to my top programs of choice. In short, don't let the numbers get you down!!!! 

Congrats on that!!!
I will probably take you up on yoru DM offer. There are a couple faculty members there who I would really, really like to get to learn from. I'm still in the early stages, but suspect UNL will either be my top hope or very close to it.

I got a 159V/149Q/5.5 writing and was accepted to a R1 clinical psych PhD program for Fall 2019 if that helps! 
 
Editing to add that a lot of programs will overlook a weakness in one area if you make up for it in another. For example, I clearly had a terrible quant GRE score, and I also had a low undergrad GPA (3.13 cumulative), but I have great research and clinical experience, multiple first-author poster presentations, multiple manuscript collabs, and at the time of applying I had an encyclopedia chapter where I'm first authored in prep in my area of interest. I was convinced I wouldn't make it to the next stage of the process because of my GRE/GPA but I received multiple interviews to my top programs of choice. In short, don't let the numbers get you down!!!! 

My quant score was even lower than this persons (159 V, 5.5 writing) and a 3.2 undergrad GPA. I’ve been accepted to a R1 school for clinical psych PhD. Acting like it’s a number games is very wrong. “Stats” get you through the door but it’s your interviewing skills and general likability that actually gets you offers. 

If you check the results page 'thegradcafe.com/survey' you'd find that multiple persons have heard back and been waitlisted by Nebraska. Try emailing the departmental graduate studies co-ordinator if you're not sure.

I meant 70 research/30 clinical hah. Sorry, I misinterpreted your original comment in the opposite direction of what you meant!

Whatever you do, don't spam them like you're spamming us. (P.S. congrats!)

My quant score was even lower than this persons (159 V, 5.5 writing) and a 3.2 undergrad GPA. I’ve been accepted to a R1 school for clinical psych PhD. Acting like it’s a number games is very wrong. “Stats” get you through the door but it’s your interviewing skills and general likability that actually gets you offers. 

My quant score was even lower than this persons (159 V, 5.5 writing) and a 3.2 undergrad GPA. I’ve been accepted to a R1 school for clinical psych PhD. Acting like it’s a number games is very wrong. “Stats” get you through the door but it’s your interviewing skills and general likability that actually gets you offers. 

My quant score was even lower than this persons (159 V, 5.5 writing) and a 3.2 undergrad GPA. I’ve been accepted to a R1 school for clinical psych PhD. Acting like it’s a number games is very wrong. “Stats” get you through the door but it’s your interviewing skills and general likability that actually gets you offers.