clinicalpsychhopeful

I’m curious to know what the biggest stressors are for y’all once you’re actually moved into your new place. Making new friends? Finding new establishments (e.g. healthcare, entertainment, personal care/wellness spots, food/grocery, etc.)? Being away from family? Something else? Obviously the moving process itself is stressful, but post-move days aren’t a walk in the park either. 

I think setting up a life is difficult, tbh. I've lived in a few places, and the hassle of closing banks, driver's license, changing mail address, getting the right documents at the right locations sometimes come to bite. Also, losing friends is a big deal. It's hard to have many and even harder to keep them. You may say that true friends never leave, and indeed they don't, but being out of touch with what's going on can really suck. 

I'm lazy by nature, so for me the hardest part about moving is making the effort to make new friends.

Personally, I get excited exploring a new area, and I've moved enough in my life to not really feel homesick. The hardest part of moving for me this last time (I know this is silly) was finding new restaurants. I'd lived in my previous area for over a decade and had many an amazing meal at Johnny's Tavern, Thai Garden, Ginger Garden, The Black Sheep, and Primo Pizzeria (major bonus points if anyone can guess where I was living!) After two years in my new location, I still feel like I don't have a favorite pizza or Chinese place, and I'm lacking that strong connection to the businesses that I had before. 
I guess the moral of the story is that I shouldn't eat out so damn much!

I’m curious to know what the biggest stressors are for y’all once you’re actually moved into your new place. Making new friends? Finding new establishments (e.g. healthcare, entertainment, personal care/wellness spots, food/grocery, etc.)? Being away from family? Something else? Obviously the moving process itself is stressful, but post-move days aren’t a walk in the park either. 

I second what @hlr20 said! Themes not only allow you to express your interests in a clever way, but can also make your personal statement much more cohesive and meaningful. Thank you for sharing your outline! 
Here is an idea of the outline I used for most of my statements (which I then tailored to each program I applied to based on a format they expected). Keep in mind, I applied to a scientist-practitioner program so it's not solely about research. 
PARAGRAPH 1: Personal story; introduce theme.
Strong hook that connects to a theme you are trying to convey.   Thesis = I am applying to X program at Y university to do Z research.  PARAGRAPH 2: Relevant volunteer/job experiences (my research interests correlated much more with my non-research experience in terms of the population I am interested in working with)
How have you grown through these experiences? How have these experiences influenced the research interests you are pursuing? PARAGRAPH 3: Research experience
What have your previous research experiences taught you? What gap have you noticed in research? PARAGRAPHS 4/5 - WHO do you want to work with in this program (if applicable), and WHY this program?
What are your specific research interests, and which professor are you interested in working with based on those interests? How can their experience help you? How will this program specifically help you reach your goals? Try to tie in aspects of the program to your personal interests. (Ex: The social justice orientation of this program aligns with my desire to support marginalized populations.) Make sure to explicitly mention your goals and tie them in to the training provided by the program (Ex: The vast teaching opportunities in this program will help me be prepared for a career in academia.) PARAGRAPH 6 - Summarize, explain societal/community impact
Why is this research needed, and why is it urgent? Why are you the best fit for this type of research and program?

Like many others in this thread, I have applied 3 times. I was completely unprepared the first time; I got 4 interviews the 2nd time, but was rejected from all; and I have been accepted this 3rd time, and to my top choice of programs. I've also learned a lot from this process, some of which I think is worth sharing:
Stop focusing on everyone else around you. I made the mistake of always comparing myself to both other applicants and students, and I always felt a sense of inadequacy. Even at the interviews, I always felt like I was the weakest candidate there and had no chance. Even during this current cycle, those thought persisted. For example: the program that accepted me interviewed 8-10 applicants per PI, so there were a LOT of people there. I thought for sure, I had no chance. Well folks - I got in! That goes to show that you have just as much a chance as anyone else at that interview. And, in general, you have no idea how well someone is going to mesh with a PI or program, so don't compare yourself to someone who you feel is superior.
Take your time. If you feel any sense of uncertainty, I would recommend taking a year or two off and working in a research setting. I was rejected after applying straight out of undergrad, and again the next year. I actually did not apply last cycle, due to a job commitment. However, I am very thankful for the experience I was able to gain in these 3 years I will have as a research assistant. I feel much more prepared for graduate school, and that definitely came across on my interviews. I have absolutely no doubt that this is what I want to do.
Prepare, but don't memorize. It is very important to practice answering some questions that may be thrown at you, to avoid looking like a "deer in headlights" during the actual interview. Topics like your research interests, potential study ideas, your past research experience (things you learned), and "why their program" are all pretty standard, and they expect you to be able to answer them with ease. However, you don't want it to come across like you've memorized a canned answer. The more natural your conversation flows, the more comfortable you feel, and the better rapport you have. Just be yourself - you know your stuff!
Don't give up! If this wasn't your time, it wasn't your time. Don't give up just yet. Of course, there may come a point where you at least consider another option, but give it a little time first. This process is grueling and competitive, and honestly, timing and luck definitely play a part, as well. You may be the most qualified candidate out there, but there was just someone else who meshed better with your POI. It was just the wrong place at the wrong time. Just remember to pick yourself back up, take a deep breath, and take another go at it. Mentally, physically, and financially, it's tough - but it's also an amazing learning experience. THis is weird to say...but I'm almost glad I was rejected so many times. The program I was accepted to was my top choice (I had never applied in the past), and I couldn't be happier. I am so much happier with this acceptance than I would have been with any of the other I interviewed at. 
 
Congratulations on all who were accepted, and best of luck to those who continue their application journeys. 

I am not OP, but this would probably also be my biggest takeaway from a successful Round 2 of apps. Let's say you are interested in research topic X. If you apply to only labs that have X as a primary focus, you're going to be competing against every other applicant in the world who is also just as passionate about X as you are, and unfortunately, no matter how great your application is, it starts to become a game of chance in that scenario. Someone is probably going to edge you out based on a slightly better application or interview. On the other hand, if you apply to other labs who primarily study Y but perhaps did one project that included X or have been working in an area related to X, you can make a much more unique and convincing pitch that YOU are the one applicant who can bring this passion and experience for X to this lab that typically studies Y. 

Don't do it on your own. Like, PLEASE, don't go through this process on your own. I made this mistake. I did it because I didn't feel much support from the professor I was working with, BUT if I could do it again, I would find someone who did believe in me and wanted me to get into grad school. Find a professor who will read your statement, CV, etc. This will tremendously help your applications and your stress.
Reach out to POIs before you apply. I didn't do this, and definitely missed out on saving some time and money. I advise this because you never know if a POI's research is heading towards or away from your area of interest. I was super lucky in that I applied to someone who's research wasn't too close to mine, but after interviewing I found out they're starting new work with my population of interest. I REALLY wish I would have known that before I applied. Other POIs I interviewed with had their research heading down a completely different path– that could've been a good several hundred dollars saved. 
What you think is your top choice might not be your top choice after visiting (and go on all the visits you can). Copying @GradPerson verbatim because THIS. IS. SO. TRUE. When I first applied, the school I have now committed to I wasn't extremely excited about (for personal reasons). I fell in love with the program on my interview, and I honestly could not be more excited about attending in the Fall. I can't imagine going anywhere else.
BREATHE. Seriously.

Hi all,
I wanted to start a thread to allow us all to share our thoughts and reflect on this application cycle now that it is almost over. This was my second time applying to Counseling Psychology programs, and I know that I have learned a lot about myself (and the ridiculous admissions game) through this process. 
To give you a bit of background, my first application cycle, I applied to 6 programs (all CounPsy) and though I had a mix of preliminary and in-person interviews for 4 of them, I was eventually rejected from all. I was devastated, and literally had mental breakdowns every few days. So, I really understand the struggle of having to wait, but never getting the news you want. 
This time, I applied to 17 programs (yeah I know, it is a lot!). I interviewed at 9 - one of them being a School Psychology Ph.D. program - and out of those, ultimately was rejected from 1, waitlisted at 1, and received offers from 7.
Based on my experience, I want to share a few thoughts and pieces of advice: 
Rejections do not determine your self-worth. Please do not feel like you are not qualified/smart/unique enough if you did not get in. I say this because my first time applying was last year, and I have not really gained any more relevant experience since then. I didn’t even change my personal statement besides 2-3 sentences. I improved my interview skills a little bit, but the big difference was where I applied. Which brings me to #2. Last time, I was picky about location/perfect fit. This time, I chose to apply to places where I would actually bring something new to the lab/POI, and I was flexible about location as well. You might think “I would never go here”, but sometimes the interview will change your mind. That happened to me with multiple programs this time. So my advice for both new applicants and applicants who are applying again, is that do not be stuck to one area if it’s possible. Of course, family/partner relocation and finance might be something you have to consider with this. Submit apps early! I submitted materials a month in advance in case I missed anything. Of course, if this is not financially possible for you, then try to review the checklist of materials for each school multiple times. This will give you enough of an idea to fix something if needed.  If you can’t afford to interview in person, don’t. Out of my 9 interviews, I did 6 over Skype/phone (although one of them didn’t have in person interviews). I was accepted to 5/6 of the programs I interviewed at on Skype, and 2/3 for the ones in-person. In fact, one of the programs strongly discouraged Skype interviews, and still ended up accepting me in the first round. This goes to show that your interviewing skills can sometimes matter more than your in-person presence. And if you do get in, you can always visit during dates that are more convenient/cost-effective as well. Be proud of yourself for completing and submitting your applications. That is a difficult task in itself. If you got to the interview stage, congratulations on that as well. No matter what the result, don’t give up on your dream of getting a Ph.D. I hope this reflection can be insightful to folks in some way. If you would like to ask any questions, I’d be happy to answer! 
It would be awesome if all of the wonderful Ph.D. applicants out here could share their reflections as well I’m sure you all could bring much more to this conversation! 

I agree with the responses you’ve gotten so far. I’ll definitely be tweaking mine a lot and probably even re-emailing the POIs I emailed this past cycle and ask them to look out for my app again and update them on what I’ve done to try to improve my app. 

It is just better for your mental health overall to know- I sent the email when I realized how much of my life was spent thinking about my application and analyzing everything I did at the interview. Wasn't healthy:) 

I agree. I fell into similar fatigue going through applications and even cut schools because of issues with transcripts not arriving on time. 

Working full-time and studying to take the GRE again ?. Out of 8 programs I applied to this cycle, I only received 1 interview, so I think my GRE scores are what did me in. I’m also planning on starting on my apps earlier than I did this past cycle. I realized I was so burnt out by the time I was working on my last app because I wanted to knock them all out within a relatively short period of time. 

Working full-time and studying to take the GRE again ?. Out of 8 programs I applied to this cycle, I only received 1 interview, so I think my GRE scores are what did me in. I’m also planning on starting on my apps earlier than I did this past cycle. I realized I was so burnt out by the time I was working on my last app because I wanted to knock them all out within a relatively short period of time. 

Yall. I'm a "very high alternate" at both schools I interviewed at. I'm so proud of myself for making it this far and to be so highly ranked on the waitlist but I. WANT. TO. GET. IN!!! This is my second year applying and I had no interviews last year (I pumped my GRE scores up this year).
 
It's so crazy to think that every day that passes could be the day that the people holding onto the offers decide, therefore initiating this acceptance domino effect.
 
If you're lucky enough to be sitting with multiple acceptances, godspeed! May your other acceptances look more enticing than the offers from the schools I'm waitlisted at ??

Starting to feel very frustrated and discouraged after reading multiple posts in the clinical results recently about not hearing anything until applicants have reached out to the POI and asked about their status. I’m so tempted to take that step myself. This whole process is so cruel and excruciating. Kudos to all that have done this for multiple cycles, I am barely hanging on in my first! 

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. 

Formally accepted my offer for the University of Houston today! 
This was my 3rd round and I'm 3 years post masters, so this is a great feeling. I am celebrating by cuddling with my dogs and planning my honeymoon (why I thought it was a good idea to get married during grad school application/interview season, I have no freaking idea)

applying for clinical sucked the soul out of me bruh how some people managed to do 4 cycles is insane 

Starting to feel very frustrated and discouraged after reading multiple posts in the clinical results recently about not hearing anything until applicants have reached out to the POI and asked about their status. I’m so tempted to take that step myself. This whole process is so cruel and excruciating. Kudos to all that have done this for multiple cycles, I am barely hanging on in my first! 

Starting to feel very frustrated and discouraged after reading multiple posts in the clinical results recently about not hearing anything until applicants have reached out to the POI and asked about their status. I’m so tempted to take that step myself. This whole process is so cruel and excruciating. Kudos to all that have done this for multiple cycles, I am barely hanging on in my first! 

I just caved and asked my Clark POI if they have any information about an anticipated time frame for hearing back about admissions results. I have a gut feeling I was waitlisted or rejected and that they are waiting to tell me until later on, but I need to know at this point so I can emotionally move on and gear up for either another cycle or a career switch out of research and academia

Starting to feel very frustrated and discouraged after reading multiple posts in the clinical results recently about not hearing anything until applicants have reached out to the POI and asked about their status. I’m so tempted to take that step myself. This whole process is so cruel and excruciating. Kudos to all that have done this for multiple cycles, I am barely hanging on in my first! 

as the week comes to an end, i hope that you all are able to find peace, or some sort of distractor tasks to keep your anxieties at a minimum. i hope next week brings better news and i look forward to hearing more about where you all are going!