ASDadvocate

NSU, Clinical Psychology PhD. 
I’LL BE A SHARK DO DO DO DO DO DOOOOOO

Trying to like this, but GradCafe says I'm out of reacts  So exciting!! See you there 

After a tough choice between UC Berkeley and VCU -- stoked to say I'll be going to VCU come August : )

Officially accepted the offer from University of Utah's School Psychology program. SO PSYCHED!!! Mountains here I come ?

Officially accepted the offer from University of Utah's School Psychology program. SO PSYCHED!!! Mountains here I come ?

Officially accepted the offer from University of Utah's School Psychology program. SO PSYCHED!!! Mountains here I come ?

Officially accepted the offer from University of Utah's School Psychology program. SO PSYCHED!!! Mountains here I come ?

Officially accepted the offer from University of Utah's School Psychology program. SO PSYCHED!!! Mountains here I come ?

Officially accepted the offer from University of Utah's School Psychology program. SO PSYCHED!!! Mountains here I come ?

Officially accepted the offer from University of Utah's School Psychology program. SO PSYCHED!!! Mountains here I come ?

DM'd!

School: University of Texas at Austin
Concentration: Counseling Psychology
Type: PhD
Date of acceptance: 2/15
Notified by: Phone call from POI.
Officially going to this program this fall!

School: University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Concentration: Clinical Psychology
Type: PhD
Date of acceptance: 3/12/2019
Notified by: Phone call from POI.
Just got bumped up from the waitlist and I'm just so happy!

School: University of Tennessee
Concentration: Cognitive and Developmental Science (Experimental Psychology) 
Type: PhD
Date of Acceptance: 3/12/2019
Notified By: Email from Admissions 
 
Very Excited! Will be accepting:) 

Officially accepted the offer from UMiami (CWB). Would love to connect with anyone else planning to begin there in the Fall.

I just formally accepted my offer from Berkeley for their School Psychology PhD program- super excited!

I have the Microsoft Surface Book (bought the original version refurbished when I started my RA position 2 years ago). I've used a lot of different computers, including macs and more powerful pcs, but besides being light/small, having a beautiful screen, and top tier wireless connectivity, its pen and tablet mode paired with Microsoft OneNote has totally replaced my notebook (and habit of printing pdfs), providing an ideal space for just sitting down and *thinking* (or reading) about stuff, beyond the coding/writing tasks typically done on computers.
At least in my niche, either data analysis isn't very intensive at all, or programs that *do* use intensive data analysis (e.g. cognitive neuroscience, which often depends on performing complex analyses on high-dimensional data sets) tend to maintain computing clusters that run all the computations for you faster than any reasonable laptop might. More broadly, computing these days has become much more cloud-based. Activities like reading, organizing, and preparing papers, writing and executing code, and so forth all happen more and more often in your web browser or otherwise remotely instead of on your own system.
In this context where it's not so important to vest computing power in your own system, what's important? I'd say that it's a fast and comfortable interface with remote resources. You want a very good and fast internet, a screen that's sizeable and easy on the eyes, a responsive/comfortable keyboard, etc. I also prioritize portability, and have shed a much more powerful but bulkier laptop because a smaller laptop with poorer performance but better ergonomics did a better job. Oftentimes, the experience is actually most seamless with a desktop paired with a good/big monitor or set of monitors and keyboard. In this sense, the laptop just complements that by replacing the desktop when you're on the move. So I prioritize portability even more because of that.
One added functionality that I've additionally prized is being able to use my laptop as a notebook for taking notes, thinking through problems, or annotating papers/books! It's critical for science work imo and until I had the system I had now, I had to rely on less seamless alternatives - like paper or separate tablets requiring me to spend more time transferring information, printing/scanning things, or being dissatisfied with tech not really designed for the stuff I was trying to do. That's why I sprung for the surface book instead of a mac or other windows-based laptop. I think that the surface book is an amazing device; it's totally transformed my relationship with technology and ideas in general. The surface pen is the first I've used to actually feel *better* than using an actual pen on paper, and with Microsoft OneNote it's totally replaced my collection of Moleskins. Now that there are a lot of tools to interface Windows with unix/terminal systems (there's the Linux Subsystem for Windows, and more than that, Moba XTerm, which imo is better than any terminal tools I've found for the MacOS), I feel like I can recommend the surface book and devices like it wholeheartedly to anyone who'll listen.

I don't have any clear-cut answers for you, but I did want to offer some support/thoughts. You're clearly in a tough position, and I can relate to that as I'm figuring out my plan-B as well. I'm also married, to a spouse who wants to attend a PhD program, so I'm totally with you on that one - it's not just your own desires that matter anymore! Balancing goals is complex, and sacrifice is virtually inevitable on both ends.
Speaking from personal experience, I can say that huge student debt is rough, especially if your spouse has some as well. That fear is no joke, and you're right to take it seriously.
If there is anything useful I can offer, it is this: you will (ideally!) be age 40 either way. Which version of yourself do you want to be then?

I tend to re-read my statement of purpose before interviews so I can remember pivot points. They may ask you point blank why you applied if your interests don't align - I'd try to somehow weave it together or have a reasonable explanation as to why you still do belong at the program and fit with the research, and would love to expand upon it in xyz (not leaps and bounds away, but something that builds off of their current research easily), or would love to learn more about abc because, while you don't have a background in it, you find it fascinating. That said, try hard to be honest, because it just hurts both of you if you're stuck at a program that you don't have any interests in.  But at the end of the day, if you're not interested, you're not interested. It's a two-way street and sometimes it just doesn't work out! 

School: University of Miami
Concentration: Community Well-Being
Type: PhD
Date of acceptance: 3/6/2019
Notified by: Email from Admissions Supervisor with POI (I.P.) + Committee CC'd
This was my first choice - my POI's work was literally the reason I became interested in the field in first place. I'm beyond words. 

School: Stanford University
Concentration: Cognition
Type: PhD
Notified by: Email
 
still can't believe it

Short version: You'd be looking at PsyD programs if you want the clinical experience
Long version: Get a copy of the Insider's Guide to Clinical and Counseling Psychology Programs. It rates each program on a scale of 1-7, with 1 being heavy emphasis on clinical and 7 being heavy emphasis on research. You can judge programs on that scale.

I'm hoping to give them gear from the university I will be accepting to with a handwritten thank you note; possibly a nice pen. 

I have no helpful advice, but YOU ARE SUCH A ROCKSTAR ❤️❤️ Doing the work to get into grad school is hard. Doing the work with kids is v hard. Doing the work as a single parent is beyond impressive. Congrats x a million. 

Hoping we all hear good news soon!  
It hasn't even been a full week since I received my status, but it feels like it was ages ago....is time slowing down lol?  Keeping myself distracted has been difficult but helpful when I do manage it. Here are some things I've been doing, how about everyone else? 
Learned to make home-made artisan bread! Something about the smell of fresh-baked bread soothes the soul. Here's the recipe I used: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018203-simple-crusty-bread   Rereading an old favorite book, and started a new season of a TV series I've been watching lately (Life Below Zero - does anyone else watch it?)  Booked a last-minute trip to Australia in 3 weeks!  My husband is traveling there for business, and although I wasn't originally planning to join, I decided to just go for it, since planning and looking forward to the trip will definitely keep me busy.  Currently I'm looking into camping in the Blue Mountains just outside the city. Putting on chill lofi music in the background while I'm at work.  I usually prefer silence when I'm working, but this has been surprisingly relaxing and pleasant. Here's a good channel to start with:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9CLdkkNn20  
 
Has anyone listened to interesting/binge-worthy podcasts recently?  Radiolab is one of my go-to's but it's been a little dull lately....
Two more months till April 15! Fingers crossed for all of us.