round2_

It doesn't hurt to read up on them but it also probably doesn't matter. I just got back from a weekend with 5 interviews, kinda knew what 1 of 5 did (maybe 2-3 because I talked to their grad students before them). The main thing is just being able to talk about your own work/interests/goals and be able to engage in a conversation about their work and the program broadly. The grad student meetings will probably mostly be about the program, rather than an official interview.

I don't know if the whole department is done or not, but I got an invite for cognitive a few weeks ago.

How do you phrase that email? I'm thinking about doing the same once I receive official rejections, but I'm not really sure how to phrase it without sounding whiny about not getting in. ?

Ha I actually am an RA already. It's frustrating because I already had a ton of experience as an undergrad, but only got 1 interview (at a top program) so I did another 1.5 years full time. I have publications, I have posters. I've beyond shown I can do the work. I just need someone to give me a shot -- but it's way easier to hire an engineer who took a few psych classes for fun or someone who has a huge list of prestigious awards/opportunities or the right connections.

Ugh, I somehow ended up hearing that I was almost invited to interview for some top programs (through connections/PIs I'd been in touch with) and it's killing me. I'm not sure if I'm even going to be able to go to grad school at all since the programs I am invited to are iffy about funding..... meanwhile I'm hearing how close I was/getting waitlist type offers to places I'd love to go that would have completely livable guaranteed funding.

I didn't mean to imply people get interviews purely because of connections. It's just a matter of there are TONS of good applicants and the connection is what gets you a second look. You're less of a chance than the next phenomenal app if their buddy recommended you. It's one of those things where if you get in somewhere competitive, you're qualified and fantastic! ....but on the flipside, people exactly as passionate, smart, hardworking as you didn't, for reasons out of their control.

This is my second round. I had 1/10 interview last time and 4/15 this time, but the 4 are also much lower ranked programs than anything I applied to before so it's hard to say if I'm "more successful" this time around. 3 years undergrad research + 2 years as an RA. GPA and GRE are above the averages for the places post them. This probably isn't helpful/what you want to hear, but biggest predictor seems to be if my letter writers know people at the program. 3 of my potential advisors know my current or undergrad advisor really well. I had some interest from people at top programs (both rounds) so I think my applications were competitive ....but only the places they knew people actually panned out. Also worth mentioning these were the places with some of the worst fits between what the labs do and what I want to study! I don't think fit matters as much as people say except in the sense of useful skills/techniques for the lab OR final acceptance once you have an interview.

Not sure about GW PsyD, but for the PhD (cognitive), I was told they'd be meeting today during a phone interview. Haven't heard anything/seen any results posted yet though....

Pretty sure UCSD & UCSB are done with interview invites based on the results page. UCR has already admitted students and does a recruitment weekend rather than an in person interview.

Posted this over in psych but figured it's worth cross posting since cog neuro's between the two --- Whoever got the interview for Duke P&N CCN in December, was it in person or skype? I talked to a PI there this week who said I'd hear more in the next couple weeks.... which seems super late for an interview notification but also early for rejection. Not sure what to think.

This is awhile back, but whoever got the interview for Duke P&N CCN in December, was it in person or skype? I talked to a PI there this week who said I'd hear more in the next couple weeks.... which seems super late for an interview notification but also early for rejection. Not sure what to think.

I'm talking about Experimental Psych at UCSD. They say the same thing (mid January), but there were a few posts on results today.

Do we think UCSD is done?

Yeah, I'm really regretting not taking more math or comp sci. I can do it, I've even done some, I even like it.... but I don't have the training or background yet, so it's a gamble for PIs.

I actually was torn between politics and psych/neuro! It's all about human behavior, just different levels. I picked psych/neuro because I liked the actual work better (data analysis, planning experiments, the concreteness of finding an answer vs the messiness of policy or boringness of the bureaucracy side of it). I don't really have the skill set to transition to anything specific like that though so I'm not really sure where I'd go.

I saw some posts here/on the results saying Duke Neuro was done. Which program is that for? I know CNAP is done from a PI there, but what about the others?

Find another career, probably.

I didn't start looking until it was clear I wasn't getting into grad school the first time around (so March/April-ish) and a lot of opportunities had passed. Definitely look into the NIH post bac program, any other institution post bac programs you might be eligible for (especially if you're URM), and talk to faculty in your department. The jobs are largely word of mouth as far as I can tell. The only interviews I got were for ones at my undegrad institution or the institution I did undergrad research at.

It is weird how focused on clinical/social/development the other threads are, but I'm not sure it matters since we don't really know if they send interview invites by track or not. I've been mostly using the results list to figure out if I'm out of the running for somewhere or not.... which is unfortunately most of my options.

Damn I'm feeling discouraged. I applied 2 years ago to only top programs, 1 interview, didn't get in anywhere. I've been working full time as an RA since, applied to a broader range of programs, thought my application would be a lot better.... 8/15 have already sent invites and were the ones that I felt were a closer fit on research.