mjr2013

Hello all, I am extremely interested in the Joint PhD in Social Work and Developmental Psychology at the University of Michigan. This has been the only online forum I've found that has included a few people who have applied to it and I've found sparse info on it here and there (outside reading the entirety of the UM site of course). I'll post my anonymized app below for context, but I'm mostly looking for advice on the process, thoughts on the program, and thoughts on whether it would be worth retaking the GRE. I understand how tough "chances" can be to judge within PhD programs, but if you want to approximate go for it I guess? 25yo white male with Michigan residencyTransfer student at a HYPSM, transferred from a community college in MichiganPsychology Major, AAS possessed in Mental Health and Social Work from community collegeCommunity College GPA: 3.91 (graduated Summa Cum Laude)Community College Major GPA: 3.95 (A in stats)Current School GPA: 3.86Current School Major GPA: 3.98 (A+ in stats)GRE: 158(V), 156(Q), 4.5(AWA) Research Interest: The role of maltreatment in childhood and adolescent development, in particular its effect on psychological functioning and psychopathology; treatments and interventions designed to mitigate the effects of this trauma within young populations and families. Research Experience: Two years in lab as RA in Fragile X and Autism study, and 1.5 years in lab studying longitudinal early life stress, both fairly typical RA experiences... Hoping to have published paper sent for review on Turner Syndrome in late 2019... Sophomore summer spent on independent research project at residential treatment facility implementing a psychosocial curriculum - moderately successful (had its ups and downs), but culminated in a poster presentation at university level... Junior summer expanded upon this project, will present at university level again. Will be starting senior thesis shortly, and will finish by spring 2020. Also worked with policy lab in the Law School to research how a law on foster youth placements has affected a county's placements. We published a report in March 2019 that was authored alphabetically. In short that's two presentations and one publication with another on the way.Clinical Experience: Prior to transfer, worked for year-and-a-half at residential treatment facility as front-line staff with youth in the child welfare (foster care) system. Worked sophomore and junior summers with (masters level) therapist as intern, in addition to the project described above with those youth. I continue to work at this facility on school breaks.Teaching Experience: Course Development Assistant for a freshman seminar with the same PI I'm hoping to publish with - got the course approved to satisfy an undergrad requirement. TA for Intro Psych course in the fall and winter of this year.Work Experience: I worked as a full time school bus driver (while attending school full time also) prior to transfer.Volunteer Experience: I served on the executive board of my hometown's little league baseball organization for five years prior to transfer, and continue to work with them as a special advisor.Extracurriculars: I am on the leadership team (VP or President level) for three different student groups.Recs: One from the PI I am publishing with (I also took a class with him my first quarter here and have known him since), one from the advisor that I'll be completing the honors project with (also had a class with her), and one from the masters-level therapist I interned and worked clinically with. All three of those would be very good.Career Interests: I would enjoy some combination of both research and clinical application. Possibly in a children's hospital.A lot has changed for me financially and with my home situation in the last few weeks, and not really for the better. I'm not sure I'll be able to afford much of an application cycle outside the Joint PhD, and I may need to return to my home state (Michigan) regardless. So if you have any recommendations on backups to the Joint PhD, I'm all ears. Thanks y'all.