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SocDevMum

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Everything posted by SocDevMum

  1. does it have to be? Not all of it, and not necessarily. Public health could be pretty close, and more easy to explain how it overlaps with your interests. However, you are wanting to get into clinical psych, which is obscenely competitive. if you don't do psych research post-bacc, you are going to have to work extra hard to articulate how this experience connects to your research interests (and research fit!) to potential PIs. I don't think a public health post-bacc would be a deal breaker; I do think it would be more beneficial if you were aiming towards a different field, like Health or Developmental Psych. I don't know what your primary research interests are, but wherever you go for post-bacc, try to find ways that you can very clearly connect the dots between that position and your research interests, so whatever pubs or posters you get could at least be considered adjacent to your area of interest.
  2. You're paying for a post-bacc? I was going to tell you that several people at my program did a post-bacc in between, instead of a Masters, but they were paid for their positions, they didn't pay them! I understand wanting to retake classes that you weren't as successful in the first time, and many times those can be found for a lower cost at a local community college, or you could take them from the uni where you are employed as a post-bacc - but why pay for a post-bacc spot? You would be better off taking a position as a post-bacc research assistant or lab manager, where you would get the hands on experience, opportunities for posters and pubs, and some networking while also getting a paycheck.
  3. Those are three very different programs, so I would suggest really narrowing down what your long term goals and research interests are. If your heart is set on getting a license and being able to work with clients/patients, than the Developmental program won't be what you need. However, if you are strictly interested in research and academia, than the Developmental program may work. So really consider what it is you want to do, in the long term. For a Developmental program, you may already be a good match experience-wise, as long as your LORs and personal statements are strong and convincing. Clinical programs on the other hand are notoriously competitive, and in many programs first-years are coming in with multiple pubs and presentations after spending post-bacc time in a lab or clinic. To make yourself a top-quality candidate, you are going to need to write personal statements for each app that can clearly state why you are an excellent research fit to the prospective PI/lab, what your long term goals are, and how your experiences have prepared you. This is going to look different for each one, so I would suggest practice-writing those statements now. It may help you clarify for yourself what your research interests and goals are, and then you will better know where to apply.
  4. What might be helpful, if you can do it, is to go to work as an RA or Lab Manager in a lab that does the kind of work that interests you. This would give you the experience you are currently missing for a future Masters or Phd/PsyD application, and allow you to explore what the options are specific to your field. You could network with clinicians and researchers and see what they have degree-wise, and get their input on where the field is going. Best way to find out what it takes is to get inside
  5. THIS. Ivy League doesn't necessarily mean better, there are several really outstanding Psych programs on the East Coast that are not Ivy League. Also, not to be a downer, but much of the PhD process is as much about WHO you know as what you have done. I agree with the multiple posters above - what kind of work do you want to do, that you think you need a Psych PhD rather than a JD to do? Also, why not Sociology? As you mentioned, you already have extensive relevant experience in sociology, and the topic you want to study is extremely relevant to sociology as well. You look like an excellent candidate for top tier sociology programs right now, but for psychology there is quite a bit of "catch up" you will likely have to do to become a viable candidate, especially for Clinical. Lastly - you don't need a Clinical degree to do that kind of research, either, should you decide that Psych is really it for you. You could easily cover that topic in a Community or Developmental Psych program. I strongly suggest reading up on who is currently doing the work you are interested in across the psychology journals, and see if it's a good fit for you
  6. Yes, thankfully tuition is waived for PhD students - they make their money off the Masters students, as @Clinapp2017 noted above. When I was getting ready to enter the application process, my advisors made sure to emphasize NOT going anywhere that wouldn't waive tuition. I'd love to see a union at my uni, I know several other graduate schools have them and have had some moderate success with improving the lives of their grad students through them. Such is Academia.... adjuncts and grad students carry the grunt work and get peanuts for it. Only way to push for change is from the inside, though.
  7. My program (and all the ones I ever applied to) funded your stipend through a TA or RA position, so there's no supplementing option. And when I say no outside work is allowed, I mean nothing that will send you a W2 or 1099 (in the USA) at the end of the year. I'm at a public uni, so my contract for my stipend is literally with the state, and if I'm busted working elsewhere I lose my funding. So unless I'm working for cash under the table, side jobs are a no-go... I am lucky enough to be married, and have teenagers that work for their own spending money, but even with that the cost of living here is killing us and I need to take out a certain amount of loans to keep a roof over our heads. Academia cares nought for the basic survival of it's graduate workers.
  8. So many things... How does anyone live on these stipends that are less than the cost of living when we aren't allowed to take outside employment? Balancing personal research and lab research/teaching/etc Preparing for comprehensive exams Surviving the publishing process How do you decide whether or not to stay in academia or go the alt-ac route after graduation? All the things!
  9. For real There are way more "nontraditional" PhD students out there then people must be aware of...
  10. Not to encourage your anxiety or anything, but most schools send out a couple rounds of interview invites, and invitations have been known to go out as late as February or even March - plus waitlisted candidates have to hang in until after the April decision date. It is still way too early in the process to be worrying - I know here at my uni, the profs are only this week getting together to review applicants and make decisions about who will be offered an interview first. Even if someone else has already gotten an interview, it does not mean that all invites have gone out from the program, so please do not base your feelings and decisions on what someone else claims to have received, there is still a long way to go. Until you get a rejection letter, you can consider yourself in the running
  11. This may be field-specific - in psychology, at least at the PhD level (and often also at the Masters level), we are required to list exactly which PI we are applying to work with and how we fit in with that exact lab. It is expected that applicants will have done the footwork in advance and not waste time and $$$ attempting to apply to PIs who are not taking applicants for that year. Also, PhD (and hopefully Masters!) applicants are highly encouraged to actively reach out to current and alumni lab members before submititng an application, to check for exactly those kinds of personality quirks or concerns. Other fields may not want that much specificity
  12. You would want to specifically mention this PI and how their research is a good fit to yours in your personal statement/letter of intent/whatever it's called in your field. Typically this kind of information comes mid way through your statement, explaining what kind of research you see yourself doing, and how the faculty and university are a great fit for that. Note: PI may have agreed you should mention them, but that shouldn't be interpreted as full-throated approval. You don't know who is will apply and how good their fit might be. This is your opportunity to expand on what you have already discussed and make a personal connection though your official personal statement in your application materials
  13. I think the sample I sent over was a short paper from my undergrad thesis, less than 25 pages including references and appendices. If you're GRE writing score is very strong, the optional writing sample is less important - however, if you did not take the GRE, or scored middle to poorly on it, you for sure want to send over something that reflects your ability to write concisely while still getting your message across. Technical is great - too technical can reflect poorly on you, though. Too much jargon and not enough depth will kill you every time. If the program doesn't give you exact guidelines, generally sending over a either a sample of a thesis or a well-prepared research paper is more than sufficient. Quite honestly, many of the PIs won't give your writing sample more than a cursory glance, unless it stands out immediately (in either a good or bad way). I would spend more time and energy on writing a killer personal statement, a diversity statement if the program requires one, and making sure your LORs are going to be stellar.
  14. Was this material related to your thesis or anything? If not, then it looks like you're being given the opportunity for credit of authorship by editing, which is not uncommon for undergrads, masters students, or PhD students without a lot of their own research already out there. That's a gift However, if this is supposed to have been your thesis or dissertation material, I would be concerned. As to what you can contribute - clearly he/she wants you to review and edit the formatting issues outlined, so make sure to be thorough at that. As for content, this is an opportunity for you to go over the fine details of methods and theory, make sure that all the necessary pieces are accounted for, and look for ways to potentially expand upon the already written portions of theory and discussion/limitations. I would definitely not send it back without a thorough review and at least a few additions or suggestions to improve it. This is a great way to show that you are thinking critically about the material, that you are paying attention to small details, and that you are not afraid to find and use your own voice. If they hate your suggestions they will just toss them out - but if you don't do any, it will look like you didn't even try.
  15. I would guess that the majority of quality PhD programs are fully funded, through assistantships, however, you will definitely want to review the rules for international students, at my uni there are different rules and regulations for international students than domestic ones.
  16. None that I've ever seen or heard of, unfortunately. I believe the APA keeps a list of programs/schools, maybe? But it won't give you information about research and PIs, that you have to find yourself. I think I spent at least 6 months searching the web for programs and contacting PIs before my application season.
  17. You might want to take this question to the Social Work program forum, they may be better able to answer questions about admittance requirements to MSW programs there
  18. Is this Fellow in academia now? If yes, then that is who I would choose as your third. If you have completed a Masters, grad schools often don't even look at undergrad GPA anymore, they are only interested in what you accomplished in post-grad. You don't need another letter writer that can talk about client interaction, especially one that isn't even in the field, your clinical supers would be addressing that. What you need the most of, really out of all three LORS, is people who can speak to your ability to do scientific research, think critically, and work as part of a lab team. The clinical PhD application process is crazy competitive, literally more competitive than law or med school. The clinical students I see coming in to our department all have multiple pubs and presentations already under their belt, either from a Masters thesis program or from working in very prolific labs as undergrads, in addition to hours spent either professionally or as a volunteer in clinical settings. You can address things like a lower GPA or gap years in education in your personal statement, if you feel it needs to be mentioned, your LORs have to be able to focus on your research skills and predicted ability to successfully create output for the university.
  19. Have you published with your two clinical supervisors, run a study, done presentations with them, etc? I think, regardless, you would still for sure want a third strong LOR from the prof that was your supervisor for your Masters thesis, as that person can speak the most directly to the skills that a PhD program is looking for. And if you haven't been actively involved in doing, presenting and publishing research with the other two, the clinical supers won't be as great of LOR as you would want them to be. Did you not do other things besides classes and a thesis for your Masters? Side projects, review papers, conferences? It may just be time to polish up your CV and start contacting prior profs. Professors, especially those who advise grad students, know that there is often a gap between programs, and can absolutely still write letters for you, but you will likely have to give them the information to run with. I have profs I have either studied under or worked with who have gotten letter requests years after a student has graduated on - if you give them the right materials, AND if you had a functioning relationship at the time, they could well still be able to help you.
  20. I would say that at least 2 of your 3 letter writers need to be academic, and specifically the ones who can speak to your ability to do scientific research if you want to do a PhD. I don't know that I would choose the business prof as a letter writer unless he/she is your third one, after two academics in the field. A clinical supervisor could be a good third letter writer, if you are applying to programs that are at least equally split if not heavily leaning more to practice than research, but I really don't think you can avoid having two strong letters from the profs you had as a Masters student. If you are doing a PsyD, though, it might work, but I would defer to someone who is actually in a PsyD who can better inform you of the realities of their application process.
  21. Are you getting to work on things like posters or presentations, either in the lab or on your own? Can you and are you planning to do an undergraduate senior thesis next year? Those would help boost your chances immensely. I went straight from undergrad to a PhD program with out a pub, but I did have an extensive track record of presentations, an undergrad honors thesis that was 100% mine from conception to IRB to analysis to final write up, a fair amount of relevant community service, and excellent writing skills. Most importantly, I had made a connection with my now PI well in advance of application season, so she knew who I was and how our interests aligned before I even sent my application over for review. Spend the next year for sure networking like mad, and try to get as many conference presentations and posters under your belt as you can - virtual conferences absolutely count! If you still feel like a PhD is a stretch, there are many excellent Masters programs that will help you get the pubs and presentations that will get you into a PhD, and it can be an easier transition for some from undergrad to doctoral program - grad school is a whole different animal, so a Masters can be a good middle ground to ease you in. Lastly, many people take a 1-2 year gap year and go work as a paid RA or lab manager, which gives them many of the same opportunities to publication and presentation as a Masters without the classwork, and you may be able to get into a lab in or near the schools you would want for a PhD, helping you build your network even further.
  22. Look for post-baccalaureate Lab manager jobs first, there are paid lab spots out there for just this reason. Many folx use those for opportunities to get hands on experience with research and publishing. If that doesn't pan out, then look for volunteer opportunities in psych research labs. Either way may get you access to profs for recommendation letters as well Also, yes to the GRE, if you can get a great score. That might help balance out the poor GPA. Finally, I would strongly recommend you look into Master's programs. They are typically easier to get into, require less research experience (because they know you are coming there to get it), and will allow you to build a great GPA as well as a CV. Make sure you look for a Masters track that requires a thesis, not all do. You could spend two years volunteering in a lab, but with a low undergrad GPA and no current letter writers, you might find you would benefit more from improving your academic scores and forming relationships that will lead to amazing recommendations.
  23. Just want to add, your GPA is at the average to low end for these programs too - Clinical is more competitive because there are more applicants, to be sure, but your GPA and GRE matter just as much to non-Clinical programs. Research fit is going to be crucial for any of these. Please don't think Developmental or Counseling is "easier". In your position, I would strongly consider a Master's program, to give you a chance to improve your academic numbers and get more experience to prep for those tough Clinical PhD applications down the road, if clinical work is where your heart is.
  24. Is this Canada? I have no idea what the legal requirements are for Canada since I am in the U.S., however, I'm sure there are different kinds of counselors there as there are here. Here in the U.S., only someone with a Masters degree and a license can call themselves a counselor or therapist, but there is a certificate for an addiction rehabilitation specialist that you can get without a Masters to work strictly with adults in drug and alcohol rehabilitation (in most states). Besides mental health, in the U.S. (and probably Canada) there are also School Counselors, however this also requires a Masters degree and an Education certificate. I would suggest looking into the legal requirements for each of those positions in Canada - I have found that employers often indicate the lowest possible qualifications in their job ads but really only hire people with a higher level of education, those ads are very misleading. Also, when these ads say counselor, they may very likely mean something more like case worker, they aren't actually therapists or mental health care workers at all. You may want to look up these jobs and see what they actually do.
  25. You're welcome. Definitely start reaching out sooner rather than later. You don't need to immediately ask if they will take you on. Read a few of their papers and then email them with a well-crafted question or two about their work. Most researchers love to talk about their work Since you have some courses to take, you have time to form some basic relationship before seeing if they are taking on grad students in the future. Good luck friend!
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