SocDevMum
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Posts posted by SocDevMum
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Dilly Dilly!
We have all worked hard to even be viable candidates for our Masters or Phd/PsyD programs - we are all intelligent, capable, ambitious people who are not content to just take the easy way out. Whether it's this season or another, we will all eventually end up exactly where we are supposed to be. I for one am excited to contribute to the future research of my field, and get to play a part in expanding our knowledge of the human being.
Let's do this!
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29 minutes ago, Psychological Yam said:
is it a good sign if a school i interviewed at hasn't accepted me yet but told me that they nominated me for a fellowship and are waiting to hear back?
I would tentatively say yes? They are most likely waiting to hear about the fellowship so that they can discuss funding with you. Or perhaps that would be the source of funding, and if it doesn't come through they can't make you an offer.
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23 hours ago, psychpsychpsych said:
Hi everybody! I have a question about getting to interviews. Should most schools be giving us a stipend/funding to get to the onsite interview? Thanks
I don't know about most, I was told to expect the larger institutions to offer some reimbursment, but never to expect any money up front, or for them to schedule/pay for flights or hotels. I am headed to Miami in a couple weeks, and they are willing to reimburse me up to $200 total, as long as I fill out their paperwork and provide appropriate documentation (and it will take weeks to get said reimbursement)
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12 hours ago, lolhelp said:
But I do have a feeling that perhaps I should try to broaden my research interests so that they are a better fit with more professors’ labs,
Or narrow it down? Having too broad of research interests can kill your app too, because it looks like you have don't have focus or direction. A question I was asked (and told to expect by mentors here at home) was "what would your thesis be?" Like, EXACTLY what do I see myself researching. I would say, make sure you have a solid answer to that, that isn't wishy-washy or maybe this or that. Just my two cents
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54 minutes ago, lolhelp said:
Additionally, some words of encouragement would be extremely helpful if you have any. I feel incredibly defeated and hurt. This is my first round, but I have completed an honors thesis and a masters thesis, had my honors thesis published (and my masters thesis is currently being prepared for publication), about 11 poster presentations, about four years of research experience, a 3.9 undergraduate GPA and 4.0 psychology GPA, I had pretty much everything I thought PhD programs were searching for and I emailed every single POI beforehand asking if my research interests were a good fit for their lab.
Your CV sounds quite good, to me. I'm sure this all comes down to research fit, and the POIs you applied to may not have felt you were the best fit for their labs. While I agree that contacting POIs to see if they think you might fit is important, but I also think it all comes down to connection. I must have emailed a dozen POIs in the year running up to application season, I only applied to 5, and so far only one of those made me an offer. At each program, I had made multiple contacts and had conversations with profs and grad students, and everyone encouraged me to apply.... and here we are near the end of January and nothing.
Maybe review your personal statement/research interest essay - perhaps it doesn't clearly communicate your ideas as well as professors look for?
And, don't give up hope on this season just yet. You already have a Masters, oodles of experience and skills, it's entirely possible that you will still get that letter. It's way too early to quit.
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I'm developmental/social, not clinical, but I'm still wearing slacks and a jacket. Now, I won't be going full formal black, my pants are a pink/gray pattern, with a pink top and black jacket. A little personality is ok! Videos and pics I've seen of prio year interviews and visits all show folx wearing at least business casual, and mostly professional looking wear. I'd say, don't go out and buy a fancy new suit if you don't want to, but definitely no jeans or casual shirts.
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3 hours ago, PsyZei said:
At 27 I had not even started college yet- instead my last education milestone was graduating from high school in the lower third of my class (and was honestly just happy to have graduated). I didn't even start undergrad college until I was in my 30s- much less masters. I totally know the feeling you are talking about (I literally have children closer to my next oldest cohort-mate's age than I am) AND neither of us is behind. Our journeys are ours. Getting this education and working towards the career is important to me (and I assume you), not the age I do it at. We've both got this ?
Same here - I'm going to be 43 this Fall when I start my grad program. I'm balancing research, work, classwork, as well as family obligations, as I have three teenagers, two of whom are still at home. At 27, I barely knew what I was doing with my life, and I can't even imagine succeeding in a PhD program at 23 or 24. Having a few years "out in the world" allows us to bring a different perspective and life skills to the table, so think of it as an advantage!
In many countries, people don't start PhDs until after they have worked for several years, it is a North American (especially a US) thing to run straight through undergrad and grad. We're not behind, we are right on our own time, and we still have years of life ahead of us to research, to treat clients if you're clinical, and make an impact on our world.
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4 hours ago, isa.belllllla said:
Hi guys. I'm currently an undergrad student in Brazil majoring in psychology, but I was born in the US, so I'm considering applying for graduate school there once I finish my undergrad studies here. I was wondering: in order to be a strong applicant for graduate school in clinical psychology, what are the things I should do during college? I know I must keep a good GPA and get involved in research, but is that enough? What are the "hidden" criteria? Do I have to volunteer, for example? Is it more important to publish a paper or to get a good internship? And about the internship, are some areas more valuable than others? Any information will help. Thanks!
Do an internship, preferably with the population you are interested in working in - children, the elderly, addiction. Participate in conferences, present posters and give oral presentations when you can. Write and submit to journals for publication. If you have time, AND it will offer something meaningful to you and your app, volunteer with services that are relevant to your degree. Nail the GRE, and become as proficient a writer as you can - you will want to have excellent writing samples to show you can write in a clear, concise, scientific manner. And save lot of money for application fees! Cinical psychology is probably the single most competitive program in the country, and it is highly recommended that you apply to several (I was told no less than 7-10) different programs.
It's great that you are planning ahead now, give yourself plenty of time to find the research topics that really interest you so you can formulate effective personal statements and purpose statements.
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Alright, Imma be That Person. Has anyone else applied to and heard from University of Nebraska - Lincoln for their Social/Cognitive program? They sent out interviews about this time in 2019 and 2018. The on-campus interviews are set for the third weekend of Feb this year, and the department site says that they will send invites about a month in advance... in other words, this week or next at the latest. I had some really positive converations with the POI and her grad student, so I'm hopeful to at least get an invite, but it would be nice to at least get an update!
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6 minutes ago, justacigar said:
Those of you who recommended Torrid for dress pants, ILY. Found a killer pair of great fitting ankle slacks and they were ON SALE for $20!! Win!
Yay! Sale prices for the win! You're gonna look confident and amazing
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17 minutes ago, speechtopsych said:
Thanks! Yeah, I wish I had a more specific population, but it's really hard to determine that much specificity without having more experience in the field. I think I'll probably try and move to a lab that studies one of the things I'm interested in.
Secondly, I had a close friend commit suicide about a year ago. He was brilliantly smart, but incredibly depressed, and hid it. He was nicest guy ever, only brought joy to everyone around him. Also, it runs in my family. Grandfather attempted suicide before I was born and is now super cognitively impaired. My parents have struggled with their mental health, and now it seems like my little brother is, too. But HOW am I supposed to deliver this sob story in my personal statement? I tried at one point, but it got too "poor me." Also, it feels a little cliche' to be like, my dead friend inspired me to try and solve the depression problem! You know? Maybe it's just me.
It IS a hard story to write without it feeling like a pity party. I was told by a mentor that if you want to include potentially super personal things like that, it's vital to offer them as a challenge you overcame, and how it made you a strong candidate - but not to dwell on the details at all. Maybe something along the lines of "I've watched others struggle with mood disorders, and it inspires me to join the search for new and better ways to help others overcome/learn to live with their *insert specific disorder here*"... you can always talk about specific instances like the friend in an interview without throwing up flags in your initial app.
Personal statements are of the devil, as far as I'm concerned
it took me weeks and a million drafts for the five I sent out. I would have gone crazy if I needed to write ten or more.
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7 hours ago, speechtopsych said:
Broadly, I wish to study the neurological underpinnings of psychological phenomena and the mind-body connection. I am particularly interested in how life experiences modulate biological reactions to stress and put people at risk for developing mood and anxiety disorders. These disorders are compelling because of their ubiquity; they have impacted not only my own life, but the lives of almost everyone I know.
I'm non-clinical, but still a Psych major, and I would say yes, narrow this down if you find you have to resubmit next year. Is there a particular mood/anxiety disorder you want to study? A specific population, ie minority children? the elderly? college students? And then narrow down to the labs/clinical programs that emphasize those disorders and populations.
Also, you could explain what you mean by, "impacted not only my own life...." - if it makes for a compelling addition to your personal story. However, we are warned a million times to not say things like, "I want to study depression because I'm a manic myself". Whatever your personal impact has been, find a way to spin it so it doesn't come across as a potential red flag.
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22 hours ago, sendhelp said:
Are ankle dress pants a no go then? I was planning on wearing black ankle pants with a white blouse and black blazer but now I am worried. My only full length pants option is a subtle plaid print - what do you guys think???
I think for non-clinical programs that ankle length pants is totally fine, they are very much on trend right now, as long as they aren't some wild color, or inappropriately tight fitting. Weather permitting, of course, if was touring a snowy site I would probably skip the bare ankles
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Adding to this thread... how do you handle campus visits where you've already been admitted, instead of visits where you are still in the selection process? I'm told it's going to be mostly getting to know the current grad students and potential cohort members, and I assume we will meet faculty as well. Any suggestions?
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5 minutes ago, lolhelp said:
Completely unrelated but are you the person that posted on the results page reaching out to your POI at FSU and getting rejected? Who was your POI if you don't mind me asking! If that wasn't you, how do you know that you are rejected?? I've heard absolutely nothing from FSU so I'm wondering if I should just count myself out or still keep hope lol
Nope, I haven't heard from or reached out to FSU, I'm assuming I'm a reject since I saw in a thread that another applicant was told that all invites for the Campus visit have gone out already. I could be wrong - I've just put FSU out of my headspace so I can concentrate on other possibilities.
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So much the same... my current PI is keeping me busy with projects and presentation prep for MPA, but the waiting game is torture. Every time I check the results page I feel like a total failure. Then I kick my own butt and remind myself that I have already gotten one interview and verbal offer, so clearly I'm not total garbage. It helps... sometimes.
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1 hour ago, justacigar said:
thanks that is helpful. It is hard to find the line of comfortable yet professional looking pants. My gripe with slacks is that they are usually so stiff!
Maybe not in stores, unless you have a larger flagship store near you, but I have loved Torrid's separates for years and they are offered online. They offer great basics that are comfortable and stylish, so you don't feel like you're wearing your grandma's pants
And they have dressier styles - wider legs, higher waists, softer materials - so you aren't just wearing glorified khakis. I know that from the outside Torrid looks like a Hot Topic, but they really have quite a bit to offer for curvier gals
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1 hour ago, justacigar said:
Alright ladies, I am having a super tough time finding a suit/blazer and pants. It's starting to stress me out. Any advice for places to shop for curvier bods?
I found some comfy dress pants at Old Navy that were roomie where I needed but not completely old lady-ish ? I’m pairing them with a light top and a jacket from Torrid. JCP also had some cute and classy separates, and the prices weren’t totally awful.
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2 hours ago, Louvre said:
Given the likelihood of winter flight delays, travel with a carryon bag and wear something presentable for your first event - you may not have a chance to change.
This. I'm flying American, which charges for checked bags anyway ? But these are short trips, and I'd rather not chance losing my clothes and stuff in a bag that doesn't get to the airport with me. And everything can easily fit in a carry on, really, we're just talking about a change of clothes, a small make up bag, something to sleep in.... or maybe I just travel light
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20 hours ago, Psychtime said:
Question: Two of my schools, and only two, have sent me info to fill out FAFSA and scholarship applications. I have not heard from either of these schools yet regarding interviews/rejections. Do schools send the fin aid stuff to everyone? Or could it possibly be a good sign? Am I just grasping at straws here lol?
Might be a good sign if they sent you the request for info after the time they would have reviewed apps. I had 2 programs that required me to upload a copy of my FAFSA to the application portal before it could be submitted, and the rest haven't asked for anything, so I imagine it just depends on the program.
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On 1/3/2020 at 10:25 PM, Scared StringBean said:
I might also add that for my manuscript in progress, I am using data collected by my prof years ago, and she wanted something more to come out of the dataset without having to write another paper herself.
This. I don't have multiple pubs, but I do have one in review, and it's not from my own original research, it's from data collected for a different project that I mined out. My PI added me to an older project through IRB, and then I could create what I wanted from it. I would venture to guess most projects have enough data to support a side project or two, so definitely ask around. As for conferences, start searching now for larger conferences you could get to, and apply away. I was able to present at a huge national conference this fall, and it definitely boosted my CV, but it was not a conference that was on my radar, or that of my department, I heard about it through the grapevine and thought, "what the hell, why not apply?" By some miracle, I was accepted to present, and I ran with it.
Also, don't forget the value of being a secondary or tertiary author. Any pubs is better than none
and being 2nd or 3rd shows you can work as part of a team successfully, which is a key grad school skill.
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2 minutes ago, lolhelp said:
I couldn't help but to glance at your signature and I noticed that you applied to a school I applied to! Did you already get rejected from FSU? Is that what the red text means? Sorry if I'm being too nosy. ? You can also pm me if it's more comfortable. I applied to FSU and still have not heard anything from them!
That's three of us
I know a couple people have gotten interviews, but I haven't heard a peep from FSU ( or USF, or Gainesville)
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2 hours ago, merpppy said:
I emailed a professor yesterday (who I know sent out invites) to inquire about the status of my app and found out I was indeed, rejected. So this helps and is NOT annoying! We deserve to know and not be held in limbo.
Did your status in the online status check system update to reflect a rejection, do you know? I have one program that I know has already done interviews that I haven't heard from, but it still says I am under review on the website. I'm wondering if checking the universities' online status pages is even worthwhile ?
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16 hours ago, SocPsyPhDWannabe said:
I have applied to 7 schools and haven't heard a peep from any. One of mine was FIU. When did you hear from them?
Mid-December, from the Developmental Science program. I don't know if the other programs were reviewing at the same time. Campus visit is Feb 5.
~~Good Application Season 2020 Vibes~~
in Psychology Forum
Posted
As a fellow mom, I have to say, go us! We face a unique set of challenges, but we also have developed a set of life skills that serve us well in and out of the lab. Way to keep pushing ahead!