[USA Fall 2022 Clinical/Counseling PhD/PsyD]

4 hours ago, voluntconvertere said:

Those intending to apply this cycle: there is trouble brewing in a lot of departments right now. I strongly encourage getting in touch with grad students for honest opinions if you can. Those who have recently graduated if possible since they can’t face retaliation. I’ll post an example. 

I have had contact with a student who just graduated from an R02 because I was interested in applying to the program. I was surprised how strongly it was discouraged by the student. The reasons they gave:

- The DH and DCT are highly criticized for their handling of the COVID pandemic and responses to racial tensions.

- Both the DH and DCT have openly lied to current students and applicants.

- DH is being relocated outside of the department.

- DCT is being asked to leave because they were holding up TLLPs, annual reviews, grades, supervision, basically everything, and not responding to students and engaging in some retaliation.

- Classes are being dropped after students are enrolled. Apparently this can impact practica and internship placements.

- Classes are not sufficiently rigorous to prepare potential clinicians. The student said everyone had a 4.0, but not everyone was a competent therapist, and that generally the classes were at or below an undergraduate level (they went to an R01 for undergrad).

- Entire programs of study have been thrown out and now students who entered the program for those programs/tracks are getting general training instead of specific training. So students who came for specialist training in ASD treatments  don’t have the opportunities they were promised or can’t take specific, relevant classes in the program handbook because they haven’t been offered in years.

- Faculty sitting on committees are holding up milestones, not giving edits or feedback, or requiring entire projects to be redone at the last moment, or “not supporting students in continuing” in the program.

- Multiple students have left the program in the past month alone (June, 2021).

 

All this from a program with a 10-year APA accreditation. Be very, VERY careful this cycle. From the sounds of it loads of programs are struggling financially and some may even be closing. They still may take our money, though.

 

You can DM me for the program or more details, although this seems to be a trend. I’ll try to come up with a list of questions or something if it would be helpful.

Wow that is scary. Applying this year after being way too optimistic in my selection last year. Going to shoot for more masters programs this time though due to my undergrad GPA (2.8) being so low. Might end up just grabbing another research position so see you in the thread next year too.

[Anything else I can do? (not accepted into clinical/counseling)]

7 hours ago, PsyDuck90 said:

The biggest thing is research I think. Try to get more research experience and your name on a poster/pub within psych. Research positions should be opening up soon. There's been a few places where links to job postings have been mentioned on this forum. While you have the 2 pubs, they're in social work. Although related, you want to try to get posters/pubs specifically in psych. 

I want to do that. There is nothing currently open at my university as far as I can see but I will keep looking. When I check postings, it seems like I would need to move across or out of state. Which I am more than willing to do for the duration of a degree, but have not considered (until now) to do just for a year or two in preparation for school.

7 hours ago, SocDevMum said:

Do you not have two other possible academic LOR writers? ...

Lastly - how are you articulating your desire to research assessment? And are you applying to research-based clinical programs? Check the fit of the PIs you are applying to, and make sure when you write your personal statements that you are clearly explaining how your interest is a great match for their interests. Bad fits don't get interviews even if they are a perfect candidate on paper.

I knew it would be an issue. The best suggestion that my professor gave me was to use a recently graduated PhD who was my lab manager for a year. Which is still not ideal. Again, it seems the best route would be to just pick up more psych-focused research job and get experienced references. So I will be seriously looking into this.

As far as the admissions essays: Yes, I ensured that I picked professors/universities with research that I could realistically spin my current work as being similar. e.g. all my POIs were doing research with similar populations, using similar instruments, a couple of them were specifically community/social justice focused which I had really hoped would align closer with social work. 

5 hours ago, Clinapp2017 said:

One thing I would advise more consideration on, though (assuming you haven't put a ton of thought into this, which maybe you have) is do you really need a clinical or counseling psych PhD to achieve your specific goals? For people who have completed license-eligible programs, like MSW, I always ask that question b/c you are committing another 6+ years of your life, and more with post-doc, to training in a related speciality, with little-to-no pay. There are also academic/research positions for people holding MSW degrees, if your goal is to be faculty. If not faculty and you just want to work in the research world to an extent, you can be hired be a larger study to be a clinician in their research lab's trials, assuming they want licensed folks. Long story short, there are multiple paths, and a PhD will be a significant time investment after already being license eligible. 

That is a discussion I have had with my professor. My main hang-up with not doing psych is that there is no equivalent in social work PhDs/DSWs. I find the work great and I think I would be ok with pursuing it. But when I find research that I am excited about, it is almost uniformly being done by psychologists. It is an on-going conversation that would take too long to discuss here but I am glad that someone other than my professor (and every graduate guide book) is suggesting it, because I know I tend to overlook the possibilities of what I currently have. 

 

Thank you all for the feedback. I was really down in the dumps (still am) because I spent the last year and a half trying to do everything to follow that Insider's Guide to Clinical/Counseling programs book. I do understand a lot of people probably spend a good 5 years following the guide and prepping themselves. It is good to know that all of the advice in it is pretty much exactly what everyone on the forums is saying. I just have to bring it up another couple of notches. One specific question: With the psych research assistant positions, how crucial is it that the research be aligned with whatever I am looking for in a future program? I see a lot of positions open across the US, almost all for projects that I would never want to pursue for life (though I do love being involved with research in-general). 

[Anything else I can do? (not accepted into clinical/counseling)]

Hi all! I finally received my last rejection. No interviews from any place which worries me. My professor/PI strongly advised I re-take the GRE and adjust my standards/apply to more programs. I'll give a brief rundown of what I have going for/against me. My dream is/was to do clinical or counseling psych so I can be involved in research on assessment.  I know there is not a lot I can change or add within this year, but any advice is appreciated. I am also worried if I should just avoid the psych field altogether due to a weak application.

 

-BS Psych 2.8 GPA, Masters in Social Work 3.5 GPA

-GRE V158 Q149 Analytical Writing 4.0 <---Will be retaking and focusing heavily on the quant and writing

-Two social work publications, one as last author (5th), another as second author.

-About 1.5 years experience as a research project manager

-Letters of recommendation: 1 from my social work professor, 2 from two non-academic clinical psychologists <--- And any opportunities to work with other researchers seemed to have gone away with COVID

 

 

[Fall 2021 Clinical & Counseling PhD/PsyD]

Hi all, first time poster. Looking for advice and/or guidance on my chances of getting in this year and what to do if I don't get in to improve my chances next time around. Thanks in advance!

I have a bachelor's in psych, masters in social work. Looking at clinical/counseling programs. Primarily interested in psychotherapy process/outcome and PTSD. Funded programs would be a huge plus (still looking through guides to identify potential programs).

Concerns: Undergrad GPA 2.8 (psych 3.5), all my research experience is social work (no psych/clinical populations), likely to get 155-ish V and Q scores on GRE (still studying). Completed my undergrad roughly 8 years ago (just completed MSW last year).

Strengths: 1 year of managing a quantitative research project, doing pretty basic SPSS work. Also received a semester of grad training in SAS. One publication (5th author), and one hopeful publication of a qualitative publication as second author.