EyelandPychePhD

Would you mind sharing where you are accepted/where your top choice is? Totally understand if the answer is no.

If it wasn't for them saying "As you may know, this process could take a while (sometimes into mid-April)", then I would normally say that you can absolutely follow up to inquire about the status. But since that language was included, it does warrant a little more patience. Which is incredibly frustrating I know. If you know the PI well (as in, you've had several correspondences via e-mail with them and built some sort of rapport beyond just the interview), then it may be appropriate to e-mail them ASAP to inquire about your status. But if you don't already have a rapport with them then it is probably best to let just a little bit more time pass before inquiring with the PI. When you do reach out to them, conveying interest in the program while simultaneously inquiring about decisions can sprinkle a little sugar on top of an e-mail. The Graduate Applications Coordinator person is a different story though- You can totally reach out to them. Just don't put anything in writing that you wouldn't be comfortable having forwarded to your PI, because that could happen. But I think if you inquire indirectly with the Grad Applicant Coordinator, you should be fine to do so as soon as you want so long as you're polite.

Could you try following up with the department application coordinator as a start, and then if that doesn't work out, reach out to the PI in a week or two? Has there been any activity from other posters on the results section?

Question regarding Clinical/Counseling Psychology PhD waitlists: Are most schools pretty good about notifying a person on the waitlist, if the applicant ahead of them accepts the offer before April 15th? Or have some experienced being left in the dark until April 15th, even if the candidate ahead of them accepted long before then? I am the first alternate on a waitlist at my top choice, and can't seem to stop myself from wondering if they will tell me right away if the candidate ahead of me accepts the slot.... or, if they'll keep me in the dark until April 15th if that candidate accepts the offer..?

There are many Pros and Cons to living in NYC right now. I just moved away from NYC after living there for around 5 years. I LOVED it there, but it tends to be a love hate relationship. You might hate it while you're there (crowds, trash, cost, smells, loud) but then miss it so much when you leave (it's a knockout of a city and there is always something new to see). Just the nature of the beast. Due to the pandemic, NYC ic cheaper to live right now than it has been in years (however, still incredibly expensive). There is a chance that if you lock in an apartment now, for cheaper, the pandemic will start to subside and prices will rise again as things open up, so you could experience a win-win situation— scoring an apartment for cheap in the city that never sleeps. That said, a lot of the fun things to do in new York (concerts, clubbing, nightlife, anything involving large crowds) are currently closed ? until further notice. You can't just go for a hike or go to the beach like you could elsewhere (although you can take the subway to Rockaway Beach which is a sweet little spot, and you can take the train out of the city hiking— it's just kindof a schlepp)... more likely, you'd be going to one of the City parks where there's a million other people there because other things to do are closed. There are still tons of stores open and some things to do if you get creative. It's just not the "quintessential new york city experience" right at this exact moment. Pre-pandemic, there was always something going on at night, no matter if your preference is art, music, shows, anything... Now, with the pandemic, that's not necessarily the case... Hopefully those things will be open again soon, but no one knows. So, given the decreased rent but the fact that it's semi-closed- it's either the best time to move to New York City or the worst time to move there, depending on how you look at it. That said, if this is your only shot to move to NYC and you think you've always wanted to experience it (I'm so glad I moved there for my 20s), then go for it. An MA degree is the perfect amount of time to get a taste of NYC and then leave before you get sick of it. Also, I'll add, it can be strangely lonely in NYC, which is paradoxical in a way since there's so many people.... But if you're not great at introducing yourself to people and making friends, people aren't going to go out of the way to take you under their wing like they might in other places. If you're very shy, it might be easier to make friends elsewhere... Although that might be a moot point since you may be able to make friends with your fellow students even at NYU. There will definitely be a noticeable difference in how the admissions team and the school in general treats you. NYC's fast-paced nature and "you're just another fish in the sea" attitude is quite the opposite of southern hospitality where people take their time to say hello. I personally loved NYC while I was there- I climbed the ladder professionally and accomplished a ton in a few short years, and finally got to wear all my most chic clothes that I will probably never wear again because where other than NYC can I wear them...... It honestly just really helped me get my shit together and be more of a go-getter. It's easy to be productive there. But, I'm also happy to have left, because the lack of nature and never being able to save money gets old after a while, and approaching 30, going out didn't have the same appeal as it did a few years earlier...

I'd email them. This isn't super normal.

Are most schools pretty good about notifying a person on the waitlist, if the applicant ahead of them accepts the offer before April 15th? Or have some experienced being left in the dark until April 15th, even if the candidate ahead of them accepted long before then? I am the first alternate on a waitlist at my top choice, and can't seem to stop myself from wondering if they will tell me right away if the candidate ahead of me accepts the slot.

What kind of PhD program are you entering? That will make a difference. I have answered the question below from the perspective of a research-oriented social sciences PhD: Transferring from one Ph.D. to Another in the U.S. is Not Common or Advisable Due to Relationship with Advisor: As the previous poster said, transferring from one PhD program to another in the U.S. is highly unusual. There are many reasons for this. As the previous poster said, U.S. PhD programs focus heavily on the mentor/advisor-student relationship. Typically, your advisor is funding your tuition from their own grant money, or they are funding you from "their portion" of the department's funding. Of course, you will also most likely be working as a research assistant in your advisors lab to cover your tuition, as well as other positions such as a teaching assistantship. If you want to attend a PhD program with the intention of transferring, it would be frowned upon to do so without being honest and upfront about your intentions. Typically in a PhD program you will be working on research that requires years of long-term data collection, analysis, and problem solving, so it's not really something you can just up and walk away from, and continue somewhere else. Your knowledge will need to be cumulative, and your advisor has made an investment in you, and started training you and teaching you, from the beginning. To enter a PhD Program with the preconceived intention of transferring would be considered extremely unprofessional by most everyone. Transferring is Also Not Practical Due to Layout of Program Schedule: Even it you are only considering your own needs, and not those of your advisor, if still wouldn't be practical to transfer from one PhD to another. Typically you are going to want to get started on a Thesis or some sort of research project in year 1 of a PhD program, and you would most likely be using data collected via your advisor's lab for that. At the very least, you would be using your program's IRB for data collection, and would probably not be allowed to take that to another program in order to transfer. So you would have to completely start over. In addition, PhD program curricula are not standardized, no two programs are the same even if in the same field. So you would very likely not be able to transfer all credits over either. The most likely outcome, if you absolutely needed to leave your PhD program, would be that you would have to withdraw, and then re-apply to a PhD Program elsewhere as a brand new student. It would look bad on your application to have already withdrawn from one program, so that would work against you. The Professors you're applying to work with in the second round would likely sympathize with your Ex-advisor and think it was unprofessional for you to leave them hanging like that. If you had a really good reason for needing to transfer, and you were ready to tell them exactly why you transferred, then some professors would understand. But given the fact that you already are thinking of transferring ahead of time, entering the program when you are not intending to stay would be deceitful. In addition, if would in most cases work against you when reapplying, so you will most likely not be accepted to a "better" program, even if you get straight A's. If you did get accepted to a program after withdrawing from your first program, they might allow some of your previous PhD's courses to count as credit toward your new PhD requirements, but there is no guarantee. PhD Programs Usually Do Not Accept Transfer Students: I have never heard of a PhD program that will accept a transfer student, due to all of the reasons above. So not only is it not practical or advisable to transfer from one PhD Program to another, but it's also most likely not possible. So to answer your question, no, it makes no difference whether you transfer to a PhD program in the same state because state lines mean nothing as far as a PhD, and it is almost unheard of to transfer from one PhD program to another. In summary, it is not a good idea to commit to a PhD Program if you are already thinking about transferring out. You are extremely caring for wanting to take care of your significant other, but if it is really causing you to think about transferring before even starting a program, then maybe you should decline the current admissions offer, and take a year off to figure things out with your significant other so that you can both have a more stable home life. There is absolutely nothing wrong with taking some time off to tend to personal matters! In order to succeed in a PhD program, it is best to have balance and stability in place so that you can focus on your studies, since it is going to involve rigorous coursework. If you feel that you need to be in the same location as your significant other, then you should wait a year and reapply around the location you are both residing in, or have your significant other move to the location where your PhD program is. And if your significant other is really struggling with depression, the best thing one can do for someone they care about is to support them, yes, but also urge them to seek treatment and advice from a mental health professional. I hope this helps!

Has anyone heard from University of Colorado Denver (Clinical Health Psychology Ph.D.)? About interview dates or anything else?

I totally feel this. I am currently the first alternate at my first choice school (CSU in Fort Collins!) and I am dying to get in. It comes down to one person declining the offer. Knowing that you have a chance is just enough information to cause you to continually overthink it, imo. The limbo effect is so taxing!

Thanks, I appreciate that. What makes you think you aren't good at interviews?

Also, has anyone heard from University of Colorado Denver (Clinical Health PhD)? All I have from them is total radio silence, and radio silence on the GradCafe forums as well.

How does everyone feel about e-mailed a PI, who you've had several good conversations with and have a good relationship with, to ask about what position you are on, on the waitlist? I just got waitlisted at my first choice. PI wrote back post-interview saying I was an incredible applicant and that decisions would be made soon. I thought that was a good sign. Then today, I was notified via generic e-mail from the department that I was placed on the waitlist "Don't take this as a rejection we typically accept applicants off the waitlist every year" and so on. However, no information as to where I am positioned on that waitlist. I know that my PI interviewed 5 people. Given that I have a good relationship with this PI, is it fine to shoot an e-mail saying "Patiently waiting and hoping that a spot opens up. Would love to attend this program. Do you have any insight as to where I am positioned on the waitlist?". In these forums, some say don't do that while others say it's totally acceptable. Appreciate any advice anyone may have. This is definitely a difficult pill to swallow.

School: University of Mississippi Type: Clinical Psychology PhD Date of invite: Dec 23rd Type of invite: E-mail PI and then from the department inviting to formal interview Interview date(s): Feb 6th via Zoom DM for POI: Yes School: Colorado State University Type: Counseling Psychology PhD Date of invite: Jan 26th Type of invite: E-mail from the department inviting to formal interview Interview date(s): Feb 5th via Zoom DM for POI: Yes

Thankfully I refrained from e-mailing. Just got the CSU interview invite I was hoping for! ?

Thank you for your input! And no, it was not a "preliminary interview", I just called it a PreLim Zoom (Preliminary to the application itself I suppose!)- but yes, an informational discussion. The interview date is 2/5 (10.5 days from now). Would it be wise to wait until Friday to reach out, or do you feel it's advisable to get in touch today? I really appreciate your input and the time you spent considering my question!

Question- I had a really great Prelim Zoom with a PI back in November (said I was "very competitive" and had "impressive ideas"), and after that call was in touch with the PI asking a few questions about the application. PI stated they were really excited to read my materials, etc. And the match with my research interests couldn't have been better. Now it's about 10 days from interview day, and I'm gunna be honest- I'm getting antsy. Given that I've had several good instances of communication, including an hour long PreLim Zoom in November with this PI, would it be in the realm of normalcy to e-mail them and say something along the lines of "I noticed that the interview date is coming up. Wanted to check in." ??? [not exact wording obviously]. Does that come off as concerned/proactive rather than impatient? Or should I just wait patiently to see if I get an e-mail in the next 10 days? An important caveat factoring into this question is that admissions has said they'll be sending out invites "really soon", and some people received an invite yesterday, but they weren't with my PI. Grateful for any advice! Thx

Your assumption is correct!

It could be real. I refresh the CSU Counseling Psyche results section periodically, and I’m pretty sure that the 3 interview invitees who posted all did so a little after 6pm Mountain Time. That makes me wonder if the faculty met this afternoon, and perhaps one PI sent out interview invites after business hours. Perhaps other PI’s who prefer to send professional emails during business hours only may opt to send their out tomorrow. Alternatively, the 3 interview invite posts on the results page could have been a troll (Though I don’t believe that is the case). Based on the intel gathered so far, CSU Counseling is supposed to send interview invites by the end of this week. So any day now....

Hey, thanks Chugwater2020- That's some good news, right?? No need to be freaking out quite yet, based on that response ?. I really hope they change the from 2/5 to a little later, giving us all a little more time to prepare.... (Tagging anairakk below so that they see this:)

VERY interesting. Because on 1/8/21, the Admissions Point person said that the CSU Counseling PhD committee had not announced the official interview date yet..... so perhaps that 2/5 date is not correct afterall...

I will let you know/Post about it ASAP if I hear anything! Do you remember if that 2/5 date has been on their site for several months? I wonder if it's incorrect (like if it's outdated even though is says 2021)

Hey- Thank you, That does help! The fact that the interview invite date says 2/5 is making me nervous because it's getting to be short notice if that date is correct! However, since interviews are virtual, maybe short notice is the norm because applicants aren't flying in from other locations....

Still waiting to hear back from Colorado State University (Counseling Ph.D.)... A poster in the results section said they e-mailed the CSU admissions officers on 1/8, who told them that the official interview date had not been set yet (and that invites would be sent 3rd and 4th week of Jan). As of now, their website said their interview date for 2021 is 2/5. Any idea if that has been posted on their website since before 1/8? Wondering if it's accurate or just an arbitrary date they put on their site.

Thank you much! I truly appreciate your kind words. It was definitely a lesson in boundary-setting in professional relationships (extremely difficult to do with this type of person).