alts98
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Posts posted by alts98
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2 hours ago, p.h.d.bound said:
Thank you! Addressing this in my personal statement is a good idea, along with maybe taking some courses over again to demonstrate I am working to improve my quantitative skills... Do you have any suggestions for finding psych research work postgrad?
Try applying for jobs through multiple ways. I highly recommend LinkedIn and Indeed as a lot of research positions are advertised there, which includes full-time and part-time, depending on your preference. Input words like "research assistant", "clinical research assistant", and maybe a keyword depending on your interests. I used to check every day for new postings to make sure I didn't miss any (but I had a lot of time on my hands, you could try checking once a week). You can also cold-email professors in labs you would be interested in working in by asking if they have any positions available- they might say yes or they may say they only have part-time/volunteer positions, which is still useful! In my experience, they were usually quick to respond and never had a bad interaction, some even were willing to forward my information to other labs that might be hiring. You can also check on job portals of universities/hospitals to find open positions. Let me know if you have any other questions!
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If all you got were Bs in math that's not a bad grade and not something you should worry about. Focus more on getting research and then you can always mention something about your low math grades (which don't seem that low to me) in your personal statement. If you can take some additional courses at a community college that can also help!
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On 2/8/2021 at 2:44 PM, ndyum said:
Is it too early in the application process to accept an RA position for next year? I have gotten a couple grad school rejections and no interview offers at this point
If you have not received any offers by this point I would encourage you to look for/accept an RA position. It might still be possible you get interviews since some schools seem delayed with their interviews so if you currently have an offer I would say maybe wait one more week before officially accepting. If they have a deadline that you need to respond to their work offer by then you should seriously consider accepting (if that's a job you actually want). Unless you sign a contract binding you to their employment for the next year or so, you can still theoretically reject a job after a few months if you get an acceptance to a grad program. They can't force you stay there and work.
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44 minutes ago, Desperate13 said:
So, I asked a prof for advice about what to do during this year that I prepare to apply again end of this year, and she suggested I get more clinical experience and network with professors I am interested in working with. Good advice, but I do not know how to do this. I spent a year after graduating trying to get clinical experience, but they all want previous clinical experience. I know I can volunteer somewhere, but I'm worried that won't give me the hours I need by next application cycle? I also can't really afford to just volunteer so many hours a week without getting paid... I also do not know how to reach out to profs I have no previous connection with. This is mostly due to anxiety that I will say something wrong or come across as annoying and ruin all my chances. Any advice on either of these dilemmas? I guess additionally, for both PsyD and PhD programs, how much clinical experience do we need? Thank you all for any insight!!!!
If you want to reach out to professors to network with them, I would recommend waiting a month so after they become less busy with application/interview season. I don't think it will be annoying to reach out- you can always say you are interested in the work they are doing, hoping to apply to graduate school in the future, and interested in gaining more experience in the type of work they are doing. Then ask if they have any volunteer positions open (including remote work since some labs may still be working virtually and may not require you to move). If they don't have any, they may sometimes connect you to someone who does.
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16 hours ago, psychg said:
I'm sad to have to start thinking about backup plans, but it's possible for me that it is that time (still holding some hope but it's not looking great- applying clinical phd). Currently I'm in a psychometrist position so getting great clinical experience, but I know that my lack of research experience is going to be what's holding me back. I really only have 2 years of undergrad research experience, and 2 on-campus poster presentations are all that came out of it (no pubs, prof wasn't interested in publishing those years, unfortunately for me, as he'd just gotten promoted to the chair of the dept so was otherwise occupied). After graduation, I interviewed for 1 RA position, but ultimately didn't get it as the funding fell through, and with the pandemic I didn't feel I could afford to be picky in turning down the psychometrist position, despite research being what I want to do. Especially with apps for next cycle already due in less than 11 months (panic!) I really need to start looking now...How do ya'll go about getting paid research positions/where do you look?
Try indeed and linkedin and just type in "research assistant" or "clinical research assistant". You will get several postings especially if you are not geographically located. Apply to any that seem interesting, the more you apply to, the greater your chances are of landing a job during these times, even if you have to do research in an area that isn't your primary interest.
https://psychologyjobsinternships.wordpress.com/ This website also has a couple of recent postings.
- psychg, eloisetheapplicant and c_otter
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2 hours ago, Randi S said:
Go for it. If the lab you are in now isn't giving you the opportunities you need, apply to the other one. It sounds like a much better option for gathering actual experiences you can put on your CV and talk about in interviews. No one will fault you for leaving as long as you aren't burning the project down you are currently working on
Thanks for the advice! I feel like if I were to get an offer I would just put in my two weeks and leave but I feel like they would be fine without me because there is another RA who has the same position and could do the work themselves- I don't understand why they needed 2+ RAs for the workload of one.
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On 1/10/2021 at 1:25 PM, sanna927 said:
I went through something similar a few weeks back. I had a preliminary interview with a PI and I felt we were a perfect match, plus it seemed to me that my interview and our conversations went really well. Then within a week I received the rejection email, which really surprised me. I actually followed up with the PI and, in a very professional and respectful email, asked if I could receive some feedback. She shared with me that the interview went great, but she was looking for these 2 specific skills/experiences that I simply did not have or did not have enough of. Understandably, that was something she needed to gauge in the interview. In the end, you have to understand that professors are looking for very specific things that may not be completely apparent. I have a friend who went through the interview process 2 years ago and got zero acceptances. When she followed up for feedback, she got responses like "we needed someone with experience in FMRI" but she only had ECG, for example. You have to understand that it is much to the PIs benefit if their graduate students already have a skill than to train someone to learn the whole process. So really, when coping with rejections, you have to remind yourself that A. it is not personal, it is more likely a question of "fit" for the lab and a logistics thing rather than who you are or if you did well in an interview, etc. and B. out of ALL the applicants, you were chosen for an interview. That's HUGE in this field. You should be so proud of yourself for getting to that point. After that, things are beyond your control and you have to find a way to accept that.
Do you mind sharing what those specifics skills were (either on here or DM)? I'm just curious as to what type of skills a PI would deem as the " make it or break it" skill for a candidate.
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Hi there,
I need advice on what will be best for me. I am planning on applying to graduate programs for next fall (so 2022 Fall admissions) and I wanted to know if it would hurt my chances to switch jobs.
Background: I graduated with a B.S. in Psych and B.A. Criminal Justice in 2020 and decided to take time off to gather research experience before applying. I had a 3.7 GPA, completed honors program, did an honors project with an honors poster. I have a total of about 25+ poster presentations, a lot of them being school, local, or regional conferences but two posters were submitted/presented to national/international conferences. I have two 4th author publications and one 1st author paper in my research interest about to be submitted for review soon.
I already had some research experience from undergrad: 2.5 years in a lab closely aligned with some of my research interests; 1.5 years in another lab; 1 year in another lab (coding mostly). I am currently in two labs: the first one is at an R1 university doing part-time data entry remotely (did a couple of interviews before I got my new jobs so looks good on my CV). I have a full-time position at another R1 university and have been here for roughly 7 months.
I do not like my new job too much- I feel like there is not much to do. There is no direct contact with participants (all remote surveys). Keep asking PI for poster/publications and says they are coming but not sure if I will be allowed 1st, 2nd, or even 3rd author on it or when that will be since we're still in data collection stages. Besides recruitment, there's not much to do and I am not feeling like I am learning any valuable research skills here. For an R1 university this study is actually a mess.
I did hear about a new position opening up at a lab I had previously applied to. I had gotten to the final stages of interviewing before I was passed up for someone else but they said they were hiring 2-3 new RAs starting immediately and to apply if interested. This lab doesn't align perfectly with my research interests BUT it is at a prestigious, R1 university, closer to my home, research I am interested in, and direct contact with participants.
Here is my concern: If I start this new job in February/March (to allow time for interviewing/onboarding) does that hurt my chances for applying to Clinical Psych PhD programs? Will they down upon me only spending 7-8 months in this one job before leaving and then only spending about 9-10 months in this other job before applying to grad school? I really don't want to put off applying another year because I feel like I am competitive enough to get an interview but don't know if switching jobs might hurt me, even if it might be a more interesting job. But since I was turned down once I am not sure if it worth's applying to this same job (or maybe just look for another job in general?)
Any advice?
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On 11/3/2020 at 4:25 AM, prospectivegradstudent21 said:
i have some research experience but im scared that its not enough. i was in a lab for 6 months and then confirmed to be in a lab in the winter semester of my third year, which just so happened to be a month before COVID happened. that position couldnt be switched virtually and therefore, i had to look for other labs. right now im in a lab for psych and doing lab work w 2 other professors finding literature reviews, annotating, etc. additionally, i dont really have work experience and my campus involvement is in 3 clubs. i dont have any publications although i might be able to this year but in the field of my minor (which is not psych) and i also havent spoken at conferences or done presentations. my gpa is a 3.78/4.0 (3.71 for just my major). additionally, my school doesnt make us write a thesis unless youre an honours student, which i am not, so i dont have a thesis but i do have research interests.
so after giving all the details i have a couple of questions. i understand that if u do an MA youre expected to finish ur PhD usually from the same school and additionally, accreditation is v important and kids usually apply for grants to help pay tuition. im kind of just nervous because i know it's extremely competitive so i guess any advice would be great or being able to chat with someone who are in these schools graduate programs, just so i can ask some basic questions would be nice. im specifically interested in pediatric psych and would love to one day work in a hospital or clinic alongside doctors and nurses to help a patient with trauma/fear/PTSD. additionally, im really interested in looking at interventions for children, especially those of colour, and how interventions to make trauma or PTSD manageable for both the child but how parents, especially from minority groups, who think mental health is taboo (and might not know how to help their child/could make it worse), can be helped.
i guess my question is do i have a chance? is it really worth it to apply to like 15 schools (mostly MA, american ones are almost all PhD)? all of these schools have faculty that have either worked with children or have done research on PTSD/trauma so my hope is that under advisors from these schools, i can take this knowledge and research it myself and then, apply it to my skills as a practitioner. i hope this makes sense (sorry if its overflowing with rambled sentences and all over the place im quite stressed). if you go to these schools i would love to be able to chat with you about your experience and your application process, etc. id also just love to get a better feel of whether im doing this correctly and whether my credentials make me an applicant theyd even consider.
You can definitely finish your MA without having to do a PhD... Most MA programs just aren't listed as "clinical psych" but can be listed as psychology, forensic psychology, counseling psychology, etc. Masters programs tend to be less competitive and I think 6 months of lab works along with your current lab is more than what I've seen other students be accepted with and not everyone writes a thesis. You have a really good GPA and if you get strong letters of recommendation and good personal statement you should be a good candidate for acceptance. I don't know if you should apply to 15 schools but if you want to be in the safe side, you can.
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On 11/8/2020 at 11:03 AM, JoZP said:
Hello Everyone,
I have been interested in the Ph.D. Psychology program at Stanford. More specifically, I am interested in social psychology. I found (2) professors who resonate with my research interest.
I was wondering if anyone has applied to this program? If so, are they looking for something in particular (I.e, research experience, applied experience, teaching experience, etc.) to determine if you are a good fit?
The reason I ask is that I completed my masters in Marriage and Family Therapy at CSU Sacramento a non-research university. I do have research experience; however, did not get an opportunity to publish my independent research project. I do, however, have extensive clinical experience combined with working with diverse populations.
I believe most PhD programs, even social, tend to favor research experience, social is just not as competitive as clinical so you don't need to stand out from 500+ applicants. Depending on how long you did research for and what skills you learned from it, it could still help you (probably not if it was just 1-2 months). The fact that you have an independent research project is worth noting, not everyone needs a publication to be accepted/considered.
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5 hours ago, SheMadeItEventually said:
Just want to ask your guys opinion: How personal can I get with statement of purpose/personal statement if the school does not require a diversity statement? Is talking about my experiences of being the only minority in my town + the nature of my mom working in the aligned field too personal? Then I added how living in different countries helped me with seeing thing differently and how i grew interested in my population of interest. All of this is in the first short paragraph. I was going to live the minority part out but one professor told me to make it more personal to show the connection. I really hope it doesn't sound like a sob story but I wouldn't know because I wrote it.
If your area of interest is multicultural or working with a specific minority group, I say go for it! On the other hand, if you aren't, I wouldn't make it the primary focus of your statement. You have to show how being the only minority relates to your interest in the program, your research, your desire for grad school, etc.
I would recommend watching this
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15 hours ago, SesameStreet said:
What I'm discovering is that not a lot of people do what I'm interested in doing. The professors I've been talking with in my undergraduate program have all told me that most Psychology majors apply to 12-15 programs at once (who has that kind of time or money??), so I've been feeling so frustrated that I can't seem to find that many to apply to. With my research interests, I guess that's the nature of the beast. Some programs are better than none!
Most people apply to 10+ programs to increase their chances of getting an interview/acceptance somewhere, especially if they only want to apply one round. As stated above, this is mostly beneficial if you are applying to extremely competitive programs like clinical. Given the limited number of funding/seats due to COVID, this could be a competitive application season.
Most deadlines are December 1st for most psychology PhD programs. I would recommend applying to only 1-2 if you don't feel like you would have enough time to write outstanding applications (i.e. personal statement). Also, most professors or lab directors require weeks of advanced notice for letters of recommendation since it is possible they may be writing other letters as well and are busy with work in general. If you are serious about applying, my first step would be securing those letters of recommendation!
If you want to stick to the psychology field, look into educational or developmental programs. Usually less competitive and you can probably find someone who is just as interested in what you are. I have also read that matches don't always have to be 100%, it could be a 80% match in interests. Sometimes professors are interested to know you may have something additional you can contribute to the lab! I also know some locations are doing virtual interview days so that could save money if you get interviewed and don't need to spend money to fly out.
- SocDevMum and SesameStreet
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@justacigarThanks for the advice! I had come across 1-2 community psych programs that were interesting but I will definitely look into it more! Forensic is awesome but I'm willing to go to a program with that specific concentration if the faculty are doing policy type work. Thanks!
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@PsyDuck90 Thanks for the advice!
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The fact that you have a combined 4 years of research experience is good and may outweigh your GPA. From what I have seen on most psych PhD program websites, the minimum is 3.5 which you are pretty close to. If you have a good GRE score and that much experience in a reputable university and good letters of recommendation you should be competitive enough for some interviews!
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Thanks for sharing! Just signed up! He has a lot of helpful resources for applying to grad school so hopefully this will be just as informative!
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Hi to those reading!
I was hoping to get advice on what to work on to help prepare me for the application process next fall. A little background:
Undergrad GPA: 3.70 (Psychology and Criminal Justice (completed honors program with honors thesis)
Experience: Worked as an undergrad RA in two labs in my alma mater for 2+ years, and worked as a part-time RA at Brown and now currently working at another Ivy League university as a full-time RA.
Publications: Have over 20 poster presentations and two publications as fourth author and currently working on a first-author publication.
My interests revolve around psychology and forensic/law so I am planning on applying to a couple of different programs that had faculty that fit my interests: Clinical Psychology PhD, joint JD-PhD (in Clinical psych), and Clinical Psych Phd-MPH programs. Some of the schools currently on my list are University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Clark Univ, GSU, among many others I still need to narrow down. Does anyone have any advice on what I should be focusing on? I plan on taking the GRE in February and LSAT in April and am starting to study now. Should I focus on gaining clinical experience (and if so, what kinds of positions) or should I get an additional part-time RA position, or what to focus on in the personal statements. If you have any suggestions for faculty who is interested in forensic, sexual assault, prevention and policy or anything along those lines that would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance!!
What would be considered quality research experience when applying to a Clinical Psych Ph.D.?
in Psychology Forum
Posted
3 Years of research experience is good, especially with your experience writing a chapter and working in different labs seems like you will have a good amount of experience. Make sure you are putting the second poster your name is on in your CV- just because you won't be there to physically present at that conference doesn't mean you shouldn't put it on your CV if you worked on that poster. Maybe try to get another first author poster submitted by the time you apply and maybe start working on a manuscript from someone else's data.