Oxford_comma2

If it's true what the person on the results page says-- kind of sucks that Harvard doesn't even consider applicants outside of their own pool. I get that they get money from applications but why let people apply if you're not even going to interview anyone outside of your current labs...?
I'm not too salty about my reject because I knew it was a long shot but didn't realize it was "literally impossible and not worth applying"-level.
Maybe applying to clinical psych in general is like that though...

26 ?

thanks fam. I'm getting the feeling that i too shouldhavebeenagoatfarmer.

thanks fam. I'm getting the feeling that i too shouldhavebeenagoatfarmer.

thanks fam. I'm getting the feeling that i too shouldhavebeenagoatfarmer.

I'm about ready to pull out all my hair waiting for these waitlists to start moving?

thanks fam. I'm getting the feeling that i too shouldhavebeenagoatfarmer.

thanks fam. I'm getting the feeling that i too shouldhavebeenagoatfarmer.

Anyone else feel like time goes so slowwwwwwww. I cannot wait for it to be April 15 and be out of this waitlist limbo. 

*Email notification on my phone*
Me: oh my god oh my god
*opens email* "Dear XXX, Please find your decision letter attached."
Me: is literally dying inside, opens the PDF letter
"Dear XXX, We are happy to inform you of your selection as an alternate-"
.....screams
thank you for coming to my TED talk

If it's true what the person on the results page says-- kind of sucks that Harvard doesn't even consider applicants outside of their own pool. I get that they get money from applications but why let people apply if you're not even going to interview anyone outside of your current labs...?
I'm not too salty about my reject because I knew it was a long shot but didn't realize it was "literally impossible and not worth applying"-level.
Maybe applying to clinical psych in general is like that though...

If it's true what the person on the results page says-- kind of sucks that Harvard doesn't even consider applicants outside of their own pool. I get that they get money from applications but why let people apply if you're not even going to interview anyone outside of your current labs...?
I'm not too salty about my reject because I knew it was a long shot but didn't realize it was "literally impossible and not worth applying"-level.
Maybe applying to clinical psych in general is like that though...

If it's true what the person on the results page says-- kind of sucks that Harvard doesn't even consider applicants outside of their own pool. I get that they get money from applications but why let people apply if you're not even going to interview anyone outside of your current labs...?
I'm not too salty about my reject because I knew it was a long shot but didn't realize it was "literally impossible and not worth applying"-level.
Maybe applying to clinical psych in general is like that though...

If I might pitch in my $0.02 - this feels like an ever higher raising of an already obstructively high bar. Many hopeful applicants are exceedingly fortunate to even be able to work full-time in related research, get three amazing letters, and amass various pubs and posters, especially with COVID now. Plenty are stuck trying to work full time in an unrelated job while balancing a few extra RA volunteer hours, much less able to do an Extra Special CV Thing on top of the above. In my local area at least, human services type experiences have been reduced due to the pandemic. This cycle especially has highlighted for many how ridiculously excruciating this process is for even highly qualified candidates, and if this kind of faculty expectation becomes de rigueur, then we're just going to continue moseying down the path of gatekeeping. Don't get me wrong, volunteering is fantastic for many reasons, but it seems that some faculty expect applicants to be superhuman in the face of narrowing opportunities.

I said yes too. Right I’m a bit confused about why we were referred to a PhD program especially speaking for myself most of my experience and interests are clinically oriented....but apparently the PhD program is practitioner-scholar so maybe the programs are similar??? I have no idea. Confused. Lol. 

I 1000% agree with this. It took me 4 years of undergrad, 3 years of post-bac research coordinator work, almost 2 years of a Master's to understand just how exclusive and elitist (not to mention racist) this system really is. I know faculty are in a tough spot, but the nature of academia and grants makes it nearly impossible to get even close to joining the system. And faculty will tell you the competition only gets harder in academia to get funding and tenure, mostly because there are more and more people getting PhDs, i.e., supply is less than demand. 
I don't know what the solution is to the exclusivity, but it seems like something has to give. And I encourage people who are doctoral students, postdocs, early career psychologists, etc. to push for changes in the system to make it more equitable and accessible to the plethora of brilliant applicants that get left behind, discouraged, and leave the field. 

And another one gone, and another one gone, another week gone without a final decision. ?

I’ve been getting so many robo calls. It’s like they know I’m waiting for grad school decisions and will pick up!

The thing is— getting a masters costs money. You get paid to get a PhD (even if it’s not much.) 

Honestly, the worst part about the weekend nowadays is knowing you won’t hear from a school for two whole days. This process needs to be over!!

Totally. This has been a huge factor for me. My plan was to apply to clinical master’s programs if I didn’t get in anywhere this cycle. The program I liked the best was at Boston University and would’ve required me to take out over $100,000 in loans. The idea of taking on that much debt was slightly horrifying... I think it would have caused me years of financial stress. I now have one offer from a PhD program that isn’t a perfect research fit by any stretch (it wasn’t my top choice), but it’s fully-funded and a lot of its graduates have gone on to clinical careers (even though it’s a research-heavy clinical science program). It’s really no question for me now...I could not fathom paying for a master’s instead even if I already knew I were more interested in clinical work than in research. Anyway, if it were easier to become a therapist (social worker, mental health counselor) without owing thousands of dollars in tuition, I’m sure more people would go that route.

I've been able to spice this up with looking for vaccination appointments as well!

I dont think it would be weird to check in.

Guys thanks for reacting to my post because now when I refresh my email, I at least have new emails to look at ❤️

I got an email on Monday from my PI saying decisons will take longer this year because they have to redo the budget due to two professors (probably a couple?) announcing they were going to be leaving just last week.