Lisa44201

A Masters would be a better back-up than I/O. A PhD is still a PhD - the fact that it's a PhD in I/O doesn't make it easier to get into than clinical programs; if nothing else, SOPs to I/O programs need to scream "I'm dedicated to this field" just as much as SOPs to clinical programs.

Not necessarily. I had a Criminal Justice prof as a letter writer because we did extensive research together, so he was the person who could speak the most extensively about my abilities in statistics & data analysis.

Any time! Feel free to PM me too, if you need suggestions/motivation.

I stick to @1400 per day - sometimes more, rarely less. I have treats, sure, but my definition of treat has changed - home-made hummus, apples & peanut butter (measured out), etc. After the kids go to bed, my husband and I usually have some popcorn (bought in the form of plain kernels, not that chemical nightmare that comes in a bag) while I study / write papers. I snack a lot - at least once a day, sometimes two or three times, including the popcorn, but snacks are either fruit, vegetables, or protein in the form of either hummus or hard-boiled eggs. I don't keep junk food in the house, at all. Even pizza has changed - rather than Domino's, we'll make our own, most recently using potatoes as the base (think mini personal pizzas; NOM). I'll have a few drinks on weekends - God help the person who keeps me from my Friday night margarita / beer / wine / bourbon / hey that bottle looks cool! - but that's it. I learned to separate "I want" from "I need." I wanted to lose weight more than I wanted to eat stuff I knew wasn't helping me get to where I wanted to be. If I want a snack, I'll have a snack, but it'll be something that helps me move forward, as opposed to setting me back. If you're hungry, eat! It's a matter of changing what you eat that makes the difference.

I've lost close to 100lbs over the past 6 years. Often, the more quickly someone loses weight, the less likely he/she is to actually keep it off; 1/2lb to 1lb / week is a healthy rate. If you're really serious about it, then quit guesstimating. Get an app (I like MyFitnessPal), a good food scale, and some measuring cups. Weigh and measure everything. The walk is good exercise. At the end of the day, it's okay to be tired - you've been working all day, remember? Sit and veg with healthy snacks instead. You have to want it badly enough to change.

It depends on the quality of the program - both the Masters program and PsyD. The EPPP pass rates for many PsyD programs are awful; and without that, you cannot get licensed. The thing to consider with Masters programs is that they have a reputation for grade inflation, so it's a matter of proving yourself to doctoral programs.

Apply to Masters programs anyway. I would ask you to define "average" PsyD program; PsyD programs with good reputations, that will put you in a good position to become a licensed practitioner, are few (for EPPP passing rates by program, seehttp://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.asppb.net/resource/resmgr/EPPP_/2012_ASPPB_Exam_Scores_by_Do.pdf). You may be in a better position career-wise with a Master's degree than you would be with a PsyD from certain programs.

I did not take time off. Felt fine going straight into grad school. A big factor is what you can do with that time off; a person who does something relevant in the field during that year is going to be a stronger applicant than a person who works retail for a year. I would suggest that, if you don't have something lined up for that year off, that you don't take that year off.

Tips from someone who's done this (twice): Avoid talking about line-items on your CV, if you can. They can read your CV; use your SOP to explain how that research gave you experience in __________________ (statistical software, working with clients, a certain research methodology, etc.). The first time I applied, I included a story about how I got into psychology. I took that out the second time I applied. Too much looking back, no enough looking forward. YMMV. I had one SOP for Quant, and one for Clinical. The tone was decidedly different, and there was a paragraph in each devoted to how I would be a perfect fit for Professor Awesome's lab because _____________, changing that part dependent on the POI in question.

Dev psych is still applicable to those goals, then. It's not unheard of to have your thesis & your career goals be vastly different, especially (as is the case with both of us) the Master's program is a stepping stone towards the PhD. You explained it well - it gives you research experience in the field.

You sound competitive. Keep up the research, especially for developmental programs; see if you can present at a conference - that's better than nothing (developmental programs will not allow you to work in the community - non licenseable, by the way, but you might be able to work in behavior mod settings, depending on the university - the program at Kansas sticks out in my mind on this; my mentor at my Masters program was a developmental psychologist who got his degree there). Your grad work should compensate for your low UG. Don't limit yourself geographically when you apply.

Social comparison will drive you crazy. That said, most people do it. I was in the opposite position of what you describe - I was 30+ with a lab cohort who was 21. I felt like the little old lady compared to the young whippersnappers. (Hint: the students you know might feel the same way!)

I'm not sure your GRE scores are horrible, as such (though you might want to talk to a counselor about strategies to reduce your test-taking anxiety, especially if you're going on to grad school). Not knowing much about your area of expertise, can you apply to a few Master's programs, too? I'd also suggest applying to a wide range of PhD programs, just because.

Doing the bare minimum to pass a class because some website said it's okay will not work well for long.

http://www.amazon.com/Research-Methods-Psychology-Glynis-Breakwell/dp/0857022644 Clearly geared towards psych, but may not be too far away from you in Ed. Good overall research book; the quant stuff is very readable.

You could also apply to a few Masters programs as well (there are funded Masters programs) and get some research experience that way.

It would help to know what you want to do with your degree.

In the USA in (most) Psychology programs, you apply to a school specifically to work with a particular mentor.

I had two kids while I was an undergrad. I'm working currently on my PhD in Psychology; my kids are now 6 and 3, respectively. There are funded Master's degrees in Psych, but they are rare. My undergrad adviser was decidedly not friendly towards folks having kids; I was also the only non-trad in my program. There were a few other profs at my undergrad institution who had kids; the majority did not. That changed at the university where I got my Masters, and ditto my current location; my PhD mentor has three children (home-schooled by his wife, no less). It is hard to live off a stipend, especially in Psychology, but it is doable, even with kids (and it's not like my husband makes a fortune, either). Working outside your degree program is highly discouraged in Clinical Psych especially; depending on the job, it can seriously hurt your chances for obtaining a license (supervisory hours, etc). I want this degree. It meant moving my husband and kids half a continent away from his family, but we did it, because my career prospects with a PhD are a he** of a lot better than they are without one. We learned to budget a long time ago; we eat out once a month (if that), we share a car, and every penny is accounted for. The positives of this degree almost made the details inconsequential. You have to want it badly enough that you're willing to struggle for it.

Some do, some don't. We were warned on the first day of orientation that taking outside work was highly discouraged; for clinical students, depending on the job, outside work could actually hurt their chances for getting licensed. If you were smart/fortunate enough to be able to save enough money such that you don't have to work, take the time to ace your classes.

I would go for the PhD. It opens up doors that might not be open otherwise. I couldn't stand to have my children grow up watching me be miserable in a job I hate; kids pick up on that, and that's not an attitude towards employment that I want to impart on my children. I have a six-year-old and a three-year-old. I've dragged them and my husband from NY to OK on this journey. My husband has been incredibly supportive; if he had not liked this area, I'm not sure we'd be here. Career happiness and family happiness are not mutually exclusive.

An MA or MS would be a good step for you to get some research experience, particularly a program with a Thesis option. See if you can get your Honors thesis accepted somewhere as a poster presentation, too.

I'm not sure that he dismissed your Master's app - if there's no funding, there's no funding. I was fine with your narrative until that last e-mail. I think at this point you should probably back off. The first month or two of the semester is really busy - he may just be swamped. I'm not sure you've shot yourself in the foot, but I wouldn't contact him again. You could always try to apply and see what happens.

It depends. For example, I worked as an Assistant Manager of a Burger King while I was an undergrad. I did not include that on my CV (as opposed to a regular resume, where that's management/hiring/training/inventory/financial experience). I was also the Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors for the Child Care Center, and that went on the CV under Community Service.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think there's a world of difference between MHC and Neuroscience. If you're interested in neurscience (ever considered neuropsych?), a Master's in MHC is not a good stepping stone to get you there, even as a back-up in case you don't get into a PhD program. A Master's in Experimental Psych would be a better back-up than MHC, especially if you're not really interested in counseling. Limiting yourself geographically makes it difficult.