PsychGirl1

What field are you in? I'll be answering from a psych perspective. In both scenarios, I can picture times when it would be ethical and when it would not. For the first one, for example, if you had reasons by certain ones worked and didn't (ex. sampling, procedure, power issues), then I could see presenting the data from a few that worked with the caveat that it was not replicated in all samples (or whatever). But in general, you wouldn't want to run it across the 20 studies to begin with- you could just run it all together with study as a covariate or do a meta-analysis across the 20 studies. For the latter, I'm not sure how just putting data on a graph differently could dramatically change the interpretation. But that being said, people generally present their data, give THEIR interpretation of it, and then talk about some other possible interpretations and what that means. So yes, if your adviser is telling you to dig through and data mine tons of data and selectively present and selectively interpret things, then that could be considered inappropriate research strategy. On the other hand, you may just not be understanding how she wants you to approach or discuss things, or she might just not be well-versed in statistics. As an advisee, I think it is totally appropriate to say "I don't want to mine through these 20 datasets looking for something significant- I think it would be better research methodology if I conduct a meta-analysis across the 20 datasets" (or whatever statistical approach). Similarly, you can suggest adding the alternate explanations for how to interpret findings to the discussion section.

If I were you, this is what I would do (just my opinion): I'd strongly consider enrolling in a 2-year, full-time, research-based master's program with a thesis option before applying to PhD programs. Hopefully with your issues addressed (you are in treatment for both, hopefully?), you will be able to maintain a higher GPA in the master's program than in ugrad, and get some posters, conference presentations, and publications. Also, the additional LORs will help you a lot. While at the master's program, I'd suggest you network very strongly. You'll need to have a little extra oomph in your package, and having professors know your name might make the difference between your file getting thrown out on the first pass or not. I know that in this stage of the game, people just want to get in ANYWHERE to begin their career. But keep in mind that the choices you make now can follow you throughout your career and life. In my opinion, it's worth an extra two years to improve your application (and therefore career) that much more.

Master's programs vary widely- some are mentor-based, and some are less so (or it is general admissions and you pick a mentor once you arrive). You can probably get a vibe from the program website, and also reach out to the department admin for clarification. That being said, even if acceptances aren't mentor-based, you can still email your POI, tell them you're applying to the master's program, you're really interested in their research, and you were wondering if they mentor master's students, etc.

Potentially valid points depending on the situation. A few counterpoints to consider: - I know a good number of psychology professors who hate receiving these emails. Many times, professors put that they are accepting new students on their websites specifically to avoid getting these emails. They'd really just prefer to see finalized applications than have to answer 30+ emails from people they might not want to interview based on their application. - Particularly if you're applying to clinical psychology PhD- most applicants apply to 10-15 schools. Many programs receive 400-700 applications, and many POIs are overwhelmed with a large number of applicants per spot. You shouldn't be contacting your POI to work on department-specific fellowships at the application stage unless you are told otherwise by the program. That being said, if you're in a small field and applying to a program that gets a small number of applications, maybe this would make sense. (Or if the program specifically told you to do this). A department admin is probably a more appropriate person to approach about this at the application stage. - Questions about a paper: this can be discussed on interview day... if you get an interview. In some subfields of Psychology, it's more likely you will get an interview than others, and maybe this type of email would make more sense. In Clinical Psych, it's such a crapshot and percentage game that it's not worth wasting your time (or your POI's time) on things like this before you're actually invited to an interview. That being said, I could see emailing to discuss the POI's future direction of research if it is unclear based on available information. Again, that can be something that is asked on interview day though. My genuine advice is, don't send an email just to send an email. If you have a genuine concern, question, or issue- email. If you're trying to figure out a reason to email them just to impress them- don't. Particularly in clinical psych, I'm not as familiar with smaller subfields where perhaps these types of emails are more welcome. With all advice, this is just my subjective opinion based on my experiences on both sides of the application process, and from what I've seen in multiple (clinical) psych labs at multiple schools. As always, you should listen to all advice and then make the best decision for you.

Don't email them if you know they're taking students... that's the whole point of the email.

Depends on the field. We tend to dress business casual or just below it- other departments seem to rock t-shirts and old jeans.

I really think that the "MA is not a requirement" is something that should be triple checked before assumed. I assumed that it was not required for me- as other people in my cohort do not have a master's- but when I talked to our office, I was told that there was an implicit agreement that I would graduate before beginning the PhD program, as I was enrolled in it upon interviewing and that was the premise I was accepted under, and therefore would be required to graduate the MS program before starting my PhD program. Just keep in mind that there may be weird policies or logistics you're not aware of and make sure you're making a fully informed decision. If asked, I would have said my master's wasn't required for enrollment, but I only found out that it was required for me when I asked. Just a warning, as it sounds like the OP never actually contacted their PhD program to confirm. Summary: I'm sure it's not an issue, but you definitely need to speak to the PhD program directly before making assumptions.

You also need to triple check with your PhD program that having a MA isn't a pre-req. We were told that they accepted us under the assumption that we would have a master's. Also, our master's graduate dates were June or September, and my program started in August. When I asked, I was told that I had to officially graduate by the June date. Even if all my requirements were finished by July and the graduation was just a formality in September, that would void my enrollment in the PhD program. I know you don't want to tell anyone, but this is a situation where it will suck to tell people but you need to. The faster you know the rules and options, the faster you can problem solve and make things happen.

Also, per your OP, there is no harm in applying to both master's and PhD programs.

I used the Kaplan flashcards and many of the words from their flashcards were on the GRE test I took.

To the last point- not always true. I've had people in my lab (as well as my previous lab) start branching out into neuroscience and now we are running several studies using various imaging techniques.As long as there are people at the institution/nearby institutions who you can collaborate with and your PI is open (and you're willing to put in a lot of effort to learn the ropes), it's definitely possible. I think because of the way people anticipate the future of NIH funding, as well as the introduction of RDoC guidelines, many clinical/health psychologists have started expanding into the world of neuroscience. Although, I agree that it might be easier on you to do it the other way around :-)

You can approach it three ways: first, find someone who does this type of research NOT in LGBT people, and propose applying it to that population in addition to the populations they are already studying it in. Second, find someone who does LGBT research and propose bringing in the cognitive neuroscience and social cognition aspects. Third, look up papers in this area of research and see who wrote them. Those 3 methods should get you a decent-sized list of people who you may want to work with.

Get one of the Clinical Psychology Program books- they give guidance on personal statements. You can also find some websites online with advice. Find people on here who are also applying so you can edit each others. I basically wrote a very long version of mine, had all my friends edit it (took the suggestions I wanted), had my mom edit it (she's good at editing), had a few people on here edit it (and I did theirs), then asked current grad students and a professor I was close to, etc. Eventually, it will turn into what you need it to turn into. The key is to start early- aka now- and get revisions, suggestions, and advice from many different people and sources. Then use your judgment and knowledge to pick and choose what changes to make and how to sculpt it over time. Edit: in case that isn't clear, work your way up the ladder as far as having people edit it. For example, my friends don't know anything about clinical psych, but they had good structure, wording, clarification changes. As those types of things get changed, then you can gradually increase the psych-relatedness of who reviews it, and don't show it to a professor until it's near perfect. It's just the easiest way to maximize the benefit from each person reviewing it.

Nope, I was not a psych major and I took it. It's offered in October, right? I would say if you study most evenings and weekends, even with no psych background, 4-6 weeks of studying should be fine to get an excellent score.

I was told to always attach my CV and I did. I know some of the profs read them because they referenced it in their reply.

I used the Princeton Review and Kaplan study books and I did just fine. Don't overthink it, just learn the material!

I worked in two different jobs and did a master's before I ended up in my PhD program doing what I love. Pick whatever sounds the most interesting to you right now and go for it! A job is not a career commitment- and honestly, I use the skills from my non-psych jobs all the time. After you spend some time in the job, you can start to figure out what you like, don't like, and then keep getting a bit closer to figuring out what you want out of life. :-)

What about leaving now, and telling him you'll be back in early-to-mid August to work on the lab techniques and your thesis? That will give you a month now as opposed to more work for 2-3 weeks and a month later. If he keeps saying it's up to you, then it's up to you. Tell him you're comfortable that you can get the thesis done but you need the time off now and can do those things when you get back. You can also always write from home. I clearly wasn't there for the conversations, but the tone of your posts makes me suspicious and like you can get what you want if you approach it the right away. For example: "I know what I get out is what I'm putting in, but I at least wanted something more firm than "it's up to you."" It sounds like you are just waiting for him to come to you, when it's clearly not going to happen. This reminds me a lot of one of my advisers, and actually I felt similarly to you for the first few months I worked with them. They would "strongly recommend" through a noncommittal ramble that I do x, y, z- a lot of it pointless, causing extra work, etc.. and every conversations, their recommendations or tasks or timelines would change. I spent a few months getting upset, frustrated, spinning my wheels, doing extra work, etc. But I eventually learned to listen to what they had to say, give it some thought, and then counteract with something like, "that makes sense, however, I've been thinking more like xyz." Then to whip out the most important thing- preparation. For example, "here is the detailed timeline I created (hand them printed timeline with tasks laid out), this is what I would like to do and here is why and here is evidence that we can get it all done in time". And every single time I approached it like this, they would agree with me and be on board. And things went so much smoother after that, and it also helped me gained confidence in myself and enjoy my work WAY more. Sometimes, you just have to force them to commit. For example, write up a finalized list of tasks that you need to do to graduate, and get their feedback on it so you are both on the same page. And if he does email, do it through email so that you can remind him of what he previously said, if needed. Sometimes graduate school can feel more like managing your adviser than it does anything else :-D. I hit a similar point with the adviser I mentioned above- it was just sink or swim. Either you need to adapt to make this relationship work, or you need to call it quits. For me, it was an opportunity for personal growth and going through it eventually let me re-enjoy my research and the process. Instead of thinking it as your adviser telling you what to do, think of it as a mutually beneficial coworker relationship where you are expected to direct the boat just as much as he is expected to guide it. If I were you, my next step would be a day or two of compiling my thoughts, a list of the tasks that need to be done for graduation, and a timeline (which includes however much vacation you need and the extra things he mentioned today). Then I would email it to him with a polite email about how you appreciate the meeting today, but this time off is important for you if you will be continuing on in graduate school, and ask him for specific feedback, issues, questions, etc. on the timeline and list of tasks. Clearly, you are on this board asking us for advice, so you're not 100% ready to call it quits yet. Good luck

Well good luck tomorrow! Hopefully if you can get away for a month or two, you will come back with enough energy to survive the last 4-5 months and make them bearable. I felt this way at some point during my thesis in my master's program, but nothing felt as good as graduating and receiving the final, bound copy. Let us know how it goes.

This sounds like the problem. It sounds like he's a bit absent-minded, you two have poor communication, and maybe you're not making it clear how important this is. You need to schedule a meeting with him and tell him you have important things to discuss, and firmly tell him what has been going on. You need to tell him you do feel gratitude that he took you on as his student, but you are going through a rough patch and need some time away. Pull out a piece of paper and tell him you're not leaving until you two have mapped out a firm plan and a compromise :-). You can be firm but respectful and polite at the same time. It is VERY likely he has no idea this is going on or that you feel this way, or even that his change in plans have impacted your quality of life so significantly. It is time to communicate all this. Honestly, I've been in the situation where I've hated where I was and just wanted to leave ASAP. I completely understand. But a master's degree can help you in unexpected ways throughout your life, whether it's helping you get your dream job, getting you some extra pay, etc. and you've already done 80% of the actual work that needs to be done for your degree. I think it will be a real shame if you drop out now, and one that you might regret once you get some distance from the situation and the personal things that have happened over the past few months. I would come up with whatever it is that you NEED- if it's two months off, whatever- and then sit down and have a firm conversation about it. You have nothing to lose.

This is highly unreasonable. Tell him that you need to be gone for 2 weeks in August, and you will spend July training someone- including himself- how to water the trees FOUR TIMES. What if you had a family emergency and had to unexpectedly leave town? What if you got ill and had to spend some time recovering or in the hospital? Who would water your plants? I'm being completely serious, by the way. You should treat your mental health time as serious as these scenarios. Most importantly, these scenarios are possible, and someone- ANYONE- should be trained on how to water the plants twice a week if you need to be gone. Especially because your original agreement was that you would leave for SIX weeks, so really, this is a compromise. In grad school, there are MANY times where you need to nod your head and agree with your adviser and suck up the ramifications and go cry in the bathroom afterward if need be. This does not sound like one of them. You need to stand up for yourself, inform him that you NEED to be gone for these two weeks, and you are happy to spend the next 2-3 weeks getting a system in place where someone can water your trees for you in your absence. You should also remind him that training a backup is a good idea, in case any of the above unexpected scenarios occur. You need to tell him that you can be flexible on the dates of these vacation weeks, but the vacation weeks themselves are non-negotiable- but that you are willing to do *anything* that needs to be done before or after to make these two weeks a possibility. I realize I'm not in the situation, but it sounds like you're not standing up for yourself, being firm, and problem solving, and instead just taking your conversations with your adviser, leaving, and feeling crappy about it. Maybe that sounds a bit unfair or harsh, but if choice A (dropping out) or choice B (sticking it out without ever leaving) isn't ideal, then it's time to put in the work to shovel a path that leads to choice C and maximize what you can from a crappy situation.

Look for RA jobs in hospitals, research organizations, universities, and places like NIH (they have a post-bacc program there for people recently out of undergrad).

My suggestion: take a step back and take a week or two away at home (or with friends, or in a new city, whatever). You should get some time off if needed, especially over the summer, and especially if you can't be working on your thesis right now. Explain to your professor that you need a mental health break of a week or two. During your time off, don't check your phone or your email, don't think about grad school, and just relax. When you get back, take a day where you sit down with some blank paper, draw out the pros and cons, and brainstorm options. My gut reaction says that you should stick it out and get your master's (you've already done most of the work and the time, and you never know when an advanced degree will be handy down the line) but make some pretty significant changes to your life to make it bearable. To meet people, try meetup or online dating or picking up a hobby (sports, a musical instrument, whatever). Join the graduate students association or whatever else your school has to meet grad students outside of your department. Also, I take issue with one of your comments: "I also ended up going to counseling that semester, but it was ineffective and they in fact told me to stop going because they thought it was pointless for someone like me." You clearly need to see a different psychologist/counselor/therapist- these sorts of transitions and life decisions are actually exactly many people end up in therapy and find it useful. Sometimes it takes trying out a few different people before you find the right click between therapist and client. You could also try meeting with someone who does career guidance/counseling (I met with one when I was planning my career change back in 2009/2010 and it helped to clarify things for me). I know it sucks now, but in 5-10 years, you don't want to be kicking yourself for wasting this time and opportunity, and feeling like your withdraw was just a knee-jerk reaction to a crappy city, a breakup, and social isolation. If you do withdrawal, make sure you do it on a clear head, after some vacation time, and after well thought-out and significant attempts to fix the situation have not worked.

Escalate the issue with the administration and schedule an in-person meeting, and bring proof of everything that you can, including your transcript, the degree requirements upon admission, and all other related sources such as emails.

Thanks!