ILuvPsych2013

I have been invited to speak at two events (one undergraduate research grant event and one panel discussion), and I am wondering if it is reasonable to list these items on my c.v. If so, do I list them in their on category (Speaking Engagements?) or combine with another category? I appreciate any feedback available.

I am in the same position! I have definitely heard mixed things about this. Ultimately, my GPA has remained high and I have been involved in both research and extra-curriculars even with these potential "distractions", so I was advised to highlight my non-trad status. I am also of the opinion that if a school has a problem with the fact that I have a husband and kids, I don't want to go there anyway.

I have been advised to NEVER put anything in this section because there is no way to put something that doesn't sound like an excuse, complainy (if that's a word), or overly desperate.

I hear you lewin00. I also get frustrated with all of these "unwritten" rules and requests. It seems like such a crapshoot some days!

I have a friend who has also been dragging his feet and I just had this conversation with him . Here's the bottom line: Applying to grad school is a marathon, not a sprint. It takes months to research schools, contact POIs, draft SOPs, take the GRE, get letter writers on the same page, etc. There are people right now that are ahead of you. Time to get it into the game. Best of luck to you!

I agree with all of the above. I am 30, with a husband and two toddlers at home and JUST getting ready to complete my bachelors; I definitely have some of the same insecurities and fears when I look ahead to a PhD program, but if you are researching subjects that you are passionate about then the time will be well spent. Research can be frustrating and tedious for everyone! Focus on the positives and warm up those cold feet! :-)

I also agree with lewin00. A couple more tidbits that I have heard from advisers, faculty, etc... Yes, some profs do not want to be contacted. If someone is going to get upset about the fact that you are interested in working with them, you probably do not want to work with them anyway. Some professors will ONLY look further at applications from people they have had contact with. Do not limit yourself to one POI from each school. For one, there are plenty of horror stories out there about PhD students getting left in the dust when the one faculty member they applied to work with leaves the university for another position. Secondly, you will need more than one person on your dissertation committee so it is good to start building those relationships early. Bets of luck!

It depends on your field and how competitive it is to get in. In my field, we are advised to apply to approximately 15 schools.

The majority of people who get into grad school have at least one (if not more) parts of their application that they thought would doom them...and they still got in. Just from hearing bits and pieces of your story, I think you have a great Statement of Purpose just waiting to be written! I agree with victor: ad comms love a success story fueled by determination.Use this to your advantage. If you can produce some GRE scores, I think your chances of getting in somewhere are good. I would, however, recommend applying to some more mid-tier and safety schools. It is great to shoot for the stars and apply to some dream schools, but it is also important to leave yourself some wiggle room by keeping your options open at some less prestigious (albeit still good) schools. Especially in psychology, research fit is everything....so concentrate on finding faculty with complementary interests. Best of luck to you!

I just want to throw this out there: WOW! So impressive that you managed to knock out your Bachelors at 19 years old! I know that PhD programs are quant-heavy; but I have to say that a well written SOP about your journey (graduating college at 19 tells me that you must have an interesting story!) coupled with great LORs might just land you in a masters program. It wouldn't be the end of the world if this happened either. You could gain some experience and some additional credibility about your potential as a grad student that may make you more competitive when you apply again for PhD programs. Just a thought. Also, I hear ya...I have been studying like crazy this summer since I am supposed to take the GRE in August and I just can't seem to nail down the quant section. Frustrating!

Hi there! First off, professors are given this task every fall (some even have multiple students that they are writing for). This is something that most seasoned profs are used to doing, and are happy to do for their students. I echo the sentiment that if they seem hesitant about anything (including the number of schools you are applying to), find another letter writer. Personally, I am applying to 16 schools this fall. When I told my letter writers this, they were more concerned with whether the research fit was good at all of these schools. Since the fit is good, they are all more than happy to write my letters. I was very scared having 16 schools, but one of my profs told me that last season she wrote to 25 schools for one of her students! My advice to you is to be as organized as possible and make it as easy as possible for your writers. For example, I am devising a binder that has a specific section for each school that talks about which professor(s) I hope to work with (and their research specialty), their application deadlines, and specific instructions on how to submit the letter. Also in your binder, include a copy of your personal statement, C.V., and unofficial transcript. Many letter submissions are online now-when you submit your application, there is a section where you put the names and email addresses of your recommenders and an email is sent to them requesting the letter. Some are still required to be sent by snail mail-in this case, you want to have envelopes already stamped and addressed for your writers. And ALWAYS waive your right to view the letters beforehand. After the letters have been submitted, it is customary to give your letter writers a small gift card ($10?) to Starbucks or something similar for all of their hard work. It is quite the rigorous process, but hopefully a good investment of your time! I hope this helps.

I just noticed a couple more from another post: Villanova, Wake Forest, Ball State, and William and Mary.

Hi there! 1) It depends on what job you ultimately want. If your plan is academia, I think an I/O concentration would be fine. However if you plan to go applied (consulting, etc.) you will want straight I/O psych. I am not sure regarding the actual title. 2) To my knowledge, if you get your PhD in OB, you will not have the title of I/O Psychologist. It is a business degree, not a psychology degree. However, if you are interested in going the academic career route, you can make great money with this degree (business depts. generally trump arts & sciences depts., funding-wise). Hope this helps!

Finding a Masters program with funding is like looking for a needle in the haystack. The only one I have ever come across is the University of Tulsa (although I am sure there must be a couple of others out there).

Wow, that is a great change!

In psychology, it seems that the consensus is that "The GRE matters....but it shouldn't." I echo jeffster's comment that the weight given to GRE scores varies widely across programs and ad comms. I am also experiencing some GRE jitters (I take it this August) and here is the feedback I have received: 1) Most programs will look at the application as a whole. A deficit in one area (including GRE scores) does not necessarily mean you are doomed, especially if you look great in another area (letters of recommendation in particular). 2) A good letter writer can explain away sub-par GRE scores. 3) Do your homework: research the programs you are interested in to see if they have strict cutoffs, and apply accordingly. 4) If at all possible, study hard for the test and take it one time. If you take it multiple times, ad comms can see your previous scores as wel as your current one. 5) At some institutions, the GRE isn't as much of an admissions decision maker as a funding decision maker. For example, a good GRE score may help you get a department fellowship. Try not to stress over it too much. All you can do is all you can do. Focus on making the strongest possible application while recognizing your potential weaknesses. Good luck!

I seriously underestimated the subject GRE! I assumed that with a solid psych background, good psych grades, and a month of prep I would be good to go...Not so much. I used Kaplan and did not feel that it was the greatest study book. I actually quite pretty well on the Kaplan practice tests and felt confident going into the exam. However, once immersed in the test I felt that the Kaplan book had oversimplified things.

I think that perhaps going into a general psychology program (as opposed to social, cognitive, clinical, etc.) may be a good fit for you. Contrary to what a lot of people think, you don't have to have a specific interest completely nailed down when you enter grad school especially if you are only starting in a masters program. I have even seen on some school websites where they don't actually even assign you to a specific faculty member until your interests are more developed. I am only speaking for myself here, but my research interests only started becoming clear when I actually started doing research. Up until then, there were things I found interesting, but there would have been no way I could have formulated it into a research question. Another thing you could look at is apa's list of areas of psychology and check out some of the most researched topics in the various fields to see if anything pops out at you there.

At my university, "research experience" means working in a lab (either volunteering, for credit, or possibly for pay) and assisting with projects. The faculty mentor will generally decide how much involvement they are comfortable with you having. For example, when I began working in a lab my junior year or college, I primarily did data entry and screening phone calls (for community participants). Now over the summer and during my senior year I will be running participants for another study. So the term is very broad. If you want to make yourself an even better applicant, consider doing an independent project or senior thesis. You will need the help of a faculty member (perhaps if you have already done some work for them in their lab, they will be willing to guide you). An independent project shows ad comms a few things: 1) You can see a project through from beginning to end, 2) You have experienced all aspects and phases of a project, 3) You have research interests and are willing to pursue answers to specific questions. The overall message here is get involved in research. Of course research classes are a plus and will make you look stronger on paper. But really you just need to get into a lab and become a sponge...Take in everything, do whatever they need you to do (data entry, calls, etc.) and earn their trust. This should also provide you some great letter writers when all is said and done. Hope this helps!

The money in psychology is definitely not the best, but I/O is one exception to the rule. It is also an area of psychology that has an outstanding job outlook for the next ten years. As I have been researching schools (I will be applying to I/O programs this fall), I have noticed many people doing research on psychopathy in the workplace, particularly among those in leadership positions. I know it is a bit of a stray from what you are looking to do, but it would be a way to still be in the "mental illness" side of things while earning a nice paycheck. This is just my 2 cents. I have a friend who is in a similar dilemma so I have been trying to sway him over to the I/O side of the fence as well

While deciding where to apply... Family member: Have you decided where you're going yet? Me: Yeah, that's not really how it works. I apply to many places I am interested in and hopefully 1 or 2 decide to offer me admission. Family member: Wow...Isn't that nerve-wracking not knowing where you will end up? Me: YEAH.

Hi everyone! I am considering applying to a Wayne State Ph.D program because the program and faculty is a great fit for me. However, like many who posted above, I am very wary of the city's reputation. I will be bringing along my husband as well as our children (4 and 5 years old). Especially with children, safety is our #1 concern. Can anyone give advice on SPECIFIC neighborhoods, suburbs, etc. that are genuinely safe and reputable? I am not concerned about whether there are cool things to do, although this would obviously be a plus. I am really just trying to decide whether I can, in good conscience, move my family to Detroit. I appreciate any feedback!

Yes, that would be awesome! So far I haven't found any of my POIs that have this, but thanks for the tip! Thanks for the info! I have done a lot of the research that you have suggested except emailing current grad students. I hadn't really thought of that as an option, so thanks for this It looks like I should probably shoot for sending my POIs emails around August 30-ish.

Thank you all for your feedback. This whole prep/application process is liking walking on eggshells in many ways and it is so hard to know what/when to do things to make the best impression and accomplish what you need to. <SIGH> I appreciate all of your comments

I know that this thread has been inactive for awhile, but I wanted to add one question...WHEN is a good time to send the email asking if they are taking students for the next year? One of my advisers told me that mid to end of summer is good because profs aren't as busy during the summer (as opposed to during the semester) but another person told me that they may not know that early if they are taking students for the next cycle. Any feedback on this?