stereopticons

I don't suppose you know if that's true for UC Davis Social?

Don't address it unless specifically asked.

Can the person got the Harvard interview PM their POI please?

Ha, at least you heard from UIUC. They still have yet to inform me of my rejection from last year! But focus on the interview and don't let the rejection bring you down!

I wouldn't. She probably wasn't quizzing you, and to me, it seems weird to call her just for that. If it's really bothering you, maybe send her an email?

Last time around, I kept getting told my app was competitive, but there was always someone who edged me out. This time, I'm hoping that it's just competitive enough to get me in. Like others have said, I have more focused research interests and only applied to two of the same schools I applied to last time around. I didn't retake the GRE, but I have more pubs, and more conference presentations. I'm still incredible anxious, though. My emotional state does not seem to have improved since last year, haha.

It depends on the professor whether they like it or not, but I think it's a good idea because even if THEY don't remember you (and sometimes they do!), you remember how the interaction went and that can give you some information about whether or not you should apply to the school.

Yes, typically, I think most people get the from google scholar or psycinfo or other online sources. For this particular school, everyone attending the interview was sent a link to a password protected database with representative publications or in press manuscripts for each of the faculty members in the social area.

I brought my usual school bag with several copies of my CV, a notebook, and writing utensils. I also had my e-reader because I'd downloaded pdfs of manuscripts from the faculty at the school that were sent to me before the interview, but I didn't bring that out.

I've been trying to keep busy (I have three jobs...) but I still manage to have time to feel anxious. I'm trying to do better than last year, though. Last year, I was just awful to be around, and it's still too early for me to be freaking out. None of my schools have shown up on the results or interview threads yet.

I am going. I wasn't going to because I didn't think I could afford it, but then I got an award I wasn't expecting. I was worried about not going because it seemed like it might look bad if I didn't go. Last year, I had several POIs come by and talk to me at my poster and I also talked to graduate students at schools I was applying to, so I think it's important to go.

Yeah, my advisor told me that the interview is not just them interviewing us, but we should be interviewing them/the program as well to make sure it's a good fit. So I think it's fair to say "I haven't made any decisions yet." As for dress, I think it depends on the program. I know clinical interviews have a stricter dress code than some of the other fields. The interview I went on last year, we were explicitly told to wear whatever made us comfortable. I wore nice pants, a blouse, a jacket (it was cold!) and flats. Professional-ish but still comfortable.

Congrats! UCLA was on my original list, but I didn't end up applying because I couldn't get a fee waiver there and had to eliminate some schools.

From my experience, yes, this is normal. My job includes managing undergrads and grad students, manuscripts, data entry, cleaning and analysis, recruiting, advertising, and graphic design (which I suck at), among other things. And I am making less than I was on a masters student stipend.

That seems a little bit extreme to me. I'm not sure if it's different for quant programs, but I didn't hear about interviews until mid-February last time around.

I also want to add to the pool saying that lab manager jobs are VERY hard to get. I applied last year and got many interviews but ended up not getting the jobs because they went to people slightly more qualified or who had a better fit, etc, etc, etc. It was really similar to not getting into grad school, actually. As far as back-up plans for me, after I get past the "I WANT TO GIVE UP ON SCHOOL FOREVER!!!!!" stage, my options are these, in order of likelihood: keep my current lab manager job for another year and apply yet again, take biology classes in the summer and apply for a marine science masters program in the fall, or quit everything and go to culinary school.

When I emailed POIs this time around, I only mentioned that I applied previously to those who I had actually met and had interviews with. Everyone else I just pretended I had never contacted them before. A few remembered me but most didn't. So I would say unless you have met the person and spoken extensively (in which case it would be weird to pretend you hadn't met them), I would not mention that you applied before.

Well, on the Masters vs PhD front... I did a Masters program. And I think it was very good for me. I was not originally as psych major, and switched after my sophomore year of undergrad, so I really only had 2 years of being IN psychology, if that makes sense. When I graduated, I had an idea of what I wanted to do, but it was pretty vague. Unsurprisingly, I did not get in to any PhD programs but did get accepted into the Masters program and William and Mary. The program really helped me figure out what I wanted to research more specifically. And I have two publications, with several more under review, and a ton of conference presentations. Even though I didn't get accepted into a PhD program last cycle, I still wouldn't change my experience. I don't know how having a masters degree actually affected the application process for me. It's really hard to tell. But everyone else in my cohort at WM got into at least one (most got into several) PhD programs when they applied last year. Anyway, I say try to apply to both. Apply for PhD programs and if you don't get in, you have Masters programs.

Quant_Liz_Lemon: I could teach in either. I feel more confident in social, but I would enjoy both. Lewin: Yes, I think it is the same person. Can I PM you about your experience? I'm also interested in working with Bodenhausen and Richeson, though I haven't heard from them if they are taking students. You're probably right about the jobs--it's more about the research, and my research interests are definitely social, I just like to use neuro methods.

I actually had this same problem this year. My POI at my dream program isn't taking students, so I had a week or so that I was conflicted about applying. I decided to apply anyway, because a) there's no guarantee that your POI will take students next year, either, there's no guarantee that you'll get in, and c) there are other programs! It's really easy to get tunnel vision about one program, but if there are other places that you think you might have a good experience and enjoy the research, then definitely apply!

I am, apparently, not able to make a decision on my own, so where else should I turn but gradcafe! I am applying to PhD programs again this year, and I am very interested in the program at Northwestern. There are two faculty members there that I would love to work with. One is listed only as a social faculty member, but largely does social neuroscience research (what I'm interested in) and one is listed in both social and brain, behavior and cognition, and also does social neuroscience research. I had originally planned to apply to the social program, so I emailed both POIs asking if they were taking students. The first has not replied. The second replied very positively and indicated that I should apply to the BBC program and list her as my POI. From what I can tell, most of the coursework for both programs is relatively flexible and I could take social courses as a BBC student and neuro courses as a social student, so I am not sure which program would be better for me, since I am interested in working with both faculty members. Do you guys any suggestions? Information about either program (anything from course work, etc., to competitiveness of applications)? Advice? Also, how would getting a degree in the BBC program affect my potential career as a social psychologist/neuroscientist?

What I've been doing is if it says on the website that they are taking students, I only email them if it also says "interested graduate students should contact me" or something like that. If it doesn't say that, I assume they put it on the website BECAUSE they didn't want to be bothered with emails and don't email them, unless there is some valid, pressing question that only they can answer. Sure, you may lose the opportunity to introduce yourself, but if you annoy them when you do it, I'm not sure how that helps.

Some applications also ask for an additional statement describing any hardships you've overcome. I know Michigan and UC Berkeley, at least, ask for that. You could describe your experience with the TBI in that.

So, what do you do if you already know for certain that a POI doesn't know if they are taking students. For instance, I emailed one POI at a school that I want to apply to a received a reply that said that they, as a faculty, do not decide who is taking students until January. Do I email the rest of my POIs at that school (2 others, I think) and pretend that I don't know that in order to make contact with them? Do I email and say, I know you don't know if you're taking students, but I'm interested? Or do I not bother? I don't want to lie, in case they talk to each other about it, but at the same time, it seems weird and like I'm trying to circumvent application process if I email and say I already know they don't know who is taking students. Have you guys encountered this before?

I'm having trouble getting started, too, but mostly because this is my third time applying. I just don't feel like going through it again! But you have to apply to get in, so...