MJordano

Maybe there's a career she has in mind that utilizes both genetics and forensics. Many programs are interdisciplinary or allow you to have a concentration in different areas. Perhaps the genetic programs she's interested in allow you to take coursework related to forensic pathology? Many psych programs are also interdisciplinary. Whether you apply to one program at one school as opposed to a different program at the other has a lot to do with the faculty you are interested in working with. I'm interested in cognitive neuroscience and cognitive psych questions across the lifespan (especially in the elderly). I'm applying to cognitive psych programs, cognitive neuro programs and developmental programs with faculty that address issues related to cognitive and language development.

I think your best bet it chosing a faculty "mentor" to answer your questions. Do you have a professor that specializes in the area of social psych that you feel comfortable enough to ask questions to? They usually know what grad programs look for and have more indepth knowledge compared to other undergrads who are also applying to grad schools. It would be horrible if other students gave you really misleading information. Good luck!

Thanks. I'm a little shy because a lot of schools don't like to give out direct confirmations that they use certain formulas. I know a lot of schools specifically say on their websites that they don't use any particular formula, but I don't necessarily believe that. I probably will end up emailing some programs after I get my GRE scores, just so I have an idea.

Hi Sildrugtanni, I think your resume is really impressive. Your GRE scores seem fine, especially taking into consideration your really high GPA (overall and in psych). You have a lot of really nice research experience too, which is probably what cognitive programs stress the most. But most of these programs also really stress fit between your interest and research experience and the interests of the faculty at the schools you are applying to. It might be a good idea to apply to a few education psych programs as well. With your qualifications it shouldn't be too difficult to get into one of those programs. Many of the professors with degrees in educational psychology are interdisciplinary and have related interests in cognitive psych, developmental psych and neurolinguistics as well. If you're interested in any schools in the south, I know both Vanderbilt and UNC have faculty that are involved in combinations of child developmental psych, cognitive psych and language processing. Your qualifications seem on par with what these schools look for. Of course, there are many schools up north too that also specialize in these areas Good luck!

Thanks! I still need to take the General Test (schedules for the 26th). If I can do well enough on the first try I think I'll go ahead and take the psych test, just in case. I'm just running out of money with all these applications!

Hey, I've been talking with the professors I want to ask about grad schools for a while, and I'm doing/have done research with them, so I don't think any of them will be caught off guard if I asked for a recommendation. I plan on asking the first week of October because I want to have my application submitted mid-November. I agree with the above post to ask if they can write you a STRONG letter. It helps to give them some supporting documents like: transcript, CV/resume, writing samples/thesis proposals, statement of intent and a short auto biography (a couple paragraphs maybe).

It's hard making sure professors remember you, especially if you go to a large university! I've met with a couple of my professors recently to get advice about applying to grad schools. I heard one of them was doing research with a professor from one of the schools I'm looking into, so I met up with her to ask her about her experiences working with these professors. Another one I know recently graduated from a different school I'm interested in, so I met up with her to ask her questions about that specific university. These conversations always turn to convos about my research interests, future goals, and qualifications. It allows them to get a good idea of who I am, so I may feel confident enough to ask them for recommendations soon. When I ask them I'm going to give them: a short auto bio, a copy of my CV, statement of intent, transcript and maybe a copy of my honors thesis proposal. That way they'll actually be able to write something relevant for my recommendation. Hope that helped! Just be genuine.

Hey! I'm a biology/psych double major and I'm applying to cognitive neuroscience and cognitive psych programs (but not behavioral ones). I've heard from a lot of profs that they look at a combination of GPA and GRE. You have a high overall GPA, so as long as your GRE scores are decent you should be fine. Most programs recommend a 600 (using the old scoring method) on at least one section, so all things considered you sound like a really solid candidate My GPA is a little lower (3.5), so I'm really studying for the GREs to balance things out.

A 3.0 is the minimum for a lot of programs. I would retake the GREs and really study to improve them (maybe sign up for a class?). Taking the biology subject test and doing really well will also help you if your major GPA is lower.

I think it depends on how you normally do on standardized tests. I know lucky people that don't study or only study for a couple of weeks and get amazing scores. I know I tend to score very highly on verbal and analytical without studying, but I have to study a decent amount to get comparable quantitative scores. Putting in some decent study time for a month or so should help, and if you take it again they will count your highest scores. The subject tests are usually good if you have an iffy major GPA. Good luck!

Hello, I just scheduled my general test last week for the 26th of September. I think most students take them in September and October, so spots are probably filling up quickly. If there aren't many testing locations in your area I would definitely recommend signing up now, even if you schedule it for October. Help this helps. Good luck!

I agree with the above. The AW doesn't factor in as much if you have a well-written personal statement. Submitting a copy of other written work, like a thesis proposal may also help if the school attaching it to your application and having high grades in writing-intensive courses like research methods probably also helps. Also, if you have a high score on one subject it can make up for a not-as-great score on another. Your other two scores are really nice, so everything should be fine for you.

I definitely agree with the above advice. Have you actually applied to this school yet? Either way, it's great that you got an invitation to sit down with the professor to talk about working on his projects. Many students probably don't even get these invitations

How many POIs did you contact before getting in: I'm just now contacting POIs. I'm sticking to 1-3 per school and only 3 if they are professors with similar interests and who maybe work together in labs. Were they all great fits on paper AND in person, or did the conversation determine more about the overall "fit": I've just been reading their past work, looking at the grant money they receive and reading their webpages. Are phone conversations as good as in person? I've heard email is best. They are busy people and phone calls may get annoying. If they are really interested they'll initiate a phone conversation or interview you after your application is in. Or they may request a CV or writing sample before the applications are officially due. How much information is best to include in the introductory email. I've been keeping mine short. Something along the lines of: Hello, my name is ______ and I'm a current senior and biology/psychology double major at ______ University. I'm interested in the topics of __________ and _________ and I was wondering if you were taking any students Fall of 2013 to work in your ____________ lab? I definitely include a clear subject line with my name included. Insider's Guide has a sample email, but it seems a bit artificial-- plunging right in and attempting to discuss study design, etc... I've heard that long emails discussing a professor's past work, study designs, etc are discouraged. The professors probably get a ton of emails and well-written and concise emails are probably perferred. I think if you are working on a thesis or working with a professor in a lab you could mention the topics of those projects, just so they get an quick idea of your research experience and interest areas. Like the others have said, if the professor posts specific instructions on their webpages, follow them!

I don't think the AW scores are that important. Some schools use formulas using GRE quantitative, GRE verbal and GPA to figure out "cut-off" scores. If you make it above this score they actually look through your application, read statements and recommendations, etc. I don't think AW factors into these formulas. I think if you have a score that's around the average for the schools you're looking at it should be fine. Also, many of my professors have told me that if you submit multiple scores they look at your best scores for each section. So they would look at your verbal and quantitative from test 1 and AW from test 2. Of course, this varies from school to school

Two posts in one day! I'm now wondering about the psychology subject test. When do you think it's helpful? None of the programs I'm looking at say it's required. I've done practice tests and I really think the subject test will be easy, but I just don't know if it's worth the cost. I've asked my mentor and other professors about it, and they say it's most useful when 1) The school actually requires it 2) If you're entering a psych grad program without a major in psych and 3) When the student taking it wants to "improve on" their major GPA. They said with my major GPA and coursework it's really not necessary, but obviously I want to do everything I can to strengthen my application. Thoughts?

Hello, I've heard many schools use a formula that consists of GRE scores and GPA, and that they use the scores obtained from these formulas as a cut-off for admissions. I've also heard that some schools use overall GPA, and others use overall GPA from your last 2 years. Has any one heard of this before or know of schools with PhD programs that definitely do this? I'm worried because although my last two years' GPA is a 3.7 and my major GPA is a 3.93 my overall for all undergrad years is only a 3.45. I was originally pre-med with a minor in psych, and now I'm a psych/bio double major. My chemistry and calc classes that I took during my freshman year really damaged my overall, though I've done very well every semester since then. The APA Graduate Study in Psychology mentions that Illinois at Urbana-Champaine, UNC and IU all look at last 2 years' GPA, however this was an older copy of the book (2007 I think). Does anyone know if they still do this? These are three schools that I am very interested in for cognitive psych and cognitive neuroscience. Thanks!

Sorry, I probably should have gone into a little more detail. For the cross-modal interactions lab I'm working with the prof and a small group of students to actually design the experiment and the stimuli using various computer programs. For the health psych lab I worked with participants to collect data, scored data and did some stats analysis. For these labs I am listed as a co-investigator and if the work gets published I will be able to answer any questions about the protocols. For the language processing lab I will most likely be collecting and scoring data and helping with the stats analysis. The bio research I'm applying for is another research assistantship. None of these labs are in conjunction with a class, but for my research methods II/Capstone course I will be designing and carrying out my own independent research project. I will be starting that this semester as well. Thanks! M.

Hi everyone, I'm new to the forum. I'm a senior undergrad working towards a double major in biology and psychology, and I'm obtaining a minor in cognitive science. I am going to be applying to graduate programs in cognitive psych, developmental pysch and neuroscience very soon. I've been looking at the graduate admissions/prospective student pages for schools and many say that preference is given to students with "extensive" research experience. But how much research is considered "extensive"? I currently have 6 credit hours in psych labs. Three credits are from a health psych lab examining the effects of meditation on attention and working memory, and other three from a lab studying cross-modal sensory interactions. I will most likely have another 2-3 credits this upcoming semester in a language processing lab. I also plan on applying for 3 credits of independent study in the biology department. I will not have completed the bio research by the time I send in my applications, but I will be enrolled in it and aware of my duties in that lab. How much research do most applicants have in psych departments? Thanks! M.