Fall 2019 Psychology PhD Applicants!

[readyset123]

I got an email after business hours yesterday that my application was incomplete (the portal didn't reflect this). I called right when they opened this morning and talked with admissions. They said they think my official GRE scores were not attached because I was recently married and changed my name. They said they can't forward the application to the department until all of the materials are submitted and would email their documents department to get it straightened out, but everyone is on break now. This is a school that some have posted interview invites  from and their website says they send out invites in December for January interviews. My question is, should I email the POI and tell her the situation? We exchanged a few emails in early Fall and she was nice and encouraged me to apply. Any thoughts/ideas/opinions?

[HAC]

3 hours ago, Psyhopeful said:

Did anyone else get a happy holidays email from Colorado Boulder? So disappointing!

I didn’t and I applied there ?

[psych2019]

Hi! I'm new here and wondering if anyone has heard anything from NYU yet? I applied to the Cognition and Perception program and have (surprisingly) already heard from most of the other programs I applied to. Good luck to everyone and thanks! 

[panic]

What's the difference between being wait-listed and being short-listed? Without in-person interview, is either one (or both) essentially a rejection?

Edited December 22, 2018 by panic

[ResilientDreams]

4 hours ago, panic said:

What's the difference between being wait-listed and being short-listed? Without in-person interview, is either one (or both) essentially a rejection?

What do you mean? Being short listed means you're on the list of people they're really interested in. And I don't think you can be really wait listed until after an in person interview because it means they want to take you but don't have a spot. 

[Clinapp2017]

8 minutes ago, ResilientDreams said:

What do you mean? Being short listed means you're on the list of people they're really interested in. And I don't think you can be really wait listed until after an in person interview because it means they want to take you but don't have a spot. 

You can be wait-listed to interview. Some programs, like U Florida for example, historically do this. 

 

Short-listed means you are invited to interview. 

[ResilientDreams]

Oh okay, sorry! I had never heard of this before. I don't think my programs do that. 

[Psyhopeful]

2 hours ago, Clinapp2017 said:

You can be wait-listed to interview. Some programs, like U Florida for example, historically do this. 

 

Short-listed means you are invited to interview. 

Short list technically just means you’re in the running. It means they’re making a list of people they think they want (to interview in this case) and then they’ll pick from that list the final people. They may or may not invite you, but you have definitely made it out of the pile of applications to being seriously considered. 

[psychhealth101]

14 hours ago, readyset123 said:

I got an email after business hours yesterday that my application was incomplete (the portal didn't reflect this). I called right when they opened this morning and talked with admissions. They said they think my official GRE scores were not attached because I was recently married and changed my name. They said they can't forward the application to the department until all of the materials are submitted and would email their documents department to get it straightened out, but everyone is on break now. This is a school that some have posted interview invites  from and their website says they send out invites in December for January interviews. My question is, should I email the POI and tell her the situation? We exchanged a few emails in early Fall and she was nice and encouraged me to apply. Any thoughts/ideas/opinions?

I would reach out to the POI to let them know the situation, especially since you have been in contact with them before so they know you a little

[TrustedTheProcess]

My PI said that she had to notify the department of her choices for interviews last week, but they still haven't sent out interview invites to those applicants, how frustrating! 

[Rey38]

14 hours ago, psych2019 said:

Hi! I'm new here and wondering if anyone has heard anything from NYU yet? I applied to the Cognition and Perception program and have (surprisingly) already heard from most of the other programs I applied to. Good luck to everyone and thanks! 

Hi, yes I applied to NYU's cognition & perception program and was invited to an interview (POI e-mailed me on Dec 16th). If you heard from most of the other programs that's a really good sign. NYU is the only one I got an interview from so far. Good luck!

[shockwave457]

Anyone have any experience with UNL and the "under review" vs "reviewed pending final decision of Graduate chair" debacle?

 

[1996kayden]

On 12/21/2018 at 2:38 PM, StatsAddict said:

Thanks for the info! So, they don't even do a phone or Skype interview before admitting?

Maybe unofficially? Officially they told me they don't interview b/c it can increase bias issues

[PsychGal]

2 hours ago, davidfreire20 said:

Anyone have any experience with UNL and the "under review" vs "reviewed pending final decision of Graduate chair" debacle?

 

I believe it means that your application has been initially reviewed by the graduate committee and is now awaiting graduate chair approval to be sent to your department (psych department/POI)! I got those emails too not long ago!

[ResilientDreams]

Has Temple sent out invites for all areas?

[DevSci]

On 12/20/2018 at 5:05 PM, StatsAddict said:

Hello all! I'm new here-- applying mostly to developmental programs. I applied to University of Minnesota’s Child Psychology program, Developmental Science Track; wondering if anyone has heard anything from this program? They only have info on the accepted students weekend on their website— but they don’t say anything about interviewing. Also applied to Georgetown’s PhD in Psychology, concentration in human development: anyone hear anything from them? Any info would be most welcome!

I thought I’d also share my current interview updates, in case anyone's looking for info on interview dates for these programs: I have interviews for the developmental programs at Missouri (Jan 25), UT Dallas (Jan 31-Feb 1), GMU (Feb 15), ASU (preliminary phone interview), and Notre Dame.

UMN doesn’t interview. Source: went there’s for undergrad and 2 LoRs are from there. 

[paraent]

Hello, friends. I'm applying to cognitive neuroscience labs in six places - Brown, UVirginia, Penn, Columbia, Vanderbilt, Boston. Stuff seems to straddle between psych and neuro, so I'm watching both threads for useful insight into how things are unfolding. Despite a weak ~3.1 GPA, it seems my decent (maybe strong?) research background is pulling a lot of weight, and I've been chatting a lot with different profs over the last couple weeks. Hope we can support each other through this harrowing process. Here's all the info I can offer you guys:

So around the same time I sent my apps, I emailed a selection of profs expressing interest in their labs and attaching my CV. Some didn't respond (they're busy!), some just said they'd be excited to see my app, others were more enthusiastic. Since then...

- Quick skype chat with a Columbia prof within a couple days, seemed to be an informal courtesy due to her ties w/ my lab and unlikely to lead to an acceptance based on my impression; again, doesn't seem like any official part of the decision process

- Multiple rather warm skype interviews w/ a few profs at Vanderbilt; was invited around the 17th after one call for a 2/7-9 or so for an in-person shindig. They're such friendly people there.

- My most official-feeling skype interview yet was with UVA late last week; was arranged very soon after the 12/15 deadline passed. Was described as a pre-screening.

- Finally heard from Brown a few days ago, on Friday I think. For a Skype interview in a couple weeks! From their site, about 15% of applicants are invited for interviews, and then about 50% of those are offered admission. I'm not sure if this upcoming 30 minute skype call means I'm in that 15% or if it's actually those selected to come interview on campus who are in the 15%. Doesn't really matter for what I have to do next, though!

- Haven't heard from Penn, Boston or Columbia yet aside from what I've mentioned above. Recent news in the neuro thread about Penn is discouraging but I'm hoping maybe they handle Psych apps in a later committee (the prof I emailed suggested as much indirectly), especially since there aren't any signs of Psychy stuff happening in the decisions database and a peek at past years' threads suggests a late decision cycle. There are similarly crickets chirping in the decisions database re:Columbia but again I'm pretty pessimistic.

- Boston was the source of one of the especially enthusiastic initial emails I've gotten (guy even went as so far to say it was likely he'd invite me for an interview!), so I'm honestly still expecting something from them after break. That makes me feel more okay with the idea that other schools might contact me in January, too. Then again, though, my CV didn't mention my GPA, haha.

I'll keep throwing intel here for as long as it feels like it could help. Need to read through this thread to see if maybe I should update my impressions of my prospects.

[xxxxxxxxxx]

7 hours ago, paraent said:

That makes me feel more okay with the idea that other schools might contact me in January, too. Then again, though, my CV didn't mention my GPA, haha.

Did you leave your GPA out from your CV because it’s low? I always was under the impression GPAs needed to be listed.

When faculty/committees are reviewing your materials, some may find it burdensome (or even strange) that it’s not readily listed/available (compared to other CVs)? 

[ResilientDreams]

7 minutes ago, checkingmyemail said:

Did you leave your GPA out from your CV because it’s low? I always was under the impression GPAs needed to be listed.

When faculty/committees are reviewing your materials, some may find it burdensome (or even strange) that it’s not readily listed/available (compared to other CVs)? 

I don't have my GPA on mine either. I'm still in undergrad so my GPA at the time of my application wasn't my final GPA anyway. I don't think they'll find it burdensome because I'm pretty sure all our application materials get combined into a single file and they usually ask for GPA in another part of the app and they also have your transcript. 

[AlexandraF]

On 3/21/2018 at 3:36 PM, stinkbug4ever said:

I'm also getting a head start on application process! This will be my first time applying for a PhD.

I'm looking into social psychology programs in LA and NY areas

LA: UCLA, USC, UC Irvine
NY: The New School, NYU, Columbia ???, Rutgers in Newark

Still researching schools in other states, but hoping to keep the number I apply to around 6. 

Something that might set me apart, which is also my biggest concern, is that I have been working in user experience research and design since I graduated from my master's in human-centered design. So I have research experience technically, but it isn't the standard lab or field style research, since it's done at a corporate level. I hope that serves as a boost rather than a hindrance ?

Do you know if LIU Brooklyn is a funded program ?

[philopsych]

Does anyone have any information on the Emory rejection? Was it a mass rejection or from the PI?

[paraent]

2 hours ago, checkingmyemail said:

Did you leave your GPA out from your CV because it’s low? I always was under the impression GPAs needed to be listed.

When faculty/committees are reviewing your materials, some may find it burdensome (or even strange) that it’s not readily listed/available (compared to other CVs)? 

While I probably would've included my GPA if it was exceptional, I don't know if I would've included it even if it were just average. A selection of reasons why include: most professional CVs I've seen don't mention GPA, I'm about a year and a half out from undergrad, a big part of my case for myself is "this track record of research experience is a better demonstration of my research potential than my grades" so the decision to exclude seemed consistent, profs will already have access to the information during their decision process, profs can usually infer for themselves what the absence of a GPA from a CV means (and might even end up being pleasantly surprised that my GPA's not as low as it could be if their expectations are controlled enough!), CV is a place to articulate your qualifications for a position and not the opposite, etc.

But yeah it was ultimately a self-serving decision.

[Iseseogodeo]

Congrats on hearing back from Wyoming. Please send your POI if you have the time. Thank you!

[Psyhopeful]

26 minutes ago, paraent said:

While I probably would've included my GPA if it was exceptional, I don't know if I would've included it even if it were just average. A selection of reasons why include: most professional CVs I've seen don't mention GPA, I'm about a year and a half out from undergrad, a big part of my case for myself is "this track record of research experience is a better demonstration of my research potential than my grades" so the decision to exclude seemed consistent, profs will already have access to the information during their decision process, profs can usually infer for themselves what the absence of a GPA from a CV means (and might even end up being pleasantly surprised that my GPA's not as low as it could be if their expectations are controlled enough!), CV is a place to articulate your qualifications for a position and not the opposite, etc.

But yeah it was ultimately a self-serving decision.

My overall gpa isn’t great because I left school for other pursuits and came back. But my major gpa and last 60 credits are over 3.9, so I just put my major gpa (and labeled it that way) on my cv. My story is similar in terms of, don’t look at what I did before, look at what I’m doing now. 

Edited December 23, 2018 by Psyhopeful

[HaleyOK]

Can whoever posted on the results page about being offered an interview at Umass Boston DM their POI? Thanks! Happy holidays y’all