Fall 2020 Clinical & Counseling PhD/PsyD

[hopefulgrad2019]

On 5/13/2019 at 5:37 PM, PsyZei said:

Hello and good luck to everyone!

I'm applying to both Marriage and Family Therapy and Clinical Psychology PhD programs, but there isn't a Human Ecology forum on Gradcafe, so I'm just going to track everything here (Therapy and Counseling are close enough, right? ?).  Like OP, I've got some geographical logistics that severly limit the locations I can move to (which is why I'm applying to both MFT and Clinical Psych programs), and when you throw in wanting faculty that match my focus areas that gives me this list for applications:

• University of Iowa (MFT)
• University of Minnesota-Twin Cities (MFT)
• Kansas State University (MFT)
• University of Nebraska-Lincoln (PSY)
• University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign (PSY)
• University of Wisconsin-Madison (PSY) 
• University of Iowa (PSY) 
• University of Kansas (PSY) 
• University of Missouri- Kansas City (PSY)

I think I have a good basis for application, though I''m a very non-traditional student. Got a good academic record with a Psychology bachelors (4.0 and completed in 2 years, 3 months) and MFT masters (4.0 so far, graduating in 2020). Only one research poster presented at a graduate symposium, but it won the highest level of award for poster presentations at the event (will also be working on thesis research at time of applications/interviews). Haven't been a TA, but have guest lectured for some undergraduate courses to help out a couple of my professors and get that experience. 165/162/4.5 GRE (though it's going to be 2 years old for these applications, but decided to not stress about retaking it this year and will next year if applying again). Have clinical experience as a student therapist at my university's clinic. Also have some letters/credentials I can list after my name (and hope to have one more set before graduating with my masters) that are related to my research and clinical population of focus.

Mainly worried about trying to make sure I have good personal statements, so I took a light credit load this summer (6hrs) to work on them and the applications.

I will be attending UNL's clinical psych PhD program in the Fall so feel free to DM me with any specific questions about their application/interview process. 

[PsyZei]

18 minutes ago, hopefulgrad2019 said:

I will be attending UNL's clinical psych PhD program in the Fall so feel free to DM me with any specific questions about their application/interview process. 

Congrats on that!!!

I will probably take you up on yoru DM offer. There are a couple faculty members there who I would really, really like to get to learn from. I'm still in the early stages, but suspect UNL will either be my top hope or very close to it.

[psycstudent2018]

Hi all,

I'm very excited to begin the application process (excited to get it over with that is). This will be my second time applying. I applied in 2018 to four schools, was accepted into a masters, waitlisted for an interview at University of Northern Illinois, and accepted into Nova Southeastern. However, since I was just applying for the experience that year I took some time off to get lab managing experience and build my resume! 

Now, I have 2 years post-bacc experience, two second-author published journals, a manuscript in progress, two first author posters, three second author posters, one third author symposium, and over a year experience volunteering in a domestic violence shelter leading psychoeducational groups. My GPA is around a 3.6 and my GRE scores were V-166 Q-155 AW-4.5

So, without further ado here's my list of schools (12)... under the assumption that all these professors are accepting and I have the funds to apply to 12.

• GW University | JG, CR
• UPenn | MF, SJ, EF, AR
• CUNY JJ | MA, PC, ME, CSW
• Teachers College at Columbia | GB
• Yale | MO, DG
• Virginia Tech | RJ, MA
• Clark University | AH, KPR
• Penn State | SA, KB, GM
• University of Michigan | ABogat, ABurt,  AL
• University of Northern Illinois | DB, ML, HO, AR
• University of Nebraska-Lincoln | DD, DH
• University of Utah | PK, SC, CB

Fingers crossed! I'm about to start writing my personal statement now. 

When is the best time to start contacting these professors to see if they're accepting students?

Edited May 16, 2019 by psycstudent2018

[_angua]

On 5/14/2019 at 11:17 AM, tomatotomahto said:

This is such a scary and exciting journey to be starting on! I have a few questions as I get going in my clinical/counseling PhD application process.

- When do people typically ask for letters of recommendation? Should I just ask now?

- Is it appropriate to reach out to department coordinators at this time to ask if they know anything about POIs looking for students? If so, does it look bad to ask about multiple POIs? Should I reach out to POIs directly instead? 

 

If you have people in mind for your recommendation letters, I would reach out sooner rather than later to make sure they are willing to provide a strong letter.

 

I think reaching out to POIs directly would be better. I looked at programs and listed potential POIs and then emailed them directly. Doing this earlier is good since they will be getting loads of similar emails later on.

[studentmamasf]

Wow, you guys make me feel totally behind ! I am really worried about even applying, I am lacking research experience.

Background Info
BA Human Development 3.5 GPA
MA Counseling Psychology 3.7
EdS School Psychology 3.7
GRE in Fall, currently studying

Experience
2 Years experiences providing therapy, conducing psychoeducational and neuropsychological assessments
Various leadership roles at the national and state level related to psychology
collecting research data for neuropsychological test maker
Letters of recc from neuropsychs, clinical psychs, and others
Conference attendance and membership to various psychological associations

Current School List (Still Developing)

• University of Utah
• University of Nevada Reno
• Cal Berkeley
• University of Missouri Kansas City
• University of Wyoming

I am terrified!!

 

[psychhhhhhhhh]

On 5/10/2019 at 11:26 AM, hopefulgrad2019 said:

I got a 159V/149Q/5.5 writing and was accepted to a R1 clinical psych PhD program for Fall 2019 if that helps! 

 

Editing to add that a lot of programs will overlook a weakness in one area if you make up for it in another. For example, I clearly had a terrible quant GRE score, and I also had a low undergrad GPA (3.13 cumulative), but I have great research and clinical experience, multiple first-author poster presentations, multiple manuscript collabs, and at the time of applying I had an encyclopedia chapter where I'm first authored in prep in my area of interest. I was convinced I wouldn't make it to the next stage of the process because of my GRE/GPA but I received multiple interviews to my top programs of choice. In short, don't let the numbers get you down!!!! 

This gives me so much hope! I have similar research experience & research product numbers!

[CoffeeErryday]

On 5/13/2019 at 3:31 PM, psycstudent2018 said:

I define clinical experience as working with a population of interest (i.e. more about working with people than data). 

 

For me, I volunteer at a homeless shelter, volunteer as a crisis counselor, and have volunteered at a domestic violence shelter. I've also been a spokesperson for a domestic violence awareness organization and have worked in a psychotherapy clinic as an assistant. 

Thank you so much! That helps a lot in defining it and I'm going to apply to similar places

[gg_psyched]

Hello! I am very excited to see a forum established for fall 2020!  My interests are slightly partial to doctoral research in school psychology but I am also thinking about applying to Counseling Ph.D. programs as I believe it can lead to the same career options. I applied to only two schools last year while finishing my MA in Counseling Psychology. This round, I am both financially able and ready to apply to more programs. This should have been obvious the first time but I am happy to now have the familiarity with the process of application and (eek!) the interview.  Here are my programs of interest so far: 

1. UCSB: School Psych (currently waitlisted, interviewed in Dec 2018.) JS 
2. UCB School psych (denied 2019) 
3. Teacher's College at Columbia School psych 
4. WUSTL School psych 
5. University of Texas School Psych 
6. Syracuse School psych 
7. Boston College Counseling 
8. Harvard Master Human Development and Psych (Strong maybe. Applying to gain a more comprehensive understanding of research practices)

I have years of relevant clinical experience but my research is somewhat lacking. I have been a volunteer RA in two university labs and interviewing for a PTSD lab next week at a medical school. Though I have experience being in lab, my understanding of research is limited to my anecdotal experiences and what I learned in undergrad. Does anyone have a suggestion on how to gain a more comprehensive understanding of research, statistical analysis, etc? How much should I know before enrolling in a doctoral program? 

Thank you and good luck to all! 

 

 

 

[Psychcat23]

Hi there! I'm very glad this forum was started early as I have been narrowing down my school list! This will be my second time applying to clinical psy. PhD programs. My school choices as of right now (these may change based on who is accepting students when that is announced): 

- Syracuse University

- U. Rochester 

- Vanderbilt 

- UC San Diego 

- Case Western 

- Rutgers

- Binghamton

- WUSTL

- Hofstra 

- U. Georgia - Athens 

- Drexel

My biggest question is, if anyone can answer: what seems to be the general consensus among schools regarding GRE scores..? I know this differs among schools but I am looking for any information overall..... I have a very strong research background, but HORRIBLE GRE scores (I'm retaking the regular GRE and the psych. subject GRE - but I don't have much hope for myself). For reference, I have 2 publications, 9 poster presentations, an oral presentation at EPA, I completed an undergrad. research thesis, I will have completed my masters research thesis next year.., 3.5 under grad GPA and currently in a clinical psychology masters program with a 3.9 GPA from an Ivy League school. I also have been awarded grants, I have worked in four labs now with experience as a lab manager, MRI/fMRI training, clinical exposure.. I will have great letters of recommendation as well.

While I have all of these good attributes, I have taken the GRE twice and the best I have scored is a 30th percentile on Verbal, literally 16th percentile on quant. and 85th percentile in writing. I am extremely aware of how terrible these scores are, and I would like some input on: if these are as good as my scores can get, will they keep me out of programs regardless of my other experience/grades..?

Any input/tips for the GRE would be SO helpful  Good luck everyone! 

[JoePianist]

The GRE is your entry ticket for the admission committee to even look at your application. The first step in their evaluation process is throwing out applications that don’t make the 50th percentile for both the Quantitative and Qualitative sections. For the Writing section, you need to score a 4 or better.

[psycstudent2018]

16 hours ago, Psychcat23 said:

Magoosh was a worthwhile investment for me. Make sure you're studying your vocab everyday

 

[379337933793]

I took the GRE in summer 2015 and don’t want to retake it. On an individual basis I’ve been confirming that programs will still accept such an old score, but some don’t have information available on their website.  

Could it be viewed as a drawback to have such an old GRE score? Has anyone heard of a program which requires a more recent GRE score?

[Lenina Crow]

1 hour ago, tomatotomahto said:

I took the GRE in summer 2015 and don’t want to retake it. On an individual basis I’ve been confirming that programs will still accept such an old score, but some don’t have information available on their website.  

Could it be viewed as a drawback to have such an old GRE score? Has anyone heard of a program which requires a more recent GRE score?

Scores are good for 5 years so assuming you are still in that range when you apply, it shouldn't be an issue. 

[379337933793]

On 6/17/2019 at 4:56 PM, McMurphy said:

Scores are good for 5 years so assuming you are still in that range when you apply, it shouldn't be an issue. 

Right; but I noticed that teachers college required a GRE within 4 years so I’m paranoid. It seems like I’ll mostly be OK....

[Jkid]

Hey all! I am also planning on applying to Clinical/Counseling PhD programs in the Fall. GRE scores are mid to high 150's on the two practices I took before studying tons so pretty confident about that. Go to a top ranked liberal arts college, doing my own independent study project, working on a project with another professor, have four different types of clinical experience, will (hopefully) be published, and am super motivated. Been working on my personal statement recently which has made the whole process seem super real. This is my current list of schools right now. 

Nebraska Lincoln, USC, UCincinnatti, Wash State U, San Diego State, UMass Boston, UC Santa Barbara, Clark, UHouston Counseling, DePaul, UCLA, VCU, Jackson State, Idaho State, Auburn

Edited June 20, 2019 by Skidkid

[clinicalpsych1996]

Does anyone know of any fully funded Psy.D programs?

Also, does anyone know if Teachers College Columbia clinical psych or Yeshiva clinical health psych programs are fully funded / provide stipends?

[RTIAssessmentsandIEPsOhmy]

23 hours ago, clare b. said:

Does anyone know of any fully funded Psy.D programs?

Also, does anyone know if Teachers College Columbia clinical psych or Yeshiva clinical health psych programs are fully funded / provide stipends?

I THINK James Madison has a funded School Psychology PsyD. But I am not sure if it is fully funded.

[PsyDuck90]

On 6/30/2019 at 2:40 PM, clare b. said:

Does anyone know of any fully funded Psy.D programs?

Also, does anyone know if Teachers College Columbia clinical psych or Yeshiva clinical health psych programs are fully funded / provide stipends?

The university based PsyDs usually have more funding than the professional schools. Baylor and Rutgers have a bit, but I don't remember if they have any 100% funding. William Paterson has 4 full-funding GAships they give out (plus other opportunities for funding throughout the program). Indiana University of Pennsylvania and Widener University are two others to look into. Yeshiva's PsyD also may provide some funding. I think the PhD is funded. You can probably check the website. 

[RTIAssessmentsandIEPsOhmy]

On 5/24/2019 at 12:43 AM, studentmamasf said:

Wow, you guys make me feel totally behind ! I am really worried about even applying, I am lacking research experience.

Background Info
BA Human Development 3.5 GPA
MA Counseling Psychology 3.7
EdS School Psychology 3.7
GRE in Fall, currently studying

Experience
2 Years experiences providing therapy, conducing psychoeducational and neuropsychological assessments
Various leadership roles at the national and state level related to psychology
collecting research data for neuropsychological test maker
Letters of recc from neuropsychs, clinical psychs, and others
Conference attendance and membership to various psychological associations

Current School List (Still Developing)

• University of Utah
• University of Nevada Reno
• Cal Berkeley
• University of Missouri Kansas City
• University of Wyoming

I am terrified!!

Are you going into Clinical or School Psychology?

[clinicalpsych1996]

Any tips on studying for the Psych Subject GRE? I bought the Kaplan book and have heard mixed reviews. I was thinking of going through my undergrad psych notes, but they are pretty dense, and I don't want to over-study material that isn't relevant. I found a quizlet set with just about 175 "Important Names" in psychology - that seems like A LOT of people to study.... Anyways, just wanted to hear about everyone's experience with the subject test! I am taking it in September

[PsyDuck90]

I would suggest taking the practice test available from ETS and see what you're weakest areas are. Then focus on those. For me, biological was my weak point (I had been out of school for 3 years when taking the GREs and forgot all the parts of the brain. Overall, just skim through the Kaplan book and maybe supplement it with some other resources for your targeted weak points. Few programs even ask for the Psych GRE. 

[Madpudding]

20 hours ago, clare b. said:

Any tips on studying for the Psych Subject GRE? I bought the Kaplan book and have heard mixed reviews. I was thinking of going through my undergrad psych notes, but they are pretty dense, and I don't want to over-study material that isn't relevant. I found a quizlet set with just about 175 "Important Names" in psychology - that seems like A LOT of people to study.... Anyways, just wanted to hear about everyone's experience with the subject test! I am taking it in September

One thing to be careful of when using the test prep books is to ignore the information regarding how the test is scored. Almost every test prep book I used said that there is a 1/4 point penalty for wrong answers (similar to the SAT, at least when I took it) when in fact there is no penalty so you might as well complete every question. I found that the information in the Kaplan book was pretty good and the practice tests were helpful for getting the timing down. ETS also has an official practice test on their website but I would recommend saving this until about 2 weeks before you exam date to get an accurate predictor of your score. 

Here are some resources that I think were very helpful:

• The ETS Content Specifications Guide
  • I structured my study guide similar to this guide from the ETS so that when I was studying, I could include/exclude things that either fit/didn't fit in these categories rather than just include random things because they sound important but weren't going to be covered on the test
• Quizlet Flashcards
  • If you search GRE Psych or GRE psychology, there should be a set with about 600 or so flashcards. Very helpful
• Crash Course psychology video series on Youtube
  • Doesn't cover everything but does give a quick overview on some of the big topics
• Intro to psychology podcast / lecture series by MIT Open Courseware
  • Definitely some extra info in here that doesn't show up on the test but it's pretty easy to put on while driving

At the end of the day, depending on how well you memorize things / recall information from your intro psychology course, you could potentially get a pretty good score with only a couple of weeks of revision. Also, many programs either don't require the psych gre or don't consider it a major part of your application. I was a bit paranoid and may have spent too much time preparing so not all of these resources are necessary to get a good score. However, if you're aiming for above the 95th percentile, you may want to devote a good chunk of time and effort into the test . Good luck!

[dancedementia]

On 7/3/2019 at 4:18 PM, Madpudding said:

One thing to be careful of when using the test prep books is to ignore the information regarding how the test is scored. Almost every test prep book I used said that there is a 1/4 point penalty for wrong answers (similar to the SAT, at least when I took it) when in fact there is no penalty so you might as well complete every question.

That's because the latest available prep book published (Princeton Review's) is before they changed the format. There hasn't been anything published recently that matches the current scoring system AND covers the same material. All of the subject test GRE books still use DSM-IV. Just something to be aware of - the current offerings are very outdated

[clinicalpsych1996]

Hi guys, 

I am trying to decide whether or not to retake the General GRE...Most of the schools I am applying to have a Mean score of 158 Q and 160 V. I got a 158 Q, 162 V, 5.5 AWA, however, my Quant percentile is 67th %. I have noticed a couple schools (i.e. Fordham - one of my choices) explicitly state that having any sections below 75th percentile may hurt your admission chances. ? thoughts?

[psycstudent2018]

 

On 6/30/2019 at 2:40 PM, clare b. said:

Does anyone know of any fully funded Psy.D programs?

Also, does anyone know if Teachers College Columbia clinical psych or Yeshiva clinical health psych programs are fully funded / provide stipends?

I believe Pace offers stipends but I doubt you'll have much luck finding any Psy.D's that are fully funded.