2021 Clinical Psychology Applicants CANADA

[CateFace]

Just now, VanessaB said:

Try to relax and breathe a little! You can still apply in your first year if you get admitted into a program. I just applied for CGS-M this year, after starting a program in September and being admitted a few places for the Fall 2020 cycle, so there’s still time to do it next year if you get in. I actually found applying after starting a program helped because I was able to connect with lab members, see winning proposal examples, and ask my lab members questions about the process when or if I needed clarification.

Oh thank you, that reassures me a lot! 

[broski]

2 hours ago, SarahD9899 said:

Hi guys! I'm super stressed about having submitted my applications and am wondering if someone can be super blunt with me about my chances (all for clinical psych programs btw)

- 3.89 cGPA (started in chem/physics so first year is a bit lower), 4.0 GPA in final two years

- 168 Verbal / 162 Quantitative / 6.0 Writing (super disappointed that none of the schools are looking at GREs!)

- No publications or presentations, currently submitting one psychiatry manuscript where i'm 2nd author

- Undergrad honours thesis in progress - really doubt I'll publish 

- RA in multiple labs throughout my undergrad 

- A bunch of somewhat clinical-y experiences but I don't think that counts too much where I'm applying

My main concerns are my lack of publications/presentations, possibly weak references (one is a new prof, only been working at my school since 2019 so I feel like he might not be respected yet, the other I read and is pretty strong imo), and the fact that my research hasn't been in the exact topic i want to study in grad school. I also emailed some professors I was applying to, but head back from very few and am worried they just aren't interested in me. One told me he wouldn't even consider my app because i had no pubs. Also a lot of applicants I know are way older than me and have years of work experience while I'm still in my 4th year. Any advice??

On paper you sound pretty qualified. You meet and exceed minimum requirements for GPA, GRE, possibly research but I don't know what kinds of research experiences you have. Even if your prof is new, I think what matters more is the quality of the actual LoR -- does he know how you are as a researcher, student, your interpersonal/clinical skills? Do you think he's written favourably regarding these areas? 

Lots of people end up doing grad research in areas where their previous experiences didn't 100% match. Depends on how you tailor your previous experiences in your SoP, interviews, etc. Lots of profs also don't reply because they're busy/swamped with emails. I don't know why that prof prefers applicants with pubs, seems like a pretty stringent requirement imo 

Lack of presentations/pubs might be a detriment but it seems like you're catching up. If this app cycle isn't successful, you can apply next cycle with more pubs/presentations/etc. potentially! 

[jacob847_23]

On 12/2/2020 at 4:31 PM, broski said:

On paper you sound pretty qualified. You meet and exceed minimum requirements for GPA, GRE, possibly research but I don't know what kinds of research experiences you have. Even if your prof is new, I think what matters more is the quality of the actual LoR -- does he know how you are as a researcher, student, your interpersonal/clinical skills? Do you think he's written favourably regarding these areas? 

Lots of people end up doing grad research in areas where their previous experiences didn't 100% match. Depends on how you tailor your previous experiences in your SoP, interviews, etc. Lots of profs also don't reply because they're busy/swamped with emails. I don't know why that prof prefers applicants with pubs, seems like a pretty stringent requirement imo 

Lack of presentations/pubs might be a detriment but it seems like you're catching up. If this app cycle isn't successful, you can apply next cycle with more pubs/presentations/etc. potentially! 

Thank you so much, this was really helpful! That prof was actually the only one who responded with me and agreed to meet over Zoom, so hearing him say he wouldn't accept a student without pubs was super discouraging.

My research experience earlier on was mostly menial tasks but now i'm working on a thesis and another study for where i'm second author. I still feel like because i have no pubs/presentations i'm on the weaker side of applicants, but hopefully next year will be better!

[CateFace]

Just now, SarahD9899 said:

Thank you so much, this was really helpful! That prof was actually the only one who responded with me and agreed to meet over Zoom, so hearing him say he wouldn't accept a student without pubs was super discouraging. His hypocrisy also bothered me a bit because he's a young prof and his first pub was 1 year into his PhD! 

My research experience earlier on was mostly menial tasks (coding, cleaning data, running experiments, etc.) but now i'm working on a thesis and another study for the UHN where i'm second author. I still feel like because i have no pubs/presentations i'm on the weaker side of applicants, but hopefully next year will be better!

I would argue that you have a publication "in prep" and that is a huge asset! You sound like a strong candidate to me (but I have no experience so I have no idea how much weight that holds!)

[jacob847_23]

Just now, CateFace said:

I would argue that you have a publication "in prep" and that is a huge asset! You sound like a strong candidate to me (but I have no experience so I have no idea how much weight that holds!)

Darn, I didn't include that on my CV in fear of accidentally lying so lets hope I get an interview so I can say that! Also I really don't think you need to worry about your funding situation, you sound like one of the strongest applicants out there. CGS lets you apply during your first year of your MA as well and with experience like yours, I would be willing to bet POIs would be pretty confident in your ability to secure funding at that time. Applying in advance (from what my professor told me) is more important for students who are more of a "maybe" when it comes to being able to secure funding and I definitely do not think that applies to you!

[CateFace]

Just now, SarahD9899 said:

Darn, I didn't include that on my CV in fear of accidentally lying so lets hope I get an interview so I can say that! Also I really don't think you need to worry about your funding situation, you sound like one of the strongest applicants out there. CGS lets you apply during your first year of your MA as well and with experience like yours, I would be willing to bet POIs would be pretty confident in your ability to secure funding at that time. Applying in advance (from what my professor told me) is more important for students who are more of a "maybe" when it comes to being able to secure funding and I definitely do not think that applies to you!

Ah thanks. I'm hoping so - I do not technically have an honours thesis and this is the other hold back factor. I have what is an equivalent to an honours thesis and my letter of references is from my supervisor who states as such - and was given course credit for an "independent research" course so I'm just really hoping it is viewed as such at the university too. We'll see, I'll feel a lot better just knowing it was read. Even if I'm rejected I am just hoping the full application is read and not thrown out due to the lack of an honours thesis. This is STRESSFUL. I need to find something to distract myself with lol

[jacob847_23]

Just now, CateFace said:

Ah thanks. I'm hoping so - I do not technically have an honours thesis and this is the other hold back factor. I have what is an equivalent to an honours thesis and my letter of references is from my supervisor who states as such - and was given course credit for an "independent research" course so I'm just really hoping it is viewed as such at the university too. We'll see, I'll feel a lot better just knowing it was read. Even if I'm rejected I am just hoping the full application is read and not thrown out due to the lack of an honours thesis. This is STRESSFUL. I need to find something to distract myself with lol

I actually talked to my academic advisor about IRPs (if that's what your independent research was) last year - he said everyone knows what they are now and that they're comparable to honours theses so it's no big deal! He may not be accurate, but he's been in the field for like 30 years and says people really don't care, the idea is just for you to have experienced conducting research independently (which clearly you have). 

[CateFace]

19 minutes ago, SarahD9899 said:

I actually talked to my academic advisor about IRPs (if that's what your independent research was) last year - he said everyone knows what they are now and that they're comparable to honours theses so it's no big deal! He may not be accurate, but he's been in the field for like 30 years and says people really don't care, the idea is just for you to have experienced conducting research independently (which clearly you have). 

I could kiss you. Thank you, I feel a lot better than I did earlier today. We've all worked so so hard for this, its impossible to not be fully immersed in it! I wish you luck, I personally think you sound like a very strong candidate and hope you get to tell the POI about it in an interview! 

[Josh.psych]

Hello

Hope everyone is staying safe. Has anyone applied to the UWindsor? 

Edited December 2, 2020 by Irishsnowflakes

[Wanderingmind]

Just now, Irishsnowflakes said:

Hello

Hope everyone is staying safe. Has anyone applied to the UWindsor? 

I did!

[Josh.psych]

Hey, okay cool! I was wondering why I didn't see lots of people applying to Windsor on here. What track? I applied for adult.

[Wanderingmind]

Just now, Irishsnowflakes said:

Hey, okay cool! I was wondering why I didn't see lots of people applying to Windsor on here. What track? I applied for adult.

I applied for the child track! Yeah, it seems like there are a few programs that no one has talked about on here!

[Josh.psych]

Oh Sweet!! I looked at their child track, they have some pretty interesting research topics.

[emsmith]

12 hours ago, CateFace said:

I would honestly be more than happy to say I'll just pay the tuition and accept not being paid a stipend. I want this more than anything, I can eat the cost of a potential scholarship knowing its something that could potentially hold me back. I realize it doesn't work this way though and this is just not great. I also realize that in the event I'm rejected I can re-apply the following year, I'm just so livid with myself for such a stupid mistake. 

You really shouldn't beat yourself up over it! I made the same mistake the first year I applied (I wasn't a very strong candidate then, so the funding is definitely not the reason I didn't get in), but I think the CGS instructions are suuuuuuper unclear. Half the instructions are for people who are already in a program and have to be nominated by the school, and half are for people applying without a program, and I think it's really hard to make sense of. 

I also think securing external funding isn't a total make-or-break for most most supervisors particularly at the master's level since most people will not have had experience applying for this kind of funding. CGS-M is also only 17,500 for one year, which is of course helpful but isn't enough to hold you over for (what is for most people) a two year program. 

Edited December 3, 2020 by emsmith

[prospectivegradstudent21]

13 hours ago, Wanderingmind said:

I applied for the child track! Yeah, it seems like there are a few programs that no one has talked about on here!

omg! i also applied to their child track! 

[+ve regard]

17 hours ago, CateFace said:

I think I have screwed up big time. I had no idea this funding application was now, I absolutely was under the impression it was after you were accepted and developed a research project. I feel like I was a strong candidate, I have 5 presentations, 2 at international conferences, 2 publications, research experience, volunteer experience, so many scholarships and awards, strong references, 3.96 GPA overall, 4.0 for the last two years, and yet I screwed up big time. I had no idea (although I suppose I should have known?) I'm the first in my family to attend any schooling so feel like I'm flying blind here, and now have made a huge mistake. 

Echoing the reassurance from others...applying for or securing external funding is NOT the make it or break it factor for admission. 

I didn't apply for funding before my MA or my PhD programs, I applied once I was accepted...many, many people do this. My thinking is that the PIs really want to find a student who is curious, committed and hard-working and a good match with their research interests. Funding is way down the ladder of importance for PIs, in my experience. 

You have clearly worked very hard for your grades and achievements and are a great candidate  

 

[jacob847_23]

Any current Ryerson clinical psych grad students here?

[CateFace]

39 minutes ago, +ve regard said:

Echoing the reassurance from others...applying for or securing external funding is NOT the make it or break it factor for admission. 

I didn't apply for funding before my MA or my PhD programs, I applied once I was accepted...many, many people do this. My thinking is that the PIs really want to find a student who is curious, committed and hard-working and a good match with their research interests. Funding is way down the ladder of importance for PIs, in my experience. 

You have clearly worked very hard for your grades and achievements and are a great candidate  

 

Thank you, I appreciate it! I'm sure we're all questioning so many things, this process really forces you to reflect and confront yourself, I will be so glad to be on the other side of it one day! 

[Wanderingmind]

3 hours ago, prospectivegradstudent21 said:

omg! i also applied to their child track! 

Hopefully we applied to different profs ?

[Josh.psych]

9 hours ago, Wanderingmind said:

Hopefully we applied to different profs ?

? what profs in child did you apply to? I applied for the other track!  was hoping I’d find someone on here as well

[coffeeinmyveins]

Wow, seeing things from profs in the US talking about high applicant numbers has me extremely stressed about the case here in Canada... anyone absolutely questioning their applications now? ?

[CateFace]

22 minutes ago, coffeeinmyveins said:

Wow, seeing things from profs in the US talking about high applicant numbers has me extremely stressed about the case here in Canada... anyone absolutely questioning their applications now? ?

For sure saw someone from I Calgary comment on a twitter thread about this - not with actual numbers but that she expects the same. 
 

on the other hand, I do appreciate seeing those tweets too, because if I am rejected it’s nice to see the encouragement that it isn’t the end of following my passion and to try again. I’m swinging wildly from acceptance to downright denial to misery to totally ok with it. 

[coffeeinmyveins]

Just now, CateFace said:

For sure saw someone from I Calgary comment on a twitter thread about this - not with actual numbers but that she expects the same. 
 

on the other hand, I do appreciate seeing those tweets too, because if I am rejected it’s nice to see the encouragement that it isn’t the end of following my passion and to try again. I’m swinging wildly from acceptance to downright denial to misery to totally ok with it. 

Could you post the thread? I’d be curious to read it!

[CateFace]

My poster was presented at the American Psychosomatic Society today and watching the presentations has me remembering what I really want to DO with my life and kind of ignited a whole new spark, that I really really hope I’m accepted - but if not, I don’t think I could still not do it, and I think I’ll apply until eventually I wear someone down enough they want to work with me haha. It was good, it reminded me about the why. 

[Wanderingmind]

27 minutes ago, coffeeinmyveins said:

Wow, seeing things from profs in the US talking about high applicant numbers has me extremely stressed about the case here in Canada... anyone absolutely questioning their applications now? ?

I'm also freaking out about this!! It's really daunting to see the numbers, but I am trying to remember that there is nothing I can do now except for wait (and come up with backup plans ? )