2021 Clinical Psychology Applicants CANADA

[clinical_psyc_hopeful]

13 minutes ago, broski said:

For anyone who applied to Lakehead: Did you need to wait 24 h to start the 2nd part of the application/actually upload documents? And can you submit unofficial transcripts or electronic official transcripts? They want official transcripts but also said unofficial is fine in the interim...

Yes I do believe I had to wait 24 hours

[Sundaythecat]

12 hours ago, PrettyFlyForACogSci said:

@broski @jacob847_23 @clinical_psyc_hopeful 

check out stipend: https://www.lakeheadu.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/95/PubDis-Table1-4 and notes F2020.pdf

I think that’s a stipend for internship. 

[PrettyFlyForACogSci]

3 hours ago, Sundaythecat said:

I think that’s a stipend for internship. 

On second look I think you're right ? 

[aaapal]

Hey everyone! 

OK, wanting some opinions on this. Last round of applications I interviewed at final round for a PI and while they said I was their top candidate they ended up not being high enough priority to take a graduate student. They have been emailing me and checking in since March and reminded me of the application deadline for December reassuring me that they will be 100% taking a student and encouraging me to apply.

A part of me just assumes that this means I'll at least make it to final round or they'll end up taking me this round OR that I shouldn't get my hopes up and continue to stress like everyone else. 

[Wanderingmind]

Does anyone know how they decide which profs take priority to take on a student? I always just assumed that all the profs who are listed as "accepting a student" are able to accept a new student 

[broski]

1 hour ago, aaapal said:

Hey everyone! 

OK, wanting some opinions on this. Last round of applications I interviewed at final round for a PI and while they said I was their top candidate they ended up not being high enough priority to take a graduate student. They have been emailing me and checking in since March and reminded me of the application deadline for December reassuring me that they will be 100% taking a student and encouraging me to apply.

A part of me just assumes that this means I'll at least make it to final round or they'll end up taking me this round OR that I shouldn't get my hopes up and continue to stress like everyone else. 

Seems like that PI has got your back. Sounds like precursor to a supportive supervisor-supervisee relationship if you get accepted!!

[higaisha]

34 minutes ago, Wanderingmind said:

Does anyone know how they decide which profs take priority to take on a student? I always just assumed that all the profs who are listed as "accepting a student" are able to accept a new student 

Depends by program--some look at who's last taken a student, who has the need (i.e., number of students in the lab), federal funding held, etc.

[tiredoftheseapplications]

Hey everyone,

So I’m just posting on here because all my applications have already been submitted but I’m seeing everyone’s experience/grades/scores and feeling really discouraged.? 

I just graduated from my undergrad in October and didn’t write a thesis, I also didn’t write the GRE? (but I figured that since it was waived this year, it wouldn’t matter too much), i have an A- gpa in my final year with only 1 B+ and 1 B, the other 4 courses were A’s. I was going through stuff in my third year so I have three courses that really brought down my GPA. I have 1 year of RA experience (still ongoing), 8 months of experience as a peer mentor for at risk youth position at a school, and i volunteer in the mental health department at a hospital.

i’m super nervous about getting into any of the grad schools I applied for (OISE/UofT, York, Ryerson, & Western) because I already received a rejection email from Ryerson.?

[higaisha]

Just now, tiredoftheseapplications said:

Hey everyone,

So I’m just posting on here because all my applications have already been submitted but I’m seeing everyone’s experience/grades/scores and feeling really discouraged.? 

I just graduated from my undergrad in October and didn’t write a thesis, I also didn’t write the GRE? (but I figured that since it was waived this year, it wouldn’t matter too much), i have an A- gpa in my final year with only 1 B+ and 1 B, the other 4 courses were A’s. I was going through stuff in my third year so I have three courses that really brought down my GPA. I have 1 year of RA experience (still ongoing), 8 months of experience as a peer mentor for at risk youth position at a school, and i volunteer in the mental health department at a hospital.

i’m super nervous about getting into any of the grad schools I applied for (OISE/UofT, York, Ryerson, & Western) because I already received a rejection email from Ryerson.?

How did Ryerson already send rejections out? Seems unlikely that the email you received was a rejection per say

[tiredoftheseapplications]

Just now, higaisha said:

How did Ryerson already send rejections out? Seems unlikely that the email you received was a rejection per say

This was the email i got word for word:

“Your application has been carefully reviewed by the Graduate Admissions Committee of the Master of Arts - Psychology - Full Timeprogram for the Fall 2021 term. We regret to inform you that we are unable to admit you at this time.

 

The Graduate Admissions and Recruitment Office in conjunction with the Graduate Program Review Committee has determined that your academic background did not meet our minimum requirements. We realize this decision will be a disappointment to you, but assure you that your application was fully considered.

 

We would like to thank you for your interest in this program and wish you success in your academic endeavours.”

??

[carlrogersfan98]

20 minutes ago, higaisha said:

How did Ryerson already send rejections out? Seems unlikely that the email you received was a rejection per say

I believe it, they're clearly processing applications right now because they emailed me the other day to inform me one of my documents was missing (my SOI form... I guess I forgot to upload it when I hit submit even though I swear I uploaded everything). I'm worried that's going to set me back since it was more than a week late.

Edit: in re-reading the rejection letter it sounds like they're going through the first screen to filter out the basic requirements. 

Edited December 13, 2020 by carlrogersfan98

[UroboroS]

5 minutes ago, tiredoftheseapplications said:

This was the email i got word for word:

“Your application has been carefully reviewed by the Graduate Admissions Committee of the Master of Arts - Psychology - Full Timeprogram for the Fall 2021 term. We regret to inform you that we are unable to admit you at this time.

 

The Graduate Admissions and Recruitment Office in conjunction with the Graduate Program Review Committee has determined that your academic background did not meet our minimum requirements. We realize this decision will be a disappointment to you, but assure you that your application was fully considered.

 

We would like to thank you for your interest in this program and wish you success in your academic endeavours.”

??

I am sorry that you received disappointing news so early on in the application cycle. Did you check to see if you met the minimum GPA requirements to apply?  I recommend cross referencing your undergrad institution grading/GPA scale with the school you plan to apply to. There can be differences between universities on this. So, your A- might not be an A- at their institution. The first step in the app review process is usually the university will make sure all minimum requirements are met before forwarding the applications to the psych department.

Do you have any mentors (prof or grad students) you would feel comfortable reaching out to? My mentors have been invaluable throughout this process and have been honest with me about my odds, expectations, and experience as an applicant to clin psych.  

Also, if things don't work out this year, you are still only coming out of your undergrad. It usually takes 1-3 cycles to be accepted into a clin psych program. I would suggest finding a full time RA position where you can obtain authorship and presentations to supplement not having an honours degree. Clin psych programs are research heavy and put a lot of emphasis on research experience compared to other advanced degrees in psychology. 

Hope that helps! Many of us here are applying for the 2nd or 3rd, so don't lose hope- it may just be a longer journey than you anticipated!

[carlrogersfan98]

23 minutes ago, tiredoftheseapplications said:

Hey everyone,

So I’m just posting on here because all my applications have already been submitted but I’m seeing everyone’s experience/grades/scores and feeling really discouraged.? 

I just graduated from my undergrad in October and didn’t write a thesis, I also didn’t write the GRE? (but I figured that since it was waived this year, it wouldn’t matter too much), i have an A- gpa in my final year with only 1 B+ and 1 B, the other 4 courses were A’s. I was going through stuff in my third year so I have three courses that really brought down my GPA. I have 1 year of RA experience (still ongoing), 8 months of experience as a peer mentor for at risk youth position at a school, and i volunteer in the mental health department at a hospital.

i’m super nervous about getting into any of the grad schools I applied for (OISE/UofT, York, Ryerson, & Western) because I already received a rejection email from Ryerson.?

Hey don't be discouraged! If you aren't quite competitive this year there's always next year. Based on what Ryerson said in the letter it seems that the lack of thesis may have been problematic since it was based on basic requirements... do you have an independent study that you could claim as equivalent to a thesis? If not, I would see if you could get involved in one. Since you graduated, could you possibly do one via open studies at your school? I think doing a full research project is going to be most important to help you in the future if things don't work out this year, since you seem pretty good to go otherwise.

[psych51038]

19 minutes ago, tiredoftheseapplications said:

Hey everyone,

So I’m just posting on here because all my applications have already been submitted but I’m seeing everyone’s experience/grades/scores and feeling really discouraged.? 

I just graduated from my undergrad in October and didn’t write a thesis, I also didn’t write the GRE? (but I figured that since it was waived this year, it wouldn’t matter too much), i have an A- gpa in my final year with only 1 B+ and 1 B, the other 4 courses were A’s. I was going through stuff in my third year so I have three courses that really brought down my GPA. I have 1 year of RA experience (still ongoing), 8 months of experience as a peer mentor for at risk youth position at a school, and i volunteer in the mental health department at a hospital.

i’m super nervous about getting into any of the grad schools I applied for (OISE/UofT, York, Ryerson, & Western) because I already received a rejection email from Ryerson.?

Sorry to hear you're so worried! By the sounds of it, maybe your rejection from Ryerson was due to not having had an undergraduate thesis (assuming this is an admission requirement)? I'm not applying to all of these schools so I'm not exactly sure what each specific requirement is, but it does sounds like your A- average meets the cutoff for grades (unless these schools look at all years; is your cGPA an A- as well?) and not taking the GRE could not be held against you this year. 

I'm definitely not saying this will for sure happen to you, but I just want to remind you that it is completely normal in this field not get accepted on your first try. So many people on this forum are on their 2nd, 3rd, or 4th attempt and I expect to be one of these people too. It may be a bit more challenging to get in without a thesis since I know this is a requirement at many schools, but you could certainly work towards getting some sort of equivalent independent research experience over the next year if you are willing to take some time off. Your clinical experience also sounds amazing though so I'm sure this will help your application a lot, especially in showing your passion for the field. Have you also considered some backup programs? McMaster offers an MSc in psychotherapy that really values clinical experience like yours so if you want to really ensure that you get in somewhere this year (just for peace of mind) you could try out that option! Applications don't close for another few months so you'd have plenty of time to apply. 

Keep your chin up; sounds like you have excellent experience and passion for the field and I know that you will get into your ideal program eventually. Try not to let the Ryerson rejection hurt too much - you sound extremely qualified and really, I'm sure with such a huge applicant pool they're searching for any requirement that can be used to eliminate people - definitely nothing personal. 

I'm in the same boat worrying about not getting in anywhere so feel free to dm if you're stressed and want to talk!

[higaisha]

12 hours ago, carlrogersfan98 said:

I believe it, they're clearly processing applications right now because they emailed me the other day to inform me one of my documents was missing (my SOI form... I guess I forgot to upload it when I hit submit even though I swear I uploaded everything). I'm worried that's going to set me back since it was more than a week late.

Edit: in re-reading the rejection letter it sounds like they're going through the first screen to filter out the basic requirements. 

Yeah the email seems to be the graduate school checking minimum requirements before passing it to the psych department. @tiredoftheseapplicationsi'm sorry you got this news so early--don't be discouraged!

[psych51038]

15 hours ago, psych51038 said:

Sorry to hear you're so worried! By the sounds of it, maybe your rejection from Ryerson was due to not having had an undergraduate thesis (assuming this is an admission requirement)? I'm not applying to all of these schools so I'm not exactly sure what each specific requirement is, but it does sounds like your A- average meets the cutoff for grades (unless these schools look at all years; is your cGPA an A- as well?) and not taking the GRE could not be held against you this year. 

I'm definitely not saying this will for sure happen to you, but I just want to remind you that it is completely normal in this field not get accepted on your first try. So many people on this forum are on their 2nd, 3rd, or 4th attempt and I expect to be one of these people too. It may be a bit more challenging to get in without a thesis since I know this is a requirement at many schools, but you could certainly work towards getting some sort of equivalent independent research experience over the next year if you are willing to take some time off. Your clinical experience also sounds amazing though so I'm sure this will help your application a lot, especially in showing your passion for the field. Have you also considered some backup programs? McMaster offers an MSc in psychotherapy that really values clinical experience like yours so if you want to really ensure that you get in somewhere this year (just for peace of mind) you could try out that option! Applications don't close for another few months so you'd have plenty of time to apply. 

Keep your chin up; sounds like you have excellent experience and passion for the field and I know that you will get into your ideal program eventually. Try not to let the Ryerson rejection hurt too much - you sound extremely qualified and really, I'm sure with such a huge applicant pool they're searching for any requirement that can be used to eliminate people - definitely nothing personal. 

I'm in the same boat worrying about not getting in anywhere so feel free to dm if you're stressed and want to talk!

Just a correction - I just checked and although I could have sworn the psychotherapy MSc deadline at McMaster was in early 2021, it looks like it now is December 14th (tomorrow); not sure if this changed or if I'm just remembering another program?  I also do know  that McMaster usually accepts reference letters after the deadline though so if anyone was going to apply later on and is worried about the deadline being tomorrow you probably still have time to get your letters in! 

[+ve regard]

2 hours ago, psych51038 said:

Just a correction - I just checked and although I could have sworn the psychotherapy MSc deadline at McMaster was in early 2021, it looks like it now is December 14th (tomorrow); not sure if this changed or if I'm just remembering another program?  I also do know  that McMaster usually accepts reference letters after the deadline though so if anyone was going to apply later on and is worried about the deadline being tomorrow you probably still have time to get your letters in! 

A quick consideration about course-based Master's programs...they are ideal if you are looking for a terminal program to work as a psychotherapist, CCC etc. I actually know nothing about the Mac MSc, so they may well have a thesis component. 

If you are keen to continue on to a PhD, I am 99% sure you will need to do a thesis or thesis-equivalent project to be admitted (or possibly have some kind of wowza research publications, where you are first or second author). Again, PsyD or EdD might be different. 

It's something to think about, otherwise you may have to do an entire Master's thesis or re-do a year of Master's work if you want to join a PhD cohort. I have friends who did terminal degrees in counselling, psychotherapy, clinical psych (MSc, MEd and even non-thesis MAs) who had to re-do a full year and sometimes the full MA degree of the MA/PhD joint Clinical Psych programs. They/I wish someone had said this might happen!

[coffeeinmyveins]

School: University of Toronto (Scarborough)

Type: Clinical (MA/PhD)

Date of invite: December 13th

Type of invite: Email from POI (appears to be preliminary)

Interview date(s): December 16th

DM for POI: Yes

Posted on the Fall 2021 invites but may be more relevant in the Canada thread 

Edited December 13, 2020 by coffeeinmyveins

[cpsych2021]

33 minutes ago, coffeeinmyveins said:

School: University of Toronto (Scarborough)

Type: Clinical (MA/PhD)

Date of invite: December 13th

Type of invite: Email from POI (appears to be preliminary)

Interview date(s): December 16th

DM for POI: Yes

Posted on the Fall 2021 invites but may be more relevant in the Canada thread 

Oh my gosh, this is so early! I'm totally depending on the winter holidays to prepare for interviews. I can't imagine having an invitation for an interview with just three days to prepare in the middle of my exam period!

[coffeeinmyveins]

3 minutes ago, Emilyxxxx said:

Oh my gosh, this is so early! I'm totally depending on the winter holidays to prepare for interviews. I can't imagine having an invitation for an interview with just three days to prepare in the middle of my exam period!

Thankfully I graduated in the Spring so I don't have courses now. But I will be spending the next few days preparing. 

[cpsych2021]

1 minute ago, coffeeinmyveins said:

Thankfully I graduated in the Spring so I don't have courses now. But I will be spending the next few days preparing. 

Best of luck

[xtrahotlatte]

1 hour ago, coffeeinmyveins said:

School: University of Toronto (Scarborough)

Type: Clinical (MA/PhD)

Date of invite: December 13th

Type of invite: Email from POI (appears to be preliminary)

Interview date(s): December 16th

DM for POI: Yes

Posted on the Fall 2021 invites but may be more relevant in the Canada thread 

congrats! I sent you a PM

[psych51038]

Does anyone have any thoughts on expressing two different research interests (e.g. two unrelated disorders, different POI for each) in a personal statement? I submitted my apps a while back and did this because I genuinely am just interested in two areas and would be happy working in either one but now I'm really worried it'll make me look uncertain and be another reason not to interview me. Do you think this is a KoD or will just make POIs uninterested in my application? Getting really worried I ruined my shot with both POIs so let me know if you have any suggestions. 

[prospectivegradstudent21]

oh man reading everybodys credentials really makes me nervous. i feel like w so many amazing applicants and a higher influx of applicants its gonna be a tough year, wishing u all the best! idk about u guys but i was constantly checking every portal for all the schools i applied to and then my brain kind of just shut that off. feel like im not that strong of an applicant compared to a lot of u! my gpa is 3.78/4 but i have no thesis, no pubs or presentations  so i feel very nervous. also havent gotten any updates about any of my apps and none of the POI's have reached out to me so im just chilling in the middle of nothingness  id love to hear about everybodys credentials and if u have heard back from anybody, it could start a convo!

[Regina77]

2 minutes ago, prospectivegradstudent21 said:

oh man reading everybodys credentials really makes me nervous. i feel like w so many amazing applicants and a higher influx of applicants its gonna be a tough year, wishing u all the best! idk about u guys but i was constantly checking every portal for all the schools i applied to and then my brain kind of just shut that off. feel like im not that strong of an applicant compared to a lot of u! my gpa is 3.78/4 but i have no thesis, no pubs or presentations  so i feel very nervous. also havent gotten any updates about any of my apps and none of the POI's have reached out to me so im just chilling in the middle of nothingness  id love to hear about everybodys credentials and if u have heard back from anybody, it could start a convo!

You are not alone!!!! I keep wishing I could try to go a day without checking lol! I think its just a few schools that have started contacting people. Some programs the deadline to submit has not even passed Dec 14/15 for some... Hang in there...you are still the same strong applicant when you submitted