2021 Clinical Psychology Applicants CANADA

[aaapal]

Just now, Sundaythecat said:

 Keep in mind that more applicants doesn’t necessarily mean more competitive applications! I’ve heard from profs that often times nearly half of applicants don’t meet minimum criteria. I know the large number of applications is concerning, but don’t forget that it doesn’t take away from your level of competitiveness, or all the hard work that you have put in!  
 

 

University of Ottawa doesn’t require the GRE! 

That's true! I need to keep reminding myself of that haha. thanks for the positivity!!  

[VanessaB]

1 hour ago, psych51038 said:

This is a really good point! Do you know of any schools that never did require the GRE though? I can't think of any. 

The U of T/OISE School & Clinical Child Psych program and the U of A School and Clinical Child Psych program both don’t require it. As well, I don’t think Concordia requires it.

Edited December 18, 2020 by VanessaB

[CheesecakeFactory04]

Hi, I just want to ask if anybody has received formal interview invitation without having done the informal interview? Thank you!

[your.local.et.al]

30 minutes ago, CheesecakeFactory04 said:

Hi, I just want to ask if anybody has received formal interview invitation without having done the informal interview? Thank you!

I received multiple interviews last year to places where I didn't have any "pre-interview". People talk about these as though they're the end all be all, but I've heard that most profs actually avoid them in the effort of being fair to all applicants. That, or they offer the pre-application interview to everyone.

[Mickey26]

12 hours ago, psych51038 said:

This is a really good point! Do you know of any schools that never did require the GRE though? I can't think of any. 

UOttawa. And all the Quebec schools. They believe taking the GRE, which is in English, would disadvantage French-speaking applicants. 

[Mickey26]

11 hours ago, CheesecakeFactory04 said:

Hi, I just want to ask if anybody has received formal interview invitation without having done the informal interview? Thank you!

Yup. I never did an informal interview at any of the 5 schools I applied to. I still formally interviewed at 3 and then was lucky enough to choose which school I wanted to attend.

Most applicants I personally know of never do an informal interview. All the faculty I personally know also don't do informal interviews b/c its a lot of time/energy, etc.

Edited December 18, 2020 by Mickey26
:)

[carlrogersfan98]

59 minutes ago, Mickey26 said:

UOttawa. And all the Quebec schools. They believe taking the GRE, which is in English, would disadvantage French-speaking applicants. 

Not all - McGill required it before waiving it this year!

[carlrogersfan98]

So McGill Counselling's website says that "interviews are not required" this year or something along those lines. This tells me that they won't actually interview applicants formally, and whether or not the professors will interview their applicants is up to them. Not sure how I feel about this, because I would like to at least get acquainted with the person I applied to work with, especially if I do end up informally interviewing with other professors (this is all one big "if"). Although I've been in touch with each professor over email, I am very much looking forward to interviews to also get a sense of what the professor I applied to work with is like - would it be reasonable to ask if my POI at McGill will choose to do informal interviews, and if not, request an informal meeting? Or is that too extra? Hahaha

Edited December 18, 2020 by carlrogersfan98

[Mickey26]

8 minutes ago, carlrogersfan98 said:

Not all - McGill required it before waiving it this year!

Thank you!

[xtrahotlatte]

I’m thinking this is probably dependent on the prof, but I’m a little worried about a prof I applied to work with who has an Honours Thesis student in their lab. Their bio on the lab website says they will be applying to clinical psychology programs this year- do you think it’s a given this prof will accept this student as opposed to other applicants? I’m feeling like I don’t have a fair shot. 

Edited December 18, 2020 by xtrahotlatte

[carlrogersfan98]

52 minutes ago, xtrahotlatte said:

I’m thinking this is probably dependent on the prof, but I’m a little worried about a prof I applied to work with who has an Honours Thesis student in their lab. Their bio on the lab website says they will be applying to clinical psychology programs this year- do you think it’s a given this prof will accept this student as opposed to other applicants? I’m feeling like I don’t have a fair shot. 

You don't know that this student is applying to work with that prof! Maybe they want to join a new lab for their graduate studies  try not to lose yourself in the "what ifs" (although I'm certainly a one to talk for that hahahaha)

[aaapal]

1 hour ago, xtrahotlatte said:

I’m thinking this is probably dependent on the prof, but I’m a little worried about a prof I applied to work with who has an Honours Thesis student in their lab. Their bio on the lab website says they will be applying to clinical psychology programs this year- do you think it’s a given this prof will accept this student as opposed to other applicants? I’m feeling like I don’t have a fair shot. 

I mean, the prof MA have a student in mind but they are required to review the applications. It has happened multiple times that a prof took a student who wasn't the "student they had in mind" because the other person was a stronger applicant! Those things can always change so I wouldn't be tooo worried about it! And yeah, like someone else said, that student may be applying to someone else because if they are working in a lab with a specific professor, that same professor can't write them a reference letter for their own lab (if that makes sense). 

[Mickey26]

2 hours ago, xtrahotlatte said:

I’m thinking this is probably dependent on the prof, but I’m a little worried about a prof I applied to work with who has an Honours Thesis student in their lab. Their bio on the lab website says they will be applying to clinical psychology programs this year- do you think it’s a given this prof will accept this student as opposed to other applicants? I’m feeling like I don’t have a fair shot. 

100% dependent on the situation. I was encouraged by my Honour's supervisor to go to go to a different school for grad school. My goal is to work in academia so apparently its frowned upon to get all your degrees in the same place? I'm not sure if this same sentiment is shared for those who want to be clinicians only. Or perhaps the person did an Honours thesis in one research area but wants to switch to a different area for grad school. These are all possible scenarios   

[UroboroS]

58 minutes ago, aaapal said:

I mean, the prof MA have a student in mind but they are required to review the applications. It has happened multiple times that a prof took a student who wasn't the "student they had in mind" because the other person was a stronger applicant! Those things can always change so I wouldn't be tooo worried about it! And yeah, like someone else said, that student may be applying to someone else because if they are working in a lab with a specific professor, that same professor can't write them a reference letter for their own lab (if that makes sense). 

FYI this is actually program dependent. I know people who have applied to a POI's lab who are also their reference. Some schools specifically say that they do not allow this, but not all!

[freudianslipintogradschool]

Just now, Psych1313 said:

FYI this is actually program dependent. I know people who have applied to a POI's lab who are also their reference. Some schools specifically say that they do not allow this, but not all!

I can attest to this. 2 POIs I applied to work with have also written my LORs. 

[aaapal]

1 hour ago, freudianslipintogradschool said:

I can attest to this. 2 POIs I applied to work with have also written my LORs. 

 

1 hour ago, Psych1313 said:

FYI this is actually program dependent. I know people who have applied to a POI's lab who are also their reference. Some schools specifically say that they do not allow this, but not all!

OH! Interesting! Sorry, that's just what I was always told! Didn't realize other programs were set up differently  Thanks for letting me know

[VanessaB]

5 hours ago, xtrahotlatte said:

I’m thinking this is probably dependent on the prof, but I’m a little worried about a prof I applied to work with who has an Honours Thesis student in their lab. Their bio on the lab website says they will be applying to clinical psychology programs this year- do you think it’s a given this prof will accept this student as opposed to other applicants? I’m feeling like I don’t have a fair shot. 

It probably does depend on professor and program. A girl in my grad program did her undergrad thesis with the supervisor she is working with for her master's degree, so it's definitely possible a supervisor could take a student they've previously worked with, but it's also also not a guarantee that'll happen.

[VanessaB]

3 hours ago, Mickey26 said:

100% dependent on the situation. I was encouraged by my Honour's supervisor to go to go to a different school for grad school. My goal is to work in academia so apparently its frowned upon to get all your degrees in the same place? I'm not sure if this same sentiment is shared for those who want to be clinicians only. Or perhaps the person did an Honours thesis in one research area but wants to switch to a different area for grad school. These are all possible scenarios   

I'm not so sure the do-your-degree-in-one-place thing is all that bad. At my most recent undergrad institution, I recall seeing three degrees on a professor's wall that were all from the same university. That particular professor is full professor, has won numerous teaching awards, has been the chair of the psych dept many times over, and is one of the most prolific in terms of publications. That said, personally I think going to another institution can lead to personal and professional growth, but expanding one's horizons, as some would like to put it, is not a prerequisite for a successful career.

[psych51038]

On 12/17/2020 at 6:05 PM, coffeeinmyveins said:

I’ve talked to individuals at UVic who have they received roughly 300 applications. Same thing for UTSC. U of C had about 250. 

Anyone know the numbers for any other Ontario schools?

[freudianslipintogradschool]

1 hour ago, VanessaB said:

I'm not so sure the do-your-degree-in-one-place thing is all that bad. At my most recent undergrad institution, I recall seeing three degrees on a professor's wall that were all from the same university. That particular professor is full professor, has won numerous teaching awards, has been the chair of the psych dept many times over, and is one of the most prolific in terms of publications. That said, personally I think going to another institution can lead to personal and professional growth, but expanding one's horizons, as some would like to put it, is not a prerequisite for a successful career.

I’ve heard the same! I’ve also heard what really matters is doing your phd and post doc at different institutions. They don’t really care about where you did your undergrad from what I’ve heard from POIs

[clinical_psyc_hopeful]

Does anyone have any insight if we will find out about interviews later or earlier this year? It seems the most people heard back last year around Jan 8/9th.

Edited December 19, 2020 by clinical_psyc_hopeful

[Jpsych_]

Hey everyone, for the Windsor university OGS application. Do we need to send official transcripts directly to the school of a PDF of transcripts? Thank you. 

[Kresen]

Can someone help me with determining my eligibility for OGS? I  still haven't received an answer from any of the programs I reached out to and am wondering if I can apply..

• To be considered for an OGS/QEII-GSST, an applicant must be a Canadian citizen, a Permanent Resident, or a Protected Person [under subsection 95 (2) of the Immigration and Refugee Protections Act (Canada)] as of the OGS/QEII application deadline.
• If an OGS/QEII-GSST applicant is international student holding a valid Study Permit  as of the OGS/QEII-GSST application deadline, they may be considered for one of eight (8) OGS awards that the MTCU has allowed Western to provide to International Students.

I am an international student without a study permit -- I reside in a different country, and I will not have a permit by January/February.. so just to confirm, does this mean I cannot apply for any OGS at any program?  

[Chebben]

On 12/18/2020 at 9:41 PM, psych51038 said:

Anyone know the numbers for any other Ontario schools?

UTSC has received over 400 applications this year. Over twice their usual amount, unfortunately. I imagine its similar for a lot of the Toronto area schools/more popular clinical psych programs. 

[UroboroS]

9 hours ago, Kresen said:

Can someone help me with determining my eligibility for OGS? I  still haven't received an answer from any of the programs I reached out to and am wondering if I can apply..

• To be considered for an OGS/QEII-GSST, an applicant must be a Canadian citizen, a Permanent Resident, or a Protected Person [under subsection 95 (2) of the Immigration and Refugee Protections Act (Canada)] as of the OGS/QEII application deadline.
• If an OGS/QEII-GSST applicant is international student holding a valid Study Permit  as of the OGS/QEII-GSST application deadline, they may be considered for one of eight (8) OGS awards that the MTCU has allowed Western to provide to International Students.

I am an international student without a study permit -- I reside in a different country, and I will not have a permit by January/February.. so just to confirm, does this mean I cannot apply for any OGS at any program?  

Unfortunately, I don't think you are eligible. This is one of the reasons why programs take a limited number of (or explicitly state they cannot take any) international students. Most external government based funding for MA/PhD programs is only available to Canadian citizens or permanent residents.

Wish you the best of luck with your applications! Funding isn't everything and if you applied to programs that are accepting international students then I am sure they will be aware that you cannot apply for external funding. Hope that helps!

Edited December 21, 2020 by Psych1313