Any advice on psychology PhD applications?

[Ran_Chen]

Hey guys, I'm a first-year master student. Currently planning to apply for PhD in 2022Fall but also considering to do it this year (I know it's late!). I would like to hear your suggestions about anything that need to know before I apply for any program.

Below is a brief description about myself:

First-year master student at Penn,interested in trauma and cross-cultural. I did poor in my GRE and exam is just not the right thing for me haha. I have done a few researches but did not publish anything. Currently doing a field research. I would like to apply for counseling, social psychology, education psychology, or development psychology.

 I'm an international student, and policies related to international students made me feel a little bit concern. The covid-19 also brings up lots of unsure things, and I know some universities have budget problems. And then...I really want to enter into a top program, but don't know how to get started.

[Rerun]

Hey, if you want to give a try and apply to 1-2 schools (if you have the money and time), just try out. You are in a good school and have research experience. You can choose schools that waive GRE if you think it would be a problem (I am a bad test taker so I know what you mean). Trauma and cross cultural, what are the literature that you read? Look up at the authors name, and find the idea of what school do they teach. Counseling is commonly a practitioner-science based, social and development are both science, and educational-depends on the university. Are you looking to study refugee and immigrants? 

Yeah I am international too. the situation and upcoming election is concerning. But if you really want to try, you can and have time for at least 1 application or 2. Good luck.

[PokePsych]

The GRE is waived for a lot or programs this year.

I don't think it is necessarily to have published before applying. However, the quality of your research experience matters as well as how you can talk about it. Independent research experience would be helpful. You may also want to look into poster presentations on your work. 

The other important thing is fit to your advisor - so you'd have to find someone who is interested in the same topics as you.

[Ran_Chen]

On 10/12/2020 at 2:29 PM, Rerun said:

Hey, if you want to give a try and apply to 1-2 schools (if you have the money and time), just try out. You are in a good school and have research experience. You can choose schools that waive GRE if you think it would be a problem (I am a bad test taker so I know what you mean). Trauma and cross cultural, what are the literature that you read? Look up at the authors name, and find the idea of what school do they teach. Counseling is commonly a practitioner-science based, social and development are both science, and educational-depends on the university. Are you looking to study refugee and immigrants? 

Yeah I am international too. the situation and upcoming election is concerning. But if you really want to try, you can and have time for at least 1 application or 2. Good luck.

Thank you reply!

I don't have much time, but I do want to give it a try. I'm planning to talk to my current advisor and see how she feels about it.

[Ran_Chen]

On 10/12/2020 at 2:58 PM, PokePsych said:

The GRE is waived for a lot or programs this year.

I don't think it is necessarily to have published before applying. However, the quality of your research experience matters as well as how you can talk about it. Independent research experience would be helpful. You may also want to look into poster presentations on your work. 

The other important thing is fit to your advisor - so you'd have to find someone who is interested in the same topics as you.

Oh thank you for reminder! I do have someone who I really want to work with, but I'm not sure if he is going admit new students this year. Maybe I should send an email and simply ask him?

[Rerun]

36 minutes ago, Ran_Chen said:

Oh thank you for reminder! I do have someone who I really want to work with, but I'm not sure if he is going admit new students this year. Maybe I should send an email and simply ask him?

Sure. That is definitely the reason to apply, knowing that someone might be interested to take you, or that you fit with the overall department research area. Speaking to your supervisor will certainly help

[PokePsych]

15 hours ago, Ran_Chen said:

Oh thank you for reminder! I do have someone who I really want to work with, but I'm not sure if he is going admit new students this year. Maybe I should send an email and simply ask him?

This is fairly common practice - to just send an email introducing yourself and asking whether this person is taking students. You may also want to inquire about what current research the lab is doing since the publication pipeline can take a while. There are numerous threads on this forum on how to write such an email