I can't get any feedback and don't know what to do

[MClarke]

A few weeks ago, I was rejected from all the master programs I applied too, for the second year in a row. For some context, I graduated in August and have already applied in 2 application cycles for a masters in clinical psychology, and got rejected from all schools I applied too. I have a competitive GPA (3.5 and above), research experience in the field, volunteer experience, and in my opinion strong letters of recommendation. 

When I was rejected from my schools a year ago, I asked for feedback from the programs and all I got was a generic "we can only admit so many students per term and had to reject a X amount of highly qualified applicants". Even though I was heart broken, I still reapplied too many of the same schools and even some new ones, and was rejected from all of them again. Once again, I asked for feedback on how to make my application stronger from the programs and got the same answer. 

I really want to go to graduate school, but I feel like I'm going around in circles because I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I'm not getting anything specific when it comes to feedback so I don't know if I'm repeating past mistakes. As many applicants probably feel, I believe I am a strong candidate, but I am continually missing the mark.

How do you improve your application when you have no idea what you're doing wrong? 

Thanks in advanced to anyone who responds! :)

[serpentstone]

It's very possible that you're not doing anything *wrong* per se. But it's also possible that your competitors have taken significant time after undergrad to work on internships or jobs in the field in order to gain valuable experience. It's hard for me to comment on your specific program, but many programs are known for not taking applicants fresh from undergrad. Are you gauging your strength as a candidate against your fellow recent classmates, or against a wider net of overall applicants?

The best advice I would have is to check out the Psychology sub-forum and see if there is a "Cycle Conclusion/Lessons Learned" thread that I often see. Applicants will usually use that space to discuss their experience, GPA, SoP, and then where they were accepted to. This might be a great place to start in seeing where any differences may lie.

[PsyDuck90]

It's definitely a frustrating process. However, I noticed you said you were applying to masters in clinical psych programs. What are your ultimate goals and what do you hope to get from this masters degree? Additionally, what did you write about in your SOP? 

Your bio says you're located in the US. Aside from some states, a master's in clinical psychology is not a licensure degree and psychologists are typically doctoral level providers. Mental health counseling and social work masters are the typical paths to masters level licensure. I'm wondering if maybe the issue is that your stated goals in the SOP are a mis-match for the types of programs you're applying for.