Expanding your interest

[TheDude]

I was wondering when looking at programs how you expanded your interests while holding onto the credibility of what you had studied in the past...if that makes sense.

I want to apply to some programs that move slightly away from the niche research I have been doing. The broad theoretical constructs in the fields are the same. Should I worry about that? I know people always say "fit" myself included, but my exact fit with what I have been doing isn't something I want to do for 20 years or even 5. Would I still "fit" if the theoretical background was the same?

[cogneuroforfun]

It is much more important that you find programs doing what you want to be doing, not what you have done in the past. Fit has to do with your interests, not necessarily your experiences. Ideally, some of the skills and knowledge from your past work will carry over, but that may not always be the case. It is important when you're applying that you sell it as a natural progression in your interests, that you tie together what you did before and what you want to do now in a logical, positive manner (usually). You don't want to say "all my undergrad research is in X, which is boring, so I want to do Y."

[tauren]

It is much more important that you find programs doing what you want to be doing, not what you have done in the past. Fit has to do with your interests, not necessarily your experiences. Ideally, some of the skills and knowledge from your past work will carry over, but that may not always be the case. It is important when you're applying that you sell it as a natural progression in your interests, that you tie together what you did before and what you want to do now in a logical, positive manner (usually). You don't want to say "all my undergrad research is in X, which is boring, so I want to do Y."

My undergraduate research wasn't even in the same area in psychology that I wanted to go into. I explained that while I had been doing research in area A, I found that I am particularly more interested in area B. I wasn't questioned about it. Professors understand that you can't always find research experiences exactly matching the area you want to go into. The important thing is that you have good research experience under your belt.