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Clinical and Counselling Psychology Canadian Masters Application Forum Fall 2024


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On 2/9/2024 at 7:56 PM, educationlover said:

Hello! For anyone who has attended interview days either this cycle or previously, are there any tips you could provide for doing well? I know there's a lot of information online, but if a professor for example has 4 kids in their roster and they can only recommend one for admission, how do you stand out not just to them but also to all the faculty present that day? Thanks in advance :) 

Hi! I've had a few interviews but I found that a lot of the advice on how to prepare online isn't really accurate. I definitely recommend reading up on the PI and their research, and having a good understanding of how your previous research relates to theirs or how it prepared you to contribute to their research. Generally speaking, I find that the structure of the interviews is as follows: 

1) Introductions: You'll likely be asked to briefly speak about yourself. I think this is a good opportunity to talk about your research interests but also a time to really show the interviewer your personality and who you are outside of academia. You could be a great fit on paper but you also want to show that you have great interpersonal skills and are an interesting person overall.

2) Specific questions: Personally I've never actually been asked how my research prepared me to work in X lab or how my research experience aligns with the PI. You'll definitely be asked about your career goals and why you chose the program and school. I've also always been asked about my stats experience. 

3) Info about the lab: This is the majority of the interview and it's usually just the PI talking about their research and current projects to see if you'd be interested and a good fit. 

In terms of tips and tricks, I'd honestly say that a lot of the professors won't ask the questions you're anticipating so it's really up to you to make space to speak about things that will make you stand out. For example, they won't ask why you think you're a good candidate directly so when they're speaking about their research you have to make an effort to jump in and explain how you could contribute. I also think it's always good to frame your 'weaknesses' as strengths. In my case, I've taken advanced stats courses but I've always been really awful at stats lol so when I'm asked about my stats experience I always say that it's something that I've struggled with in the past but I'm excited to be challenged during my MA. You want to show that you're not only ready to learn, but you're also prepared to face difficulties throughout your degree. Try to prepare a few questions as well. This doesn't necessarily have to be about their research (although this shows you've prepared and are interested). I think the mindset you should have going into your interview is that you're interviewing the PI as much as they're interviewing you. Sure they might think you'd be a good fit, but are they a good fit for you? Questions to consider: What is their supervision style? What's the lab culture like? What kind of resources and support do they offer their students? How do they help their students achieve their goals? Do their values align with yours?

Overall, I think going into it expecting a rather casual conversation rather than some kind of intense interview is the best way to go about it. I think PIs are usually really receptive to students that show genuine excitement about pursuing a graduate degree. After all, grad school is hard and they want students that are passionate about the work they'll be doing. 

At the end of your interview, I suggest asking the PI is they could share the contact info of some of their current and past students. Just like we have to submit letters of recommendation, we should be asking the same of them. They might seem like a great supervisor but you might speak to their students and get a completely different story. 

Sorry for the longwinded answer but I hope this was helpful! Best of luck on your interview(s). Be confident and you'll do great!

Edited by PsychQueen222
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6 hours ago, PsychQueen222 said:

Hi! I've had a few interviews but I found that a lot of the advice on how to prepare online isn't really accurate. I definitely recommend reading up on the PI and their research, and having a good understanding of how your previous research relates to theirs or how it prepared you to contribute to their research. Generally speaking, I find that the structure of the interviews is as follows: 

1) Introductions: You'll likely be asked to briefly speak about yourself. I think this is a good opportunity to talk about your research interests but also a time to really show the interviewer your personality and who you are outside of academia. You could be a great fit on paper but you also want to show that you have great interpersonal skills and are an interesting person overall.

2) Specific questions: Personally I've never actually been asked how my research prepared me to work in X lab or how my research experience aligns with the PI. You'll definitely be asked about your career goals and why you chose the program and school. I've also always been asked about my stats experience. 

3) Info about the lab: This is the majority of the interview and it's usually just the PI talking about their research and current projects to see if you'd be interested and a good fit. 

In terms of tips and tricks, I'd honestly say that a lot of the professors won't ask the questions you're anticipating so it's really up to you to make space to speak about things that will make you stand out. For example, they won't ask why you think you're a good candidate directly so when they're speaking about their research you have to make an effort to jump in and explain how you could contribute. I also think it's always good to frame your 'weaknesses' as strengths. In my case, I've taken advanced stats courses but I've always been really awful at stats lol so when I'm asked about my stats experience I always say that it's something that I've struggled with in the past but I'm excited to be challenged during my MA. You want to show that you're not only ready to learn, but you're also prepared to face difficulties throughout your degree. Try to prepare a few questions as well. This doesn't necessarily have to be about their research (although this shows you've prepared and are interested). I think the mindset you should have going into your interview is that you're interviewing the PI as much as they're interviewing you. Sure they might think you'd be a good fit, but are they a good fit for you? Questions to consider: What is their supervision style? What's the lab culture like? What kind of resources and support do they offer their students? How do they help their students achieve their goals? Do their values align with yours?

Overall, I think going into it expecting a rather casual conversation rather than some kind of intense interview is the best way to go about it. I think PIs are usually really receptive to students that show genuine excitement about pursuing a graduate degree. After all, grad school is hard and they want students that are passionate about the work they'll be doing. 

At the end of your interview, I suggest asking the PI is they could share the contact info of some of their current and past students. Just like we have to submit letters of recommendation, we should be asking the same of them. They might seem like a great supervisor but you might speak to their students and get a completely different story. 

Sorry for the longwinded answer but I hope this was helpful! Best of luck on your interview(s). Be confident and you'll do great!

Thank you this is extremely helpful, I appreciate your answer and kind words!!!! Slayy on :)

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20 minutes ago, pucinskipsych said:

Has anyone heard from UManitoba for clinical? My portal is still waiting for a decision! Also has anyone heard from URegina? 

I didn't apply to URegina personally, but my friend did and she had interviews late last week with two different profs from the program. Not sure of PI intitials, unfortunately!

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On 2/9/2024 at 6:19 PM, fingers_crossed22 said:

hey! also waitlisted, do you think everyone who had an interview and wasn't accepted was waitlisted? also, do we know how big the cohort is?

Not sure about the waitlist size but I believe the cohort is about 20 students. 

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11 hours ago, educationlover said:

Congrats!! Was this after an interview, and did they already have an open house? :) 

Thank you!! Yes - there were 2 interviews (one with PI and one with another faculty member) and the open house was on February 9th!

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3 hours ago, Curiousgeorgge said:

Yes heard back from Western (SACP) on Monday - interview next week!

Did you get an email or an update to your application? Was it to your personal email or uwo email? Good Luck!

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59 minutes ago, purpleduck55 said:

Did you get an email or an update to your application? Was it to your personal email or uwo email? Good Luck!

I received an email sent to my uwo email. Thank you!

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