how do adcoms assess "fit?"

[ʕ •ᴥ•ʔ]

So: I chose my POIs and programs based on what I was genuinely interested in (as one would hope.) However, those programs aren't in my undergraduate major (which is, at least, another social science.) I took very few courses in the relevant discipline, and none of my research experience is related (although the skills are transferable.) My SOP emphasized that I've done a lot of independent reading in the subject matter and hopefully conveyed my passion for it, although I'm afraid I didn't sufficiently state what research projects I'd like to undertake, or provide outside evidence of my fit (not that I have it). None of my LORs are from professors in the discipline, although two taught classes related to the subject matter and (I hope) can attest to my passion and independent reading in it. Most of the POIs subscribe to a research program that explicitly disdains disciplinary boundaries, though beyond one case I don't know how many of them are on the adcoms or how much sway they have.

I don't want this to be another "will I get into grad school?" thread, which I guess it is, but mostly I'm unclear on how professors measure fit from their end - how they weigh paradigm, substantive interest, and research skill set. From my end I just applied to those who research got me excited, but perhaps I didn't put enough thought into how I'd look from the other side.

[gradgirlwannabe]

Bump.... I'm curious about this too.

[LJK]

I will give this a whirl

From talking to my professors, there seems to be two main models of assessing potential psych grad students to join their labs. (1) Does this person have direct experience and/or a skill that is useful to the professor's research plan? It is easier to get into a lab dealing with a special population if you already have training with that population. Or if you have a skill that a soon to be graduating student has that needs replacement in the lab. (2) The other method seems to be one of assessing potential via good grades, a good SOP, an impression that this student is curious and driven. This is where you would probably fit in unless your skills from your other major are unique to some extent and are needed by one/some of your POIs.

One prof I talked to is choosing not to take a student this year because there are no applicants that fit the first type. She is new and doesn't want to be working on setting up her lab and training a student from scratch on her special population at the same time. A different prof is very excited about a student who fits the first type, bringing a skill and some experience directly related to a project she is about to get a grant for. But should that student decide to go elsewhere, this prof has a person of the second type that she is less excited about but would probably accept if she can't get the first choice.

My undergrad is in a related social science to my chosen field also. When a POI called to invite me for an interview, he conducted a short phone interview as well. One of his questions was about how I found the transition from the one social science to the other. He could see it being an advantage to have a wider perspective of academia and the literatures than someone who had only studied Psychology. But he wanted to make sure it sounded like I knew what I was talking about as far as Psychology goes. So even having the experience of a different field can be seen as a useful skill! My situation is a bit different because I am getting a masters in Psychology now prior to applying to PhD programs.

This is from the prospective of a department that has individual labs to which students are assigned as they are accepted. The schools I am applying to are this way as well. The admissions formula of the school of the POI mentioned explicitly puts admissions in the hands of the PI with no adcomm in between. I think the power of the prof vs the power of the adcomm is a department by department thing. There are also considerations such as which professors deserve/need new grad students this year, and who has funding available beyond the department TA lines. Some professors may have a lot of sway regardless of whether they are on the adcomm and other may have almost no say.

As people have been pointing out all over the board this whole process is a crap shoot!

Edited February 12, 2011 by LJK