Fall 2012 Applicants

[gellert]

Maybe this is a little premature, but I think it's time we started a fall 2012 thread!

So, what's everyone planning on doing for their last summer before the app cycle begins?

[CogNeuroSci]

Continuing GRE prep which is in one month (joy), SOP oh and finishing my Masters thesis. The occasional 'celebration' is not to be excluded however.

[Carolyn_D]

Trying to figure out what in the world I want to do with my life! I'm having immense difficulty deciding whether to pursue a Masters, PhD, travel, or take a year or two to experience the job market and find/flourish my passions further. I'm so worried I'm going to jump into a graduate program and miss something I have yet to discover about where my interests lie. Or what if my real passion is something I only need a Master's for? I would hate to "waste" my entire 20's if it's completely unnecessary.

How did you guys make that decision? Do you have any advice? People keep telling me just to "follow my heart," however that's very hard to do when my heart has so many choices and has no idea where to go! Please help

[neuropsych76]

Trying to figure out what in the world I want to do with my life! I'm having immense difficulty deciding whether to pursue a Masters, PhD, travel, or take a year or two to experience the job market and find/flourish my passions further. I'm so worried I'm going to jump into a graduate program and miss something I have yet to discover about where my interests lie. Or what if my real passion is something I only need a Master's for? I would hate to "waste" my entire 20's if it's completely unnecessary.

How did you guys make that decision? Do you have any advice? People keep telling me just to "follow my heart," however that's very hard to do when my heart has so many choices and has no idea where to go! Please help

Honestly, I would take some time off to try to figure out what you want to do. Many professors I've talked to say that if you are not 100% determined and sure about grad school, it's best to take some time off first. The last thing you want to do is get stuck in a program you don't like and waste time/money. That said, you still have some time to figure out if you want to apply or not this application season.

Good luck!!

[Carolyn_D]

Thanks for the advice! I was actually seriously contemplating taking a year or so to decide what I wanted to do before applied I graduate school. The only issue is that I have no idea what I would want to do during that year or so. Many people have suggested working as a research assistant in a lab or something but i honestly don't want to spend more time than I have to in a lab and with research when that's what I would be doing for 6 or more years in a PhD program anyway; I feel as though it would be better to to just start research within a graduate program as opposed to wasting (at least that's how I see it as) a year or so. I don't want to "take a year off" and just be a bum living with my parents; I'd want to "take a year ON" but the problem, like I said earlier, is that I wouldn't know what to do. Any advice or ideas? Other than research oriented things?

[neuropsych76]

Thanks for the advice! I was actually seriously contemplating taking a year or so to decide what I wanted to do before applied I graduate school. The only issue is that I have no idea what I would want to do during that year or so. Many people have suggested working as a research assistant in a lab or something but i honestly don't want to spend more time than I have to in a lab and with research when that's what I would be doing for 6 or more years in a PhD program anyway; I feel as though it would be better to to just start research within a graduate program as opposed to wasting (at least that's how I see it as) a year or so. I don't want to "take a year off" and just be a bum living with my parents; I'd want to "take a year ON" but the problem, like I said earlier, is that I wouldn't know what to do. Any advice or ideas? Other than research oriented things?

Well, I think you have answered your own question on whether to apply to PhD programs If you don't absolutely love research (which you saying you don't want to work in a lab anymore than you have to suggests you do not) then a PhD program would not be something you would want to do.

What would you like to ultimately do for a career? That is what you need to decide first. Working in a lab is a good option for people who know they want to do psychology research, but perhaps do not have the credentials or refined area of research they are interested in.

I would try to do some soul searching your senior year and investigate possible career options (as well as talking with your professors). Hopefully you will find something that you are passionate about and can use your off time to pursue it. General things to do in an "off" but "on" year would be to volunteer, travel, teach for america, stuff like that. I don't have any personal experience in those kind of things but I hear they can be good for people in your situation.

Good luck!!

[gellert]

I second what neuropsych said. Getting a Ph.D. in psych means research. Research for 5-6 years, then research for the duration of your career (most likely). Who was it that said, "whatever you do when you're procrastinating, that should become your career?" Most people I know who are prepared to go into a Ph.D. program (meaning that they're applying straight out of undergrad, or have taken years off to do some more lab experience) couldn't imagine NOT researching, simply because it's something they are passionate about. They love research and want to make it their career, so there's rarely a sense of wanting to "take a break" from research before grad school.

This isn't to say a Ph.D. program isn't right for you at some point, but from what you've said, I'd guess it wouldn't be a great next step for you right now. In taking time off, I'd suggest doing whatever it is that you do when you procrastinate. Do you like to read a lot? Maybe try getting a job as a librarian, or an internship the publishing industry. Do you like to travel? Go do that! Do you like teaching? Teach for America is always looking for talented people. If a Ph.D. program is right for you, then no matter what it is you decide to do with your time off, you'll find yourself wishing you were back at a university doing research.

If that is indeed what happens, and you decide you DO "need" to do research, I'd still suggest getting a job as an RA somewhere for a year or two to make sure it's what you really want before investing money in a master's program or time and effort in a Ph.D. program.

If it's strictly clinical work you are wanting to do, I'd advise skipping the Ph.D. route since that's very research-oriented and looking into masters in clinical social work or a Psy.D, which tends to focus more on practice and counseling than on research.

Good luck!

Edited July 26, 2011 by gellert

[honkycat1]

Well, I think you have answered your own question on whether to apply to PhD programs If you don't absolutely love research (which you saying you don't want to work in a lab anymore than you have to suggests you do not) then a PhD program would not be something you would want to do.

What would you like to ultimately do for a career? That is what you need to decide first. Working in a lab is a good option for people who know they want to do psychology research, but perhaps do not have the credentials or refined area of research they are interested in.

I would try to do some soul searching your senior year and investigate possible career options (as well as talking with your professors). Hopefully you will find something that you are passionate about and can use your off time to pursue it. General things to do in an "off" but "on" year would be to volunteer, travel, teach for america, stuff like that. I don't have any personal experience in those kind of things but I hear they can be good for people in your situation.

Good luck!!

bingo, it really doesn't sound like you have a passion for research which you really need for psychology ph.d programs. so I would do what neuropsych said and try to figure out what you love to do. There are many options available such as a masters, where its less demanding, less competitive, and have a very good job prospect as well. PhD might be impressive, but its not a one-way ticket to riches... you really need passion and drive and willingness to do a lot for a scientific endeavor.

[grimmiae]

What to do in the summer? Haha my summer is non-existant. Working as an RA, and working at my other job as well. In the mean time studying for the GRE and reading articles on implicit measures of prejudice or stereotyping. But hopefully the study I write will turn out beautiful if all of this hard work pays off

[Behavioral]

My year off was spent just paying off undergrad loans. I worked as an evil branding consultant, but I'm pretty much debt-free!

I would suggest working in a lab if you can find a paid position, though, and you're headed towards a Ph.D. program.

[praxis88]

How did you guys make that decision? Do you have any advice? People keep telling me just to "follow my heart," however that's very hard to do when my heart has so many choices and has no idea where to go! Please help

I definitely relate to your frustration, especially when it feels like everyone else I know more or less has their plan figured out. At this point, I'm planning on applying for next fall, but I'm also trying to expose myself to as many different experiences as possible to help me make my decision (wish I had started that a lot sooner!). I'm working on two research teams over the summer and, since I'm planning on a PhD in clinical psych, trying to find work in a mental health clinic. But I'm really hoping to somehow fit in some kind of volunteer travel for at least a month. It seems to me that once you're in a PhD program, time is a precious commodity and you don't really have summers off, so I think taking advantage of this time to do some exploring is worth it--especially if you still feel a little ambivalent about your next step.