Figuring out where to apply/what my odds are

[Scalia]

Hello all,

I'm applying to Quantitative Psychology PhD programs for the fall of 2012. As I've been figuring out where I'm going to apply, I've had a hard time figuring out what my odds of admission are because unlike areas like Clinical, there is no data for admitted students for school's quantitative areas. This has been problematic because I know what I would like to study, but I have no idea what schools I should target or use as backups. In addition, completing a solid application is time consuming and expensive so I can't manage applying to too many programs.

If anybody knows where to find data or can indicate how difficult it is to be admitted in quantitative programs (I can PM my info) or has any guidance in seeking admission to this small subfield of psychology, please let me know.

[neuropsych76]

Hello all,

I'm applying to Quantitative Psychology PhD programs for the fall of 2012. As I've been figuring out where I'm going to apply, I've had a hard time figuring out what my odds of admission are because unlike areas like Clinical, there is no data for admitted students for school's quantitative areas. This has been problematic because I know what I would like to study, but I have no idea what schools I should target or use as backups. In addition, completing a solid application is time consuming and expensive so I can't manage applying to too many programs.

If anybody knows where to find data or can indicate how difficult it is to be admitted in quantitative programs (I can PM my info) or has any guidance in seeking admission to this small subfield of psychology, please let me know.

You would need a book like this: http://www.amazon.com/Graduate-Psychology-American-Psychological-Association/dp/1433805359

It will have some of the quantitative programs listed and number of applicants/ avg GRE scores ect. You still need pretty high overall stats despite it being a small field. I would compare it to experimental psych PhD programs.

[Scalia]

I have pretty good stats and some research experience, but obviously, it wasn't quantitative related research experience. I can't imagine having completed quantitative research experience as an undergrad. but since there is so little information on these programs, I really have no idea.

[neuropsych76]

I have pretty good stats and some research experience, but obviously, it wasn't quantitative related research experience. I can't imagine having completed quantitative research experience as an undergrad. but since there is so little information on these programs, I really have no idea.

If you haven't done any quantitative research before how do you know you'll want a phd in quantitative psychology?

[Scalia]

I've been asked that many times. I'm interested in stats/math/research methods and in particular several different methods in quantitative psychology. Just because I haven't contributed original research in the field of hierarchical linear models doesn't mean that I don't know that I want to study quantitative psychology in graduate school. I think that the skills necessary to do research in quantitative psychology is a barrier for most if not all undergraduate students.

[neuropsych76]

I've been asked that many times. I'm interested in stats/math/research methods and in particular several different methods in quantitative psychology. Just because I haven't contributed original research in the field of hierarchical linear models doesn't mean that I don't know that I want to study quantitative psychology in graduate school. I think that the skills necessary to do research in quantitative psychology is a barrier for most if not all undergraduate students.

Fair enough you can know you are interested in something without physically doing it.

Though I would disagree obtaining the skills necessary to do research in quant psych is a barrier for undergrads. A close friend of mine was a math/psych major and worked in a quant psych lab for a summer internship before heading off to a quant psych phd program.

[Scalia]

Fair enough you can know you are interested in something without physically doing it.

Though I would disagree obtaining the skills necessary to do research in quant psych is a barrier for undergrads. A close friend of mine was a math/psych major and worked in a quant psych lab for a summer internship before heading off to a quant psych phd program.

Unfortunately for me, I'm not a math major and my undergraduate school has neither a grad program or any quantitative faculty. Hope I'm not at too much of a disadvantage. If you or your close friend is willing to give out any tips for a prospective quant. psych. student then please PM me. As you can tell through this post and others, I'm going through this process in the dark.

[Behavioral]

What's your quant background? I was able to get a job as an entry-level statistician after graduating with a double in psych and joint math/econ. The entire job was just using recursive regressions and SEMs to predict various epidemiological phenomenon. If your understanding of hierarchical statistical modeling is alright, look for a job in stats.

And I don't think being an undergrad is a barrier. I took the doctoral microecon sequence as an undergrad and worked with two econ professors doing game theory and bayesian analysis of choice modeling. I was the only undergrad there at the time, but the professors said there have been plenty other undergrads who took the initiative to develop their quant training early on.

[Scalia]

What's your quant background? I was able to get a job as an entry-level statistician after graduating with a double in psych and joint math/econ. The entire job was just using recursive regressions and SEMs to predict various epidemiological phenomenon. If your understanding of hierarchical statistical modeling is alright, look for a job in stats.

And I don't think being an undergrad is a barrier. I took the doctoral microecon sequence as an undergrad and worked with two econ professors doing game theory and bayesian analysis of choice modeling. I was the only undergrad there at the time, but the professors said there have been plenty other undergrads who took the initiative to develop their quant training early on.

My quant background is just okay. I've taken a semester of calc. and going to be finishing the sequence this fall, I've take all the stats classes (3) offered at my undergrad (SPSS,SAS, Minitab), taken some grad level analysis/design of applied research, a course on regression for social sciences. I've also done things like tutored for stats classes. So although I'm not a math major, I think my quantitative background and lack of research specifically within quantitative psychology will be my biggest obstacles for admission. I do have other research that involved some more advanced stats.

I'm really hoping that I can get into one of the eight or so programs that I've identified as good fits. I'll also apply to masters programs but I would really prefer to enter a PhD. program right out of undergrad.

[Behavioral]

Understandable.

Continue taking courses and see if you can sit in on some doctoral economics courses. Many of the quant programs are now starting to incorporate JDM/Game Theory into the coursework rather than dealing with primarily psychometrics (practical value of studying an applied science seems to be changing the paradigm in quantitative psychology research).

Also, why not talk to your professors whom you've done research with to recommend some programs and POIs given your background? If you're asking them to be your referees, they should already have a copy of your current CV and know you well enough to start mentioning some possible fits. As odd as it may be, they may know your fit better than you do since you can only extract so much information from reading webpages and CVs (whereas professors may know other faculty personally and can judge how your personality and theirs' will mesh).

If you're considering a Masters, I'd highly suggest going into a Stats or Econ program since the quantitative training provided by either will nullify any doubts doctoral adcomms may have about your math background. I know that many programs do accept people without hard math under their belt, but between myself and other friends who applied to some quant-oriented psychology programs, having more math is definitely never a bad thing, especially among some of the top schools (WashU, Ohio State, Columbia, etc.). A good amount of the admits I know or have met doubled in math or econ and were comfortable in empirical and analytical modeling research.