Intro and preparing for next year

[osculations]

Hello everyone. I've been reading through this forum for a while and I've finally decided to speak.

I'm a college junior at an Ivy, 3.86 major GPA, 3.91 overall (including an Education minor), with 1 year's worth of part-time research experience in a social neuroscience lab and 1 term of field experience (working at an under-resourced high school). I will be continuing my work in the same lab next term, which will culminate into an honors thesis next year. For next summer, I'm applying to some REUs that will allow me to gain research experience in developmental science.

Since I have some coursework ahead of me, I cannot confidently list finalized research interests, but I am particularly interested in the interaction between social and cognitive development in both academic and non-academic settings (e.g., how do infants and children learn to think about other minds? how can teachers best motivate their students?). And of course, I'm also interested in a plethora of other topics-- empathy and psychopathy, dual processes in moral thinking, development of concept and conceptual frameworks-- but we'll see how things go for the rest of the year.

My goal is to apply to 10-15 PhD programs in developmental psychology for Fall 2014 admission.

Here are my questions:

---Just how important or informative is the GRE subject test? Most schools don't require them, and I feel that my time may be better spent elsewhere (on SOPs or the general exam, for example).

---Other than researching potential programs, contacting potential faculty mentors come spring/summer, and preparing for the GREs, what are some things I should do now to improve my chances / prepare myself? General and specific advice?

---Should I also look into some Human Development (e.g., Cornell and UChicago) and Education (e.g. Michigan's Joint Program in Ed and Psych, UW-M) programs? For those with similar research interests, have you considered or applied to these programs and what do you think?

---And a weird-ish appendage. My boyfriend, who attends another college, is planning to apply to Ph.D. programs in English. We'd like to use this opportunity to end the long-distance portion of our relationship. We're serious about our future together but we recognize that sacrifice may be necessary to make it work. Any thoughts?

[caitlinalobdell]

Hello everyone. I've been reading through this forum for a while and I've finally decided to speak.

I'm a college junior at an Ivy, 3.86 major GPA, 3.91 overall (including an Education minor), with 1 year's worth of part-time research experience in a social neuroscience lab and 1 term of field experience (working at an under-resourced high school). I will be continuing my work in the same lab next term, which will culminate into an honors thesis next year. For next summer, I'm applying to some REUs that will allow me to gain research experience in developmental science.

Since I have some coursework ahead of me, I cannot confidently list finalized research interests, but I am particularly interested in the interaction between social and cognitive development in both academic and non-academic settings (e.g., how do infants and children learn to think about other minds? how can teachers best motivate their students?). And of course, I'm also interested in a plethora of other topics-- empathy and psychopathy, dual processes in moral thinking, development of concept and conceptual frameworks-- but we'll see how things go for the rest of the year.

My goal is to apply to 10-15 PhD programs in developmental psychology for Fall 2014 admission.

Here are my questions:

---Just how important or informative is the GRE subject test? Most schools don't require them, and I feel that my time may be better spent elsewhere (on SOPs or the general exam, for example).

---Other than researching potential programs, contacting potential faculty mentors come spring/summer, and preparing for the GREs, what are some things I should do now to improve my chances / prepare myself? General and specific advice?

---Should I also look into some Human Development (e.g., Cornell and UChicago) and Education (e.g. Michigan's Joint Program in Ed and Psych, UW-M) programs? For those with similar research interests, have you considered or applied to these programs and what do you think?

---And a weird-ish appendage. My boyfriend, who attends another college, is planning to apply to Ph.D. programs in English. We'd like to use this opportunity to end the long-distance portion of our relationship. We're serious about our future together but we recognize that sacrifice may be necessary to make it work. Any thoughts?

You're application is looking really good to me, just speaking from what I've read on here and advice I've received! (I'm applying to clinical psych programs this season - waiting to hear back about interviews).

 

1. With regards to the GRE subject test, I cannot speak to that because I did not take it, but I've recently been wishing that I had taken it (waiting to hear back from admission committees, I've been wishing that I had done a lot of things I didn't do, ha). Most of the programs that I looked at said that that the subject test was not required, but they highly urge folks to take it. I think in general, do anything you can do to strengthen your application. I would focus heavily on studying the regular GRE as well and try to score around 320 to be competitive.

 

2. Since your stats look pretty good (pending GRE scores), what you should be doing between now and application season is trying to get as much research experience and as many publications as humanly possible. Also try to refine your research interests. "Fit" between potential mentors and mentees is a large determining factor for admission.

 

3. Since I'm interested in clinical, I can't speak to developmental programs, but what I would say is that if your research interests highly match a faculty member's research - go for it!

 

4. I'm in the same boat! We've been dating for over 5 years and It's really hard, but at some point you just have to kind of accept that you may not end up in the same place since there is no telling where you/he is going to get in. I guess my only suggestion would be to apply to the same schools, BUT don't sacrifice research fit just because it is a school your boyfriend is interested in - you will just waste the application fee. Also, maybe you both could choose just one of the coasts and only apply to schools there so travel isn't as expensive/time consuming. Not a fun situation to be in, I know. Your transition may not be as difficult since you're already used to long-distance? I don't know, man.

 

Anyways, I think you have a great chance. Good that you are planning this far ahead

Good Luck!

[DarwinAG]

I admire that you're looking ahead so early. I don't want to just echo what caitlinalobdell already said, so here's a few other things to think about.

 

1. You should absolutely take the subjects GRE. Start studying for it now. Learn all the psychology facts you can. It is actually useful in that sense. I would just buy a princeton review or kaplab book and just make digital flashcards of every term there. If you can find some, make flashcards of multiple questions as well. You don't have to spend too much time on it. But if you study now and memorize facts here and there, it will be an easy exam. There is no reason for you not to get an 800 if you study this early.

 

2. Regarding the general GRE, some people are mixed regarding how to prepare for it. I can only share how I prepared for it. My scholarship paid for a private princeton review tutor, and I learned their test taking strategies. What I found extremely helpful were the online drills. For math, you just need to be able to recognize the different types of questions they can ask (I think there are 30 different kinds or less), and how to respond systematically. It's a stimulus / trigger response strategy. I found it exceedingly useful. I would start learning those trigger responses now. It also helps to learn the mental shortcuts they teach you. But the key are the drills imo. Now regarding the Verbal part of the GRE, in terms of strategy, there are really only a few tips they provide you. The rest is having a large vocabulary. I would start actively learning new words, although you naturally do this in college as you read more literature. Writing is pretty easy. Just be facetiously direct, logical, and organized.

 

3. If you can tailor your honors thesis towards the faculty you want to apply with, that is a huge plus.

4. Meet the faculty you want to work with at conferences. Talk with them. Start reading their work now. Know it intimately so that you can talk about their research at a high level.

 

5. Make sure you have 3 faculty who will write you three strong LORs.

 

6. Other specific advice you learn along the way.

I can't comment on the relationship issue.

[osculations]

Thank you for your thoughtful feedback! I already purchased a used edition of PR's Psychology GRE, and I'll start taking a look at it now. I will also meet with my PI once next term starts to touch base on our current projects and ask for advice about narrowing down my research interests.

caitlinalobdell, good luck to you as well! It's a difficult situation with no easy solution, but I have my fingers crossed for both of us. I'm not sure if you've read this blog, but it has some interesting things to say about this topic: https://sites.google.com/site/gradappadvice/the-two-body-problem

DarwinAG, thank you for thorough advice about the GREs-- I'm currently using Magoosh and studying vocabulary, and it's been very helpful thus far. And I will definitely keep faculty mentors in mind when formulating my thesis proposal and begin to familiarize myself with the literature of potential mentors.

[DarwinAG]

Also, if you can TA for an introduction to psychology class, do so. It helps cement some of the material. Obtain an introduction to psychology textbook as well and just remember the surface material.