Fall 2014 Applicant Thread!

[Socially Awkward]

Hey! I did this too! there are so many funded general psych masters programs out there!!! you just have to google your head off!!! The ones I was considering are:

1. Villanova (Philly)

2. William and Mary (an hour or two away from DC)

3. Wake Forest (NC)

4. San Diego State Uni (CA)

5. Illinois State Uni

6. University of Texas - Dallas (TX)

7. University of the Pacific (CA)

8. Ball State (Mid west)

9. Boston College (Boston)

10. Bucknell University (PA)

 

 

 

 

Towson U has a useful Experimental Psyc MA, the director of which is a Social guy.  They've had pretty good success getting grads into PhD programs, specifically Social/social-ish.

 

 

While we're listing master's programs, Missouri State has an experimental psych MS program, and they can usually find assistantships for everyone that gets in.

 

 

Thank you all for your help! They all sound like great programs. 

 

I had been somewhat Googling my head off looking for these, but this list will help narrow down where I consider. More than likely I'll consider the ones with deadlines which haven't passed yet  

 

Anyway, thanks again for everyone's help. I know PhD is the ultimately the goal, but in case it doesn't happen this year, having an MA/MS definitely seems to help. 

[Qwerty101]

Thank you all for your help! They all sound like great programs. 

 

I had been somewhat Googling my head off looking for these, but this list will help narrow down where I consider. More than likely I'll consider the ones with deadlines which haven't passed yet

 

Anyway, thanks again for everyone's help. I know PhD is the ultimately the goal, but in case it doesn't happen this year, having an MA/MS definitely seems to help. 

 

Sure! You haven't passed the deadline for Villanova, UTD, U of the Pacific, and (I think) william and mary, but not solid. I'm sure there are more out there, these are just the only ones I can think of at this second. I'm pretty sure wake forest's deadline was Jan. 15th

[denimfan]

Hey fellow people, 

 

What are the chances of my getting accepted if I got shortlisted?! I found out I was shortlisted at U of Maryland but don't know what that means in terms of my chances..

You mean the waitlist? It will all depend on whether the people offered admission will accept, but you might try to find out your position in the waitlist to see if you are high up.

[Socially Awkward]

Sure! You haven't passed the deadline for Villanova, UTD, U of the Pacific, and (I think) william and mary, but not solid. I'm sure there are more out there, these are just the only ones I can think of at this second. I'm pretty sure wake forest's deadline was Jan. 15th

 

You're right. Wake Forest's deadline was 1/15. And, in case anyone else is wondering:

 

Villanova's is March 1st 

UT Dallas is Feb 15th

William and Marry is Feb 15th 

 

And I could not find U of the Pacific, however their MA seems more behavioral. 

 

Thanks again!

[Qwerty101]

You're right. Wake Forest's deadline was 1/15. And, in case anyone else is wondering:

 

Villanova's is March 1st 

UT Dallas is Feb 15th

William and Marry is Feb 15th 

 

And I could not find U of the Pacific, however their MA seems more behavioral. 

 

Thanks again!

sure! and i visited Villanova and William and Mary (and got very close with a few of the faculty there when i didn't think i had hope for a PhD), and they are INCREDIBLE programs... I told myself if I didn't get into an AMAZING PhD I'd just rather go to Villanova, Wake Forest, or William and Mary and just apply for Harvard the next year. They fund you as much as a PhD program does AND increase your chances of admission big time. they also have really neat antiquey campuses and the faculty work really closely with you. freaking loved those schools. I'd personally choose W&M over villanova but it depends on what you're studying I guess

Edited January 21, 2014 by Qwerty101

[Socially Awkward]

sure! and i visited Villanova and William and Mary (and got very close with a few of the faculty there when i didn't think i had hope for a PhD), and they are INCREDIBLE programs... I told myself if I didn't get into an AMAZING PhD I'd just rather go to Villanova, Wake Forest, or William and Mary and just apply for Harvard the next year. They fund you as much as a PhD program does AND increase your chances of admission big time. they also have really neat antiquey campuses and the faculty work really closely with you. freaking loved those schools. I'd personally choose W&M over villanova but it depends on what you're studying I guess

 

Well, I heard Villanova had great quant courses that make you more marketable to PhD programs, but I couldn't verify this. 

 

On another note, since you got very close to the faculty with your visits (something of which I am now jealous considering this Plan B option), I was wondering if you knew by any chance whether in applying to their Masters programs you had to name POIs? I'm not too familiar with research going on at either institution, so applying to a general masters seems more adequate in my situation.

[Qwerty101]

I didnt end up applying because I got into a PhD program in December before I had submitted their applications, BUT my essays for both these schools were in the EXACT same format as my essays for PhD programs. i.e.: I included a schpeal about what SPECIFICALLY I liked about their programs and who SPECIFICALLY I wanted to work with and WHY and what SPECIFICALLY I was interested in researching with these two POI's (per school).

 

I treated it like a PhD application because the professors at these schools told me they only take 10% of applicants AND that even though this is a masters, their admits are PhD level applicants who just slipped through the PhD application cracks this year. they also said there is a "very slim" chance i would have even been considered had I not had research experience (basically they only admit people who can help them publish and who know that they know that they know they wanna get into a PhD program after the masters program). 
they told me this and I'm a 4.0 student who's GRE was in the 90th percentile. 

 

hope any of this helps in some way. 

 

PS: if you're serious about masters, I'd say research the crap out of these programs, make a list of the professors there you can see yourself working with, and email them in the next two or three days. they're all super approachable and you'll have a higher chance of getting into them having made prior connections. 

Edited January 21, 2014 by Qwerty101

[Socially Awkward]

I didnt end up applying because I got into a PhD program in December before I had submitted their applications, BUT my essays for both these schools were in the EXACT same format as my essays for PhD programs. i.e.: I included a schpeal about what SPECIFICALLY I liked about their programs and who SPECIFICALLY I wanted to work with and WHY and what SPECIFICALLY I was interested in researching with these two POI's (per school).

 

I treated it like a PhD application because the professors at these schools told me they only take 10% of applicants AND that even though this is a masters, their admits are PhD level applicants who just slipped through the PhD application cracks this year. they also said there is a "very slim" chance i would have even been considered had I not had research experience (basically they only admit people who can help them publish and who know that they know that they know they wanna get into a PhD program after the masters program). 

they told me this and I'm a 4.0 student who's GRE was in the 90th percentile. 

 

hope any of this helps in some way. 

 

PS: if you're serious about masters, I'd say research the crap out of these programs, make a list of the professors there you can see yourself working with, and email them in the next two or three days. they're all super approachable and you'll have a higher chance of getting into them having made prior connections. 

 

Wow, thanks for the info. I'm really considering Villanova, as well as another with a deadline of May 1st, so this information is really helpful. I have a couple of years of research experience, so I hope that will help out. 

 

It feels weird talking about a masters program this way when I haven't even heard from the social psych programs I applied to. 

 

By the way, congrats on your acceptance! Maybe I'll hear back from some PhD programs before the deadlines, too  

 

And again, thanks for the advice. I wouldn't have thought that applying to a masters would require me to be specific on POIs. 

[Qwerty101]

Wow, thanks for the info. I'm really considering Villanova, as well as another with a deadline of May 1st, so this information is really helpful. I have a couple of years of research experience, so I hope that will help out. 

 

It feels weird talking about a masters program this way when I haven't even heard from the social psych programs I applied to. 

 

By the way, congrats on your acceptance! Maybe I'll hear back from some PhD programs before the deadlines, too

 

And again, thanks for the advice. I wouldn't have thought that applying to a masters would require me to be specific on POIs. 

Thanks and I hope you DO hear back soon! I literally just started hearing from programs this week (other than the acceptance) which was shocking cuz i thought I was in for a bunch of rejections so dont close the doors till mid feb at least! Good Luck!

[emmett81390]

Not the waitlist, the shortlist... so short list is the list of people that the POI has narrowed down and chooses from - it's pre-decisions. Waitlist is post-decision list. it's like "we accepted 5 but you're 7th in line" or something.. 

I wish I knew someone from Maryland who could shed some light on this

 

Out of curiosity, what program did you apply to and who was you POI?

Edited January 21, 2014 by edg81390

[gellert]

Apparently a mass rejection email went out for Duke CNAP.  I didn't get an interview invite, but I didn't get the rejection email either.  Checked my online app status and there's been no change.  Whattttt.  I don't even know what to make of all this anymore.  

[emmett81390]

Has anyone heard from the following programs?

 

Duke (Social)

UNC (Social)

NYU (Social)

 

I'm assuming I was rejected as I haven't been invited to interview but if no one has heard from these programs there may be some hope yet.

[randompsychologist]

gellert... I know that some apps may have been sent to other depts for better fit. I don't know if that means you're supposed to get a Duke CNAP rejection letter though. Do you think they may be considering you elsewhere? I would definitely call.

[gellert]

gellert... I know that some apps may have been sent to other depts for better fit. I don't know if that means you're supposed to get a Duke CNAP rejection letter though. Do you think they may be considering you elsewhere? I would definitely call.

 

It's entirely possible, as all my POIs have joint appointments in other departments.  I think I will call, just for peace of mind if nothing else.  Thanks!

[glipsus]

Has anyone heard from the following programs?

 

Duke (Social)

UNC (Social)

NYU (Social)

 

I'm assuming I was rejected as I haven't been invited to interview but if no one has heard from these programs there may be some hope yet.

NYU - silence...

[gellert]

Nothing from UNC Social. 

[CAda]

Haha- this is going to be an intense week! I'm still waiting on UT Austin developmental. Does anyone know if all the interviews went out? Someone had mentioned that they were suppose to go out last week, but I didn't see any updates on the results page (besides one from 1/7). Should I assume it's a no go?

[randompsychologist]

Anyone hear from U Michigan-Ann Arbor's Cognition and Cognitive Neuroscience program?

[STEAM116]

I got my first acceptance!! SUNY Buffalo (Cognitive). It caught me completely off guard- no interview or anything just a flat our acceptance letter from the Graduate School, whaaaaat? Says I will be getting a letter from the department which I'm assuming will include details on funding and who my PI is because this email didn't include any of that info. SO relieved to have an offer though!

 

 

Heck yeah congrats!

[glipsus]

Congratulations!!!

[Psychonomix]

Duke Social Psych invites have already gone out.

[ldspsych]

I think I already asked but ha anyone heard anything from Yeshiva PsyD in clinical psych? Is it officially too late and I should start considering other options?

[mindnspirit]

Hi again! I was curious about something on the results board. When people report "Interview" via Phone, does this mean they had a phone interview or does it mean they were invited to an in person interview by their POI calling them? I'm sure there's probably been a bit of both, just curious what it's been like for most people who've had phone conversations with their POI!

[SPH2014]

Hello!  

 

Has anyone heard from the UPenn Social and Cultural Psych program?  I see posts in the results forum that the invitations went out for Psychology (but not specifying an area). . .then again, I know the website says the Psych department admits as a whole and not into specific areas. . .

 

Any idea about invitations for UPenn Psych with a focus on the Social and Cultural Psych program?

[stereopticons]

Late on this, but for those of you considering masters programs, I highly recommend W&M. I did my Masters there and am happy to answer questions by PM.