Fall 2014 Applicant Thread!

[BeingThere]

I will be applying to 10 PhD programs and 2 master's programs. This may change if any of my POIs aren't accepting students for next year.

[east-coast-girl]

Right now I have a list of 10 PhD programs and 3 Master's programs.  I'm hoping to only apply to a max of 10 programs.

[ffg]

Actually having quant research experience is probably gonna help you a lot. There are very few quant programs so a lot of people are unlikely to have relevant experience other than like courses (myself included~). I'm not sure how bad your GPA is gonna hurt you, but if it includes good stats/math grades you are probably cool. Obviously your GRE Quant score is gonna be reasonably important, shoot for like 95th percentile.

 

Re: POIs, see my previous post. And maybe chat with some of the other quant people on the board to see if they feel the same way. Of course if you have a little more quant experience than most applicants will, it may be worthwhile to talk to people a little earlier so you could eventually chat about possible projects before your application is due (BUT PROBABLY DONT PROPOSE A PROJECT IN THE FIRST EMAIL it's a bit of a faux pas). 

Thanks for the advice. I appreciate it. This definitely makes me feel a little bit more at ease. Hopefully I can score around the 90th percentile for the quant section of the gre.

 

Did you happen to apply to quant programs that were in the department of psychology or in the college of education?

[windypoplars]

looks like "10" is the magic number for most of us... My research allowed me to pick 8, but I am pressured to add in 2 more :-/ 

[MsDarjeeling]

So, how many schools is everyone applying to?  I've got about 20 prospects right now that I'm going to cut down to 12-13.  

 

I want to apply to 10-12 PhD programs.  So far I have 6 that are at the top of my list, 2 safety choices, and 5 that I'm still reviewing.  My original list of schools to consider was like 35 so I think I've made good progress lol.  Then of course some schools haven't opened up their Fall 2014 applications yet so they may decide not to take students at all, which could affect where I apply.

[PsychGirl1]

If any of you are clinical, I'd suggest closer to 12-15 programs.

[ffg]

So, how many schools is everyone applying to?  I've got about 20 prospects right now that I'm going to cut down to 12-13.  

I'm applying to around 10-12. I'm still adding and eliminating schools based on research and publication records.

[schpsy92]

I'm only planning to apply to between 4 - 6 schools. School psychology graduate programs (especially specialist level) are generally less competitive than others like clinical and social psychology, so I feel that I don't need to apply to 10+ programs. Also, it is much easier to complete school psychology programs within your state residence, so there is no difficulty in transferring the school psychology credential between states. I'm still undecided if I want to do a specialist or doctoral degree right now... hopefully the upcoming months will give me an "Aha" moment! 

 

[MsDarjeeling]

If any of you are clinical, I'd suggest closer to 12-15 programs.

 

Would you please elaborate?  I'm very interested in additional insights you have since you just made it successfully out of the application process.

[DrClinPsyAdvice]

Hi all,

FYI, the following volume has now been made available FOR FREE to all students. Just visit http://link.springer.com/book/10.100...-3994-3/page/1 while on a computer connected to the server of any major university. Most all universities have a subscription to Springer's content which lets students download the whole volume for free. Enjoy!

The Portable Mentor, Second Edition
Expert Guide to a Successful Career in Psychology
Editor: Mitchell J. Prinstein

Part I Applying to Graduate School

1 Before you Apply to Graduate Programs in Psychology: Knowing When You’re Ready, and Gaining
Postbaccalaureate Experiences
Casey D. Calhoun and Mitchell J. Prinstein

2 Deciding to Apply and Successfully Gaining Admission to Graduate Schools in Psychology
Mitchell J. Prinstein, Sophie C. Choukas-Bradley, and Karen Guan

Part II Beginning your Career

3 The Whys and Hows of the Scientific Path in Applied Psychology
Steven C. Hayes and Nicholas M. Berens

4 Advancing Understanding of Cultural Competence, Cultural Sensitivity, and the Effects of Cultural
Incompetence
Joseph E. Trimble

5 Developing and Practicing Ethics
Kenneth S. Pope

6 Balancing Career and Family
Paula J. Caplan

7 Psychologist and Parent: Advice from Professionals in Different Career Tracks
Vicki DiLillo, Andrea Hussong, Barbara Kamholz, and Elizabeth Richardson

Part III Your Research/Academic Career

8 Writing a Literature Review
Roy F. Baumeister

9 Presenting Your Research
Lindsey L. Cohen, Laurie Greco, and Sarah Martin

10 Publishing Your Research
Alan E. Kazdin

11 How to Write an Effective Journal Article Review
Dennis Drotar, Yelena P. Wu, and Jennifer M. Rohan

12 Recommendations for Teaching Psychology
William C. Rando and Leonid Rozenblit

Part IV Your Career as a Practitioner

13 Gaining Clinical Experience In and After Graduate School
Alan D. Katell and Marcy C. Adler

14 Training to Begin a Private Practice
Jeffrey E. Barnett and Elizabeth Musewicz

15 Navigating the Internship Application Process
Mitchell J. Prinstein

16 Obtaining a License to Practice Psychology
Corey J. Habben

17 Specialty Certi fi cation in Professional Psychology
Robert D. Hill and Ted Packard

18 Becoming a Competent and Ethical Clinical Supervisor
Erica H. Wise and Ellen E. Fitzsimmons-Craft

Part V Your Professional Service Career

19 Getting Involved in Professional Organizations: A Gateway to Career Advancement
Daniel Dodgen, Raymond D. Fowler, and Carol Williams-Nickelson

20 Advocacy: Advancing Psychology and Public Well-Being
Christopher W. Loftis

21 Public Education of Psychology: An Interview with Philip G. Zimbardo, Ph.D.
Philip G. Zimbardo

22 Strategies for Successful Interactions with the News Media
Rhea K. Farberman

Part VI Your Career After Graduate School

23 Recommendations for a Postdoctoral Fellowship
Amy F. Sato, Valerie Simon, Elissa Jelalian, and Anthony Spirito

24 Applying for NIH Grants
C.W. Lejuez, Elizabeth K. Reynolds, Will M. Aklin, and Christopher Frueh

25 The Job Search
Robert J. Sternberg

26 Employment and Trends in Psychology
Jessica L. Kohout and William E. Pate II

[gellert]

^ That is super helpful; thank you so much!

[PsychGirl1]

Would you please elaborate?  I'm very interested in additional insights you have since you just made it successfully out of the application process.

 

Clinical psych (numbers wise) is more competitive than other areas of Psychology- there are just so many applicants. For example, the school where I'm finishing up my master's gets over 600 clinical psych applicants per year for their PhD program, and the incoming class is about 8-10 per year. As competitive as it is to get an interview, the smallest interview I went to was 4 people for 1 spot- the biggest was probably closer to 8-10 per spot. So even if you get 5 or 6 interviews, you still won't be "guaranteed" to get an offer. With so many competitive applicants, you really have to play more of a numbers game than other areas of Psychology (who have equally competitive applicants, but less applicants overall). You also have to pay careful attention to the balance of each program (clinical vs research) and how they align with your career goals and your PI's interests.

 

I know 7 people who went through the application cycle this year, including me. For all but me, this was their second time applying, and 6 of us had a master's degree for this time around. Most applied to 12-15 schools- one applied to 20. Five of us got at least one offer, two didn't- and I'd say the two that didn't were fairly competitive compared to most applicants (aka not multiple publications each, but a solid number of poster presentations, good master's thesis, good LORs from people respected in the field, decent GRE scores, etc.). I applied to 12 schools. I got interviews at 5 programs, and offers from 2. (I was waitlisted at 2, but after the interviews for those two places it was clear that our research interests/future directions didn't align as closely as expected and I withdrew my app after receiving an offer elsewhere).

 

I think the biggest part is just building in a numbers buffer. You could be the most competitive applicant in the world, but if your research doesn't align perfectly, or the PI is looking to start moving their lab in a different direction, or if the PI decides they want to take their RA/RC or someone they had in undergrad- that application is basically wasted. I got an interview at one of the most competitive programs in the country, and didn't get an interview at a lower tier program. It's difficult to know how things will evolve during the application cycle. And frankly, if you're already doing 10 applications, it's not a huge deal to 12. :-D

[MsDarjeeling]

Thanks for elaborating.

[Telemental90]

I'll be applying for clinical psychology PhD programs for the fall of 2014!

[Proprium]

How early do you plan on submitting all of your applications? I know they aren't due till December or so but I've heard the earlier the better...

[BeingThere]

Just took the GRE.  My preliminary scores were 170 V and 155 Q.  The (I/O) programs I'm looking at range in their average accepted Q scores between 152 - 158.  I am debating whether to take the GRE again.  I am thinking I could study more and possibly raise my Q score.  However, I have a timeline and there are other things I need to start focusing on this year.  I am not sure if it's realistic to devote more study hours to GRE math in the next couple months - or more to the point, how many more study hours I would need to significantly raise my score.

 

I have a high GPA and some good research experience, so I think the whole package will be very good overall.  Just don't want to leave any points on the table if they are worth going after.

 

Does anyone have any experience with increasing their Q score on a second take of the GRE?

[mewtoo]

Ahhh, we meet again application cycle.

 

I'll most likely be applying again at least to some programs. Not quite sure yet since I'm about to start a masters program, but if I can go on to doctoral clinical or health psych programs earlier, why not? Save me money and time. :S

[mewtoo]

Just took the GRE.  My preliminary scores were 170 V and 155 Q.  The (I/O) programs I'm looking at range in their average accepted Q scores between 152 - 158.  I am debating whether to take the GRE again.  I am thinking I could study more and possibly raise my Q score.  However, I have a timeline and there are other things I need to start focusing on this year.  I am not sure if it's realistic to devote more study hours to GRE math in the next couple months - or more to the point, how many more study hours I would need to significantly raise my score.

 

I have a high GPA and some good research experience, so I think the whole package will be very good overall.  Just don't want to leave any points on the table if they are worth going after.

 

Does anyone have any experience with increasing their Q score on a second take of the GRE?

If I were you I would just go with what you got. You totally rocked the verbal section and did the average for those programs for quant. As long as you are at least the average it should not impede your chances. Once you get past the GRE score cut they won't look back at them. That's when the rest of your app comes into play.

 

I increased my Q score a bit, but its mostly due to taking the old vs new test and the addition of the calculator. Though, I'm sure studying a math gre book did not hurt. If you feel a compulsion to take it again, just get a quant book or two and study the hell out of them. Then take a practice test. If you score higher (or just enough that it would be worth shelling out that money!) then go ahead and take it again. That's just my thoughts.

[C A]

Just took the GRE.  My preliminary scores were 170 V and 155 Q.  The (I/O) programs I'm looking at range in their average accepted Q scores between 152 - 158.  I am debating whether to take the GRE again.  I am thinking I could study more and possibly raise my Q score.  However, I have a timeline and there are other things I need to start focusing on this year.  I am not sure if it's realistic to devote more study hours to GRE math in the next couple months - or more to the point, how many more study hours I would need to significantly raise my score.

 

I have a high GPA and some good research experience, so I think the whole package will be very good overall.  Just don't want to leave any points on the table if they are worth going after.

 

Does anyone have any experience with increasing their Q score on a second take of the GRE?

Congrats on that Bren You killed that Verbal. I think that's good enough considering your other priorities if the schools you're looking at hover around there. I mean, if you were studying evenly on the quant as you did on verbal then i feel like you would need to study a lot to get a significantly better quant score. It might be more efficient at this point to focus on your other priorities since the GRE is more-or-less a beat-the-cutoff game (as i've heard). 

If I can ask for my own personal understanding, What did you use to study? Kaplan? ETS? (Or both). Also, approx. how many hours/week + how many weeks were you studying for the GRE? My prof has suggested I prep 10 hrs/week for 4 months while another person said they studied 10hrs/week for 2 months. Just trying to get a gauge. thanks in advance.

[BeingThere]

Congrats on that Bren You killed that Verbal. I think that's good enough considering your other priorities if the schools you're looking at hover around there. I mean, if you were studying evenly on the quant as you did on verbal then i feel like you would need to study a lot to get a significantly better quant score. It might be more efficient at this point to focus on your other priorities since the GRE is more-or-less a beat-the-cutoff game (as i've heard). 

If I can ask for my own personal understanding, What did you use to study? Kaplan? ETS? (Or both). Also, approx. how many hours/week + how many weeks were you studying for the GRE? My prof has suggested I prep 10 hrs/week for 4 months while another person said they studied 10hrs/week for 2 months. Just trying to get a gauge. thanks in advance.

Thanks, Clarkboyo. I think that I am within the score range of all my programs, but for my top choices, I am below the average. That bothers me. But what bothers me more is the thought that I could do better on the math with more study and practice. (I did not study for the verbal at all; I knew I would do well with that.)

I had set aside four months in which to study (March - June). Not to make excuses, but due to unforeseen circumstances beyond my control, I didn't use all that time. I studied for the math here and there over the course of those first three months, but I wasn't regular enough about it (maybe an hour a week.) I only got to really get down and prep regularly in the last month. In that period of time, I prepped about two to three hours a week. I needed to do that for another two months. More hours per week would of course be great, but I did not have it.

I used the Manhattan books (the Quantitative Comparison and Word Problems volumes), which, aside from a couple of disconcerting typos (!), were very helpful. The ETS practice book was good too. A couple of my actual math problems were identical in structure to the practice problems in the ETS book. You get access to five online practice tests with either of those Manhattan volumes. I would highly suggest taking all the practice tests over the course of your prep. I only took two so far.

I'm going to take Mewtoo's suggestion. I'm continuing to prep, and if my timed practice scores are better than my last test score, I'll take the test again at the end of August or beginning of September. I am comfortable that I can do as well on the verbal again, so I have only the math to focus on.

For what it's worth, there probably is no ideal number of hours/week or number of months. I am probably much farther away from my last high school or college math class than you are. Also, natural math ability is a factor in how much prep time you need. At any rate, you probably cannot prep too much. If you're unsure, and if you have the time in your schedule (and you don't get flooded out of your apartment or overrun by locusts), then go with the larger amount of prep time.

[emmett81390]

The best advice I got on the GRE Subject Test was take it if (and only if) you will do well on it.  Unless, of course, you are applying to a program that requires it -- but none of mine did. 

 

Could you exlpain why?

 

I was planning on taking it to help make up for a lowish cum. gpa (3.4-3.5) and to supplement decent GRE Scores (v.161 q.159 aw. 5). My initial thought was that if I didn't do very well I wouldn't report the scores (therefore making it a low risk option). Is there some rule that I am unaware of that says you have to report these scores if you take the subject test?

[Angua]

Could you exlpain why?

 

I was planning on taking it to help make up for a lowish cum. gpa (3.4-3.5) and to supplement decent GRE Scores (v.161 q.159 aw. 5). My initial thought was that if I didn't do very well I wouldn't report the scores (therefore making it a low risk option). Is there some rule that I am unaware of that says you have to report these scores if you take the subject test?

 

Frankly, I think that makes a lot of sense, too.  Since you asked, though, let me make the case against it.

 

Most people and professors I talked to really don't care about the Psych GRE.  A PhD program is about becoming an expert in a relatively small part of psychology, and while they would like you to have a general idea about the broader field, you'll get a lot of that in your program.  If your undergrad is in psych, and your grades are decent, they will assume you got that background in undergrad.  The extra "proof" of a subject test isn't necessary or particularly helpful.  Either you do well, and the score just confirms that you already know this stuff, or your score is somehow not quite strong enough, and the POI wonders.  In other words, the best-case scenario is neutral, and the worst-case is bad.  If your undergrad wasn't in psych, or (like me) you've been out of it for a while, it's tempting to think "Oh, I will take the psych GRE to prove that I (still) know this stuff."  The problem with that is two-fold.  First, people still don't care that much about the psych GRE.  So while you might score some minor points with a really stellar psychGRE score, it doesn't make that much difference.  And you still risk anything less than a perfect being viewed as not quite good enough by somebody (you have no idea what your POI's personal cutoff is).  Second, if you don't have a background in psych, then people will view your good GRE subject score as exactly what it is: a reflection of your ability to cram for and pass a test on a subject you don't know much about.  Nobody's going to think that you taught yourself psychology well enough to be the equivalent of a background in it -- which is okay with most of them.  Your application should show that you have enough background in your proposed area to do good graduate-level work.  Most good programs won't worry about whether you've also mastered the history of psychology (which is a big part of the psychGRE) or whatever other areas -- they don't care that much, because they're going to train you themselves anyway. 

 

TL;DR: PsychGRE doesn't make much difference anyway, so it may not be worth taking even if you will do well. 

[emmett81390]

Frankly, I think that makes a lot of sense, too.  Since you asked, though, let me make the case against it.

 

Most people and professors I talked to really don't care about the Psych GRE.  A PhD program is about becoming an expert in a relatively small part of psychology, and while they would like you to have a general idea about the broader field, you'll get a lot of that in your program.  If your undergrad is in psych, and your grades are decent, they will assume you got that background in undergrad.  The extra "proof" of a subject test isn't necessary or particularly helpful.  Either you do well, and the score just confirms that you already know this stuff, or your score is somehow not quite strong enough, and the POI wonders.  In other words, the best-case scenario is neutral, and the worst-case is bad.  If your undergrad wasn't in psych, or (like me) you've been out of it for a while, it's tempting to think "Oh, I will take the psych GRE to prove that I (still) know this stuff."  The problem with that is two-fold.  First, people still don't care that much about the psych GRE.  So while you might score some minor points with a really stellar psychGRE score, it doesn't make that much difference.  And you still risk anything less than a perfect being viewed as not quite good enough by somebody (you have no idea what your POI's personal cutoff is).  Second, if you don't have a background in psych, then people will view your good GRE subject score as exactly what it is: a reflection of your ability to cram for and pass a test on a subject you don't know much about.  Nobody's going to think that you taught yourself psychology well enough to be the equivalent of a background in it -- which is okay with most of them.  Your application should show that you have enough background in your proposed area to do good graduate-level work.  Most good programs won't worry about whether you've also mastered the history of psychology (which is a big part of the psychGRE) or whatever other areas -- they don't care that much, because they're going to train you themselves anyway. 

 

TL;DR: PsychGRE doesn't make much difference anyway, so it may not be worth taking even if you will do well. 

 

Thanks for the counter argument. I've already registered for the test so I'm somewhat committed to taking it but it will definitely lower my stress level during preparation knowing that it will only be a minimal part of my application.

[mewtoo]

How early do you plan on submitting all of your applications? I know they aren't due till December or so but I've heard the earlier the better...

No one looks at them until after the deadline. You aren't more likely to get an interview or acceptance because you submitted your app earlier.

[mewtoo]

Thanks for the counter argument. I've already registered for the test so I'm somewhat committed to taking it but it will definitely lower my stress level during preparation knowing that it will only be a minimal part of my application.

Just wondering, but is that your general cumulative gpa or are you referring to your cumulative psych gpa? I'm just wondering how you would think it would compensate for your gpa if thats your general cumulative gpa. Was your psych gpa low or what you stated up there? For me I have a 3.3 cumulative and ~3.9 psych gpa and 4.0 psych grad gpa (just 1 class so far), but I can't see how my relatively low cumulative gpa would be compensated by taking the psych GRE since I obviously did well in my psych classes. I don't need to prove I can cut it in psych. Now, I would want to take the subject test, say, for a bio program which is what brought my gpa down so low with my bio minor. You thinking more just a general package sort of thing? I've only heard of compensating with the general GRE (which I think you've done with that high of scores). Just wondering.