What are my chances?

[CaptainWolf]

Hi, I'm a student at FSU applying for Clinical and I/O phd programs this fall

 

Just took my GRE today and was devastated (305 combined/151V/154Q)

 

Cum GPA 3.5

Major GPA 3.9

Last 2 years 3.87

 

Currently in a lab, will enroll in two more next semester so 3 semesters worth of research experience

 

Getting LOR's from Current lab instructor (prominent social psychologist), Cognitive psych instructor, and neuro science instructor (both PhD holders)

 

I'm also not a native english speaker, but I am a US citizen.

 

I'm applying to 

 

 

UCF I/O deadline Masters or PHD

scheduled for December 15, 2013

 

USF I/O or Clinical (not sure which) deadline PHD

scheduled for January 1, 2014

 

U of Georgia Clinical Phd

scheduled for December 1, 2013

 

UF Clinical Deadline PhD

scheduled for December 1, 2013

 

Georgia Tech I/O deadline

scheduled for December 15, 2013

 

FSU Clinical

scheduled for December 2, 2013

 

Emory Clinical deadline

scheduled for December 1, 2013

 

 

What are my chances?

 

I could really use some hard advice or morale boosters... 

 

 

[BeingThere]

Hi CaptainWolf.  I'll give you my two cents, but I'm a fellow applicant so really I only know what I've been told or what I've read.

 

Clinical and I/O are so different and have such different career trajectories.  I'm curious how you came to the conclusion to apply to both.  Would you really be equally happy with a career in I/O or a career in clinical?

 

Have you done any independent research, poster presentations, an Honors thesis; will you be co-author on any research papers coming out of your lab experiences?  To be very competitive you should have some substantive experience showing you have some research skills and know quite a bit about how to conduct and present research.  What have you done in the research lab?

 

Your stats are good, but "good" when applying to PhD programs means around "average."  That's not a bad thing, but it means you'll have lots of competition.

 

You may have great things on your CV that you just didn't mention in your post.  It is hard to say what anyone's chances are just based on GPA and GRE scores (unless they are really really low, and yours are not.)

Edited October 3, 2013 by Bren2014

[CaptainWolf]

Unfortunately, I will not be co-authoring in any publications, or conference materials. The research experience I'll have is assiting a phd student's research, plain and simple.

I'd be happy in either path, but would prefer clinical. I just don't see myself really getting into clinical programs, so I/O is my fall back I suppose.

Other than the stats mentioned, the only thing that would stand out in my application is the fact that I've been enrolled in American schools since 8th grade and have come this far. (I speak fluent English with no accent btw). I figured that would emphasize my dedication and ability to take on a phd program.

[Lisa44201]

A Masters would be a better back-up than I/O. A PhD is still a PhD - the fact that it's a PhD in I/O doesn't make it easier to get into than clinical programs; if nothing else, SOPs to I/O programs need to scream "I'm dedicated to this field" just as much as SOPs to clinical programs.

[PsychGirl1]

A decision as simple as clinical vs I/O determines your entire career, i.e. the next 50-60 some years of your life.

 

If clinical is what you want to do, take a year or two off, get more research experience, get some posters and maybe even your name on a publication, some light clinical experience, take the GRE again, and apply in a year or two. An extra year or two in the grand scheme of your life will not matter at all, and it will likely provide you with skills that will help you excel in your grad program, and you will be in a MUCH better position. When you add up the cost and time it takes to apply and interview at all these schools, I would honestly wait until you felt confident and ready.

 

"Other than the stats mentioned, the only thing that would stand out in my application is the fact that I've been enrolled in American schools since 8th grade and have come this far. (I speak fluent English with no accent btw). I figured that would emphasize my dedication and ability to take on a phd program."- this may help you in schools with diversity statements, but other than that, probably won't help you enough to move you from no interview to interview, if everything else is the same. (I'm not as familiar with I/O programs, though).

[BeingThere]

I/O can be as competitive as clinical. USF and Georgia Tech are top programs in I/O. Your chances of getting into those would probably be similar to your chances of getting into a clinical program. Clinical programs tend to be the most competitive types of programs simply by the sheer number of applicants those programs get (so acceptance standards can be raised higher and higher.) However, that does not mean that I/O programs are not competitive.

The most direct way to improve your chances would be to get some quality research experience.

***Sorry to sort of repeat what Lisa and PsychGirl said. I was typing as their posts came through.

Edited October 3, 2013 by Bren2014

[PsychGirl1]

^ I feel like it's good to repeat things, so that people trust our advice more :-D

[Engali]

If you're not passionate about I/O topics, you probably shouldn't apply imho to an I/O program.  That's obviously just an opinion.

Edited October 6, 2013 by Engali

[juilletmercredi]

Three semesters' worth of research experience is not a lot.  Many competitive clinical applicants will have 1-3 years of research in undergrad plus, sometimes, an additional 1-3 years as a lab manager after grad school - especially at competitive clinical programs like UF, UGA, and Emory.

What also matters a lot is fit.  UF, UGA and Emory are research-based clinical programs so they are going to be really interested in your research interests and goals.  You need to identify 1 or 2 people who could mentor you in your research interests.  I've noticed that your programs are clustered in Florida and Georgia, so I suspect that you are targeting programs more based upon geographical considerations than research fit, which is a mistake IMO.  Your programs range so much - like I know for a fact that UF's focus is on clinical and health, whereas UGA's program has a lot more neuroscience and neuroimaging people.  Those are a far cry from industrial/organizational.

 

It actually sounds like you should spend a little more time narrowing down what you actually want to study.  I agree that MA programs (or even MSW programs, if you really want to provide clinical counseling) are a better fall-back option than PhDs in I/O psychology.