My application is a hot mess and I need some help!

[myBFFSkinner]

Hi everyone,

 

So before I decided to post on here, I was looking at other topics and I know you guys seem to not like people that go "HEY GUYS WHAT ARE MY CHANCES OF GETTING IN? I HAVE A 3.75 GPA AND MY GRE IS A 330, AM I SCREWED". I really need some help!

 

Let's start with the numbers: I originally went to community college and, needless to say, I went through a rebel phase and screwed around. I ended up graduating with an A.A. in General Education and a GPA of 2.24. It doesn't reflect who I am at all. Anyways, I transferred to a 4-year school and everything turned around for me. If I get straight A's this semester, I'll be graduating with a 3.43 overall GPA and a 3.73 GPA for my major (Psychology). I'll be even graduating with department honors. Not bad. I don't know, however, to put down what my "4-year GPA" would be. When I transferred, my GPA from community college got wiped. Not only did I enter my school with a 0 GPA but my school said I also had 0 credits (all of my credits transferred, however), so my grades were fluctuating as if I were a Freshman or Sophomore. It wouldn't be fair or accurate to simply add the 2 GPA's together and divide it by 2. I've also made President's list (4.0 GPA for the term) and Dean's List (3.75 GPA for the term) before. FYI I'll be graduating this December. My overall GPA is a 3.31 and my Psych GPA is a 3.63. Do I also have to submit follow up transcripts when I earn my Bachelor's next month?

 

Now let's get to the part where things get really messy: I took my GRE with 2 months of serious prep and a prep course. I think I got anxious but I bombed it. I ended up with a 147 (32nd %tile) Verbal and 144 (18th %tile) Quantitative. I just found out today, however, that my Analytical Writing score was a 5.0 (93rd %tile). My mentor told me that although for some programs GREs aren't super important but, given my current scores, it would be a lot of red flags if my score was lower than a 5.0. That's what she told me before I found out my writing score today.

 

Let's talk about what I'm looking for and what kind of programs I'm applying to: I'm applying to 9 Ph.D programs total. 7 are Clinical, 2 are Developmental. I've made sure to research professors that are taking students, I've e-mailed them, and I don't seem that should be a concern.

 

My experiences in research and clinical settings are extremely strong. I'm doing a thesis in my undergrad at the moment (and wrapping up this semester) and I've been in my lab for over a year. I'm right now the Senior RA so I've been leading everyone else, training the new kids, and even managing their deadlines of work to do with my professor's approval (they're helping me with data entry for my thesis). As for additional research, I've been working in psychiatric institutes for almost 2 years (this upcoming January). For 17 months, I've been working at an internationally-renowned institute that focuses on developmental disabilities and other things. I don't want to reveal where I work out of privacy. 

 

As for letters, I think mine are pretty solid. The first provider will be my mentor. She's supervising my thesis, I took her 300 level course and got an A, and her and I are pretty close (we are on first name basis). The second provider will be my direct supervisor for my current workplace. After working with her for 17 months, she knows me pretty damn well too and my last performance evaluation I received was nothing but glowing. My third provider was a professor in one of my 300 courses. I participated quite often, talked to him after class, got an A, and he's hooking me up with a 2nd publication opportunity. Overall, I would say that definitely 2 of my letters will be very strong.

 

And just for the sake of mentioning, yes I am a member of my school's Psi Chi chapter. I also fence for my school and have been a bit successful with that. I do more than just study.

 

So here's my question to all of you... what really are my chances? What areas should I improve or really try to sell to grad school? Also all but 1 of my schools (my current school) have their applications due on the 1st of December so retaking the GRE is not going to happen.

 

Thank you!

Edited November 18, 2013 by myBFFSkinner

[Seeking]

It depends upon where you are applying.

 

For mid-range schools you may just get in with those GRE scores.

 

For top-ranked schools GRE scores may not be enough. Psychology happens to be a discipline where both sections of the GRE matter.

Edited November 18, 2013 by Seeking