Clinical Pysch PhD Fall 2016 applicants--realistically, what are my chances?

[DaniD]

Hi all, thank you ahead of time for your help! The past month or so since I really started getting into the application process has been a living hell. I just cannot seem to make a definitive list of schools! Most of the programs that have faculty I really love are some of the harder clinical psych programs to get into (although, now that I think about it, is there such a thing as an easy clinical psych program to get into?). Anyway, I've had trouble staying realistic and would love any input you have to offer about my chances for the programs, as well as any personal experiences you have had with them!

 

A little more about me as an applicant:

GRE verbal = 162 (640 old scoring), GRE quantitative = 158 (740 old scoring)

GPA: 3.95 (I only got one B my entire college career, in spanish, but that one class brought me down 0.05 points because I have so many transfer credits              from studying abroad and AP classes)

Graduated in 3.5 years Summa Cum Laude from the Honors college with a B.A. in psychology.

I graduated Dec 2014, but took the last year off to continue my work in the research lab to gain experience.

No undergraduate thesis.

Research/Clinical experience

• 1 1/2 years working in a research lab studying attentional biases/executive functioning in PTSD. I am the head research assistant and have been in charge of running participants, teaching lab procedures to new grad students/RAs, conducting lit reviews, creating qualtrics measures, etc.
• Intern at a juvennial detention center for 6 months where I administered, scored, and reported over 14 evaluations for each boy, including self-report measures that tested for depression, personality disorders, and various other clinical measures.
• 4 months as a practicum student in a marriage and family therapy center, where I watched and analyzed live therapy sessions as well as imputed client data for research collection
• 4 months as a intern for Head Start, where i would go into preschool classrooms and helped implement a social skills learning program
• past 3 years I have volunteered at a camp for children who have lost a loved one, and would help lead my group through activities aimed at helping them cope

Conference publications

• although I did not conduct the research in any way, the professor I work for in my lab let me write the abstract and poster for two different studies that he will present at ABCT this November.

Relevant training/skills

• online survey software (Qualtrics), E-prime stimulus presentation software, Tobii Eye tracking software and equipment, *some* SPSS
• trained in administering and scoring over 14 clinical assessments for juveniles
• I also studied Mindfulness for 5 months when I studied abroad in Italy; my professor used to work for the Dalai Lama and was involved in some research with mindfulness at the hospital

Recommendations: I have one very very strong recommendation, fairly strong recommendation, and one average recommendation

THIS IS WHAT I'M NERVOUS ABOUT---> as you can see, my most extensive work has related to PTSD. My other experiences were not really research based as much as clinical. I also never completed an undergraduate thesis or did any significant research on my own. The research that I am really passionate about is the etiology of personality disorders, specifically the role early childhood experiences or adult romantic relationship qualities play in the development/risk/maintenance of adult personality pathologies. Am I still competitive even with my limited research experience?

Half of the programs I am applying to focus on PTSD research and the other half on personality disorders.

 

These are the clinical doctorate programs I am applying to as of now (my favorites have *'s by them):

• *University of North Texas 
• *University of Houston
• Southern Methodist university
• University of Kentucky
• *Purdue University
• *Penn State
• Texas A&M
• *University of North Carolina at Greensboro
• Emory University
• *Vanderbilt University
• *Baylor University
• *University of Texas, Austin
• Northern Illinois University
• Oklahoma State 
• Ohio State
• University of Illinois at Urbana Champagne
• University of Tennessee
• University of Washington
• University of Massachusetts at Amherst
• American University
• University of Pittsburgh 

***also, I dont have any good writing samples, which I know Penn state, U of H, Kentucky, Oklahoma state, and Ohio State require a writing sample.

Sorry for the length! I am just freaking out and am dying for some feedback/advice. I'll be sure to respond to your questions in the future:)

[HermoineG]

Yup!! You look great on paper!! I think you are definitely going to get some serious consideration for admission. I think it will all come down to your statement and LORs. You have done everything you could Now just writer a killer statement and wait to hear back from schools.

Good luck!

[JoePianist]

1 hour ago, pkc said:

Looking forward to your updates! BTW- I am applying to one of your favorites (UNC-Greensboro for PTSD)

I'm guessing you're applying for Blair Wisco at UNCG?

[JoePianist]

27 minutes ago, pkc said:

Yep! Will you be applying there as well?  

Not this year, but I interviewed there this past February as a candidate. This is actually my 2nd round of applications since I wasn't offered admissions at any programs last application cycle :-< 

[daisy_may]

@DaniD who are you applying to at Baylor? Im guessing Dolan for PTSD? 

 

Your scores & research experiences &GPA are outstanding... I would suggest editing some of that if thats what you were going to submit to the professors... Like talking about your poster I would say something like contributed to... etc. I know this is late but I'm hoping the application process went well! I applied to most of those schools either last year or this year so I could probably help you out!

 

I interviewed at Baylor and SMU last Spring, and worked in Dolan's research lab for a year & a half

Edited December 12, 2015 by daisy_may