Fall 2016 School Psychology PhD

[Love3]

5 hours ago, totolee said:

Hello! Does anyone know why Lehigh's time to completion seems to be significantly longer than at many other schools? The handbook shows the program as a five year sequence but the data on their website indicate that since 2008, 50% of students took more than 7 years to finish their degrees, and the yearly means seem overall quite high...

Here's where I'm getting this info from:

https://coe.lehigh.edu/sites/coe.lehigh.edu/files/Admissions%2C%20Outcomes%2C%20and%20Other%20Data%20October%202014.pdf 

Thanks! 

Hi!

I applied to Lehigh and I was wondering the same thing. If you refer to the program manual (pages 28-29), it says that the program is set to be a five year program. Yet, most students need extra time finishing the sub-specialization courses. Because of that some students do not start their internship until the sixth year instead of the fifth like most programs. In addition, some students need a seventh year to finish their dissertation.

Basically, sub-specialization courses and the dissertation seem to be the main reasons that hardly any students finish in five years. I would definitely ask for clarification at the interview if you were invited. 

[totolee]

1 hour ago, Love3 said:

Hi!

I applied to Lehigh and I was wondering the same thing. If you refer to the program manual (pages 28-29), it says that the program is set to be a five year program. Yet, most students need extra time finishing the sub-specialization courses. Because of that some students do not start their internship until the sixth year instead of the fifth like most programs. In addition, some students need a seventh year to finish their dissertation.

Basically, sub-specialization courses and the dissertation seem to be the main reasons that hardly any students finish in five years. I would definitely ask for clarification at the interview if you were invited. 

That makes a lot of sense! Thanks!! 

[Love3]

I got my first acceptance by e-mail last night. I still have 4 interviews left and other schools to hear back from. Still, I am excited to have one foot in the door. Does anyone know how long you should wait before you ask about funding packages?

[hmkerby]

I applied to Wisconsin Madison, University of Michigan, University of Kansas, Iowa University, and University of Nebraska. 

I got an interview at Nebraska, but I haven't heard from anywhere else! Has anyone heard anything from these schools?

[mrds2318]

Hi everyone!

Anybody out there applying for PsyD programs or am I all by my lonesome?? 

From what I've seen, all who have posted here are PhD, and I don't belong in the EdS thread either .  Feelin' like the ugly duckling over here!

And while 'tis the season for neuroticism....WHAT DOES EVERYONE ELSE KNOW THAT I DON'T? 

[estrella]

On 1/16/2016 at 7:55 AM, hmkerby said:

I applied to Wisconsin Madison, University of Michigan, University of Kansas, Iowa University, and University of Nebraska. 

I got an interview at Nebraska, but I haven't heard from anywhere else! Has anyone heard anything from these schools?

I'v applied to madison, and nothing yet. I saw a previous post saying that they have got an interview call from madison, so im guessing the invites are out.  :(((( I wish they would just reject me and get it over with. 

[Love3]

So I see a lot of people received rejections from UCSB but I didn't see anyone post about interview invites to this school. UCSB is my first rejection but I also have one acceptance so it doesn't hurt so bad. 

How is everyone making out? Any interviews, acceptances. How is everyone feeling? This thread is very quiet! 

[DLS]

@love3 Where on UCSB's website did you see your application status?

[hellokrs]

Hi everyone! I am a current senior undergrad right now, and I was curious as to how any applicants spent any gap years before applying to ph.d programs! I am planning to take a gap year, and am wondering what the best way for me to spend my time would be. I have been offered both a child development research assistant position and more applied positions such as an assistant behavioral therapist and an associate teacher. I am having a hard time deciphering which kind of job would be best to take. 

Any suggestions? I have both decent experience with children from undergraduate (with all kinds of students), and research experience (although no publications or presentations, I was just a head research assistant). I appreciate all your advice, and I would love to hear about what you may have done during your gap years!

[kingslayer]

@outsidegirl4 @Anxiousapplicant01 @DestinyS @Nolagirl @New Applicant @S J @Jaguar21 @rmhida @totolee @Love3 @hmkerby @mrds2318 @estrella

Hi everyone!

I was wondering if you would please help me by answering a few questions.

1. Are you applying to the School Psych program with a master's, or are you going straight from undergrad? If you're entering with a Masters/EdS in School Psych, do you regret not immediately trying to get a doctoral straight out of undergrad?
2. Do any of you attend college in small towns? if so, how do you like it?
3. If you've taken your masters already, did everyone forget statistics?

I'm asking this because one of my favorite colleges I applied to contacted me and asked me if I would apply to their PhD program. I did. I interview in a week (I haven't been accepted yet), but I really want to go there--everyone I've spoken to has been really nice and helpful, the program seems really great, and the person who contacted me has research I can see myself enjoying (though I don't know if she would take me under her wing and I'm too shy to ask). It's an amazing opportunity if I were to be accepted because I want to become a professor, and I would maybe be able to do the research I want.

The only problem is I have major impostor syndrome right now, even with applying to my EdS programs. It's kind of hard not to--I got A's in both stats and research methods, but I remembered yesterday that I forgot everything I learned because it was a year ago. I'm going to try and refresh myself this semester, but I'm still in panic mode. I keep worrying because what if my education as a regional school is not good enough for a nationally ranked college? What if I get to grad school and I realize that I hate school psychology? I've been taking prerequisite courses in school psych at the college I'm currently at (I received A's and I enjoyed them) but what if it's completely different over there? I'm so afraid of getting into grad school and flunking out. I keep freaking out about my interviews, because in real life I am not as eloquent as when I have time to write essays or research.

Good luck to you all, hope you get in!

[Love3]

On January 22, 2016 at 7:55 PM, DestinyS said:

@love3 Where on UCSB's website did you see your application status?

I received an email to go to the application portal which is the same place you uploaded your online application. From there, click on existing application and log in with whatever email and password you created. It should have buttons that say department communication and/or decisions. My rejection letter was under the decisions but they have sent me little notes about my application through the department communication button. 

Have you heard anything from the school since you submitted the application? 

[Love3]

13 hours ago, hellokrs said:

Hi everyone! I am a current senior undergrad right now, and I was curious as to how any applicants spent any gap years before applying to ph.d programs! I am planning to take a gap year, and am wondering what the best way for me to spend my time would be. I have been offered both a child development research assistant position and more applied positions such as an assistant behavioral therapist and an associate teacher. I am having a hard time deciphering which kind of job would be best to take. 

Any suggestions? I have both decent experience with children from undergraduate (with all kinds of students), and research experience (although no publications or presentations, I was just a head research assistant). I appreciate all your advice, and I would love to hear about what you may have done during your gap years!

I say go with whatever interest you most. If you know you want to work in schools as a school psychologist, get some experience in schools if you don't have any. It is nice to have a personal outlook on the environment and population you will be working with. Yet, all of those options look good to grad schools when you apply again. As long as you are doing something relevant, I don't think that one job will have more weight than the next. 

I took two years off and now I'm in the grad school process again. I was a 1:1 classroom assistant and now I am a behavior therapist. I also took the time to do some fun activities for myself since I had the time.

[Love3]

@kingslayer 

Hi,

I am applying with just an undergraduate degree and I spent my undergraduate career in a very small rural town. It was an adjustment since I'm from a large city but you learn to create your own fun and get involved in activities and groups on campus in addition to the school work that needs to be done. 

It sounds like you are psyching yourself out. If the school asked you to apply AND you received an interview invite, that means that they see potential in you. Go for it if it is a good fit for you especially if they are already saying that they believe you are a good fit for them. 

I wouldn't worry about statistics. They teach you statistics and research methods in grad school. If you passed before, you can pass again. I also wouldn't worry about coming from a regional school. I graduated from one and I already got accepted into a well known school. 

Go for it. Have confidence. You will be fine! 

[schwilliam]

I applied to one school (Maryland), but no response yet. Good luck everyone!

[New Applicant]

@kingslayer I took two years off after undergraduate before applying. I was in your shoes, so I totally know how you feel. I wasn't sure what I like and I was afraid of not being able to handle it. If you get admitted to a program, it means they believe you are capable of handling a doctorate degree. They would not offer admission to someone who they thought could not go through the program. What I recommend is visit NASP website and read your program's PhD handbooks to see if it sounds interesting. Also, if your college offers research assistant position, volunteer and work in a lab to see if you like it. If you can, get experience in a school setting by volunteering or TA for a special education teacher.  Don't worry about your undergraduate school not preparing you well.  Graduate school and especially doctorate programs are pretty rigorous so everyone starting will be in the same boat no matter where they attended their undergrad. Good luck and congrats on getting an interview!

Edited January 24, 2016 by New Applicant
Mistake

[New Applicant]

@Love3 I got rejected from UCSB too. I have gotten 6 interviews out of 12 so far. I'm still nervous. I know someone who went to 8 interviews and still no offer letter. Does anyone has tips for interviews?

[Love3]

@New Applicant 6 is good! I have 6 interviews too. Have you went on any of them yet? 

Having 8 interviews and no invite is devastating but I don't think that's common for school psychology programs. Maybe it is in clinical programs because they have like hundreds of applicants and only accept 2-3. 

Tips that I have picked up from my interviews so far: 

-Make sure you know why school psychology, what is school psychology, why PhD instead of EdS and why you want to attend the school you are interviewing for. All the schools I interviewed for asked me those questions. 

-Have LOTS of questions. Even if you feel like the information is on the website, you can still ask. Also, if you feel that you have asked all your questions, ASK them again. All of my interviews saved like 5-10 minutes for questions. Have at least 3-4 for each person you are interviewing for. It may seem a little redundant but you get various perspectives on the same question. I wrote down a list of questions. The faculty were actually impressed at my extensive list. 

-Most importantly, be confident and personable. Mingle with the current students. You were already invited to the interview so the schools knows you have the credentials to attend their program. At the point of the interview, they are looking for a good fit and people who they want to work with for the next 5 years. Be professional of course but be personable. They want to like you as a person as well as a potential student. 

Good luck to you and everyone else! 

[Love3]

@DestinyS congrats! You were in the same interview as me! 

[Jaguar21]

18 hours ago, lwqsr3211 said:

Hey everyone! 

I hope everyone has gotten lots of interviews  For those waiting to hear back.. How long do you think it should take after the interview? I'm dying to know what the decisions are! Also, has anyone heard back (or know when we should hear back) from Teachers College Columbia's program?? 

It really varies from school to school. One school told me one to two weeks and another's website says you hear back in March (a month after the interview). I guess it all depends on the school's strategy for choosing students, such as if they already have a rank in mind before Interview Day and so on.

 

Just curious...I had an interview last week that was predominantly group interviews. I was given lots of time to ask questions and hear about the program, but I wasn't asked that many questions about myself, my goals, my research, etc. Has anyone else had this experience? How will they select a cohort if they didn't really "interview" us (formally, at least)? Everyone was very professional, polite, and obviously well-qualified. Any thoughts?

 

Thanks!

[Love3]

@Jaguar21 

I've experienced a group interview a few years back when I applied to grad school and I don't understand the concept. Yet, I was accepted to the program. I didn't attend because of funding. 

In a way, I think that schools that have group interviews already have an idea of who they want to accept or already have enough information about you from your application. They may just invite you to the interview to see how you interact, meet everyone in person and see the campus. Just my opinion.

Good Luck! Hopefully you get in. 

[S J]

On 1/24/2016 at 3:05 PM, lwqsr3211 said:

Hey everyone! 

I hope everyone has gotten lots of interviews  For those waiting to hear back.. How long do you think it should take after the interview? I'm dying to know what the decisions are! Also, has anyone heard back (or know when we should hear back) from Teachers College Columbia's program?? 

I have an interview at Teacher College Columbia's PhD in School Psych program on 2/17. Not sure if there are other interview dates or not!

[Love3]

I can't find the email address of one of the professors that interviewed me. She's a post-doc and new to the program so she's not on the faculty list yet. She was such an awesome person and helped me shake off the nerves on the interview. I thought about emailing someone so I can get her email address but I don't want to seem like a crazy person. 

What should I do? 

[DLS]

@Love3 Thank you very much. I hope all is well for you. 

[morningcup]

Hi all, 

I only applied to 5 schools: UCSB, UC Berkeley, UW, UO, and UBC. 

I too was rejected from UCSB and have yet to hear from UBC and Berkeley.

I had a Skype interview with UO last week and the connection was fuzzy and I felt like I didn't answer the questions as well as I could have in person.  

Tomorrow is UW's interview day and I'm trying to best to calm my nerves, but nothing is working! Anyone else in the same boat? 

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

[Love3]

55 minutes ago, morningcup said:

Hi all, 

I only applied to 5 schools: UCSB, UC Berkeley, UW, UO, and UBC. 

I too was rejected from UCSB and have yet to hear from UBC and Berkeley.

I had a Skype interview with UO last week and the connection was fuzzy and I felt like I didn't answer the questions as well as I could have in person.  

Tomorrow is UW's interview day and I'm trying to best to calm my nerves, but nothing is working! Anyone else in the same boat? 

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

I wouldn't overthink the Skype interview. I think the school takes into account things you can't control like the connection. I had a Skype interview where I felt like you. I felt like I could've answer the questions better. To make matters worse, the connection disconnected. I was accepted into the program even though I thought it was a horrible interview. 

Good Luck with interview day tomorrow!