Accepted? What worked for you?!?

[Generic_Applicant]

Congrats to all the lucky ducks who got offers this round! Very exciting! 

I am at a bit of a loss as to what actually works or what a key ingredient is to getting in, if there is such a thing. I thought I had a lot going for me this time and still no offer..

Would people who got in mind sharing their experience and what they think worked for them?

[eternallyephemeral]

Hey! I'm not perfect by any means, but here's what I did:

Worked super hard from the beginning of my first year because I know that you can't change your marks a ton at the end (I know this isn't only during the application process, but it does matter).

Studied like crazy for the GRE, constantly practicing and learning new words, practicing with every book I could get online and in the library, and generally did bunches of full practice tests.

Started doing research extremely early as well, right after my first year. You can't change that now, but it shows you're serious if you don't just do research in your last year or last semester. Which brings me to my next point...

Go to as many conferences as possible and get on papers if you can based on your research or research you are working on with others. I understand people can't always do this, but the more time you spend doing the research then the more you can take on, and the more you can show people that you're serious about research.

Getting into undergraduate journals, being part of the editing process, joining relevant extracurriculars all really help to convince the admissions people that you know about writing papers and that you're interested in the area.

Regarding the application specifically, I would research the people who fit with your interests and what you've done before. Then research their papers and send a mostly tailored email to each one individually including your CV and, if you want, your stats like GPA and CV. It helps them evaluate you a bit before the application. If they will hurt, maybe don't include them. Try your best to meet with people through Skype or phone before applying.

Then start the statement as early as possible, reading examples and tips online while revising it and getting other people to look it over. It's a balance to write something that is different but not cheesy.

I hope that that helps!

[clinpsy]

Aside from the usual advice (study for GREs, get excellent grades, research experience, etc.), I think the component that is arguably the most important is: find a fantastic mentor (or two, as I did). I made sure to strategically seek out mentors (a few years ago) who would prepare me the best for the application process and graduate school. Without them I truly do not think I would have been admitted in my first round. Not only did my mentors provide me with invaluable research opportunities (conferences, posters, publications, amazing LORs, etc.), but also they really helped me through the application process. They helped me understand the process of choosing the right schools for me, they looked over my SOPs and scholarship proposals, and they gave me an incredible amount of moral support! 

Feel free to PM me if you want any other advice.  

Edited February 16, 2016 by LabyrinthianMind

[Generic_Applicant]

15 hours ago, LabyrinthianMind said:

Aside from the usual advice (study for GREs, get excellent grades, research experience, etc.), I think the component that is arguably the most important is: find a fantastic mentor (or two, as I did). I made sure to strategically seek out mentors (a few years ago) who would prepare me the best for the application process and graduate school. Without them I truly do not think I would have been admitted in my first round. Not only did my mentors provide me with invaluable research opportunities (conferences, posters, publications, amazing LORs, etc.), but also they really helped me through the application process. They helped me understand the process of choosing the right schools for me, they looked over my SOPs and scholarship proposals, and they gave me an incredible amount of moral support! 

Feel free to PM me if you want any other advice.  

Thanks so much for your answers. 

 

THIS ^^ is exactly what I need. I don't have a problem with networking and have found many good collaborations and opportunities because of it but its so hard to find a mentor who would be willing to put that time and effort into you. Atleast this has been the case for me. Could you share a but of your experience and how you found them? I have supervisors who will take a lot at my letter and what not, but none who I could call a mentor in terms of the new opportunities and such they bring to me to expand my profile, you know? 

[FacelessMage]

19 hours ago, eternallyephemeral said:

Hey! I'm not perfect by any means, but here's what I did:

Worked super hard from the beginning of my first year because I know that you can't change your marks a ton at the end (I know this isn't only during the application process, but it does matter).

Studied like crazy for the GRE, constantly practicing and learning new words, practicing with every book I could get online and in the library, and generally did bunches of full practice tests.

Started doing research extremely early as well, right after my first year. You can't change that now, but it shows you're serious if you don't just do research in your last year or last semester. Which brings me to my next point...

Go to as many conferences as possible and get on papers if you can based on your research or research you are working on with others. I understand people can't always do this, but the more time you spend doing the research then the more you can take on, and the more you can show people that you're serious about research.

Getting into undergraduate journals, being part of the editing process, joining relevant extracurriculars all really help to convince the admissions people that you know about writing papers and that you're interested in the area.

Regarding the application specifically, I would research the people who fit with your interests and what you've done before. Then research their papers and send a mostly tailored email to each one individually including your CV and, if you want, your stats like GPA and CV. It helps them evaluate you a bit before the application. If they will hurt, maybe don't include them. Try your best to meet with people through Skype or phone before applying.

Then start the statement as early as possible, reading examples and tips online while revising it and getting other people to look it over. It's a balance to write something that is different but not cheesy.

I hope that that helps!

I've done all this, and it seems like the more I improve my application, the worst my odds get. I'm on my third round of applications wth no interviews this year, when I always had interviews in the past. I just don't know what more I can do or if it's worth spending another year applying. 

[Generic_Applicant]

13 minutes ago, FacelessMage said:

I've done all this, and it seems like the more I improve my application, the worst my odds get. I'm on my third round of applications wth no interviews this year, when I always had interviews in the past. I just don't know what more I can do or if it's worth spending another year applying. 

This is absolutely what I feel. I think I want to get on with my life and make contributions that I know I'm capable of but i just need someone to give me a chance to show my worth. 

I'll just say that we are all in this with the passion that we have because it is worth it and the field wil be better for having us I think. It's just unfortunate that there arent enough seats to accommodate us all. But I know our time will come. Your time will come and if you give up, you are depriving this field of a passionate, hard working clinician-scientist

[clinpsy]

6 hours ago, Generic_Applicant said:

THIS ^^ is exactly what I need. I don't have a problem with networking and have found many good collaborations and opportunities because of it but its so hard to find a mentor who would be willing to put that time and effort into you. Atleast this has been the case for me. Could you share a but of your experience and how you found them? I have supervisors who will take a lot at my letter and what not, but none who I could call a mentor in terms of the new opportunities and such they bring to me to expand my profile, you know?

Part of it is aligning yourself with the right people, and part of it is luck (or being in the right place at the right time). My current school (where I'm finishing undergrad) only has a couple of clinical psychologists, because the school doesn't have a clinical psychology program, so I approached one of them a few years ago for a position as an RA. I thought this would help me get a sense of the kind of research clinical psychologists conduct, and of course it allowed me the opportunity to network with other individuals in the field. I began as a volunteer RA for this professor, which eventually turned into a paid position. I made sure to mention my interest in pursuing a career in clinical psychology early on, and this professor was very receptive to the idea of mentoring me and helping me become a competitive applicant (invited me to conferences, recommended specific courses to take, supervised my honours thesis, etc.). My other mentor is a social psychologist and provided me with a different perspective on applications and grad school, which I found very helpful. I kind of lucked out finding this mentor, as I was approached by their previous lab manager with an offer to take over as lab manager when they left for grad school (I was approached because I became quite well known in the department as the omnipresent RA - I worked as an RA in many different labs). I also say part of finding a good mentor is luck because my mentors have truly gone above-and-beyond in terms of what they have done for me.

I'd suggest trying to find a mentor who is actively researching an area that interests you, which will make you a better fit for faculty that you apply to in the future (and opens up networking opportunities). It's also a good idea to make it known that you intend to apply to clinical programs (or whatever program you will be applying to) early on, and to full-out ask your prospective mentor if they would be willing to act as your mentor. This is particularly important because it shows that you not only want research experience, but that you look up to them, and want to learn as much as you can from them. They'll likely think of you more often when opportunities arise. For instance, if they're attending a conference, they may not think to invite their RA, but they would probably think to invite their mentee! By solidifying a mentor-mentee relationship with a faculty member, you're setting yourself up for success, because mentors want to see their mentees succeed! 

As an aside, it's always a good idea to ask current grad students for advice - they're where you want to be, so they know what it takes to get there. I received a TON of amazing advice and support from the grad students in the psychology department, all of whom I met through RA work. 

Let me know if you have any other questions!

[Generic_Applicant]

47 minutes ago, LabyrinthianMind said:

Part of it is aligning yourself with the right people, and part of it is luck (or being in the right place at the right time). My current school (where I'm finishing undergrad) only has a couple of clinical psychologists, because the school doesn't have a clinical psychology program, so I approached one of them a few years ago for a position as an RA. I thought this would help me get a sense of the kind of research clinical psychologists conduct, and of course it allowed me the opportunity to network with other individuals in the field. I began as a volunteer RA for this professor, which eventually turned into a paid position. I made sure to mention my interest in pursuing a career in clinical psychology early on, and this professor was very receptive to the idea of mentoring me and helping me become a competitive applicant (invited me to conferences, recommended specific courses to take, supervised my honours thesis, etc.). My other mentor is a social psychologist and provided me with a different perspective on applications and grad school, which I found very helpful. I kind of lucked out finding this mentor, as I was approached by their previous lab manager with an offer to take over as lab manager when they left for grad school (I was approached because I became quite well known in the department as the omnipresent RA - I worked as an RA in many different labs). I also say part of finding a good mentor is luck because my mentors have truly gone above-and-beyond in terms of what they have done for me.

I'd suggest trying to find a mentor who is actively researching an area that interests you, which will make you a better fit for faculty that you apply to in the future (and opens up networking opportunities). It's also a good idea to make it known that you intend to apply to clinical programs (or whatever program you will be applying to) early on, and to full-out ask your prospective mentor if they would be willing to act as your mentor. This is particularly important because it shows that you not only want research experience, but that you look up to them, and want to learn as much as you can from them. They'll likely think of you more often when opportunities arise. For instance, if they're attending a conference, they may not think to invite their RA, but they would probably think to invite their mentee! By solidifying a mentor-mentee relationship with a faculty member, you're setting yourself up for success, because mentors want to see their mentees succeed! 

As an aside, it's always a good idea to ask current grad students for advice - they're where you want to be, so they know what it takes to get there. I received a TON of amazing advice and support from the grad students in the psychology department, all of whom I met through RA work. 

Let me know if you have any other questions!

Thanks so much for the reply! I have a researcher in mind who I would be willing to work for free with (haha) that's how much I love the research he does and the standard from which he works. I could definitely give it a try with him even though I know he is super SUPER busy. How would I approach him? Any tips? You are very brave in asking directly for mentorship and that's something I'd do too. Just not sure if I'll have what it takes when he asks what does that look like I appreciate any input in this! Feel free to pm me as well and thank you so much! This could be life changing! Haha 

[EveryDay]

17 hours ago, FacelessMage said:

I've done all this, and it seems like the more I improve my application, the worst my odds get. I'm on my third round of applications wth no interviews this year, when I always had interviews in the past. I just don't know what more I can do or if it's worth spending another year applying. 

I'm with you. Last time I got interviews in a good percentage of my schools, without publications or super relevant experience (I got accepted too). I decided to wait for various reasons. Two years later I have a couple of publications, several conference posters, relevant experience in a strong group, with renowned people writing LORs for me, and I only got one interview (and possible rejection).

I will say that fit is very important, so even if you're great you might not get accepted. But that is already covered by the "contact your POI ahead of time" section. In any case, I did everything that people mention here (and I encourage everyone to do so), but the process feels like a crapshoot for me now.

[eternallyephemeral]

17 hours ago, FacelessMage said:

I've done all this, and it seems like the more I improve my application, the worst my odds get. I'm on my third round of applications wth no interviews this year, when I always had interviews in the past. I just don't know what more I can do or if it's worth spending another year applying. 

I completely understand. My bf is applying this year as well, and he's very discouraged after directly getting rejections or assuming that he was rejected as interviews have already happened.

You're right that you can do all those things and still not make it. And you will get frustrated that you did everything right, and yet you still aren't getting anywhere. And that's a terrible feeling.

Unfortunately, not everyone that deserves it gets in and that's a terrible fact to face. There's so much competition and sometimes what works for someone in a less competitive field (like mine) won't work for you in a more competitive field (if that's the case).

Have you applied to different schools each round? Are there a mix of masters and PhD programs available to you? Have you thought about working in the field for a while?

Remember, even if the typical progression involves following a certain path, you don't have to do that. It might not be the best for you. Perhaps it's time to talk to you people you know about another approach?

[Applicant38]

All of the advice here is great. Here is my two cents:

1. Connections: Knowing people who work with (or are colleagues of) your POI's is HUGE. They are trusted sources to your POI, and if they vouch for you, that can be the biggest factor in the process. Better yet, being an undergraduate RA for your POI is about as good as it gets (given that you have been a fantastic and mature RA).

2. Fit/Personal Statement: Following the directions for the statement of purpose/personal statement. This was a mistake I made for all of the schools I was rejected from. Every school has different instructions and different things they want you to talk about. I can't stress how huge this is. Address every point that is in the directions. Personal statements demonstrate your fit, which has actually been shown by research to be one of the top two factors in the admissions process. That's what interviews are all about! 

 

I think both of these things are what helped me get into my program. My program was research oriented, so I had a ton of undergrad RA experience (3.5 years across 3 labs, an independent project, and about 5 posters) and talked about my career goals as they related to research. Also, I was a RA for a colleague of my POI for 1.5 years. So when I got to the interview, we definitely had things to talk about! (But I would also say don't talk too much about who you know as opposed to what you know).

So, in sum, if you are not picky about where you get in and what field you get into, you can help yourself out by networking with people close to those who advised you as an undergrad/before you applied to grad school and by taking time to relate the facilities, research programs, etc of your institution of choice to your goals in your statements/interviews. 

[Tee Ell]

I wish I would have read something like this before applying! Thank you all for sharing.

 

As for myself, I have applied last year and this year: last year I earned 5 interviews out of 12 schools and this year I only applied to 4 schools and received 3 interviews.  I was offered one spot last year but decided to accept a research job offer at a top research institution instead  of settling for a program that I wasn’t sold on and had a subpar interview experience with to say the least.

 

Importantly, my GRE scores aren’t super high (155-157, 4.5). Nor did I have tons of research experiences. Although I described the ones I did have with such great detail in my SOP and CV, it might have came off as if they were quality experiences to reviewers.

 

I truly feel like I got these interview offers not because of having good LOCs (which I’m pretty sure I did), but because of my SOP and CV.

 

Your SOP and CV need to prove you are a GREAT fit for the program. Emphasize this! Read your POI's (or two POI, depends on school) research and discuss how much experience you have in the area. Yes, experience not just interest. For example, I worked in a lab during undergrad that work on many different projects since the lab was focused on perception. One project focused on the type of sensory perception I want to do research on during grad school. I discussed that project more extensively and used similar language that was included in the POI's biography and research articles online while describing this one project in my SOP and CV. Use the correct specific language (example: tonic stimulation is more specific than stimuli)

 

Honestly, fit is crucial, so if you aren’t applying to schools that are a great fit with your past experiences, or if you are finding it very difficult to write how your experiences align, then I’d argue it might be very tricky to convince the admission committee as to why you would be a good fit for their program. So if you don't have related research and clinical experience, then you need to get some.

 

Besides that, make sure there are no grammatical/spelling mistakes anywhere in your app (common sense, but I see it happen where I work A LOT – I review applications), make sure you are following the prompt of the SOP (which means you might need to tailor it to each school), reach out to your POI via email and ask if they are accepting students and include a short blurb about yourself and why you are a great fit, and your GRE scores should be fairly close within the range.

 

So in sum, FIT and METICULOUSNESS (app should flawless and an obvious effort was made to tailor your application to that school and the POI) are the two things that should be a priority when you are putting together an application. It's all how you frame it in your SOP and CV. Like you are selling a product, yourself.

 

Honestly, the interview is more of the same (fit fit fit) & ability to discuss experiences, plus personality especially for clinical psychology.

[Tee Ell]

Also, as for the mentor, I have my dream job right now working with someone who does research in the field that I want to do research in. Email like crazy. Apply to positions like crazy. I had no contacts at one point. Before graduation I applied to over 100 research assistant positions. Yes, over 100. And I only got one interview and then one job offer for a position that wasn't my top choice. After a year of working in that position, I finally moved on to another experience (the one I am at right now). You have to be flexible while building experiences. PIs are crazy busy and not all like to mentor. Another piece of advice I have is to reach out to a PI that is close by to you in location (local colleges, hospitals etc.), explain to them why you are interested in their research (flexibility is key here), and ask them if you could volunteer your time to work in their lab. Browse the Internet. Many professors at colleges or clinicians at medical facilities do their own research and you could ask them if you could assist them with their research. And again, you might have to ask 50 people at many schools within an 1 hour radius of where you are located. It's all about getting your foot in the door sometimes, entering data you don't want to enter and doing things you don't want to do at first. And then slowly but surely proving your worth to that PI, or at the least putting it on your resume to get you a RA, Research Coordinator, Data Coordinator position. You gotta push to get that experience if you want it (not to say you haven't, I just know how hard it was for me, it was VERY hard at first because sometimes you get lucky but most times you need to apply to 100 jobs or volunteer to get an opportunity). Good luck!

[Generic_Applicant]

I am definitely reading every single one of these (and getting a bit overwhelmed.. lol) and it's all excellent advice. It does seem (maybe I'm wrong) and different things seem to have worked for different people? Can't wrap my head around what else I could do to make this work... 

I genuinely really appreciate all your advice!

[Generic_Applicant]

Some advice from my POI to go over and above basic requirements:

 "It will also be important to have a line of investigation that you can claim as yours. There are 2 parts to that:

 

a- it is important to demonstrate that you are constructing your own line of investigation. It can certainly be related to whatever your supervisor is doing but needs to be independent enough to let committees know that a piece of the work is yours.

 

b- it is preferable if your work has a common theme vs. several different lines of investigation (unless you can tie them together in a cohesive story). As a rule, committees like concentrated efforts vs. "dabbling" in different areas (and that is true through a person's entire academic career)

 

I've sat in a lot of these sorts of meetings over the years and there seems to be general agreement one dept. to another regarding these 2 points."

 

 

 

 

And regarding LOIs:

 

"In general, I suggest putting down as much concrete as possible regarding what you have done and what has come of that work. Personal statements are often seen by candidates as an opportunity to wax eloquently regarding their goals and future. That's not necessarily bad but I believe in the end these are trumped by statements where candidates clearly detail what they have done that warrants them being considered as good picks for a program. My own PhD advisor drove that home from the time I started working with him and now, having sat on the other side for many years, I see that he was correct."

 

 

Hope it's helpful! 

 

 

Edited February 19, 2016 by Generic_Applicant

[blubed]

I'd say applying outside of your "comfort zone" is important. If I only applied to schools in states that I wanted to live in, I wouldn't be going to school this fall. My two offers are from places that I can definitely see myself living (after going there for interviews), but they aren't places that I would choose to move to for reasons other than graduate school. And applying to MANY schools is important. I applied to 17 and got only 6 interviews. Who knows what would've happened if I only applied to 8? I might have goose eggs. So I'd say applying broadly.

My personal statement definitely helped. I have an interesting personal story that draws in the reader, so if you can think of a hook or a part of your life that others want to hear about-write it into your statement. 

I've also been told that my letters or rec were very supportive and thorough. It certainly helped that one of them was with a renowned researcher that I worked with for many years. So improve your social network if you can. 

You'll get there!

[Generic_Applicant]

3 minutes ago, blubed said:

I'd say applying outside of your "comfort zone" is important. If I only applied to schools in states that I wanted to live in, I wouldn't be going to school this fall. My two offers are from places that I can definitely see myself living (after going there for interviews), but they aren't places that I would choose to move to for reasons other than graduate school. And applying to MANY schools is important. I applied to 17 and got only 6 interviews. Who knows what would've happened if I only applied to 8? I might have goose eggs. So I'd say applying broadly.

My personal statement definitely helped. I have an interesting personal story that draws in the reader, so if you can think of a hook or a part of your life that others want to hear about-write it into your statement. 

I've also been told that my letters or rec were very supportive and thorough. It certainly helped that one of them was with a renowned researcher that I worked with for many years. So improve your social network if you can. 

You'll get there!

Hey, thanks for the reply. 17 schools? wow. That is a lot! Can I ask what the process was like for you? The most I have applied to is 5 and it seemed like so much work! How did you manage 17??

[blubed]

It is a lot, but you can definitely do it. I started looking for schools (lazily) in June and had a definite list by October (wasn't kidding about lazily). [If you want tips on how to find schools, let me know.]

I used excel to make a spreadsheet with info that was important to me. Avg time to degree completion, what's funding like, what's the average gpa/gre score, potential advisors and their specialty, attrition, etc.

I made another document for my letter writers with the school name, application due date, type of degree (all clinical phd for me), and a sentence or two about each advisor. I actually ended up using this document and expanding on it, so I put in addresses for sending transcripts, GRE reporting numbers, the personal statement question, login information for each website, etc. I sorted the schools by due date so I could prioritize submission. So then I sent out my GRE scores and transcripts (I sent mine all out within a week, early October). 

You'll already have your CV, writing sample, and transcript together because you gave them to your letter writers.

I chose the most comprehensive personal statement prompt, and wrote 4-6 drafts before it was good enough to start sending out. So it's early November now. I used the same personal statement for every school, and changed little details like switching out "scientist-practitioner model" to "clinical science model" depending on the school. Or adding a line about health disparities if that's an emphasis for the school, etc. For every statement, I changed the paragraph about my research interests/faculty interests/why the school is a fit for me. So I didn't write 17 personal statements. I wrote 1 statement and made revisions, whether it was for length, or taking out some sentences that weren't relevant to the school's particular question.

After your first few submissions, you will become a pro at this. You'll get to the point where you are concerned because you completed a statement in 30 mins. One night I submitted like 4 applications. I'd do every application to completion. Trying to do each one piecemeal and then going back and forth seemed like too much work and potential space for mistakes. You can do one a day roughly (you'll skip some for sanity and fun) and complete 15 applications in 3-4 weeks. 

I was done a couple weeks ahead of schedule for every application deadline (it'll be a wonderful feeling). If you find a level of organization that suits you, it makes it easier.

The hardest parts for me were making a final list of schools and writing my comprehensive personal statement, everything else becomes pretty mechanical and repetitive. 

[Psych_Law]

@blubed I can't imagine how much that costed you. Was that a factor that mattered for your or no? 

[Generic_Applicant]

20 minutes ago, blubed said:

It is a lot, but you can definitely do it. I started looking for schools (lazily) in June and had a definite list by October (wasn't kidding about lazily). [If you want tips on how to find schools, let me know.]

I used excel to make a spreadsheet with info that was important to me. Avg time to degree completion, what's funding like, what's the average gpa/gre score, potential advisors and their specialty, attrition, etc.

I made another document for my letter writers with the school name, application due date, type of degree (all clinical phd for me), and a sentence or two about each advisor. I actually ended up using this document and expanding on it, so I put in addresses for sending transcripts, GRE reporting numbers, the personal statement question, login information for each website, etc. I sorted the schools by due date so I could prioritize submission. So then I sent out my GRE scores and transcripts (I sent mine all out within a week, early October). 

You'll already have your CV, writing sample, and transcript together because you gave them to your letter writers.

I chose the most comprehensive personal statement prompt, and wrote 4-6 drafts before it was good enough to start sending out. So it's early November now. I used the same personal statement for every school, and changed little details like switching out "scientist-practitioner model" to "clinical science model" depending on the school. Or adding a line about health disparities if that's an emphasis for the school, etc. For every statement, I changed the paragraph about my research interests/faculty interests/why the school is a fit for me. So I didn't write 17 personal statements. I wrote 1 statement and made revisions, whether it was for length, or taking out some sentences that weren't relevant to the school's particular question.

After your first few submissions, you will become a pro at this. You'll get to the point where you are concerned because you completed a statement in 30 mins. One night I submitted like 4 applications. I'd do every application to completion. Trying to do each one piecemeal and then going back and forth seemed like too much work and potential space for mistakes. You can do one a day roughly (you'll skip some for sanity and fun) and complete 15 applications in 3-4 weeks. 

I was done a couple weeks ahead of schedule for every application deadline (it'll be a wonderful feeling). If you find a level of organization that suits you, it makes it easier.

The hardest parts for me were making a final list of schools and writing my comprehensive personal statement, everything else becomes pretty mechanical and repetitive. 

 I am beyond impressed... 

[blubed]

1 minute ago, Becks_Psych said:

@blubed I can't imagine how much that costed you. Was that a factor that mattered for your or no? 

Mostly, yes. I'm an RA and don't make much. I was able to save a lot of money because I did the McNair Scholars program so I didn't have to pay any application fees. If you say each app fee is an average of $50, I saved about $900. Would I have applied to 17 if I didn't do McNair? Yes. The schools that I would pass on to save money were so inexpensive anyway. It's the top tier programs like UCLA and BU that cost the most to apply to and I wouldn't pass on those opportunities to save 90 bucks. 

I spent about $450 on sending GRE scores (still a painful thought), another $120 on transcripts, about $1500 on interview travel. I don't get vacation time so I lost money for time I wasn't at work and paid to travel. So cost has definitely been a factor, but I didn't want to be at a disadvantage for not going in person. That was a personal choice. This approach is certainly expensive, but I don't have to do it again. I'll also note, I'm glad I went to 5/6 of my interviews in person. They were very similar on paper, and going gave me so much more invaluable information.

[blubed]

2 minutes ago, Generic_Applicant said:

 I am beyond impressed... 

Thank you! I think my past self would be surprised too. My major point is I really believe any one of you can do this! My spouse applied to 15 neuro programs (twice) and isn't nearly as organized as me. This is absolutely doable (if you want to do it). Don't doubt yourself.

[mylifeinshambles]

From my experience, there's no right or wrong answer on what makes you an appealing candidate. I applied to 10, in person interviews at 5, still waiting to hear back but accepted at 3. I don't have great cumulative GPA (<3.5), okay GREs, but I have a lot of research experience, great letters, and good SoP. I think my advisor was right in saying it's really the overall package they look at. I know plenty of people who interviewed at places like Stanford, Columbia, etc etc with a 3.3 gpa. 

[icantseethespacebar]

On 2/17/2016 at 8:33 AM, EveryDay said:

I'm with you. Last time I got interviews in a good percentage of my schools, without publications or super relevant experience (I got accepted too). I decided to wait for various reasons. Two years later I have a couple of publications, several conference posters, relevant experience in a strong group, with renowned people writing LORs for me, and I only got one interview (and possible rejection).

I will say that fit is very important, so even if you're great you might not get accepted. But that is already covered by the "contact your POI ahead of time" section. In any case, I did everything that people mention here (and I encourage everyone to do so), but the process feels like a crapshoot for me now.

I agree about the crapshoot. There are so many qualified applicants with so few available spots in these programs! Sometimes it just depends who else is applying at the same time...there could be someone with a skillset that is needed in the lab beyond what you may have! It's such a disheartening process. I'm in the same boat, with the one interview. And I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it was as good a fit for them as felt for me! Good luck!!