Application Feedback?

[Psychologyandpizza]

I'll be applying to clinical psychology programs for a second time, but not until next fall. This year, I'll be a first year M.S. student studying experimental psychology at a state university in WI. Looking to get some input on my chances/what I should be improving on for next year's application cycle. 

 

I graduated in May '16 with my B.S. in Psychology and a minor in Neuroscience. Overall GPA of 3.44 (which I know isn't very good), however my psych and neuro GPA's are both higher than my cumulative. Hoping to have a relatively high Masters GPA to help offset undergrad gpa.

Research experience: Obviously quite a bit, as that is what my masters will be in. 3+ years by time of graduation, in multiple labs (counseling psych, health psych, psychology of sexuality labs), also including a Master's Thesis. Two years experience as the Project Manager of the UW System Counseling Impact Project, which examines the utilization and effectiveness of UW counseling centers at 17 universities. Most of my presentations/pubs are in counseling and sexuality research. 

Presentations: Currently, I have 6 from this past year at various state, regional, and national conferences/convention

Pubs: 3 in preparation, 1 will be submitted in the next month, 1 other should be accepted for publication prior to applying, the last may not be ready by my next application cycle.

Internships: one in an outpatient mental health facility, another in a domestic violence program (both for 8 months each)

Recommendations: 1 over the top outstanding, 1 pretty great, and my last will probably come from my thesis advisor.

Other Info: I can demonstrate an ability to secure funding, as I have received research grants in the past. Also feel OK about my GRE scores, 80% Verbal, 65% Q, 81% AW, but I'm considering studying this year and retaking them next summer before applying again. 

 

What do you all feel I should focus my little free time on improving before next fall? Any feedback is so appreciated! and good luck to everyone applying!

Edited August 25, 2016 by Psychologyandpizza

[Plasticity]

Sounding solid. Everyone with a master's degree who applies generally has a 3.8-4.0 so make sure you hit that. Figure out what you want to research for the next 5+ years, get a narrowed down research/clinical focus. 

[St0chastic]

I know that some programs have GPA cutoffs, so check with the director of graduate studies at each school to see if they have one and how strictly they enforce it.  Hopefully, a high Master's GPA can offset a mediocre undergrad GPA.  *An aside: Does anyone else think it's crazy that we now consider a 3.4 to be mediocre?  IMO that should be a good GPA, and anything above a 3.6 should be spectacular.  Grading criteria should be standardized across professors, classes, departments, and even schools, otherwise it's a pseudo-meaningless number.  There's no easy way to do this unfortunately.*

I think you are doing all the right things.  Focus on your research projects and good things should come your way.  Letters of recommendation are super important and can help convince admissions committees that you have the academic and intellectual aptitude to succeed as a researcher.  

I would definitely recommend retaking the GRE.  Your scores aren't bad, but because your GPA is lower than other applicants' you need to really shine here.  I would spend a solid 1-2 months preparing for it using resources like Magoosh, Khan Academy, the Manhattan 5 lb. Book of GRE practice problems, and all of the official material that ETS publishes.  To be competitive for clinical you should ideally be scoring >90% verbal and >80% quant.  It may also be worth taking the psychology GRE subject test.  After doing your Master's it should be relatively easy to score >90% on that, especially if you review with an intro psych textbook and a guide from either Barron's or Kaplan.

My final piece of advice is the same that I tell to all clinical applicants--apply to a lot of schools (at least 15)!

[Plasticity]

1 hour ago, St0chastic said:

 

My final piece of advice is the same that I tell to all clinical applicants--apply to a lot of schools (at least 15)!

Have to disagree here. Spend extra time on schools you fit really well and are competitive at (GRE/GPA somewhat close to) and send 4-6 GREAT apps at programs and maybe a couple "reach" programs. Rather than 10+ apps to schools that you "could" fit at and send "decent" apps too.  Spend weeks, months if you have them, on the writing parts of your applications and start a fresh one for each program. Admissions can see personal statements that have been copied/pasted or are a generic. 

First time I applied I got wrapped up in the number of programs (applied to 8 clinical and a couple neuro), I ended up not having a lot of time to make the best apps I could. Second time I really only fit at one clinical program that was accepting (and was a reach) and fit better at neuroscience programs. I got into 4/5 programs I applied to. Applying in numbers does not always increase odds unless you have the chance to send the best app you possibly can to each one imo.

[St0chastic]

22 hours ago, Plasticity said:

Have to disagree here. Spend extra time on schools you fit really well and are competitive at (GRE/GPA somewhat close to) and send 4-6 GREAT apps at programs and maybe a couple "reach" programs. Rather than 10+ apps to schools that you "could" fit at and send "decent" apps too.  Spend weeks, months if you have them, on the writing parts of your applications and start a fresh one for each program. Admissions can see personal statements that have been copied/pasted or are a generic. 

First time I applied I got wrapped up in the number of programs (applied to 8 clinical and a couple neuro), I ended up not having a lot of time to make the best apps I could. Second time I really only fit at one clinical program that was accepting (and was a reach) and fit better at neuroscience programs. I got into 4/5 programs I applied to. Applying in numbers does not always increase odds unless you have the chance to send the best app you possibly can to each one imo.

If your choice is between sloppily putting together a lot of applications for PIs you aren't a good fit for vs. carefully tailoring your application to a handful of programs then I agree completely.  I just know a couple of super qualified people who only applied to a few places and ended getting in nowhere.  

Since I applied to cog neuro programs which aren't as competitive as clinical I only sent out eight applications.  But if I had decided to go clinical I think I would have cast my net more widely.

Edited August 26, 2016 by St0chastic

[Jay's Brain]

On 8/26/2016 at 7:41 PM, St0chastic said:

If your choice is between sloppily putting together a lot of applications for PIs you aren't a good fit for vs. carefully tailoring your application to a handful of programs then I agree completely.  I just know a couple of super qualified people who only applied to a few places and ended getting in nowhere.  

Since I applied to cog neuro programs which aren't as competitive as clinical I only sent out eight applications.  But if I had decided to go clinical I think I would have cast my net more widely.

 

 

I guess just to chime in here, the application process for everyone is quite different. I'm on the side of agreeing that less may be more and quantity doesn't really describe quality. I applied to 5 programs, 4 clinical and 1 cog neuro, due to financial means and time constraints (mostly the former), and was accepted into 3/5. The application process is long and arduous, and applying to many adds more pressure and small working bits to worry about. The first step is to do thorough research on the schools that fit the best, decide which you feel like you will be competitive in, which will be a slight reach, and which are safety nets, and choose the right number that spreads yourself across all 3 categories. 

For @Psychologyandpizza sounds like you have a solid application! Discuss how your current Master's project will orient you to a change of pace in clinical psychology. Discuss your current skills, and how they can be transferable to the place you go to next. I've learned through my own experiences and chatting with other students in my cohort that there is no defined clinical psychology student. GPA, research, GRE scores can be a wide-range (up to a point). The biggest thing to factor in is the fit, and the people that can acknowledge your ability to do well in the next program you pursue.

Good luck!!

Edited August 30, 2016 by Jay's Brain