Social Psychology Fall 2017 Applicants

[C is for Caps Locks]

Ah, I see.

I guess sort of what I figured was:

If you apply to a social/personality POI, they're the ones who ultimately have to express interest in you, if you then also talk about working with one of the clinical POIs, then they (the social/personality POI) might facilitate a meeting or talk to said person about your research interests.

For example (and apologies if it's a bad example), I talked to one researcher who does work that's mostly neuroscience, she however asked me if there's anyone else in the psych department at the uni that I'd like to meet when I interview there (essentially she phrased it as "is there anyone more social psych(y) that you'd also like to work with or talk to").

 

Hurray for this process and the fact that it makes some of us think irrationally.

I think all of us need a lengthy vacation to recover after this cycle, I know that my mental state throughout the application process has wavered between great extremes.

Edited January 15, 2017 by C is for Caps Locks

[fadedfigures]

Would it be normal for a PI to take a few days to send out all the invitations for the students they want to work with? Or do you think PIs would send out all invitations in one go?

[soccerplaya]

23 minutes ago, fadedfigures said:

Would it be normal for a PI to take a few days to send out all the invitations for the students they want to work with? Or do you think PIs would send out all invitations in one go?

Sometimes applicants decline interview weekends (because they got into their top choice or something) and the POI has to choose whoever was next on their list. 

[Thunderdog]

Hey guys,

I'm new to Grad Cafe and since all of my friends were on it, I decided to check it out too - I'm glad I did! You guys have a really awesome thread going! I wish I had known about this earlier. I've applied to several social psych programs for Fall 2017. I'm just going to post what I have here - I've heard back from a couple of schools. Here's what I have so far:

NYU - [Already had pre-interview; invited to visit weekend]
U Washington - [Got an e-mail yesterday saying I was on the short-list but that it's still quite early in the admission process]
Simon Fraser University - [Had an interview that I enjoyed a lot; Was told I'll hear back at the end of the month]
Harvard - [No word yet; was told a week ago that my file had been completed and was being sent for review]
Yale - [No word yet - probably didn't make the cut since invites have already gone out] 
UCSC  - [No word yet]
CUNY - [No word yet]

I'm torn between all the places I've applied to, since I can see myself fitting in with each department. I haven't been extended any offers yet and if I end up getting more than two, I'm going stress out about where to go. LOL.

[Meroona]

Hello Everyone,

 

                       I am psychology major currently doing M.phil in psychology from my country pakistan, I will be completing my degree by end of 2017. i really want to apply till then in order to start my Ph.D soon.  i am interested in evolutionary social psychology, i am very much interested in program of u penn. what you people suggest what other unis i should consider....................... need you help.

 

 

Regards 

[C is for Caps Locks]

There are some really good labs/researchers that kind of combine evolutionary psychology and social psychology (University of Pennsylvania is definitely high up there and it's why I applied there).

But what topics are you particularly interested in studying?

Edited January 15, 2017 by C is for Caps Locks

[ZZZ42]

Hi everyone, 

I'm new to Grad Cafe. I have applied to 8 social programs but heard nothing yet... SO depressed now...

Has anyone heard anything from the College of Dartmouth?

[Emotix]

Has anyone heard from Penn State, Boston College, or UMass Amherst for social psych? I know Penn State did some phone screens, but anything about interview weekend? 

[ForeverJung]

Does anyone else plan on doing special behaviors after hearing back from programs? I now of a Clinical student who ate an ice cream bar after getting a rejection, because though she was rejected, she at least got to have ice cream. I am planning on getting though confetti things that you pull a string and confetti gets shot out for any good results. Don't know how I am going to "cope" with rejection, probably will just spend more time on writing manuscripts.  

[soccerplaya]

6 hours ago, ForeverJung said:

Does anyone else plan on doing special behaviors after hearing back from programs? I now of a Clinical student who ate an ice cream bar after getting a rejection, because though she was rejected, she at least got to have ice cream. I am planning on getting though confetti things that you pull a string and confetti gets shot out for any good results. Don't know how I am going to "cope" with rejection, probably will just spend more time on writing manuscripts.  

Mm I've failed two application cycles (in 2013 and 2014). I don't really know why but I just didn't care too much and knew if I kept working hard I'd get in eventually. Maybe read some of Duckworth's grit papers as a pick-me-up. It's normal to apply a few times before getting in; the two grad students in my lab needed to apply 3 times before they got into any of the top 20 programs.

[PennyIsAHockeyFan]

On 1/14/2017 at 6:17 AM, C is for Caps Locks said:

I'm currently wrapping up my undergrad at the University of Iowa and a week or two ago I heard from the grapevine that at least some of the professors here hadn't even started looking at applications yet (I'm guessing they'll start when classes start on the 17th of January), so it might be a little bit longer until they start emailing people (although  I can't make any guarantees).

-------------

As to my own applications:

Interviews (in-person*), all upcoming, with the universities comping my travel costs:

University of Pennsylvania

University of Texas at Austin

University of Toronto

University of California Irvine

New York University

*A couple of universities also seemed to do "pre-interview" interviews via Skype, but so far most of them have just called me to invite me to their interview/open house dates).

I went kind of crazy with the number of schools I applied to (15), but there's so many great programs/researchers and I really want to keep doing research. For the remaining schools, I'm just waiting to see if I'll hear from any more (I figure more options never hurts).

I also didn't have to interview but I was accepted to the PhD Social Psychology program (with a focus on social rather than personality type of work) at the University of Michigan with the PI I was most interested in working with, so that made my week/month/year.  

Oh hey U of T high five bruh

I'll be seeing you there!

I have to fly all the way from across the world though so I don't think they'll be comping my airfare (RIP wallet) but hey it's an interview yo

[fadedfigures]

Anyone hear from University of Denver? I tried reaching out to their department, but they don't have any updates. 

[C is for Caps Locks]

4 hours ago, PennyIsAHockeyFan said:

I have to fly all the way from across the world though so I don't think they'll be comping my airfare (RIP wallet) but hey it's an interview yo

The struggle is real, but I'd fly across the world for an interview it in a heartbeat (although RIP wallet indeed).

Edited January 17, 2017 by C is for Caps Locks

[djpetrie]

Hey everybody,

Just throwing in my name. Applied to 3 social programs.

U. of Kentucky

U. of North Carolina

Arizona State

Haven't heard anything yet. 

[soccerplaya]

41 minutes ago, djpetrie said:

Hey everybody,

Just throwing in my name. Applied to 3 social programs.

U. of Kentucky

U. of North Carolina

Arizona State

Haven't heard anything yet. 

ASU for ev psych? I just happen to work with two people who graduated from there.

[PennyIsAHockeyFan]

RIP just got a rejection from UCSD. Kinda expected it but it's still a bit sad.

[thirdfromthesun]

Hi all! I'm wondering if anyone has heard anything from either Penn State or UMich's joint programs in social psych/women's studies. Is it gauche to call the departments and ask for a timeline? (Working with limited travel funds and trying to weigh interview offers!)

[Blackwater]

From what I've seen on the results page penn state has done phone screening and it looks like UMich has selected their applicants. 

1 hour ago, thirdfromthesun said:

Hi all! I'm wondering if anyone has heard anything from either Penn State or UMich's joint programs in social psych/women's studies. Is it gauche to call the departments and ask for a timeline? (Working with limited travel funds and trying to weigh interview offers!)

 

[Godpsy]

Just wondering if anyone also applied to U illinois at urbana champaign?

I supposed it is one of the top programs for social psych but strangely no one ever talked about it here.

[thirdfromthesun]

3 hours ago, Blackwater said:

From what I've seen on the results page penn state has done phone screening and it looks like UMich has selected their applicants. 

 

I saw that some people had indicated interviews/acceptances for social/personality psych PhDs, but joint-degree applicants might be considered on a different timeline (as it's a different track). Thanks anyway!  

[dormcat]

5 hours ago, thirdfromthesun said:

Hi all! I'm wondering if anyone has heard anything from either Penn State or UMich's joint programs in social psych/women's studies. Is it gauche to call the departments and ask for a timeline? (Working with limited travel funds and trying to weigh interview offers!)

I got into UMich for the joint psych/WS program last week. I'm not sure about others in the department, though, since I heard directly from my PI. I do know they sent out a rejection email earlier this week or last week, since there were a lot of posts on the results page.

[dormcat]

On 1/16/2017 at 10:30 PM, soccerplaya said:

Mm I've failed two application cycles (in 2013 and 2014). I don't really know why but I just didn't care too much and knew if I kept working hard I'd get in eventually. Maybe read some of Duckworth's grit papers as a pick-me-up. It's normal to apply a few times before getting in; the two grad students in my lab needed to apply 3 times before they got into any of the top 20 programs.

Definitely. I applied in 2013 to one school (against the advice of my mentor, so naive) and didn't get in. My friend's dad is fairly well known in neuroscience and he applied four or five times before he got in. I think we like to think adcoms are basically robots making the objectively best choice but what matters to them one year might be irrelevant another year. It all depends on who you're competing with and what funding looks like!

[veileddreamer]

Hi all. Just wanted to add some data to this post, lol.

Columbia, Duke, Dartmouth, U Pitt, Princeton, UVA: have heard nothing

UCLA: professor reached out for phone interview in mid December; went OK, not a great fit; no invite to interview weekend

U Denver: professor I didn't even apply under reached out just a few days ago (so apparently no final decisions have been made?); no other contact

U Michigan Ann Arbor: rejected by email 01/17

My stats are pretty strong for a senior undergrad (GRE: 170 VR, 160 QR, 6.0 AW; one second author; honors thesis; fellowship; etc.) but I know that getting in right out of your B.S. is really hard these days. 

[C is for Caps Locks]

5 hours ago, Godpsy said:

Just wondering if anyone also applied to U illinois at urbana champaign?

I supposed it is one of the top programs for social psych but strangely no one ever talked about it here.

Yeah, I applied to UI-UC as well, they've got a great program and a lot of awesome researchers.

Talked to my POI via Skype and so far all I've heard about the department sounds great.

---

@thirdfromthesun

A couple of us here got accepted into U of M last week and I think one person was part of the joint women's studies program (sorry for not linking but my phone sucks).

Edited January 18, 2017 by C is for Caps Locks

[Phd2b18]

Hey everyone,

I've applied to the following social psychology phd programs with no communication: Columbia, NYU, The Graduate Center (CUNY), Rutgers - New Brunswick.

Has anyone else applied to any of these institutions and if so were you contacted?