PhD Program. What're my odds?

[college12349]

Hello all,

I am currently an undergraduate at a small northeastern university. I am interested in getting my PhD in I/O Psychology from places such as UMD, Baruch, Penn State, GWU.

I currently have a 4.0 GPA, have co-authored an article being sent out to a journal, am working on a second thesis, and am lab director of a research lab. I have yet to take the GRE, but I am confident.

I know admission to PhD programs are tough. Based on my brief descriptions, what do you think of my chances?

[Blackwater]

Sounds like if your LORs and GRE scores are good you'll be a strong candidate. As long as your research interests match well with those programs. 

[Square49]

Just building off what Blackwater said, though your GPA is without a doubt impressive, it may not be taken as seriously depending on the "prestige" of your school. However, if that is the case, you can combat that with a strong GRE. That GPA and a high GRE can get you into a lot of places so long as your SOP and LOR's are sufficient. Committees will also be very receptive to the publication and other credentials on your CV. With that said, I would encourage you not to get set on a few particular schools quite yet. Rather, constructive a tentative list based on research interests. Make sure that list includes schools that are relatively diverse in rankings. Use this website http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-humanities-schools/psychology-rankings/page+6. Pick a couple from the top 10, top 20, top 30, and so on. I am pretty sure psychology is an ultra competitive field in academia, so getting into the highest ranked school you can is important. 

 

Also, it is good to be confident about the GRE. Though, you should avoid the mistake of being too confident. Make sure you study and study smart. I recommend buying Manhattan flash cards, both the essential and advanced combo. For the quantitative section I would recommend downloading the free study guide on the ETS website. There are also some great apps you should get on your phone. Youtube was another useful resource for me because there are videos aimed at test taking strategy. 

 

Good luck with your applications!

 

[Brooke2016]

The GRE is not a plain old ordinary test. It takes preparation. I studied for 6-8 hours/day Monday through Saturday for close to 6 months. I scored well, but it was certainly due to my preparation. I went through just about every prep book on the market (I went to Barnes and Noble and sat there with a notepad so that I didm;t have to actually BUY al of the books... yes, I am cheap). I also took a Manhattan Prep course and took at least 6 timed practice tests. This may seem excessive, but believe me, it helps.

I would advise staying away from Princeton Review material. It seemed "gimmicky" to me.

[meggied]

I strongly recommend taking the GRE early and using Magoosh. You should study and then register for the exam when you feel ready rather than just signing up. When people sign up they tend to put off studying. I did really well on the GRE (V: 161 Q: 170) and from others I know it really helps secure funding. 

I think you have a good shot of getting in but it is hard for others to answer that. Schools all look for different things and sometimes it's shocking which schools accept you versus which don't.