Interview Dates and Paranoia

[Crystalizedjade]

Hey all, I've been obsessively checking the results search page for some of the schools I applied to but haven't been seeing anything from some of the schools. I applied to the cognitive track in pretty much all the Psych PhD programs. I'm an international student going to a top school in the Middle East (though that doesn't really count for much, but still ). I have a BS in Bio and am about to finish MA in psych this spring. Ugrad GPA 4.0, grad GPA 3.5, subject GRE 780 (97th percentile), I did the GRE twice with my highest scores as: general GRE 740Q, 700V, 5.5 AW. (The first time I had 590V so I repeated it to raise my verbal and my second time my Q went down a bit to 710). No publications, and my research experience is not even in my own field (my university has crap funding and no equipment), but I'm working on my MA thesis so that counts for something I guess.

I got 3 interviews so far, but 2 of the schools had early January deadlines (Northeastern and Notre Dame) and one was from Temple (Dec. 15 deadline). I know I still have time for the schools with Jan 15 deadlines, but I haven't heard anything from the schools with earlier deadlines like UChicago, WUSTL, U Toronto, Boston U, and Georgetown. There isn't anything in the results search about them in psychology either (except one person who posted a rejection from BU, but that was in clinical). So either they have way too many applicants, are super slow, or people simply aren't posting their results.

So, has anyone heard anything from BU, UChicago, WashU, U Toronto, or Georgetown? I'd really appreciate it if you guys could fill me in. I already got rejected from Ann Arbor (was a long shot anyway) and that was an early deadline like these other schools, and if I'm not getting into those schools I'd rather know sooner than later!

Thanks!

[Jadie]

U Toronto doesn't do formal interviews, I don't think.

Did you apply to/contact specific POIs there? If you did, you may receive an informal interview with your POI(s). Then you just have to wait for them to invite you to the visiting weekend sometime in late February/early March. If you get an invite to this weekend, you're pretty much accepted into the program.

Edited February 1, 2010 by Jadie

[Crystalizedjade]

U Toronto doesn't do formal interviews, I don't think.

Did you apply to/contact specific POIs there? If you did, you may receive an informal interview with your POI(s). Then you just have to wait for them to invite you to the visiting weekend sometime in late February/early March. If you get an invite to this weekend, you're pretty much accepted into the program.

Thanks for replying Jadie. I got in contact with professors in every program before I applied. Specifically, the profs at BU and Carnegie Mellon asked me some informal interview questions (but this was back in September). After I applied to all the schools, I'd email the POIs letting them know I applied. The same profs at BU and Carnegie Mellon replied and said they'd look out for my application. This is why I'm worrying about interviews and wondering if they even started them since I'm not seeing anything on the results search for Psychology in the previously mentioned schools (and their deadlines were really early - Dec 1 till Dec 10).

I live in the Middle East and no schools can afford to fly me out (the 3 interviews I received so far were either Skype or phone). I talked to the POIs and soon I'm going to have 2nd round phone calls with other profs. They sure like to take their sweet time in replying though. They tend to make me wait 1-2 weeks before confirming a phone interview, but they are probably really busy (and I'm super impatient!). Argh, I just want to get in SOMEWHERE. I really liked all the schools I applied to.

[Psych316]

When did you receive the NEU interview? I got one for their school psychology MA/CAGS but I haven't heard anything from the experimental PhD program yet!

[Crystalizedjade]

It was a Skype interview with the POI. I had been in contact with her since September and she told me back in Sept. that when I apply to email her and she'd set up a Skype interview. I guess it depends on who you applied to work with.

[Crystalizedjade]

The interview was on January 11 (lol forgot to say that)

[spacegirl]

U Toronto doesn't do formal interviews, I don't think.

Did you apply to/contact specific POIs there? If you did, you may receive an informal interview with your POI(s). Then you just have to wait for them to invite you to the visiting weekend sometime in late February/early March. If you get an invite to this weekend, you're pretty much accepted into the program.

Jadie- how do you know this? does U of T send out acceptances prior to this visiting weekend?

[Jadie]

I was told by people, including professors and students from last year.

The invites are sent out by POIs, and once you're asked to go to the recruitment event, you have a pretty good chance of getting accepted. There isn't a formal interview, though I expect that you'd be able to meet with professors during the recruitment event.

Edited February 6, 2010 by Jadie

[spacegirl]

I was told by people, including professors and students from last year.

The invites are sent out by POIs, and once you're asked to go to the recruitment event, you have a pretty good chance of getting accepted. There isn't a formal interview, though I expect that you'd be able to meet with professors during the recruitment event.

Thanks for the info!