Applying this year v. waiting?

Graduate School
1

<p>I'm all set to apply this year (School Psych PhDs/some balanced, university-based PsyDs), but I'm beginning to wonder if that will just be throwing good money after bad, so to speak. My PI has funding for a part time RA job for me next year and if I could string together some part-time work elsewhere, I probably could make enough to cover my expenses, and health insurance would be available. I'd likely get a few more posters and publications and would be able to continue getting some clinical and child experience on the weekends and evenings.</p>

<p>I'd really like to go to grad school straight away. I have a clear idea of what I want to study and why I want to study it. I have research experience, child experience, and clinical experience, and I feel like I have solid preparation for grad school. However, I know PhD programs are very competitive, especially in psych. and if I have no reasonable chance of getting in, I've rather not just throw away several thousand dollars in GRE, transcript, and application fees.</p>

<p>Thoughts?</p>

<p>.....</p>

<p>Somewhat brief profile:</p>

<p>Fairly unprestigious flagship state U (love it, though!)
GPA: 3.78
Psych GPA: Haven't calculated it... Maybe a 3.95 or thereabouts?
GRE: 660 Q, 590 V, 5.0 AW (above average or average for most of the programs to which I'm applying, a bit below average at a couple)</p>

<p>Research experience--totals here at app time, and so most (except multicultural and neuropsych) are "missing" one semester:
-2 semesters multicultural psych/resiliency (transitioned into my multicultural thesis at this point and couldn't both be in the lab and work on my thesis, per my adviser)
-2 semesters neuropsych assessment research
-2 semesters DV/violence research
-2 semesters disability psych research
-2 semesters child/parenting psych research
-6 semesters psychopharm research</p>

<p>Other research experience:
-PI of a project on disability/educational psych with a professor at another U
-1 year paid research assistantship in violence/disability psych</p>

<p>Theses:
-Undergraduate thesis in multicultural educational psych (defended prospectus in the Spring; hoping to this finish this semester but we'll see)
-Undergraduate thesis in personality/substance misuse (everything finished; hoping to defend mid-Octiober)
-Honors Thesis in disability/school psych (defended prospectus in summer, starting data collection now)</p>

<p>Posters:
-Couple of local conferences; one won an award for outstanding poster in the social science division
-Two posters/presentations accepted at a national conference (one first author, one second author) </p>

<p>Publications:
-One peer-reviewed pub (3rd author)
-Second or third author on one being submitted this month; authorship (order unknown) on one being submitted in Oct.</p>

<p>Honors/awards/grants:
-General academic scholarships from my university
-Small, named academic/leadership scholarships from another organization
-RAship funded under a national grant in which I am named and helped write</p>

<p>Teaching experience:
-4 semesters teaching an internship seminar for psych students
-1 semester teaching a freshman seminar on human behavior (instructor of record)
-3 semesters TAing for freshman honors courses
-1 semester TAing for intro psych</p>

<p>Clinical/child experience:
-2 years facilitating substance misuse seminars and therapy-ish groups for undergrads
-1 year internship working with college students with disabilities
-1.5 years of volunteering at a children's science education center
-Summer of volunteering at a therapeutic preschool for children with behavioral issues
-Summer of volunteering at children's science summer camps
-Intermittent volunteering at a children's transitional home</p>

2

<p>So what is your concern? Or do you just like posting your CV? :P</p>

3

<p>Several thousand dollars? How many programs are you applying to?</p>

4

<p>You have a good GPA, a lot of good research experience, good GRE score for your program.</p>

<p>Yeah, I would be worried too…</p>

5

<p>I agree with sarbruis… several thousand? I’m applying to at most 12 programs and I’m estimating the expenses will be ~ 2200, that’s including <em>everything</em>, even GRE prep material and writing the tests (subject and general). And I’m only going for so many because I’m international. I might not get in anywhere either, but if you want to do it and have a reasonable chance of getting in, as you do (I’m not in psych so I don’t know your actual chances), why not? Look at the big picture, it is only 1000-2000 dollars… Honestly, that’s not that much (and I’m lower-middle class at best). To me, “I really want to go to grad school right away” is reason enough.</p>

6

<p>Let’s review:</p>

<p>-Your GPA is very good, indicating more A’s than B’s.
-Your psychology GPA is near perfect.
-Your GRE scores are solid (and they are quite frankly the least important part).
-You have a lot of research experience for an undergrad, including a PIship!
-Three theses? = three independent projects
-Two presentations at national conferences
-Peer reviewed publications - you have more than a lot of graduate students have
-lots of teaching experience</p>

<p>Why on EARTH do you think you won’t get into psychology programs? Honestly, you’re competitive enough for clinical psych, much less school psychology.</p>

<p>Even if you were only a slightly above average candidate, applying to graduate school is always worth it. It’s an investment in your future, if you want a career in a field that requires a graduate degree. It’s a small initial investment for big overall rewrds. But you are an excellent candidate, far above average in my estimation. Just for the record, I am in your field and I was considered an outstanding candidate, and my record was nowhere near yours coming out of undergraduate!</p>

<p>Definitely apply this year. And don’t lowball yourself. Apply for top programs that are good fits for you. I know that we tend to denigrate ourselves and feel like imposters, but let me reiterate - you are a very good candidate, a pretty outstanding applicant in the field, don’t shortchange yourself.</p>