<p>I'm currently a Junior in an Undergrad program in NY. I double major in Psychology and Political Science. By fall 2014, my expected Psych GPA will be a 3.6 or 3.7. My expected cumulative GPA will be a high 3.4 - almost 3.5. I plan to take the GRE in August and my intention is to score very well.</p>
<p>My research experience includes abroad field work in Psychology which I received course credit, T.A. for a Psych professor and doing research with her which is expected to be presented at a conference at the end of the semester, two courses which involved creating a study in the field of social psychology, an independent study which will involve creating a study with a Psych professor at my University, and an honors thesis which I will complete my senior year.</p>
<p>I am also a member of an international psychology honors society.</p>
<p>I can guarantee great letters of recommendation from three of my Psychology professors, and one hell of a personal statement, and purpose of statement.</p>
<p>What do you think my chances are? Do you have any tips on improving my chances?</p>
<p>Nobody can tell you your chances of getting into graduate school or any specific programs. There are so many factors - both ones that have to do with your application and things that have nothing to do with you - that it’s impossible to come up with any kind of numerical or ordinal rating. (I think one person joked that there’s a point estimate of 50% with a confidence interval of 0-100…lol.) But especially with you, there are so many unsaid factors - you don’t know your GRE score, you didn’t include how many years of research experience that is, etc.</p>
<p>But social psychology is one of my fields, so here’s what I think:</p>
<p>-Aim for a GRE score of 155+ on each section. That seems to be the new standard in social psych programs.</p>
<p>-Your GPA is okay; I had almost identical GPA stats (3.42 cGPA and 3.67 psychology major GPA) when I applied. But I also had VERY high GRE scores and otherwise strong research experiences, letters, and statement, so I think you need to balance out a lowish GPA with those things.</p>
<p>-Some of your included research experience seems to be courses in which you had to do research projects, but strictly speaking a lot of professors don’t really count that as “research experience.” RE is usually assisting a professor on a project or doing some kind of independent project, like your thesis or the independent study you’re doing with your professor. - it’s going above and beyond what you had to do to get your degree. Being a TA is not research experience - are you an RA for her? For how long? The honors thesis is not yet completed or begun so won’t weight very heavily (professors will like that you are doing one, but its quality cannot be evaluated at the time of application). Is the independent study class scheduled for next semester?</p>
<p>So you have the abroad field work (which I am assuming is a semester), possibly doing research with a professor (it’s not clear; I’m going to assume for a year), and potentially this independent study next semester. Depending on how much overlapping time there is that looks like it could be anywhere from 1-2 years of research experience. Now, time is not the only factor - quality of the projects and what you do with them is also the factor - but I will say that social psych is very competitive and 2 years seems to be the bare minimum these days. Several of my classmates had master’s degrees coming in (which used to be unheard of in the field!) and even the ones who did not either did undergrad research for 2-3 years or did undergrad research for 1-2 years and then did an additional 1-2 years after college as a full-time or part-time RA. (But you’re also a junior, and the 2 years usually included senior year.)</p>
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<li>So. Assuming that you will have very strong letters and an excellent state of purpose, you need to concentrate on making sure that your GRE scores meet minimum requirements for the program (and some of them may not list them, but they’re still expecting at least around 155 on each section). You may also need to beef up your research experience, although it’s a bit unclear how much you really have. If you’ve done research since sophomore year you’re probably fine; if you just started your junior year, that’s kind of borderline and you may find yourself expected to get more post-college RA experience.</li>
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<p>Your chances at getting into a program for a trendy area of interest in one of three trendy cities? Not so hot. </p>
<p>I don’t mean to burst your bubble. The big three cities intellectuals dream of in the US are NY, SF, and Chicago; any intellectuals-flavored program, even a mediocre one, in any of those cities is going to get applications out the wazoo. A person whose stats are on the high end of the slot hardly stands a better chance than 25% (just because they have to get really nitpicky, almost to the point of random, when they have four applicants with all the right measurables for every one open slot), and yours, while in the consideration area, are on the lower end of it). </p>
<p>I would not say that Chicago is a city that intellectuals dream of, much less in the top 3, but that’s probably my own personal bias, ha.</p>
<p>But this is partially true - all three of those programs are top 30ish social psychology programs, and NYU (which is the lowest ranked out of all of them) does have the extra “allure” of being in NYC. That’s not to say that you shouldn’t apply, though, if you are a competitive applicant. Non-competitive applicants who apply just because these programs are in trendy places are quickly weeded out. It’s just difficult to figure out whether or not you’re competitive because your description of your research was kind of vague.</p>
<p>Chicago is better than corn, or, for the average intellectual, at least, anywhere in the South. It is often a place chosen by people who think they are picking a ‘safety’ option. </p>