<p>I'm just finishing my junior year and I'm a sociology and philosophy major. I have a 3.65 GPA and expect o graduate on time next year. My specialty is in social psychology, and I am just about to embark on my senior thesis. </p>
<p>Major GPA: 3.75
Upper Division GPA: 3.8
EC:
Dean's List
RA in 2 labs (World Systems and Social Psych Lab)
Referee for Intramurals
Senior Thesis (soon) :)</p>
<p>I'm also studying for the GREs this summer.</p>
<p>What are my chances at these schools:</p>
<p>Berkeley
UCI
UCLA
University of Washington
UCR
Columbia</p>
<p>Sounds good, what undergrad school are you going to? This plays a hand since a good undergrad program gives you more street cred as well. Do you want to get a PhD in social psychology or something else?</p>
<p>I'm a Berkeley undergrad in psych. Sorry to say, but I think admit weekend was in February. This means you probably didn't make it but call nonetheless.</p>
<p>Well then OP, your chances are as slim as most people's. UCLA, Berkeley, and Columbia social psych programs in particular are very very competitive. If you don't have at the very least a couple of poster presentations, you might want to hold off until you do. It's also important that you tailor your application to just one or two faculty members and it helps if your letter writers know the people you want to work with. Your inclusion of sports in your qualifications and your thinking in terms of "EC" makes me think that you think that grad admissions are very similar to undergrad admissions. This is not really the case.</p>
<p>No idea what your chances are but you should consider studying for and taking the GMAT in addition to the GRE. If you have a GRE score already you may be able to estimate your likely GMAT score.</p>
<p>You can broaden your possibilities and perhaps improve your chances by also looking at applied soc psych such as org behavior in schools of business management.</p>
<p>I'm not sure about the social psychology programs specifically. But for any competitive graduate program, usually taking a year or two off and doing work in the field (especially research) is a factor that schools often consider heavily. Either way my advice is to get as much research experience as you can (senior thesis is great, in addition you may want to look into interships or conference posters, your professors are probably the best people to help get you started with posters/presenting at a conference).</p>
<p>First.. before you react to the above suggestions that you consider a little more about what you need to know to be a competitive applicant, consider WHY you want to get the PhD when psych is one of the MOST competitive fields to get in. There are so many other options as social behavior in orgs in business schools, MA in counseling, etc.</p>
<p>It's going to be the first question that your professors will ask when you bring up the subject or ask them for letters. They went through a lot of crap and they'll want to know (though they'll be flattered that you want to join their ranks) why you want to go through the same thing.</p>
<p>Well I'm interested in how identity theory correlates with gambling patterns/addiction. According to my professors, there has been little no research done about this topic. Do you think this is enough to bump me over?</p>
<p>No way. You're going about this the wrong way. Just because you have some innovative research idea doesn't mean you're a good candidate for any program. You've got to have a good research idea that nicely fits within a particular faculty member's research interests.</p>
<p>Yeah basically what dobby said. You have to read... a lot first to professors' works that interests you. You're going to be their slave for quite some time before they let you develop your own projects. If you're interested in this idea, then go to the journals and find articles relating to it... and then find out where these researchers are and those are going to be the programs on your list. They may not necessarily be on your original list above.</p>
<p>I mean... they're just going to ask you "Well, besides, research, what else do you want to do with your PhD?" I mean, everybody goes to grad school and PhD programs to do research and that's no different. What do you want to get out of graduate school? That's my point and that's one of the big things the adcoms will be looking for- a committed student who can capitalize his/her experience in graduate school.</p>
<p>Thanks for all your input. I've been doing some research on professors, and I am pleasantly surprised to find some professors doing research on addiction with an emphasis on identity theory. Its actually opened my eyes to new institutions. </p>
<p>GRE is mostly for screening purposes, so if you can replicate that high score you'll be competitive but it's no guarantee. Who at Berkeley does identity theory and addiction, BTW?</p>
<p>You're joking that you nailed a 800 on your first try on the GRE? Can I borrow your brain? :)</p>
<p>Grad school is NOT about chances in the same way as undergrad. Grad school is much, much more arbitary process (aka politics/subjective). While the adcoms do look at the whole package, they will read your SOP (Statement of Purpose) first and that's when you want to wow them instead of letting the rest of your application do the speaking. True, some programs will start with GPA and GRE cutoffs (you'll have to do a bit of research to find out) before the SOP can be read. </p>
<p>With such limited space and low admissions rates, no one can really give you a chance. You'll just have to do the best you can and be prepared to have Plan B in mind (which means work in the field as a research assistant). The people who can help you the most are usually your professors- go for the younger ones if you can as they just recently got their PhDs and more in tune of what grad schools are up to. You should also listen to what your professors say where you should apply because there's a chance that they have good friends in the program that they can personall vouch for you.</p>
<p>Thanks ticklemepink. Yea I was surprised at my Q score. So i was talking with my principle investigator,and her husband was the former chair at Indiana and Washington State. I was like holy shat!</p>