I plan to apply for Clinical Psychology PhD programs this December, and I would appreciate some insight into where I stand regarding competitiveness. I know I am nowhere near the top competitive applicants, but I would like to know if I should apply this fall or hold off another year.
I will be graduating this May with a 3.94 GPA. I have not yet taken the GRE, but I have a decent track record when it comes to standardized testing. I have a year of research experience in two separate labs, which I worked in simultaneously, and I have two conference presentations. I will be working as a research assistant for the gap year I planned between undergrad and graduate school. I am graduating two years early which is why I have such little research experience and decided to take a gap year. Is my early graduation something that will be looked down upon?
I am looking to submit applications to more than 10 programs to increase my chances. I have been doing my research and half of those programs seem like an excellent fit for my research interests. I will be applying to master’s programs in counseling psychology as a back-up plan.
For those of you familiar with the admissions process, should I take my shot at applying this year or wait another year to strengthen my application?
Any and all feedback is helpful. Thank you for your time!
I think you should take the shot.You actually have a great packet, but you’re right in guessing that your one year of research experience would’ve held you back a little. I think you should be pretty competitive for this 2018-2019 round, and you’ll be even moreso in 2019-2020 if you don’t get in anywhere and have to apply again.
Do you have any clinical volunteering experience, like at hospitals or mental health clinics or the like? If you don’t, that may be an area where you want to spend some time in, particularly if you are applying to any scientist-practitioner programs (as opposed to only clinical science programs. You can see a program’s orientation on their website.)
I would not apply to programs that are not an excellent fit for your research interests. If there are only 5-7 schools that are a truly excellent fit, then only apply there. You don’t want your one below-average area of your packet to put you in a poor-fit department, especially since one extra year can take you into average to above-average territory. Just scope yourself to places that are a really good fit for you.
And if I were you, I wouldn’t apply to master’s programs in counseling psychology as a back-up plan. Your back-up plan is staying on and working an additional year as a research assistant. With a major in psychology, a 3.94 GPA and what will be two years of research experience, you won’t need the MA to be competitive. if you’re “missing” anything it’ll be additional research experience and/or clinical experience.
I do not have any clinical volunteering experience, but I was hoping to obtain some during the summer. I will be applying to a mix of scientist-practitioner programs and clinical science programs. I will also heed your advice and apply only to programs that are an excellent fit for my research interests.
About the MA, I had never thought about it that way, but thank you for bringing it into perspective. Your point makes a lot of sense.
Thank you for your feedback. It has given me much to think about!