Did I ruin my chances for psych grad school?

Graduate School
1

I’m a psychology major in my last year of undergrad. I want to apply to clinical psychology programs next fall, but I’m afraid that I have an issue with my application that can’t be fixed.

I got a very bad grade in my advanced statistics class. I’m ashamed to even post it here, but it was terrible. I don’t really know why it happened, since I got A’s in all my other statistics and calculus classes, but it did happen and I can’t do anything about that. I know this is a big problem since statistics is so important for psychology.

I actually redid the original class this semester with the intention of getting an A, but I think I’ll end up with a B. Clearly, my plan of retaking it didn’t really work out for me. I think my problem with this particular class is anxiety. I know the material, but I’ve done badly in the past, so every time I write a test or exam, I panic and forget everything.

Would it help to take some different statistics classes? The only other ones at my school are in the math department and I don’t know how relevant they are, but I’m willing to try. I’m taking a year to improve my application before applying anyway. Also, I’m going to try hard to get a really high quant score on the GRE.

My GPA is still 3.75 even with the bad grade, and the rest of my application is fine as well. It’s just this one class. And now I’ve made things look even worse by retaking it and probably not getting an A. Is there anything I can do?

2

Yes, don’t worry so much. A B is not a big deal for graduate programs. The fact that you took it again shows that you are serious. You will likely have a chance to take a similar course again in graduate school.

3

I think Juillet is a better resource for psychology than either X-Ray or me…after all, Juillet earned a PhD in an area of psychology.

4

@xraymancs is right, though (as usual!)

First of all, one bad grade won’t tank your chances. I had an F in social psychology. An F! I got my PhD in social/health psychology.

Second of all, if you retake it and replace the grade with a B, you’ll be fine.

And third of all, it sounds like this is an advanced statistics class in the math department. Advanced statistics classes are like the cherry on top for psychology programs. They are excellent, and it’s great that you are taking them! But having taken them at all is like an additional good qualification. They’re not required.