<p>Hi,
I'm currently slaving myself over the application process for the doctorate program in Clinical Psychology. I would love to have you guys share your experience in the application process and if anyone got into the clinical psychology program with lower-than average GPAs or GREs?</p>
<p>Here's my dilemma:</p>
<p>1) 3.2 cumulative gpa ; 3.4-3.5 psychology gpa . GRE will take in 2 weeks</p>
<p>2) Research experiences: research assistant at several labs for 3 years: running a social interaction experiment as a confederate; assisting in a cognitive decision task at a cognitive lab; </p>
<p>I was selected for an independent research program, designing and conducting an online study that seeks to draw a correlation between sense of self and influencibility;
The research program involved strong factorial statistical training</p>
<p>I'm currently in a neuro and a cognitive neuro labs. I get to learn and perform analgesics perfusion into lab animals for brain slices. After slicing brain tissues, I help perform the extracellular electrophysiological recording. </p>
<p>3) internship at a mental health association for a semester under the supervision of a clinical psychologist. Direct interaction with patients through facilitating a support group; trying my best to fulfill the needs of patients by contacting local providers to find alternative treatment options.</p>
<p>4) was a former news editor. One publication ( co-authored in a study: application for mental rotation), several personal publications on a news website. </p>
<p>****Please give me some advise on how to improve my chances for getting into the clinical psyc programs. I really do not want to give up on my long-term aspiration.</p>
<p>Do as I say, not as I did…1. apply to schools in less desirable parts of the country. Don’t focus on NY, Chicago, California. 2. Hire the best GRE tutor you can find and get those scores into the 700s. 3. Pull strings–who you know at schools matters. If someone on the board or a prof there can speak up for you it carries a lot of weight–though the schools will never admit it. 4. Consider school psych, and PsyD programs–they are less competitive and have advantages in terms of practicums and internships. 5. Know what you are getting yourself into: Managed care has taken half the earnings of general therapists, and tenured university slots are shrinking. Research jobs are largely dependent on grants and grants once bestowed are often yanked after a year or two. If I could do it all over again I’d aim for Med school and psychiatry. One alternative is to get an MSW and then SPECIALIZE in something. specialists are often able to have lucrative fee based practices. Examples are child/adolescent therapy, CBT with a specialized population, drug treatment, divorce mediation etc. Good luck!</p>
<p>These are extremely competitive programs. The APA programs will be less likely to take you right out of college, and I believe they will look for a higher GPA. They want solid researce AND work experience.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>It’s not really about location, it’s about fit. If you are a great fit with a professor at a program in New York or Chicago, and they want you, they will work to get you in. Don’t shut yourself out of programs because of location in either direction. Find professors who are doing what you want to do and really tailor your application there for that research.</p></li>
<li><p>As someone already suggested, contact professors ahead of time to talk about your interests and see if they are taking graduate students. At this point, though, you will be but one student in a flurry of other students who are doing the exact same thing. You have to make yoruself stand out in a good way.</p></li>
<li><p>I agree with onceburnt that if you want to counsel, look into getting an MSW and becoming a LCSW instead. IMO you should only go for the PhD in clinical psych if you want to be a scientist-practitioner.</p></li>
<li><p>Are you still in college? Many clinical applicants don’t get in until they’ve done ~2 years as a research coordinator/assistant/manager in a psych lab. This is usually on top of 2-3 years as an RA in undergrad. So trying to secure one of those jobs will help.</p></li>
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