Showing Ivy League Potential???

Graduate School
1

<p>I am a 20 year old undergraduate Psych major, Stats minor, thats interested in Columbia's Teachers College -Clinical Psychology program (particularly the spirituality clinical masters program, even though it is the goal to get a Doctorate in Clinical Psych). My interests lie in religions effects on individuals and its pros, and cons, to mental health. I am currently at a small D2 in south texas, but originally from Toronto, Canada.</p>

<p>GPA: 3.96
GRE: taking in the Fall
Major: Psych
Minor: Stats
Electives: Directed Research, Anatomy, Ethics, Spirituality & mental health, Psychopharmacology </p>

<p>Research Assistant: 2 years of assisting with cognition research</p>

<p>Personal Research/ work experience:<br>
-Another student and I are conducting our own research in cognition under the supervision of a professor. (research has a chance of being published, the professor supervising the research has many publications in the area of the same work) </p>

<p>-The same student and I are conducting our own correlational study in the area of religions effects on anxiety, also under the supervision of a professor. </p>

<p>-Working as a student mentor, I assist the incoming freshmen deal with issues such as work, school, family, relationships, etc.</p>

<p>Affiliations:
-Psi Chi Honor Society
-Golden Key Honor Society
-Honors College (advanced classes and thesis)
-Philosophy Club
-D2 Track Athlete
-Religious Pluralism Club (co-founder, in progress...) </p>

<p>Establishment: Co-founded the "Room of Reflection" on campus, students of all religious affiliations can come, pray, socialize, relax, and learn about other religions in a accepting environment. (in progress...) </p>

<p>The only variable I cant account for at the moment is the GRE, but I will be taking it shortly.
Other than that, do you think i'm a fit for Columbia's Teachers College, or other big named Colleges??? Or do I need some extra work experience??? Criticize me!!!!
Thank you! </p>

2

<p>Psychology is one of my fields and I go to Columbia (although GSAS, not TC). I do have a friend in the MA clinical psych program at TC.</p>

<p>It’s my impression that clinical psych at TC isn’t even particularly difficult to get into. As has been mentioned elsewhere, Ivy League is just an athletic conference, not an indicator of quality or selectivity. I think you could easily get into TC’s clinical psych program with your stats.</p>

<p>But with that said, why are you applying for an MA at all? You’re already competitive for PhD programs in clinical psych, with 2 years of research experience and a high GPA. If you get a high enough GRE score (at least around 155 on each section) you’d be quite competitive for some great clinical psychology programs.</p>

<p>To be really honest, MAs in psychology do not improve your chances of getting into a clinical psych program UNLESS you have some academic blemish, like low GPA. Some people use an MA in psych as a stepping stone because they want to raise their GPA. But with a 3.96, PLEASE don’t spend the astronomical amount of money TC costs to get an MA in clinical psych. If you really, REALLY wanted an MA, I would say go to a public institution and get one, but you don’t need it. The only thing I think you can really improve is research experience, and that’s not because you don’t have enough, but just because clinical psych is insanely competitive.</p>

<p>If you’re a junior now and you score well on the GRE (155+ each section) here’s what I recommend you do. In the fall, select 10-15 clinical psychology PhD programs, and apply. If you get in, your work is done, hooray!</p>

<p>If you don’t, then the culprit will simply be research experience. And it’s not because you don’t have enough; rather, it’s because clinical psych is so competitive these days that it’s common for folks to work for 2-3 years after college in some kind of research manager/associate/lab manager position to get extra experience and more recommendations. I have lots of friends in clinical psych in different programs at different universities, and even though many are at the same point in their programs as me they’re usually a couple of years older because they worked in between. Every lab manager my lab has had in the 6 years I’ve been in grad school (so 3 so far) has successfully gotten into some psych programs in their field, two in clinical (the other one did social). I also know some lab managers from other labs and they also successfully get into psych programs of their choice.</p>

<p>So if you don’t get in, you should apply to some lab manager/research coordinator positions at large universities and medical centers. All kinds of professors and labs hire lab managers, so look in departments of psychology but also in departments of neuroscience, psychiatry, schools of education, public health, medicine, nursing, etc., plus teaching/research hospitals, clinics, and outpatient facilities. Usually the position is listed as a “research coordinator” but other terms are “project director/manager/coordinator” and sometimes just “lab manager”. Also “research associate.” If you are working at a large university, you can probably also take some classes for free in the grad program (the lab managers in my lab all did). Do that for 2-3 years - while making money instead of spending it - and you’ll be more competitive for a clinical psych program.</p>

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<p>Thanks Juillet!
Very informative, gives me a few things to think about. </p>