Hi. I’m an international student here in the US and a junior majoring in pre-med psychology at a small private university. I’m planning on applying to Clinical Psychology (Neuroscience) programs for Fall 2017. My grades are great and I’m hoping my GRE scores follow suit. I haven’t had the opportunity to participate in long term research/internship programs yet, because of my international status. I’m wondering if my lack of experience will really hinder my application. I plan on spending this upcoming summer here, so that I can participate in some research. Any advice on how I can really put forth the best application possible?
Great to see your confidence in your words here. I can say that your chances are really not in danger as well as your grades and skills are concerned. But you need to make everything clear before the admission board in an impressive manner. List out each and every skills that you have within your application, because we don’t know what actually going to favor your efforts to get admitted for that particular course. In case of some students, truly their outside campus activities are also had an influence like playing football, baseball, basketball, etc., are favored many applicants so far. So I must say that you need draw the lines well enough without missing any skill to be highlighted in your submission.
@SteveJones: you certainly make big statements without knowing anything about the poster’s grades or the sorts of grad programs he/she is applying to.
The OP is applying to GRADUATE schools. Football or baseball is irrelevant. Grad schools will want top test scores (GRE) and superior letters of recommendation from professors or employers. Please learn what entails a grad school application package before offering your thin advice
Research experience. Research experience. Research experience!!! Most top graduate schools in the USA prefer to admit graduate students with significant research experience (as in years of research experience). Consider working after graduation if you cannot get research experience during undergrad.
Research experience … Ph.D. program yes — M.S. or M.A. program not so much (GPA /GRE determining factors)
Clinical psychology is extremely competitive; many students not only have undergrad experience but also 2-3 years post-college. Without research experience, you have very little chance of admissions.
If you’re a junior, you should try to get into some research ASAP! Your international student status shouldn’t hinder that; most undergrads volunteer in a professor’s lab and your citizenship is irrelevant to that. Find a professor doing some interesting research and find out if they are taking undergraduates. Your international status may impact summer opportunities (since many of those are NSF or NIH funded and only take citizens), but there are some programs that take international students, and you can always arrange an individual summer program to work with a professor part-time.
Also, what do you mean by “clinical psychology (neuroscience)”? PhD programs in those two fields are typically quite separate, although you could go into a department where you could use neuroscience as a concentration or a specialization area within clinical psychology. Then there’s clinical neuropsychology, which is different.