Take stats and methods ASAP to be a touch more competitive. Moreover, expect that you'll need a top tier GPA from your school, think Magna Cum Laude. Even the best applicants don't get into all of their top choices and some don't get into any. (and how much debt you wound up in as a result of it, perhaps). I do agree with your insight about needing research experience- if that's what you want to do. To be a competitive grad school applicant you'll need to maintain an above-average GPA. Don't go into clinical, get above cut offs on the GREs, join labs as a volunteer (and get good letters from the profs), and get a GPA of over 3.5, and you won't have to worry about graduate school debt. You can find who has grant funds and who needs extra hands. I hope this gives you some hope. This is true. I'm currently a first-year Psychology major, and this is what I've wanted to do for many years. Don't go into clinical, get above cut offs on the GREs, join labs as a volunteer (and get good letters from the profs), and get a GPA of over 3.5, and you won't have to worry about graduate school debt. This might include administering surveys, entering data, and looking up research articles. Ph.D. Kind of liked some research but wish you could council people mostly in your future career? That's the thing- I put myself in a position to not just let the school interview me- I also interviewed my schools. This will be what gets you in. cost about fifteen thousand by going that route. In general, the more prestigious a program is, the more competitive it’ll be and thus the lower acceptance rate it’ll have. This is true, although there are more partial and full scholarships available out there for PsyDs than I initially thought (which was none). Their goal is to trim that down to a more manageable 20-30. Research experience is vital. Also, I didn't qualify for any grants because my parents made too much money... Ah, I'm going the 2-year college with intent to transfer to a 4-year route as well. I guess I just want to know if there's anyone else out there that's been down this road and made it to the PhD (or Psy.D) on the other side. It really all depends upon what you do over the next 3 or so years. Network early and often. Considering the ridiculous match rate (40ish% of students applying for an APA accredited internship do not match. A Reddit community for sharing and discussing science-based psychological material. I really can't imagine a situation where someone gets a Ph.D without research experience. Begin by organizing all of your information into a simple table. This shows a lot of dedication to research and psych, more than you could have shown during undergrad. This option often appeals to students with little preparation or low-grade point averages as supervised experience with a faculty member highlights your potential to become a researcher. Practitioner-scholar programs train students to be practitioners rather than researchers. Kelda. Applying to Graduate School in Psychology Provides prospective graduate students with the insider knowledge needed to bolster their confidence and gain a competitive edge. Note: Those are top tier schools, if you're looking at like a Southern Illinois or Cleveland State (I live in the midwest so I know this area best) PhD you can expect a stipend around 13-16K/year. Research experience shows that you can think like a scientist, problem solve, and understand how to ask and answer scientific questions. Hiya, I posted back when I first found your pod casts lasy year, Thats my now listend to them all todate lol I think its only taken about 6 months. Sounds like your parents paid for your tuition though, correct? How prestigious a particular grad school or program is can affect its overall competitiveness and selectivity. When you sound like a walking, talking scientific article, you are uninteresting. They do so by looking for "fit" - what experience you have doing research and what your goals are. Any other positive quality you might have will likely be possessed by someone else who does have research experience. Junior year make serious thoughts about the type of grad program you want. It often also includes tasks like copying and collating papers. I'm looking forward to it, but I know it's not for everyone. in psychology, minor in bio. I just graduated this past spring, with a B.S. So, since I sort of got off topic there, you can get by debt free if you are doing what you need to be doing right now. Getting in: Your grades, and test scores are used as exclusionary criteria, whereas research experience, letters of recommendation and your personal statement are inclusionary criteria. I have to argue with your use of the word "credible" as many people in this thread attending credible schools have already indicated they still have debt. Step 3. Some applicants gain research experience by earning a master's degree in a research-oriented field such as experimental psychology. If you can get paid, awesome. The APPIC Match process will be a lot easier. Why apply: If you cannot foresee yourself doing research for the rest of your life (i.e., you've done it before and you love it), you (a) are unlikely to get into a good program, and (b) will likely be extremely miserable. To be a competitive applicant, you’ll want to have been involved in research, which is the reason many people pursue graduate school in the first place. Research experience suggests a baseline skill level and is an indicator of your ability to succeed in the program and complete a dissertation. I also agree with being in contact with professors. I've read a lot of threads but they're mainly on graduate school. Looks like you're using new Reddit on an old browser. #1: School or Program Prestige. Scientist-practitioner programs train students in both science and practice. It goes a long way, I mean, put yourself in his position and you have likely dozens of people applying to work with YOU...you'd want to know the person who you are going to work with for four years is into what you are doing and you'd want to know about that person before you chose them, right? PsyDs tend to have greater debt, which is why I decided not to go that route. Courses, Jobs, Salaries. Not sure what your school system is, but if you have people who are actively doing research, if you are find out what your department does with undergraduate researcher assistants. I'm currently an Army HPSP recipient. My overall gpa is a 2.90, but my psychology gpa is a 3.6. For reference: I graduated Summa Cum Laude (3.9something) with a psychology degree, am a member of Mensa and was 89th percentile verbal and 77th percentile quantitative on my GRE's and previous to going to college I was the V.P. What Do Grad Schools Look for in Students? I chose to participate as a volunteer, but these positions can oftentimes count as an internship for credit. Be a … The guy/program I most wanted to be a part of I could have gone to, but I just changed my mind after I applied as I wrote above. Army/Navy/Air Force Health Professions Scholarship Programs) that will pay for 1 or 2 years of your tuition plus a 2200/month stipend from September - June for each year of your scholarship. 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