Surviving Graduate School Applications and Interviews

Amy Stamates, B.S.Research Assistant/Lab TechnicianDepartment of Psychological ScienceNorthern Kentucky University

Questions to Ask Yourself Before Applying

Can you afford it? Research? Time

commitment?

2011-2012 Clinical Applicant Data Results

School # of Applicants

Admission Offers

Accepted

University of Michigan 214 7 7University of Kentucky 222 6 4

Arizona State University 267 9 3UT at Austin 296 8 5

Bowling Green State University

211 10 9

University of Cincinnati 261 12 8Oklahoma State University 155 9 6

Ohio State University 200 22 12University of Louisville 154 12 10

Why is it competitive? Apply to work

with 1 mentor Tuition waived

Stipend paid by TA/RA assistantship (20 hrs/week)

Fellowships▪ Health care coverage

Schools won’t take you in they don’t have funding

Increasing Your Chances Apply to 10-12 or more

programs Don’t restrict yourself

geographically Program rankings Narrow your research

interests Start applications early

Deadlines are in Dec/Jan Have a back-up plan

Emailing Professors Before Submitting Application

New trend You may not hear a response Example:

“Dear Dr. ____My name is Amy Stamates, and I am Cecile Marczinski's Research Assistant at Northern Kentucky University. I'm interested in applying to ____ and joining your lab. I was hoping you might have some time to discuss your research and any opportunities that might be available for incoming graduate students to work in your lab for 2013. I can call at your convenience, or we can correspond via e-mail if that works best. Thank you for your time.”

Application Requirements

Official Transcripts ($7) GPA: 3.5 or higher

Official Revised GRE ($185) Above 300 total raw score▪ 50th percentile

Writing section: 4.0 or above Option to mail 4 for free ($25) Barron’s GRE Prep Subject test is required

sometimes▪ Offered only in April, October, and

November

Application Requirements

3 Letters of Recommendation Choose

professors/mentors that know you well and will write a great letter▪ Most will not let you read

it before submitting▪ Follow NKU guidelines▪ Give them enough notice

Statement of Purpose Rule #1: Follow program instructions

For example: word count restrictions, clinical training

Rule #2: Don’t get too personal Rule #3: Revise, revise, revise Roughly 750 words (2-3 pages)

▪ Describe academic background▪ Research experience▪ Research interests▪ Desired mentor and your “fit” with the program▪ Future goals

Reading Material

Appleby, D.C & Appleby, K.M. (2006). Kisses of Death in the Graduate School Application Process. Teaching of Psychology.

Additional Items

Department vs. Graduate School Application Type everything!

Sometimes Sample of Work Ideally, publication If not, Honor’s thesis or research paper

Curriculum Vitae Application Fee ($30-$70) If mailing via postal service, write cover

letter

Application TimelineMonth Task

Summer or earlier Research schools and practice GRESummer Make initial school list

Summer to October Take GRESeptember E-mail recommenders

October Contact ProfessorsOctober Make final list

October-November Send out official transcripts/GRE scores

August to November Work on SOP; revise, revise, reviseDecember and January Deadlines

January to March InterviewsFebruary to April Offers

April 15th Acceptance Deadline

Tips for OrganizationUse a Excel for organizing requirements

Make spreadsheet for Recommenders Username/password spreadsheet

Phone Interviews Professors may ask for a phone

interview as a pre-screening to the actual Interview Day

This is a good time to get a sense of the professor’s personality, research interests, and any general questions you have about the program and its requirements

They may give you contact information for current graduate students

Take notes!

Interview Day or Weekend

Interview Days/Weekends are January-March

Stay with graduate student host Take advantage, especially if the student

is in the lab you are applying to Sleeping arrangements vary

Pre-Interview Day Gathering

Typically, there is a gathering the night before interviews

Meet everyone, including applicants you are against.

No more than 2 drinks

Interview Day Starts at 8 AM Ends at 4 or 5 PM 30 minute interviews with

Future mentor Current Lab Students Campus Tour Lab Tour Other Faculty and Graduate Students

Breakfast and lunch provided Stay excited!

Drink coffee! The interviewers are tired too!

Post-Interview Party

Graduate students throw a post-interview party

Once again, DO NOT get drunk

Fellow applicants could potentially be your cohort, so make friends!

Dress Code

Interview Day Wear a suit ▪ Recommend no skirts or heels

Pre-Interview/Post-Interview Parties Jeans are OK No t-shirts or gym shoes

Questions They Will Ask You

What research experience do you have? What are your research interests?

Why did you apply to this program? What career do you eventually want?

What do you do for fun? What other programs did you apply to?

Caught Off-Guard Questions

What is your favorite movie and why?

How do you relieve stress?

What has been the most

difficult/rewarding part of your psychology

career?

Ask Questions! Clinical

Describe the clinical training process. External placements?

What is your match rate?

Research Describe current research

How many students to you advise? Grant writing/publication/conference opportunities?

Teaching opportunities?

Current Graduate Students Like/Dislike about the program?

Cost of living? Mentoring style?

The Waiting Game Acceptance deadline is April 15th Accepted, Wait-listed, or Rejected

“I didn’t get in. Now what?”

Cry... Remember your back-

up plan Figure out WHY you

didn’t in

Contact Information

hengesa1@nku.edu MEP 142 in the

AmED Research Lab Academic website:

Astamates.jimdo.com