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It's only July and I've already gotten 5+ emails from students wanting to apply to #clinicalpsych programs. Starting a thread with my two cents & tips/resources I used to help me apply/prepare. Chime in @hafsahtauseef @JaisalMerchant @spaul1124 and others! @AcademicChatter
1) Timeline: Start *seriously* thinking about the application in July/August in the year you intend to apply. Most schools have application deadlines in December. It took me ~1 month to narrow my list of programs, and then ~2 months to pull everything else together.
2) There are lots of guides online but they can be intimidating! The best IMO: Mitch Prinstein's Guide & 'A Student’s Perspective on Applying to Graduate School in Clinical Psychology!'. Students (1st/2nd years) who've recently done this was where I got the most helpful advice.
3) I know many schools are not requiring the GRE, but I used @Magoosh to study for the GRE. My recommendation is to take the GRE a solid year before you intend to start applications if you can. I had people ask me about my GRE scores in introductory emails I sent to professors.
4) Look on the websites of the programs you intend to apply to and see if there is a list of profs accepting students. Note: If the prof you're interested in isn't listed, I wouldn't lose ALL hope and would still email them (see steps below before doing that).
5) Look up the grants of the profs you want to apply to * papers can lag 1-2 years behind current funding* and so looking up grants is a great way to know if you're interests match the work currently going on in the lab. And a great way to show you've done your homework!!!
6) Send intro email to EVERY prof you're interested in working with. My advice: do this in Aug/Sept & MAKE IT BRIEF (3-4 sentences!)
6a) The email should have your name, intention to apply, interests, and your conviction regarding fit & a CV attachment. Q's regarding current funding (you can't always find all grant info online) or if they're accepting a student is a great way to start a convo.
6b) Sometimes professors aren't sure if they're accepting a student which is why they weren't listed on the department's website as accepting a student. This would be the place to ask them if there's is a chance they're maybe accepting students.
7) The statement(s): Some schools require a research & personal, others one statement with both. See if the prof you're interested in has info on their website regarding what they read for. For example, @childemotionlab had a section on their website about what they read for!
8) Read lots of examples of successful statements before starting your own. I emailed *every* clin psych student I knew and asked for their statements. If you don't know any, cold emailing is fine. A lot of us want to help! IMO: the examples available online are not all good.
9) Give yourself ~plenty~ of time to write the first draft and then get as many Ph.D. students and postdocs as you can to give you feedback! You will end up editing the draft a lot and that's honestly where the magic happens.
10) Also, tailor every statement to every professor. You really have to hammer out why you're a good fit to the professor. In my experience, this was the deciding factor as to where I got interviews.
10) Finally -- once you've submitted the application email the professors you applied to and tell them you've submitted.
