<p>I’m a psych major and my top choice for grad school is Yale, which will be somewhat of a reach. Since transferring from a community college I’ve maintained a 4.0 GPA, but I was just sixteen when I went to CC and I was a lazy little slime then so my GPA from the community college is like a 3.45…if my GPA at the university is a 4.0, would they care that my community college grades were mediocre? Anyway, that’s just an aside, my main question is about a contest I’m entering. Let’s assume beyond all reasonable hope that I’m actually going to win (yeah you can assume you’re getting a pony for your birthday while you’re at it, it’s about as plausible). The contest is for research projects or essays on schizophrenia, I believe the prize is $1000 and it’s held by a respected institution. Were I to win, do you know if that would really impress the admissions people at a place like Yale or do they care more about things like GRE’s and letters of reccommendation? I’m probably going to have some research assistance experience by the time I apply…the only forseeable weaknesses in my application will be my community college grades and my quantitative GRE score, which is going to be nothing special. Ok, this is getting discursive (10 point GRE word) so I’ll summarize: if I win the contest, do you think that’ll be enough to put me ahead of applicants with better GRE scores and more consistent grades?</p>
<p>just so you know, the clinical psych program at yale has an acceptance rate of 1%. it takes a helluva lot to get in.</p>
<p>That bad, is it? Well maybe I didn’t want to go to Yale after all, heh…</p>
<p>You dont never know maybe you can be apart of that 1% maybe you can get in, atleast apply for it.</p>
<p>for admissions to any clinical psych phd program (the nationwide acceptance rate is ~5%), but especially the ‘top’ programs, you should have:
-bare minimum of 3.6 gpa
-bare minimum of 1300 GRE
-outstanding recommendations from psych professors
-outstanding personal statements
-relevant research experience</p>
<p>also doesnt hurt to have:
-clinical experience
-journal publications
-professional presentations</p>
<p>BUT. the MOST IMPORTANT thing for admissions is a research match with at least one professor in that department. you will be working for/with this person for at least 5 years, and you need to have similar interests. </p>
<p>good luck.</p>
<p>Hmm…the problem is, I don’t know exactly what I want to research. I am interested in schizophrenia but it seems that it is primarily psychiatrists, not clinical psychologists, who are researching that. And I think I would die if I went to medical school. I mean, I’d basically be happy to research any form of psychopathology…is it important that I choose a specific interest that matches one professor? I mean, I could start stalking after one of them right now and research that area, do my undergrad thesis in that area, ect, but I don’t really have a ‘specialty’ of my own yet, except schizophrenia, which none of the clinical psychs there are researching.</p>
<p>there are MANY psychologists who research schizophrenia, its just a matter of finding them.
the single most important thing for grad school admissions is a research match with the professor- there are tons of people who get rejected who have ~4.0 gpa and 1500< GREs but dont fit in with the program.<br>
also, when researching grad programs, it is extremely important not to base schools on their undergrad reputation. for example, SUNY-Albany and SUNY-Stonybrook are 2 of the best clinical programs in the country, whereas Harvard’s program isnt even accredited.
I’ll say it again: THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT ADMSSIONS CRITERIA IS A RESEARCH MATCH.</p>
<p>Granted schizophrenia research is not popular among many university psychologists as most monies go to MD’s, however you will find some profs who investigate cognitive deficits in schizophrenia from a neuroscience perspective. If you want to study schizophrenia it might take you longer to find a receptive faculty member but they are out there. huskem55 is right to suggest that one look freshly at clincial psych grad programs without preconceptions regarding their undergraduate status. However, not many folks would argue that SUNY Albany has one of the best clinical psych programs in the country.</p>
<p>check this link for some psychologists who do schizo research.
<a href=“Schizophrenia research in PhD programs | Student Doctor Network”>Schizophrenia research in PhD programs | Student Doctor Network;
<p>btw mol: albany is a top 20 program</p>
<p>Thanks! I’m assuming you guys are in/applying to clinical psychology programs? Right now I’m hovering between clinical and neuroscience and behavior (either way I would want to do research, not therapy). They offer an undergraduate subtrack in NSB at my college, UMASS Amherst, so I was thinking of taking the subtrack and going into an NSB PhD program…do you know which would better prepare me to do research on schizophrenia and other severe mental illnesses? It would mean taking an extra year to get all the undergrad requirements done, but I started college when I was 16 (hence the dismal grades my first semester) so I guess I’m slightly ahead of the game anyway.</p>
<p>EDIT: of course, I’m also just not sure if I’m smart enough to go NSB…I have the math skills of a five year old, unfortunately, and I’m thinking that could give me a problem in advanced physics and chemistry…</p>