How competitive is my grad app (cognitive psych PhD)

Thatstudentguy
Wed, 09 Aug 2017 06:53:08 +0000

Dear Fellow Users,

I’m looking for some feedback on the competitiveness of my graduate school application (for psychology). The following are the specs:

Cum GPA: 3.6+ (achieved 4.0 for past 5 semesters. Near 4.0 cumulative when subtracting freshman year. Also, achieved A+ in two graduate level stat courses. Am taking another graduate course in my final semester.)

Psych GPA: 3.98 (42 credits)

GRE: 157 in both V and Q. 5 on AW.

I have been working in two cognitive labs for 2.5 years (one learning and the other memory).

Completed a senior honors thesis in the learning lab and am now working on a second follow-up study.

I’ve also designed and am still currently running a separate independent study in the memory lab.

I’ve presented two posters (one at the Association for Psychological Science and the other at my university’s undergrad symposium) and one talk (given at Midwestern cognitive science conference).

The lab directors of the above labs will write me excellent letters. The other letter will come from one of my grad stats professors who was on my thesis committee.

I also have limited teaching experience: substituted an undergrad stat lab once, and led preexam study sessions for an experimental psych class.

I’ve also been employed in the learning lab one summer in the past.

Have received two grants (one for undergrad research and another for traveling to present said research).

I am graduating and applying in December and am interested in studying spatial ability and it’s relevance in educational settings, mainly STEM fields.

Any feedback and/or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Best regards,

ThatStudentGuy

Edit: My GRE scores are likely the weakest part of my app. How badly will this affect my overall app?