What do I do if I can't get into a PhD program in psychology? Help!

Daydreamer25
Fri, 09 Feb 2018 10:18:09 +0000

Hey all! I’m at such a crossroads in my life and it gives me so much anxiety. So here are some things about me.

I live on the island of Guam. I obtained my Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology and a minor in biology from the University of Guam about two months ago. I managed to acquire a 3.95 GPA. I have yet to take the GREs, although I have some prep from an undergraduate research program at the University of Virginia. I will take it eventually, but I need to freshen up some more. I’ve had one poster presentation at the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology (as co-author), I had a digital presentation at the Leadership Alliance Symposium, and I have one research publication in my university’s undergraduate journal.

All horrible bragging aside, I personally do not feel like I am fully prepared for grad school. I know I want to go, but the prospect of me not being able to get in scares me. If I do not get into a PhD program, I would have to settle for a Masters, which would be ok if it wasn’t for the fact that most Masters programs are not fully funded. There are Masters programs here at UOG for Counseling and Clinical Psychology, but I personally feel like those may not fit my needs and would limit my scope of research. And if I do decide to pursue a Masters instead, it would mean not only juggling to pay for tuition and fees, but also find a place to stay and pay for living expenses, which I do not have the luxury of since I am not well-versed in life on the mainland. I can’t even imagine finding a job! I personally do not know where to begin my life. I know my first steps are to study for the GREs, begin emailing professors I am interested in working with, write my personal statement, and work for this entire year to save some money. But I’m honestly becoming very anxious about everything! I feel like I should have taken my GREs a while ago and that’s what frustrates me.

Is anybody feeling the same way? Does anyone have any advice, especially for a person stuck on an island and wanting to really get my name out there for professors to see? What even are my chances of getting into grad school? I appreciate any honest feedback.