What do they look for?
You know that you should apply to more schools if you're not the greatest applicant you can imagine. But what actually makes you a better applicant?
- Research experience. This will really make or break your application. If you don't have any experience working on research projects, you can basically count yourself out. Sorry to be harsh. But there are many, many ways to remedy a lack of experience.
- Relatively good GREs and GPA. This is another application make-or-break-er. But only to some extent. Almost every school requires a 3.0 undergraduate GPA and a score of 1200 on the GREs to even be considered, so if you're above that, you'll get considered. Of course, some schools have these goofy algorithms you have to pass, but if you have those scores, you can usually get past the algorithm. Remember, though, that clinical psych gets a lot of applicants, so it's usually not enough to have a 1200 GRE and a 3.01GPA. Averages are generally at least 100 points and .5 points higher than that. At least.
- Commitment to a research career. If you are just doing this as a "fun" layover before you become a flight attendant, or an "exciting" bump in the road before you join a biker gang, the admissions committee will look at you askance. Some graduate majors will be happy to take your money and let you do that. But clinical psych will be giving you money. And they don't want to waste it. Even if you want to be primarily a therapist, they will toss your app into the circular file.
- Publications. If you can show that you've got some real potential as a researcher, by actually doing what researchers are ultimately meant to do, your application will be improved exponentially. So be sure to look at the Research Experience section and find ways to not only gain that experience, but get a few journal articles with your name on them.
- Personal relationships. Like it or not, in most fields of work, a lot of times it's who you know that makes the difference in whether you get the job. Clinical psychology is no different. If you already have a great relationship with your potential advisor, you've got a foot in the door. If you've got a great relationship with someone who has a great relationship with your potential advisor, you've got a few toes in the door. What do you do if you don't have an "in"? Make one.
- E-mail your potential advisor and introduce yourself. Talk a little bit about your interests and credentials, send your CV, and ask if they'll be taking students. Start a dialogue. This is best done from late summer to just before applications get sent in.
- Work on a project that's very similar to your potential advisor's work, or use one of their instruments. Then, you have a great excuse to contact them and ask for their input, or crucial documents, or what have you.
- Put the word out that you'll be applying to graduate school (among family, friends, co-workers, etc.). Everyone will ask where you're applying (memorize your list) and almost inevitably, someone, somewhere, will have a connection at one of the schools. Contact this person and see if they know your potential advisor. Get the scoop. Often, if they do know your potential advisor, they will mention you. Anything that gets your name on your potential advisor's radar is a good idea (unless you do so by attaining a bad reputation).
