online resources
forums, social media, and articles
The first year I applied to PhD programs, I was navigating the process basically alone – none of my friends or colleagues were pursing the same educational or career path as me, and though I had supportive mentors in my life, they weren’t easily accessible. I utilized their expertise for statement writing, but my personal process was fairly undeveloped, and I was unsure exactly what support I needed. The long list of application components and requirements quickly overwhelmed me. To tame my anxieties and frustrations, I turned to a place many rely on for information and guidance – the internet. This strategy was equal parts helpful and unhelpful, and I want to use my previous experience to steer new or returning applicants to the best online resources for each need.
Forums
The Grad Café
Grad Café is the first online forum I stumbled upon while frantically googling for something – anything – that could potentially be helpful during my first round of PhD applications. My graduate school journey so far was solo, and I was really wanting camaraderie and interaction with other applicants. I immediately felt a sense of community engaging in the forum. All other contributors knew the struggle of statement writing, the stress of waiting for the last letter writer to submit their document, and the paralyzing anxiety of waiting to hear from programs after finally submitting all applications. I felt heard and understood for the first time during the process. However, I learned that while Grad Café could be immensely helpful, it could quickly turn borderline obsessive. Once my applications were in, and I knew programs were likely making decisions about who to interview, it became difficult for me to go even a day without checking the forum or the Results page to see if any applicants had heard from the programs I applied to. Lesson learned: pace yourself on Grad Café, and make sure to monitor the amount of time you spend on the site. It’s important to check in periodically to see if checking resources or forums is increasing or decreasing your anxieties about applications.
PROS
· Psychology-specific forum, as well as threads for different sub-disciplines of psychology
· Clinical psychology thread that is fairly active each cycle
· Good place to form connections with other applicants if you don’t have any folks around that are also pursing graduate work in psychology
· Some current graduate students and a few professors contribute to threads
CONS
· Because the site mainly consists of current applicants, it can sometimes feel like the blind leading the blind
· Difficult to know the truthfulness of contributions, or of information on the results page
· Because threads get so long, it can be hard to find specific information you might be looking for
· Forum threads tend to have higher traffic November – April, can be hard to get replies other months
Student Doctor Network
One of my current research colleagues recommended I check out Student Doctor Network after learning about my obsession with Grad Café. Student Doctor Network is like the mature big brother of Grad Café – the majority of contributors are already professionals working in the field, or are currently attending graduate programs. The site is active year-round, and folks are often willing to provide constructive feedback on the “What are my Chances” thread. The Psychology forum offers current applicants a glimpse into the world of grad school, internship, and beyond. It’s a good place to see if you really want to pursue graduate school, what sort of degree is best, and to hear opinions about current events or research in psychology. Because the site is mainly contributed to by those removed from the application process, solidarity with other applicants can be hard to come by.
PROS
· Applicant feedback from those that have already successfully completed applications/graduate school and current professors
· Wider range of topics about psychology (not just about grad school applications)
· Threads tend to be active year round
CONS
· Opinions can be a bit biased
· The overall tone on the forum can be blunt and sometimes borderline harsh – if you are looking for support and positive engagement, not always the best place
· Because the forum contributors are mainly in graduate school or are already professionals, threads for current applicants are usually not that active
Social Media
Reddit – r/gradadmissions & r/gradschool
I’ll admit it – Reddit is by far my preferred social media site. It’s not uncommon for folks to argue that it shouldn’t even be considered social media by typical standards. One of the greatest things about Reddit is that you can customize was subreddits you are subscribed to, which means you can pick and choose what information you are given. There are two subs that can be useful during the graduate applications process – r/gradadmissions and r/gradschool. The latter is mainly for those that are already attending programs, but can help current applicants get a glimpse of what graduate school life is typically like. It’s important to understand the huge commitment you are making by choosing to attend grad school, so listening to the stories and struggles of those currently attending is useful for that purpose. Each subreddit also contains a good mix of advice, memes, and celebratory posts to break up the monotony of constant information on the other sites mentioned so far. It’s important to note the subreddit is not psychology specific, though some information is generalizable.
Articles
Mitch’s Uncensored Advice for Applying to Graduate School in Clinical Psychology
Not to sound dramatic, but every single clinical psychology applicant needs to read this document. This is especially important if you don’t have active mentorship during the application process. It’s common to see this document circulated on all the forums and sites I’ve mentioned so far, because it’s just that good. The greatest part of this document is Dr. Prinstein systematically walks readers through the entire graduate admissions process, beginning with “Do You Really Want to be a Clinical Psychologist?” and ending with “How to Make Your Decision” (about accepting offers). He offers sage advice for everything in between as well, including emailing faculty you’d like to work with and questions to ask when you attend interviews. I used the guidance about interview questions last year, and felt super prepared while engaging with faculty and graduate students during interview weekend. Dr. Prinstein does offer a disclaimer that the opinions listed are his own, so it’s likely not every piece of advice will work for every applicant, but it’s a solid place to start. I recommend downloading this and printing it now – I have a copy with notes I frequently reference when I have questions about a particular aspect of admissions.
Link: http://mitch.web.unc.edu/files/2017/02/MitchGradSchoolAdvice.pdf
Graduate School Application Kisses of Death (Appleby & Appleby, 2006)
Though this article is somewhat outdated by scientific standards (published in 2006), the information provided is very much relevant today. Appleby and Appleby analyzed qualitative data from 88 psychology department chairs to determine common mistakes or “kisses of death” applicants make when applying to graduate school in psychology. This is another document I think every single applicant should read. It covers application components such as statements, letters of recommendation, and overall applicant impressions such as writing skills or misfired attempts to impress faculty. Before you start writing statements or asking supervisors for LORs, make sure you read the guidance provided by Appleby and Appleby. Submitting documents with these proscribed elements can significantly harm your application, subsequently reducing the likelihood you will be invited to interviews or offered acceptance.
Link: https://psychology.unl.edu/psichi/Graduate_School_Application_Kisses_of_Death.pdf
My experience with these resources will likely resonate with some of you, while others may not struggle with moderation while engaging with forums or sites. My general advice is to continually check in with yourself about how any resource is serving you – is it helping to squash fears and anxieties you are experiencing, or do you find the more you engage with a site the higher your anxieties become? Also, be sure to think critically about any piece of information you read on the internet, especially advice you are given from a stranger. Most people have good intentions and want to be helpful, but it’s difficult to say with certainty what the impact of their advice will be on your chances. It’s key to remember that any piece of advice, no matter how sound and how relevant, will likely not apply to every single graduate program or faculty member. We can’t please everyone! It’s important to be your authentic self every step of the way so that you are accepted by a program and an advisor who sees you for who you really are.
Enjoy your resource exploration, and let other readers know of additional resources in the comments below.
Thanks for reading.