I Didn't Get Into Grad School, and So Can You

Hey Guys,

Not gonna write a long diatribe on here, but I do feel compelled to post something around this time of year. I sunk ~3 years of my life into pursuing a doctoral program in clinical psych, applied to 8 places and got 6 interviews, went to 5, and didn't end up anywhere. I was totally grossed out by the process and the people I interacted with both in labs at my university and at the places I interviewed, and ultimately decided not to continue seeking. I am doing work that I'm much happier with now and mostly just wish I got out sooner.

Anyway, I do remember perusing this forum and thinking, "Wow, there are 50 people on here for every 1 on the other side of the application process." So I promised that I'd come back in a year whatever happened and report in. So, no regrets in this life, but I will say that preparing for grad school was a thoroughly miserable process and I never worked a minimum wage job where I was considered as disposable as I was as an undergrad psychology RA. The people I was surrounded with were mercilessly overworked and had serious mental health issues of their own brought on by the conditions in which they lived and worked. At least 50 percent of the other grad students were, shall I say, a bit hyper-competitive and and seemed to have a view of the world where anybody else's gain was their loss. I worked in maybe 6 labs across 3 universities, as well as interviewing at 5, and this seemed to be a rule and not an exception.

I remain fascinated by the field of clinical psych and still read new literature for personal interest, but I would definitely say that I am happier now and also make maybe $10,000 less than the average starting salary a clinical psychologist would make after 4 or 5 years of grad school. My point: Do this if it is good for you. Some people seemed to be very much in their element in the environment I've described; I was not. Do not pursue this if it is a goal, pursue it if you are totally in love with the process. One of the areas I published research in was Personality and Individual Differences, and I came away with a strong sense that humans have some permutation of traits that is beyond their control, and which they would do well to order their lives around highlighting. Listen to yourself and ask what world you would feel natural in, and go live there. There is a very large world outside this bubble and you'll be fine if you do end up cutting your losses and, quite possibly, parlaying your experience in academic psychology into something outside institutional academia.

Nonetheless, good luck with applications.

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I Didn't Get Into Grad School, and So Can You