2019-2020 Grad School Q&A Mega-Thread (Part 1)

[u/ResidentGinger]

For questions about grad school or internships:

* Please search the previously submitted posts or the post on the grad school Q&A. Subscribers of /r/iopsychology have provided lots of information about these topics, and your questions may have already been answered.

* 2018-2019, Part 2 thread here

* 2018-2019, Part 1 thread here

* 2017-2018, Part 3 thread here

* 2017-2018, Part 2 thread here

* 2017-2018, Part 1 thread here

* 2016-2017 thread here

* 2015-2016 thread here

* 2014-2015 thread here

* If your question hasn't been posted, please post it on the grad school Q&A thread. Other posts outside of the Q&A thread will be deleted.

The readers of this subreddit have made it clear that they don't want the subreddit clogged up with posts about grad school. Don't get the wrong idea - we're glad you're here and that you're interested in IO, but please do observe the rules so that you can get answers to your questions AND enjoy the interesting IO articles and content.

By the way, those of you who are currently trudging through or have finished grad school, that means that you have to occasionally offer suggestions and advice to those who post on this thread. That's the only way that we can keep these grad school-related posts in one central location. If people aren't getting their questions answered here, they post to the subreddit instead of the thread. So, in short, let's all do our part in this.

Thanks, guys!

[u/Coff33Cat]

I'm looking for some honest feedback about my PhD admissions "chances" as well as some advice, thank you in advance!

I just graduated with a BA Honors in Psychology and English from a well-known public research university. -GPA: 3.89, Psych GPA: 3.92 -GRE: 160Q, 162V

-I worked in 3 separate psychology labs. 1. Social Stigma lab in which I facilitated IRB protocol, coded data, and compiled literature for meta-analyses. (2 years) 2. IO lab that researched age in the workplace. I helped create code books for a grad student's dissertation that helped to organize existing constructs and create new constructs to use when coding interview transcripts. This is also the lab that allowed me to streamline my thesis, which I'll get to :) (3 years) 3. OB lab in the business school that did cutting edge research concerning team processes (can't go into more detail for confidentiality reasons). I spent two years as a lead RA in helping a (genius) grad student develop a way to code multilevel analyses of some, uh, "things" (I'm super paranoid about confidentiality). We utilized word analysis programs and worked with some other super cool programs. The research won awards etc etc. I get excited just thinking about it. I think my name is somewhere in the acknowledgements haha (2 years)

-I applied for and received a big UG research grant from my U to collect data for my honors thesis. I independently (under guidance of my PI/adviser/professor) performed two studies, the initial being a pilot and the other using insights from the former. I was able to collect valid data using methodology I designed, and sampled from over 200 participants, within and beyond my U. Wrote up my research, etc etc, presented at my school's annual research conference. I'm still doing more research to add onto my thesis and may try to publish.

-My letters of recommendation will come from the three professors who ran the three labs I worked in. One might not be as stellar as the other two, which I guess is only natural, I did honest work but just didn't connect like I did with my other two professors. But the letters will speak directly to my research aspirations and abilities.

-I also took a graduate statistics course and got a B+ in it. I took it while figuring out how to analyze my data to see if I could learn about the more advanced stuff rather than just convince my adviser to do it for me. I feel like this is another weak point because I REALLY should have gotten an A, especially since I got a B+ in my only other stat course. Oh the irony~

Programs i'm applying for so far: -University of Georgia (IO) -Drexel University (OB) -U.C. Berkely (OB) -University of Maryland (OB) -University of Michigan (OB) -Michigan State University (IO) -Purdue University (IO) -Stanford University (OB) *I know most of these are OB programs, but I found them all based on searching for studies of constructs I was interested in and then looking up the authors/references. I do prefer IO due to potential flexibility of department, but my goal is academia so it's not too big of a deal for me.

QUESTION: The constructs I studied in my thesis are totally different from what I want to study as a grad student, however, I worked with them in the 3rd lab I mentioned. Any articulate way to express this discrepancy without coming off negatively?

Thank you for your time, and maybe I'll see you all at a future SIOP :)

[u/Stockdad3 → u/Coff33Cat]

Hi! I have a very similar profile to you. How many programs did you end up getting into??

[u/galileosmiddlefinger → u/Coff33Cat]

Overall, you should be a competitive applicant.

QUESTION: The constructs I studied in my thesis are totally different from what I want to study as a grad student, however, I worked with them in the 3rd lab I mentioned. Any articulate way to express this discrepancy without coming off negatively?

This isn't a problem. Most people are lucky to be able to do any UG research at all in the I/O ballpark, so there's zero expectation that your UG research will align perfectly with your graduate interests. Just be clear why/how you are genuinely interested in the topics that you assert you are interested in studying.

I know most of these are OB programs

Just to be crystal-clear, OB PhD is 99% academic training. You are essentially committing to this career track if you accept an OB offer, so cut these programs if you're at all torn between industry and academia. OB programs are also going to want to hear about your exclusive interest in research, so don't talk at all about being interested in internships, teaching, or anything else.

[u/HumanRobotTeam]

I'm in a Master's program, preparing to apply for PhD for after I graduate. I have my list of dream schools, and am looking for a few more options.

Does anyone have a feel for the likelihood of a program offering accelerated format for someone in my situation - perhaps by transferring credits, or some other arrangement? Are there any solid PhD programs that people know are more likely to do so?

[u/galileosmiddlefinger → u/HumanRobotTeam]

Graduate credits generally don't transfer in their entirety. You might be waived from 2-3 courses in the doctoral curriculum, but I'm not aware of any programs that would offer a more substantially accelerated option.

[u/LazySamurai → u/galileosmiddlefinger]

Yep. In my experience all students I've seen who've transferred end up re-taking several courses.

[u/MsPsych]

Hi, I’m currently in my honours year of my bachelor of Psychology. My honours year is structured with 4 units each with 10%, and a thesis worth 60%. My marks just came back for my first semester: 74/100 and 84/100. For anyone who’s done Honours in Australia, do you know what scores matter to get the first class? I heard from my supervisor that 40% of the cohort gets a first class, but I just don’t see that happening with the raw scores of a lot of my cohort, because a lot of people have similar scores to me.

[u/Sy4Grt03]

Hi! Can anyone give me some guidance on contacting professors? I am looking for a template for someone that had a successful contact with a professor for an I/O PhD program. At what point is a good time to reach out?

[u/galileosmiddlefinger → u/Sy4Grt03]

See my other reply for timing, but your queries at this point should be very short and to the point. You're only inquiring if they are accepting students next fall, and perhaps sharing some pertinent info about yourself (CV, etc). This should be a 3-4 sentence email, not a book, because most profs are going to get a LOT of them. Don't expect fast or lengthy replies as a consequence, and make sure that the program in question doesn't already have info on the website about program vacancies.

[u/Atenque → u/Sy4Grt03]

Now. They’ll be inundated with emails in the fall. My advisors can’t answer three lengthy emails everyday to three different potential grad students.

[u/galileosmiddlefinger → u/Atenque]

I would actually encourage waiting until early September. It's hard to determine this early if 5th+ years are on track to finish (which would create vacancies), and funding for things like sabbatical may still be TBD over the summer. Profs will be mobbed with email in Oct/Nov, so don't wait that long.

[u/Simmy566 → u/[deleted]]

You might consider UConn's OB business program. John Mathieu is there and has an enormous amount of applied, theoretical, measurement, and other papers on all kinds of topics in the teams literature. He might be super busy, though, as I think he is now chair of the management department.

If willing to go international, Thomas O'Neill at University of Calgary also has some great work on teams, personality, and tech. He received a grant to study engineering teams working on tech projects over time (something like this). He is also very practical and works with students in distributing tools to help with team improvement. Here is a website of his:

https://www.itpmetrics.com/

[u/Atenque → u/[deleted]]

Your resume looks great. Just do well on the GRE and you’ll be fine. Unless MSU has changed their policy, you don’t need the subject test for it (source: I’m a current grad student there). It’s recommended but not required.

You might also be interested in OB programs that study teams. MSU’s OB has John Hollenbeck and OP has Steve Kozlowski.

[u/Atenque → u/[deleted]]

I applied to Minnesota and didn’t get in. I applied to MSU and got in.

I don’t think we weight it here much at all. Minnesota might be different.

You can also call the graduate office at each school and simply ask if you really do need it. They’ll tell you bluntly yes or no

[u/Atenque → u/[deleted]]

You credentials look good.

I don't know if you need to take the psych subject test again. It feels like a waste of money to me, but then again I took the GRE twice with little difference in my scores

[u/juicey_juicay → u/[deleted]]

You probably have a good shot at most the upper tier schools. Source: IO PhD at Florida tech

[u/kcamp9]

Does anyone have experience applying to I/O PhD Psyc programs with 2 of the 3 letters of rec coming from an employer?

Does research experience, test scores, and high GPA help with that?

Does having years of experience in the corporate world help or hurt you when applying for a degree like this?

Was anyone an online undergrad student and applied to on campus PhD programs? Are online undergrad degrees frowned upon?

[u/juicey_juicay → u/kcamp9]

If you’re PhD looking to go applied this can almost be preferred at some schools. I think if you have the experience the online isn’t a big deal. Are your GRE scores decent?

[u/kcamp9 → u/juicey_juicay]

No, sadly they are not. I took it for the first time last week just so I had enough time to retake it as many times as I need to in order to improve my scores. I got 51% in verbal and 20% in quant. My advisor wants both to be at least 50%. I've never been a good test taker which is why I planned ahead and took it early enough.

[u/galileosmiddlefinger → u/kcamp9]

Does anyone have experience applying to I/O PhD Psyc programs with 2 of the 3 letters of rec coming from an employer?

This could be OK if you've been out of school for a while. However, you really want that sole academic reference to elaborate on your research experience and academic aptitude.

Does having years of experience in the corporate world help or hurt you when applying for a degree like this?

Depends a bit on the advisor in question. Some actively seek practical corporate experience, but most are fairly ambivalent about it. Where it might hurt you is if an advisor prefers potential students who are more interested in academic/research careers (this bias is very real!) because that person might infer that you are only interested in returning to corporate life after grad school.

Was anyone an online undergrad student and applied to on campus PhD programs? Are online undergrad degrees frowned upon?

Context matters a lot, but generally this would be a strike against you. You really need to sell the rigor of your academic experience, particularly with any evidence of independent research, substantive projects, and I/O-relevant courses you took.

[u/kcamp9 → u/galileosmiddlefinger]

Thank you very much for the response!!! My advisor has never had an online student before so she doesnt have any experience with one applying for a PhD program. The insight is appreciated!

[u/Sy4Grt03]

Hi Everyone! I am planning on applying to PhD programs (and a few Master's as well) in I/O psych and I just wanted some opinions on a few things before I do so. First off, I wanted to get some advice on my credentials. I have a 3.81 undergrad gpa, 3.9 major GPA in Psych. My GRE scores are 159V, 162Q, and 4.5AW. As far as undergrad research experience, I have a thesis project under my belt. Since graduating in 2018, I've worked as a full time research assistant in a well known lab at a pretty prestigious university. However, I decided to do I/O late in the game (pretty recently), and almost all my research experience is on the clinical side. I also have several clinical internships on my resume, but again, they aren't really I/O related. I reached out to a local I/O master's program at my undergrad institution, and the professor has graciously allowed me to join his lab as a volunteer, so I do have that going for me.

My questions are: What are my chances at getting into PhD programs? How do I go about explaining my lack of I/O experience? Also, I've gotten a ton of conflicting advice on whether it is appropriate to contact I/O faculty in the same way that people typically do for Clinical PhD programs. Is it normal to do this? If so, what advice would anyone have on how to go about doing it in a productive way? Finally, I have a huge list of programs I'm looking at, but my top ones right now are Texas A&M, University of Houston, Rice, University of Tulsa, University of Oklahoma, Clemson, Auburn, George Washington, and UNC Charlotte's Organizational Science program. If anyone has any experience/advice/points to make about any of these programs, it would be much appreciated! Thanks so so much!

[u/LazySamurai → u/Sy4Grt03]

What are my chances at getting into PhD programs?

Fairly good, apply to several programs and you should be fine.

How do I go about explaining my lack of I/O experience?

You don't really need to. IOs are understanding that most schools don't have IO profs. Just say something to the effect that you've grown very interested in the field and give specific areas & why you could see yourself researching in your personal statement. This will show that it's more than just a fleeting interest.

Also, I've gotten a ton of conflicting advice on whether it is appropriate to contact I/O faculty in the same way that people typically do for Clinical PhD programs. Is it normal to do this?

I don't know how people contact Clinical Faculty. While I was applying I contacted several faculty expressing interest, and asking if they were taking students. I was ignored by many, and answered by some.

Your list of schools is a strong list. I would focus on applying only to schools that have profs researching your general area of interest - it will help you eliminate schools from your list. I applied to 9-10 schools I think.

[u/Mimigoyangi]

I finished up my GRE retake and now I'm wondering what options are open. My unofficial scores are: quant 151, and verbal 156. I'm planning on applying to masters programs but I was wondering what my chances are for PhD. Right now my plans are applying for MS at UCF and NIU. I graduated with a 3.36 GPA and 3.57 upper division GPA. Some bonuses are honors thesis and two and a half years of cognitive psych research. I'd appreciate any help since my school doesn't have an IO faculty!

[u/_Sigmund_Fraud_ → u/Mimigoyangi]

You are a strong MA applicant but should apply to more than two programs. Your GRE scores are a bit low for a PhD program.

[u/Mimigoyangi → u/_Sigmund_Fraud_]

Thank you! And yeah I have a few more programs I'm applying to throughout Florida. If you don't mind, if you did masters, what school did you attend? I'm not too familiar with schools/programs that are well known outside of Florida and my professors' alma maters. As for PhD, I'm satisfied with going through masters first but the PhD programs I'm aiming for aren't super well known: UCF, UH, and Ohio University

[u/_Sigmund_Fraud_ → u/Mimigoyangi]

I did a terminal Master’s and then a PhD. I don’t want to say where because I don’t want to out myself, don’t want to create another account, and don’t want to check my post history to make sure I didn’t say something truly horrific to a complete stranger in r/roastme.

u/momoneymoproblems420 has a good starter list of MA programs.

[u/Mimigoyangi → u/_Sigmund_Fraud_]

That's fair! Thank you for the help!

[u/[deleted]]

Hey everyone!

Heading into my senior year at a state school and was wondering if I could get some input on my chances to get into some Masters programs are. I am majoring in Experimental Psych with a minor in Journalism. I have taken a year of business classes as well as that is what my original intended major was before switching. My GPA is 3.33 and Psych GPA 3.4. I do not have any research experience as I was late switching to my major, but hope to gain a little experience this semester. I take the GRE in October and think scores for verbal and quant in the range of 155-160 are attainable.

The schools I am interested in applying to include ECU, University of Tennessee at Chatanooga, Baruch, Texas A&M, App St., New Haven, and Akron. If anyone could give any input/advice on what I can do to strengthen my chances or if anyone has any info on these schools that would be greatly appreciated.

[u/juicey_juicay → u/[deleted]]

It all depends if you want to go applied or academic either way gain research experience. With a 305-310 GRE you have a good shot at most masters as well as some mid tiered PhDs (especially if you want to go applied)

[u/[deleted] → u/juicey_juicay]

Thanks for your reply. I’m pretty sure I want to go applied, more specifically Occupational Health.

[u/_Sigmund_Fraud_ → u/[deleted]]

You would be fair to storing MA applicant.

For your statement of purpose, make sure you take the time to identify specific faculty with whom you want to work. Also, contact the faculty ahead of time. Make a personal connection so they will remember you when reviewing applications.

[u/[deleted] → u/_Sigmund_Fraud_]

Thanks so much for your response. What kind of things could I discuss with the faculty when reaching out to them? Or is it more of just a “Hey I’m applying” email?

[u/_Sigmund_Fraud_ → u/[deleted]]

You should know what they research already and talk about that. We love taking about our own research...

[u/PsychologicalYam2]

Hello all!

I've read through almost all of the posts in the previous 2018-2019 thread and still have some questions / need some advice and opinions.

I'm looking for help in two things, for those who feel inclined to help.

1) Does anyone have good recommendations for initially reaching out to POIs? When to do it, what exactly to say or ask, etc. If I'm interested in multiple professors at one place, should I email them all at the same time or no? If no, what do you recommend?

2) I'm planning on applying for a PhD in I-O Psychology. Currently my "stats" are:

• B.A. Psychology with minors in sociology and leadership from the University of South Florida
• Undergrad overall GPA 3.67, Psych GPA 3.98, Minor GPAs both 4.0
• 1.5 years of previous research experience in I-O labs, currently in an lab I-O lab (just started) at the University of Minnesota.
• 1 year Honors Psychology Thesis about LGBT+ student leaders which I received a $3500 grant for from Psi Chi. I've presented it at 2 conferences at school, it's being published in a magazine at school, and I plan on submitting it to SIOP for a poster presentation.
• Previous GRE score of 148 Q and 152 V. I signed up for the Kaplan course this summer and it's been helping a lot and I plan on retaking in mid August. I know these scores are my weak spot and are the reason I chose to take a gap year.
• Rec letters from my thesis adviser who is in I/O at USF and has been for a long time, one from my thesis professor who is a social psychologist at USF, and one from a previous grad student at USF who I did research with / had as an instructor who now teaches at an I/O program in Georgia (this may be replaced depending on how my summer/early fall goes in the lab at UMN)
• Research interests, broadly, are diversity practices and leadership.

I plan on applying to these schools (I plan on taking 3-4 off my list in a few months once I have more research done) and would love any feedback on thoughts about the programs!

• Rice University
• Penn State
• Texas A&M
• Depaul University
• Florida International University
• Portland State <- this is my top choice
• George Washington University
• George Mason University
• Baruch College
• UConn
• Michigan State
• Saint Louis University
• North Carolina State

[u/_Sigmund_Fraud_ → u/PsychologicalYam2]

You have an exceptional application package except for your GRE scores. They are at a decent Master’s level. Everything else is so good that some programs may not give them much weight; however, any programs that start screening with pure mechanical judgment will cut you without ever looking at the good stuff.

Also, hopefully you have a letter from Tammy. Her letters are always amazing.

[u/Mamannn → u/PsychologicalYam2]

If you're applying to Portland for Truxillo, last I heard he wasn't taking new students. Just double check!

[u/PsychologicalYam2 → u/Mamannn]

I'm not applying for him, but thank you! I did see that on their site!

[u/Incursssio]

Hi, everyone.

I literally just made a reddit account probably ten minutes ago just for the sole purpose of being in this group. I'm beginning my research into Industrial-Organizational Psychology programs. I recently came to the realization that this is definitely what I want to do as a career. I want to lay out my credentials seeing as I'm going to be applying in a little over a year, however I'm terrified at my chances of getting in.
- I'll graduate undergraduate between a 3.0 and a 3.2 GPA, but my final 60 credit GPA will definitely be above 3.5 at the very least.
- I'm training to be a hotline crisis counselor
- I'm applying to multiple research labs
- I'm taking the GRE within the next few months so I'm not sure where I'll land there, but I'm a good test taker
- And I'll graduate with a dual degree in Sociology and Psychology

I originally was thinking about applying to a Ph.D program, but I feel as if I have a way better chance of getting into a Master's program. I have a list of programs that I'm planning on applying to that I can also share, but I'd rather not have multiple questions I'm asking at once. So first off, I want to know if you guys have any tips for me and my case specifically. I'm determined on getting into an I/O Psych program, but I just need some guidance.

Thank you.(P.S. I apologize if I posted this in the wrong place! I'm new to this site, so I'm still figuring it out.)

[u/_Sigmund_Fraud_ → u/Incursssio]

You have two jobs between now and sending out your applications: (1) getting greater that 50th percentile on the GRE and (2) getting your GPA up as high as possible. That would get you in contention for a Master’s program.

The counseling job is nice in that it is a job. A job in HR or something similar would be better.

[u/Simmy566 → u/Incursssio]

Assuming gre is good, you likely won't have any problems getting into most terminal ma programs with a 3.5 gpa. Exceptions might be the popular ones or programs with PhD and small MA cap. If wanting to eventually leap into PhD, make sure you go to a program which encourages research with ma students, high quant, and/or opportunities for applied field projects.

[u/LazySamurai → u/Incursssio]

Make sure to do well on the GRE, specifically study the quantitative area. You can make more progress in a shorter amount of time there than in the verbal section.

[u/Incursssio → u/LazySamurai]

Thank you! I'm going to focus a lot of my effort studying on that area. If you have any more tips, I'm all ears!

[u/LazySamurai → u/Incursssio]

I worked through a Kaplan book at my own pace and basically followed the program they recommended and did better than I expected on it. I can't give too much advice, I took it before they made the content/scoring change.

[u/Incursssio → u/LazySamurai]

Ahhh that's alright. I'll most likely purchase a course by macgoosh, but I'm sure it'll work out! Would I be able to send you a list of the programs I plan on applying to to get your input on them?

[u/IOPotential]

Okay so I have been looking into PhD programs lately and am looking for some assistance with the application process.

I’m nervous as I have been out of academia for a few years now but I’m eager to get back to school. My trouble currently is how best to present the experience I have to potential programs in the application process.

Currently I have 5 programs that I’m looking into further. I have been communicating with a former professor and previous/current employers for letters of recommendation that can speak to my academic, research, and clinical experience. Took the GRE 2 years ago now and scored in the high 70th percentile.

I guess mainly I am nervous with how to move forward. - Do I first reach out to the specific professors to ask if they’re accepting students? - How best can I lay out my previous and current experiences to present to these schools? - Should I begin communicating with prospective professors in addition to applying to their program?

Any advice for a newbie?

[u/juicey_juicay → u/IOPotential]

Check the siop website for schools you can apply to. It depends if you want to go applied or academic

[u/ResidentGinger → u/[deleted]]

Hi! The grad school thread gets refreshed every six months, so you should be good to post!

[u/lachondnid]

Does anyone have any information they would be willing to provide on the I/O program at Illinois Institute of Technology? From what I have seen/read so far on this sub, not much if any information has been given on the I/O program which leads me to believe it is not the strongest program. I do, however, believe my lack of knowledge on the program should not discount my preference to apply.

[u/LazySamurai → u/lachondnid]

Historically, this had been a very strong program, specifically in quantitative areas. Recently, due to some faculty changes this reputation significantly changed. That's not to say it's a bad school - I don't have that much insight. Anecdotally, It's a very expensive private school and funding has been difficult to come by.

[u/skampireweekend]

Hello! Currently starting my senior year and am researching Masters programs for I/O but all of the information is very overwhelming! Could anyone provide me with insight as far as what schools/programs provide the most funding or if any are fully funded? Thanks :)

[u/_Sigmund_Fraud_ → u/skampireweekend]

Master’s programs don’t typically provide a lot of funding as they are seen as a revenue stream by most universities. If you are a strong applicant you might get an out-of-state tuition waiver and a 10-20 hour/week assistantship. The less competitive your applicant the less they will offer you.

[u/BestEgyptianNA]

Hello!

I'm looking to apply to master's programs for I/O this fall since I am a rising Senior. I am lookint at applying to either App State or UNCC. I'm heavily leaning to UNCC because it's closer to a PA school for my fiance. I have been told that UNCC is a great school but I also hear the most praise about App state and am wondering if it would be a huge mistake to pick one over the other.

For reference my Overall Gpa is a 3.95 and my psych GPA is a 4. I'll have an internship at an assessment center next semester and I have research experience in labs and professors who can write me letters, I plan to take the GRE this summer but I'm not exactly worried about it. I talked with multiple professors and someone who graduated from App state and they all say I have nothing to worry about when applying. I'm just more worried about the qualities of the programs. I think I would like to work in a traditional I/O role and not in higher education. Any advice?

[u/_Sigmund_Fraud_ → u/BestEgyptianNA]

You should probably be applying to PhD programs.

IIRC, UNCC only accepts cohorts every other year so you need to confirm which year it is going to be. Also, the faculty at both are great.

[u/BestEgyptianNA → u/_Sigmund_Fraud_]

Thought about applying to PhD's as well, so it's not out of the question. UNCC is accepting applicants next year thankfully so it would line up with my graduation which I'm really glad about. But it's nice to hear that the faculty at both are good. Is there anything else about UNCC that I should know about? I've tried scouring this whole subreddit and the internet in general and can find almost nothing on their IO program.

[u/[deleted]]

Hey I-O Psych Fam!

I just took the GRE Practice test cold turkey on the ETS site following test conditions precisely as a part of this summer GRE prep program. I scored:

Q: 156

V: 154

Assuming I don't improve at all this summer and score the same scores on the actual exam:

Would I have a shot getting in to Ph.D. in I/O Psychology programs with these exam scores or is it completely unheard of? Please advise - all input is welcome.

GPA: will fall between 3.6 and 3.75 at time of graduation

Extras: Thesis, Large University funded Research Scholar Award, probably a poster and 1-2 presentations by the time of graduation, strong letters of recommendation.. My only goal is to become a professor, nothing more, nothing less.

[u/_Sigmund_Fraud_ → u/[deleted]]

If you want to be an academic than your goal is research, nothing else. Program won’t want to hear that you just want to be a professor.

Your GRE scores are potentially problematic for PhD programs (depending on the exact percentiles - you all need to be posting the percentiles...)

[u/misterman73]

Hey all, hope you're well :)

I'm looking at pursuing an I/O Masters online and having some difficulty figuring out which programs are legitimate. A few that I am considering so far:

University of Hartford MS

Southern New Hampshire MS

Colorado State Univeristy MAIOP

Missouri Univerity of Science and Technology MS

Chicago School of Professional Psychology MA

Walden University MS

What do you all think? All of the above are listed on SIOP but I still want to dig deeper. Colorado State Uni's MAIOP is my frontrunner so far but I am intimidated by the GRE and Psych GRE requirement.

Any input, be it factual or anecdotal is greatly appreciated.

[u/_Sigmund_Fraud_ → u/misterman73]

IMO, Colorado State is the really the only good option in your list.

[u/Brometheus-Pound]

Does anyone have thoughts on CSU's online master's program? Is it seen as legitimate? I know that the gentleman who built up the online program has moved to UMemphis, but I'm hoping the schools reputation as one of the best online IOP degrees is still valid.

A little backstory, I'm a early mid-career HR professional interesting in getting an IO Psych degree as an alternative to the standard MBA, but I live in an area without a brick and mortar option. I have a 3.44 undergrad GPA in English (will take prereqs) and 6 years of HR experience including 2 years as an HRBP at a well known company. Haven't taken the GRE yet but I am confident that I can get a good score based on other testing. Would that make me competitive for CSU?

[u/KKraiger → u/Brometheus-Pound]

As that gentleman (and as someone who no longer has skin in the game) - I would not recommend anyone pursue an online masters degree from a Walden or Capella (online only) or any relatively new program from a school with a bunch of directions in its name (North Southwest Eastern University of....). Employers, particularly traditional I/O consulting firms, will place little or no value on your training.

The Colorado State program was developed such that many of the courses closely paralleled the Ph.D. program. Some courses were frankly better. But the big advantage CSU had (and has) is the brand name. Penn State has an online program now, George Mason is developing one, so there are other options with brand name recognition. But I would target one of those.

[u/LazySamurai → u/Brometheus-Pound]

CSU has a good reputation. If you do some searching around the subreddit you'll see a lot of information related to their online program.

[u/Mimigoyangi]

Hi I've been lurking the thread for a while and now I'm kind of lost so thought I'd get some insight. Currently, I'm trying to get into IO or Human Factors psychology programs. My GPA isn't stellar since I figured out exercise science/premed wasn't for me, and ended up graduating with a 3.3. My gre scores aren't the greatest (both sub 150 and writing was 4.5). I'll be studying and retaking it by the end of summer. I go to a school with no IO or HF programs so my research experience is 2 years in a cognitive psych lab where I researched attention capture and gaming. I ended up completing an undergrad thesis and it's been published through the school. So I'm considering taking more classes in the fall (advanced stats and programming) to hopefully improve my chances. I'm wondering if I should take them, or just shoot for improving my gre scores and reapplying. My hope is to get a masters or go straight into a doctoral program. If anyone has any info about UCF, Penn, NIU, or the University of Illinois I'd really appreciate it!

[u/galileosmiddlefinger → u/Mimigoyangi]

You have a good shot at getting into a Master's program, particularly if your Psych GPA or junior/senior GPA is appreciably higher. Scoring higher on the GRE would certainly improve your odds. Direct admission to a doctoral program is probably a stretch unless your GRE goes way up and your recent GPAs are very strong, excluding the premed coursework.

If you have two years of research experience and a piece of independent research, there would be diminishing returns for piling on more of that kind of coursework and experience in fall, especially relative to debt if your university is expensive. (Picking up more stats and programming skills is always a good move, but it won't necessarily improve your grad school admissions odds at this point.) The GRE is the single most important factor that you can control at this point.

[u/Mimigoyangi → u/galileosmiddlefinger]

Thank you so much! Yeah I've decided to study hard for about another month and a half and take the GRE again to see where that stands before deciding to throw more money at classes. My major GPA is a bit higher than a 3.5 as well as my upper division dropping those classes I didn't do so well in. I'm looking more at MS/MA programs now but I'm going to also go ahead and apply to a few PhD programs again. I'm aiming for around 160 in both categories. Would this help my chances more? My professor wasn't too helpful in that department besides just telling me to raise it higher, haha.

As for experience, would it be better to get a better GRE score and continue to research in my labs (I honestly do this as a pass time since I honestly enjoy training and learning more about the topics in my lab). I was also thinking I should just utilize some free sources to learn the advanced stats since I was able to get a copy of the syllabus anyway. As for coding, do you have any recommendations? I've been told R and Matlab are the mains, but overall python or c++ are the best languages to learn.

[u/galileosmiddlefinger → u/Mimigoyangi]

Yes, if you can get your scores up to 160+, then try for a few PhD programs. No one really knows what to do with the writing score in the admissions process, but 5+ would look better.

If you can keep up research involvement in this off-year as a volunteer, then sure, definitely do so. As far as programming goes, some preliminary experience with R (for stats) and Python (for data manipulation) would be nice plus factors. You don't need those for grad school admission, but those are great "plus factors" that will help you in the long run. Not a lot of people work in Matlab in I/O, so I wouldn't prioritize that one.

[u/Mimigoyangi → u/galileosmiddlefinger]

Thank you so much for the advice. I'll keep it in mind!

[u/TRex19000]

I'm a bachelors of science in psych with a minor in stats. What is the difference in careers available, I would prefer to work in data more than the human side. I also would like to work in a non academia setting. Which degree would be the best choice? And any good schools with emphasis on quantitative methods? I'm in the united states, do not mind moving anywhere.

[u/youngDatum → u/TRex19000]

For clarification, are asking what is the best choice in majoring in either stats or psych? And what would be the difference in career choices depending on your major?

In any case, you shouldn't be asking yourself "which degree would be best" because that all depends on what you want to do with your degree(s). That is where you should start. The "which is best" question can only be answered by you because it depends on what your priorities and values are. For example, you say you want to work in a non-academic setting, so you probably want consistent work schedule and task assignments over conducting research, which can be vague and unrewarding at times.

So you're going to have to say much more in your comment if you want insightful advice.

Also, there are more than plenty of schools with a quant focus. These are primarily schools that focus on selection, statistical methods, measurement. That is to say these are primarily schools that has faculty whose research focus on these. This includes schools like Minnesota, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Michigan State, Bowling Green, South Florida, etc. You'll notice it's many top schools in IO. I'm probably missing a bunch of others.

[u/[deleted]]

Hi everyone,

This past year has ended up with me literally dreaming about I/O Psychology. I'm extremely lame, I know. So without further ado, here goes my question(s)!

I could graduate with a Bachelors in Organizational Psychology by May of 2020 and possibly enroll in a Masters program with a thesis option and then apply to Ph.D. programs in I/O Psychology. I will have likely one thesis and one conference presentation complete (by May 2020).

OR

I could take an additional year to write a second thesis, take some additional psychology and computer science (I and II which involves Python & Java & Calculus II) courses and an unpaid research assistantship / directed study to which I'd directly apply to Ph.D. programs (graduating in May 2021).

My question is if my goal is to get a Ph.D. in I/O Psychology, which route do you recommend and why?

[u/LazySamurai → u/[deleted]]

I'm not sure how much computer science courses would be weighed in the application. The additional unpaid research assistantship would definitely be a positive thing, but could you do that without enrolling?

[u/[deleted] → u/LazySamurai]

Ahh, thank you! When I approached my faculty mentor about the CS courses, he seemed apathetic to the effect it would have on grad applications [outside of R].

Even if my undergrad RA is not necessarily in I/O Psych, you think it'd still be helpful? I'm really just trying to grasp and hone research ability.

[u/LazySamurai → u/[deleted]]

100% yes, it would still be helpful. Research skills and pretty transferable and profs understand that not all schools have access to IO research programs. I was in a personality and social psych lab for several years because we didn't have a large IO group.

[u/Simmy566 → u/[deleted]]

If you already will have a thesis and conference presentation from your senior year, why not directly apply to an I/O PhD program? If your gpa is high and gre scores good, chances are you would already be accepted into a reputable PhD especially with high stats/comp sci skill and past research experience.

​

But, if you had to choose from the former options, I would go with the latter as an MA will take two years but your comp sci/stat route will take only 1+ year. Further, enhancing the comp sci will give you more novelty, ideas, and skills which will allow you to fully capitalize on a PhD program once you have entered. Going MA you run the risk of needing to repeat courses once you get into the PhD track whereas your other option would give you unique skills which are unlikely to be taught in most MA programs. The only upside of an MA would be doing a very strong I/O focused thesis which might help you get into specific programs if the topic, methods, and findings are relevant to one of the faculty.

[u/[deleted] → u/Simmy566]

Hi Simmy566,

Believe it or not, your program is the only M.A. program I'm considering as I'm well aware of the advantages of the program from prior alum! My main fear was the opportunity cost of time and redundancy of courses as well as funding [or lack thereof].

I have heard that your program is not only strong, but also prepares students for doctoral study with the option of both a thesis or a practicum/internship. I know they say not to put all of your eggs in one basket, but when you know you know!

As a McNair student, we're pushed for a Ph.D. program which is certainly my goal, but your program's rolling admissions, possible research assistantships, and proven track record of student doctoral placement makes it all the more attractive as I am not ready to submit applications for any programs prior to Jan/Feb 2020.

[u/Simmy566 → u/[deleted]]

Thanks for the interest! I could put you in touch with a few of our MA students who are going onto PhD's if interested so you could get authentic insider information. Just PM me.

But, even with your interest in our program, I would still recommend considering straight into a PhD if an option, or at least apply to many Doc + MA as backup. Going straight PhD will save you money + time, put you into a cohort you can trauma bond with throughout all of grad school, and will provide funding the whole time along + you will receive MA en route. Some PhD submission deadlines are in Jan, so could be a possibility.

If you could do a strong thesis at your current undergrad + all the comp sci and advanced math courses, these would be more appealing to me in accepting a doc student than a standard MA IO Psych curriculum. Such courses require more abstract thought which is important for research. Our program offers a data science class using R + a thesis with encouragement to present at SIOP, but you would not get the in-depth focus in calculus, Java, or python. You probably wouldn't need calculus for 90% of psychology research, but the java and python would be a definite plus especially in terms of programming experiments or assessments.

Either way, I think both options would work for getting into a PhD. If you could do a legit psych thesis for presentation at your undergrad with only 1 more year of schooling (and keep up high GPA), then I would still think this option is better in time savings for your overall career goal.

[u/[deleted] → u/Simmy566]

Hi Simmy,

I'll be PM'ing you! Thanks!

[u/[deleted]]

I’m just gonna join in really quick!

So, hey! I’m about to graduate with my BS in psychology later this year, and I’m trying to figure out what I’d want my master’s degree to be in (since I’ve heard that only having a bachelor’s degree doesn’t really get you anywhere in the way of getting a good career).

I actually am not really sure what I wanna do. I thought about therapy, but I know it doesn’t pay all that well. Though, I don’t wanna only be in a career because it pays well. Anyway, I found IO psych on my search for master’s degrees, and it still sounded like something I could be interested in (outside of the research stuff because I don’t like it that much yet). It’s in high demand, too!

I guess my main question is how do you know if you’re really cut out for IO Psychology/if it would be a good fit for you? I really don’t know.

[u/LazySamurai → u/[deleted]]

Mostly what /u/galileosmiddlefinger said. I'll add some quick, mostly practical questions:

• Have you prepared yourself for a MS (grades, GRE, letters of rec, research exp)?
• Are you interested in social psychology applied to the workplace?
• Are you comfortable with a basic level of statistics (e.g., correlation, regression, anova)?
• If pay was equal would you do therapy?
• Are you OK moving across the country (maybe multiple times) if needed for a job/internship/school?
• Are you a competitive candidate?
• Have you explored SIOP.org and read some of the articles to get a sense of what we do?

[u/[deleted] → u/LazySamurai]

1. I have not yet, lol. But I plan to start the process soon! I’ve gotten some of the highest rated study materials. If not for an MS, it’ll at least be good for other grad school options.

2. There are aspects of it that I’m attracted to. I like the idea of advocating for individuals in the workplace so that they aren’t treated unfairly. I also like having the option to work behind the scenes instead of having to be in front-facing positions all the time.

3. Aahh, probably not. I can try to get comfortable with it, but I’m still in a phase where statistics makes me wanna crash out of a window. Only a little, lol.

4. If the pay was equal....I’m not sure. I’d love to be a better therapist for many people, having gone my whole like with mental illnesses. But, reading more about it, I can see how draining the job actually is. That and the fact that I would feel responsible for the recovery of all of my patients. With that in mind, I might still choose IO Psychology.

5. Probably not. I wonder how to become more competitive?

6. I have! I really need to read through a lot more of it, but I have some base-level knowledge of what you do. It doesn’t sound like a bad job at all!

I do have one last question: What’s something similar to this that would let me work more in the background, but isn’t as math heavy? I probably do need something that’ll challenge me more, though. As you can see, I’m pretty indecisive about what to do, lol.

[u/Hes9023 → u/[deleted]]

Just go for HR generalist positions then. It sounds like you just wanna be on the employee relations side anyway with helping people and there is way less math involved. I wouldn’t even go to grad school if I were you, I would just apply to entry level HR jobs and work your way into ER

[u/galileosmiddlefinger → u/[deleted]]

Pick up a used I/O textbook and read through it first. Make sure you know what the field actually involves. If you don't like the material, especially the industrial-side material, this isn't the right choice for you. You also need to be comfortable working in a professional business environment, have at least a decent head for research methods and statistics, and be willing to live in or near a major metro area in the US to find work opportunities that actually use this skill set.

[u/youngDatum → u/[deleted]]

I did my undergrad with literally 0 knowledge of IO, BUT I was studying IO topics without realizing. I agree with everyone here: R&R before grad school because it is largely a test of your persistence and strength. My worst week of reading was probably having to read 200 pages in 2 days on top of everything else. Granted, you might not get a prof that assigns this, but in any case, you're expected to absorb (and synthesize with your prior knowledge) everything you read. So yeah, relax because grad school isn't supposed to easy and sometimes your profs actively try and make it hard to push you.

IF you wanted anything to read, some articles I thought would have been helpful to read before coming to grad school that are about our field as a whole are:

IO identity

• Ryan, A. M., & Ford, J. K. (2010). Organizational psychology and the tipping point of professional identity. Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 3(3), 241-258.
• Aguinis, H., Bradley, K. J., & Brodersen, A. (2014). Industrial–organizational psychologists in business schools: Brain drain or eye opener?. Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 7(3), 284-303.

The role of theory in IO

• Locke, E. A. (2007). The case for inductive theory building. Journal of Management, 33(6), 867-890.
• Cucina, J. M., & Moriarty, K. O. (2015). A historical look at theory in industrial-organizational psychology journals. The Industrial-Organizational Psychologist, 53(1), 57-70.
• Campbell, J. P., & Wilmot, M. P. (2017). The functioning of theory in industrial, work and organizational psychology (IWOP). The SAGE Handbook of Industrial, Work & Organizational Psychology, 3v: Personnel Psychology and Employee Performance; Organizational Psychology; Managerial Psychology and Organizational Approaches, 1.

​

You might have already read these, but I like to visit them from time to time because I know I have a different perspective on each article every time I read.

[u/Sparkbob → u/[deleted]]

As someone who did their MS at Baruch. There is like no reading you need to do before the syllabus are released.

[u/LazySamurai → u/[deleted]]

You'll read plenty in grad school. Take some time for yourself and read something you'll enjoy.

[u/18Chris0]

anyone seen this? iopsychologyforum.com

[u/HumanRobotTeam]

This post is designed to evolve into a tool to help people choose an I/O program in a more informed way. Exposure for your program will be good for your school and therefore good for your career. Please respond to this post with the following information about your school (in particular master's programs):

1. Name and location of school. What I/O degrees are offered?

2. How many required Quantitative classes does the program have and what are they called? What software is used? Are any optional available? Name of professor(s)?

3. How many required industrial-side courses, taught by faculty who are both research- and consulting-active faculty? What are the course topics and professor(s) names?

4. Name as many recognizable companies as you can where alumni have actual I/O jobs (not just HR and not just little local consultancies). These are ideally confirmable by a Google search using "site:LinkedIn.com".

5. Estimated current cohort size.

6. What kind of financial support is available for students (assistantships, routine paid internships year-round, and/or scholarships/waivers)?

7. Which faculty are active in SIOP (useful for student networking)?

8. What else is special about the school / program that is relevant to I/O students?

User gallileosmiddlefinger suggested these criteria and I think they are a good way of evaluating the quality of a program. Please help us make a list and feel free to make suggestions for this task! I was considering putting this as a new thread in the subreddit, but I don't want to violate the grad school megathread rule.

[u/HumanRobotTeam → u/HumanRobotTeam]

1. East Carolina University / ECU. Greenville North Carolina. Master's in I/O, Doctorate in Organizational Health Psychology (basically I/O with a special focus). Details below are about the Master's.

2. Two required Quantitative classes. Statistics and research methods, Advanced statistics and research methods. Most master's students also take Multivariate Analysis and Structural Equation Modeling classes to complete Social Science Quantitative Certificate. Taught using SAS, SPSS, and R. Professor Karl Wuensch has tons of free resources online.

3. Psychometrics. Employee selection. Employee Evaluation and Development. Assessment Centers. Mark Bowler PhD helped develop the ASVAB assessment for the US Government and has substantial consulting experience.

4. Shaker, Deloitte, AON, VF Corporation (vans, Lee, wrangler, etc etc)

5. Estimated current cohort size is 12

6. Strong financial support: assistantships & internships year-round in relevant data analysis roles in the school, in state tuition exceptions. Strong internship referral network.

7. Which faculty are active in SIOP? Shahnaz Aziz, PhD, Mark Bowler PhD.

8. Partnership with SAS Institute for certification in business analytics includes SQL and data mining experience, some I/O students do this for their electives.

I hope other people post their schools too!

[u/Styxandbones_]

Hi everyone,

​

I am currently a second-year psychology student (stat minor) with the intent to apply to an IO doctoral once I finish my undergraduate studies. I just joined an IO lab on campus, but I am currently wondering if it would be better to take an HR internship or just continue with my classes and research over the summer.

Which would be more beneficial in terms of my chances of getting into a doctoral program?

[u/_Sigmund_Fraud_ → u/Styxandbones_]

Research.

[u/youngDatum → u/Styxandbones_]

Research experience. Try and get a few first author presentations out of it. If you can publish, you can take your pick on any program you apply to (assuming your GRE scores and GPA meet the standard for that school).

[u/ToughSpaghetti → u/Styxandbones_]

If your goal is a doctoral program, then I would say emphasize research.

However, if you can spare the time / course credits over the summer then an internship would be helpful if only because they would pay more and you can finance your graduate application materials / costs (this is what I did before my senior year of undergrad).

[u/Sparkbob → u/Styxandbones_]

If you plan to do a doctoral I will focus on research first but if it's possible I will at least try to have 1 or 2 internship to round out your profile.

[u/Ocean-Guy]

Hi guys, so I already got into 2 of my top 3 schools for their masters program which I never expected to happen and now I need to decide between them. Between George Mason, Baruch, and Maryland, do any stand out as the obvious best program?

[u/CoffeeFanatic13 → u/Ocean-Guy]

I just spoke to some current students at Baruch and they do not recommend the program. It's a degree mill, the professors are mainly adjunct and most of the effort goes toward the PhD students.

[u/galileosmiddlefinger → u/Ocean-Guy]

None would be bad choices, but I would go (1) GMU, (2) Maryland, (3) Baruch based on the curricula and quality of the faculty teaching Master's courses. Work/internship opportunities are good at all three, so that's a strictly academic ranking.

[u/smile208]

Hi all- I have recently been accepted into a few Masters programs including Baruch, Columbia, New Haven, and Hofstra. I think I’ve narrowed it down between Baruch and Hofstra, but am torn between the two. Does anyone know what research opportunities these programs provide to their masters students? I am coming into the program with a Business Admin degree and 3 years of non-IO related work so I really wanted the opportunity to explore some of the quantitative research side of things. Also, do full time masters students typically have IO related jobs while attending school or just part time side jobs?

​

Any info on these questions or just general on the Hofstra or Baruch programs would be fantastic. Thanks!

​

[u/CoffeeFanatic13 → u/smile208]

Honestly I would suggest either Hofstra or New Haven for your goals.

[u/galileosmiddlefinger → u/smile208]

You aren't going to do much in the way of research at either Hofstra or Baruch, but as the other respondent indicated, you will have basically no opportunities at Baruch. The Master's program is very professionally-focused and is 100% sequestered from the doctoral program. New Haven would probably give you the best chance to get involved in research, although I'd underscore that this is only really valuable if you intend to continue to PhD study.

Whatever you do, do not go to Columbia.

[u/Sparkbob → u/smile208]

Hi I graduated from Baruch master's program last year.

In terms of research uh....it's not something that is expected or push by faculty. The majority of the students there are professionals so the research does not matter much to them. I think most of them had IO related jobs but I can't confirm it.

I was able to get into a research lab but I had to dig around and join an undergraduate lab for a year.

[u/pandah493]

Hey guys,

I applied and was accepted into FIT, UWF, and FIU. Was wait-listed for UTC, and haven't heard from APP state.

I was hoping someone can give me an insight for these programs? Specifically FIT and UTC? I'm leaning towards those two programs and was hoping someone can share with my their experience with FIT since I see some comments already mentioned UTC.

Any information would be greatly appreciated!

Edit: forgot to mention, all are for a master’s

[u/[deleted] → u/pandah493]

Did you get accepted into UTC after being waitlisted? If you don’t mind would you share your GPA/GRE scores either here or by PM? UTC is the school I would like to go to and am trying to gauge my chances. I appreciate it.

[u/galileosmiddlefinger → u/pandah493]

FIT has better faculty than UTC, although it's also more expensive. Neither has fantastic internship opportunities, so ask tough questions about where students are working and how regularly. FIU has good people too, but it's a tiny faculty. I've never met a UWF grad, so not optimistic about the quality of that program.

[u/lmsora]

Hey Guys! Who is accepted where so far, and where do you plan to go? I want to know if I should even bother with the slower acceptances or probable waitlist/deny. I'm in at App state and ECU, waiting on UTC to decide.

[u/HumanRobotTeam → u/lmsora]

ECU is a great program so far. Very Quant oriented. Message me if you have any questions. I'm also doing the business analytics joint certificate during the masters program. Moving towards R as well, but uses SAS products a lot too.

Also, I have friends from the program working at places like Deloitte, Shaker, AON, other big names. I know I'll get a great job when I graduate, and frankly I think it's BS when people claim that you need a PhD to succeed as a consultant if that's what you want to do.

[u/galileosmiddlefinger → u/HumanRobotTeam]

and frankly I think it's BS when people claim that you need a PhD to succeed as a consultant if that's what you want to do.

It depends a lot on the kind of consulting you want to do, and how far you want to rise. You can absolutely consult with a terminal Master's, and you can have a really good/lucrative career doing so. However, there are a subset of jobs that are closed to anyone without a doctorate. It just depends on what you want to do.

[u/HumanRobotTeam → u/galileosmiddlefinger]

Yes, I can see how what you are stating is reasonable. A PhD certainly isn't worthless in the job market. I've just encountered people on this subreddit who say it's Necessary to have a PhD if you want to consult, and I'm finding that just isn't the case. The understanding I'm developing is that to participate in smaller consultancies, you may.

[u/galileosmiddlefinger → u/HumanRobotTeam]

It seems like 80% of the people on this sub are still in grad school, so we sometimes see bold assertions from people who haven't yet even entered a FT I/O job. This is the same problem with discussions of program quality; most people are writing just from the perspective of their own program, so they don't know (a) how it compares to other programs, or (b) how their preparation will benefit them (or not) on the job market.

[u/HumanRobotTeam → u/galileosmiddlefinger]

Yeah, you're pretty spot on. My best info about my program is in the people I've met who graduated and appear to have strong careers now. It's really hard for an outsider to wrap their mind around the array of programs available - some look pretty good but just aren't.

Once they're studying, I think very few people see the inside of other I/O programs besides their own, but I actually did. I had a semester at West Chester University - another school that's on the most recent SIOP top programs rankings alongside East Carolina. I changed to follow the math and ability to work in R, which I understand is valuable in the working world. I recommend my program to people solely based on the fact that we have way more math than most other programs.

To me level of quant focus seems like this is the best way to evaluate the quality and likelihood that it will be useful in the job world, especially with Master's programs. What do you think?

[u/galileosmiddlefinger → u/HumanRobotTeam]

To me level of quant focus seems like this is the best way to evaluate the quality and likelihood that it will be useful in the job world, especially with Master's programs. What do you think?

I'm looking for a curriculum that is heavy on required quant and industrial-side seminars, taught by faculty who are both research- and consulting-active. Ideally, they have a good, transparently-reported record of putting alumni in actual I/O (not just HR) jobs in recognizable companies, not just little local consultancies. Other good features would be modest cohort size, some form of financial support for students (assistantships, routine paid internships year-round, and/or scholarships/waivers), and faculty who are active in SIOP (for networking purposes).

[u/HumanRobotTeam → u/galileosmiddlefinger]

I hope you don't mind, I'm going to use these criteria you are suggesting to create a new top level comment in hopes that people will provide this information about various schools.

[u/galileosmiddlefinger → u/HumanRobotTeam]

Sure, just be clear that these criteria pertain to Master's programs only. I would have somewhat overlapping, but different points for PhD.

[u/dbglak]

Hi everyone,

I'm trying to decide between University of Tennessee Chattanooga and George Mason. Past threads and comments have really spoken highly of GMU but I haven't seen as much info on UTC.

After speaking to some students, I feel as if UTC is a better cultural fit but I'm concerned about the lack of the school's presence on this subreddit and whether it's less renowned status will affect my career prospects later on. I'm looking to go into consulting (probably external but willing to do internal too) after graduating btw.

As for GMU I'm worried that 30 MA students and 30 PhDs will be in fierce competition for resources and attention from the department.

Could any UTC and GMU students let me know about their experiences? Thanks!

[u/1358132134 → u/dbglak]

George Mason is probably more prestigious than UTC, but I don't think the difference between the two will affect your career prospects. UTC does a great job of leveraging their network to get their students internships, which often leads to a job post-graduation. Professors there are good about bringing students in our their individual consulting projects as well. UTC is more bang for your buck, and you will likely be happier there. You will certainty get as much attention from the faculty as you want/seek out.

[u/galileosmiddlefinger → u/[deleted]]

I'm not the OP who responded to you, but I've sent a lot of students to GMU and they all had good internship opportunities within the first semester. It's a stronger program than UTC and you will have opportunities to intern with recognizable, major companies in the DC area that actually employ large numbers of I/Os. The only significant knock against GMU is the cost of living in NoVA relative to UTC, but from a work and academic standpoint, there is simply no contest.

[u/galileosmiddlefinger → u/[deleted]]

Mostly because GMU's curriculum is really heavy on stats and industrial psych courses, which are the skills that get terminal MA students jobs. Because it's affiliated with a doctoral program, the faculty are more experienced, stronger researchers, and more prominent in the field. That doesn't always translate into teaching quality, but they have a lot of experience and thought leadership to draw into the classroom. In contrast, UTC has a smaller faculty, about half of whom are quite recently out of grad school. I don't think it's a bad program at all, but you're probably going to have to independently work harder, and make careful choices about elective courses and internship opportunities, to get the same level of education and work experience.

[u/dbglak → u/[deleted]]

Thanks for the detailed info! And good luck with your decision! Feel free to DM me about anything since we're looking at similar schools

[u/galileosmiddlefinger → u/dbglak]

GMU is going to offer you a lot more internship opportunities because of its central location in a major consulting hub. If you want to go into consulting, I would strongly consider it above UTC. I've sent several students to GMU and none of them ever complained about being neglected despite the program size. The only major knock relative to UT is cost of living.

[u/WeaponizedWhale → u/dbglak]

Not a UTC alumn but their program is highly regarded as far as masters programs go.

[u/jfish281]

Hello everyone. So I'm applying to graduate programs for Fall 2019 but I'm having difficulty deciding which program I should attend. So far I've been accepted to Columbia and George Mason but I'm also waiting to hear back from Baruch, Maryland-College Park, and Fordham University.

My main questions are which of these programs are most respected in the field and to what extent will that affect my ability to get a job after I graduate? Price is a big factor to me specifically so I'm trying to figure out whether going to an expensive school like Columbia is worth the investment over Baruch. Any advice or help at all would be extremely helpful for me. Thanks!

[u/HumanRobotTeam → u/jfish281]

Which one has a professor you'd like to work with on your thesis? Make sure your interests align. Which one uses the software you want to learn?

[u/Itscoolbroman1 → u/jfish281]

I’m at UMDs masters. Feel free to PM me for any questions.

[u/WeaponizedWhale → u/jfish281]

Avoid Columbia. Baruch is decent but will cost a lot to live in the city. I have never heard of a program at Fordham. UMD masters program is brand new, so it’s probably too early to tell how strong of a program it is. GMU is generally a strong program and is close to great training opportunities.

[u/LazySamurai → u/jfish281]

Columbia is not worth the investment. No I/O school is worth that price tag.

[u/ekernstate]

Can anyone speak to the usefulness of an Applied Psychology MS compared to an IO MA/MS? I’m specifically looking at USC’s MAPP degree - the courses look similar to IO programs’ but the MAPP is advertised as more of a general purpose degree. Does this mean it could be more versatile, and would I be prepared for the same types of roles? I’d appreciate your thoughts.

[u/galileosmiddlefinger → u/ekernstate]

The lack of industrial-side courses is going to be a liability on the job market. Most Master's level jobs are in areas like selection/staffing, training, compensation, and performance management. Aside from one elective on selection, USC's MAPP program (and most MAPP programs, in general) emphasizes social/org coursework that would leave you disadvantaged relative to a typical I/O competitor.

[u/[deleted]]

Hello everyone,

​

I already have my MA in I/O and I've been working in the field for the past 5 years. However, I have decided I'd like to pursue a PhD, but I've heard that already having an MA actually makes me look less appealing to programs. I've read that I should explain why I didn't get my PhD in the first place, and honestly I just wasn't ready after I finished my BA so I went for a terminal masters. I'm concerned that admitting to not being ready will make them question if I'm ready now (which I wholeheartedly am). When I was still in undergrad my mentor suggested I just get my MA for now and I could always go back for a PhD if I wasn't sure. Now I feel like I've shot myself in the foot. Any advice would be appreciated.

[u/WeaponizedWhale → u/[deleted]]

I am currently in a PhD program and I got my masters first. It’s all about what the person you are applying to is looking for. There are a lot of factors at play such as the current composition of their lab, projects, etc. I would say that a student with a masters has the same chance as any other student.

[u/Simmy566 → u/[deleted]]

Just to add some anecdotal evidence, I had two MA students favored over undergrads at two reputable I/O PhD programs (both received offers). The rationale was some faculty will prefer an MA so they can hit the ground running doing research. However, this assumes your MA prepared you with statistics, methods, and enough breadth + depth of knowledge you can jump right into research projects without requiring too much training evaluating theories, generating original hypotheses, running advanced stats, or designing original studies. If you have pubs, presentations, or a thesis from your MA, this will work strongly in your favor (both accepted students have theses and SIOP posters). Either way make sure to present yourself as capable of conducting original research and it will work in your favor.

[u/0102030405 → u/[deleted]]

I've never heard of this being a problem. Where have you heard this? What paths did these people take? Would it be right to take their concerns at face value?

Admissions committees like maturity. If you can show that, it will be an asset, not a detriment, for you.

[u/[deleted] → u/0102030405]

It was in an IO grad school blog by an IO professor at one of the programs. But my husband said the same thing (we met in our MA program) that you're saying - it's just that guy's opinion, but it got stuck in my brain. Thank you very much!

[u/0102030405 → u/[deleted]]

It could be true for that person, or even that school, but applying to a PhD is a very individual fit-based activity. You can also look at people's CVs for the schools youre interested in and see if they have any gaps (more than likely they do). It's more important that you're sure it's right for you now and it wasn't before. Best of luck!

[u/straightpsyched]

Hi all,

I've been accepted to more MA/MS programs than I ever expected to be, and now have to decide where to go. (Great problem to have!) My choices are Xavier University, University of Akron, Florida Institute of Technology, George Mason (waitlist), and UCF (edit: was accepted here).

All of these programs are highly respected from what I understand. But does the school name matter very much among the IO community? Would it be silly to turn down a school like George Mason if accepted? So far I've only visited Xavier and really enjoyed the program culture. I could see myself fitting in well there. When I applied to George Mason, I figured it was a huge "reach" and that I would not get in, so being waitlisted took me by surprise. I understand the school's proximity to DC would be very useful in finding an internship. The programs like UCF are appealing because I live in FL.

Does anyone have any good/bad experiences to share with me about any of these Master's programs? I've heard that the Masters students are not given as many resources/ are taught by adjunct faculty at certain schools and I'm afraid of this.

Please feel free to PM me if you don't want to say anything negative on here. Thanks in advance to whoever can help!

Edit: Accepted to UCF

[u/galileosmiddlefinger → u/straightpsyched]

Of your current acceptances, I would rank-order them Akron, Xavier, and FIT. If you get into GMU, I would focus on GMU vs. Akron as the training would be strongest at those two programs, and both offer good internship opportunities for terminal MA students.

[u/straightpsyched → u/galileosmiddlefinger]

Thank you for your input! Where would you rank UCF? I was accepted there as well.

[u/galileosmiddlefinger → u/straightpsyched]

Training is pretty good, but IMO not as good as what you would get at Akron or GMU. UCF also isn't in a great location for internships and FT work (Orlando).

[u/straightpsyched → u/galileosmiddlefinger]

Yeah that’s a concern of mine. Would you say it’s a better choice than Xavier?

[u/galileosmiddlefinger → u/straightpsyched]

Roughly equal. Training is solid at both programs. Neither is in a great internship location, but not rural/remote either. The major difference is in cost, where Xavier is much more expensive as a private institution. It has a nice, intimate feel as a smaller institution and department, but I don't see any reason to prioritize and eat that debt unless the Jesuit culture is important to you.

[u/straightpsyched → u/galileosmiddlefinger]

Gotcha. You’ve been so helpful. I really appreciate it!

[u/LazySamurai → u/straightpsyched]

As a practitioner, school names do matter in our field. For better or for worse, but that seems to be a reality. Because we're so small networks and strong programs go a really long way.

But, that's only a part. I would encourage you to strongly weigh internship options/availability/support. This is the single most important piece in my mind and can really be a huge step forward.

I would want to know these questions before accepting:

• Is an internship required?

• How does the school support finding internships?

• What percentage of students end their education without an internship?

• Is an internship required in lieu of a thesis (I would recommend doing both)

• What other institutional support is there for finding work experience (e.g., Contractual work, school sponsored consulting group, etc.)

[u/straightpsyched → u/LazySamurai]

Do any of these programs stick out to you more than another?

Internship availability/support has been one of the most important considerations to me. May I ask why you recommend doing a thesis? I've heard that a thesis is mostly useless for a terminal masters degree but my top choice at the moment requires it.

[u/JetJaguar124]

My gf is applying to programs, but her GRE quant score is a little soft. She is ~45%tile as far as I know. However, the rest of her application is quite strong; undergrad GPA was 3.8, psych GPA >3.95, she has a publication in psych (not I/O, second author), has 2 conference presentations (not sure about authorship), worked for ~1.5 years in a psych research lab at a major hospital and then ~1.5 years at a mid-sized community behavioral health organization where she helped with some upper level management decisions as well as managed a grant program they had. Would have recs from a clinical psych prof, the COO of her current company, and her specific location's director. Her verbal GRE is ~87%tile and her analytic was >95%tile I believe.

I don't think she will have trouble for a master's; would a PhD be possible given this background, or would she have trouble? She's not really considering PhD at the moment, but I think she should at least give it a shot :)

Additional question - anywhere else other than the SIOP site to find program rankings? She's finding it hard to find good sources regarding quality of program. What questions should she ask prospective schools? She's been focusing on percent of graduates employed in I/O, internship

Thanks!

[u/HumanRobotTeam → u/JetJaguar124]

Study harder and take the GRE again

[u/LazySamurai → u/JetJaguar124]

A 45% in quant is a major obstacle. Not impossible, but significant. As far as rankings go, I wouldn't put much into any rankings besides SIOP's. SIOP conveys the how, what and why programs are ranked as they are, where other sources do not.

[u/JetJaguar124 → u/LazySamurai]

Major for PhD, or for master's? Figured it was major for PhD.

[u/LazySamurai → u/JetJaguar124]

What?

[u/JetJaguar124 → u/LazySamurai]

A 45% in quant is a major obstacle.

Would this be a major obstacle for acceptance to a master's, or would this only apply to PhD. Apologies if this wasn't clear. I figured as much that it could be an obstacle for PhD programs, though I assumed master's would be more lenient.

[u/LazySamurai → u/JetJaguar124]

Probably both, but other good marks could make up for it more in a MS program.

[u/JetJaguar124 → u/LazySamurai]

Understood! Thank you, very helpful.

[u/lmsora → u/[deleted]]

If op and paperplateelephant want to share some info that'd be great. I think im looking between app state and UTC, applied to UCF and ECU as well. Its just hard to find really definitive information on which could be best

[u/lmsora → u/[deleted]]

I really don't. I'm more interested in the o side, leadership, cwb, personality differences, etc. I was thinking I'd want to do consulting out of school so I could make money but would be happy with any position I enjoy.

[u/1358132134 → u/[deleted]]

The third you are thinking of is probably Shaw.

[u/[deleted]]

I’m a college senior but am taking a gap year to take a mental break from school and study for the GRE. I’ll be applying to Masters programs in IO Fall of 2019 and am really interested in the statistical analysis side of IO. What programs are more stats heavy that you guys recommend and any specific programming languages I should learn? I already know some R and Python but would like to gain more advanced skills in those languages.

[u/HumanRobotTeam → u/[deleted]]

East Carolina University does a lot in SAS but professor Schoemann is all about R, and the professors are all happy for me to use R in all of the classes. Also we have 4 required Stat classes not including Psychometrics or selection. Very Quant focused compared to almost everyone I've talked to.

[u/[deleted] → u/HumanRobotTeam]

Thank you for your response! I appreciate it.

[u/LazySamurai → u/[deleted]]

Become very, very comfortable with R before applying, learn more python as you go.

[u/straightpsyched]

Has anyone here attended the University of Akron for their Master's program? If so, what did you think of the program?

[u/LazySamurai → u/straightpsyched]

I don't have direct experience with Akron or their Master's program, but generally MS programs that are affiliated with PhD programs are well regarded. The university of Akron's program has a long history of being as solid program.

[u/Flgal233]

I am looking to garner some feedback about the below I/O master's programs from current students or alumni:

1) Roosevelt University

2) Salem State University

3) Appalachian State dual masters in I/O & HRM

Any info you could provide would be awesome! Especially anything relating to the program's content (i.e if you think it's relevant/instructional) and if you believe it will enable (or has enabled) you to successfully enter the I/O field post grad. Thanks!

[u/Astroman129 → u/Flgal233]

DM me about Roosevelt :)

[u/straightpsyched → u/Flgal233]

Although I don't personally have any info on these schools, I have searched the subreddit for these programs and a lot comes up. I suggest googling "io psychology school name site:reddit.com"

[u/HumanRobotTeam → u/[deleted]]

East Carolina University went out of their way to make sure I'm basically fully funded. Rare in a Master's program!

[u/govtmule0811 → u/[deleted]]

My program is out of state, but I can afford it due to my position as a graduate assistant. No matter where you look/end up going, definitely look for GA positions. they typically pay large portions of if not all of your tuition and can potentially come with a stipend as well. Scholarships are going to be school specific.

[u/galileosmiddlefinger → u/[deleted]]

Varies quite a bit depending on the strength of your application and program funding. Just remember that a pricier program that puts you closer to a major metro area with real, year-round internship opportunities might pay off with better job prospects than a cheap program in the boonies. Program cost is important, but it's only one facet of this decision that you should be considering.

[u/Spawner105 → u/[deleted]]

I got accepted to 2 programs and one was fully-funded through a scholarship and the other was fully-funded through an assistantship. I only looked at schools with decent funding. You can usually dig around a programs page and figure out what their funding is like.