non-degree/continuing ed question...

[royalewcheeze]

Hi all!  First of all, for those of you who've gotten acceptances, congratulations!  That's quite an accomplishment.  And for those who are still waiting:  take comfort in the fact that there's alot of us in the same boat, and we'll eventually get where we need to be

Comments

[shil]

As a psych student, I think the better way of meeting some profs and working on some papers with them is to work or volunteer in a lab. While success at grad classes is impressive, research experience trumps grad classes (even if the class includes a research project, lab work shows more initiative than doing research because it was assigned). Plus, it's usually more flexible, and hella less expensive!

[royalewcheeze]

yes, and that would honestly be my first choice. unfortunately, though, when I emailed professors directly, the only response I got was a curt one-line email saying "Students must be enrolled to be involved in research."

so it may actually be time to pester them again. I know that it's possible; I volunteered for a year as an RA immediately after finishing my undergrad. Unfortunately, I've since moved out of state, and the university in the city I'm located currently, though AWESOME for my program, is notorious for being bogged down in bureaucracy.

maybe I'll just keep bugging someone until they let me.

[roseofjuly]

There are no other universities in the city in which you live? I would look for other nearby universities. Sometimes the less well-known schools are dying for RAs and would be happy to have you. Also, if you are willing to move, a lot of schools offer 1 or 2-year positions as research coordinators of labs during which you get paid full salary, probably some benefits, you can take classes, and you get to work on whatever research is going on in the lab. Our lab coordinator applied for clinical programs this round and got into some excellent schools, including UCLA and UNC-Chapel Hill.

[royalewcheeze]

actually, that's a very good point. There are quite a few universities here, I was just aiming for the large state university that has the awesomely funded psych program. That's a very good point.

I had no idea about those positions! That's very good to know. Would I just find out about them through word-of-mouth in the department?

[roseofjuly]

Sorry this comes so late, but I started getting e-mails around this time last year from some listserv I was on about places that needed research coordinator positions. Big school, too -- Wisconsin, UCLA, They usually come after about April 15, when their current lab coordinators have decided that they are going to graduate school and where they are going. Some of them want 2-year commitments, and others only want 1 year commitments.

Word-of-mouth would work too; ask your professors if they have received any calls for these kinds of positions. Also, I would look at the labs of professors in nearby unis and e-mail someone in the lab (either the professor or the current coordinator) asking if they have any open positions in the lab.

Here is a rough list of what these jobs look like: http://www.job-search-engine.com/keyword/psychology-research-study-coordinator