Acing the PsyD Interview: The 3-P Plan
Congratulations! You have successfully made the cut at your target doctor of psychology (PsyD) program and have been invited to interview. You are one of the applicants being seriously considered for acceptance.
As you start preparing for your interview, ask yourself the following questions:
- Which of my experiences should I mention?
- How should I highlight my strengths?
- What questions should I ask?
- How do I manage my nervousness when so much is on the line?
None of these questions are new to me. As an admissions consultant, I regularly provide interview guidance to clients, and over the years, I have developed an action plan that has helped many PsyD applicants ace their interviews. I refer to it as the 3-P Plan: Purpose, Preparation, Performance.
Step 1: Purpose
Understanding the reasons schools interview candidates is a good place to start in your preparations. The purpose of admissions interviews for the admissions committee is to help them
- learn more about an applicant’s academic, clinical, and research background;
- determine whether the applicant’s disposition, personality, and communication skills are conducive to a career in professional psychology;
- gauge whether the candidate would be a good fit with the PsyD program, faculty, and cohort of students;
- assess the likelihood that the applicant will be successful in the PsyD program; and
- match the applicant’s clinical and research interests with available faculty mentors.
The purpose of admissions interviews for you, the interviewee, is to help you
- learn more about the curriculum and faculty;
- assess the academic, clinical, and professional learning environment;
- gauge whether the PsyD program, faculty, and cohort of students would be a good fit for you; and
- determine whether the program has faculty members whose clinical and research interests match yours.
Step 2: Preparation
You obviously need to prepare for the big day. As part of that preparation, be sure to do the following:
- Read the school’s website in full, including faculty profiles and curriculum listings, and any other available materials related to the university, school, and PsyD program. You must be ready to demonstrate your knowledge of the program and any of its special features during your interview. This might include interdisciplinary opportunities, concentrations, faculty research, scholarly conferences, and community outreach programs. Review the program’s mission or goals.
- Review the PsyD program’s data on student admissions and outcomes on its website.
- Learn about field placement requirements. This is an essential part of your doctoral studies. Do field placements start in the first or second year? When will you do your internship(s)? Many schools have a field placement guide online that you can review.
- Carefully review the agenda and any materials the program sent you before the interview. If you are given the names of the individuals with whom you will be meeting, look them up online. If any are faculty members, read one or two of their publications, if possible.
- Your PsyD interview might be in person or virtual, so prepare for both. The interview format could involve one-on-one meetings in addition to group sessions with fellow applicants. You might meet faculty members, admissions staff, advisors, field placement staff, and/or students.
- Compile a list of questions that you believe you might be asked during your PsyD interview, and create a list of talking points for possible answers. However, do not write your answers out word for word, because you want to sound spontaneous and natural, rather than scripted and stilted. The questions you receive will likely relate to the following categories: personal background, work experience, research interests, clinical experience, diversity, social justice, and interest/fit. A list of sample questions appears at the end of this article.
- Prepare questions that you will ask during your interview. Be sure to ask questions that demonstrate your knowledge of the school and program, and avoid questions that can be answered with a one-word response or a quick check of the school’s webpage.
- Carefully consider what you will wear to the interview. Choose attire that emphasizes your professionalism. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes for in-person interviews that might include a campus tour. If you will be interviewing on Zoom, test the lighting and audio in advance, and ensure that your background is appropriate for an interview setting. Eliminate anything in the field of vision that is obtrusive or inappropriate in a professional setting. What appears suitable in your mirror might not come across as such on the recording. Bright prints are best avoided on video, and solid colors are usually better.
- Review your statement of purpose and any other materials (e.g., research paper, article) you submitted with your application, in case your interviewer asks about them.
- Practice some cognitive restructuring (positive self-talk, visualization, and modeling) as well as relaxation techniques to use before the start of your interview.
- Approach this experience as a wonderful opportunity to present yourself, rather than as an obstacle, test, or challenge.
Step 3: Performance
To optimize your performance in your PsyD interview, follow these tips.
- Keep in mind that the evaluation of you as a candidate includes all your interactions with program faculty, staff, current students, and fellow applicants.
- Listen carefully, and take in all the information you are offered so you can learn as much as possible about the school’s curriculum, culture, and resources.
- Avoid one-word answers, even if the interviewer asks a closed-ended question. Take advantage of behavioral interviewing techniques by providing specific examples or short anecdotes that exhibit your strengths and/or experiences. Prepare anecdotes to share that will demonstrate the skills you have related to the field of clinical psychology.
- Effective eye contact is critical in interviewing. Make eye contact with each and every committee member and with your fellow applicants if you have a group interview. Doing so will help convey your passion, attentiveness, and willingness to engage in academic discourse. If you have a Zoom interview, practice looking into the camera, rather than at the interviewer on the screen. Take a short sample Zoom recording before your interview to make note of your eye positioning. Practice with a friend, or take advantage of Accepted’s Mock Interview Package to get feedback and suggestions for improvement.
- Monitor your posture and movement. Sit up straight, and lean in ever so slightly. This will indicate that you are fully engaged and deeply interested in the interview.
- Speak at a moderate rate and volume. The last thing you want is to make the interviewer uncomfortable with a “too loud” voice, “whisper soft” voice, or “rapid fire” rate of speech. Be aware of whether you tend to overtalk or undertalk. Overtalkers need to avoid rambling, and undertalkers need to expand their responses.
- Share your passion for the field of study, and smile when appropriate. A warm manner and an engaging personality will make a positive impression.
- Ask thought-provoking questions about the curriculum, clinical training, and research opportunities.
- Speak in your own voice, from your heart. Your sincerity, honesty, and authenticity will shine through. At the same time, remember that clinical psychology is a field in which maintaining professional boundaries is important.
After Your PsyD Interview
Here’s a final, bonus “P”: Post interview. You might be done with your interview, but that doesn’t mean you’re done with the admissions process!
- Write down the names of each of your interviewers, and be sure to get their contact information so you can send them follow-up thank-you notes.
- Personalize each note so that it is clear that you really remember the interviewer; reference something specific from your meeting. Interviewers sometimes compare notes, so don’t write the same thing to each interviewer. Make each message personal. For example, “I really enjoyed our conversation about X.”
- Do a quick assessment of your performance. Be honest, but don’t beat yourself up for any missteps you might have made. Learn from the experience.
Sample PsyD Interview Questions
- Tell me about yourself.*
- Why do you want to be a clinical psychologist?
- Why are you interested in this program?
- What are your career goals?
- Describe an accomplishment that you are proud of.
- What are your strengths?
- Is there any area of weakness in your application that you would like to address?
- Describe a time when you used your communication skills in a challenging interpersonal situation.
- What personal attributes would you bring to our program?
- What does social justice mean to you?
- What does cultural competence mean to you?
- What questions do you have for us?
* Be sure that your “Tell me about yourself” response is not too long; it is meant to be only an intro. Think of it as an opportunity to give an overview of yourself and your path thus far; do not include too much detail.
By Alice Diamond, former associate dean for career and community service at Lesley University. Alice has a BA from Colgate University, an MA from Bryn Mawr College, and an MS from Cornell University. She has extensive experience in career and admissions advising for undergraduate and graduate candidates. Alice’s clients have been accepted to top programs in a wide range of fields. Want to work with Alice? Click here to get in touch!
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