Running head: APPLYING TO CANADIAN GRADUATE PROGRAMS

Applying to Canadian Graduate Programs in Clinical Psychology:

A Guide for Prospective Students

Parky Lau , Joseph Rootman , & Jill Robinson

1 2 2

Ryerson University
1

University of British Columbia

2
APPLYING TO CANADIAN GRADUATE PROGRAMS

Abstract
In the Fall of 2018, I (Parky) will have begun my clinical psychology program at Ryerson
University, whereas Joey, my undergraduate research partner in crime and second author of this
guide, is matriculating into his clinical program at the University of British Columbia -
Okanagan Campus. As recent applicants we figured it would be worthwhile to write up this short
guide for those who are, or will be, embarking on this arduous process. As a PhD student, Jill
provides insight into the selection process and details behind the scenes information. This
manuscript serves as a structured account of applying to clinical psychology programs in
Canada, drawing heavily on personal experience and wisdom passed down from those who came
before us. In this text, we attempt to demystify the enigmatic process of applying to Canadian
graduate studies in clinical psychology, as well as impart insight into their evaluation criteria. In
doing so, we hope to make this journey a little less daunting for prospective students. A
secondary goal of this guide is to provide concrete examples of activities that potential applicants
can engage in during their undergraduate (or post-baccalaureate) studies to strengthen their
application and increase their odds of gaining admission into some of the most competitive
graduate programs in the world.

2
APPLYING TO CANADIAN GRADUATE PROGRAMS

Introduction
Clinical psychology can be viewed as the closest representation of the prototypical idea
laymen have of psychologists: A therapist sitting perpendicular to a client lying on a couch and
asking, “How does that make you feel?”. And in some ways, this is true. As a practitioner,
clinical psychologists often conduct assessments and provide therapy to a variety of individuals
that exhibit some form of psychopathology. Clinical psychologists are also trained as scientists
and can be seen working in research or educational settings such as academia and research
centers, as well as clinical settings, such as hospitals and private practice clinics. It is not
uncommon for clinical psychologists to divide their time among clinical practice, academia, and
research. As such, a vocation in clinical psychology can be rather versatile, making the degree
and associated training programs highly-sought after.

Clinical MA/PhD Programs in Canada

Clinical psychology MA/PhD programs adhere to the scientist-practitioner (Boulder)
model, which underscores the importance of the relationship between empirically validated
research and associated applications to clinical populations. As such, students are trained to be
researchers as well as clinicians. Canadian graduate programs in clinical psychology generally
offer a combined Masters (MA) and Doctoral (PhD) program, as opposed to just the PhD. The
MA program lasts approximately 2 years, and the PhD program extends this by another 4-5 years
(including a year of predoctoral internship). Although the MA and PhD are usually distinct
programs, it is often strongly recommended that those applying to the MA program continue into
the PhD. Many programs will not accept students who plan to terminate their studies after
completing the MA. Most provinces, with the exception of Saskatchewan and Alberta, require
that students hold a PhD in order to gain registration as a clinical psychologist with the
provincial College of Psychologists.
When preparing your applications, two crucial aspects to consider are the number of
institutions you intend on applying to and the quality of these institutions. With respect to the
first point, acceptance rates are low; typically, 4-7% of applicants receive an offer of admission.
Therefore, it is the norm for prospective students to apply to multiple programs to increase their
odds of acceptance. A former professor of mine recommended that if a prospective student
wanted to maximize their chance of gaining admission, they should apply to at least 12 to 15

3
APPLYING TO CANADIAN GRADUATE PROGRAMS

programs. That being said, this recommendation is not a hard rule (Parky applied to 7
institutions, Jill applied to 5, and Joey only applied to 3). Applications are expensive and time
consuming so we generally advise to avoid applying to programs which you have no or very
little intention of attending. Second, it is strongly recommended that you apply to institutions
whose doctoral and internship training program are (or in the process of being) accredited by the
Canadian Psychological Association (CPA). Institutions accredited by the CPA are proven to
demonstrate the necessary rigour to develop highly trained clinical psychologists. Oftentimes,
graduating from a CPA accredited institution confers professional benefits and are necessary for
obtaining internships through the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers
(APPIC) as well as facilitating the search for employment after graduation. It is much less likely
that a student exiting a non-accredited program will secure a CPA-accredited internship relative
to those who exit CPA accredited programs. Many prospective research and clinical positions
require that the applicant attended a CPA-accredited internship.
Finally, although an in-depth examination of other degrees, such as the PsyD or
counselling psychology are beyond the scope of this paper, it is worthwhile to mention these
alternatives. These programs may be of interest to those whose passion is oriented towards
clinical practice or for those who wish to work with populations that exhibit less extreme mental
health concerns. For a further examination of the PsyD, counselling psychology, and other
related fields of studies - as well as being an excellent resource in general - we would
recommend Mitch’s Uncensored Advice for Applying to Graduate School in Clinical Psychology
by Dr. Mitchell Prinstein.

The Application Process

Applying to Canadian MA/PhD graduate studies in clinical psychology is often a long,
difficult, and confusing process, and can take several months to adequately prepare. Generally,
the list of materials you will need to assemble for programs include: 1) Graduate Record
Examination (GRE); 2) a list of institutions and associated supervisors you would like to apply
to; 3) three (or more) letters of recommendations (LORs); 4) official transcripts; 5) an updated
curriculum vitae (CV); and 6) a statement of intent (personal statement). For Tri-Council funding
applications, the materials you will need are: 1) Canadian Common CV (CCV); 2) two letters of
recommendation; 3) a hypothetical research proposal. Often, programs will ask if you have

4
APPLYING TO CANADIAN GRADUATE PROGRAMS

applied for external funding, such as Tri-Council funding or the Ontario Graduate Scholarship
(OGS).
Preparing for the GRE is probably the most time-consuming and difficult aspect of the
application process and applicants should allocate at least 2 months to studying for this exam. Jill
studied for one month while completing her honours degree and would not recommend putting in
any less time! The exam should be taken as early as possible. Realistically, the suggested
timeline includes studying for the exam over the summer before you begin applications and
completing the examination prior to the beginning of fall semester. That way you will have
sufficient time to report your scores as well as retake the test if necessary. Note that while the
General Test can be taken throughout the year, the Psychology Subject test is only offered a few
times annually (April, September, and October). It often takes up to 4 to 5 weeks to receive your
scores - so plan accordingly! If the application deadline occurs before you obtain your scores,
you may be rejected based on your incomplete application. Remember to check application
deadlines when choosing a test date, and if possible, leave time to write the test at least once
again if necessary. We all have friends who have taken the GRE more times than they want to
admit!
By late summer or early fall, you will also want to begin considering which institutions
you would like to apply to. There are several factors you might want to consider: the quality of
the program and richness of the training, practicum placements, potential funding opportunities,
length of time typically spent in the program before internship, geographical location and
feasibility of moving, the culture and atmosphere of the university and, perhaps most importantly
of all, the “fit” between student and mentor. Each institution typically provides information on
their university webpage about faculty and their individual research interests. It is important to
determine if the faculty you are interested in working with is accepting new students for the
upcoming round of admissions. Faculty may not accept students one year for a variety of reasons
(e.g., sabbatical leaves, administration duties) and you would not want to waste your time or
money applying to a supervisor who was not accepting students! You may want to contact
potential supervisors to confirm that they are taking applications for new graduate students as
well as to express your interest in their research. Although not a necessary component in
applications, faculty members may appreciate your effort to contact them, especially if you
demonstrate keen insight and enthusiasm into their work. If you decide to contact prospective

5
APPLYING TO CANADIAN GRADUATE PROGRAMS

supervisors, it is important to be polite and professional in your correspondence. Proofread your

emails before sending them and be sure to demonstrate that you have done research into their
current work. Be understanding if you receive a terse response. It is likely because faculty
members often lead busy lifestyles and receive a large volume of similar emails during the
application period. In addition to the match between research interests, it is important to think
about the kind of research supervision and general mentorship you are interested in receiving.
For example, some individuals work well with mentors who have a “hands-off” style of
supervision, who do not set deadlines, and who expect students to be self-driven in most
endeavours. In contrast, some students prefer a more direct style of supervision and mentorship.
At a similar time, you will want to reach out to your current supervisors and/or professors
for letters of recommendations. Most programs will require 2 to 3 academic references. For some
schools, but not all, a professional reference may be submitted as substitution for an academic
letter. Importantly, make sure that your referees are willing to provide a strong positive testament
to your abilities and can speak to your potential success in a primarily research-based graduate
program; reference letters that offer faint praise or are outright critical of the applicant can be
incredibly damaging to an application (for other so-called ‘Kisses of Death’, see Appleby &
Appleby, 2006). Your goal is to facilitate the process for referees. Make writing and submitting
the reference letters as simple as possible and ensure that you give plenty of notice (4 to 8 weeks
in advance of the application deadline) that you will require a letter in the future. We would
recommend drafting a list of all the schools you wish to apply to and providing a step-by-step
guide on how to submit the LOR to each school (electronically and/or by physical mail) for your
referees’ convenience. This also would be a good time to provide these referees with some
direction by identifying examples of times where you have proven yourself worthy for
acceptance to clinical programs. Further, you should also send your references an updated CV,
set of transcripts, and background information about the program you are applying to. The more
information the reference has, the easier it is to write a strong letter.
Official transcripts, CVs, and the personal statement can be completed and submitted
electronically any time before the application deadline (usually December 1st). However,
gathering feedback from your peers and supervisors can be incredibly useful so you will want to
complete an initial draft a few months before to make necessary revisions. You should spend
ample time editing and revising your personal statement, ensure no typos, spelling or grammar

6
APPLYING TO CANADIAN GRADUATE PROGRAMS

mistakes are present. It is strongly recommended that you have at least one other person read
your letter to ensure you have not glossed over anything. In the following sections, we will
provide additional content and stylistic information regarding the personal statement.
Finally, an oft-neglected but necessary part of Canadian applications is applying for
external funding, which is typically from the three federal granting agencies (Tri-Council):
CIHR, NSERC, and SSHRC. Applications are due December 1st for those applying to MA
programs and mid-September for those applying to PhD programs. These applications require
two academic references as well as a short research proposal (1 page for MA and 2 pages for
PhD). Each funding agency requires different information. CIHR is often touted as the heftiest
application. Appropriately, you will want to give yourself time for referees to submit their LoRs
as well as familiarize yourself with the literature to write a strong research proposal. Note that
you do not have to carry out the study proposed; this is simply an exercise of your ability to
clearly communicate a potential research idea in a scientific manner. It is important to
understand that this information reflects the current funding status in Canada in September 2018.
Information and government funding opportunities may change in the future.
For a more comprehensive and detailed timeline for suggestions as to when these
components should be completed, as well as information on interviews after the application
period, please refer to Dr. Sophia Choukas-Bradley Tips for Applying to Graduate School in
(Clinical) Psychology: A Step-by-Step Guide.

Evaluation Criteria
Although the admission criteria are fairly standardized among institutions (e.g., at least
an A- average, research experience), there is a fair bit of ambiguity as to what makes a successful
applicant aside from the quantitative scores observed in GPA and GRE scores. In the following
text, we break down the general evaluation criteria into three subsections: 1) Academic
Background 2) Skills and Professional Development and 3) Supplementary Materials and
Evaluations.

Academic Background
Academic background includes the quality of the institution and the program you
attended previously, GPA, and GRE scores for the General and Subject tests. The quality of your

7
APPLYING TO CANADIAN GRADUATE PROGRAMS

institution and respective program is likely set in stone; however, for more keen students
beginning their undergraduate education, it is advisable to pursue a 4-year honours degree in
psychology at a respected university. Although an honours degree is not necessary (programs
will also take students with an equivalence in terms of coursework and research experience),
honours programs tend to confer many academic and professional benefits for students, such as
testing a unique research hypothesis by designing a research study, presenting at conferences,
writing a thesis, and being surrounded by like-minded individuals that can support and inspire
one another to succeed. While it is not the norm to enter a clinical psychology program without
an honours degree, it is possible (Parky did it) though not recommended. The vast majority of
students will hold an honours degree before entering graduate school. If you are too late in your
program to enroll in the honours program before graduation, you may want to explore the
possibility of pursuing a postgraduate honours, in which you attend for one year after graduating
to obtain an honours degree. Not all institutions will provide students with this opportunity so it
is imperative that you speak with your academic advisor early in your program.
With respect to GPA, undergraduate institutions generally require an A- cumulative GPA
or GPA over the last two years. Successful applicants, however, typically have a substantially
higher GPA. Although having a lower GPA does not necessarily preclude you from admission,
especially if you have strong credentials in other areas (the same applies with GRE scores), it is
important to note that certain institutions may use this as a benchmark to cull applicants if there
is a large volume of applications. Do not be discouraged by the 60% you received in your first-
year economics class (like Jill) but be aware that several failing or low grades, especially in
psychology-related courses, will not bode well for your application.
GRE scores on the general test are broken into three sections: Verbal Reasoning,
Quantitative Reasoning, and Analytical Writing. Although a scaled score is calculated, what is
most important is your standing relative to other individuals (i.e., your percentile). Applicants
should attempt to aim for at least the 80 percentile in each section to be competitive (although
th

looking up the statistics of admitted students in programs is also helpful and may be more useful
than a specific percentile demarcation). If you have lower scores, remember that the GRE is only
one part of your application and is unlikely to be the deciding factor in admissions (Jill boasted a
40th percentile score on the Quantitative Reasoning section)! The Psychology Subject GRE is
less important and is unlikely to be the deciding factor in gaining admission, and in most schools,

8
APPLYING TO CANADIAN GRADUATE PROGRAMS

is an optional (but recommended) part of your application. If you do well, it may offset a less
than desirable academic record by demonstrating your proficiency in the foundations in
psychology and its associated sub-disciplines.
Overcoming this beast of a test will be different for every student. There are plenty of test
preparation courses available (Kaplan, Magoosh, Princeton review) to help you make your way
through the exam. That being said, it is worth noting that the material covered in the general
GRE is not inherently difficult to grasp; rather, the variation in test scores comes from speed and
accuracy which can only be attained through practice. With this in mind, we recommend you
think deeply about whether an expensive test preparation course is right for you. An alternative
option is using the available free online courses (e.g., Greenlighttestprep) or purchasing used
preparation materials from students who have taken the test in the recent past. If you reach a
topic that you have trouble understanding, try contacting a local GRE tutor. Practice tests (e.g.
Princeton, Manhattan, Magoosh, ETS), on the other hand, are relatively good value and crucial
to assess your progress and get as much practice as possible. Additionally, saving some time and
money to retake the GRE if need be is a good way to overcome test anxiety, get a feel for the
environment, and improve your scores. Finally, if you have received your scores and are unsure
if they are sufficient for acceptance into your desired institution (because they are lower than the
scores listed in their program statistic pages) contact your potential supervisor and ask if they
would recommend retaking the test before putting down your deposit for another date.
Recommended study resources for both the subject and general GRE are listed in the appendix.
Skills and Professional Development
In this section, we discuss the necessary skills and qualifications desired by MA/PhD
graduate programs in clinical psychology. Although clinical psychology programs adhere to the
scientist-practitioner model, first and foremost students are trained as researchers. Consequently,
your capacity as an independent scientist is the most important quality to cultivate during your
undergraduate and postgraduate studies. Research experience can be obtained in many ways:
volunteering in psychology or related research laboratories, completing directed studies (i.e.,
working in labs or undertaking small research projects for course credit), or completing an
honours thesis. Importantly, we would embolden you to join labs that you have a budding
interest in and take copious initiative to demonstrate to your professor and the graduate students
your capacity as a researcher. Research assistants often feel grateful for their position and

9
APPLYING TO CANADIAN GRADUATE PROGRAMS

typically perform a variety of tasks such as data cleaning and entry, transcription, and running
studies. However, you should feel comfortable asking for more responsibilities and opportunities
for professional development should you want to broaden your experiences. By involving
yourself in a research lab, you put yourself in a position to take on more responsibility, which
could cascade into paid/leadership positions and tangible evidence of your contributions (e.g.,
co-authorships on presentations and scholarly publications). Arguably, the best way to gain
admittance into graduate school is to demonstrate that you are capable of doing graduate level
work. The gold standard here would be a publication or first author presentation (poster or
symposium), but any evidence that you can think like a scientist (study development, hypothesis
generation, etc.) would also lend well to an application.
Given the emphasis on research potential, applicants should demonstrate their proficiency
to conduct research, namely understanding and applying research methodology and statistical
analysis. One form of evidence comes from a strong educational background. You should strive
to do well in courses involving research methods and statistics and do not be afraid to take
additional advanced courses to place yourself a cut above the rest. In conjunction, you can also
take the initiative to help your supervisor or graduate students design research materials and ask
to assist in analysis. A letter of recommendation that speaks about how a student helped design a
study or present research at a conference will go a long way in furthering your application.
One possible inquiry you may have is whether you should focus delving into a single
stream of research in one lab or volunteer at multiple labs to gain experience - the age old
question of breadth or depth. The answer, albeit arduous, is that a mix of both would be ideal.
The two concepts are not mutually exclusive and both can lend well to an application. The
benefits of gaining depth into a field of research will inform an appreciation for the work being
conducted and allow you to think like a scientist, helping you to consider hypotheses and
limitations within one research area. This experience will increase your confidence towards
individual pursuits in developing your own research questions and designs and later present your
research at conferences. Notably, your professor will be able to write a much stronger letter of
recommendation (or if you are applying to them, they will know that you are capable of graduate
level work). Your extensive training and research may also look very inviting to potential
supervisors who study a similar field during application periods.

10
APPLYING TO CANADIAN GRADUATE PROGRAMS

Although depth in your training is invaluable, you should not neglect obtaining a breadth
of research experience as well. Research labs often operationalize and examine variables and
hypotheses in different ways, and subsequently, train their research assistants to do a variety of
unique tasks. Consequently, you will be able to develop a large range of marketable skills that
may make you stand out as an applicant. Working in multiple labs can confer a more nuanced
understanding of research. For example, if you worked in a research lab studying sexual health
and a second lab studying depression, you might start to consider the relationship between
depression and romantic dyads, and what factors in a romantic relationship protect against or
exacerbate depressive symptomatology. A final benefit of volunteering in a variety of labs is that
it simply allows you to discover what you like. If you do decide to pursue graduate studies, you
will likely study a similar topic for a number of years. As such, you will want to make sure that
the topic you are studying is something you are passionate about.
In summary, we would recommend that you attempt to work in at least a couple different
labs. Assuming that the work is interesting and your supervisor seems to be invested in your
education and success, you should volunteer for at least two years to gain a deeper understanding
of the research, how it is conducted, and what areas have yet to be fully explored.
Supplementary Materials and Evaluations
The personal statement is perhaps the most time intensive portion of your application
outside of the GREs. With that in mind, we recommend starting drafts in September. While each
school requires a unique personal statement tailored to that program, they all tend to ask
variations of the same question (be sure to double-check this) which means that some aspects of
your statement can be recycled. Typically, a program will ask something along the lines of
“What makes you a good fit for program XXX?” Responses to this question will, of course, vary
from person to person but there are a number of areas that we highly recommend you cover.
Specifically, your primary goal is to prove that you can think and act like a clinical scientist as
evidenced by your wealth of research experience, coursework, GPA, GRE, and any other
experiences and skills you have obtained. You will also want to outline your goals for the future
and how this specific program will help you attain those goals. Show that you have researched
the school and are dedicated to your application with them.
Structurally you have many options, but we will lay out what worked for us and you can
deviate as you please. First, many people start with a personal anecdote about why they want to

11
APPLYING TO CANADIAN GRADUATE PROGRAMS

pursue clinical psychology. Joey introduced himself by mentioning that his grade 8 science fair
project was an experiment to test the effect of subliminal messaging; beware however, this is the
least important and most unnecessary part of the statement so do not get carried away. Launching
into a personal montage may be regrettable. Use these introductory statements to quickly lead
your reader to the reasons why clinical psychology is appealing to you. There are many things
that could be discussed at this point, but some are better than others. Importantly, be conscious of
how much information you disclose: do not say that you are interested in Clinical Psychology
because of your own (or a loved one’s) past experience with depression or any other disorder
(refer to the “Kisses of Death” mentioned previously in the article). Rather, express your passion
for a specific area of research or focus on the innate desire you have to reach into the unknown
and return with knowledge that will benefit specific populations. While your end goal may be to
focus on clinical practice, these MA/PhD programs are interested in applicants that are
passionate about research as well. It is important that you present a balanced picture of yourself.
If you have no affinity or interest in research, it might be advisable to pursue other career
options.
Following this, the bulk of your statement should highlight how your past experiences
have prepared you to enter a rigorous clinical psychology graduate program. Here, you should
point to your overall GPA (if it is less than excellent, highlight your psychology GPA) and any
awards or scholarships you hold. More important than your GPA, which speaks for itself, is your
past research experience. Avoid simply restating your CV. Instead, expand on what you learned
from these research experiences and link them to your fit in the MA/PhD program. Avoid
recycling old ideas. If one research experience taught you how to run proper analyses, make sure
that the next experience you speak to expands on and provides you with new knowledge or
opportunity. Here are some ideas of what ground you should aim to cover: time management,
self-motivation, experience working with clinical populations, writing and communication skills,
professionalism, and statistics training and experience with study designs. Use concrete
examples to prove that you have the background to manage the rigor of a clinical research-
oriented program.
Finally, you will have to close your statement with a section which refers to the reasons
why this program is the best fit for you. Here, you will primarily be discussing the fit with your
ideal supervisor(s) and their research program. It is also good to briefly point out other unique

12
APPLYING TO CANADIAN GRADUATE PROGRAMS

portions of the program (refer to their clinical handbook) that are of interest to you and your
career. Hopefully, at this point you have been in contact with proposed supervisors and this is a
fantastic time to remind them who you are with a statement, such as “I have been in touch with
Dr. Bill B. Likert and we discussed how XXX might mediate...”. Before signing off, it can be
helpful to prove, on the spot, that you can develop research questions by placing yourself, and
your past experience, in the context of your potential supervisor’s lab in the form of a research
question. For example, something along the lines of “My experience researching X has made me
curious if perhaps X may be a mediating variable in the relationship between Z and Y that Dr.
Likert emphasized in his recent paper. Specifically, because the literature shows that...” would be
an excellent way to demonstrate your ability to form novel hypothesis and think like a scientist-
practitioner.
Most programs request a statement of approximately 2 pages single spaced in length. Use
all the space you are given. At first this may seem like too much room for your previous
experience to fill but you will soon find that, after the umpteenth-thousandth edit, your mind may
change. Send this statement out to as many people as possible, and incorporate useful feedback.
When you are done, make sure you put a period on your last sentence (“whoops” -Joey), and
upload/mail it in.
Tri-Council C-GSM or Doctoral Funding Application
The Tri-Council funding application is relatively straightforward. First, you need to
decide which funding agency will best fit your research proposal (i.e., NSERC, SSHRC, or
CIHR). For clinical students, this will be CIHR (clinical research) but SSHRC (social research)
is also common as proposals given that SSHRC tend distribute more funding awards if you are
looking to increase your odds of receiving one of these prestigious awards. Look into the types
of projects these agencies fund and their respective mandates and pick what best suits your
interests. You may send a summary of your proposal to each research agency to determine
exactly who you should submit your application to. Remember, if you submit it to the wrong
agency, you lose the opportunity at tens of thousands of dollars. Be sure before you submit. The
application requires two academic recommendations, a Canadian Common CV (CCV) and a
hypothetical research proposal. The doctoral award also requires relative research contributions,
an online application, and recommendation from your department head. Creating a CCV requires
you to input your current CV into the format required on the government website.

13
APPLYING TO CANADIAN GRADUATE PROGRAMS

Your hypothetical research proposal will be a maximum of 1 or 2 pages in length (not

including references) and should include the following sections: background, objective and
hypothesis, methods, and significance. When considering a potential project, the most important
factor is feasibility. Pick a research project that is manageable and can be completed throughout
your masters. Moreover, keep in mind that no one will hold you to this project; rather, this
proposal is a means of assessing your ability to formally write and think like a scientist. We
would be shocked if you did not feel suffocated by the word limit, so get your concision pants on
because it will be tight in there. Add your references to the following page and ensure that they
are in proper APA format. Few resources are available to guide you through writing this
proposal, but seek out professors in your program for guidance. Your scholarly writing centre,
college of graduate studies, or library may also host Tri-Council writing workshops as these
grants often span several disciplines. Contact your local librarian or graduate student advisor in
psychology to explore these options.

Final Thoughts
Before we head off, we would like to leave you with a few miscellaneous pieces of
advice for making your way through this process. First, do not hold your breath on getting in on
the first round. It is very common to apply multiple years in a row. Do not be discouraged if you
have not been accepted after multiple tries. Take the time in between application years to bolster
your experiences. Jill took two years off and worked as a research assistant at a health region. If
you need, write the GRE again or volunteer with different populations. We all know some
incredible, qualified applicants that have been rejected multiple times, and all of us were only
accepted into one of the many programs we applied to. To some extent it is luck of the draw:
perhaps the professor you apply to is not taking students or you are competing with their lab
manager of five years. On a similar note, some people feel that they are too old to pursue
graduate level education and want to get on with having a job before their knees give in. While
that is your decision to make, we would like to remind you that these programs should be viewed
more as a training sequence than a basic education. You are paid (pittance) along the way
through a combination of external (tri-council/OGS) and internal (research/teaching
assistantships) funding but you gain hands on (often world class) training, and formal classes are

14
APPLYING TO CANADIAN GRADUATE PROGRAMS

minimized as your degree progresses. It is never too late to gain further education. The time will
pass anyway!
One of the last important pieces of advice we hope to impart is to reach out for
help. Graduate students and your supervisors have been through the process and are often
willing to help in more ways than you might expect. Don’t be afraid to reach out and ask for help
- people love to feel useful!
Finally, you may wonder if you should take a year off or apply to these programs. While,
in theory, applying in your final year of undergrad “can’t hurt”, we are sure you now recognize
that this application process is no small or inexpensive feat. With that in mind, we would like to
point out that juggling this application process with your coursework might negatively impact
your ability to excel in your commitments, or even lead you towards a minor mental breakdown.
If you are struggling to balance 5 courses, study for the GRE, complete an honours thesis, and
volunteer in a research lab(s), your applications may suffer. You do not want to waste time or
money putting out sub-par applications because you will most likely receive sub-par (or worse)
results. Many people take a year or more off after completing their undergraduate degree. This
gives you the opportunity to work in a psychology-related field, beef up your CV, and have a
few days on the beach in between.
In summary, we hope this guide has helped you get a better picture regarding the
application process to Canadian clinical psychology programs. While clinical psychology
programs can certainly be competitive, people just like yourself have managed to succeed in
these endeavours. After all, somebody has to get in - it might as well be you.

References

15
APPLYING TO CANADIAN GRADUATE PROGRAMS

Appleby, D. C., & Appleby, K. M. (2006). Kisses of Death in the Graduate School Application
Process. Teaching of Psychology, 33(1), 19-24. doi:10.1207/s15328023top3301_5

Choukas-Bradley, S. (2011, October). A Student’s Perspective on Applying to Graduate School

in (Clinical) Psychology: A Step-by-Step Guide Sophie Choukas-Bradley, M.A. Retrieved
September 25, 2018, from
https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/psychology/_files/PDF/diversitypdfs/A Students Perspective
on Applying to Graduate School in Clinical Psychology.pdf

Prinstein, M. (2017). Mitch’s Uncensored Advice for Applying to Graduate School in Clinical
Psychology. Retrieved September 25, 2018, from
http://mitch.web.unc.edu/files/2017/02/MitchGradSchoolAdvice.pdf

16