Applying for 2015

[Wychelm]

Oh lordy. I've just had a metaphorical nosebleed having put in what I've done so far to check the character count. I had done around 1/6 th of what I wanted to and got to 3000 characters. It's so tiny : O back to the drawing board

[kiora]

i wish that was my problem! i did all the rest forever ago but have left the personal statement in the hope that somehow, magically, i will -in a bolt of genius lightning- suddenly know what i want to say and how to say it!...plan's not working out too great so far :l

[Beggarsroost]

Done all the easy bits and references etc have been requested.

Just really struggling to motivate myself to fill in the personal statement sections. I've come down with a chronic case of CBA-itis i'm afraid! I too am hoping I will wake up one day and just 'know' how to present all that I want to say. At this point I'm half tempted to write 'I really want to be a clinical psychologist because of reasons' in the box and hope for the best (got to be worth an interview for the sheer cheek of it right?)

Good luck to all!

[Wychelm]

Might just see if putting a picture of a kitten in there will work instead

[purpledot]

Might just see if putting a picture of a kitten in there will work instead

Lol! If I was on the shortlisting panel, I would definitely appreciate that

[Randomswirls]

I'm having big issues getting an academic reference so goodness knows what I will end up doing for it! Kind of feels a tad pointless!

[Glorianne]

@randomswirls. One of the university talks I had gone to (for a London uni) had said that if it's been a long time since you completed your degree and it's tough getting a meaningful reference from someone who knew you as a student, a CP or other professional who might have supervised audit or service evaluation work you have done in recent roles would also be appropriate and actually more meaningful as they can comment on your current work standards etc. Hope this helps!

[Toria2013]

Well, that's me emailing out my first draft application for feedback! I feel like i have gained so much experience in the last year but it really doesn't seem to be coming out in my personal statement because of the character limit. It's so hard to provide the info about each role so they know what you are talking about, but also reflect on it! If only the job description sections had a longer character limit! Any one else struggling?

[Wychelm]

Well, that's me emailing out my first draft application for feedback! I feel like i have gained so much experience in the last year but it really doesn't seem to be coming out in my personal statement because of the character limit. It's so hard to provide the info about each role so they know what you are talking about, but also reflect on it! If only the job description sections had a longer character limit! Any one else struggling?

massivley struggling with the word count. I cannot describe my current job in 200 characters D:

[easdannsair]

Submitted my application to stop me fiddling with it any more. I've been pretty much writing it for two months, so now I just have to sit here and worry until April...

I also really struggled to get my jobs into 200 characters, and resorted to lists of , and & symbols.

[memifer]

Hmmm, this thread is making me realise I need to get a wriggle on and start my supporting statements. Time is ticked by too fast, does not feel like it has been a year already since the last application cycle!

[Toria2013]

Submitted my application to stop me fiddling with it any more. I've been pretty much writing it for two months, so now I just have to sit here and worry until April...

I also really struggled to get my jobs into 200 characters, and resorted to lists of , and & symbols.

Wow. I have written my smaller questions but the first one is still going round and round my head haha. Trying to be more reflective. I'm lucky enough to have met quite a few clinical psychs over the years who are happy to give me feedback on my application so i've sent the first version out but now i think i might need to email them all with a totally different version! But i will wait and see what they say about the first draft. I feel like iv gained loads of experience this year but still no AP post yet so i guess we will see!

[firegal]

Think I'm going to be kickstarting mine tonight, going to think positive and assume that the previous failed applications were all due to a lack of experience (which has been remedied) and this one is clearly the winner.

[Beggarsroost]

Think I have finished my supporting statements, just need to send them off to get looked over. I put it off for AGES because I had no idea what to write but once I just started writing something, anything it came together. I can already see how rubbish last years application was compared to this one!

I'm still dithering about which courses to apply to. I have a couple of definite's but am unsure about the others. Its complicated by the fact that I cant relocate so realistically cant apply to some courses that look great but are just that little bit too far to commute for possible placements. I'm willing to travel pretty far but there has to be a cut off somewhere. I'm also not sure whether to apply for a London course as, whilst according to the clearing house I meet the minimum criteria I feel that London courses are so competitive and I don't have a first or a masters so worry I would be 'wasting' an application on course I don't have a real chance of getting into. Southampton changing their minimum criteria with regard to stats marks on transcripts put a spanner in the works too!

Any advice as to how others chose their courses would be greatly appreciated!

[musicalhen]

I went with what interested me and locality as I didn't want to move so on that basis courses in Devon gave me a choice of Plymouth and Exeter - both offer a systemic element which I love