City University of New York Interview Feedback Summary
New York, NY
Psychology Schools | Public For-Profit
Going on an interview at CUNY-PSYCH? Add your feedback to help others!
⭐ Overall Impressions ▼
How do you rank the facilities?
Most respondents rank the facilities as average.
How do you rank this school among ALL other schools?
Most respondents rank this school above all other schools.
How do you rank this school among other schools to which you've applied?
Most respondents rank this school above other schools they applied to.
0 = Below, 10 = Above
What is your ranking of this school's location?
Most respondents rate the school location as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
How is the friendliness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was friendly.
What is your ranking of this area's cultural life?
Most respondents rate the area’s cultural life as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
How is the responsiveness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was responsive.
💬 Interview Questions ▼
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
The most commonly asked interview questions at medical schools include inquiries about reasons for choosing the school, interest in the specific program, motivation for pursuing clinical psychology, and a hypothetical dinner party guest selection. These questions provide insight into applicants' motivations, goals, and personal interests during the interview process.
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What made you choose this school? It was for the Developmental Ph.D. so I honestly told them...great faculty, emphasis on social change, etc.
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Why are you interested in clinical psychology?
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What draws you to our program?
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who would you invite, alive or dead, to a dinner party?
What was the most interesting question?
Students said most interesting question asked at City University of New York discussed a range of topics, including research interests, project ideas, perceptions by friends, and hypothetical dinner guests. The responses indicate a mix of standard inquiries and more creative prompts, suggesting a diverse interviewing approach.
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None...all pretty much standard. They asked about research interests and what you would specifically do as a project.
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What do you think your friends would say about you?
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who, living or dead, would i invite to a dinner party. yikes.
What was the most difficult question?
Students said most difficult question asked at City University of New York discussed faculty members' renown and specific details, prompting candidates to research and be familiar with all faculty members. This suggests a focus on faculty knowledge and awareness during the interview process.
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When the grad students interviewed me they continued to name specific faculty members and discuss how renown they were...I honestly did not know all the faculty members they discussed with me (as I concentrated on the ones who matched my interests) so I probably looked like I was nodding and smiling politely. Point is...look most of them up.
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the above.
✅ Interview Preparation and Impressions ▼
How long was the interview?
Most respondents had an interview of more than 50 minutes.
How did the interview impress you?
Most respondents felt positively about their interview.
How many people interviewed you?
Most respondents were interviewed by 2 people.
What was the stress level of the interview?
Most respondents rated their interview as average stress.
How you think you did?
Most respondents thought they performed well at the interview.
What was the style of the interview?
Most respondents had a one-on-one interview.
What type of interview was it?
Most respondents had an open file interview.
Was this interview in-person or virtual?
Most respondents had a virtual interview.
Data includes both pre- and post-COVID interviews.
No responses
Where did the interview take place?
Most respondents were interviewed at the school.
How did you prepare for the interview?
Most applicants prepared for the interview by extensively researching the program, faculty, and potential topics of discussion, as well as practicing responses to common questions and developing a list of questions to ask the interviewers. Additionally, many applicants reviewed their personal statements, school websites, and relevant research materials to ensure they were well-prepared for the interview.
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Wrote out and practiced answers to standard questions. Wrote out my research plans and how I arrived there. Made a list of questions I wanted to ask (mostly from a Guide to Getting Into Psych schools). Researched my POI heavily.
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Read my personal statement, school's website, etc.
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read everything about the program, reviewed my app., read articles and abstracts from my interviewer, profs i'd be interested in, and major players in the dept.
What impressed you positively?
Applicants were positively impressed by the laid-back and friendly atmosphere among graduate students and faculty, as well as the strong support and opportunities for research. The diverse range of research options, affiliations with other institutions, and well-known faculty members were highlighted as key positive aspects of the program.
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The graduate students were laid back, friendly and welcoming. The faculty was exactly the same. Also, most of the faculty don't work with undergrad so it seems like they have a lot more time and energy to spend helping and supporting grad students in their research. Also, the school may not be well known outside of NY but the faculty members come from top schools and their work is well known, even internationally known.
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The student interviewer's attitude.
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The vast array of options for research. The neuropsych program is affiliated with many other institutions in NYC and the surrounding areas, and the current students indicated that they were given the option to do research in whichever lab they chose.
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nice clinic, love the campus, very smart dedicated, well trained student and faculty. very intellectual but informal environment. great clinical opportunities, 100% apa match, swell funding for a NYC school, multi disciplinary, a bit quirky, which i like.
What impressed you negatively?
Applicants commonly expressed negative impressions about the facilities, the location being far from accessible areas, the program's emphasis on psychodynamic/analytic approaches without addressing assessment issues, lack of activism in advocating for mental health, and unprofessional behavior during the interview process. Suggestions included improving facilities, addressing accessibility concerns, diversifying therapeutic approaches, incorporating activism in the program, and ensuring professionalism during interactions with applicants.
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The building is awesome but the Psych Dept.'s floor is the pits. Sad and depressing looking...but that's not all that important! It could use some cheering up though. No person impressed me negatively, so that was good.
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The facilities
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The program is located at Queens college in Flushing, which is WAY out there and hardly accessible by subway. However, the current students seemed to think it was tolerable.
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unapologetically ivory tower psychodynamic/analytic, which if that's your thing is fine, but i think we need to face issues of assessment head on, 'cause it's happpening and impacting people who need insurance coverage in order to be able to afford to see a clinician. activism/political mindset (in terms of advocating for the profession and people with serious mental illness all but absent). too much research experience can be viewed as a bad thing. i got lots of deeply personal questions. get ready. interviewer took phone call during interview, which makes me wonder if that is symbolic of the student-faculty relationship.
What did you wish you had known ahead of time?
Many applicants wished they had known ahead of time about the potential for unexpected interview panels and the importance of familiarizing themselves with the faculty. Additionally, some felt that the program's emphasis on clinical work was not as clearly communicated as its focus on research, highlighting the need for transparency in program descriptions.
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Just by chance I had 4 grad students interviewing me (because some of them just happened to be there) and that was slightly overwhelming. However, it allowed me ample time to observe their interaction with each other. Also, I felt stupid for not knowing some of their faculty.
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not as political and research oriented as i'd like -- say research is valueable on website, but really clinical is key.
What are your general comments?
Applicants generally found the interview process to be very personal and informal, emphasizing the importance of being oneself and showing honesty. They appreciated the supportive environment, location, and generous funding, while also highlighting the specific nature of the program and the need for a good fit both in terms of personality and program requirements.
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**For Developmental Psych PhD** Seems like a very supportive environment. Nice location on 5th ave, near Macys and below Bryant Park. Funding seems very generous. Faculty is great and have great connections, or so I was told ;p
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It's hard to prepare for this kind of interview. It was quite personal so I think it's important to try to relax and be yourself. Just be honest.
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This review is for the CUNY's Clinical Neuropsychology program at Queens College, not the straight Clinical program at City College. Although the neuropsych program is not APA accredited right now, the admissions director said they'd be submitting another application within the next 9 months. She said there was about an 80% chance it would be accredited by the time we completed the program.
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like i said, very informal, very very personal. the student interview was more structured, and, i think, more balanced. just be yourself. they have, i feel, very specific things in mind when they interview you, things you can't fake. if you get rejected, i think it's for the best (as in poor personality fit with them and thier program). show them who you are, and learn as much about them as possible too. this is a very specific kind of program -- make sure it's for you.
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
No responses
📍 On-Site Experience ▼
Who was the tour given by?
Tours were most commonly given by a Student
How did the tour guide seem?
Most tour guides were enthusiastic about the school.
What is your in-state status?
Most respondents are in state students.
What were your total hours spent traveling?
Most respondents spent 0-1 hour traveling to the interview.
What was your primary mode of travel?
Most respondents traveled by train or subway to the interview.
About how much did you spend on room, food, and travel?
Most respondents spent between $101 and $200.
What airport did you fly into?
Respondents who flew to the interview generally used Des Moines International Airport (DSM)
No responses
Where did you stay?
Most respondents stayed either Friends or family or with friends or family.
What is the name of the hotel you stayed in?
The most commonly mentioned hotel that users stayed in is the "Hilton Garden Inn."
No responses
How would you rate the hotel?
Most respondents rated their hotel as poor.
No responses
Would you recommend the hotel?
No responses
What are your comments on where you stayed?
No responses
All Responses
| Application Cycle ▿ | Impression | Performance | Interview Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-10 | Positively 🙂 | Good | N/A |
| 2009-10 | No change 😐 | Good | N/A |
| 2009-10 | Positively 🙂 | Good | N/A |
| 2009-10 | Positively 🙂 | Good | N/A |
| 2009-10 | Positively 🙂 | Good | N/A |
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