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Question 16. I am surprised and disappointed that I was matched to an
internship program that was much farther down on my list than I had
anticipated (or I wasn't matched at all). How could this happen?
While many applicants and programs do very well in the Match and are
pleased with their Match results, sometimes applicants are
disappointed or confused by the Match result that they received.
The following is a list of Questions and Answers for applicants who
did not match, or who matched to a program lower on their list than
they had anticipated.
QUESTION: I had an outstanding interview with a program that I
ranked, and I am very surprised that I was matched to a
less-preferred program (or did not match at all). What happened?
ANSWER: Sometimes, applicants make assumptions about where they are
going to match based on a positive interview experience, and are very
disappointed when they aren't matched to that program. In fact, each
year we also hear from some internship Training Directors who wonder
why they weren't matched to applicants who expressed strong
enthusiasm for their training program.
The reason that you weren't matched to a particular program is
because you were not ranked as high on that program's Rank Order List
as were the applicants who did get matched to that program. It is
also possible that you were not ranked at all by the program.
Some things to consider:
- Programs are generally enthusiastic about more applicants than for whom they have available positions. Thus, it is very possible that the program was genuinely interested in you, and that you were ranked highly, but not high enough to be matched to the program. For example, for a program with three positions, you could have been ranked fourth on its list, but the program ultimately matched to its top three applicants.
- Some applicants misperceive their standing with a program and/or how well they interviewed, and thus believe that they were going to be ranked higher than they actually were.
Here are some possible reasons as to why you weren't matched to a particular program:
- You were not ranked as high on that program's Rank Order List as were the applicants who did get matched to that program.
- The program ranked you, but had different requirements for different positions (e.g., a Spanish-speaking intern was needed for one position, while an intern with a background in the assessment of children was needed for a second position). In this situation, you would have been considered more qualified for some positions and less qualified for other positions.
- Some programs want their internship class to represent a variety of qualifications, experiences, and/or interests. In that regard, some programs provide instructions to the Match that limit the number of students they are willing to accept from any one school or university. Thus, if you ranked a program that matched to one or more other students from your school, and that internship program established limits in the Match as to how many students could be matched from any one school, it is possible that this resulted in your not being matched to that program.
- You were not ranked at all by the program.
QUESTION: I wasn't matched at all, and now I'm wondering if the
order in which I ranked my programs had something to do with my not
being matched. Is this possible?
ANSWER: No, the order in which you ranked your programs did not
result in your being unmatched. If you did not match, you would have
been unmatched regardless of the order in which you submitted your
rankings. Changing the order of the programs on your Rank Order List
only affects where you will be matched, not whether or not you will
be matched.
QUESTION: I wasn't matched to a program that I ranked, and now I see
that they have an opening in the Clearinghouse. How could this be?
ANSWER: There are several possibilities:
- You were not ranked by the program.
- You were ranked by the program, but the program's decision to limit the number of applicants accepted from any one school or university resulted in your not being matched to that program and in one or more of the program's positions remaining unfilled.
- You were ranked by the program, but the program had different requirements for different positions. Thus, you may have been deemed qualified for certain positions (which were filled) but not for other positions (which were not all filled by other applicants, resulting in an opening in the Clearinghouse).
- The program filled all of its positions in the Match, but had a new position come available at a later date (i.e., after the Match was completed).
QUESTION: I wasn't matched to a program that I ranked, and now I see
that they have an opening in the Clearinghouse. Is it permissible
for me to re-apply for this vacant position?
ANSWER: Yes, and it can be a very good idea to do so, as the program
may be quite willing to consider you for the vacant position. In
fact, programs that had specific requirements in the Match (as
described in the answer to the previous question) may be willing to
relax these requirements in the Clearinghouse.
QUESTION: I didn't get matched by the APPIC Match. What should I do now?
ANSWER: We suggest that you seriously consider participating in the
APPIC Clearinghouse. Many applicants do get placed after Match Day.
APPIC has found that students who put a great deal of effort into
finding a placement after the Match are often very successful in
finding an acceptable position.
On the other hand, some students find it beneficial to wait a year
and try again. This extra time allows them to work on their
dissertations and provides them with the opportunity to improve their
applications.
You may also wish to consider asking internship programs for feedback
about your application and/or interview. While not all Training
Directors are willing to provide specific feedback, many will. This
information can help you to better understand the reasons why you
didn't get placed.
For information about the APPIC Clearinghouse, click on "Clearinghouse" and on "Instructions for Applicants."
Back to FAQ
4 November 2007
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