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General Information | Questions about the Match | Match Statistics | Travel Links and Discounts | Info for Non-APPIC Member Programs

2007 APPIC Match: Survey of Internship Applicants

Part 1: Summary of Survey Results

June 6, 2007

This page contains the first of two parts of the results from the survey of applicants who were registered for the 2007 APPIC Match. Part two of the survey results may be viewed by clicking here.

This survey of applicants who were registered for the 2007 APPIC Match was conducted via the internet between February 26 and March 30, 2007. All 3,698 applicants who registered for the APPIC Match were sent an e-mail message (along with two reminder e-mails) about the availability of the survey at a specific internet address. A total of 2,656 internship applicants (72%) completed some or all of the survey.

Results of the survey are presented below. Missing data and "Not Applicable" responses were eliminated, and percentages do not necessarily total 100% due to rounding. Some survey items requested open-ended comments about the AAPI, APPIC Directory Online, the Match, etc. that are not reported below; however, these anonymous comments were reviewed by the appropriate APPIC Board and/or committee members who are responsible for each area.

Some of the more interesting findings from this survey include:

  1. Approximately 78% of internship applicants in the 2007 Match were female (see question 26). Questions 21-29 provide additional demographic information.

  2. Applicants submitted an average of 13.4 internship applications (see question 12). The means reported by applicants in previous years were:

    2006 Match - 12.9 applications
    2005 Match - 12.4 applications
    2004 Match - 12.4 applications
    2003 Match - 12.1 applications
    2002 Match - 13.1 applications
    1999 Match - 13.8 applications

  3. Despite APPIC's instructions that applicants should use only their true preferences when developing their Rank Order Lists, 5% of applicants reported doing otherwise (see question 18).

  4. Eighteen percent of applicants reported completing an online version of the AAPI for at least one site (see question 19), up from fifteen percent in 2006.

  5. The cost of participating in the selection process varied dramatically across applicants. While the average applicant spent $1,533 (median = $1,125, SD = $1,349), many applicants spent considerably less while many spent considerably more (see question 20).

  6. Question 30 provides information about the ways in which applicants may have perceived various forms of bias or discrimination during the selection process.

  7. Question 35 provides the median numbers of practicum hours reported by applicants. APPIC recommends that applicants interpret these numbers cautiously. Applicants should NOT assume that the numbers of practicum hours reported are necessary to successfully obtain an internship, as many Training Directors have told us that they consider these raw numbers to be one of the less important aspects of an application.

  8. Questions 37-39 provide information about applicants' timelines for completing their doctoral comprehensive / qualifying / preliminary examinations and their dissertations / doctoral research projects.



1.

Type of Doctoral Program:

  Clinical 2087 79 %
  Counseling 358 13 %
  School 121 5 %
  Combined 66 2 %
  Other 21 1 %

INTERPRETATION NOTE: A "combined" program could mean: (a) a doctoral program that defines itself as a "combined" program (e.g., clinical- school), or (b) an arrangement negotiated by a student in which he/she integrates the curricula of two separate doctoral programs at his/her school.


2.

Degree Sought:

  Ph.D. 1534 58 %
  Psy.D. 1105 42 %
  Ed.D. 2 0 %
  Other 11 0 %


3.

Is your doctoral program APA- or CPA-accredited?

  Yes 2451 93 %
  No 193 7 %


4.

Location of your doctoral program

  United States 2538 96 %
  Canada 86 3 %
  Other 13 0 %


5.

Is your program housed within a religiously-affiliated institution?

  Yes 386 15 %
  No 2247 85 %



6.

Please select the training model of your DOCTORAL program (as you specified on your AAPI)

  Scientist-Practitioner 1339 51 %
  Practitioner-Scholar 949 36 %
  Practitioner 43 2 %
  Clinical Scientist 138 5 %
  Other 169 6 %

7.

Which of the following internship programs would be considered acceptable to your doctoral program? Please check all that apply.

  An accredited internship program 2609 99 %
  An APPIC-member internship program that is NOT accredited 1446 55 %
  An internship program that is NOT accredited and NOT an APPIC member 741 28 %
  An unpaid internship program 949 36 %



8.

Please check the item that applies to you (please respond even if you withdrew from the Match or did not submit a Rank Order List):

  This is my FIRST time participating in the match 2456 93 %
  This is my SECOND time participating in the Match 166 6 %
  This is my THIRD time participating in the Match 12 0 %
  Other 9 0 %

 

9.

Were you matched to an internship program by the APPIC Match? (i.e., did your official notification from National Matching Services [NMS] indicate that you were successfully matched to an internship program?)

  Yes 2087 79 %
  No 479 18 %
  Withdrew / No rankings submitted 82 3 %

NOTE: These results suggest that unmatched applicants and those who withdrew or didn't submit Rank Order Lists may be underrepresented in this survey.

10a.

The materials and instructions provided by National Matching Services (NMS) were clear and comprehensive.

  Strongly Agree 1564 59 %
  Agree 911 34 %
  Neutral 79 3 %
  Disagree 41 2 %
  Strongly Disagree 52 2 %

10b.

The registration process with NMS went smoothly.

  Strongly Agree 1802 68 %
  Agree 680 26 %
  Neutral 74 3 %
  Disagree 31 1 %
  Strongly Disagree 56 2 %

10c.

The submission of my Rank Order List to NMS went smoothly.

  Strongly Agree 1866 73 %
  Agree 585 23 %
  Neutral 39 2 %
  Disagree 23 1 %
  Strongly Disagree 50 2 %

10d.

NMS was responsive to my questions and concerns (choose "N/A" if you never contacted NMS).

  Strongly Agree 307 56 %
  Agree 158 29 %
  Neutral 41 7 %
  Disagree 22 4 %
  Strongly Disagree 22 4 %

10e.

I am satisfied with the Match result that I received from the Matching Program.

  Strongly Agree 1308 52 %
  Agree 539 21 %
  Neutral 165 7 %
  Disagree 152 6 %
  Strongly Disagree 370 15 %

10f.

Overall, I am satisfied with the APPIC Matching Program.

  Strongly Agree 922 35 %
  Agree 844 32 %
  Neutral 364 14 %
  Disagree 258 10 %
  Strongly Disagree 230 9 %


11a.

In your judgement, did you experience any violation(s) of APPIC Match Policies by any site?

  Yes 213 8 %
  No 2215 84 %
  Unsure 219 8 %

NOTE: Results of this question from previous years:
Year Yes No Unsure
2006 9 % 83 % 9 %
2005 8 % 85 % 7 %
2004 8 % 86 % 7 %
2003 11 % 77 % 12 %
2002 11 % 78 % 12 %
2001 10 % 76 % 14 %
2000 15 % 74 % 12 %
1999 12 % 77 % 11 %

NOTE: It should be noted that Match Policy changes over the years may have influenced responses to this item.

11b.

Did you reveal any ranking information (e.g. You are my first choice") to any site?

  Yes 17 1 %
  No 2610 99 %
  Unsure 19 1 %

11c.

Did you experience inappropriate pressure from any site to reveal your rankings?

  Yes 75 3 %
  No 2498 95 %
  Unsure 66 3 %

11d.

Did any site reveal ranking information to you (e.g. "You are our first choice")?

  Yes 62 2 %
  No 2513 95 %
  Unsure 62 2 %

12.

To how many internship sites did you apply (i.e., how many separate internship applications did you submit)?

  Mean = 13.4
  Median = 13
  Mode = 15
  SD = 5.4

13.

Considering ALL of the sites to which you applied, how many did NOT notify you of your interview status (e.g., received an interview, no longer under consideration) on or before the "interview notification date" listed in their APPIC Directory information? For example, if all of your sites notified you in a timely manner, choose "0".

  Mean = 1.1
  Median = 0
  Mode = 0
  SD = 2.4

NOTE: A total of 59.0% of applicants reported being properly notified of their interview status by all sites to which they applied.

14.

How many interviews (telephone or on-site) were you offered?

  Mean = 6.3
  Median = 6
  Mode = 6
  SD = 3.6


15.

How many programs did you include on your final Rank Order List (i.e., how many program code numbers were listed)?

  Mean = 6.9
  Median = 6
  Mode = 6
  SD = 4.5

NOTE: Use caution when comparing these numbers with the results from questions 12-14, since some sites used multiple program code numbers.


16.

What was the rank of the program that you were matched to?

(Please see the 2007 APPIC Match statistics for this information)

17.

Did you participate in the Match with another person as a "couple" (i.e., by using special Match procedures to submit pairs of rankings?

  Yes 33 1 %
  No 2613 99 %

18.

For the Match, applicants were instructed to construct their Rank Order Lists based only on their TRUE preferences, and to ignore such things as how they thought they were ranked by programs, programs' popularity, number of positions offered by programs, etc.

Did the Rank Order List that you submitted to NMS reflect ONLY your TRUE preferences? (Please skip this question if you did not submit a Rank Order List)

  Yes 2454 95 %
  No 127 5 %

19.

How many sites asked you complete an online version of the AAPI (APPIC Application for Psychology Internships) via the internet?

For example, a site might have asked you to enter some information from your AAPI into an online form. (Please do NOT include times in which you sent your AAPI to a site as an e-mail attachment)

  None 2155 82 %
  1 site 290 11 %
  2 sites 50 2 %
  3 sites 24 1 %
  4 sites 15 1 %
  5 to 9 sites 28 1 %
  10 sites or more 69 3 %

20.

APPIC would like to know how much money you spent on various aspects of the application and selection process.

APPLICATION COSTS involve preparing and submitting applications to sites, and may include such items as obtaining official copies of transcripts, printing, copying, regular and overnight mailing, etc. TRAVEL COSTS may include such items as air or train fare, car rental, taxi, gasoline, hotel, etc. OTHER COSTS may include such items as your Match registration fee ($110 or $140), clothing costs, phone calls, etc.

Please enter your BEST ESTIMATE of the dollar amount spent, digits only, in each of the following areas (e.g., one hundred dollars would be entered as simply 100):

TOTAL COSTS:

  Mean = $1533
  Median = $1125
  SD = 1349
  Mode = 1100

 

APPLICATION COSTS:

  Mean = $218
  Median = $200
  SD = 179
  Mode = 200

 

TRAVEL COSTS:

  Mean = $1149
  Median = $800
  SD = 1192
  Mode = 2000

 

OTHER COSTS:

  Mean = $284
  Median = $200
  SD = 249
  Mode = 200

NOTE: Mean total cost increased by $25 (1.7%) from 2006 to 2007 while median total cost increased by $5 (0.4%).

DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION

21.

What is your age?

  Mean = 30.4
  Median = 28
  Mode = 27
  SD = 6.1
  Range = 22 to 61
  N = 2654

22.
How many dependent children are living with you?
  None 2158 83 %
  1 250 10 %
  2 131 5 %
  3 38 1 %
  4 9 0 %
  5 2 0 %

23.

How many adult dependents are currently living with you, or for whom you are responsible? (DO include other relatives or individuals, i.e., mother, father, grandparent, ward. DO NOT include an able-bodied spouse/partner).

  None 2459 96 %
  1 90 4 %
  2 10 0 %
  3 2 0 %
  4 2 0 %

24.

What is your current marital or relationship status?

  Married / Partnered 1460 56 %
  Not Married or Partnered 1129 44 %

25.

What is your country of citizenship?

  U.S. 2354 91 %
  Canada 121 5 %
  Other 105 4 %

26.

What is your gender?

  Male 558 22 %
  Female 2028 78 %
  Other (e.g., trans, intersex) 2 0 %

27.

What is your racial /ethnic idenfitication? Check all that apply.

  African-American / Black 174 7 %
  American Indian / Alaskan Native 30 1 %
  Asian / Pacific Islander 179 7 %
  Hispanic / Latino 184 7 %
  White (Non-Hispanic) 2017 78 %
  Other 97 4 %

28.

What is your sexual orientation?

  Heterosexual 2394 93 %
  Gay Male 47 2 %
  Lesbian 57 2 %
  Bisexual 77 3 %
  Other 5 0 %

29.

What types of disability(ies) do you have? Please check all that apply. (If none, please skip this question)

  Blind / Visually Impaired 7 0 %
  Deaf / Hard of Hearing 9 0 %
  Physical / Orthopedic Disability 17 1 %
  Learning Disability / Cognitive 34 1 %
  Chronic Health Condition 70 3 %
  Mental Illness 34 1 %
  Other 17 1 %

NOTE: Percentages were calculated based on the entire subject pool of 2,656 applicants.

30.

If you believe that you have experienced some form of discrimination during the selection process, please designate the category(ies) for which this occurred (if you did not experience discrimination, please skip this question).

NOTE: Results from this item should be interpreted cautiously. In particular, some internship programs specifically prefer applicants from certain types of doctoral programs or who are pursuing certain types of degrees. Such preferences are not necessarily "discrimination," even though it may have been experienced as such by the applicant.

 

PERCEIVED DISCRIMINATION BASED ON
SUB-GROUPS OF RESPONDENTS


(See below for interpretation note)

 

Perceived discrimination based on AGE:
Age <40: 43 of 2367 (2%)
Age >=40: 67 of 215 (31%)

(INTERPRETATION NOTE: 2% of respondents under age 40 and 31% of respondents ages 40 and over reported perceiving discrimination based on age)

 

Perceived discrimination based on GENDER:
Male: 21 of 558 (4%)
Female: 51 of 2028 (3%)

 

Perceived discrimination based on RACE/ETHNICITY:
White (non-hispanic): 59 of 1866 (3%)
Non-white: 56 of 598 (9%)

 

Perceived discrimination based on SEXUAL ORIENTATION:
Heterosexual: 5 of 2394 (0%)
Non-Heterosexual: 14 of 181 (8%)

 

Perceived discrimination based on MARITAL STATUS:
Married or partnered : 29 of 1460 (2%)
Not married/partnered: 5 of 1129 (0%)

 

Perceived discrimination based on PARENTAL STATUS:
One or more dependent children at home : 65 of 430 (15%)
No children at home: 5 of 2158 (0%)

 

Perceived discrimination based on TYPE OF DOCTORAL PROGRAM:
Clinical: 76 of 2087 (4%)
Counseling: 76 of 358 (21%)
School: 34 of 121 (28%)
Combined: 15 of 66 (23%)

 

Perceived discrimination based on TYPE OF DEGREE:
Ph.D.: 13 of 1534 (1%)
Psy.D.: 299 of 1105 (27%)

 
31.

Open Ended Question


32.

Did you have any geographic restrictions on your internship search that EITHER (a) reduced the number of sites to which you applied, or (b) kept you from applying to sites in which you were interested?

  Yes 1456 56 %
  No 1122 44 %

33.

IF YOU ANSWERED "YES" TO QUESTION 32: Which of the following best describes the reason for your geographic restriction:

  I could only apply in a particular geographic area because of significant family, financial, and/or health considerations 627 43 %
  I chose to restrict my search to particular geographic area(s) due to personal preference (e.g., preferred place to live, to be near family or friends) 799 54 %
  Other 49 3 %

34.

IF YOU ANSWERED "YES" TO QUESTION 32: Which of the following best describes your geographic restriction?

  A single city or town, or within a 100-mile radius of a city/town 482 33 %
  State / Province 194 13 %
  Region of the Country 619 42 %
  Other 171 12 %

QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR AAPI

35.

We would like to know the TOTAL NUMBER OF PRACTICUM HOURS that you reported on your AAPI. This includes ALL of your practicum hours, including doctoral hours and hours accrued in a terminal masters program.

In Section 3, Item 4, "Summary of Practicum Hours," please look in the right-most column, TOTAL COMPLETED HOURS, and enter the hours listed for:

    Median= n=
 
a. Intervention and Assessment:
766 2025
 
b. Support:
699 2014
 
c. Supervision:
357 2003

APPIC advises applicants to interpret these numbers cautiously. Applicants should NOT assume that the numbers of practicum hours listed above are necessary to successfully obtain an internship, as many Training Directors have told us that they consider these numbers to be one of the less important aspects of an application. 

36.

For each of the following populations, what was the total number of supervised integrated psychological reports that you reported on your AAPI? This information can be found in Section 4 of the AAPI ("Test Administration"), item 3.

    Median= n=
 
a. Adults:
8 1803
 
b. Children / Adolescents:
8 1551

NOTE: Respondents who designated completing zero reports or left the item blank were excluded from the calculation (please note that this is a change from last year's method of calculating the results for this item). Only medians were reported, as means and standard deviations were greatly affected by a few applicants who reported an extremely large number of integrated reports.

37.

Please designate when you completed (or intend to complete) your doctoral comprehensive / qualifying / preliminary examinations:

  Not Applicable 59 3 %
  Prior to submitting internship applications 2061 91 %
  Prior to attending internship interviews 40 2 %
  Prior to the ranking deadline for the Match 19 1 %
  Prior to the beginning of internship 80 4 %
  During the internship year 6 0 %
  After the completion of the internship 7 0 %

 

38.

Please designate when your proposal for your dissertation of doctoral research project was or will be approved:

  Not Applicable 24 1 %
  Prior to submitting internship applications 1550 68 %
  Prior to attending internship interviews 157 7 %
  Prior to the ranking deadline for the Match 63 3 %
  Prior to the beginning of internship 441 19 %
  During the internship year 34 1 %
  After the completion of the internship 6 0 %

 

39.

Please designate when the final defense for your dissertation or doctoral research project occurred or will occur:

  Not Applicable 75 3 %
  Prior to submitting internship applications 82 4 %
  Prior to attending internship interviews 24 1 %
  Prior to the ranking deadline for the Match 6 0 %
  Prior to the beginning of internship 1030 45 %
  During the internship year 944 41 %
  After the completion of the internship 119 5 %

 

40.

How many publications were listed on the Curriculum Vitae that you submitted to internship sites? (Please estimate if you don't know the exact number)

 
None
1031 46 %
 
1
343 15 %
 
2
248 11 %
 
3
193 9 %
 
4
144 6 %
 
5 to 9
248 11 %
 
10 to 14
45 2 %
 
15 to 19
6 0 %
 
20 or more
6 0 %

41.

How many presentations were listed on the Curriculum Vitae that you submitted to internship sites? (Please estimate if you don't know the exact number)

 
None
550 24 %
 
1
197 9 %
 
2
232 10 %
 
3
184 8 %
 
4
159 7 %
 
5 to 9
519 23 %
 
10 to 14
232 10 %
 
15 to 19
108 5 %
 
20 or more
91 4 %

 


27 December 2007

 
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