2021 APPIC Match: Survey of Internship Applicants
Part 1: Summary of Survey Results
This report contains the results from the survey of internship applicants who
were registered for the 2021 APPIC Match.
This survey was conducted via the internet between February 19 and March 24,
2021. All 4,139 applicants who registered for the 2021 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 2,821 applicants (68%)
completed some or all of the survey.
Results of the survey are presented below. Missing data was eliminated,
and percentages do not necessarily total 100% due to rounding. Some survey items
requested open-ended comments about the AAPI, the Match, etc. that are not
reported below; however, those 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. DEBT: Applicants mean reported debt load (see question 7) related to
graduate level study in psychology was (all dollar amounts converted to
USD):
US Students: Mean = $103,198 Median = $80,000
Canadian Students: Mean = $ 18,661 Median = $0
The average reported debt for all students, $99,488, represents an 8.4%
increase from the 2018 applicant survey.
Approximately 43% reported debt of $100,000 or higher while 11%
reported debt exceeding $250,000. Approximately 27% reported
no debt related to graduate study in psychology.
Please note that these figures do not include any additional
debt that these students may accrue during the remainder of
their graduate training (e.g., during internship).
2. COSTS: Pandemic-related travel restrictions resulted in students
reporting dramatically lower costs for the selection process
(see question 15). As compared to 2018, average total costs
for the selection process decreased by 70% for US applicants
($686 vs. $2323 in 2018) and by 75% for Canadian applicants
($580 CAD vs. $2288 CAD in 2018).
While travel costs were essentially eliminated for most applicants,
average application costs rose 20% for both U.S. and Canadian
students since 2018.
3. VIRTUAL SELECTION: Questions 22-30 asked students about their
"Virtual Selection" experiences along with their preferences for
the future.
4. STIPENDS: Applicants matched to U.S. sites reported a mean
internship stipend of $30,934 USD (compared to $27,785 in 2018,
up 11.3%), while applicants matched to Canadian sites reported a
mean stipend of $34,540 CAD (compared to $33,937 in 2018,
up 1.8%). See question 19.
5. NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED AND INTERVIEW OFFERS RECEIVED: In
Phase I, applicants submitted an average of 14.9 internship applications
(see question 10) and received an average of 7.5 (corrected 4/13/21)
interview offers (see question 11).
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1. Type of Doctoral Program
Clinical 2200 78 %
Counseling 326 12 %
School 200 7 %
Combined 89 3 %
Other 3 0 %
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. 1551 55 %
Psy.D. 1262 45 %
Ed.D. 0 0 %
Other 5 0 %
3. Is your doctoral program ACCREDITED by one or more of the following
organizations? Check all that apply.
Yes - by APA (American Psychological Association) 2657 94 %
Yes - by CPA (Canadian Psychological Association) 145 5 %
Yes - by PCSAS (Psychological Clinical Science 140 5 %
Accreditation System)
No 20 1 %
4. Location of your doctoral Program
United States 2675 95%
Canada 142 5%
5. Including the current (2020-2021) academic year, how many years
have you been enrolled in your CURRENT doctoral program (excluding
any time spent in other doctoral or masters programs):
This is my 2nd year 24 1%
This is my 3rd year 265 9%
This is my 4th year 1297 46%
This is my 5th year 915 33%
This is my 6th year 251 9%
This is my 7th year 41 1%
This is my 8th year 4 0%
This is my 9th year 3 0%
This is my 10th year 2 0%
This is my 11th (or 0 0%
later) year
6. Please check the item that best describes your status PRIOR to
entering your CURRENT doctoral program:
I had NO prior graduate-level training 1484 53%
I had a Master's degree in psychology 823 29%
I had a Master's degree in a mental health field 263 9%
other than psychology (e.g., counseling,
social work, marriage and family)
I had a Master's degree in an unrelated field 122 4%
I had been enrolled in a Master's program in 41 1%
psychology but did not receive a degree
I had been enrolled in a Master's program in a 10 0%
mental health field other than psychology
(e.g., counseling, social work, marriage and
family) but did not receive a degree
I had been enrolled in a Master's program in an 6 0%
unrelated field but did not receive a degree
Other, please specify 65 2%
7. Please estimate the total amount of DEBT that you have accrued
to date as a consequence of attending GRADUATE SCHOOL IN
PSYCHOLOGY, including tuition, fees, living expenses, books, etc.
Please include all forms of debt such as student loans, credit
cards, personal loans, etc. Please do NOT include undergraduate
debt or debt that is unrelated to your graduate training.
(All numbers for this item have been converted to U.S. dollars)
Mean = $ 99,488 USD Median = $70,000
SD = $107,551
$0 728 27%
$1 - $49,999 440 16%
$50,000 - $99,999 356 13%
$100,000 - $149,999 344 13%
$150,000 - $199,999 264 10%
$200,000 - $249,999 249 9%
$250,000 - $299,999 124 5%
$300,000 - $349,999 94 3%
$350,000 - $399,999 35 1%
$400,000 - $449,999 38 1%
$450,000 - $499,999 9 0%
$500,000 or higher 14 1%
By country:
US Students: Mean = $103,198 USD Median = $80,000 USD
Canadian Students: Mean = $ 18,661 USD Median = $0
Virtually all applicants will remain in training for
at least 18 months (including the internship year) after the
completion of this survey and may incur additional debt
during that period.
NOTE: Calculation errors were corrected for this item on 8/21/23
8. Would the following types of internship programs be acceptable
or unacceptable to your doctoral program IN PHASE I OF THE MATCH?
Internship is NOT Accredited Acceptable = 744 27%
but IS an APPIC Member Not Acceptable = 2042 73%
Internship is NOT ACCREDITED Acceptable = 230 8%
and is NOT an APPIC Member Not Acceptable = 2525 92%
9. 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 2740 97%
in the APPIC Match
This is my SECOND time participating 68 2%
in the APPIC Match
This is my THIRD time participating 4 0%
in the APPIC Match
This is my FOURTH time participating 0 0%
in the APPIC Match
Other 4 0%
10. To how many internship sites did you apply in Phase I of
the APPIC Match (i.e., how many separate internship
applications did you submit)?
Mean = 14.9 Median = 15
SD = 4.6 Mode = 15
Range = 0 - 44
NOTE: The AAPI service provided a financial disincentive
for applicants to submit more than 15 applications.
11. How many interviews of any kind (e.g.., virtual, telephone, Zoom,
open house, in person) were you offered during Phase I?
(Results corrected 4/13/21)
Mean = 7.5 Median = 7
SD = 3.9 Range = 0 - 30
12. Considering all of the sites to which you applied in Phase I,
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?
All sites notified me in a timely manner 1935 69%
One site did NOT properly notify me 505 18%
Two sites did NOT properly notify me 188 7%
Three sites did NOT properly notify me 82 3%
Four or more sites did not properly notify me 95 3%
13. How many programs did you include on your final Rank Order List
in Phase I (i.e., how many program code numbers were listed)?
Mean = 8.6 Median = 8
SD = 4.3
NOTE: Use caution when comparing these numbers with the results
from questions 10-11, since some sites used multiple program code
numbers.
14. In general, how much impact did concerns about exposure to
COVID-19 during the internship year have on your selection and
ranking of programs?
Great Impact 87 8%
72 6%
Moderate Impact 282 25%
240 21%
No Impact 447 40%
NOTE: This item was added after the survey launched and thus had
fewer respondents. This is the only item that was added after the
launch.
15. APPIC would like to know how much money you spent on various
aspects of the application and selection process for Phase I only.
APPLICATION COSTS involve preparing and submitting applications
to sites, and may include such items as the fee for the AAPI
Online service, 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 ($130), 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
US or Canadian would be entered as simply 100):
STUDENTS FROM U.S. DOCTORAL PROGRAMS
TOTAL COSTS: Mean = $ 686 USD
SD = 340
Median = $ 630
APPLICATION COSTS: Mean = $ 603 USD
SD = 289
Median = $ 550
TRAVEL COSTS: Mean = $ 6 USD
SD = 52
Median = $ 0
OTHER COSTS: Mean = $ 100 USD
SD = 167
Median = $ 100
STUDENTS FROM CANADIAN DOCTORAL PROGRAMS
TOTAL COSTS: Mean = $ 580 CAD
SD = 298
Median = $ 550
APPLICATION COSTS: Mean = $ 512 CAD
SD = 257
Median = $ 500
TRAVEL COSTS: Mean = $ 1 CAD
SD = 12
Median = $ 0
OTHER COSTS: Mean = $ 95 CAD
SD = 133
Median = $ 13
NOTE: Pandemic-related travel restrictions resulted in the
elimination of travel costs in 2021 as compared to other years.
However, since 2018, application costs have risen 20% for both
U.S. and Canadian applicants.
16. 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 2430 86%
No 332 12%
Withdrew / No rankings submitted 59 2%
INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR INTERNSHIP
NOTE: Items 17-21 were asked only of applicants who reported having
matched to an internship site.
17. Location of the internship program to which you were matched:
United States 2277 95%
Canada 125 5%
18. Were you matched to an internship program that is CURRENTLY
accredited by APA or CPA?
Yes - Accredited by APA 2208 92 %
Yes - Accredited by CPA 108 4 %
No 85 4 %
19. Please enter the approximate amount of the annual stipend /
salary for your position (e.g., if your stipend is $20,000
US or Canadian for the year, enter "20000"). Please
estimate if you don't know the exact amount.
U.S. Sites: Mean = $30,934 (USD)
SD = $ 9,073 (USD)
Median = $29,000 (USD)
Mode = $30,000 (USD)
Canadian Sites: Mean = $34,540 (CAD)
SD = $ 7,108 (CAD)
Median = $33,000 (CAD)
Mode = $35,000 (CAD)
20. Please select the setting that best describes the internship
program to which you were matched:
Armed Forces Medical Center 33 1%
Child/Adolescent Psychiatric/Pediatrics 247 10%
Community Mental Health Center 244 10%
Consortium 196 8%
Medical School 221 9%
Prison/Other Correctional Facility 91 4%
Private General Hospital 124 5%
Private Outpatient Clinic 54 2%
Private Psychiatric Hospital 46 2%
Psychology Department 11 0%
School District 50 2%
State/County/Other Public Hospital 197 8%
University Counseling Center 344 14%
Veterans Affairs Medical Center 459 19%
Other 84 3%
21. What was the rank of the program to which you were matched?
(e.g., if you were matched to your top-ranked program, enter 1;
if you were matched to the second program on your list, enter 2)
1 1118 47 %
2 531 22 %
3 310 13 %
4 207 9 %
5 81 3 %
6 71 3 %
7 35 1 %
8 17 1 %
9 23 1 %
10 3 0 %
11 or higher 5 0 %
FEEDBACK ABOUT YOUR "VIRTUAL SELECTION" EXPERIENCE
For the following questions, "Virtual Selection" includes ALL
experiences and information sources that you used with intern sites
this year that were conducted remotely (e.g., via Zoom, Webex, Teams),
including interviews, tours, meetings with staff/supervisors/interns,
watching videos, etc.
22. Of the internship sites to which you applied, how many offered:
Only virtual interviews 10.5
Only in-person interviews 1.0
A choice of in-person or virtual 1.1
Virtual interview with option of 1.2
in-person open house
Other 1.1
23. How satisfied were you, overall, with the virtual selection processes
in which you participated?
Extremely Satisfied 834 31%
1060 40%
Moderately Satisfied 604 23%
118 4%
Not at all Satisfied 45 2%
24. Indicate the degree to which the following were beneficial to you,
given the strong reliance on virtual selection this year
[Used a 5-point scale, 5=Extremely Beneficial, 1=Not at All Beneficial]
Ability to apply to a broader geographic area 3.6
than if interviews were in-person
Reduced costs for traveling 4.8
Reduced time spent traveling 4.8
Ease of managing/scheduling interviews 4.5
25. We are interested in learning about how effective the virtual
selection process was in providing you with the information you
needed to rank programs. How effective was the virtual selection
process in helping you to...
[Used a 5-point scale, 5=Extremely Effective, 1=Not at All Effective]
Understand programs' training experiences 4.0
Learn about the cities where the programs are located 2.7
Get a feel for the communities where the programs 2.5
are located
See the physical space of the institutions where 2.3
the programs are located
Get to know the training staff/supervisors 3.8
Get to discuss the programs with current trainees 4.1
Get a feel for the programs' overall culture 3.4
Get a feel for the programs' inclusivity and sensitivity 3.5
for diversity
26. Across all of your contact with sites, how helpful was each of these
aspects of the Virtual Selection process? Leave the question blank
if it is not applicable to you.
[Used a 5-point scale, 5=Extremely Helpful, 1=Not at All Helpful]
Online brochures or websites 4.2
Communication and instructions about the virtual 4.1
interview process
Pre-recorded videos from the program staff 3.6
Virtual tours of the facilities (conducted live) 3.4
Tours of the facilities (pre-recorded) 3.7
Individual interviews with staff (you were the only 4.5
applicant present)
Group interviews with staff (interviews with more 3.2
than one applicant present)
Meetings with current interns 4.5
Interviews occurring within one day as opposed to 4.4
split across multiple days
Information orienting you to the geographic location/ 3.5
cities
27. What do you feel is the optimal duration of a Virtual Selection
process? (include all of the experiences identified in the
previous question where the applicant is interacting with one
or more representatives of the training program)
2 hours or less 621 24%
4 hours 1526 58%
6 hours 467 18%
8 hours or more 27 1%
28. Before the pandemic, many sites preferred or required applicants
to travel for on-site interviews. These experiences were often a
half- or full-day in length, required considerable travel, and
occurred at the applicant's expense (average of $1500 per student).
Given your experiences this year with the Virtual Selection process,
and given what you know or may have heard about on-site interview
experiences from previous years, assuming there is no pandemic which
interview format would you prefer?
Definitely Virtual 1130 43%
776 29%
No Preference 245 9%
305 12%
Definitely in Person 188 7%
29. In future years, if there is no pandemic, to what extent do you think
exclusive virtual interviews should be mandated for all psychology
internship programs?
Strong Preference: Mandated Virtual Interviews 1021 39%
719 27%
No Preference / Unsure 531 20%
187 7%
Strong Preference: Virtual Interviews Not Mandated 189 7%
30a. If you participated in a virtual interview at a program that also
offered an IN-PERSON INTERVIEW, how concerned would be that choosing
to not visit the site would negatively affect the program’s ranking
of you?
Very concerned 973 51%
281 15%
Moderately concerned 449 23%
69 4%
Not concerned at all 140 7%
30b. If you participated in a virtual interview at a program that also
offered an IN-PERSON OPEN HOUSE, how concerned would be that
choosing to not visit the site would negatively affect the
program’s ranking of you?
Very concerned 675 35%
301 16%
Moderately concerned 566 30%
186 10%
Not concerned at all 183 10%
FEEDBACK ABOUT THE APPIC MATCH
In this section, please rate ONLY your experiences with the APPIC Match.
Please do NOT consider your experiences with the AAPI Online service
or any other aspect of this process.
31a. The materials and instructions provided by National Matching
Services (NMS) were clear and comprehensive.
Strongly Agree 1114 44 %
Agree 1138 45 %
Neutral 218 9 %
Disagree 59 2 %
Strongly Disagree 11 0 %
31b. The registration process with NMS went smoothly.
Strongly Agree 1453 57 %
Agree 950 37 %
Neutral 104 4 %
Disagree 20 1 %
Strongly Disagree 14 1 %
31c. The submission of my Rank Order List to NMS went smoothly.
Strongly Agree 1737 69 %
Agree 716 28 %
Neutral 60 2 %
Disagree 8 0 %
Strongly Disagree 5 0 %
31d. NMS was responsive to my questions and concerns
(leave blank if you never contacted NMS).
Strongly Agree 454 43 %
Agree 301 29 %
Neutral 274 26 %
Disagree 13 1 %
Strongly Disagree 12 1 %
31e. I am satisfied with the Match result that I received from
the Matching Program.
Strongly Agree 1449 58 %
Agree 549 22 %
Neutral 210 8 %
Disagree 108 4 %
Strongly Disagree 191 8 %
31f. Overall, I am satisfied with the APPIC Matching Program.
Strongly Agree 1148 45 %
Agree 859 34 %
Neutral 309 12 %
Disagree 122 5 %
Strongly Disagree 92 4 %
FEEDBACK ABOUT OTHER ISSUES
32a. My doctoral program faculty provided a high level of support
and assistance in the development of my AAPI Online applications
(e.g., provided information, gave me feedback on my essays, met
regularly).
Strongly Agree 983 39 %
Agree 803 32 %
Neutral 363 14 %
Disagree 244 10 %
Strongly Disagree 145 6 %
32b. My doctoral program faculty provided a high level of support and
assistance in preparing me for internship interviews (e.g.,
provided information, conducted role plays of interviews and
gave feedback; met regularly)
Strongly Agree 800 32 %
Agree 798 32 %
Neutral 463 18 %
Disagree 315 12 %
Strongly Disagree 156 6 %
33a. In your judgment, did you experience any violation(s) of
APPIC Match Policies by any site?
Yes 66 3 %
No 2336 92 %
Unsure 131 5 %
NOTE: Match Policy changes over the years may have influenced
responses to this item as compared to previous years' results.
33b. Did you reveal any ranking information (e.g., "You are my
first choice") to any site?
Yes 6 0 %
No 2513 99 %
Unsure 15 1 %
33c. Did you experience inappropriate pressure from any site to
reveal your rankings?
Yes 20 1 %
No 2498 99 %
Unsure 14 1 %
33d. Did any site reveal ranking information to you (e.g., "You
are our first choice")?
Yes 20 1 %
No 2476 98 %
Unsure 36 1 %
DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION
Following are a series of questions that request personal demographic
information.
We are seeking your responses to these questions because from time to time we
are asked about the effect of various demographic factors on Match rates.
Since at no time in the application process do we collect this type
of information, we use this survey to more definitively understand the
potential impact of these factors on the internship selection process.
The information that you provide will remain ANONYMOUS and will be reported
in aggregate form only. While we hope that you will answer all of these
questions, you may skip any item that you do not feel comfortable
answering. However, the more responses that we receive, the more accurate
our data will be.
34. What is your age?
Mean = 30.1 Median = 29
SD = 5.4
Range = 22 to 72
35. How many dependent children are currently living with you?
None 2202 87%
1 180 7%
2 105 4%
3 30 1%
4 8 0%
5 or more 2 0%
36. 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 2355 94%
1 106 4%
2 31 1%
3 6 0%
4 0 0%
5 or more 0 0%
37. What is your current marital or relationship status?
Married / Partnered 1376 54 %
Not Married or Partnered 1160 46 %
38. In which country(ies) do you hold citizenship? Individuals
with dual citizenship should designate all countries in which
citizenship is held.
U.S. 2326 91 %
Canada 156 6 %
Other 173 7 %
NOTE: Responses total greater than 100% due to dual citizenship.
39. What is your gender identity?
Woman 2068 81 %
Man 408 16 %
Genderqueer / Nonbinary 42 2 %
Trans Man 2 0 %
Trans Woman 2 0 %
Intersex 0 0 %
Prefer to self-identify 18 1 %
40. What is your racial/ethnic identification? (Check all
that apply)
African-American / Black 230 9 %
American Indian / Alaskan Native 25 1 %
Asian / Pacific Islander 263 10 %
Hispanic / Latino 322 13 %
White (Non-Hispanic) 1714 68 %
Bi-racial / Multi-racial 157 6 %
Other 95 4 %
41. What is your sexual orientation?
Lesbian / Gay 121 5 %
Straight 2018 80 %
Bisexual 293 12 %
Prefer to self-identify 88 3 %
42. What types of disability(ies) do you have? Check all
that apply. (If none, please check “None”)
None 1884 79 %
Blind / Visually Impaired 18 1 %
Deaf / Hard of Hearing 14 1 %
Physical / Orthopedic Disability 35 1 %
Learning Disability / Cognitive 77 3 %
Cognitive Disability 20 1 %
Chronic Health Condition 194 8 %
Mental Illness 234 10 %
Other 42 2 %
Report Prepared by Greg Keilin, Ph.D.
March 21, 2021
Results for item #11 corrected April 13, 2021