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AAPI ONLINE
APPIC Application for Psychology Internships
On July 9, 2009, APPIC launched the AAPI Online -- a dramatically improved approach to developing, submitting, and reviewing psychology internship applications via the internet. This page provides news and information about the AAPI Online, along with important information for applicants, academic DCTs, internship Training Directors, and individuals who write letters of reference.
You may quick-jump to the following topics on this page:
NEWS
- A training video that describes the Internship Training Directors' Selection Portal is now available. (Updated November 10, 2009)
- In the spirit of the Halloween season, and in tribute to the many applicants, Training Directors, and Directors of Clinical Training who are working so hard to navigate the new AAPI Online system, a multi-talented internship Training Director has developed the "APPIC Match Song." For reasons known only to them, the contributors prefer to be identified only as the "Selection Vampire" and the "Vampiress." We wish to thank them for their efforts during this busy time! (Updated November 5, 2009)
- A ".pdf" file of a sample completed application has been created to allow applicants and sites to demonstrate how a completed AAPI will look when viewed by internship programs. This sample does not include a CV, letters of recommendation, etc. Click here to view this sample application. Please note that the "Print Application" function in the Applicant Portal provides a very different view of the data in your application, and is NOT the version that internship programs will see. (Updated November 3, 2009)
- TIPS FOR APPLICANTS: (a) To locate the essays, enter the Applicant Portal and click on the "essay" section. Click on "Add New Entry" to add a new set of essays. As indicated in the instructions, you can either tailor your essays to individual sites, or you can use the same set of essays for multiple sites. (b) If you apply to a site that has multiple tracks or rotations, you should submit only one application to that site (and pay only one fee). Sites that have multiple tracks or rotations should indicate, in their application requirements, how you should designate the tracks or rotations to which you are applying. (Updated July 30, 2009)
- The AAPI Online has launched! The applicant portal is now available (see "Access the AAPI Online," below) for students to create and develop their internship applications.
ACCESS THE AAPI ONLINE
Access the AAPI Online as follows:
- APPLICANT PORTAL: If you are an applicant, click here to access the AAPI Online Applicant Portal to create and develop your application. We strongly recommend that you read the general instructions upon entering the portal (see the "Instructions" link on the left). As you enter different sections of the AAPI Online, you should click the "Instructions for this section" link in the upper right portion of each page. As you work on your application, be sure to click the "SAVE" button at the bottom of each page in order to save your work.
- DCT PORTAL: This portal is for academic Directors of Clinical Training (DCTs) who will be providing the verification of internship eligibility and readiness for their students. If you are a DCT, you will not have access to this portal until one of your students requests such verification, at which time you will receive an e-mail with the appropriate login information. If you have already received your login information via e-mail, click here to access the DCT Portal.
- REFERENCE PORTAL: This portal is for individuals (e.g., faculty, supervisors) who are providing letters of reference for students. Once a student has designated you to the AAPI Online Service as someone who will be providing a letter of reference, you will receive an e-mail that contains links and instructions for accessing the AAPI Online Reference Portal. If you are providing a letter of reference and have already received your login information via e-mail, click here to access the AAPI Online Reference Portal.
- SELECTION PORTAL: This portal is for internship programs to access and review submitted applications. A training video that describes the use of this portal is now available.
GENERAL OVERVIEW
The launch of the AAPI Online is the culmination of a multi-year effort by APPIC to make the internship application process more cost-effective and efficient for applicants, doctoral programs, and internship sites. The AAPI Online has been a collaborative process with APPIC’s partner, Liaison International, a company that specializes in Centralized Application Services. The content of the AAPI was created with input from APPIC-Member internship programs, APPIC-Subscriber doctoral programs, and doctoral psychology graduate students.
APPIC is eager to hear your feedback and comments about the AAPI Online, particularly in our pilot year. Please direct your feedback, comments, and concerns to Dr. Karen Taylor at taylor.45@osu.edu .
The AAPI Online will be used for the upcoming 2009-2010 selection cycle (for internships taking place in 2010-2011). Here is an overview of the process:
- Beginning on July 9, 2009, applicants will be able to access the AAPI Online via the "Applicant Portal," which means that they will use their internet browser to create an account, enter information into the various fields of the AAPI, and ultimately submit their completed application to internship sites. Applicants may create multiple versions of cover letters and essays (e.g., in order to tailor these items to different sites and/or settings) if they wish to do so.
- Once an applicant completes the portions of the AAPI that need to be verified by her/his Director of Clinical Training (e.g., total hours, dissertation progress, etc.), the student will generate an electronic request to her/his DCT. The DCT will then either approve the information (via an electronic signature) or ask the student to make changes, and provides additional information as appropriate. (This process replaces the previous "AAPI Part II" which is now obsolete).
- The applicant will also request letters of recommendation by generating electronic requests (via e-mail) to individuals of her/his choosing. These individuals will upload their letters directly into the AAPI Online. While the applicant will not be permitted to view the content of the letter, she/he may attach it to as many or as few applications as desired. In other words, the applicant can decide which letters of reference are submitted to each internship site.
- The applicant also submits one official copy of all graduate transcript(s) directly to the application service via regular mail. These transcripts are verified as official, scanned into the system, and attached to each application that is submitted by the applicant. If you apply to one of the relatively few sites that request undergraduate transcripts, that transcript should NOT be sent to AAPI Online and must instead be uploaded as part of any "supplemental materials" for that program (see next paragraph).
- If a program requires applicants to submit materials that are not a part of the regular AAPI Online application (e.g., testing reports, undergraduate transcripts, additional essays), the applicant will need to obtain the required information, convert it into a single electronic document (e.g., via scanning), upload it to the AAPI Online service, and attach it as "supplementary materials" to the application that is submitted to that program.
- Once an applicant has completed all aspects of the application, she/he chooses the "designated" sites to which the application is submitted electronically. The applicant has the flexibility to decide which cover letter, essays, and letters of recommendation are submitted with each application.
- Once submitted, the application is instantly available to the internship site for review. Training Directors and selection committees may review applications online, sort and select applications based on various criteria, and download application information in various formats. Please send your transcripts to: AAPI Online Transcript Department at P.O. Box 9117, Watertown, MA 02471
The AAPI Online should be used by students to apply to all APPIC-member internship programs as well as those non-member programs that register to participate in the APPIC Match. All applications must be submitted online, and no site may request a printed copy of a student's application materials. The use of the AAPI Online to apply to programs that are not participating in the APPIC Match is prohibited.
For more information about the development of the AAPI Online, including demonstrations and questions and answers, please click here.
APPLICANT FEES
In establishing the fees for the AAPI Online, the APPIC Board was clear in its mission to ensure that the cost of the application process would not increase for applicants. A 2009 APPIC survey of applicants found that the average student paid $256 to submit their paper-based application materials -- including printing and mailing costs (often using overnight delivery services), costs of obtaining multiple official copies of transcripts, etc.
The fees to applicants for use of the AAPI Online will be $35 to submit the first application and $10 for each additional application (up to a total of 15 applications; see next paragraph for costs beyond 15 applications). Since the average applicant submits between 14 and 15 applications (per the 2009 survey), submitting a similar number via the AAPI Online will cost $175, plus the cost of obtaining one official transcript for the AAPI Online service. In addition to the financial savings, we believe that applicants and programs will benefit greatly from the conveniences and features of the service. Plus, we estimate that it will save more than two million pieces of paper that typically get printed and mailed each year.
Data from the APPIC Match consistently show that submitting more than 15 applications does not improve applicants' chances of being matched, and APPIC recommends that most applicants should submit no more than 15 applications. The fee structure has been designed to provide lower costs to students who stay within this guideline. For students who exceed this recommendation, the 16th through 20th application will cost $25 per application, the 21st through 25th application will cost $35 each, and each application over 25 will cost $50 each.
There is no cost to create and develop an application using the AAPI Online service. Fees are charged to applicants only when their applications are actually submitted to internship sites.
It should also be noted that the fees for the AAPI Online are dramatically lower than the fees for similar services provided by other professional organizations. Here are some examples of other fee structures, including APPIC:
- APPIC: $35 for first application, $10 per additional. Cost per application increases after first 15. Total for 15 = $175.
- CASPA (Physician Assistants): $170 for first application, variable amount per additional. Total for 15 = $510.
- PASS (American Dental Education Association): $175 for first application, $45 per additional. Total for 15 = $810.
- CSDCAS (Communication Sciences): $100 for first application, $45 per additional. Total for 15 = $730.
- PTCAS (Physical Therapists): $120 for first application, $30 per additional. Total for 15 = $540.
PREVIOUS VERSION OF THE AAPI
Below is the previous version of the AAPI, which was used during the 2008-09 selection cycle. It is provided here only for reference purposes and for applicants who continue to seek internship positions for the 2009-2010 training year via the Clearinghouse. These versions are obsolete and should not be used for the 2009-2010 selection process.
Applicants who use Word Perfect and other word processors may instead need
to use the "rich text format" version of the AAPI. It is likely there may be some
formatting problems.
NEED HELP?
For questions about the implementation or use of the AAPI Online, please contact Dr. Karen Taylor at taylor.45@osu.edu.
For technical questions or difficulties (e.g., difficulty logging on, uploading, submitting applications, etc.), please contact the AAPI Online technical support team at (617) 612-2899 (hours: M-F 9am to 5pm Eastern time) or Support@APPICAS.org.
10 November 2009
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