“Listen, the app process is draining but you can absolutely do it!! The slogan that I’ve been reminding myself of recently is “if you’re scared of doing something, then do it scared.” Do it scared, and show yourself what you can do when you push through tough things!”
As U.S. government budget cuts create turmoil in North American graduate schools, we want to highlight WriteIvy students who’ve achieved uncanny success, and whose inspiring stories will inject hope and clarity into this all-too-opaque admissions process. This series aims to celebrate intellectual achievement, explore the barriers that applicants face in various fields, and give proven examples of how to succeed amid increasing competition. As part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Aleija Rodriguez.
Aleija Rodriguez is an incoming Clinical Psychology PhD student at Yale University. His interests lie in understanding the role that early life trauma and adversity play in the development of and presentation of externalizing symptoms that can put individuals at risk for legal system involvement. Prior to applying for graduate school, Aleija earned his BA in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience at the University of Michigan. Following this, he worked 4 years as a research coordinator, with 3 of those years spent with the Mind Research Network, conducting research with currently- and formerly-incarcerated individuals. In 2025, Aleija applied to 11 programs, receiving acceptances to 5 of the 7 programs with which he interviewed. In his free time, Aleija enjoys moog synthesizer music and rock climbing.
First off, massive congratulations on your success last year, Aleija! You’re one of those amazing stories that inspire all of us, so really, thank you. Can you tell us a little about how you got interested in clinical psychology, and why the field should matter for the rest of us?
I’ve been largely interested in the brain since high school, with this interest only compounding throughout my undergraduate studies at the University of Michigan. However, it’s my work at the Mind Research Network, conducting MRIs and clinical interviews with incarcerated individuals, that solidified my interest in clinical psychology.
Behavior is the sum of an incredibly complex interplay between the brain, the environment, and personal experiences, and I became interested in understanding how exposure to trauma or adversity early in life can lead to risks later on. Nearly half of U.S citizens will experience some form of a diagnosable mental illness in their lifetime, making a better understanding of brain-behavior relationships key to the development of effective treatments.
Nearly half…wow. That’s heavy. How then do you envision your career or your research making the world a better place?
I hope to run a lab of my own someday, one that is focused on research that is applicable and policy-oriented. Many of the issues I’ve seen within the legal system stem from limited resource availability, or poor knowledge of the precursors to problematic behavior like substance use and aggression. My hope in establishing a lab of my own is to generate empirical research that not only expands our basic understanding of how adversity affects the brain and behavior, but also informs the development of evidence-based treatments for individuals at risk for legal system involvement. It is also my hope to also champion this and other research to policymakers in order to cultivate a more rehabilitative and scientific approach to criminal justice.
Those are giant, awesome, and inspiring ambitions, Aleija. I love it. Can you share a story of a challenge you faced or observed in clinical psychology and how you overcame it?
Working in prisons has been both incredibly rewarding and deeply challenging. As part of my work, I conduct clinical interviews with participants, interviews which span an array of life experiences. I’ve spoken with participants with severe substance use histories, significant trauma histories, experiences with depression or psychosis, you name it. These stories help humanize a group of people who are often an afterthought.
And through all of this, it’s been so disheartening to see the revolving door of re-incarceration, whereby individuals are released and lack the support they need to break out of harmful cycles of re-arrest. That’s a difficult thing to observe day in and day out, but it has persistently fueled my desire to help effect change, especially at a time when good research is under attack and under-appreciated.
Finding Incredible Research Mentors
That’s incredibly noble work. It also sounds incredibly complex. Is there a particular person or teacher who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Who helped you tackle these huge goals?
There is a postdoctoral fellow in my current lab who has been instrumental in making me feel a bit less lost as I’ve started to get more involved in research. That fellow, Dr. Corey Allen, helped shepherd me through my first-ever first-author publication, which came out earlier this year in Frontiers in Psychiatry. From conceptualization to publication, that project took over two years and had several points of near-hopelessness on my part as I revised again and again and again.
I even had one point in June 2023 where it felt like the manuscript was dead in the water, but Dr. Allen helped propel me through those challenging days. He also helped make coding in R, a language commonly used for statistical analysis in psychology, more accessible for someone like me, who had next to no programming experience. I am incredibly grateful to Dr. Allen for taking me under his wing and helping me see a long, tough project through to the end.
[Editor’s Note: This is such an amazing example of a true research mentorship, as well as of the endless difficulties that all researchers must face. If I were a PhD applicant, I’d read these paragraphs five times, taking special note of how Aleija pursued this project for TWO YEARS, to the point of near hopelessness, and had to learn R programming from scratch. THAT is what it takes to be a research success.]
Is there a particular book, class, or lesson that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?
The most meaningful class that put me on this path was definitely my Intro to Forensic Psychology course, which I took in my final semester at the University of Michigan. Up to that point, I’d been exclusively interested in learning and memory and thought I’d have a career in Alzheimer’s research. But the professor of that class, Dr. Carol Holden, sparked a flame of passion in the conjunction between law and psychology.
Learning about how behavioral research can inform the legal system in a myriad of ways flipped a switch that brought me from my home state of Michigan, to the dry desert of New Mexico, a state I’d never even stepped into before. Dr. Holden had so much experience and passion for the subject, and we’ve continued to maintain a professional relationship 4 years later, including emails and the occasional Zoom call. I credit that class with creating a new research passion that I only really started to appreciate years after the fact.
Cold Emails, Reading in Prison, and Clinical Psychology PhD Admissions
You’ve had such awesome mentors, Aleija. But it also seems like you’ve been ready to accept that mentorship throughout your career (an all-important quality). What else do you think has helped you achieve so much success with your research and PhD applications?
It sounds overly simple, but prepping early made a huge difference for me. I focused on networking both in and just after undergrad, and I utilized that network to help get me exposed to new interests and opportunities I never would have found on my own.
I’m a big believer in cold emails, and it’s cold emails that I sent which gave me new experiences (like a national conference presentation) and new colleagues to read over my application materials. I scheduled meetings with PIs I was interested in years before I planned to apply to them and spent downtime in the New Mexico prisons reading papers to give me new research ideas. Even though I didn’t always know where my path would exactly go, I knew that connections and curiosity would land me somewhere meaningful to me.
[Editor’s Note: Read this again: “I scheduled meetings with PIs I was interested in years before I planned to apply.”]
Aleija, this is a master class in how to do PhD applications right! Thank you so much. Would you mind telling us a bit about your application essays? Or, what do you think other applicants really need to know about these essays?
I really don’t think it’s possible to understate how crucial these essays are in making or breaking an application. Programs and PIs get quite literally hundreds of apps to sift through, and a bad or lackluster SOP can be the end of an otherwise promising application. Those essays are often someone’s only glimpse into who you are, how you talk, what you want to research, and where you see yourself going in the future.
I spent months writing my essays, with my first foray into conceptualization starting in May 2024, 7 months before the December due dates. All applicants may not want or need to give themselves that much time, but it was very helpful for me to do so. Taking that approach allowed me to really consider the story I wanted to tell about myself, get feedback from others, and revise again and again until I had something that I felt really reflected my passion for research, psychology, and future impact. So I guess that just boils down to: the more time yourself you can give yourself, the better.
Seven months of essay writing! You’re my hero, Aleija. Were any WriteIvy articles or resources particularly helpful for you?
The PhD SOP Starter Kit was really helpful and insightful! It resonated with me because it forced me to be honest with myself when answering questions about what my research interests were and why they mattered to me. I also liked the question that asked what proof I had that I was 100% ready for graduate research, because it made me sit and really consider my readiness, and then translate those thoughts into a clear narrative. For those applying to PhD programs, particularly clinical psychology programs, I can’t recommend that resource enough.
Get Your Free SOP Starter Kit
Learn the “4 Questions” every SOP must answer to earn admission at competitive schools. This guide will tell you what to write, and leave you feeling super confident and ready to hit “submit.”
I’m so happy to hear that, Aleija, and I can clearly see why you were so successful! Do you have any advice for future applicants that should probably seem obvious…but isn’t? Or, can you think of any aspects of the application that might be more important than they seem at first?
My advice will be particular for clinical psychology PhD applicants here. As counterintuitive as it may seem, research experience is 1000x more useful for your application than clinical experience will be. If you have the opportunity to work in a research lab or a clinical private practice setting, the lab will set you up far better.
The reason that research experience is more important is because 1) it helps you figure out if you like research enough to make it a career, and what research topics you like, and 2) it shows programs or PIs that you know what research is like (the ups and downs) and you’re still passionate about it.
The same thing applies if you’re trying to decide between a research coordinator position or a master’s degree. Unless your undergraduate GPA was low, always take the coordinator position. It’ll give you the opportunity to possibly get human research subject exposure, work with clinical tools (even as a non-clinician), run studies, and possibly write papers. And instead of gathering debt like you would with a master’s, you’ll actually have the potential to save money in the process!
Would you be willing to share your SOP with our readers?
For sure! I have a few different versions based on the types of programs to which I applied, but I’m happy to make the SOP sample below available.
Aleija’s Clinical Psychology PhD Statement of Purpose
Editor’s Note: Click below to read Aleija’s SOP in Google Drive. You’ll note that, contrary to most of our advice on WriteIvy, he flipped the “Why This Program” and “Why I’m Qualified” sections. And in this case, it’s a great thing—an example of how talented, thoughtful writers can manipulate the structure and guidelines to achieve an effect that’s best for their essay. You can learn more about how to do that here!
(Click to read Aleija’s Clinical Psych SOP in Google Drive)
3 Things Aleija Thinks Every Psych Student Should Know About Grad Admissions
1. Psychin’ Out! This is a great peer-to-peer mentorship opportunity for those applying to psych programs. The mentors will meet with you on a schedule you both agree on, providing feedback on all sorts of components of your application.
2. Application Statement Feedback Program (ASFP)! This one is helpful for those applying to all types of psych programs, and is focused on providing individuals with SOP feedback from experienced researchers or current students. As a note, it’s particularly focused on providing feedback to those from marginalized communities, or those who don’t currently have access to mentors who are familiar with the application process.
3. The psych application discord! This resource is full of not only helpful info, but people who are currently in grad school or also planning to apply! I used this so much to ask questions throughout the process, and it was so reassuring to know that others had the same worries or concerns as me.
Those are such incredible resources, Aleija! Are there any particular types of students whom you’d like to inspire? What advice would you give them?
I actually really want to encourage young men to consider careers in psychology, especially clinical psychology. I think psychology can get this entirely unwarranted perception as a soft, “touchy-feely” science that isn’t as useful as other paths like physics or engineering. This is simply not true. Everyone has a mind, feelings, good days and bad days, and many people will seek out help for those sorts of things across their life.
Clinical psychology is very much a branch of science that often focuses on evidence-based treatments and novel methods. The reason I want to encourage young men to get involved in this career is because I’ve worked with male research participants who have mentioned never getting to discuss their complex life stories with other men or male-presenting individuals, leading to patterns of emotional repression. The field needs a diverse set of people to address a diverse range of needs, interests, and patients. Psychology has the potential to effectuate incredible change, and there are thousands of men in need who would benefit from speaking with someone in whom they can see themselves.
You have a gigantic heart, Aleija, and I’m so impressed. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good for the greatest number of people, what would that be? You never know who you might inspire.
Criminal justice reform is far and away the movement that would be most meaningful to spearhead, and one I hope to be a part of across my career. By cultivating a society that is focused on rehabilitation and education, we can uplift those who need the most support and create a culture of improvement and growth. Having a legal history doesn’t mean you’re a lost cause, it means that you may need more help than others, and that’s okay. I hope I can see the movement toward more rehabilitative systems within my lifetime, and work with others who share my same passion.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
Whether it’s a blessing or a curse, my name is fairly uncommon, meaning that Googling me is fairly easy (Aleija Rodriguez)! I’m always happy to have people follow me on LinkedIn as well. I think either of those methods can help you find ways to contact me directly, or to see what research and projects I’m working on!
Is there anything else you’d like to add that we haven’t already covered?
Listen, the app process is draining but you can absolutely do it!! The slogan that I’ve been reminding myself of recently is “if you’re scared of doing something, then do it scared.” Do it scared, and show yourself what you can do when you push through tough things!
Thank you so very much, Aleija! This has been such an inspiring interview, and we’re incredibly grateful.
Key Takeaways
If ever there were a case study on how to become a PhD success—in any field—Aleija is it. His generosity, curiosity, gigantic heart, and sparkling mind should be an inspiration to anyone navigating the murky waters of academia. How can we follow him as an example?
1. Be Unstoppable
“From conceptualization to publication, that project took over two years and had several points of near-hopelessness on my part as I revised again and again and again.”
2. Find Your Mentors
“There is a postdoctoral fellow in my current lab who has been instrumental in making me feel a bit less lost…[who] also helped make coding in R…more accessible for someone like me, who had next to no programming experience.”
“The professor of that class…sparked a flame of passion in the conjunction between law and psychology….and we’ve continued to maintain a professional relationship 4 years later, including emails and the occasional Zoom call.”
3. Prepare As Early As Possible
“I scheduled meetings with PIs I was interested in years before I planned to apply to them and spent downtime in the New Mexico prisons reading papers to give me new research ideas.”
“I spent months writing my essays, with my first foray into conceptualization starting in May 2024, 7 months before the December due dates.”
4. Use Every Resource At Your Disposal
If you’re in Psychology, use Psychin’ Out!, ASFP, and the psych application discord. If you’re in a different field, get out there and find the communities who are actively trying to help you out!
We’re so grateful to Aleija for sharing his story and insights. This interview really is a master class in how to succeed as a doctoral researcher. If you’re applying to Clinical Psychology PhD programs—or, frankly, in any other field—make this interview your Bible, and we’re certain you too will be on your way to making a huge impact on the world.
Want more real-world advice from grad students who’ve achieved impressive success? Read more interviews here!
