Clinical programs are very popular and admission is highly competitive.
It is now more difficult to get admitted to a top clinical program than to most medical schools. In many states you cannot be licensed as a clinical psychologist if your program is not APA approved. The better known programs do get many applicants for each opening. But each of these applicants applies to a dozen or so programs. Think of 10 students, each applies to ten schools, and each school accepts only one of the ten applicants.