You should be a good student, and by that, academic success should not be too much of a struggle for you. Rather, it should come naturally and be considered one of your talents. You should enjoy the environment of learning and academia, and be looking forward to the challenge and rigor of advanced education. You should also be motivated and committed to studying your field of choice, and have a pretty clear idea about your career plans. Learn more »
Earning a master’s or doctorate degree is indicative of having gained expertise and extensive knowledge in psychology. With a master’s or doctorate degree in psychology, you can teach at a community college or university, conduct research, practice clinical work as a therapist or psychologist, and much more. Of course, you can get paid much more as well. Learn more »
Clinical work or applied work involves working with others to solve real life problems in various settings, including mental health, education, health, business, law, human resources, education, management, etc. Research involves designing research studies, conducting experiments, and data analysis. Researchers can work in universities, governments, or hospital or business settings. Think about whether or not you are more extroverted and consider yourself a “people person”. Also, it is a good idea to do an internship, participate in volunteer work, and get experience in different settings and with different activities, including both research and clinical work, to be able to decide what you like or do not like. It is also possible to find a graduate program that has a combination of both sides of psychology. Learn more »
A master’s degree program typically takes anywhere from 2-3 years to complete. It is possible that it will take longer, depending on the completion requirements (i.e., a thesis research project could take longer than expected due to various reasons). It is a good idea to ask the program coordinator or department staff of the program what the average length of time is for students to complete the program. Learn more »
A doctorate degree program typically takes anywhere from 4-5 years to complete. It is possible that it could take longer, up to 6 or 7 years, depending on the completion requirements. A dissertation could become very extensive and time-consuming, and there are many potential setbacks. You should be able to ask the program coordinator or department staff of the program what the average length of time is for students to complete the program. Learn more »
PsyD is an abbreviation for a doctorate in psychology (while a PhD refers to a doctorate in philosophy).The PsyD is a newer degree, developed in the 1960s. This degree focuses heavily on clinical work and the strategies needed to be an effective clinician and can lead to psychologist licensure, although a PhD program can also do so. Learn more »
PhD is an abbreviation for a doctorate in philosophy, which is the more traditional academic degree. PhD programs in psychology will emphasize the importance of empirical research. If it is a clinical program, PhD programs will also focus on clinical skills and can lead to psychologist licensure. PhD programs tend to be excellent preparation for the world of academia. Learn more »
Yes, it is possible to be admitted to a doctoral program with just a bachelor’s degree (and without a master’s degree). Of course, most doctoral programs will be more competitive than most master’s programs. You will need to have a high GPA as well as more extensive experience (i.e. research, clinical work, etc.) to be considered a probable candidate. If you know for sure that you wish to get a doctorate degree, and you meet the program requirements, you should consider your chances of bypassing the master’s degree and head directly into a doctorate degree program. You could also apply to both and see what you get accepted to.
You can become a licensed therapist, and can open up your own mental health practice. The name of the license varies by state, due to differences in state licensing boards. For example, in California, a masters-level therapist is titled Marriage & Family Therapist (MFT) or Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC), while in New York, the title is Mental Health Counselor (MHC). Learn more »
You can become a licensed psychologist, and can open up your own mental health practice. Learn more »
With a master’s in psychology, you could become a therapist, a community college teacher, a university teacher, or a researcher. You could also work in human resources, social work settings, rehabilitation settings, government positions, and many more. A master’s degree is also great preparation to continue to a doctoral degree program. Learn more »
With a doctorate in psychology, you could become a researcher, university professor, or licensed psychologist. With a doctorate degree, you will be able to earn a higher income and wider job opportunities than those who have only a master’s degree. Learn more »
To become a therapist or counselor, you would need to first earn a bachelor’s degree (typically in fields such as psychology or counseling). After completing your bachelor’s degree, you would need to take the GRE. Next, you would apply to a master’s program in psychology or counseling. Make sure that the program is aligned with the specific clinical license you are planning to obtain; the clinical licenses available vary by state. During your graduate degree you will begin supervised clinical practicum hours. After graduation you would continue therapy work for a minimum of 3,000 hours under the supervision of licensed clinicians. Lastly, you would complete an exam to receive your clinical license, which means your pay would increase, you would no longer need supervision, and you could open your own private practice if you wanted to. Learn more »
To become a therapist or counselor, you would need to first earn a bachelor’s degree (typically in fields such as psychology or counseling). After completing your bachelor’s degree, you would need to take the GRE. Next, you would apply to a master’s program in psychology or counseling. Make sure that the program is aligned with the specific clinical license you are planning to obtain; the clinical licenses available vary by state. During your graduate degree you will begin supervised clinical practicum hours. After graduation you would continue therapy work for a minimum of 3,000 hours under the supervision of licensed clinicians. Lastly, you would complete an exam to receive your clinical license, which means your pay would increase, you would no longer need supervision, and you could open your own private practice if you wanted to. Learn more »
To become a psychiatrist, you would need to first earn a bachelor’s degree (typically in fields such as psychology or biology). After completing your bachelor’s degree, you would need to take the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT). Next, you would apply to medical school and complete a 4-5 year program, typically a MD or medical doctor program. After medical school you would complete a 4 year residency program where you would work under the supervision of licensed psychiatrists. Lastly, you would complete an exam for board certification.
To become a psychologist, you should first earn a bachelor’s degree in psychology or a related field (social work, counseling, human services, child development, etc.). Then you would apply to graduate school and complete a 4-5 year doctorate program (either a PhD or a PsyD program). After your graduate program, you would complete your postdoctoral clinical work for a minimum of 3,000 hours under the supervision of licensed psychologists. Lastly, you would complete an exam for board certification. Learn more »
A psychiatrist has attended medical school and can prescribe psychotropic medication, and typically do not engage in psychotherapy. On the other hand, a psychologist has a doctorate degree in psychology and cannot prescribe medication, but practices psychotherapy.
To become a social worker, you would need to first earn a bachelor’s degree, typically in fields such as social work, psychology, sociology, human services, or counseling. After completing your bachelor’s degree, you might need to take the GRE. Next, you would apply to a master’s program in social work. During your 2-3 year graduate degree program you will begin supervised clinical practicum hours. After graduation you would continue practicing social work for a minimum of 3,000 hours under the supervision of licensed social workers. Lastly, you would complete an exam to receive your social worker license.
To become a school psychologist, you would need to first earn a bachelor’s degree, typically in fields such as psychology, counseling, education, human services, sociology, or child development. After completing your bachelor’s degree, you would need to take the GRE. Next, you would apply to a master’s degree in school psychology. During your 2-3 year graduate degree program you will begin supervised clinical work in a school setting. After graduating you would complete a full-time internship with a minimum of 1,200 practicum hours under the supervision of licensed school psychologists. Lastly, you would complete an exam to receive your school psychologist license.
Salary will vary widely depending on geographic region, specialty area, and employment sector. In 2014, the mean annual wage for psychologists was $89,810, or an hourly wage of $43.18. For clinical, counseling, and school psychologists, the mean annual wage was $74,030, or an hourly wage of $35.59. For industrial-organizational psychologists, the mean annual wage in 2014 was $90,070, or an hourly wage of $43.30. These statistics are regularly updated at the Bureau of Labor Statistics website.
A terminal master’s degree can be earned from a graduate program that provides only a master’s degree. A non-terminal master’s degree can be earned from a graduate program that continues toward a doctorate degree. The non-terminal master’s degree is like a checkpoint, instead of a terminal master’s degree, which is an endpoint. Most master’s degree programs offer terminal degrees, which means you can’t use those credits to count toward a doctorate degree. However, having a master’s degree (instead of just a bachelor’s degree) will often increase your chance of being accepted into a doctorate program.
There are hundreds of graduate programs in psychology to choose from. Talk to faculty members who specialize in the area you want to study and ask for suggestions. Search through websites of different programs. Utilize a book such as Graduate Study in Psychology or check out our Bookstore for more suggestions. Use our Psychology Graduate School Directory to search for programs. Learn more »
Accreditation means a graduate program or institution has met professional standards set by an official private, non-governmental authority or organization in regards to the quality of the teaching and training it provides. Properly accredited programs have been evaluated on aspects such as teaching, research, curriculum, ethics, outcomes, faculty, resources, organization, administration, facilities, student support, and more. Learn more »
The amount of programs you apply to really depends on your personal situation. Do not put all your hopes into being accepted into one school. However, don’t apply to every program you come across, because it takes a lot of time and effort to complete application materials specific to each school, and fees, postage, etc. can add up quickly. Learn more »
A thesis is like a less complex version of a dissertation, but can be in the form of a research study or an extensive literature review. Unlike a dissertation, a thesis project does not necessarily require a contribution of brand new and undiscovered knowledge. It could consist of performing in-depth research on a specific topic in order to demonstrate extensive knowledge in that area. This can take 1-2 years. The words “thesis” and “dissertation” are sometimes used interchangeably. Check out this book for more information about thesis projects in psychology.
A psychology dissertation is a research project you will need to conduct while in a doctoral program, under the supervision of faculty members. You will choose a topic of interest to study, conduct a literature review, design a research study, get it approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB), carry out your research, analyze the results, and write up your study as well as get it approved by your dissertation committee members. This process will take a few years as well as require many revisions along the way. The dissertation may be published after approval as well. The words “thesis” and “dissertation” are sometimes used interchangeably. Check out this book for more information about dissertation projects in psychology.
Postdoc is short for postdoctorate, postdoctoral fellowship, or postdoctoral study. After completing a doctorate degree, you typically would need to continue your education for at least a year. For example, a clinical psychology graduate would need to complete 3,000 hours of supervised clinical work before becoming licensed. In some states, these hours are unpaid. Postdoc study can also be a precursor to a career in academia and could involve extensive research work under the supervision of a seasoned faculty member.
The degree titles “Master of Arts”(MA) and “Master of Science” (MS) are used interchangeably; sometimes, the MA degree will refer to a research-based degree while a MS will refer to a clinical-based degree, while at another school, the programs could be labeled the opposite way. Furthermore, some schools only offer one master’s in psychology (either an MA or MS, but not both). You will need to research details about the different degrees available at different schools to be able to decide which is right for you.
Are online graduate degrees in psychology credible? An online degree program could be offered by an online-only university, or by a traditional university that also offers a distance learning program. Online graduate degrees can sometimes be more expensive than traditional degrees. Also, some online-only universities have lost credibility due to poor accreditation or financial aid scandals, so make sure to do your research. Online degrees are not actually very popular when it comes to the field of psychology, due to the nature of the program content. Some students feel it is difficult to stay motivated and on schedule with their coursework or research without the face-to-face interaction with students and faculty members and with a more limited access to supportive resources. Also, APA does not accredit online-only graduate programs. However, you should ensure that your program is recognized by the US Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, and make sure that the state that you are applying for licensure in (if you will be) will recognize the accreditation of your program. Learn more »
Just because a graduate program or institution has earned some type of accreditation does not mean that the accreditor is adequate or reliable. Not all accreditation is of high quality. Programs that lack strong accreditation cannot be assumed to be providing the highest levels of education. Be wary of non-accredited or poorly accredited for-profit graduate programs, or so-called “diploma mills”, as they may offer degrees that will not fare well when it comes to their graduates qualifying for positions with many employers, being prepared to receive licensure, or being to apply skills in your career field. Learn more »
The scientist-practitioner model is a description given to certain type of graduate programs. The “scientist” part refers to a focus on creating and understanding psychological research, while the “practitioner” part indicates an emphasis on clinical training that prepares one to become a counselor or psychologist. Graduates from scientist-practitioner model graduate programs are well prepared for both careers in academia (research or teaching) as well as earning their licenses to practice clinical work.
The earlier you start to prepare, the better. Many students make the mistake of not thinking about what they want to do with their degree (or not considering graduate school) until near the end of their degree. As an undergraduate student, you can take advantage of on-campus resources and facilities (i.e., the Writing Center can help you with your statement of purpose, the Career Center can help you find an internship) and you have plenty of faculty members who are willing to help you (i.e., providing you with advice, answering questions, letting them to get to know you so they can write you letters of recommendation). You also have opportunities to be a research assistant or teaching assistant, join on campus organizations, and take prerequisite courses. Learn more »
Each graduate program will have a list of required courses that must have been completed, typically with a grade of C or better. The requirements will usually specify whether the course needs to be upper division or lower division. While each program has its own list of courses, most programs will require that you have taken a psychological statistics course and an experimental methods/research design course. Other courses will vary depending on the type of program you apply to (i.e., all clinical programs will require an abnormal psychology course, while a research program will not). Learn more »
If you are no longer a student, and you have not completed all of the prerequisite courses, do some research and ask the department staff at the programs you want to apply to how much flexibility they allow. Some programs will let you take the missing prerequisite(s) in your first semester of your graduate program. However, keep in mind that it may take longer to graduate if there are prerequisite courses being added to your courseload. If the class is required before admission to your graduate program, you can take it from a university without enrolling as a regular student, but it will be more expensive that way. Learn more »
The competitiveness of graduate programs in psychology varies. Each program admits a different number of students annually, and each will have its own unique acceptance rate. Acceptance rates are calculated by dividing the number of students accepted for a program by the number of students who applied. You can inquire about the acceptance rate of a particular graduate program by asking the program staff. Acceptance rates can be as low as 10% for a specific graduate program. However, at least half of the other 90% who did not get admitted to that specific program will probably be admitted to some other program. The acceptance rates for master’s programs are higher than for doctoral programs, even within the same specialty areas. Remember, these rates vary widely. No matter what program you apply to, there are many things you can do to increase your chances of admission. Learn more »
Different programs may choose to view your GPA in different ways. They may view your overall GPA, your GPA over the last 2 years, and your psychology GPA. It might help your GPA to take a few easy classes toward the end of your degree. However, it is better for you to spend time and effort on the courses that matter to you, that are required for your degree or are prerequisites to your graduate program. You can try spreading your courses out so that you are not taking so many at once; this will allow more time to be put in to each one. You can also think about reducing your workload outside of school. Again, the more time you can put into each course, the better. Learn more »
First, make sure that the low grades are not for prerequisite courses needed for your graduate program. For example, you probably need to have earned a C or better in the required courses. If you did not earn adequate grades, you may have to retake those courses. Many institutions have a repetition of course policy that will allow you to replace your old low grade with your new higher grade, raising your GPA in the process. If the low grades are in other courses, you could also choose to retake them. However, if you don’t feel it is necessary to retake them, you do have a chance to explain yourself in your statement of purpose. You don’t want to spend a lot of time highlighting poor grades, but you could briefly explain why that may have been a difficult semester for you (i.e., you tried working full-time while attending school full-time; a family member became very ill; etc.). Learn more »
It is okay to have a few W’s (withdrawals) on your transcripts, but only a few (hopefully, 2 or less). If you have a consistent pattern of withdrawals from courses, it could look suspicious. It could also be a disadvantage if you have any W’s in courses that are prerequisites for your graduate program. An admissions committee doesn’t want to wonder if you will not be able to complete your courses if admitted. If you have one or two, you can briefly comment on the situation in your statement of purpose. Explain the circumstances that led you to withdraw from the course so that the committee doesn’t need to speculate. Learn more »
This depends. Each program will weight GPA differently in making their selection decisions. They also may look at your overall GPA, your last 2 years GPA, and your psychology GPA. Their minimum requirements will vary. You can find this information out on their website, or contact the program coordinator for the specific information. An example of GPA requirements could be the following: 3.0 overall GPA, 2.5 GPA over the last 2 years of college, and 2.5 GPA for all psychology courses taken. Meeting the minimum GPA requirements just means you will be considered; of course, the higher your GPA is, the more qualified of a candidate you are. Learn more »
It is still possible to enter a graduate program in psychology. However, there will be quite a few prerequisite classes, many of which you may not have taken. You will need to take all (or at least most) of them before you can apply to the program. Learn more »
It is not necessarily preferred that you finish your bachelor’s degree, take a summer off, and then immediately begin a graduate program. Some graduate students find that taking time off allowed them to work and save money for graduate school so that they would not have to work while enrolled. Others take advantage of the time off of school to further prepare for graduate school, taking the time to study for the GRE, work on application materials, etc. Taking time off is also a great way to accumulate more experience and become a more valuable candidate for graduate programs. Then again, others finished their bachelor’s degrees at a time when they were not considering graduate school, and did not decide to pursue further education until much later. That is fine, but make sure to address this break in your statement of purpose in a positive way.
Graduate students in psychology programs are all different ages. Older students returning to school are becoming more and more common. Some, however, do report that they have to work harder than they did when they were younger to be successful academically. However, age should not be considered in your application. You have a chance to explain yourself in your statement of purpose, so you can address why you are returning to school and what type of experiences have prepared you for it while you were away.
If you meet all of the program requirements (i.e., prerequisite courses, research experience, clinical experience, etc.), and you have adequate time to prepare your application materials, then it can be beneficial for you to begin graduate school right after finishing your bachelor’s degree. The benefit is that the best time to prepare for graduate school is during your undergraduate degree, because you have so many resources at your fingertips, such as faculty members to advise you in the decision making process, review your application materials, write letters of recommendation, and more.
For a research-based master’s program in psychology, or for a PhD program in psychology, you will typically need to have research experience. For a clinical-based program in psychology, or for a PsyD program in psychology, you likely will not be required to have research experience, but it will make you a better candidate if you do. Research experience typically means that you have spent time helping with the conduction of research. You may have held a paid job doing this, or helped carry out research as a research assistant in college, and earned units for doing so. Learn more »
The easiest way to gain research experience is by registering for units as a research assistant at school. Check with your department for how to go about this process. Often, you can only work with a faculty member who you have taken a class with and done well in the class. You need to have mastered the material in the subject that the faculty member’s research is in. If you are no longer a student, you can still volunteer to help conduct research. Contact your previous faculty members and find out if they would allow you to volunteer as a research assistant. If that is no longer an option, contact faculty members at a nearby college or university and see if you can volunteer there, as long as you have taken courses in their specialty area. Lastly, you may be able to contact other organizations such as hospitals or intervention programs that are conducting research, and find out if they are hiring or accepting volunteers. Learn more »
For a clinical-based program in psychology or a PsyD program in psychology, you will typically need to have clinical experience. Clinical experience is usually defined as working in some sort of environment where you are applying psychological principles, and working under the supervision of licensed clinicians. If you are not sure whether your job experience counts as clinical experience, or will be highly regarded by the admissions committee, try asking the program staff for their opinion. Learn more »
If you are still a student, you may be able complete an internship; make sure to choose one that will be good experience for the type of program you wish to apply to. You can also check with the career center at your school to find out about job or internship opportunities. If you are no longer a student, it may be a more difficult task to find opportunities to gain relevant experience. You may be able to find a paid job doing so, but be open to volunteer opportunities as well. Also, don’t be picky; take what you can get if it will strengthen your resume and help your chances of being admitted. You can also look into applying to summer research fellowship programs, but these are extremely competitive. Learn more »
You may have campus branches of major psychology organizations that exist on your campus. Ask your psychology department or search your department website. You could also join directly through the organization. Some of the main psychology organizations and affiliations include American Psychological Association (APA), Association for Psychological Science (APS), and Psi Chi, The International Honor Society in Psychology. Learn more »
Ask your psychology department about what clubs exist on your campus, or try searching on the department website. Contact each club and find out what the requirements are (if any) and how to join. Typically the process will involve completing a registration form or application and it may include a small fee. The more involved you get, the more you can benefit from the events and resources the club offers, and you can discuss your involvement in your statement of purpose. Learn more »
You can gain teaching experience as a student by becoming a teaching assistant. Ask past professors of yours if they need a teaching assistant. It typically should be a teacher of a class that you took in which you received an “A”. Ask far in advance, as teaching assistant positions are quite limited and can fill up fast. You may get to help with activities such as developing curriculum, helping present a lecture, proctoring exams, scoring homework and papers, recording and maintaining grades, holding office hours, tutoring other students, and more. It is beneficial to you to get to see the behind the scenes of what it’s like to be a professor. You can also gain teaching experience by working as a tutor. Many colleges have tutoring centers where they hire undergraduate students as tutors. You may be able to tutor in general subjects such as english or math, or you may be able to be a psychology tutor. Either way, you can apply your psychology knowledge when it comes to your teaching techniques, and can discuss this in your statement of purpose. Learn more »
A great way to gain a leadership position is by becoming active in psychology clubs and organizations, especially if you are still an undergraduate student and have access to joining on-campus groups. Contact the psychology department at your school (as well as related departments, i.e., sociology, human services, counseling, etc.) to find out about the clubs and organizations that they have on campus. Email the organization before the first meeting of the semester and let them know you are interested in a leadership position. Find out how you can become nominated, and make sure to attend the first few meetings so you can be part of the nomination and voting process. Learn more »
Seek out internships and volunteer positions in your community where you are able to apply your psychology knowledge. The more opportunities you have, the better. Try visiting or contacting the career center at your school to find out if they can recommend any organizations or positions for you. You could also talk to your department or to some of your professors to try to locate psychology-related volunteer work. Learn more »
When it comes to paid work, make sure you have had a variety of opportunities to work in positions where you were able to apply your psychology knowledge. Seek out these types of jobs and internships in your community. The more opportunities you have, the better. Try working in many different settings with many different populations to highlight that you have experience with people from diverse backgrounds. Working in many different settings will also help you make decisions about what you like or don’t like when it comes to work environments and your future career. Try visiting or contacting the career center at your school to find out if they can recommend any organizations or positions for you. You could also talk to your department or to some of your professors to try to locate psychology-related positions. Also, you may have worked in various positions that don’t seem strictly psychology-related, but you will need to think about how you were able to use psychological principles in that setting and be able to discuss that in your statement of purpose. Learn more »
Earning honors and awards in recognition of outstanding academic achievement is a great accomplishment and can help distinguish you from other applicants in the programs you apply to. When you are applying to graduate school, it is not helpful to list high school accomplishments; limit yourself to discussing honors and awards earned during your undergraduate degree. Examples include scholarships, honors or awards bestowed by various colleges or departments, membership on the Dean’s List, being accepted into honors programs or honors clubs, graduating with honors, or graduating with academic distinction (summa cum laude, magna cum laude, or cum laude). Learn more »
A curriculum vitae (CV) is an academic/professional resume. It is different from a regular resume because a CV is focused on academic and professional accomplishments and experience. It should include sections such as education, awards, research and applied experience, club memberships, and more. Some but not all graduate programs will request that you submit a CV. It is often required by professors that you request letters of recommendation from. Learn more »
A curriculum vitae (not curriculum vita, which is a common misspelling, although in short form it can be called a vita), is an academic/professional resume. It is different from a regular resume because it is focused on academic and professional accomplishments and experience. It should include sections such as education, awards, research and applied experience, club memberships, and more. Some but not all graduate programs will request that you submit a curriculum vitae. It is often required by professors that you request letters of recommendation from. Learn more »
A curriculum vitae (CV) is an academic/professional resume. It is different from a regular resume because a CV is focused on academic and professional accomplishments and experience. It should include sections such as education, awards, research and applied experience, club memberships, and more. Some but not all graduate programs will request that you submit a CV. It is often required by professors that you request letters of recommendation from. Learn more »
Make sure to include personal contact information, education, academic honors and awards, clinical or applied experience, teaching experience, research experience, professional memberships, and references. Learn more »
The statement of purpose (or personal statement) is an essay where you have a chance to explain yourself. This is a place for you to show who you are, where you are coming from, why you would be a good student, and much more. It is your chance to attempt to stand out from the rest of the applicants and demonstrate your academic and career potential. It is typically around 2 pages, although each program will give a specific length and format (word count, page limit, line spacing, etc.). The program may specifically ask you to address topics such as why you chose psychology, your background and experiences, your career goals, your strengths and weaknesses, etc. Pay careful attention to the prompt given. Make sure to write a unique statement of purpose for each program you apply to. The best way to go about this is to write a general statement of purpose, and then tweak it as needed for each specific program and save the changes as a new document each time. Learn more »
The statement of purpose (or personal statement) is an essay where you have a chance to explain yourself. This is a place for you to show who you are, where you are coming from, why you would be a good student, and much more. It is your chance to attempt to stand out from the rest of the applicants and demonstrate your academic and career potential. It is typically around 2 pages, although each program will give a specific length and format (word count, page limit, line spacing, etc.). The program may specifically ask you to address topics such as why you chose psychology, your background and experiences, your career goals, your strengths and weaknesses, etc. Pay careful attention to the prompt given. Make sure to write a unique statement of purpose for each program you apply to. The best way to go about this is to write a general statement of purpose, and then tweak it as needed for each specific program and save the changes as a new document each time. Below you will find a list of topics we suggest you include in your statement of purpose. Organize it how you wish, but make sure it flows, and make sure that you show how the information you include is relevant. Stay on topic and be succinct in order to fit more information in. Learn more »
Refer to the prompt given to you by each specific graduate program. You should start with a clear introduction and give a brief overview of how you have come to this point. Discuss your academic and career goals. Discuss why you chose psychology as a major and for your graduate study. Explain why you decided to go to graduate school and what motivates you. Describe why you chose this specific graduate program (and remember that you will be creating a unique statement of purpose for each program you apply to). Explain what background or life experiences make you unique or special. Discuss what experiences you had as an undergraduate student that have been inspiring to you. Explain your academic strengths that will make you successful in graduate school. Discuss any applied work you have done that makes you suitable for working in the field of psychology. Close with a summary and reiterate your strong commitment to reach your goals. Learn more »
The amount of letters you need to provide will vary. Most programs will require 2 or 3 letters, and each program will specify how many they require. It is okay to provide an extra letter or two, but don’t provide too many. This makes extra work for the admission committees; it also might look like you could not decide who would write the best letters or were not able to plan well, so you asked extra people. It is much better to have quality over quantity. Learn more »
Each program will have specifications regarding who your letter writers need to be. Typically, some of your letters of recommendation must be from college professors. It is sometimes possible to obtain a letter from a supervisor from work, but this depends on the program you are applying to. You should request a letter from a supervisor if the program allows you to and if the position is psychology-related. However, the most important thing is that the person writing the letter can write you a strong letter, or in other words, knows you well enough to speak about your strengths that make you a great student and will make you be successful in the field. It is very important that you choose someone who knows you well, rather than someone who has a respected title but does not know you well. Just because someone is influential or well-known and writes you a letter does not show admission committees that you are a good candidate for a graduate program. The recommender’s status is much less important than his or her level of knowledge about you. Learn more »
Make sure to ask for these letters in person; a professor is going out of his or her way to write a letter, and it is respectful of you to pay him or her a visit. It is also helpful for you to remind the professor of who you are, what you gained from the class(es) you took with that professor, and you will have a chance to talk about your academic and career plans as well. Asking over email should only be done if you no longer live in the area of the campus. Learn more »
Complete unofficial transcripts, current resume or CV, personal statement, forms the recommender needs to complete, information about each graduate program (including the address and application deadline), envelopes, and postage if you want the recommender to mail the letter for you. Learn more »
Give them plenty of time, because your professor is probably writing multiple letters for multiple students all around the same time, on top of his or her teaching assignments. Make sure to give them no less than 2 weeks notice; 1 month is much more preferable. Learn more »
You can ask your professors for help deciding if graduate school is right for you. Professors can help you research and select graduate programs to apply to. They can help you with your CV, statement of purpose, and can write letters of recommendation for you. They can supervise you with being a teaching assistant or research assistant. They can help you locate clinical work, volunteer opportunities, or internships.
Get to know your professors and let them get to know you. Visit their office hours and let them know of your plans to attend graduate school. Ask them questions during your planning process, such as where to apply and what your career options are. Ask about opportunities on campus to help you reach your goals. Ask them to proofread your application materials. In class, participate and ask questions. Stay in touch and keep them updated. Don’t be afraid to visit them and say hello. You could also become active in clubs or be a teaching assistant, research assistant or tutor, and the faculty member in the supervisory role will be able to get to know you.
If you are no longer a student, it may be difficult to ask for a letter of recommendation, because you may feel that your professors will not remember you. That is very possible. Try reaching out to your past professors that you felt a connection with or enjoyed their class. Pay them a visit and let them know about your plans. Ask if you can volunteer to help as a teaching assistant or with any activities, and let them know you are trying to demonstrate your skills so that you can obtain a letter of recommendation. You don’t have to surprise them with the letter request; feel free to be upfront and open about it. Learn more »
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) requires that students be allowed to review their educational records. This includes graduate school applications and letters of recommendation. When you submit a letter of recommendation, you are asked to decide between waiving and retaining your right to review the letter. It is recommended that you do waive your rights for a few reasons. One problem is that it is possible that a potential letter writer will not agree to write a letter if you do not waive the right to review it. He or she may want this information to stay between the letter writer and the graduate admission committees. Another problem with waiving the right is that graduate admission committees may assume that you are worried about the content of the letter. In addition, is possible that admission committees will weigh letters more heavily when the rights have been waived, because the evaluation is thought to be more candid. However, you can still to decide to retain your right to review the letters. Make sure you have a good reason for this decision, beyond mere curiosity about the content of the letters. Learn more »
Many graduate programs will require that you take the GRE, but not all of them. You will need to look at the admission requirements for each specific graduate program you are considering applying to. Learn more »
Most graduate programs will not require that you take the GRE Advanced Subject Test in Psychology, or the Psychology GRE. However, some will require it. You can find out by checking the admission requirements for each specific graduate program you are considering applying to. Learn more »
Download the free software, PowerPrep II, from Educational Testing Services (ETS), which will allow you to take practice tests. You can also download a free paper-based practice booklet. Spend a lot of time familiarizing yourself with test format, test content, and most importantly, learn test-taking strategies. You could also purchase a General GRE test preparation book. These are excellent resources because they spend a lot of time covering test-taking strategies that will specifically help you be successful on this exact test. You could also enroll in a GRE test preparation course. Some colleges and universities offer these. These are usually much less expensive than test preparation courses through for-profit companies. For more expensive yet comprehensive options, you can take a GRE test preparation course through companies like Magoosh, Kaplan Test Prep or Princeton Review.These courses will be taught by experts on the GRE test and will give you much practice in completing test items as well as teach you valuable test-taking strategies. You could also pay for a private tutor, but again, this will be costly. Learn more »
GRE test preparation books will help by providing a lot of practice test items and by teaching strategies and techniques for correctly and quickly answering test items. Check out our Bookstore for some highly recommended GRE test preparation books. Learn more »
Download a free practice booklet from ETS. It contains one full-length actual Psychology GRE test as well as information about test-taking strategies. Spend a lot of time practicing taking the test; this will get you very comfortable with the format and help you to know what to expect in regards to test content. Also, review your lecture notes from all of your psychology courses. Some students save their course notes if they are planning ahead for graduate school in psychology. You could also reread your Intro to Psychology textbook, or purchase an inexpensive used copy, even if it is not the most current edition. If you have time, it is a great idea to enroll in a History of Psychology course, if your university offers one. This course will provide a comprehensive overview of all of the important events and research that have taken place in the field of psychology, and will act as an integrative review of all psychology courses. Another option is to purchase a Psychology GRE test preparation book. Our Bookstore has some great suggestions. Learn more »
Test preparation books are very helpful in reviewing all of the topics you will find covered on the Psychology GRE. Check out our Bookstore for some highly recommended Psychology GRE test preparation books. Learn more »
Apps for your phone or tablet are very convenient and inexpensive ways of studying for the GRE. Here are a few great ideas:
GRE Challenge by The Princeton Review
Check out our Bookstore for more helpful apps.
You should spend a lot of time studying for these exams, as you are in competition with other highly intelligent and motivated students who are also applying for graduate school. In other words, you are up against many top performing college graduates. Schedule your preparation for a time when you are not very busy with other things (i.e. over a summer break from school, or a semester when your courseload is light). Also, make sure to register far in advance, and make sure to schedule it before your application deadlines so that the scores can be sent to the graduate programs on time. If you need to take the Psychology GRE, remember that it is only offered three times a year, and you will need to plan ahead accordingly. Learn more »
The graduate programs you apply to will have different cutoff scores that you will need to reach in order to be considered for admission. You can find these scores out on the program websites, by asking the program staff directly, or in this book. You also might pay attention to the average scores of admitted students; finding this information out might help you in estimating your chances of being admitted to different programs. Learn more »
The graduate programs you apply to will have different cutoff scores that you will need to reach in order to be considered for admission. You can find these scores out on the program websites, by asking the program staff directly, or in this book. You also might pay attention to the average scores of admitted students; finding this information out might help you in estimating your chances of being admitted to different programs. Learn more »
Each graduate program has its own guidelines and preferences in regards to retaking the GRE. It is possible that they will only look at or consider your highest scores. On the other hand, it is possible that they will notice that you took it multiple times in an attempt to raise your scores. ETS has created a new program called ScoreSelect where it may be possible to choose which scores you would like to send to particular schools. Consider that it can be very expensive to retake the course, and you will not only spend money but time and effort in practice and preparation. It also costs money to send scores from a specific test administration after the test day has passed (while it is free to send scores to up to 4 institutions immediately after you complete the test). You should only retake the GRE if you are sure that you will be able to improve your scores significantly. Do not just rely on the practice effect and assume your score will be higher just because you have taken the test once before. Learn more »
Some colleges and universities offer test preparation courses, which are usually much less expensive than test preparation courses through for-profit companies (a few hundred dollars versus a thousand dollars or more). For more expensive yet comprehensive options, you can take a GRE test preparation course through companies like Magoosh, Kaplan Test Prep or Princeton Review. These courses are taught by experts on the GRE test and will help you practice completing test items as well as teach valuable test-taking strategies.You should consider investing in a test preparation course if you know you are a poor test taker or if you need to improve your score significantly to be considered for admission. Learn more »
GRE scores from computer-based tests will take approximately 10-15 days to be sent to your selected institutions. However, GRE scores from paper-based tests (including the Advanced Subject GRE in Psychology) can take up to 6 weeks to be sent to your institution, although you will be able to view your official scores online much sooner. Learn more »
Yes, you can apply for graduate school while still completing your undergraduate degree. You can indicate to the programs that you have an expected graduation date that is in just a few months. You can also discuss in your statement of purpose that you are currently taking certain prerequisites, or are in the process of completing an internship, conducting research, or gaining experience. Just because the courses or experiences are not completed does not mean they will be ignored. Learn more »
Each program will have a unique deadline. In general, the application deadline for a master’s program will be somewhere around 6 months before the program starts. However, the application deadline for a doctoral program could be somewhere around 9 months. Learn more »
It is typically not recommended (and sometimes not allowed) for graduate students to have a job when they are enrolled in a graduate program. Many programs are rigorous enough that you would not have time to work, on top of attending courses, completing reading and assignments, working at an internship (typically unpaid), and possibly completing a thesis or carrying out research. Add to that family and social obligations, and you can see that there really isn’t time to hold a regular job and earn a regular income. Learn more »
US students should read this pdf about funding graduate education, visit the Federal Student Aid website, and fill out their form. Loans through Federal Student Aid will have much lower interest rates than loans provided by banks, and grants provided through Federal Student Aid do not need to be repaid. There are also certain programs you can participate in, such as the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, where you could qualify to have portions of your loans forgiven. Graduate school applicants often have an easier time becoming eligible for financial aid, because graduate students are considered independent from their parents. It is free to fill out the form for Federal Student Aid. Also, after you receive a report of what you qualify for, you are not required to accept. Some states also offer financial aid for graduate students. Check with the state department where your program is located. You can also apply for financial assistance through the school you have applied to. Visit or contact the financial aid office at the schools you applied to or are accepted to. Ask the department about fellowships, scholarships, and grants, which are awarded based on merit or financial need, and may cover tuition, school materials such as textbooks, and may include a stipend for living expenses. Look into part-time graduate assistantships, a great way to earn income while completing a graduate degree. You can work on campus and through activities such as conducting research, tutoring or teaching students, or aiding faculty members with their courses. It is also possible to find a paid internship during graduate school, although most internships are unpaid. Learn more »
Each program will have a unique deadline. In general, the application deadline for a master’s program will be somewhere around 6 months before the program starts. For example, a master’s program that begins in August will typically set its deadline in March. However, the application deadline for a doctoral program could be somewhere around 9 months. For example, a doctoral program that begins in August will typically set its deadline in December of the previous year. Learn more »
Check out our Bookstore for suggestions of highly recommended books on preparing for graduate school in psychology.
Some of the graduate programs you apply to who are seriously considering you as a candidate may request that you attend an interview. These will typically be held in person if possible, but may also be held online when necessary. In regards to the face-to-face interviews, some will be one-on-one, but it is more likely that the interviews will be group-administered. You may be grouped with other students and could be interviewed by one faculty member at once, or it is possible that multiple faculty members will be conducting the group interview. Learn more »
Just like you would with a job interview, prepare ahead of time. This includes practicing answering questions that you would expect to be asked. Spend a lot of time reviewing your statement of purpose; try to memorize a few points from each paragraph or main idea. For example, you may want to discuss why you chose the program, why you chose psychology, what your career plans are, what qualities you have that make you a good student, how your work experience has prepared you for the field, what research you may have helped conduct, and where you see yourself in 10 years. You should also do a lot of research on the school and graduate program. Make sure to have a few questions of your own to ask the faculty members if there is an opportunity to do so. Your questions should not be those that can be easily answered with a bit of research on their website; make sure they are good questions. Learn more »
Visiting the campuses you are considering can help you gain insight as to whether or not you would be a good fit. If you are able to plan a visit, try to schedule it for a time when there are helpful events going on, or for a time when you can meet with a program coordinator, faculty members, or current graduate students. You can schedule these meetings ahead of time. Take a tour of the campus, and more specifically, visit the psychology department and explore the facilities and resources. Find out if you can sit in during a class, or ask the program coordinator to see if any current graduate students would be willing to meet with you to discuss the program. Learn more »
If you don’t get admitted to graduate school, but you are still set on attending, you can definitely try again to apply by the next round of deadlines. You may want to consider earning a lower-level degree (i.e. master’s degree instead of doctorate). You might need to cast your net wider and apply to less prestigious institutions or programs you would consider to be lower on your preference list. You should also think about taking time off to gain more experience. If you ask, many programs will be able to point out to you the reasons that you did not get accepted to their program. This feedback will be very helpful for you in determining what changes need to made in order to improve your chance of admission if you proceed with applying again. Learn more »
