Applying For Graduate School: How To And How Not To

Choosing The Right Area Of Psychology 1)Discuss career options/interests with your advisor and professors. 2) Determine admission and economic prospects of potential areas. 3) Buy 'Graduate Study in Psychology' from the APA. Use this book to research the degrees offered, requirements for admission, application information, deadlines, and GPAs and GREs of students admitted in previous years.

Determine The Type Of Degree 1)Terminal Masters. 2) Masters degrees preparing you for a doctoral program. 3) Doctoral programs.

What Gains Your Acceptance 1)Letters of intent 2) Grades 3) GREs 4) Outside of class experiences 5) References 6) Personal interview

How To Maximize Your Chances Of Acceptance 1)Letters of intent: Ask a professor to read over your letter of intent. 2) Grades: Use the repeat rule to improve any substandard grades. 3) GREs: a) Take the GRE in the fall prior to your admission date, b) enroll in a GRE preparatory class and/or purchase a GRE “prep” book, and c) buy a vocabulary book.

How To Maximize Your Chances Of Acceptance 4) Outside of class experiences: a) Join a lab, b) attend professional meetings, c) seek authorship on a conference paper or poster presentation, and d) engage in psychologically related activities. 5) References: a) Ask professors if they could “write a letter in support of your application,” and b) do not be shy in approaching professors. 6) Interview: a) Develop a series of questions prior to the interview, b) study the faculty member’s research beforehand, and c) view the interview as an opportunity rather than an obstacle.

How To Maximize Your Chances Of Acceptance 7) Broaden Your Search: a) Apply to many schools, and b) be willing to travel 8) Go to APA website ( if you are not selected. Check the ‘Graduate Openings List’ for schools that have openings for Fall semester. This list is usually available by the first or second week of May.