1. Honours Seminar in Psychology
Lecture 9: Applying to Graduate School in Psychology

2. Applying to Graduate School
Each school has their own application forms and procedures
The general components of the application are as follows:
Application form
Cover letter, Statement of goals, Research plan
Official transcripts
GRE scores
Reference forms / letters

3. General Timeline Summer, Fall: January, February: March: April 15:
Figure out which programs you are interested in
Who you could work with?
Get application material
Study for and write GRE General and Subject
Look into any available funding and apply
January, February:
Submit application
March:
Offers are made
April 15:
Students must act on offers
May, June:
Other rounds of admissions happen
September
Programs begin

4. Finding a supervisor
Most programs allow faculty to pick the best student from a short list of the best students. A few do not.
You are admitted to a program, not as “somebody’s student”
Use material programs publicize
Do not contact a faculty member until you know what they do and why you might work with them
If they contact you, respond asap
When and how? Fall? Winter? April? Phone? ? “Drop in”?
Not all faculty take students every year

5. Parts of the application
There are no universals as to “what is important”, but here are some thoughts

6. Application form
Not important, unless it is mishandled by applicant or schools
Examples: wrong names, wrong programs
Faculty can bypass or correct problems
Corrective action:
Check with school to see that all is in order
Follow deadlines
Allow time for GRE scores and transcripts to arrive

7. Transcripts Important
Must have an honours degree, usually in psychology
Different faculty look at different things in the transcript, from GPA to specific grades in specific courses
Weak GPA does not “doom” an application, but can hurt

8. GRE Scores General: Subject Test:
Quantitative: Basic math/ stats skills
Verbal: Vocabulary test
Writing sample
Subject Test:
Not unlike an intro psych test spanning all areas of psychology
Some programs use cutoffs, some do not, some add Verbal to Quantitative
Scores have a conceptual M = 500, SD = 100, although versions differ
My criteria: 70 or above across board is “excellent”, 50 or above across the board is “good”, some below 50 are problematic, all below 25 are “bad”. They are always exceptions.

9. Your letter
Surprisingly important as it is a sample of your writing and how you portray yourself
Spelling, grammar, organisation, is important
Identification of research experience, interests, potential supervisors
Mis-stating a research area is a problem
Other material, such as community service
Others can help, but you better write it yourself as you may get questions about the letter
“What is your thesis about?”

10. Research experience is also important, so the “year off” between honours and graduate work can be helpful to applications

11. References Many are “global and glowing”
References should be academic, should have taught you or had research contact with you
Sometimes a clinical reference is needed or for mature students, an employer
You have the right to ask potential referees what kind of reference they can give you
For your referees: Give them a package of forms all at once, with a summary of list of what you are applying for and where

12. Other intangibles
Personal links of faculty to programs, referees, supervisors
Outside funding: If you get a major award, you will be admitted somewhere
Geography and mobility: The more widely you apply, the better your chances (geography, areas, not just clinical)
Balance between vague and overly specific in what you want to do
You will not get into graduate school if you do not apply
Check with other students in a program to see what program or supervisor is “really like”,

13. Common misconceptions
The “fatal flaw” of an application
Graduate students are poor
Actually they are poor, but do receive assistance
Student loans not due
There are “secret ways” of getting in
“I do not want to put my life on hold”
Life goes on in graduate school. People still get married, have babies, travel