Psychology Grad Schools

1. PsychologyGrad Schools Preparing and Applying

2. Overview • Criteria for Graduate School Admission • Vita Development • Personal Statement Development • Graduate Record Exam (GRE) • Recommendation Letters • How to Choose Programs • Strategies for a Successful Application • References/Recommended Reading

3. Criteria For Graduate School Admission • GPA (cumulative, last 60 hours, major) • GRE • Letters of Recommendation • Research Experience • Match with the Program • Personal Statement / Statement of Purpose • Rigorous Courses Taken • Honors / Awards / Scholarships • Volunteer / Field Experience • Teaching Experience • Psi Chi Membership

4. Curriculum Vitae Development • 1) Personal information (address, phone number) • 2. Education (degrees earned, when and where) • 3) Honors and awards (list each, who awarded, and date awarded) • 4) Association memberships (relevant clubs and societies, student affiliate status) • 5) Research interests (if applicable and appropriate) • 6) Research and teaching experience (if applicable and appropriate) • 7) Professional presentations (titles, organizations, in APA format if possible) • 8) Publications (use APA format, be careful with “in press”, “under review”) • 9) References (list names, titles, and addresses of three to four people whom you have asked)

5. Curriculum Vitae Development • Obtain Clinical Experience • PATH • Stepping Stones • Baby Fold • Join a Professional Organization • SPA • PSI CHI • Do not list high school accomplishments unless they are critical in demonstrating your potential as a graduate student.

6. Personal Statement Development • (Keith-Spiegel & Wiederman, 2000) • 1) Career plans (What do you see yourself doing 5 years from now?) • 2) General interest areas (What are your academic interests? • 3) Research experiences (What did you do as a research assistant?) • 4) Academic objectives (Why are you interested in graduate study?) • 5) Clinical or other field experience/practicum/internship • 6) Academic background and achievements (Are your GRE scores and GPA representative of your ability?) • 7) What do you see in us (Why did you choose us?) • 8) Motivation (Why did you choose graduate study?) • 9) Personal material (What do you think we should know about you?) • 10) Autobiography (Tell us about your background) • 11) Specific graduate faculty of interest (Whom would you like to work with in our graduate program?) • 12) Anything else we should know? • 13) Special skills (Languages known, mathematics, computer skills)

7. General Record Exam (GRE) • General Test • New Test Format • 1 hour longer (4 hours vs. 3 hours) • Scoring Change (340 total vs. 1600 total) • Test Format (2 verbal & 2 math vs. 1 of each) • Adaptive by section (vs. adaptive by question) • An on-screen calculator will be available • New question types • numeric entry, multiple answers, sentence equivalence • No more analogies or antonyms • Increased focus on statistics & coordinate geometry • High scorers will need to know the quadratic equation • Psychology Subject Test • Sign up at www.gre.org • $160

8. Letters Of Recommendation • Establish relationships with your professors early on in your academic career. • Get to know them outside of the classroom through research or teaching opportunities. • Schools typically ask for 2-3 letters. • The best sources for letters are: • Afaculty mentor who has worked closely with you and has supervised a considerable amount of your work. • Aprofessor who has significant publication reputation in the area of specialization that you are applying. • An employer on a job that is related to your professional goals. • (Keith-Spiegel & Wiederman, 2000)

9. How to Choose Programs: Some Things to Consider • Financing • Competitiveness of the program • Match Interests/Career Goals • Career opportunities/connections • Research and faculty interests • Search for programs in your area of interest • GET INPUT FROM PROFESSORS • Program Quality • Which programs are best for you • Quality of Faculty • Level of Faculty interaction with students • Location • Ask if you can contact current students

10. Strategies For A Successful Application (Buskist, 2001) • 1) Be organized • 2) Develop competencies as an undergraduate • 3) Settle on a specialty area • 4) Involve yourself in undergraduate research • 5) Do homework/research on potential graduate schools • 6) Identify potential major professors whom you would like to work with in the programs you are applying to • 7) Write an outstanding personal statement or letter of intent

11. References / Recommended Reading • Meet with a graduate advisor at Career Services • Suzy Baker-Bachman for Psychology • http://www.careercenter.ilstu.edu/downloads/StaffAdvisementListFall2010.pdf Buskist, W. (2002, Spring). Seven tips for preparing a successful application to graduate school in psychology. Eye on Psi Chi, 5(3), 32-34. Keith-Spiegel, P., & Wiederman, M.W. (2000). The complete guide to graduate school admission: Psychology, counseling, and related professions (2nded.). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum. Sanders, C. E. (2005) What every student should know about applying to psychology graduate schools. Colorado State University.

12. Faculty/Student Introductions • Brief description of your program and area • The graduate school and program you attended or are attending

13. Open Discussion Example Questions • Why go to grad school • How to pay for grad school • Top programs in area of interest • What to look for in schools • How to know a program is a good one • How many programs to apply to • How to ask for letters of recommendation • What to expect in grad school