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Graduate School Preparation Tips
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by Carlos A. Escoto, PhD - Eastern Connecticut State University
Categories: Graduate School
Applying to graduate school is a stressful time
for most students, but it doesn’t have to be
with the right information. The time, money
and preparation required can be quite extensive. As
a professor, I have seen students go through this process
without the desired outcome or acceptance into
a graduate program. However, many factors contribute
to gaining acceptance into graduate programs.
The key is preparation, planning, and homework.
This article will provide some pointers for maximizing
your likelihood of success.
Planning for graduate school should begin as
early as possible during the undergraduate program.
This will allow you to round out your application.
Because psychology is a popular degree, it is important
to distinguish yourself wherever possible. For
example, getting the best grades you can to enhance
your GPA cannot be underestimated. You might
also consider taking a minor to supplement your
training. Taking classes such as Research Methods
and Statistics can provide you with a unique skill
set and can lead to the development of independent
research you could present or publish. You can also
take advantage of extracurricular opportunities such
as honor societies and clubs. Going a step further
by taking leadership roles as an officer in these
organizations shows initiative. Internships can help
to focus your interests in specific areas of psychology
and develop relationships with faculty who may
eventually write your letters of recommendation.
The importance of each of these criteria in gaining
acceptance varies by program. However, all of these
can be used to strengthen your statement of purpose
which has gained importance in the graduate school
process.
Decide as early as possible on what your
long-term goals are and, based on your scholastic
ability, which path is best suited for you. In general,
clinical PhD programs have lower acceptance rates.
However, if your primary goal is to be a clinician,
you can look into PsyD, counseling PhD, or school
psychology PhD programs, which can have higher
acceptance rates. You can also be a therapist with a
master’s degree (e.g., marriage and family therapist
or licensed professional counselor). The lesson here
is to match your long-term goals with your abilities
and academic record. There is a graduate program
out there for everyone; the key is to find programs
that are within your reach.
According to 2010 Graduate Study in Psychology
Snapshot by the American Psychological Association
(APA, 2010), there were 1273 doctoral programs and
27 masters programs in the United States. Overall,
acceptance rates for doctoral programs were 20%.
For master’s programs (275), the acceptance rates
were 51%. These numbers are averages, and acceptance
rates vary by program type and area. The study
also showed the acceptance rates for both doctoral
and master’s programs were higher in private programs
versus public programs. Interestingly, more
students apply to public institutions. You should
make it a point to apply to both public and private
schools to improve your chances of acceptance.
Public institutions do offer more opportunities for
cost deferral such as tuition waivers and teaching
assistantships. Furthermore, there are programs to
help with repayment and, in some cases, forgiveness
of student loans including the Public Service Loan
Forgiveness Program (United States Department of
Education, 2011).
Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores and GPA
are important criteria for most programs. Each
program will vary on the median GPA and GRE for
the last group of accepted students. Some programs
place more emphasis on the GPA in the last year of
your undergraduate education. By getting a baseline
score, you can determine where you need to place
emphasis in terms of studying. A good place to start
is at www.gre.org by downloading the Powerprep
software created by ETS (Educational Testing
Service). The software presents two computer-based
versions of the Quantitative and Verbal tests and
gives a score upon completion. You can use this to
focus your studying prior to spending over $100
to take the test. If your score is very low, you could
consider taking a course to help prepare for the test
offered by organizations like Princeton Review and
Kaplan because you can retake the GRE. However,
some programs will average your scores and others
will take your most recent score. Take note of these
details and whether the program requires the subject
test, which is offered less frequently than the general
GRE test.
Using your GPA and estimated GRE scores, you
can begin to narrow down the programs that you
might apply to based on your fit with the program
requirements. APA’s Graduate Study in Psychology
Online (APA, 2011) offers a searchable computer
database where you can look at programs by type,
area, and qualifications. A crucial suggestion to all
students is to look at programs outside of your home
state. Once you have identified programs of interest
to you, I would recommend visiting the program’s
website to confirm your interest in the location,
faculty, and curriculum of the program. All of these
details will give you information to use in your statement
of purpose based on your fit with the program
and/or a faculty member’s research. This final step
should be used to create your short list of schools.
To how many programs should you apply? I recommend
applying to somewhere between 7 and 10
programs. Keep in mind the cost of graduate school
applications and do what is manageable for you. Plan
to submit applications to more programs that match
your qualifications. However, you could also apply
to one or two programs that are a bit beyond your
qualifications if you have a well-rounded application.
Finally, have a “plan b” such as one or two terminal
master’s program that would better prepare you for a
PhD program.
Once you have identified the programs you will
be applying to, begin collecting your applications
and focus on writing your statement of purpose.
There are many good sources on how to write a
statement of purpose such as The Psychology Major
(Landrum & Davis, 2010). There are also many good
websites with guidance. Do not be afraid to ask your
professors, advisor, or mentor for assistance or to
review your statement of purpose prior to sending
it out. Make note of all deadlines and allow yourself
time to do the best job possible on your applications.
My final comments are related to letters of recommendation.
You should ask your professors as early
as possible. I ask students for whom I have agreed
to write a letter of recommendation to supply me
with the following information: C/V, statement of
purpose, transcript, what courses they have had with
me and their grade, and finally a writing sample.
You should also provide professors with addressed
and stamped envelopes, any forms necessary, and
deadlines for all programs. As professors, we teach
many students and are asked for many letters of
recommendation. Providing your professors with
data on which to base their letters is essential to their
writing well-balanced letters.
Doctoral program applications are due in the fall
for the following fall. Getting a head start on your
preparation and deciding on your long-term goals is
the hard part. But by preparing early and collecting
as much data as possible, you can maximize your
opportunities for gaining acceptance into a graduate
program without spending hours figuring out where
to begin. With this knowledge, graduate school
preparation will be a more manageable feat.
References
American Psychological Association (2010). 2010 analysis of data from grad study
in psychology. Retrieved from
http://www.apa.org/workforce/snapshots/2010/
faculty-grad-study.aspx
American Psychological Association (2011). Graduate study online. Retrieved from
http://www.apa.org/pubs/databases/gradstudy/index.aspx
Landrum, R.E., & Davis, S.F. (2010) The psychology major: Career options and
strategies for success (4th ed. ) Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. United States
Department of education (2011). Retrieved from
http://studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/PSF.jsp .
Carlos A. Escoto completed a PhD in experimental psychology with an emphasis in health psychology from
Loma Linda University. His first academic position was as a visiting professor at Mississippi State University.
He is currently an associate professor at Eastern Connecticut State University where he is pursuing his
research interests in various areas related to health psychology including HIV/AIDS, condom use, and human
sexuality. He is a faculty advisor for Psi Chi and a member of the Eastern Regional Steering Committee. He is
also a research affiliate for the University of Connecticut Center for Health/HIV Intervention and Prevention and
is a regional trainer for the APA HIV Office for Psychology Education as well as the Behavioral Social Scientist
Volunteer program.
Spring 2011 issue of Eye on Psi Chi (Vol. 15, No. 3, p. 16), published
by Psi Chi, The International Honor Society in Psychology (Chattanooga, TN). Copyright,
2011, Psi Chi, The International Honor Society in Psychology. All rights reserved.