A Guide to Getting Into Graduate School

As you look ahead to completing your baccalaureate degree in psychology, you will be faced with new, sometimes difficult, decisions about what to do next. The options are many -- one is that you might wish to continue your education in the field of psychology by attending graduate school.

Once you have reached this decision, what are the next steps to finding and getting into a graduate program? The APA Education Directorate hopes that you will find the following information helpful.

Three keys to Graduate School acceptance:

1. Preparation

2. Application Know-How

3. Patience

PREPARATION: Getting Started

   1. Decide the areas of psychology in which you are interested

          * Discuss career options/interests with your advisor and professors of psychology at your undergraduate institution.

          * Review 'Graduate Study in Psychology' for information about over 500 graduate programs in psychology, including degrees offered, requirements for admission, application information, deadlines, and other student information.

   2. Determine the type of degree you wish to pursue: masters or doctoral

          * Consider recommendations for the field of psychology you have selected.

          * Estimate time and money needed to complete each degree.

   3. Submit an application for the Graduate Record Exam (GRE), planning to take the exam sometime during the Fall prior to your expected admission to a program.

          * Ask your career counseling center or local colleges about GRE Preparatory classes that are available.

          * Pay close attention to deadlines!

   4. When you have narrowed your program list and have taken the GRE you are ready to apply.

APPLICATION PROCESS: The Basics

   1. Contact programs to request an application and financial aid information, if necessary.

   2. Most applications will request the following information in addition to an application fee:

•  Letter of intent

                 *Be sure to spell-check and grammar-check.

•  Letters of reference

                 *Obtain permission from professors or individuals whom you would like to write a letter of recommendation.

                 *Provide these individuals with your current resume and names and addresses of programs to which you are applying.

• Transcripts

                 *Request that your undergraduate transcripts be mailed to selected graduate programs, providing names, addresses, and appropriate fees to the Registrar's Office.

• Personal interview

                 *Plan ahead for costs that may be incurred if a program requests a personal interview with you.

                 *Remember an interview can sometimes give you an edge in the selection process!

PATIENCE: The Difficult Part

   1. You will usually be notified of your acceptance or rejection before April 15th.

                * Programs listed in the 'Graduate Study in Psychology' adhere to this deadline.

   2. You must accept or reject an offer, in writing, by or on April 15th.

                * If you are not accepted into any program, there is a 'Graduate Openings List' of several hundred psychology programs with openings to fill for the Fall semester.

                * The list is available the first week of May and can be accessed on the Internet at http://www.apa.org. You may also request a hard copy by contacting the APA Education Directorate at (202) 336-5970.

Best wishes for continued success in your academic career!

Adapted from http://www.apa.org/ed/getin.html