A bachelor’s degree in psychology can prepare you for a surprisingly wide range of occupations (Appleby, 2015), some of which will require you to continue your education in graduate school. If your occupational choice requires a degree beyond the bachelor’s, you will need to accomplish a set of challenging tasks in order to gain admission to a program that will prepare you for your chosen profession (e.g., engaging in undergraduate research, cultivating strong letters of recommendation, creating an impressive transcript and finding a graduate program that is a good “fit”). Many of these tasks require a substantial amount of time to accomplish. Unfortunately, many psychology majors become aware of them too late in their undergraduate careers to complete them in a successful manner. The purpose of this article is to provide you with a set of online resources written specifically for psychology majors who want to prepare themselves in ways that will increase their chances of being admitted to — and then succeeding in — a graduate program that will enable them to achieve their occupational aspirations.
If you have made an occupational choice that is a good fit for you, the next question to ask is if graduate school is your next best step. If you have already answered yes to this question, you may be unsure of how to start. Or, maybe you are in the midst of your application process and have some questions. Wherever you are in your pre-graduate school journey, many resources are available to help you get started and to make your application process as successful as possible. In this article we have compiled a set of useful resources to help you. We have carefully selected and organized resources from Eye on Psi Chi (the official magazine of the International Honor Society in Psychology) that help answer the following questions students often have when applying to graduate school:
- Would graduate school be a wise choice for me at this point in my life, and in what area do I want to study?
- How can I find a graduate program that is a good fit for me?
- What are the components of the graduate school application process?
- How can I obtain at least three strong letters of recommendation?
- What is a personal statement, and how can I write one that is effective?
- What is the Graduate Record Exam, and how can I prepare for it?
- How can I make a successful transition from undergraduate school to graduate school?
Types of interesting graduate programs
As you are thinking about career development and what you want to do when you finish school, it is important to be aware of the variety of subdisciplines of psychology available to you in graduate school. Many undergraduate students are aware of these options at their own institution, but there are many different possibilities you can pursue in graduate school. The following list will provide information about various careers in the field of psychology in which you may have an interest.
- Assessment Professional/Program Evaluation (Wise, 2002)
- Clinical Psychology (Sanders, 2010)
- Cognitive Psychology (Terre & Stoddart, 2000)
- Community Psychology (Goldstein, 1998; Standard, 2010)
- Consumer Psychology (Friestad, 2001)
- Counseling Psychology (Carter, 1999)
- The Difference Between Clinical and Counseling Psychology (Norcross, 2000)
- Developmental Psychology (Terre & Stoddart, 2000)
- Engineering / Human Factors / Ergonomic Psychology (Wogalter & Rogers, 1998)
- High School Psychology Teaching (Park & Fineburg, 2008)
- Industrial/Organizational Psychology (Pond, 1999)
- Mathematical/Quantitative Psychology (Terre & Stoddart, 2000)
- School Psychology (Jackson, 1997)
- Sport Psychology (Appleby, 2007; Appleby, Appleby, Cook, Christensen, Scorniaenchi, Bastin & DeLion, 2011)
General questions about graduate school and finding your academic fit
One of the most important issues you will face when beginning the application process will be finding schools to which you would like to apply, which can be a challenging task. One critical part of the graduate school application process is finding and applying to those programs that are a strong academic and professional fit for you. A good academic fit can come from a variety of sources (e.g., a faculty member who pursues research in an area of interest for you, types of academic programs available to you at an institution, or even opportunities for practical or research experience a program provides). It is likely that a great program for you will provide multiple sources of good academic fit for your academic and professional needs. The following articles can help answer general questions about the graduate school application process and help you start identifying programs that will be a good fit for you.
- Questions (and Answers) About Graduate School (Handelsman, VanderStoep, & Landrum, 2012)
- Gaining Admission Into the Graduate Program of Your Choice (Arnold & Horrigan, 2002)
- Getting in: Finding Your Fit in a Graduate Program (Birchmeier, Shore, & McCormick, 2008)
- Where Should I Apply to Graduate School? (Helms & Schnorf, 2009)
Questions about the application process
After you have identified schools that are a good fit for your academic and professional goals, you are ready to start the application process, which can be very complicated and time consuming. While most schools require similar application materials, the submission process will vary from school to school. Despite this arduous task, always remember that your application is your first impression. Your ability to submit an academically strong, professionally appropriate and well-organized application on time and to the correct entities will help you make that positive first impression. The following list of resources provides helpful hints as you prepare your application and advice on how to avoid common mistakes many applicants make so you can put your best (academic) foot forward.
- Applications That Make the Schools You Want, Want You (Dirlam, 1998)
- Avoid Pitfalls in Planning for Graduate School (Gomez, Guerrero, Anderson, Graham, Corey, & Cusack, 2011)
- Seven Tips for Preparing a Successful Application to Graduate School in Psychology (Buskist, 2001)
- Gaining Admission Into the Graduate Program of Your Choice (Arnold & Horrigan, 2002)
- Quick Tips for Applying to Graduate School in Psychology (Lammers, 2000)
- Applicant Characteristics Valued by Graduate Programs in Psychology (Appleby, Keenan, & Mauer, 1999)
- Applying to Graduate School in Clinical Psychology: Advice for the Aspiring Applicant (Schoeneman & Schoeneman, 2006)
- What Does Your Transcript Say About You, and What Can You Do If It Says Things You Don't Like? (Appleby, 2003)
- How to Avoid the Kisses of Death in the Graduate School Application Process (Appleby & Appleby, 2006)
Writing successful personal statements
Most graduate school applications will require you to write something called a personal statement. Many challenges come with this task. The first is being aware that despite the title “personal statement,” it must be professional in nature. In a study conducted by Appleby and Appleby (2006), the most common errors in graduate school applications, as cited by graduate admission committee chairs, were those associated with the personal statement. The most commonly cited mistake made by applicants on personal statements was the inclusion of overly personal or professionally inappropriate information and stories. The following references will provide sound advice to help you make that personal statement professional, organized and effective.
- The "Personal" Side of Graduate School Personal Statements (Osbourne, 1996)
- Applying to Graduate School: Writing a Compelling Personal Statement (Bottoms & Nysse, 1999)
- Organizing Your Personal Statement: An Outline to Get You Started (Sleigh, 2009)
Obtaining strong letters of recommendation
Essential components for a successful application are at least three strong letters of recommendation written by credible authors. In fact, according to research conducted by Norcross, Kohout and Wicherski (2005), letters of recommendation are among the most important criteria for admission for both master’s and doctoral degree candidates. The letters of recommendation you submit should positively communicate your academic and professional abilities. The following references will provide you with information on how to attain positive letters of recommendation from appropriate sources.
- Building Relationships With Professors: A Roadmap to Obtaining Strong Letters of Recommendation (Anthenien, 2012)
- You're Writing Your Own Letter of Recommendation (Norcross & Cannon, 2008)
- Requesting a Great Letter of Recommendation (Amato-Henderson, 2012)
Strategies for the Graduate Record Exam
The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is a standardized test commonly required for admission to graduate school. There are three different sections to this test — verbal, quantitative and analytic writing — which test different abilities you would need to succeed in an academic graduate program. Often, the thought of taking the GRE instills stress in graduate school applicants. However, resources are available to you, such as the references we have cited below, that will help explain this test and introduce you to effective ways to prepare for it.
- An Eye-Opening Experience: Taking an Online Practice Graduate Record Examination (Walfish, 2004)
- Bring It On: Preparing for the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) (Gomez, 2011)
- Demystifying the GRE Psychology Test: A Brief Guide for Students (Matlin & Kalat, 2001)
- Warning: GRE Changes Are Closer Than They Appear (Landrum, 2010)
Strategies for professional development
While we know submitting your graduate school application in a timely and correct manner is your first priority, there are other critical professional development activities in which you should be engaging during your final undergraduate years. This is a great time for you to strengthen your professional skills (and your graduate school application) by engaging in research experiences and becoming professionally involved with professional organizations such as Psi Chi. You should also be thinking long term and preparing your curriculum vitae, which is a document that will follow you throughout your career by highlighting all your academic and professional accomplishments. The following resources will help guide you in starting and continuing professional opportunities that will help you gain the skills you will need in graduate school and assist you in devising a long-term plan for your professional success.
- The Curriculum Vita: A Student's Guide to Preparation (Landrum, 2005)
- Undergraduate Research: Getting Involved and Getting Into Graduate School (A Student's Perspective) (Grover, 2006)
- Psi Chi Programs: Paving the Way to Success (Koch, 2005)
Successful transitions into graduate school
Congratulations. You have made it into graduate school; now what? Transitioning effectively into graduate school is much like any other life transition — exciting and challenging. The culture and climate of graduate school is much different than what you experienced as an undergraduate. It is helpful to be aware of this cultural shift before starting your graduate studies. The following resources will provide tips related to how to find a professional mentor who can help you navigate in this new context and other suggestions for making this transition smooth and successful.
- Choosing a Mentor (Appleby, 1999)
- Making the Transition From Undergraduate to Graduate Student (Cox, Cullen, & Buskist, 2008)
- Searching for a Research Topic? Study Your Transition From College (Hettich, 2013)
References
Appleby, D.C. (2015). An online career-exploration resource for psychology majors. Society for the Teaching of Psychology’s Office of Teaching Resources. Retrieved from http://www.teachpsych.org/Resources/Documents/otrp/resources/appleby15students.docx.
Appleby, D.C., & Appleby, K.M. (2006). Kisses of death in the graduate school application process. Teaching of Psychology, 33(1), 19-24.
Norcross, J.C., Kohout, J.L., & Wicherski, M. (2005). Graduate study in psychology, 1971–2004. American Psychologist, 60(9), 959-975.
About the authors
Karen M. Appleby, PhD, received her doctorate in sport psychology from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in 2004. Currently, Appleby is a professor in the Sport Science and Physical Education Department at Idaho State University, where she teaches classes in sport psychology, research and writing, and marketing and management in sport. She has conducted research in the areas of mentoring in higher education, women’s experiences in sport, and life quality issues in the master’s athlete population. She has published in journals such as Teaching of Psychology; Women in Sport and Physical Activity Journal; the Journal of Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance; and Athletic Insight: The Online Journal of Sport Psychology. In her spare time, she likes to cross-country ski, race her road bike, and run with her husband and dogs in the Idaho mountains.
Drew C. Appleby, PhD, received his BA from Simpson College in 1969 and his PhD from Iowa State University in 1972. During his 40-year career, he served as the chair of the Marian University Psychology Department, the director of undergraduate studies in the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) psychology department, and the associate dean of the IUPUI Honors College. He was honored for his outstanding contributions to the science and profession of psychology by being named as a fellow of APA’s divisions 1 (General Psychology) and 2 (Society for the Teaching of Psychology), and the Midwestern Psychological Association and as the 30th distinguished member of Psi Chi. He has been recognized for outstanding contributions to teaching, advising, mentoring and service.