Applying to Graduate School
Approximately 20% of the 74,000 psychology majors who graduate each year with a bachelor's degree from American colleges and universities continue their education in graduate or professional school. Approximately half of these students enter psychology graduate programs and the other half pursue graduate degrees in professional fields for which an undergraduate degree in psychology provides a solid foundation of knowledge and skills (e.g., law, medicine, and social work).
Preparing to Apply to Graduate Programs
If you plan to earn a graduate degree, it will be extremely important to be familiar with the graduate school application process because it is very complex and quite different from applying to undergraduate school. Familiarity with the application process will enable you to know both what to do and what to avoid, so your chances of gaining admittance to the program of your choice are maximized. Two "must view" PowerPoint presentations are The Graduate School Application Process and The Graduate Record Exam. These two presentations will systematically introduce you to the A-to-Z steps you must follow as you apply to graduate school and prepare for the GRE, which is the entrance exam required by the vast majority of psychology graduate programs.
Another valuable resource for preparing for the GRE is an official Educational Testing Service (the company that publishes the GRE) PowerPoint titled “How to Do Your Best on the GRE” narrated by Sarah Reed from the IUPUI Career Center. Sarah has been trained by ETS to help students develop the test-taking skills that will enable them to score up to their potential on the GRE. Knowing what to do during the application process is extremely important, but knowing what not to do is equally important. To find out what not to do when you apply to graduate school, please view the PowerPoint presentation titled The Kisses of Death in the Graduate School Application Process.
A bachelor's degree in psychology can provide a strong foundation for entrance into professional graduate programs such as dentistry, law, medicine, occupational therapy, optometry, pharmacy, physical therapy, and veterinary medicine. Information for Psychology Majors Who Plan to Enter Professional Graduate Programs provides web addresses that will lead you to information sheets for these programs offered by IU, Purdue, and Butler University. These sheets contain the following types of information about these programs.
- the nature of the profession
- career opportunities for those with a degree in this profession
- the skills and characteristics of successful program applicants
- courses required in addition to those needed for a BA or BS in psychology
- suggested electives and extracurricular activities
- number of required undergraduate hours
- admissions tests
- letters of recommendation
- admissions criteria (e.g., minimum GPA and test scores)
- application deadlines
- contacts for further information
Researching Graduate Programs
The final link on this page will take you to an extensive table of Topics About Graduate School and Their Hot Links created to help you gather information from the internet that will enable you to accomplish the following.
- understand what graduate programs are looking for in applicants
- obtain strong letters of recommendation
- learn what undergraduate courses are expected by graduate programs
- write an effective personal statement
- decide between a Ph.D. and a Psy.D.
- create an effective curriculum vitae (the academic equivalent of a resume)
- choose the right graduate program for you
- how to make the transition to graduate school once you are accepted