TIPS FOR APPLYING TO GRADUATE SCHOOL IN PSYCHOLOGY

TIPS FOR APPLYING TO GRADUATE SCHOOL IN PSYCHOLOGY Originally prepared by Stephen W. Holborn Department of Psychology University of Manitoba Updated by Shannon Parkinson; Anne Wilson; Max Gwynn Department of Psychology Wilfrid Laurier University September 1997; September 2001; Sept 2003 Get off to an early start! ! ! a) Start planning for graduate study and collecting relevant information right away. It's a lengthy process of gathering information and putting together applications before deadlines. b) Obtain and read A.P.A.'s (1993) "Getting In: A Step-byStep Plan for Gaining Admission to Graduate School in Psychology." This is an excellent resource. It is available in the psychology main office and in the library (BF80.7 .U6G47). c) Another resource specifically written within the Canadian context is "Graduate School. Winning Strategies for Getting in With or Without Excellent Grades", by David Mumby (1997). It is available to borrow from the psychology main office, from the instructor, or from the library (LB2371 .M85). d) Another recently published resource is "Complete Guide to Graduate School Admission : Psychology, Counseling, and Related Professions" by Patricia Keith-Spiegel & Michael W. Wiederman (2000). It is available in the reference (non-circulating) section of the UW Porter library (BF77 .K35 2000). e) Build your research experience. Build your research experience and other related experience -including Honours Thesis, research assistantship, teaching assistantships, volunteering, Directed Studies course, etc. Identify professors or other professionals who will provide your letters of reference (usually a total of three). In the process: a) Select individuals who know you best in relation to the task at hand (e.g., professors who taught you in small classes or who supervised your research) and who can provide you with the strongest references. b) Give each of your references sufficient time to prepare your letter of reference. c) Provide a complete set of materials to each reference at the time you want the letter written. Include in your package a transcript, GRE scores (if available), your curriculum vitae, your statement of purpose, and any especially significant products, e.g., research papers. A former instructor may appreciate a dossier of the work you completed in his or her course. Not all professors want this information; ask them what they would like, providing them with the full list of options. d) Type your name, and program to which you are applying, in the designated area of each reference form. e) Provide a written reminder of length of time that you have known your reference, as this is a question usually asked of them. f) Provide stamped, addressed envelopes for each application for each graduate program to which you are applying. g) Provide a checklist for the universities to which letters of reference are to be sent on your behalf. Ask your reference to return the checklist to you when all reference letters have been sent. Check with each of your referees as to their progress and whether any additional assistance or information is required (but not too often!). *Note* If you are not planning on applying to graduate school immediately upon completing your undergraduate education, you can still ask your references to write you a letter at this time while your work with them is fresh in their minds, and they can keep the letter on file until needed. It may be more difficult for them to recall all of the relevant details in a year or so. Register and take the GRE's early in case you wish to take them a second time Different schools have varying policies on the scores they accept. Some schools take the best set of scores; however, some schools may take an average of all attempts at the GRE Check the policies for the schools where you will be applying. Registration guides for the GRE are available from Career Services and at www.gre.org. Some helpful hints regarding the GRE are: a) See the PS499 GRE handout (available from Max) for detailed information and resources. b) Get a good night's sleep the night before the exam, so that you are fresh when taking it. The GRE is a fairly long, timed test: Being alert is more important than lastminute cramming! c) You will probably want to specifically prepare for the GRE. Study Guides for the general and subject exam are available. When selecting a study guide look for one with an extensive word list, usually 1,500 words. To prepare for the advanced (Psychology) portion of the exam, you may wish to read an Introductory Psychology textbook or review areas of Psychology with which you have less familiarity. Identify potential graduate programs and contact them to collect application forms, information brochures, and financial assistance materials. There are many resources to search for schools with programs in your area of interest. a) The Internet - Check the list of suggested websites at the end of this document. b) Career Services - Contains Canadian and American Calendars, and directories to graduate programs. Some directories are: "Directory of Canadian Universities “; "Peterson's Guides to Canadian Universities"; "Spectrum Guides" c) American Psychological Association: "Graduate Study in Psychology" - available from the Psychology general office, the library, and Career Services (old version). d) Canadian Psychological Association. "Graduate Guide-Description of Graduate Psychology Programs in Canadian Universities". It is available (for free) online http://www.cpa.ca/graduate/guide.pdf , or a paper copy can be ordered from CPA (see page 19 of your 499 outline for details). e) The library has calendars of universities. f) Postings in the department. g) Professors doing research in your area of interest. They may be able to give you some of the "inside scoop" that you would be unable to get from published sources (e.g., Does the program have a good reputation? Who is known as a good supervisor? etc.) Determine the graduate programs to which you will apply. In doing so: a) Seek information directly from faculty members (and their graduate students) with whom you would like to work at prospective universities. A brief, polite, well-researched email is a good way to start. b) Make certain that potential advisors are planning to admit graduate students in the year that you are applying. c) Try to identify a potential advisor who will support your application. d) If you are asked to name potential advisors, indicate a willingness to work with more than one person; three is about right. e) Determine your applications budget. Most programs charge application fees and these can mount up quickly. Fees at Canadian Universities were in the range of $25 to $85; a majority of larger universities charge $50 or more. Remember that you will also have to pay to send transcripts to each graduate program to which you apply. f) Choose a broad spectrum of graduate programs at different levels of competitiveness. Rank order your preferences. g) If possible, visit or arrange phone contacts with your highest ranked choices. Remember that you will spend a number of years in graduate training, and that it will shape your career, so it is important to make a choice that is the best fit for you. Investigate and apply for financial assistance. Particularly attractive are those forms of support which you may take with you to a university of your choice, e.g. OGS scholarships can be used at any university in Ontario, and NSERC can be taken anywhere (Canada or abroad). Also, obtaining such support could improve your chances of admission to the program of your choice. Students that have received at least an A- average in their last two years of study and plan to attend graduate school in September 2004 are eligible to apply for an Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) or an NSERC Scholarship. See the PS499 outline for scholarship deadlines and details, and drop by the Graduate Studies Office for further information and application forms. What do these scholarship applications entail? You will be asked to provide information about your academic performance and experience (e.g., publications, conference presentations, etc.), relevant experience (work, research, leadership, public speaking, volunteer work, etc.), current honours research, future goals, and future research plans. Chances are you don't know exactly what research you will be doing in grad school. In this case you should describe the specific research problems that interest you (relevant to the faculty members you are applying to work with) and explain why they interest you. Be sure to demonstrate any expertise you have in the area (both theoretically and in terms of research methodologies). You will also be asked for at least two referees (your supervisor would likely be one, granting agencies differ on who the second should be. NSERC asks for an "arms-length" referee, OGS does not). There are many other scholarships available to students, but some have very specific qualifications. Some suggested sources of information on scholarships are: a) The Wilfrid Laurier Graduate Calendar - available from Graduate Studies, Psychology General Office, or Career Services or at http://www.wlu.ca/~wwwgrads/gradcalendar/. b) There is also a listing of scholarships in a binder at the Graduate Studies Office. c) The Internet - a net search for "scholarships" will provide many listings - sites specific to psychology are listed at the end of this document d) The Career Services office's "Graduate Scholarships Guide" Order transcripts to be sent to the programs of your choice. Allow one month lead time for delivery. If you have taken university courses at more than one school, be sure to order transcripts from other institutions as well. Construct your CV, or curriculum vitae (resume). CVs include: basic biographical information, educational experience, relevant experience, special skills, publications and presentations, honours and awards, membership in professional associations, and contact information for references (who have agreed to be listed - don't make assumptions about their willingness). See, for example, Mumby (1997) for guidelines. Construct a list of graduate programs to which you are applying and their respective deadline dates. Make certain that: a) Material that you submit arrives on time. b) All material is submitted in typewritten form. c) You check on completeness of your application files, so that you know for sure that they are complete by the deadline dates. Otherwise, a single, late application item may lead to your not being considered. Construct a conveniently accessible filing system for all application materials. Construct an application essay (statement of purpose) describing your research interests and professional training goals. See A.P.A.'s "Getting in: A Step-by-Step Plan for Gaining Admission to Graduate School in Psychology" or Mumby's "Graduate School: Winning Strategies" for helpful hints. Some suggestions: a) Answer the questions that are asked in each application. Specific questions may differ. b) Tell an interesting story, highlighting what makes you distinctive. However, although it is a "personal statement," don't get too personal in your self-disclosure. The tone should be professional. c) Be specific about your research experience, research interests, other relevant experience, and future goals, highlighting why application to that particular program is a logical conclusion to your progression to date. d) Focus on writing the best opening & closing paragraphs possible. e) What to avoid: Accomplishments in high school or before, controversial topics (e.g. touchy political or religious views, etc.), and vague cliché's ("I want to help people"). These sites offer further good suggestions on writing a personal statement: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/pw/p_perstate.html http://www.psichi.org/pubs/articles/article_98.asp Prepare for informal contact (usually via telephone or email) from graduate programs. Informal contact does not mean you have been accepted, faculty members may be seeking further information or trying to "get a feel" for students' research interests, etc. Some programs will even invite you to interview, either on the telephone or in person, as part of their decision-making process. Usually formal notification of acceptance is around April 1, with an acceptance decision expected by April 15-30. However, informal contact may occur at any time. Be prepared. a) Have lists of questions for each graduate program prepared ahead of time. b) Prepare your responses to likely questions from them. For example, you should be able to give a good, but relatively brief, answer to the following queries: "What are your reasons for coming to graduate school?" "Tell me about your honours thesis research." "What other research interests do you have?" "What are your post-graduate career goals?" "Why are you interested in our program in particular?" Important: Many of these answers can come indirectly from your personal statement & application, but be sure not to sound like you're reciting it. You should be able to have a natural conversation about these things. You may, however, have presented somewhat different research interests to different programs, in order to highlight your "match" with available faculty. Be aware of what you emphasized to various schools and be consistent. c) Make notes of important points from telephone conversations. You won't be able to recall everything after the fact, and you don't want to get details mixed up from different sources. d) Check with your best advisors, e.g., professors or students, regarding elements of your decision. Prepare for formal contact with graduate programs. a) Revise and keep handy your ranked list of graduate programs. b) Decide by what date you will make your final choice. c) As soon as you know that you will be rejecting any offer, notify the graduate program, so that students on the waiting list there will have a chance at the position. However, don't feel pressured to accept or reject an offer before April 15 if you are still unsure. d) You also may be put on a waiting list at some schools. Decide on your policy if this occurs. For example, how long will you wait to see if you are admitted? Will you risk losing admission to a lower-ranked school to await a decision from a higher-ranked school? Remember, you have until the deadline to decide -- don't be pressured into the wrong decision. e) Be assertive in seeking more information relative to your admission status at particular graduate schools. Don't be afraid to phone back for additional information. Ask questions, e.g., With whom will I be working? Will I be receiving financial assistance? If so, what forms and amounts? Most graduate programs will guarantee a certain level of funding, mainly through internal scholarships, teaching assistantships, and research assistantships. Find out for how long that level of funding is guaranteed for (it can vary from one year only to as long as you are enrolled). f) Ask to talk with current graduate students in the program as well. You can ask them many questions that you would not be able to ask your potential advisor, and their input is very important. Ask about whatever is important to you. Recommended questions include: How would you describe student-faculty relations in your graduate program? Is your potential advisor friendly? What's he or she like with students? Have recent graduates of the program gone on to find employment in their desired fields (academic, applied, further education)? Can you give a few examples? Are students in the program publishing and presenting at conferences? Where have they published/presented? Are students expected to buy their own computers, or are there enough computers available in the campus laboratories to get work done there? What do students do for fun? How many students in the program are married? How many are single? How expensive is it to live in the area? g) If you've been accepted into several programs, it is sometimes useful to let one program know about other offers (but you are never obliged to tell one school where else you have been accepted). For example, you might want to inform one program that another institution is offering you a certain level of funding: Although some schools have no room to negotiate, other schools may have the means to match your other offers. Also, you might let a waiting-list school know that you've got other offers: If they have any flexibility, they may be willing to "rush" their decision or at least tell you the relative likelihood of an offer being forthcoming. It is important to ask these questions diplomatically, making it clear that you have no expectation of negotiation, you simply wanted to inquire about the possibility. If you are successful, CONGRATULATIONS ! ! ! Begin planning early for your entry into graduate training in Psychology and for your relocation. a) Ask to speak with graduate students from the program to get their specific advice on what to expect, both in terms of the program and lifestyle (the city, housing availability, things to do, etc.). b) Ask your future advisor (if this is determined yet) if he or she would like you to be thinking about/ reading certain things before you arrive. Typically you won't be expected to do a lot of preparatory work, but you might find it useful to read up on your advisor's research so that you have a good foundation when you arrive. If you are unsuccessful, DON'T GIVE UP ! ! ! Inquire as to the reasons for your initial lack of success. Was it your GRE scores? Was it your lack of research experience? Then take steps to improve your standing for next year's competition. If you are not accepted at any graduate school, you have one last hope for the current year. The American Psychological Association provides a list of graduate schools that still have openings after April 15. In past years the list was made available by the second week in May. Contact the PS499 instructor for info on how to find this listing. HELPFUL WEBSITES FOR PLANNING GRADUATE STUDY IN PSYCHOLOGY 1. Some excellent starting points for information and tips on applying to graduate school, taking GRE's, etc. http://www.psychgrad.org/ http://www.uni.edu/walsh/linda2.html http://www.psywww.com/careers/applicat.htm http://www.rider.edu/users/suler/gradschl.html 2. Canadian-oriented sites -- great tips with information specific to Canadian students: http://www.ubishops.ca/ccc/div/soc/psy/gradsch.html http://web.uvic.ca/psyc/grad/admissions-tips.html 3. Especially for clinical students: http://www.psych.nwu.edu/Academics/Clinical/ClinicalConsid ering.htm 4. Canadian Psychological Association resource gives you the graduate guide for Canadian universities, web pages of departments of psychology at Canadian universities, and more. The graduate guide is the best single source of information about graduate schools in Canada. It lists programs, addresses, admission requirements, fees, and statistics. http://www.cpa.ca/graduate/guide.pdf also, http://www.cpa.ca/forstudents.html is the more general CPA web page for students. 5. Website listing of all Canadian Psychology Departments, programs and requirements, links to those programs, and other useful graduate school information: http://psych.hanover.edu/Krantz/schools/canada.html http://kenstange.com/psycsite/students.html 6. Online Psychology Career Centre listing information on financial aid, career tips for applying and writing vitas, GRE information, and much more. http://www.socialpsychology.org/career.htm 7. Helpful hints for undergraduate and graduate students. http://www.psychwww.com/ 8. Directory of Universities throughout Canada, U.S, and the world with links to all university sites. http://www.uwaterloo.ca/canu/index.html 9. Links to U.S. PhD. Programs in Psychology - 185 schools are ranked. http://www.socialpsychology.org/ranking.htm 10. Directory to sites listing information on scholarships and financial assistance. Note: many are U.S. only. http://www.lib.msu.edu/harris23/grants/3gradinf.htm 11. Graduate fellowships, scholarships, bursaries, and awards. From University of Regina, but many are open across Canada. http://www.uregina.ca/gradstudies/scholarships/alpha.html Note: Although this handout focuses on graduate school information, many of you may not be sure whether to pursue a graduate education, or perhaps not immediately. Graduate school isn't the only choice, and you should carefully consider whether your goals are compatible with graduate work or not. Drop by WLU's Career Services: They can offer valuable, individualized assistance and advice on your decisionmaking processes, development of CVs etc., as well as providing many resources for gather further information. University of Waterloo's Career Services offers a useful decision-making guide to future directions (careers, education, etc.). It presents self-assessment tools and extensive information that may help you to think through your future goals. http://www.cecs.uwaterloo.ca/manual/index.htm There are alternatives to graduate school. Examine some sites on careers in psychology-related fields: http://psych.hanover.edu/handbook/bachpsy2.html http://www.psychwww.com/careers/index.htm http://www.psychwww.com/careers/books.htm http://www.uni.edu/walsh/linda1.html