Academics

 
 

Graduate School


Do I have to go to graduate school?

An initial question often asked by undergraduates in psychology is, "Do I have to go to graduate school?" Like several other fields demanding greater expertise (for example, medicine, law, the sciences), further education beyond a bachelor's degree is expected for those who plan to work professionally in the field. Must a person go to graduate school, though, in order to obtain a job within the fields of psychology or sociology? The answer is a definite "No."

There are many jobs available for persons with only a bachelor's degree. In fact, only 8% of bachelor's degree persons with a degree in psychology are unemployed and need work. Plus, the list of the top 26 occupations for the 21st century includes psychologists, counselors, and social workers, so it's likely that there will be related BA/BS jobs in the future. It may be wise for some students to work in such positions for a few years before considering going on to graduate school. Such jobs typically have lower pay, fewer "perks," and less freedom than jobs requiring a graduate degree. However, such jobs may be appropriate for those who plan to work part-time in the field, those who want to make a special niche for themselves by combining their NCU degree with another field, persons undecided about graduate school, and so on.

Is graduate school a possibility? 

A recent survey of our NCU graduates over the past ten years showed that a little over half had completed or were in graduate school. These students were in a variety of programs, some public (University of Minnesota, University of Nebraska, University of Kansas), some private (University of St. Thomas, University of St. Mary's, Alfred Adler Institute), some specifically Christian (Fuller Theological Seminary, Wheaton Graduate School), and so on. So the question, "Is graduate school as possibility?" is clearly answered "yes" by our NCU graduates who want to go further their education.

Common Evaluation Criteria

Some graduate programs attract from two to fifty times more students than they can accept. Some programs are extremely competitive, meaning that they are able to attract huge numbers of applicants with very strong records. Many others draw either fewer numbers or mostly students with modest records. In any case, applicants who meet the minimum qualifications set by the program still typically outnumber the available slots reserved for first-year graduate students. This leaves selection committees to the difficult task of choosing the few from the many, and there is not exact formula every program follows. The list here is a list of the wider criteria generally used by most programs; however, the degree of importance for each varies from committee to committee.

Objective Criteria

  1. GPA (overall GPA, psychology GPA, and last 2 year GPA)
  2. Standardized Test Scores (GRE-verbal, GRE-quantitative, GRE-analytical, GRE-psychology, and MAT)
  3. Coursework (number of hours, subject areas, and level

Non-Objective Criteria

  1. Letters of Recommendation (usually considered the most important non-objective criterion)
  2. Experience
    1. Research Experience (highly valuable)
    2. Field Related Work Experience
    3. Clinically-Related Public Service
  3. Application Essays
  4. Interview Performance
  5. Extra-curricular Activities

Other Criteria

  1. Resume
  2. Quality of Application Materials
  3. School and Worksite Attitudes and Behavior
  4. Special Projects and Honors Courses
  5. Diversity

To get a better understanding of which of the above are the most important, here are the results of a Final Selection Criteria Survey, based on the responses of 110 selection committee members drawn from traditional university Ph.D. programs. The top five selection criteria, listed in descending order of importance, with mean ratings in the Very Important range are:

  1. Research experiences, resulting in a publication credit in a scholarly journal.
  2. Degree to which the applicant's skills and interests match those of the program.
  3. Research experience, resulting in a paper presentation at a professional meeting.
  4. Degree of interest expressed by one or more of the selection committee members in working with particular applicants.
  5. Clarity and focus of applicant's statement of purpose.

Adapted from Keith-Speigel, P. (1991). The Complete Guide to Graduate School Admission. Hillsdale: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers. and American Psychological Association. (1996). Getting In: A Step-by-Step Plan for Gaining Admission to Graduate School in Psychology. Washington, D.C.: Author.

How do I choose the right graduate program for me?

Choosing the right programs to apply to is at the heart of every successful application strategy. Not only will this decision strongly influence your chances of gaining admission to graduate school, it will also affect your probability of success in attainting your degree and achieving your career objectives.

Narrowing Down the Options

  1. Examine your own requirements, qualifications, and preferences.
  2. Find information on different programs in the newest Graduate Study in Psychology.  You can also look through the many graduate school catalogs located in the Psychology Department.
  3. Fill out a worksheet for each school that appears to offer the degree and program you prefer.
  4. Compare your qualifications with the requirements (and medians) of the selected programs.  Discard those that seem out of reach or under your desired level

Research Your Options

  1. Many programs are now on the WWW.  Most list extended information on programs, professors, and students.  One important aspect of graduate training is to find faculty with research interest congruent to your own.  The web is a good starting place to find this information.
  2. Contact the preliminary possibilities for any available program information and application materials.
  3. As forms and information arrive from programs, keep them organized in file folders or some other system for easier evaluation and organization.

Compile a Final List of Programs to Which You Will Apply

  1. Rank programs according to your own personal preferences.  Everyone has their own needs and desires.  Some people value program reputation, some the faculties' interests; others look for location or financial aid.
  2. From your own values and preferences make a final list of those you will apply to.  This number may vary, but most people say between 3 and 10.  More than this becomes too time- and money-consuming.  Fewer might result in no acceptances and a delay of your plans by full year.

Adapted from American Psychological Association. (1996). Getting In: A Step-by-Step Plan for Gaining Admission to Graduate School in Psychology. Washington, D.C.: Author.

Tips on the Application Process

Stay Organized

  • Before you realize it, you will be inundated with application forms, essays, transcript requests, etc. Get organized early.
  • Keep every school's papers separately.
  • Make photocopies of the original and finished application forms to avoid mistakes.
  • Carefully proofread each application before submitting it.

Letters of Recommendation

  • Choose people who know you well enough to be able to specifically describe your abilities and potential. Psychology faculty with whom you've had several classes lately would be good sources, or an English or Science professor you know rather well.
  • Don't use references from friends or relatives, or recommendations from people who do not know you well.
  • Ask the person if they feel they could write a good letter for you. If they don't feel comfortable doing so, find someone else.
  • Ask permission from the person. "Would you be willing to write a letter of reference for me?" Don't just assume that the person is willing to do so. Such a presumption is considered rude, and you don't want to use up the good will of one of your referees.
  • Forms for referees to fill out that describe your skills may be confidential or non-confidential. Admissions officers are likely to give you more credence to a reference if you've waived your right to read it. Referees are also more likely to be disclosing if you waive your right.
  • Provide the Recommender with key information, see below (30 days in advance of due date).
  • Since the referee is expending considerable time in writing a letter of reference for you, it would be common courtesy to keep the referee informed of the result of your application process.

Key Information for Recommenders

  • The recommendation forms and instructions supplied with each program's application (type your name and indicate whether you waive your right to review the form).
  • Your resume
  • A brief "brag sheet" of your accomplishments of a sample paper or project for review.
  • A copy of your transcript (highlight courses taken with recommenders) and standardized test scores (if available).
  • Stamped envelopes addressed to each program the recommender is to send letters to.
  • Self-addressed, stamped postcards to be set to each program with instructions to the program to return the card to you upon the receipt of the letter.

Personal Essay/Statement of Purpose

  • Read instructions carefully. Do not just use one essay for every program.
  • Take time to write, proofread, and rewrite.
  • Have someone else read and critique your statements.
  • Include specific information on the program in question. It always looks good to have done your homework.
  • Don't repeat data already in the application (GPA, test scores, etc.).
  • If possible, highlight your uniqueness and strengths.

Watch the Dates!

  • Make sure all your forms, transcripts, and letters have ample time to get the school by their due dates.
  • Be careful of financial aid due dates. It may be before the application due dates. Fill out the forms before you know you're accepted or not.
  • Photocopy everything, check it twice, mail the information, collapse in exhaustion, and buy yourself something nice when you wake up.

Adapted from APA (1996). Getting In: A Step-by-Step Plan for Gaining Admission to Graduate School in Psychology. Washington, D.C.: Author.