Andrea Hetrick, Chelsea Rowe Industrial-Organizational Psychology
Do I have to go to grad school? 70% of psych majors are employed Can make $80,000/year with bachelor s degree Grad school is a considerable commitment Grad school is not an easy way to avoid the real world
Reasons to to to grad school More specialized focus on human behavior More money More flexibility in career choices Attain higher status in companies More job opportunities
Where should I apply? PhD and Masters Programs Don t limit yourself by location Apply to 8-12 schools Apply to reach schools and safe schools Find websites for your field Industrial/Organizational Psychology: http://www.siop.org/gtp/ & http://neoacademic.com/2011/08/03/grad-school-where-should-i-apply/
What grad schools care about GPA Letters of Recommendation GRE Research Experience
Application Parts Application Personal Statement CV Letters of Recommendation Transcripts GRE Scores Writing Sample Extra Forms/Tests/Requirements
Keep track of School Name Location Website Link Application Deadline Program Type (e.g., PhD in I/O Psychology) GRE Code Transcripts- how many, where to send, official/unofficial? Additional Required Documents or Tests Faculty you want to work with Login information for online applications Other important information
Stay Organized Keep a grad school folder that has a section for each school s electronic documents Make a spreadsheet with important school information
Letter of Recommendation Binders Professors are busy! Make the process as minimal as possible for them Give an organized binder to your professors containing: CV Personal Statement Unofficial Transcripts List of schools and their: program type, due date, and how to submit the letter Other information: http://hunter.psu.edu/lab/ Students_files/Letter%20of %20Rec%20Application.docx If paper letter needed, include separate school folders with: Envelopes with addresses and stamps School s Special Forms
Study for the GRE Books have great tips Take a bunch of full-length online practice tests: http://www.princetonreview.com/grad/free-gre-practice-test.aspx http://www.catprep.com/exams/gre/gre.html Essay portion prep https://www.dxrgroup.com/cgi-bin/scoreitnow/index.pl Listen to the LSAT Logic in Everyday Life podcast Vocab words Used flashcards on amazon Vocab prep apps for smartphones Don t panic- can either send that day s score or all of your scores Take in the summer so you can retake Eat breakfast, get sleep, and all that jazz Industrial/Organizational Psychology: http://neoacademic.com/ 2011/07/19/grad-schoolprepping-for-the-gre/
Personal Statement Use regular paper- PDF Don t use smiley faces or anything informal Leave out religion or traumatic experiences Talk about research experiences Only talk about an activity or study abroad if it is relevant to the field No coursework unless something special Talk about your research interests and who you d like to work with Focus on how excited you are about their program
CV- Curriculum Vitae Resume for academics Can be as long as you want Make it easy to read and visually appealing Can include education, research positions, awards, research projects, affiliations, relevant coursework, references Be specific about things you ve done Keep font above size 12 Save in PDF form
Costs Applying to 8 schools Item Cost Transcript @ $10 each $80 GRE Test $185 GRE Score Reports @ $25 each $200 Application Fees at ~$65 each $520 Binders, printing, etc. $100 Total $1,085 GRE waivers are Available Save up for traveling to visit as well Some schools now require the ETS PPI- costs $$$
Prepare for Interviews Why did you apply here? Why do you want to work with? What are your research interests? Do you want to be an academic or practitioner after graduate school? http://neoacademic.com/ 2011/08/10/grad-schoolpreparing-for-inteviewsand-visits/
Visiting Grad Schools Students often offer to host you Be courteous and bring a thank you card or treat Research the professors you want to work with Avoid talking too negatively or positively about other programs Events during a visit: Meetings with faculty and students Meals and social events with students and/or faculty
Asking Questions on Visits Collaborative/competitive program structure Faculty support of novel ideas Working with advisors Current projects Teaching Work with multiple faculty? What made you choose this program? http://neoacademic.com/ 2011/09/01/grad-school-whatto-expect-and-do-at-the-interview/
Go to Others for Help Have others proofread your documents Get Advice from professors and grad students Email current graduate students at programs Bond with other students who are applying
Take Care of Yourself Don t look at your documents once you send them Don t stress- Easier Said than done Take time to Relax Don t take a heavy senior year course load Take your time in making a decision- don t decide until you hear back from all schools
Need Research Experience? Join our Research Lab! For more information and to apply, visit: www.lpdlab.uga.edu
Want a mentor? UGA has a psychology mentoring program. For more information and to apply, visit: http://www.psycmentoring.com/