TTU undergrads: Thinking about Applying to grad school?

Texas Tech University

Grad School Preparations and Applications

• Graduate school applications take a lot of time so plan ahead!!!!

• Start looking into and considering the general requirements ASAP:• E.g., GRE, GPA, research experience

•Keep in mind that competitive graduate schools require competitive applications, so:

• Look at grad school requirements early (sophomore year) and plan accordingly

• Maintain high grades throughout your college career • Do NOT wait until the last minute to apply or look into general

requirements!

GPA Requirements

• Very Competitive • GPA 3.5 or higher

• Less Competitive• Roughly 3.0 or higher

•Higher GPA the better your chances

__________ Landauer, T. K. (1986). How much do people remember? Some estimates of the quantity of learned information in long-term memory. Cognitive Science, 10, 477-493.

The GRE

• GRE scores are one of the most important criteria for graduate school

• 3 sections of the GRE: verbal, math, and analytic

•Some schools require the Psychology subject test

•Plan to take the GRE well in advance and no later than October of the year you plan to apply

•Study Aids• Kaplan courses, books, vocab cards, online resources

Trial 1

Research Experience

• Research experience is very important

•To gain research experience undergrads can apply to work with faculty members as a research assistant (RA).

•Find a professor that matches your interests

•Individuals problem course (4000)

•Email the professor to ask for open RA positions

Letters of Recommendation•Strong letters of recommendation may compensate for GPA’s and GRE that are a bit weak

•Most, but not all, colleges/universities require letters of recommendation by professors in the related field.

• How to get rec letters:•Get to know your professor

•Work as an research assistant

Writing a Personal Statement

• A personal statement (statement of purpose; SOP) is a critical part of the grad school application

•Take a lot of time and consideration when writing the SOP. This means plan to revise, edit, proofread, and ask for feedback.

•Three themes most typical of graduate program essays:

1. Long term career plans

2. Areas of interest in psychology

3. Reasons for applying to that specific university

•Essays should be original to every program

•Word limits: typically 500-1000 words

• Be concise, direct, and effective in every sentence

Curriculum Vita (CV)

• An “Academic Resume” that summarizes Education, Research Experience, Clinical Experience, Honors and Awards, and other important highlights of your academic career

• Use this document to “Fill-in-the-Gaps” in your application and show some additional aspects of your

Professional development

The Interview Process

• You may be offered an opportunity to interview at a school, particularly if you are a strong candidate

• It is important to know the research of the lab you are interviewing for, so that you can be adequately prepared to discuss how your research interests match.

• In-person interviews are ideal, so plan on traveling if you can!