Dr. Laura Freberg on How To Apply To Graduate School in Psychology
I had the good fortune to run across this blog entry offering advice for applying to graduate school from Dr. Laura Freberg of California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo.
Fun With Grad School Admissions in Psychology
I just finished writing letters of recommendation for one of the best undergraduate students I’ve worked with, and now we cross our fingers.
My student is not applying to UCLA, but for old time’s sake, I thought I’d take a look at my alma mater’s stats. Between 2004 and 2008, UCLA overall admitted about 29% of their applicants to their academic graduate programs (not professional schools like law and medicine). Nearly half (48%) were women, 15% were underrepresented minorities, and 17% were foreign students.
Psychology is traditionally more impacted than most programs, and the data for Fall 2006 support that at UCLA. Out of 578 applicants, 59 were admitted. Not such great odds. And my student, being female, faces another barrier typical in psychology. Women made up 76% of UCLA’s applicants, but only 64% of the admitted students. Interestingly, UCLA seems to be bucking the trend among many Ph.D. programs by accepting only 2 foreign students out of the 59. Don’t get me wrong–I’m no xenophobe, and I think private universities can admit anyone they choose. But I think the weary taxpayers of California are trying to educate their children and neighbors, not the entire world.
My usual advice to students is to apply to as many schools as you can afford. Applications can get very expensive, with GRE reports, transcripts, and application fees, but it’s a roll of the dice. It’s also wise, I think, to have some backup masters programs so that you at least move your academic career forward if you don’t get into a Ph.D. program right away. A good match between student and faculty is another important factor. Too often, we find students who want to stay in California, and pick schools on that basis. At the Ph.D. level, that’s just not going to work at all. One of my students ended up in a frog retina lab in an outstanding Ph.D. program, but her interests were not there at all. Another was horrified that the expert in her field was in what she thought was a very undesirable part of the country (we won’t name names to protect the innocent). She was accepted, and moved reluctantly, only to find out she liked the area very much. So some flexibility doesn’t hurt either.
As difficult as this process can be, the universities do accept psychology Ph.D. students, so that might as well be you! With the right preparation and planning, and maybe a little good old fashioned luck, students can follow their dreams.
Hopefully the tips on how to get into grad school found here on Acceptedtogradschool.com help prospective graduate students with arming them with the right information for applying to Ph.D. in programs in psychology.
Need more information on how to get into Ph.D. programs in psychology?
Here is some recommended reading.
Preparing for Graduate Study in Psychology: 101 Questions and Answers
Getting In: A Step-By-Step Plan for Gaining Admission to Graduate School in Psychology
Submit a Stellar Application: 42 Terrific Tips to Help You Get Accepted
