Don’t Rely on GPA, GRE Scores to Get In Graduate School in Psychology
I’ve been met with many puzzled looks when I asked my opinion about getting into grad school. Point-blank, I will tell you: “Good grades and GRE scores aren’t enough.” I am not saying that getting good grades in your core psychology classes aren’t important. I’m definitely not saying GRE scores aren’t important. I’m saying it’s not the end-all be-all.
It is basically par for the course that applicants to graduate school have great grades on their transcripts and GRE scores. You may be superstar psychology student at your home institution, but now you’re auditioning to join the Big Leagues. Being a superstar psychology student is no longer special enough to separate you from hundreds of other applicants.
One simple way to separate yourself from the pack is by gaining transferrable research skills. Volunteer to work as a research assistant. While data entry isn’t exactly the most exciting task in the world, demonstrated ability to use those skills look excellent as part of your overall application package. (I also promise that professors will be more than willing to accept the extra help, especially if you have the reputation of a good student!). It’s a great idea if the project you’re working on mirrors your own research interests, but it’s OK if it doesn’t as well. To some extent, data entry is data entry. A well-written, thought-provoking literature review that highlights your critical thinking ability speaks for itself, no matter what the topic. And if you can present your work at a student or national conference, even better for you (and your resume)!
Volunteerism is the proverbial stone that kills two birds: It provides much needed research experience so that you can hit the ground running when you start grad school – and doing a stellar job may even earn you a praise-worthy letter of recommendation!
