Top Ranked Ph.D. Program in Psychology Profile: Carnegie Mellon
Located in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, Carnegie Mellon University ranks seventeenth on a nationwide level for its top ranked psychology doctorate program. The university itself is quite well-known for its advanced use of technology, for which it ranks among the top ten universities of the country. Quite understandably, gaining admission into this institute can be notoriously difficult. Getting familiar with the psychology Ph.D. program offerings is what is needed for getting into this esteemed graduate program. Carnegie Mellon University offers a doctorate in psychology in each of the following areas of research:
- Cognitive Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Social, Personality and Health Psychology
One of the most crucial things to do before submitting an application is to assess which area you would like to pursue your doctorate in. It is necessary that you know fully well why you choose that particular area (and appropriately choose a faculty mentor) so that you can convey motivation, enthusiasm, and well thought-out understanding of the field within the personal statement.
In a way, the admission process to the Carnegie Mellon University is unique. Like other universities, it does not have a cutoff score for either GPA or GRE. However, the university does recommend some “ideal” scores. These are as follows—GRE scores are usually expected to be between 600 and 800 on Math and Verbal components. According to the university website, expected GPAs are approximately 3.7.
However, the GPA and GRE scores are just one of the things that the university takes into account when considering applying to grad school. The personal statement allows you to create an argument that you have a talent for research if they are to consider your application. It is also the place to showcase what you’ve learned from prior research experience necessary to gain admittance to this program.
Carnegie Mellon University believes in the mentorship pattern for teaching. Hence, if you can identify faculty members whose research interests are the same as yours, your admission chances can be greatly strengthened. One of the best ways to beat out the competition is to get in touch with a faculty member who might be interested in taking you on as a student.
