Chapter 6-- The Preprofessional Degree: Preparing for Graduate School

What is the undergrad degree for in comparison to the graduate level?

undergraduate degree in psychology provides the solid foundation for the acquisition of these skills at the graduate leve

The two most common student organizations for psychology in universities?

a psychology club and Psi Chi - The International Honor Society in Psychology.

What are used to evaluate applicants to graduate programs?

GPA and test scores), nonobjective criteria (e.g., letters of recommendation, personal statements, and interviews)

What mistakes do students do in undergrad when selecting courses?

-- students will often mistakenly opt to take "fluff" courses to raise their GPAs. --it is unwise is that graduate school faculty expect (and verify) that the GPA a student has is based on an adequate, if not rigorous, curriculum/coursework.

How to get involved in research?

--Learn about your professors' research by reading their biographies, reading some of their recent publications. -- Talk with students who are currently conducting research to learn about their experiences. -- Check with your department to see if there is a centralized process (e.g., an application) for starting a research experience. --Introduce yourself to professors who you might want to work with, making sure to communicate your interests in obtaining research experience and your knowledge of their specific research.

Top six most preferred psychology courses by the clinical and counseling psychology programs:

--Statistics (88.1%) --Abnormal (73.8%) --Research Methods (73.1%) --Developmental (46.9%) --Personality (46.3%) --Biopsychology (33.1%).

Why go to grad school?

--almost all of the specialized skills associated with psychology are taught and acquired only at the graduate level -- (e.g., program evaluation, employer/employee consultation, counseling, psychotherapy, psychological testing, and advanced research skills)

6 benefits in pursuing internship, field practica, and relevant work experience:?

1. clarification of interests and goals; 2. skill development; 3. networking opportunities; 4. enhances graduate school applications; 5. allows application of what has been learned; and 6. increases awareness of strengths and weaknesses.

Minimum GPA of applicants in 2003-2004 masters programs?

2.92

Minimum requirements Psychology GPA for master's programs?

3.05

Minimum GPA of applicants in 2003-2004 doctoral programs?

3.11

Minimum requirement Psychology GPA for doctoral programs.

3.17

According to the recent GSP (APA, 2014), the median GPA for those accepted to MASTERS programs?

3.49

According to the recent GSP (APA, 2014), the median GPA for those accepted to DOCTORAL programs?

3.62

How long does it take to find employment?

44% found their current position prior to completing their graduate program -- 29.1% found their position within 3 months. -- 11.1% took more than 6 months to find their current position.

What is the 10-year doctoral completion rate for psychology?

65.1%

What percentage indicated that they received their first choice of employment?

72% of those surveyed indicated that the employment position they currently held was their first choice.

What do students fail to realize before attending grad school?

All urge students who are considering graduate study to be honest with themselves. --For example, it takes a great deal of self-motivation and strong organizational skills to succeed in graduate school

common student organizations for psychology in community colleges?

For those students at junior and community colleges, Psi Beta - The National Honor Society in Psychology for Community and Junior Colleges is sometimes available

What is recommended if you take a year off before attending grad school?

For those who take time off before going to graduate school, working in a field that is directly related to the graduate program you wish to pursue is very important.

What is a mentor in academe?

In academe, a mentor is a professor who guides the student through his or her education, always keeping in mind the student's career goals.

Other ways to get involved in research?

Offer to collect and enter data for a professor or advanced student. Offer to gather background literature for his or her study. -- These initial activities will demonstrate your commitment to research and increase the likelihood that a faculty member will include you in his or her later projects

Benefits to joining a professional organization?

One of the benefits to joining a professional organization as a student member includes eligibility to apply for travel awards and research grants specifically for students. For example, the RISE Research Award from the Association for Psychological Science (APS) aims "to cultivate scholarly research in psychological fields related to socially and economically under-represented populations, as well as to acknowledge outstanding research conducted by student members

What is the second perspective of the bachelor's degree in psychology viewed as?

Pre-Professional degree --similar to the trajectories of pre-dental, pre-medicine, and pre-law that many students follow as undergraduates.

Top six for educational and school psychology?

Statistics (86.7%) Research Methods (75.6%) Developmental (64.4%) Abnormal (44.4%) Testing (35.6%) Personality (31.1%)

Top six courses for industrial-organizational psychology programs?

Statistics (92.9%) Research Methods (60.7%) Social (25%) Cognitive (17.9%) Testing (14.3%) Personality (14.3%).

The top six courses preferred by experimental psychology graduate programs?

Statistics (96.2%) Research Methods (81.1%) Biopsychology (18.9%) Cognitive (18.9%) Developmental (15.1%) Learning (15.1%).

Requirements for student organizations for psychology?

These requirements include completion of a certain number of psychology courses and a minimum 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale

What happens with students who express interest in the field?

a student who can support his or her interest in a particular field with first-hand experience of working with a particular population (e.g., children) or in a particular setting (e.g., a correctional environment) places herself or himself above the pack of other applicants or interviewees.

***How many letters of Recommendations are needed to apply to Grad school?

at least three letters of recommendation to accompany your applications to graduate school -- make sure that at least two of the three faculty members who write letters for you will be able to address your research experience first-hand.

Are community service hours valued for grad school?

community settings often have volunteer programs (e.g., psychiatric hospitals). Regardless, you will want an experience that provides ample supervision and structure. Unstructured and unsupervised activities typically do not carry much weight on graduate school applications.

What does GPA calculation include?

includes all undergraduate coursework at all universities attended. This includes --the summer course you took at the local community college. --Your GPA also includes the grade you received in the course you "retook" for a higher grade plus the grade in the original course. -- It also includes your first semester of college before you transferred to your current college

What is the difference between minimally REQUIERED vs ACCEPTED?

minimum required is often significantly different from what is actually accepted. In fact for these same years (2003-2004), the study found that the actual overall GPA was 3.54 for applicants accepted to doctoral programs and 3.37 for applicants accepted to master's programs.

What is the primary goal of the preprofesional degree?

primary goal of gaining admission to graduate school either immediately upon graduation or at some point in the future

Benefit of belonging to professional association?

the opportunity to network with other students and professors at other universities.

Skills developed and improved during grad school?

• Ability to function in various roles/environments • Teaching skills (inside and outside the classroom) • Interviewing skills • Public speaking skills • Computer skills • Ability to argue and defend different viewpoints • Scientific method skills • Research methods, data analysis, and statistic skills • Ability to integrate information from multiple sources • Ability to evaluate information/data critically • Ability to understand group dynamics • Ability to appreciate and work with differing viewpoints • Ability to accept criticism and rejection • Objective thinking skills • Ability to tolerate and work with ambiguity