Getting Into Psychology Graduate School

Entry into psychology graduate schools can be competitive. Most graduate school psychology programs look for a competitive score (above 1200) on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), a GPA above 3.3, and volunteer or paid experience in the field. To maximize your chances of getting in:

• Gain experience in the field: volunteer in a local hospital or clinic to gain practical experience.
• Work closely with your advisor: your advisor will guide you through the admission process.
• Community service: leadership roles will give you the chance to prove your abilities.
• Academic research: volunteer in a research lab and write about your results.
• Stellar letters of recommendation: get letters of recommendation from faculty members, physicians, or community leaders who know you well and have supervised your work directly.
• Excellent communication skills: convey in your application and interview why you're a superb choice and wholly qualified to undergo training to become a psychologist.

Master's Level Prerequisites

Coursework prerequisites for master's programs in psychology generally include experimental psychology, abnormal psychology, statistics, mathematics, social sciences, biological and physical sciences.

Doctoral Level Prerequisites

Some doctoral programs require applicants to have a master's degree in psychology. Other doctoral programs allow students to enter the program with a bachelor's degree and work directly on a doctoral degree. Coursework prerequisites generally include experimental psychology, abnormal psychology, statistics, mathematics, social sciences, biological and physical sciences.