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APPLICATION
PROCESS Are you interested in going to graduate school? Is your mind racing with questions about the GRE's, costs, letters of recommendations and filling out applications? If so, we are positive that these simple links below will help to answer many of your questions and put you on the right path to GRADUATE SCHOOL.
Questions & Answers How do I search for a grad school? What do I look for in a grad school? (Accreditation) What will
make my application stronger?
Most graduate schools accept applications during the spring semester, but the exact time frame depends on the school. Be sure you know about each school's deadlines as soon as possible, so you can plan ahead and don't have to rush or miss the deadline for your top choice. Also, check to see if the schools you're looking at require the GRE or other tests - these normally need to be taken at least six to eight weeks before you apply, so the scores will be received by the school in time. If you're looking for financial aid (fellowships, research/teaching assistant positions, etc) plan on submitting your application well before the deadline. Usually, this aid is on a first-come, first-served basis. Also, plan to devote enough time on your application to do the best job of making yourself look as qualified and competent as you can. Don't rush. Start asking for letters of recommendation well before they're due, to ensure that they're ready when you need them. Devote enough time on any personal statement or essay to do the best you can.
How do I get into Graduate school? This depends entirely on the requirements of individual schools. Some things you might frequently find, though, are GREs, the psychology GRE, letters of recommendation, specific psychology courses they'll be looking for in your transcript, and/or a personal statement explaining why you're interested in the field or the certain school. Request an application from schools you're interested
in applying to, and make sure everything required on the application
is done on time. What do I look for in a graduate school? What about accreditations? This depends on what you're looking at studying. Become familiar with any possible accreditations that are relevant to your field (for example, NASP for school psychology), and find out if the schools you're interested in have these accreditations. Chances are, if a school has a certain accreditation, it'll be well advertised on the site. Everything depends on what you're interested in,
and what applies to you (for example, housing, the area the school's
in, the ease of finding work in the area, school size, etc.). What will make my application stronger? Having a strong application is not hard to obtain. Good GRE scores (link), strong letters of recommendation (link) and plenty of extracurricular activities such as clubs, internships(link), and independent studies will help to ensure that your application exceeds that of other applicants.
An important goal is to show how your interests and abilities fit the school’s program and faculty. Career Plans: What are your long-term career goals? Where do you see yourself, career wise, 10 years from now? Academic Interests: What would you like to study? Describe your academic interests. Which professors in the department would you like to work with? Research Experiences: Discuss your research experiences. What areas would you like to research? Academic Objectives: Why do you plan to attend graduate school?
Explain how graduate school will contribute to your career goals. What
do you plan to do with your degree? Clinical and Field Experience: Discuss your clinical and other applied experiences. How have these experiences shaped your career goals? Academic Achievements: Discuss your academic background and achievements. Personal Experience: Write an autobiographical essay. Is there anything in your background that you think would be relevant to your application for admission to graduate school? Describe your life up to now: family, friends, home, school,
work, and particularly those experiences most relevant to your interests
in psychology. What is your approach to life? Things To Consider:
Substance of the Purpose/Personal Statement This statement should help us get to know you better. Please use a single sheet of paper, type/double space, and prepare concise responses to the following questions SAMPLE QUESTIONS: Your eligibility will be based on a combination
of factors including the strength of your application to the program
and your statement of purpose for the scholarship. Web Links How much does graduate school cost? Despite the media hype about rising college costs, a college education is more affordable than most people think, especially when you consider college graduates earn an average of $1 million more over their careers than high-school graduates. The average yearly cost of public graduate school 2002-2003 is just $5,081, private school is more expensive. There are some expensive schools, but high tuition is not a requirement or a good education. Most people interested in graduate school either look on the schools website for “Tuition & Fees” or look it up in the schools catalog. How can I pay for graduate school? In addition to your own recourses, many students working toward higher education are eligible for some sort of financial assistance. Some options are low interest student loans, scholarships and grants through private foundations, employer reimbursement, and gift or loans through family/friends. This website gives great description about all different types of financial assistance out there for all students. Even if you don’t think you qualify for some sort of financial assistance you should always apply for it. There are many loans out their that are not all about need, you may just possess the right qualifications to be eligible for the loan. To get information about any federal student financial aid that exists you can call (FSAIC) 1-800-4-FED-AID, then ask for a copy of “The Student Guide: Financial Aid from the US Department of Education.” You can also write to… This is a suggested guideline of information to look for
about particular grad schools you're interested in. Keep in mind that
some of these categories might not apply to you, and add anything else
you're interested in to this list. The criteria listed on this page
may be used to compare graduate schools, or just to keep information
straight for your own Name of Graduate School: |
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