Applying to Doctoral Programs
What do doctoral programs look for? What makes an applicant competitive? What makes an applicant stand out? What does the application process look like? This section will focus on these kinds of questions.
It is a little more complicated than it looks at first because there are a few different types of programs. First off, there are different types of graduate programs in professional psychology, including clinical, counseling, and school psychology. There are also some integrated programs that include any combination of these three. Each of these has a different focus and a different career path, although they are highly similar with basic curriculum expectations. Then there are different types of doctoral degrees, including the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), the Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.), and Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) degrees (See Types of Programs for more info on these degrees).
It is important to think carefully about which type of program you want to go for. There are criteria that these programs all look for in their applicants, but because each of these programs has a different focus and training model, they may look for some different things in applicants. Applying to the right kind of program will increase your chances of success (and how happy you are with the program).
This section will review and highlight the different parts of a psychology doctoral program application and what different types of programs may look for.
I. Parts of a Doctoral Application
I.II. Application Form
Programs each have a separate application form which collects general information about you and your background. In the past several years, most programs have gradually switched to electronic application forms that can be completed online. Even when programs offer the option of completing a hard copy, they will often prefer the online format.
I.III. Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
Most programs require you to take the GRE. This includes sections measuring knowledge in quantitative, verbal, and analytical writing skills. It is very similar to the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) that is required for admission to many undergraduate programs.
Many schools have a "cutoff" score. This means that they will not look at applications from individuals with scores below their identified cutoff score. However, you need a higher score to be competitive at many programs. Although not required, many programs post average GRE and GPA (grade point average) scores of recent incoming classes with the C-20 full-disclosure data on the program's web site (see the section of this web site on C-20 data). This should give you an idea about what scores are competitive for any particular program.
In addition to the standard GRE test, there is also a subject GRE test for Psychology. Some programs require this and some do not. The program's web site should guide you.
If you have taken the GRE more than once, schools will usually look at your highest score. So if you have a low GRE score, you can study and take it again to try to increase your score to be more competitive.
I.IV. Grade Point Average (GPA) and Transcripts
Psychology doctoral programs will require transcripts from all undergraduate programs you have attended, as well as any master's program (if applicable). One of the main things that they are looking for is the GPA, which is usually on a 4.0 scale.
As with the GRE, many schools have a specific cutoff score for your GPA, but prefer higher scores. Again, looking at a program's C-20 data can help give you an idea about what GPA the program is looking for.
Sometimes, the pattern of semester GPAs can look very different and may affect your overall GPA. For example, one particularly rough semester can bring down an otherwise competitive GPA. Or a student who had a difficult transition at the beginning of his/her program may have a poor GPA for the first year and a steady increase over time. Doctoral programs often look at these types of patterns, but this will vary a lot based on who is reviewing the application and how competitive the applicant pool is that year.
Doctoral programs will often require that official transcripts be sent directly from the undergraduate or master's institution. Requests for these can take a while to process, so make sure that you request them far enough in advance that you are sure that they will arrive on time.
Doctoral programs tend to require previous coursework in Psychology in order for their application to be considered at all. Most applicants who have a bachelor's degree in psychology will have completed this coursework. Applicants with degrees in fields other than psychology will have to make sure that they have completed (or are completing) this coursework prior to applying for graduate school. Although individual programs have different requirements, they tend to require or prefer that applicants have completed:
I.V. Letters of Recommendation
Most programs require 3 letters of recommendation from professionals who have worked with you. This is one area where the program gets a sense of who you are beyond your CV and transcript. Programs want to see how you function in a professional setting. Specifically, they want to see how quickly you can learn and apply new skills, how you work/get along with others, and your attitude towards receiving guidance and instruction.
Ask people who you think can write you a strong letter of recommendation. It is okay to ask your potential letter-writer if they feel that they can write you a strong one.
Your letter writers should know you fairly well (worked with you at least a year) and have worked with you in a professional setting. Programs can tell when a letter sounds generic or if the writer doesn’t actually know you very well.
Ideally, letter writers should be psychologists or mental health professionals such as professors or research/clinical supervisors. It is generally not appropriate to use relatives (even if you’re worked with them personally), clergy, or your own therapist.
Getting well-known or “famous” professors to write a letter for you can be great, but it is certainly not necessary. It is also better to get a strong letter from a less well-known professor who knows you well than a generic letter from a “famous” professor.
Ask potential letter-writers at least a month (ideally about 2 months) before they are due. Professors are generally very busy people. Also, since many programs ask letter-writers for different information (or have different forms for them), it is helpful to very clearly organize everything for them. This includes listing forms, specific content or instructions, and due dates for each program. It’s also good etiquette to provide pre-addressed/stamped envelopes for each program to all of your letter writers. Very politely follow up with letter writers to ensure that it gets in on time. Thank you notes afterwards are always nice too (but not always necessary)!
I.VI. Personal Statement
The personal statement is an important part of the graduate application. This is another area where programs get a sense of who you are as a person beyond your CV and transcript.
There are a few things that programs look for in applicants' personal statements. One is to determine your writing style and to see if you can clearly and coherently communicate in writing. Programs also want to read about your goals and interests for graduate school and your career. This is to determine your "fit" with the program and potential faculty mentors. Lastly (but not least), the program wants to get a sense of who you are and how you came to this particular area of psychology and why this program specifically.
It is a good idea to have several professionals (such as your letter writers) look over drafts of your personal statement to make sure that it is clear, well-written, and appropriate.
Although the style and content should reflect your personality, remember that it should be kept professional! See Myth Busters below for more on this.
I.VII. Curriculum Vita/Resume
The curriculum vita (CV) is a document that lists and describes your professional achievements and involvements, similar to a resume.
Any honors, publications or presentations, any psychology-related paid or volunteer positions (either research or clinical), or professional memberships (such as APA) should be on the CV. Some people also list special skills (such as proficiency with SPSS or a foreign language) and specific research interests.
Most people do not list which courses they took (this is on your transcript). Unless you have a specific reason, you should not list conferences you attended (but did not present) or work done before college. You should also not list unrelated activities (this could be seen as “padding”). See the resources section below for a web-based resource on creating a CV.
There are various styles, most of which are acceptable. As long as it is organized, structured, and professional-looking, it should be fine.
In some fields, it is inappropriate for a resume/CV to be longer than one page. This is not true in psychology (or academic fields in general). In fact, it is often seen as a plus to have a long CV. Having said that, at this point in your training, it is unlikely that you will have a long CV. So admissions committees will not expect this. Your CV will grow as you gain more experience in grad school and throughout your career.
II. Application Process and Timeline
II.I. Timeline
Applying to grad school is a long process. It generally begins in the summer/early fall of the year before you plan to enter school. During this time, you should begin by studying for and taking the GREs. You can also begin to make of list of schools/programs that interest you and requesting transcripts and letters of recommendation. As the fall goes on, you should put your other materials together (personal statement/essay, CV, etc).
Most programs have due dates in January (but this varies by program). Each program should list their due date and which application materials they need on their web site. If you can’t find it, feel free to contact the school.
Schools will generally make decisions about your application in January/February. If your application is viewed favorably by a program, they will contact you to schedule an interview. Most programs will offer you a few dates to choose from.
Once you start hearing from programs about offers, you have until April 15th to make a decision. This is so that you have a chance to hear from every school you applied to and to give you time to weigh options.
Do not leave all of this for the last minute! You risk having materials becoming sloppy (rushed without time for editing) and parts of your application not being sent at all (especially letters of recommendation or transcripts). Keep everything on a timely schedule. See the link in the resources section below.
II.II. Costs
Applying to grad school can be expensive, so it might be a good idea to plan for the application costs.
Almost every program will have an application fee. Fees are generally about $50 per program, but this varies widely by program. A program’s application fee will be listed on the program web site. Thus, how much you are spending on fees will obviously depend on how many programs you’re applying to. Keep in mind that program fees can add up quickly.
How much you spend on interviews will also vary a lot. It will depend on how many interview offers you receive and distance to the program’s location. Programs that are further away will be more expensive because of travel and lodging costs than local programs.
III. Admission Rates and Statistics
As with several of the other aspects of applying to grad school, each program has very different admission rates.
On average, doctoral (PhD and PsyD) programs in clinical and counseling psychology accept about 21% of their applicants. Within clinical psychology, APA/CPA accredited PhD programs tend to accept about 10% of their applicants while APA/CPA accredited PsyD programs have acceptance rates closer to 40%.
Thus, graduate psychology programs are generally quite competitive. Looking at a school’s C-20 data on their web site will give you an idea about how competitive the individual program is.
Other Resources
This link is to a web page managed by the American Psychological Association (APA), and provides additional information on how to apply to graduate school and how to make your application more competitive:
www.apa.org/education/grad/applying.aspx
This link will give you an idea of when to complete each part of the application:
http://www.apa.org/gradpsych/2007/11/cover-route.aspx
These links connect you to research studies on the application process:
www.psichi.org/pubs/articles/article_537.aspx
www.psichi.org/pubs/articles/article_549.aspx
http://psychology.cua.edu/undergrad/gradlinks.cfm
For information about the GRE:
http://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/about
For information on how to create a CV (with examples):
http://www.gradview.com/careers/cv.html
For C-20 Summary Data on individual programs, review the graduate program's website.
Match Statistics: This will give you an idea about the success of the students from each graduate program in matching to accredited or APPIC-member internships:
www.appic.org
It is a little more complicated than it looks at first because there are a few different types of programs. First off, there are different types of graduate programs in professional psychology, including clinical, counseling, and school psychology. There are also some integrated programs that include any combination of these three. Each of these has a different focus and a different career path, although they are highly similar with basic curriculum expectations. Then there are different types of doctoral degrees, including the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), the Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.), and Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) degrees (See Types of Programs for more info on these degrees).
It is important to think carefully about which type of program you want to go for. There are criteria that these programs all look for in their applicants, but because each of these programs has a different focus and training model, they may look for some different things in applicants. Applying to the right kind of program will increase your chances of success (and how happy you are with the program).
This section will review and highlight the different parts of a psychology doctoral program application and what different types of programs may look for.
I. Parts of a Doctoral Application
I.II. Application Form
Programs each have a separate application form which collects general information about you and your background. In the past several years, most programs have gradually switched to electronic application forms that can be completed online. Even when programs offer the option of completing a hard copy, they will often prefer the online format.
I.III. Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
Most programs require you to take the GRE. This includes sections measuring knowledge in quantitative, verbal, and analytical writing skills. It is very similar to the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) that is required for admission to many undergraduate programs.
Many schools have a "cutoff" score. This means that they will not look at applications from individuals with scores below their identified cutoff score. However, you need a higher score to be competitive at many programs. Although not required, many programs post average GRE and GPA (grade point average) scores of recent incoming classes with the C-20 full-disclosure data on the program's web site (see the section of this web site on C-20 data). This should give you an idea about what scores are competitive for any particular program.
In addition to the standard GRE test, there is also a subject GRE test for Psychology. Some programs require this and some do not. The program's web site should guide you.
If you have taken the GRE more than once, schools will usually look at your highest score. So if you have a low GRE score, you can study and take it again to try to increase your score to be more competitive.
I.IV. Grade Point Average (GPA) and Transcripts
Psychology doctoral programs will require transcripts from all undergraduate programs you have attended, as well as any master's program (if applicable). One of the main things that they are looking for is the GPA, which is usually on a 4.0 scale.
As with the GRE, many schools have a specific cutoff score for your GPA, but prefer higher scores. Again, looking at a program's C-20 data can help give you an idea about what GPA the program is looking for.
Sometimes, the pattern of semester GPAs can look very different and may affect your overall GPA. For example, one particularly rough semester can bring down an otherwise competitive GPA. Or a student who had a difficult transition at the beginning of his/her program may have a poor GPA for the first year and a steady increase over time. Doctoral programs often look at these types of patterns, but this will vary a lot based on who is reviewing the application and how competitive the applicant pool is that year.
Doctoral programs will often require that official transcripts be sent directly from the undergraduate or master's institution. Requests for these can take a while to process, so make sure that you request them far enough in advance that you are sure that they will arrive on time.
Doctoral programs tend to require previous coursework in Psychology in order for their application to be considered at all. Most applicants who have a bachelor's degree in psychology will have completed this coursework. Applicants with degrees in fields other than psychology will have to make sure that they have completed (or are completing) this coursework prior to applying for graduate school. Although individual programs have different requirements, they tend to require or prefer that applicants have completed:
- Statistics
- Research design
- Abnormal psychology
- Developmental psychology
- Personality psychology
- Cognitive psychology
- History of psychology
- Social psychology
- Psychology of learning
- Sensation and perception
- Physiological psychology
I.V. Letters of Recommendation
Most programs require 3 letters of recommendation from professionals who have worked with you. This is one area where the program gets a sense of who you are beyond your CV and transcript. Programs want to see how you function in a professional setting. Specifically, they want to see how quickly you can learn and apply new skills, how you work/get along with others, and your attitude towards receiving guidance and instruction.
Ask people who you think can write you a strong letter of recommendation. It is okay to ask your potential letter-writer if they feel that they can write you a strong one.
Your letter writers should know you fairly well (worked with you at least a year) and have worked with you in a professional setting. Programs can tell when a letter sounds generic or if the writer doesn’t actually know you very well.
Ideally, letter writers should be psychologists or mental health professionals such as professors or research/clinical supervisors. It is generally not appropriate to use relatives (even if you’re worked with them personally), clergy, or your own therapist.
Getting well-known or “famous” professors to write a letter for you can be great, but it is certainly not necessary. It is also better to get a strong letter from a less well-known professor who knows you well than a generic letter from a “famous” professor.
Ask potential letter-writers at least a month (ideally about 2 months) before they are due. Professors are generally very busy people. Also, since many programs ask letter-writers for different information (or have different forms for them), it is helpful to very clearly organize everything for them. This includes listing forms, specific content or instructions, and due dates for each program. It’s also good etiquette to provide pre-addressed/stamped envelopes for each program to all of your letter writers. Very politely follow up with letter writers to ensure that it gets in on time. Thank you notes afterwards are always nice too (but not always necessary)!
I.VI. Personal Statement
The personal statement is an important part of the graduate application. This is another area where programs get a sense of who you are as a person beyond your CV and transcript.
There are a few things that programs look for in applicants' personal statements. One is to determine your writing style and to see if you can clearly and coherently communicate in writing. Programs also want to read about your goals and interests for graduate school and your career. This is to determine your "fit" with the program and potential faculty mentors. Lastly (but not least), the program wants to get a sense of who you are and how you came to this particular area of psychology and why this program specifically.
It is a good idea to have several professionals (such as your letter writers) look over drafts of your personal statement to make sure that it is clear, well-written, and appropriate.
Although the style and content should reflect your personality, remember that it should be kept professional! See Myth Busters below for more on this.
I.VII. Curriculum Vita/Resume
The curriculum vita (CV) is a document that lists and describes your professional achievements and involvements, similar to a resume.
Any honors, publications or presentations, any psychology-related paid or volunteer positions (either research or clinical), or professional memberships (such as APA) should be on the CV. Some people also list special skills (such as proficiency with SPSS or a foreign language) and specific research interests.
Most people do not list which courses they took (this is on your transcript). Unless you have a specific reason, you should not list conferences you attended (but did not present) or work done before college. You should also not list unrelated activities (this could be seen as “padding”). See the resources section below for a web-based resource on creating a CV.
There are various styles, most of which are acceptable. As long as it is organized, structured, and professional-looking, it should be fine.
In some fields, it is inappropriate for a resume/CV to be longer than one page. This is not true in psychology (or academic fields in general). In fact, it is often seen as a plus to have a long CV. Having said that, at this point in your training, it is unlikely that you will have a long CV. So admissions committees will not expect this. Your CV will grow as you gain more experience in grad school and throughout your career.
II. Application Process and Timeline
II.I. Timeline
Applying to grad school is a long process. It generally begins in the summer/early fall of the year before you plan to enter school. During this time, you should begin by studying for and taking the GREs. You can also begin to make of list of schools/programs that interest you and requesting transcripts and letters of recommendation. As the fall goes on, you should put your other materials together (personal statement/essay, CV, etc).
Most programs have due dates in January (but this varies by program). Each program should list their due date and which application materials they need on their web site. If you can’t find it, feel free to contact the school.
Schools will generally make decisions about your application in January/February. If your application is viewed favorably by a program, they will contact you to schedule an interview. Most programs will offer you a few dates to choose from.
Once you start hearing from programs about offers, you have until April 15th to make a decision. This is so that you have a chance to hear from every school you applied to and to give you time to weigh options.
Do not leave all of this for the last minute! You risk having materials becoming sloppy (rushed without time for editing) and parts of your application not being sent at all (especially letters of recommendation or transcripts). Keep everything on a timely schedule. See the link in the resources section below.
II.II. Costs
Applying to grad school can be expensive, so it might be a good idea to plan for the application costs.
Almost every program will have an application fee. Fees are generally about $50 per program, but this varies widely by program. A program’s application fee will be listed on the program web site. Thus, how much you are spending on fees will obviously depend on how many programs you’re applying to. Keep in mind that program fees can add up quickly.
How much you spend on interviews will also vary a lot. It will depend on how many interview offers you receive and distance to the program’s location. Programs that are further away will be more expensive because of travel and lodging costs than local programs.
III. Admission Rates and Statistics
As with several of the other aspects of applying to grad school, each program has very different admission rates.
On average, doctoral (PhD and PsyD) programs in clinical and counseling psychology accept about 21% of their applicants. Within clinical psychology, APA/CPA accredited PhD programs tend to accept about 10% of their applicants while APA/CPA accredited PsyD programs have acceptance rates closer to 40%.
Thus, graduate psychology programs are generally quite competitive. Looking at a school’s C-20 data on their web site will give you an idea about how competitive the individual program is.
Other Resources
This link is to a web page managed by the American Psychological Association (APA), and provides additional information on how to apply to graduate school and how to make your application more competitive:
www.apa.org/education/grad/applying.aspx
This link will give you an idea of when to complete each part of the application:
http://www.apa.org/gradpsych/2007/11/cover-route.aspx
These links connect you to research studies on the application process:
www.psichi.org/pubs/articles/article_537.aspx
www.psichi.org/pubs/articles/article_549.aspx
http://psychology.cua.edu/undergrad/gradlinks.cfm
For information about the GRE:
http://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/about
For information on how to create a CV (with examples):
http://www.gradview.com/careers/cv.html
For C-20 Summary Data on individual programs, review the graduate program's website.
Match Statistics: This will give you an idea about the success of the students from each graduate program in matching to accredited or APPIC-member internships:
www.appic.org