Insider’s Guide to Getting into Graduate School

Lecture 9 begins Section 2. Section 2 lectures cover methods of finding and selecting graduate programs in which to apply. Lecture 9 compares Masters degrees with Doctoral degrees. In Lecture 2, we also review the difference between the Ph.D. and Psy.D in psychology. Included with this lecture are the slides that accompany each lecture in Section 2 (Lectures 9-22).

Lecture 10 reviews eight areas to consider when selecting which graduate programs to apply. Each of these areas is discussed in detail in the following lectures in Section 2.

Lecture 11 describes the difference between university accreditation and program accreditation. In addition, this lecture describes specifics about regional vs national accreditation for universities or colleges.

Lecture 12 continues the discussion of accreditation but focuses on program accreditation. Program accreditation means that the specific program (e.g., clinical psychology, social work) within the university is appropriately accredited.

Lecture 13 discusses program rankings. The most well-known university and program ranking organization is U.S. News & World Report, and this lecture describes those rankings, as well as rankings by other organizations. We review how much students should rely on rankings when making decisions about where to attend graduate school.

Lecture 14 reviews rankings of U.S. Medical Schools in psychiatry.

Lecture 15 reviews common rankings of clinical psychology programs.

Lecture 16 reviews rankings of social work programs. Because there are few standard rankings of counseling psychology, counseling, and marriage and family graduate programs, the review of social work rankings is the last of the three graduate program rankings discussed in this course.

Lecture 17 explains how to explore the research and clinical training opportunities offered by each graduate program.

Lecture 18 describes the theoretical orientations and training models employed by different programs to help you decide which best fits your interests.

Lecture 19 discusses determining how successful programs are at placing students in practicum and internship settings. These settings determine what types of clinical experiences you can expect during training. In addition, we discuss obtaining information about job placement after graduating.

Lecture 20 explores how students afford graduate school. In some schools, the graduate students are paid, while in others, the student must pay for all of their education. Doctoral programs in clinical psychology, especially in research universities, often waive tuition and pay a stipend for being a research assistant. However, many other programs offer no tuition waver or stipend. This lecture explores those options for paying for graduate school.

Lecture 21 discusses the location of the school and quality of life. Choosing certain locations, such as the east or west coasts, which are very popular, means much greater competition for spots in the graduate programs. We review where to apply across the U.S. based on where you might want to live and where you may face less competition for acceptance into graduate programs.

Lecture 22 discusses how many graduate programs students should apply to. Too few means less chance of getting accepted, but too many doesn't increase your chances of getting accepted.

Lecture 23 is the first lecture in Section 3. In section 3 we review how to apply for graduate school, starting with putting together a strong curriculum vitae (CV) or resume. The PDF file accompanying this lecture includes slides shown throughout section 3 (Lectures 23-39).

Lecture 24 is an overview of a CV. An example of a CV is reviewed to highlight the important areas that need to be included in your CV (or resume).

Lecture 25 covers things you do not need to include on your CV.

Lecture 26 reviews the nine areas that program directors report are the most important ones they consider when selecting students for admission into their graduate program. These nine areas are presented in order from most important to least important (all are important, it's just the relative importance). Five of these nine require more explanation, and those are done, in order of importance, in lectures 27-37.

Lecture 27 begins the discussion of letters of reference. In this first of three parts, we discuss information your recommender needs to know about you to write a good letter of recommendation.

Lecture 28 covers strategies to get the best letters of recommendation.

Lecture 29 reviews how to ask people for letters of recommendation. It's not as simple as just asking, "Will you write me a letter of recommendation."  We discuss when to ask, how to ask, and what information you need to provide.

Lectures 30 and 31 review writing a personal statement about yourself and your interest in graduate school, especially their graduate program. Every program will require some form of personal statement, which may be called a biographical essay or may include a few specific questions about yourself and your interests to which you must respond.

Lecture 31 continues the discussion of writing personal statements.

Lecture 32 covers the importance of your GPA for getting into Master's or Doctoral programs.

Lecture 33 discusses the types of interviews commonly used by graduate selection committees.

Lecture 34 reviews common questions you will be asked during graduate interviews.

Lecture 35 lists some questions you should be prepared to ask faculty members during the interview process.

Lecture 36 lists some questions you should ask current graduate students at the program during the interview process.

Lecture 37 discusses the importance, or lack thereof, of GRE scores.

Lecture 38 discusses the possibility that you do not get accepted into graduate school. We review options to improve your application. We also discuss the possibility that you may need to explore another profession.

Lecture 39 offers options for further guidance. This course provides the basics needed to apply to graduate school, but everyone is different, and you may need specific guidance in one-on-one coaching.