ADVICE ON GRADUATE SCHOOL ADMISSIONS PROCEDURES

Checklist

June-September (junior year)

1. The student should read the bulletins and catalogues of the various graduate schools to ascertain which ones are of interest based on his qualifications and needs. These publications may be found in the library or psychology department office.
2. One should then send for the bulletins and catalogues from the graduate schools. It is best to have personal copies for reference. The graduate psychology department may also have additional brochures which would be helpful.
3. The summer months are a good time to prepare for the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and the Miller Analogies Test (MAT). There are any number of review books and texts which will be helpful.

September (senior year)

1. The student should consult with psychology department counselors and faculty members for information about graduate programs, application procedures, qualifying examinations, and fulfillment of undergraduate requirements, if this has not been done previously.
2. The student should request admission applications early and also check the deadlines for submitting each one.
3. At the same time, it is advisable to request applications for financial assistance, especially if these are not routinely sent with the admission forms.
4. If one's undergraduate school has an office in charge of fellowships, scholarships, and/or loans, this is the time to pick up all the necessary forms. Deadlines for fellowship applications are even earlier than for admissions. If the appropriate material is not available through the school, the student may consult the A.P.A. manual, Graduate Study in Psychology.
5. The Graduate Record Examination applications may be obtained either from the school or at the following address:

   
         Educational Testing Service
   
         P.O. Box 6000
   
         Princeton, New Jersey  08541-0001
   
         Phone: 609-921-9052
   
   
   
      The fee is $60 for the general aptitude test and $30 for each advanced test.  
   
   
   
      The examinations are given in October, December, January, February, April and June.
   
   The October administration of the examinations will be preferred for two reasons.  First, 
   
   it meets the deadline requirements for fellowships and other financial aid programs, and 
   
   second, there is sufficient time to retake the tests if the results do not fulfill expectations.
   
   In this case, both sets of scores will be sent out to the graduate schools by testing 
   
   services.  Registration for the October administration is usually during the first week of 
   
   September. 
   
   

6. Miller Analogies Test (MAT) applications may be requested from the following address:

   
         The Psychological Corporations
   
         304 East 45 Street
   
         New York, New York  10017
   
         Phone: 212-754-3215
   
   
   
         The fee is locally determined.
   
   

7. It is important to request a student copy of one's owntranscript from each undergraduate institution in order to check for errors and omissions. We cannot emphasize this step too strongly.

October

1. Graduate schools generally require from three to five letters of recommendation, primarily from faculty members, and then from employers. There may or may not be forms for such letters included in the application packet. The student should request permission of the people who will be asked to serve as references before their names are submitted. Once this has been one, it is advisable to prepare a short biography giving the most up to date information including grade point averages (comprehensive and psychology) and other salient facts in order to familiarize professors with your record. A stamped, addressed envelope for each letter requested should be provided.
2. Most admissions committees require a personal statement of background and interest relevant to a graduate career in psychology. It should be prepared in advance so that it can be reviewed by a knowledgeable person prior to submission. The best approach is to be objective, sincere, honest, and brief as possible. Two or three typewritten pages are more than sufficient.

December

1. If the student has not taken the GRE, it should be taken now for September admissions.
2. If applications are due in January, it is time to prepare final copies. They should be mailed at least two weeks before the deadline. One should keep a Xeroxed copy of each application.
3. The following items should be sent out at this time:
   • applications for admission
   • requests for financial aid and proof of need, if requested
   • personal statement, if required
   • fees (check or money order)
   • undergraduate transcripts from all institutions attended and graduate transcripts for M.A. students
   • stamped, self-addressed postcards for verification of application materials (usually requested by school anyway)
   The student should be careful to ascertain that each part of the application packet is sent to the correct address. Sometimes financial aid forms, for example, are sent to a different office.
4. MAT and GRE scores will be sent by the testing services to schools requested on the application forms. Requests for additional copies may be made in writing to the previously listed address accompanied by appropriate fees for each additional institution.
5. Letters of recommendation are to be sent out directly by faculty members. Students should check to see that this has been done.

December-April

April

While we hope that the limited suggestions we have supplied here will be of assistance to psychology students, we must emphasize that there is no substitute for the advice of a knowledgeable faculty member.

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