Graduate Application Guide for Psychology Students

Applying to graduate school can seem like a daunting process. With undergraduate studies complete, candidates must navigate paperwork, tests, and graduate school applications. Make a list of 10-12 schools you wish to apply to based on factors such as your desired concentration, cost, location, format, and accreditation.

Once you know the targets, it makes it easy to focus on the application process. This resource demystifies the process of getting into graduate schools for psychology, breaking it down into several relatively easy steps. Discover how to apply to graduate school, common requirements, how to develop a polished application packet, and what to expect during the application process in this helpful guide.

Begin the application as early as possible. Timelines may vary based on when you plan to start classes, but here’s a sample of what to do if you start classes in the fall.

Research whether your school’s admissions office offers waivers for applications. After sending your materials, you should receive confirmation from the school that your application is now under review.

Given that application guidelines vary by school, carefully review each school’s requirements. Some applicants choose a college admissions service company many schools sign up for to simplify the process. While CommonApp serves undergraduates, Liaison International’s GradCAS is the leader in graduate admissions services. Through GradCAS, students use a single application to apply to multiple graduate schools for psychology.

Schools with rolling admissions give you a large window of opportunity to submit your materials. This window ranges from a few months to all year. During rolling admissions, schools and departments review applications as they receive them.

The advantages for the applicant include stress reduction since you decide your readiness level and timeline. The earlier you apply, the greater your chances for acceptance. The fewer applicants competing for the same spot increases your odds. Expect to receive a response in 4-8 weeks. Schools with rolling admissions allow you to secure a spot when all other deadlines and options have been unsuccessful.

Schools that issue admissions offers in rounds divide their application cycles into multiple periods. While application periods vary, they function within relatively tight schedules with firm opening and closing dates.

One notable variant is that schools divide their annual admission cycle into early and regular decision windows. If you apply during an early decision window, you may have an advantage since all available slots will be open, but you will likely need to commit to attending the school if accepted.

Admission rounds have other benefits and drawbacks. Fortunately, you can buy time to improve your application by targeting a later window. Later rounds may also attract fewer applicants, reducing your competition depending on the number of available slots.

However, if you apply during later windows, you may have to commit to a later program start date. Some schools also open a set number of program slots for the year, filling that fixed number across all successive windows. Fewer spots may be available in later windows, impacting your application’s outcome.

A bachelor’s degree in psychology makes it easier to transition to a graduate program in psychology because students are already familiar with psychology. Yet, most programs do not require applicants to have a bachelor’s degree in psychology as long as they complete prerequisite psychology and research courses.

Some graduate schools prefer students with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. Many others allow non-psychology students to take prerequisite psychology courses that will give exposure to foundational theories, research methods, and psychology statistics.

Some undergraduate degrees facilitate an easier transition to a graduate program in psychology than others. “Maximizing your undergraduate experiences with internships or specialized learning opportunities can prepare you for graduate school and help you stand out as an applicant. Seeking work or research opportunities in the field can also strengthen your application,” said Pietrucha.

Students with a bachelor’s degree in sociology study human nature and the inherent psychological theories this entails. Conversely, math majors have the mathematical skills necessary for the research aspect of psychology but may not have the requisite knowledge of psychological science.

The only way to address these knowledge gaps is to identify what each psychology department expects from graduate applicants. Research graduate schools that enroll students with a non-psychology degree. Find out the breadth of supplemental, upper-level psychology classes they require and if you must complete these before applying.

Most graduate schools in psychology remain part of a university with an undergraduate program in which you can enroll to complete those required courses. If not, enroll at another college offering the prerequisite courses needed for application to a graduate psychology program. The graduate school may even apply a limited number of those credits to your master’s degree.

Ensure the program you choose to take prerequisite classes holds institutional accreditation. Without that designation, your credits will not be accepted by other accredited schools.

Many students enter master’s programs in psychology with at least a year or two of work experience in psychology in a capacity such as a research assistant. The necessity of this level of experience depends entirely on the department requirements, the professors, and their labs.

Some professors in your area of expertise want research assistants as part of the graduate program and may want them to have knowledge and experience. Others will not require work experience because of the nature of the program.

Use your research skills to contact the psychology department, particularly the professors focusing on your specialization. Determine if they accept new students and what they seek in new graduate students for work in the labs. Faculty members generally list their acceptance status on their profiles.

If the professor you wish to work with requires some work experience and you don’t have it, other skills may compensate for the deficit. For instance, if you worked in a corporate environment for a couple of years, you may bring some skill sets of interest to a psychology professor specializing in industrial/organizational psychology. A prospective forensic psychology student with work experience in the justice system holds firsthand knowledge that may interest a professor specializing in forensic psychology.

The GRE is the standardized test most graduate psychology schools require for admission. The GRE General Test covers verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and analytical writing. These sections measure students’ aptitude to succeed in today’s competitive graduate schools.

The GRE Subject Tests cover knowledge and skills in six subjects, including psychology. This specialized psychology test requires the test-taker to have prior knowledge of the subject through undergraduate studies or other extensive experience.

Students take the GRE, administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS), in paper- or computer-delivered format. While some graduate schools no longer require the GRE or substitute other skills and qualifications for the test, most master’s programs in psychology require it.

Test-takers pay $231.30 for the GRE General Test and $150 for the GRE Subject Tests. ETS delivers the paper version of the GRE three times yearly and the computer test year-round at established locations.

Students may receive test waivers from their prospective graduate programs. Finding schools that offer waivers can reduce the stress of applying for graduate psychology programs. A waiver may also help those applying late in the application season. ETS reports the scores back to students in two weeks, but it takes weeks or months to adequately prepare for the GRE.

In general, schools that require the GRE only offer waivers to students with high GPAs, extensive work experience, or advanced degrees. Applicants with lower GPAs than required for entry can use a strong GRE score to bolster their applications. Contact each school to learn about their waiver process.

Shoot for a score in the 50th-75th percentile. A score in the 75th percentile means you score higher than most test-takers. A score in the 75th percentile means you score higher than most test-takers. Based on GRE score percentiles from 2020-2023, test-takers in at least the 75th percentile scored at least:

Find out more about verbal and quantitative reasoning scores below.

The psychology subject test comprises 205 questions from undergraduate coursework in cognitive, developmental, and clinical psychology. The ETS provides interpretative information for the subject tests, which differs from the general exam.

After you complete the GRE, expect to get the results in 10-15 days. Your score report outlines your personal details, including your name, address, date of birth, major, and test dates. The test report outlines your GRE test score and an associated percentile rank.

The GRE breaks down into:

ETS scores the verbal reasoning and quantitative reasoning sections based on how many questions the test-taker correctly answers. A trained ETS reader scores the essay for the analytical writing section.

How do I determine if my score competes well against other applicants? Each school collects its own average GRE scores by program. Research admission requirements and visit the FAQ pages on each school’s official website and see how you compare to other applicants. If you do not hit the target, it does not mean you do not qualify for graduate school. The graduate admissions committee considers your entire application packet, including your undergraduate GPA, work experience, and essay.

At this stage, anticipation can go into overdrive as your anxiety simmers. Many graduate applicants sit in this application limbo, waiting for results that seem to take forever. “Be patient and stay hopeful. Admissions processes can sometimes take time and once you’ve submitted your application, you’ve done all you can do until you hear back. Try to distract yourself with fun or enjoyable things while you wait,” Pietrucha said.

There’s little to do now but adopt a positive attitude and know that even if you get a rejection, you’re still likely waiting to hear back about several other applications. In the meantime, the letter confirming receipt of your application materials should include information on how to check your application status online.

The timeline for receiving an acceptance or rejection letter depends on when you apply. If you apply in the fall, you can typically receive an answer by April.

Once you’ve received your acceptance letter, the financial aid envelope with details on paying for your education should be within reach. If you have been accepted to multiple schools, make sure to visit campuses, meet with professors, talk to students in the program, and look at your surroundings.

Your prospective program could be your new home for at least two years — make sure you love it. The financial aid you receive also factors into the decision-making process. If there are outstanding “first-choice” schools you’d like to hear from before you decide, write a letter to the “second-choice” schools requesting a decision deadline extension if necessary.

If you receive rejection letters, take heart and learn from your mistakes. There’s nothing wrong with a polite phone call or email to each department to determine how to make a stronger application. Take the GRE again. Get feedback about your application materials from knowledgeable and impartial people. Use all feedback you receive to make yourself a stronger applicant.

Page last reviewed on May 24, 2024