This timeline was set up for an ideal application situation for students who know that they would like to attend graduate school the year after they graduate with their bachelors and where the applications are due in January. Many masters programs will have due dates in February, March, and April. Some programs will admit students in the Spring or Summer in addition Autumn. M graduate school applicants will take a few years to work as a researcher in a lab, have some experiences in a social services or to figure out their path.
Sophomore Year
- Work on general education requirements and take psychology major requirements.
- Begin developing relationships with faculty members.
- Consider working on research with faculty
Junior Year
- Continue to complete psychology and general requirements. Take a statistics course.
- Begin working on research with faculty members and continue throughout the year.
- Start thinking about who you may ask for letters of recommendation. Meet with faculty to discuss graduate schools and to gather advice.
- Join professional organizations or honor societies such as Psi Chi, APA or ACA.
- Begin preparing for the GRE. Take a sample test online at www.gre.org to see how much studying you will need to complete.
- Do fieldwork or volunteer work if interested in counseling or clinical psychology.
- Begin investigating graduate programs.
Summer Between Junior And Senior Years
- Review application materials for programs.
- Write a resume and take it to the Center for Career Services in Mary Gates Hall for review.
- Study for and take the GRE.
Senior Year
October/November
- Set up a grad school file in the Center for Career Services for your letters of recommendation.
- Request letters of recommendation.
- Finish Resume/Vita and write letter of intent or statement of purpose. Have them checked for spelling and grammar.
- Check into assistantship and fellowship programs.
December
- Complete written or online applications for graduate school and specific program.
- Have GRE scores, transcripts and letters of recommendation sent to programs.
- Verify with programs that they have received all parts of your application.
- Complete financial aid forms if necessary.
January-March
- Interview with programs and send thank you notes to interviewers.
- Send thank you notes to faculty who wrote letters of recommendation.
- Receive offers or wait list notices.
- Apply for assistantships or fellowships.
April 15
Officially notify graduates schools of intentions.