Psychology is a growing field. As such, gaining admission to a PhD program in psychology is rapidly becoming a competitive endeavor. In order to give yourself the greatest chance of procuring a spot in a psychology PhD, it is essential that you know how to prepare a successful application.

1. Learn why people trust wikiHow
How to Prepare for a Phd in Psychology
Author Info
Updated: March 29, 2019
Psychology is a growing field. As such, gaining admission to a PhD program in psychology is rapidly becoming a competitive
endeavor. In order to give yourself the greatest chance of procuring a spot in a psychology PhD, it is essential that you know
how to prepare a successful application.
1 Gain admission to a four-year college or university and earn a B.A. or B.S. in psychology. Although
some schools will consider students with a degree in a field other than psychology, majoring in psychology
will give you a stronger application.
2 Explore the various psychology specialties (social, behavioral, experimental, cognitive, clinical,
health, industrial, etc), and decide which one you want to pursue.
Read articles that have been published in every area that interests you. Much of your time spent in
graduate school will be spent doing research in your chosen specialty, so finding out what type of
research interests you most can be incredibly helpful when selecting your specialty.
Seek advice from faculty in each specialty you are considering. An experienced faculty member can
provide guidance about graduate schools and careers in their area.
If possible, shadow someone who is currently practicing in the specialty you plan to pursue. This will
give you an idea of what the realities of the job will be.
3 Procure an internship or volunteer position that allows you to work with researchers in your
chosen specialty. In addition to looking great on an application, it can also be extremely helpful when
trying to find someone to write a letter of recommendation.
4 Keep your GPA up. Without a solid GPA, it will be virtually impossible to gain admission to a reputable
PhD program.
5 Take any courses in your specialty offered by your department. Advanced research courses and
courses in cognitive psychology can also be helpful regardless of your specialty.
6 Decide which PhD programs you will apply to.
Determine what you're looking for in a PhD program.
7 Make a list of programs you will apply to. Include the names of the schools as well as a list of their
application requirements.
8 Take the Graduate Record Exam (GRE). You will most likely need to take the general exam as well as the
GRE Subject Exam in Psychology.
Register for the GRE exams by going to the Educational Testing Service's website.
Study vigorously for both of these exams. Your scores will factor heavily into the admission committee's
decision.
Steps

2. 9 Request letters of recommendation from professors in whose classes you have performed well.
10 Write your statements of purpose.
Read any relevant information on preparing a statement of purpose for psychology PhD programs.
Consider things like ranking, funding, whether or not you can earn an MA along the way, and how well your
research interests align with research currently being done within the department when selecting a possible PhD
program.
Send an information packet to your recommendation providers that details your academic achievements, research
experience, career goals, and any other information you believe will help them write your recommendation.
1. http://www.apa.org/gradpsych/2007/11/cover-route.aspx
2. http://www.csulb.edu/~psy301/gradprep.html http://www.ets.org/gre
Tips
References