Explain This to Me Like I'm a Six Year Old

[Edible]

Good morning, patrons of the GradCafe (GradCafé?). My (user)name is Edible, and I know nothing about applying for grad school. I'm so overwhelmed by the prospect that I sought out a place specifically to discuss it. This setting felt more appropriate for such a conversation than the usual professional wrestling forums I frequent. You know how it is: Great place for enjoying glorified carny entertainment with toothless hicks, but pretty mediocre when it comes to expertise on higher education. Still, props to the toothless hicks for figuring out how to communicate using the fancy word machine.

So, here's the skinny: Undergrad in psych with two years down (less one course) and a major average of B+. No research experience. No knowledge of how to seek out graduate programs. Nobody that springs to mind as somebody I can ask for a reference. Very few redeeming qualities at all.

I know what you're thinking. "B+? Surely he can't be serious." Well, I am. And if you're going to call me Surely, make sure you spell it correctly.

Anyhow, I recently overcame some serious motivation issues. I'm clean. I swear it. About the B+: I'm better than that. No, really. I'm actually what most people would call "smart." Whatever that means. I can kill any coursework dead when I want to and am at the moment highly aroused with the notion of research in psychology, especially that of the social persuasion.

So, let's assume I take my next two years (plus one course) of undergrad, including an honours thesis, and just kill it dead. What else should I be doing to ensure my best chances for graduate school admittance? How do I best go about researching grad programs? For further help, should I tie down my academic advisor and waterboard her?

In the realm of grad school admissions, I am a virgin. Take me now.

Also, apologies if this is in the wrong part of the forum. It seemed too general for most other sections. Such is burden I carry for knowing nothing.

[schoolpsych_hopeful]

It's really great that you're planning ahead! It's important to start thinking about grad school as early as possible. In terms of the admission process, there's a lot more to it that I would be able to explain here. I recommend this book: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1591477999/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0155050699&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1HKS7QR62J7J666NXKB0 It's written specifically for people looking to go into Psychology, and it explains the process in detail.

I don't think your B+ average is a problem, but you definitely want to pull your overall GPA up to a 3.5 at least. Adcoms like to see an upward trend in your grades.

The best advice I can give you is to get involved in research! You absolutely need research experience if you want to pursue graduate school in psychology. Contact your professors and see if they have any openings for a research assistant. Even if you start out just doing something boring like data-entry, it opens the door for more opportunities down the road.

[repatriate]

Edible, kudos on finding your motivation and thinking ahead about this.

Your GPA definitely won't keep you out of graduate school. (I got into some top psychology programs with a 3.2 undergraduate GPA.) But showing a pattern of improvement is important, so really put everything you've got into the rest of your classes. Also be prepared for questions about your GPA in interviews (depending on how high you can get it), and have a ready response to explain why your early performance doesn't predict failure in grad school.

There are at least three things you should do starting now to improve your chances.

First, as schoolpsych_hopeful said, look for opportunities to work as a research assistant in one or more labs on your campus. This is the most important thing. It is what I hear over and over from faculty when they comment on student profiles. If you don't know what kind of research is going on at your school, go to office hours and ask your professors what they study. They will be happy to talk about it. Or you can find out by looking on the department's website. Ask around about working as a research assistant and get in as many semesters as your can.

Second, if you haven't already, start reading journal articles in research areas that interest you. If you like social psychology, look at the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology and Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. A good way to get into a particular topic is to read a review article, such as those published in Personality and Social Psychology Review. Reading these articles will do two things for you: 1) it will help you write a focused and clear statement of purpose and appear knowledgeable in interviews, and 2) it will help you find out where to apply. As you narrow in on research topics and methodologies you find interesting, start paying attention to the authors of the articles you really like. Find out what schools these people are at and apply there.

Third, join some professional societies such as the Society for Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP) and the Association for Psychological Science (APS). These societies will give you journal subscriptions and useful newsletters with advice for applications. Once you are becoming comfortable with the literature in your field and have some research experience, you can be a reviewer for SPSP and APS student research competitions, which is a bonus for your CV. You can also attend their conferences to network and learn about the topics that are of interest to researchers right now (as opposed to studies they published years ago and may have moved on from).

That's all that comes to mind immediately, but it will be a good foundation.

[chak]

Also try to remember that the most important thing is to not tell the faculty reading your personal statement why you should be chosen, but SHOW it. Pardon me for skimming but another advice that I can add is to contact the programs that you want to get into and try to establish a relationship with a professor in the institution that you're applying for. Considering you're going to have a specific professor guiding your way through your degree, you might as well seek them out right now.

Another set of helpful advice is to time manage and know your limits. I know it sounds obvious, but take my last semester for example. I was taking 18 credits (roughly 6 classes) on top of participating in 3 research labs as a research assistant. I was getting a 3.8 for the semester until the finals where the pressure was just too much. Now if I decided to "chill out" then I would of probably gotten that 3.8 =/. Instead it was a 3.5. What a bummer.

Also figure out what area of psychology that you want to get into. For example, if its either clinical or counseling, try to get involved as an undergraduate intern in a clinic. This way you'll get a letter of recc and another job experience that you can include in your resume/cv. Killing two birds with one stone is awesome

[repatriate]

A few things slipped my mind yesterday:

1. Being a research assistant is the best way to get letters of recommendation. It means a lot more for a professor to say "Edible worked in my lab for a year" than "Edible too my class" because the former will be followed up details about your work ethic and knowledge of research and literature, whereas the latter will be followed with "and got an A" and not much else.

2. If you struggle to find research opportunities in the psychology department, you can look more broadly. You will find psychologists (including social psychologists) in lots of schools/departments, especially education and business.

3. I get the impression from your spelling that you are outside the US. Most of the forumites here appear to be US-based and/or applying to US schools, so keep in mind that much of the advice you will read here is tailored to the US graduate school system and may need some adjustment if you are applying elsewhere. Familiariz(s)e yourself with the application process in the country where you will apply and seek out advice from graduate students at your home school to get a sense of what things are like where you are (if you plan on staying there).