What are my chances of getting into a grad program (MA/possibly PhD), and what else can I do to make my chances better?

[psycguy94]

Here are some things about me. I am a senior undergraduate student at the U of I in Champaign studying Psychology (did not declare as my major until last spring, changed major many times). However psychology is something I have found to enjoy and am intrigued by (taken over 30 PSYC hrs in just 2 semesters) . At the moment I have a 3.17 GPA (this low mostly due to apathy stemming from confusion/switching majors) and after this year I will have 3 semesters experience of being a research assistant in a lab. After my undergrad career is finished I anticipate my GPA to be ~3.2-3.25. First question, am I looking even remotely competitive for MA psych (preferably counseling) programs? I've read psych programs are very competitive. I am not looking at top tier schools like NW or U of Chicago, or even U of I, I'm fairly aware of where my chances stand with top tier schools. Anyway I also plan on taking a gap year after this Spring, to prepare for graduate school for the fall of 2018. In the meantime I anticipate studying for and taking the GRE and gaining more experience. My second question is, does this sound like a good idea? And if I want to get accepted into a counseling psychology MA program where should I look for and what kind of jobs/internships should I look into to gain experience? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. 

[Blackwater]

I think acceptance would depend on what schools you are trying to get into. I would look to find the average GPA of accepted students for the programs you are interested in. If your GPA falls more than .2 below the average you may want to consider taking more psychology classes to bolster your GPA. 

[Yep]

Research And GRE scores can really get you in the door for an interview. Be ready to explain the low GPA (low for being competitive) and have back up statistics showing GPA in psych only courses, or courses in the last two years. When applying, you must look into what the faculty is researching and whether it matches your research experience. THose are a couple tips i think can push into the right direction.