4. Submit your research to a student conference and continue item #4 from sophomore year.
5. Investigate summer jobs or educational/research opportunities related to psychology. Many summer
internships are available through laboratories or professional organizations. If you are a minority
student, investigate the minority summer programs, such as those at the University of South Carolina
and the University of Georgia, or the minority summer research experience offered by Bell
Laboratories. Check with your department faculty on a regular basis concerning available
opportunities, and apply early.
6. Prepare, register for and, in the spring, take the aptitude test of the Graduate Record Examination
(GRE) and the Miller Analogies Test (MAT), even if you have not yet decided to apply for graduate
school. (Author’s update: Fewer and fewer graduate schools are requiring the MAT and more and
more are requiring the GRE Subject Test.)
7. Check with the campus placement office for dates of on-campus visits by recruiters and with your
department chair for dates of visits by graduate school representatives. Determine the types of
opportunities available and list the ones of greatest interest to you for future contact.
The Summer Before Your Senior Year
1. Obtain summer employment, experience, or education related to psychology. If you are seriously
considering graduate school, retake in summer school any classes in which you received a grade below
a “B.” Of special importance are Statistics and Research Methods.
2. Decide if you are going to graduate school (and, if so, in what field) or if you plan to work
immediately following graduation. However, do not do anything that would prevent you from
changing your decision later or from pursuing the other option if existing plans fail. The books
mentioned in item #3 below should aid you in your decision.
3. Consult the APA publication Graduate Studies in Psychology for requirements and information on
graduate programs in psychology. List schools of interest to you, and request from them bulletins,
brochures, financial aid forms, and department application forms. For job ideas, descriptions, skills
needed, and interview techniques, consult the following APA publications: The Psychology Major:
Training and Employment Strategies, Getting In: A Step-by-Step Plan for Gaining Admission to
Graduate School in Psychology, Career Opportunities for Psychologists. List job areas to pursue and
investigate sources of additional training you will need.
4. Prepare for the advanced GRE test in psychology by studying the commercially available books and
software, and by re-reading your general psychology textbook, including the sections on statistics and
methodology. Register for the early fall offerings of the aptitude and the advanced tests. Repeated
testing should improve your scores. Also, register for the Miller Analogies Test (MAT) and study the
types of items it contains.
5. Revise and update your resume to include new experiences. Remember neatness and organization
create a good first impression.
6. Save money for graduate school application fees, resumes, and transcript costs.
The Fall Semester of Your Senior Year
1. Be sure you take (and pass) all classes needed to graduate. Obtain a statement of standing from your