What to Ask Yourself Before Applying to Grad School

The end of the academic year and the start of summer is the time that many college students think about their futures. One future consideration is whether to apply to graduate school, whether in psychology or some other field. There are some questions you should ask yourself if grad school may be in your future. As a starting point, they include:

What degree will you seek? Before applying anywhere, what degree—a Ph.D., a Psy.D., an M.A., an M.S., or some other degree—will you pursue?

Which universities will you apply to? You need to do your due diligence and identify quality programs that you can reasonably expect to be admitted to—which means you need to take a good, hard look at your credentials (i.e., GPA in psychology and overall GPA, research experiences, relevant extracurricular pursuits and/or internships). In other words, how can you make the best case that you are worthy of being admitted to the grad programs of your choice?

Are you geographically limited? Can you move across the country for grad school or must you stay close to home? In other words, don't apply to grad programs in states where you can't imagine living for four or more years.

Can you imagine going back to school for at least two years (for a Master's degree) or four or more years for a doctorate? It takes time to get a graduate degree. Do you have the time to give?

Who will write your letters of recommendation? You need to identify college or university instructors who can sing your praises and provide concrete evidence that you have what it takes to succeed in grad school. Think about which instructors know you best—and whether they can provide a detailed, candid assessment of your strengths and weaknesses.

Have you had research experience? Have you worked in a lab or on a faculty member's research team? If not, you should seriously consider doing some research so that you can demonstrate your serious interest in pursuing a grad degree.

How many applications should you submit? That depends on time, money (applications usually have a fee, though you can request a waiver if you can demonstrate financial need), whether you are applying to both doctorate and master's programs, and how competitive you feel you are on paper.

Have you considered your debt load? Do you have loans that need to be repaid for your undergraduate education? How much will your graduate education cost on top of those undergraduate loans? You need to do a serious audit of your finances and possibly speak to an expert who can guide you through what is reasonable and what is not.

Applying to graduate school is time-consuming—you need to be organized and allow yourself a year or more to do a thorough and deep job. Better to take your time and make sure going for another degree is a good idea. As you ask yourself and answer the above questions, other questions will occur to you. Take them seriously. Good luck!