PLEASE NOTE: This is an excellent guideline to follow regardless of whether you plan to apply to graduate programs or enter the work world. You will need to make yourself marketable whatever the path you take. These suggestions will help you make the most of your undergraduate psychology career.

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Freshman Year

* Take Psychology 181 (Intro), Psychology 100 (Career Planning for Psychology Majors) and 2 other 200- level Psychology courses.

* Finish English composition course work (2 classes)

* Work on general education requirements

* Join the Undergraduate Psychology Organization (UPO) by simply attending meetings and special functions.

* Tentatively map out your psychology course sequence, paying special attention to requirements for the department. Keep in mind that it would be better to take the bulk of your more difficult, solid psychology courses in your junior year to help you prepare for the GRE, if graduate school is in your plans.

* Become familiar with various resources including library search systems, the Internship Office, and the Career Planning and Placement Office. Familiarity with these resources will make you feel much more comfortable when working with them later.

* Attend any colloquiums, workshops, discussions, or functions sponsored by the Psychology department and begin to familiarize yourself with faculty members and fellow psychology students.

* Periodically check announcement boards (both UPO and PSI CHI have bulletin boards on the first floor of Burnett Hall) for any upcoming events or items of interest and plan to take advantage of any opportunity that arises.

* Be sure to meet with your advisor! Questions that seem impossible and obstacles that seem insurmountable may be put into perspective with a fresh point of view.

 

Sophomore Year

* Take Psychology 350 and 2-3 other Psychology courses in order to complete your 200-level requirements. [If you plan to take Psych 450, take it immediately after 350. If you are considering a Ph.D. research oriented graduate program, Psych. 450 is highly recommended .] Psychology 450 is only offered in the fall semester. Psych 451 is offered in the spring.

* Continue working on general education requirements.

* Think about a possible minor or minors, and discuss your ideas with your advisor.

* Continue your involvement in UPO and think about becoming involved as an officer or committee chair.

* Look into requirements for PSI CHI, the Psychology honorary. Apply to this organization as soon as you meet the requirements. [There is a section about Psi Chi in this Handbook.]

* Become acquainted with several faculty members in the psychology department above and beyond simple classroom interaction. This may require you to become more assertive than you are used to, but it may open many doors in terms of research opportunities, possible internships, and a general feeling that you are a "part" of the department. This will also help you build contacts that may later provide sources for letters of recommendation.

* Begin to explore research opportunities with faculty. Ask them if they have openings for research assistants and volunteer your time. Working with a professor through research will allow you to familiarize yourself with the application of psychological research procedures, as well as help you build professional relationships in the department. The area of research may not be exactly what your main interest is, but remember: It is the research experience itself that is most important. You can focus your research in a particular area if it is not currently being studied in the department through independent projects or an honors thesis.

* Look for faculty members or upperclass students to act as mentors . UPO has a mentor/mentee program that pairs underclass students with more experienced upperclass students who share similar interests and goals. Faculty members are also invaluable sources of information. Don't be afraid to ask questions and visit them during their office hours.

* Begin to explore internship opportunities in areas of interest to you. Go over to the Internship Office, 345 Nebraska Union . You should begin internships (if interested in clinical or counseling psychology) during your 2nd semester or over the summer. One internship letter may be used when applying to some graduate programs. Any type of volunteer work is also helpful for gaining practical experience in your field and making important contacts that may help you later. (Remember sometimes it's not what you know but WHO you know).

* Continue to attend programs sponsored by the department. UNL sponsors the Nebraska Symposium on Motivation annually. Plan to attend as many sessions as possible, as well as any other workshops or guest lectures. Watch for notices on bulletin boards, read the Psi Chi Newsletter, and periodically check with the department office (238 Burnett) for information on Department happenings.

* Continue to meet regularly with your advisor and keep your program plan on track.

* Visit the Career Services Center , 230 Nebraska Union , and write a preliminary resume using the Resume Expert service available there. Your resume will then be put on a disk which can be updated at any time in the future. [There is more information about this service later in this packet.]

*If you are looking at a career in human services, begin volunteering a few hours a week in a community agency, etc. Opportunities can be found through the Internship Office, through the United Way , or at various other agencies or organizations throughout Lincoln .

 

Junior Year

* Continue to work towards completion of any basic general education requirements.

* Continue working on a minor(s).

* Continue working on the psychology major. Begin to take 400-level course work. Remember, now is the time period that you should be taking the bulk of your solid and difficult psychology courses to prepare for your subject GRE. Avoid taking psychology classes Pass/No Pass, and keep in mind that most schools look for mainline courses.

* Begin focusing your interests in a particular departmental emphasis (e.g., developmental, social, clinical).

* Continue to develop your relationships with departmental faculty. You will need to have at least 2 (sometimes 3 or more) letters of recommendation for graduate school applications. Make sure you are not just a face in a classroom.

* Explore opportunities for joining professional organizations (if eligible, Psi Chi; student affiliate of the American Psychological Association), and become an active member.

* Redraft your preliminary resume (at the Career Services Center if you originally used the Resume Expert service). Keep it as up-to-date as possible.

* Continue doing internships and volunteering at service agencies or other organizations.

 

Second Semester, Junior Year

* Begin work on a paper on your previous research ideas (for possible publication or presentation). Look into using this as an opportunity to do an honors thesis for Graduation with Distinction from the College of Arts and Sciences (information packet is available in 107 Oldfather).

* Pick up the GRE packet (107 Oldfather or Room 230 Nebraska Union).

* Buy study guides for the GRE and, if applicable, the Miller Analogies Test. Begin studying. Students have been taking their general test in the summer, if they have prepared for it, so that there isn't as much pressure in the fall of their senior year for everything. Students have recommended the GRE books by ARCO and Cliff's Notes as very helpful. There are also computerized tests now that you can buy to practice.

 

Summer Between Junior and Senior Years

* Begin researching graduate programs that interest you. Write to those programs and ask them for a list of their department faculty and research interests, and all needed application materials, including information on financial aid. The Graduate Study in Psychology book published by the American Psychological Association is a great source for locating prospective schools. It also provides addresses and the names of people to write to for information. Love Library has a copy that you can check out. It might be worth your while to buy your own copy of this book. Ask faculty about your prospective choices, and watch for PSI CHI or UPO-sponsored workshops on applying to graduate schools. Students will also be able to access graduate school information at the following webpage: www.psychwww.com/resource/deptlist.htm

* Seriously investigate prospective graduate programs. (Consult with faculty and library resources.) Make a note of any programs that have earlier than usual deadlines (i.e., January 1). Most schools look for "fit" between interests of faculty and what you want to do.

* Take the GRE General Test over the summer if you are prepared for it. If your scores are competitive, then you do not have to take it the fall semester when things become very busy.

* Through the application materials, find out about any additional requirements or tests needed by individual graduate school programs.

* Continue updating your resume. You will want to include a copy of this in your application packet both to your recommenders and to the schools to which you apply.

* Prepare a draft Statement of Intent. Have several faculty look it over and help you revise as needed. This statement is very critical in the application process. Note: it should be tailored to each program you apply to. This can be used as a general guideline, but should not be used as a generic copy sent with every application. This statement is very critical. Many programs do not interview applicants. This may very well be the only personal part of your application.

 

Senior Year

* Complete all impressive degree requirements, research, and fieldwork by December. Continue the research and fieldwork, however into the 2 nd semester.

* September-November -- Decide which schools to apply to and write for application forms (if you haven't already done so). Nowadays you can access the schools on the web and download nearly everything you will need.

* September-November – Retake general GRE test if you need to.

* October -- Talk to faculty about writing letters of recommendation. Prepare a packet for each of your recommenders including a copy of your resume, a statement of your interests and careers goals, your GPA (overall, and Psychology), a list of the psychology courses you have taken or are planning to complete before graduation, GRE scores, and anything else of interest. Consider including a copy of a paper you completed for the letter writer to remind them of your work. Be sure to include all forms they may need, as well as addressed, stamped envelopes. Check the guidelines of each school you are applying to and make sure they have everything they need.

* November or December -- Make sure to check the deadlines of each school you are applying to so that the scores will be received by the deadline.

* December-January -- Submit application materials way ahead of deadlines. Request transcripts by early January. [This date might change, based on the application deadline of various programs.] Just before deadlines, call each school's admissions secretary and ask if your file is complete. Make a chart listing each school and its attributes that are important to you. Think about financing.

* March-April -- Most schools will make their decisions known during this time, and will expect a decision from you a few weeks later.** You will most likely receive an acceptance letter first, and funding offers will come later. You may want to visit schools or call them and talk to professors and current graduate students to find out more about the school before making your decision.

**Remember -- Some schools may start calling you in mid-February. Protect your image -- watch for messages on answering machines, etc.

 

This information was compiled from various sources, especially from the book, Is Psychology the Major for You? , published by the APA and from Dan Leger's Graduate School in Psychology: Application Procedures . Revisions were made with special reference to The Complete Guide to Graduate School Admissions by Patricia Keith-Spiegal.