Simpson Grad School Guide

Soon you will be finishing your Bachelor's degree at Simpson. If you are thinking about pursuing a Master's, Psy.D. or Ph.D. degree, there are some steps you need to take and some information you need to know to apply to and be admitted to a graduate school of your choice. This handbook serves as a guide for graduate school preparation. It cannot, however, anticipate every question you might have or every situation in which you find yourself. When you feel you need further information or guidance, be sure to meet with your advisor, other members of the psychology department or with the personnel in the Career and Counseling Services Office.

Qualifications for Graduate School

In general, graduate schools related to psychology consider a number of factors in admitting students to their programs. These include standardized test scores (such as the GRE, MAT and LSAT), grade point averages, personal statements, references, research involvement, and clinically related experiences. The book Graduate Study in Psychology reports the relative importance that individual graduate schools place on these and other factors. This book is mentioned later in greater detail.

Standardized Tests

Most psychology graduate schools require applicants to provide them with the results of standardized testing such as the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) and the Miller Analogies Test (MAT). You should take these no later than early in the fall semester of your senior year.

Graduate Record Exam (GRE): Almost all graduate schools in psychology expect applicants to take the GRE. The GRE includes a general test that measures verbal, quantitative and analytical writing competencies, and a separate, advanced test in psychology. The verbal and quantitative measures of the general test are still the most important to graduate schools. The analytical writing test is very new, and therefore graduate schools pay less attention to it. In addition, not all graduate schools will require that you take the advanced test in psychology. Consequently, you should focus your preparation for the GRE test on the verbal and quantitative areas. Application forms for taking the computer-based GRE are available through the Hawley Academic Resource Center, which also has available a software package for practicing to take the GRE. Information about the GRE can be found at www.gre.org

Miller Analogies Test (MAT): Occasionally a graduate school will expect applicants to take the Miller Analogies test (MAT), which presents a number of analogies (A is to B as C is to D) to be solved. See the Director of the Hawley Academic Resource Center to find out where in the Des Moines area the Miller Analogies Test is administered. Drake University and Central College usually offer the test. Information about the Miller Analogies Test can be found at www.milleranalogies.com

Grade-Point Average

Your course grades, especially in psychology, are very important. It may come as a surprise to you that the best graduate schools do not expect all A's. A 3.3 or so is generally in order for Master's level acceptance, and a 3.5 to 3.7 usually is expected for admission to doctoral programs. In many cases a 3.00 G.P.A. is accepted for Master's study. In situations where the student completes a Master's degree prior to applying for a Ph.D., the graduate school still puts a lot of weight on the undergraduate G.P.A. As mentioned later, it is important that you identify and apply to graduate schools that place heavy weight on what your strengths are and that place less weight on what you consider to be your weaknesses. Grades are important, but you will find that a lot of graduate programs look just at the overall psychology G.P.A. and the G.P.A from the junior and senior years.

So, do well in your course work, but also be sure to involve yourself in research, school, co-curricular and job experiences that will work to your credit! (Graduate schools do tend to favor students who take natural science courses, so consider taking some advanced courses in biology or chemistry).

References/Recommendations

Most graduate schools will require at least three references by faculty members or other professionals. References are tremendously important to your chances of being admitted. Consequently, it is in your best interest that your reference writers are impressed with your positive qualities. Throughout your college work you will be gaining a reputation; be sure that it is a positive one! Be sure to give your reference writers at least two weeks to complete a recommendation letter.

Research Involvement

Graduate schools value research efforts by undergraduates. You should be open to any research opportunity. At Simpson you will be required to complete a research project in Psychology 299: Experimental Methodology. You may wish to develop this further so that you can submit it with your application. In addition, you may choose to take Psychology 375: Advanced Research and thereafter Honors in Psychology through Psychology 391/392. Honors in Psychology requires completing a more detailed project that you could submit for publication.

Clinically Related Experience

You may choose to complete a professionally supervised experience through Psychology 351: Practicum in Psychology. It is to your advantage throughout your time at Simpson to seek psychology-related work experiences during the summer or the school year that you can also include in your resume and note on your graduate school applications. References from such professionals are very valuable in obtaining B.A. level positions or in being accepted to graduate school.

Applying to Graduate Schools

During Your Junior Year

Your formal preparation for graduate school should begin by your junior year. You should obtain a study guide for the GRE that you can use to orient yourself to the GRE tests for verbal, quantitative and writing abilities. Check major bookstores like Barnes & Noble or Borders. Your study should include a careful review of the mathematics you have had, because you can fairly easily relearn material such as basic college algebra.

In the spring semester of your junior year you should consider arranging a special independent study for graduate school preparation with the Director of the Hawley Academic Resource Center.

In your junior year you might wish to take PHIL 110: Introduction to Logic, which may help on the analytical writing assessment part of the GRE.

You should make an appointment with the staff of the Career and Counseling Services Office to use "FOCUS", a computer-based career-planning program. In using the program you should be able to sharpen your thoughts about the areas in psychology that you want to pursue further. You also should attend workshops on applying to graduate school that are provided by the Hawley Academic Resource Center.

In Your Senior Year

Apply, even if you're not sure you're ready to go:

You must begin the application process in order to be able to go to graduate school the next fall. If you are not sure you want to go, or if you think you might want to take a year off first, apply anyway! Obviously you can not go if you do not apply. It is less obvious that you do not have to go if you do apply and are admitted. A number of Simpson graduates who thought they needed a year off to "recharge their academic batteries" were ready and anxious to go when the next fall came. Graduate school is a new beginning, not just more undergraduate work! And graduate school often does not cost as much as Simpson, or even Iowa or Iowa State. You might receive tuition remission as well as support worth from $10,000-$12,000 or so through research and/or teaching assistantships, and/or traineeships and fellowship stipends! Unlike undergraduate schools, graduate departments (except for Psy.D. programs) like to provide financial support to their students. Departments are especially proud if they are able to provide full support to their graduate students. In addition, you can apply for various fellowships, which are often not advertised, so you will have to do your own research to find their details.

Take The Required Standardized Tests:

You should take the GRE general test by October. You can apply on-line. You can take the general test any day that your test center has an opening. The subject test in psychology is only offered on rare occasions, so check with your test center for details.

Please ask that a copy of your GRE scores be sent to Simpson College! Doing so will help us evaluate our program and make further improvements.

Choose A Number Of Graduate Programs:

The book Graduate Study in Psychology contains nearly all the information you need to determine to which graduate schools you wish to apply. You might wish to purchase your own copy or you might wish to borrow the book through the psychology department or Dunn Library. In it you will find descriptions of programs available at the Master's or doctoral level, application deadlines, number of faculty within a department, acceptance ratios, admissions criteria, financial aid available, etc. Once you know who is on the faculty at a given school, you may wish to check the APA Directory for additional information on faculty interests or check information on the school's web pages.

For people interested in a clinical or counseling path, it is important to select programs that are APA approved (and not on probation). The list of accredited programs is published each year in the December issue of the American Psychologist, which is available in Dunn Library.

Matching your qualifications to what graduate psychology departments are looking for is tremendously important. Most stress GRE verbal and quantitative scores. Dr. Halgren can provide a fairly accurate estimate of your verbal and quantitative scores based on a multiple regression prediction formula derived from Simpson students' ACT scores and GPA'S. Just ask for it.

It is strongly recommended that you make full application to a number of schools (at least six and usually no more than 12), choosing some that may not accept you, some that probably will accept you, and some that in all likelihood will accept you. If you really want to go, you need to hedge your bets! All offer accredited degrees, and in time nobody will care where you received your degree. (Do you know where the psychology faculty received their degrees? Is it really important to you?) It is not unusual for a school to receive 500 applications and accept fewer than 10. (The ratio of accepted applications to submitted ones is lower for clinical psychology programs than medical school, and in both cases it reflects students like you applying to ten or more schools and finally attending just one).

The psychology faculty would like to review your tentative set of graduate school choices. By doing so we can make more probable your acceptance into a program of your choice. Places in graduate school go unfilled every year while some departments accept only a few of those who apply to their program.

Try to be as flexible as you can in making your preliminary choices. Consider graduate departments in other parts of the country. Consider also various programs that interest you. If you are interested in counseling, consider vocational counseling or clinical programs, or Psy.D. programs, or other related areas such as Marital and Family programs.

By October of your senior year, if not sooner, you should be reviewing web-based information or sending e-mails or postcards (letters are unnecessary) to twenty or more departments you are interested in. Simply ask for information about the department and the specific program. Also, download (or request by postcard or e-mail) the necessary application materials, which might include graduate assistantship and/or fellowship forms. Soon you'll be receiving more mail than you ever have!

Make A Number of Applications:

Once you have decided upon the graduate departments to apply to, make a schedule for applications. Some will be due as early as December 1, more by December 15, others in January and very few by February 15. However, some will be due much later. Do not miss the deadline for application, and don't push it either! You will need to arrange for your GRE scores to be forwarded to the various schools. If you order by phone, do so at least two weeks before the GRE scores are to be available to the graduate schools where you order them sent. You will need to request references from at least three people. Follow the reference guidelines on the next page!

Most schools have application fees from $10 to $40, although some have a fee as high as $55 while others have no fee (programs trying to fill spots usually don't charge a fee). Also keep in mind that all schools request an official transcript. Simpson does not charge for the first but does charge $2 for each transcript thereafter (most schools charge more).

General Information About References:

It is both an honor and a duty for the psychology faculty to write references for you. Departmental faculty will make recommendations for you to as many as twelve graduate departments. But you must adhere to the guidelines below that have been established to facilitate completeness, accuracy, fairness, timeliness as well as efficiency.

Unless you specifically waive your right to see your letters, the reader at the graduate school may assume that your references are not confidential. It is usually assumed that such "open letters" are less frank. It may be to your advantage to elect a "closed" file. If you have doubts about your writer's impression of you, ask!

Most applications request a personal statement of your goals. The admission committee wants to know something about your interests, motives, preparation and ultimate objectives. Be concise, specific, well organized and straightforward. Feel free to have the psychology faculty help you polish your personal statement(s). It is helpful, and wise, to identify a couple of professors at the graduate school that you are applying to as people with whom you would like to do research and why.

Follow The Psychology Department's Guidelines For References:

1. Complete and submit a self-evaluation form to each faculty member asked to write a reference. The form can be obtained from any psychology department faculty member.

2. Provide a copy of your resume to each faculty member writing for you.

3. Schedule an interview with each faculty member writing for you to review your self-evaluation and resume so that your reference letters can be more accurate.

4. Provide a list of the schools being applied to that makes clear the application deadline, the degree, and the particular program being applied to at each school. (The department faculty will submit references on time, but each faculty member reserves the right to accommodate writing your references within their other responsibilities).

5. Supply a stamped and pre-addressed envelope for each requested reference (a traditional courtesy).

Wait For Notification of Acceptance:

By a long-standing agreement among schools, psychology graduate schools notify applicants of their acceptance or rejection by April 15. In some cases you will know earlier. In most cases you will just have to wait. It's best to not worry until around April 15!

Multiple Offers:

You may receive several offers of acceptance. If such good fortune happens, you should decline all but your best offer so that the offer(s) can be passed on.

Pressure to Accept an Offer Before April 15:

If you are pressured to accept an early offer before April 15, the action is unethical and you should be sure to seek the guidance of the departmental faculty. Do not be pressured into a decision. At the very least it is your right to request a week or two to make up your mind! Be assertive. If the department persists in pressuring you, they are being unprofessional, unethical, and are reflecting badly upon their program. So, check with the psychology faculty before committing. (However, if you are pressured into committing to an early offer, your decision can be honorably rescinded).

Your Responsibilities After Applying:

You are obligated to report to your reference writers the good news and the bad news regarding the outcomes of your applications. A note will suffice, but a visit is much better. Those who have written for you have a real interest in your future and want to share your joys and your disappointments. In addition, they need such feedback to become better at helping you, and others, be successful.

Good Luck!


	Programs Beyond the Classroom Resources Psychology Course Rotations Grad School Preparation Recommendation Request Worksheet Links of Interest Faculty
Simpson Psychology Graduate Study Handbook Soon you will be finishing your Bachelor's degree at Simpson. If you are thinking about pursuing a Master's, Psy.D. or Ph.D. degree, there are some steps you need to take and some information you need to know to apply to and be admitted to a graduate school of your choice. This handbook serves as a guide for graduate school preparation. It cannot, however, anticipate every question you might have or every situation in which you find yourself. When you feel you need further information or guidance, be sure to meet with your advisor, other members of the psychology department or with the personnel in the Career and Counseling Services Office. Qualifications for Graduate School In general, graduate schools related to psychology consider a number of factors in admitting students to their programs. These include standardized test scores (such as the GRE, MAT and LSAT), grade point averages, personal statements, references, research involvement, and clinically related experiences. The book Graduate Study in Psychology reports the relative importance that individual graduate schools place on these and other factors. This book is mentioned later in greater detail. Standardized Tests Most psychology graduate schools require applicants to provide them with the results of standardized testing such as the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) and the Miller Analogies Test (MAT). You should take these no later than early in the fall semester of your senior year. Graduate Record Exam (GRE): Almost all graduate schools in psychology expect applicants to take the GRE. The GRE includes a general test that measures verbal, quantitative and analytical writing competencies, and a separate, advanced test in psychology. The verbal and quantitative measures of the general test are still the most important to graduate schools. The analytical writing test is very new, and therefore graduate schools pay less attention to it. In addition, not all graduate schools will require that you take the advanced test in psychology. Consequently, you should focus your preparation for the GRE test on the verbal and quantitative areas. Application forms for taking the computer-based GRE are available through the Hawley Academic Resource Center, which also has available a software package for practicing to take the GRE. Information about the GRE can be found at www.gre.org Miller Analogies Test (MAT): Occasionally a graduate school will expect applicants to take the Miller Analogies test (MAT), which presents a number of analogies (A is to B as C is to D) to be solved. See the Director of the Hawley Academic Resource Center to find out where in the Des Moines area the Miller Analogies Test is administered. Drake University and Central College usually offer the test. Information about the Miller Analogies Test can be found at www.milleranalogies.com Grade-Point Average Your course grades, especially in psychology, are very important. It may come as a surprise to you that the best graduate schools do not expect all A's. A 3.3 or so is generally in order for Master's level acceptance, and a 3.5 to 3.7 usually is expected for admission to doctoral programs. In many cases a 3.00 G.P.A. is accepted for Master's study. In situations where the student completes a Master's degree prior to applying for a Ph.D., the graduate school still puts a lot of weight on the undergraduate G.P.A. As mentioned later, it is important that you identify and apply to graduate schools that place heavy weight on what your strengths are and that place less weight on what you consider to be your weaknesses. Grades are important, but you will find that a lot of graduate programs look just at the overall psychology G.P.A. and the G.P.A from the junior and senior years. So, do well in your course work, but also be sure to involve yourself in research, school, co-curricular and job experiences that will work to your credit! (Graduate schools do tend to favor students who take natural science courses, so consider taking some advanced courses in biology or chemistry). References/Recommendations Most graduate schools will require at least three references by faculty members or other professionals. References are tremendously important to your chances of being admitted. Consequently, it is in your best interest that your reference writers are impressed with your positive qualities. Throughout your college work you will be gaining a reputation; be sure that it is a positive one! Be sure to give your reference writers at least two weeks to complete a recommendation letter. Research Involvement Graduate schools value research efforts by undergraduates. You should be open to any research opportunity. At Simpson you will be required to complete a research project in Psychology 299: Experimental Methodology. You may wish to develop this further so that you can submit it with your application. In addition, you may choose to take Psychology 375: Advanced Research and thereafter Honors in Psychology through Psychology 391/392. Honors in Psychology requires completing a more detailed project that you could submit for publication. Clinically Related Experience You may choose to complete a professionally supervised experience through Psychology 351: Practicum in Psychology. It is to your advantage throughout your time at Simpson to seek psychology-related work experiences during the summer or the school year that you can also include in your resume and note on your graduate school applications. References from such professionals are very valuable in obtaining B.A. level positions or in being accepted to graduate school. Applying to Graduate Schools During Your Junior Year Your formal preparation for graduate school should begin by your junior year. You should obtain a study guide for the GRE that you can use to orient yourself to the GRE tests for verbal, quantitative and writing abilities. Check major bookstores like Barnes & Noble or Borders. Your study should include a careful review of the mathematics you have had, because you can fairly easily relearn material such as basic college algebra. In the spring semester of your junior year you should consider arranging a special independent study for graduate school preparation with the Director of the Hawley Academic Resource Center. In your junior year you might wish to take PHIL 110: Introduction to Logic, which may help on the analytical writing assessment part of the GRE. You should make an appointment with the staff of the Career and Counseling Services Office to use "FOCUS", a computer-based career-planning program. In using the program you should be able to sharpen your thoughts about the areas in psychology that you want to pursue further. You also should attend workshops on applying to graduate school that are provided by the Hawley Academic Resource Center. In Your Senior Year Apply, even if you're not sure you're ready to go: You must begin the application process in order to be able to go to graduate school the next fall. If you are not sure you want to go, or if you think you might want to take a year off first, apply anyway! Obviously you can not go if you do not apply. It is less obvious that you do not have to go if you do apply and are admitted. A number of Simpson graduates who thought they needed a year off to "recharge their academic batteries" were ready and anxious to go when the next fall came. Graduate school is a new beginning, not just more undergraduate work! And graduate school often does not cost as much as Simpson, or even Iowa or Iowa State. You might receive tuition remission as well as support worth from $10,000-$12,000 or so through research and/or teaching assistantships, and/or traineeships and fellowship stipends! Unlike undergraduate schools, graduate departments (except for Psy.D. programs) like to provide financial support to their students. Departments are especially proud if they are able to provide full support to their graduate students. In addition, you can apply for various fellowships, which are often not advertised, so you will have to do your own research to find their details. Take The Required Standardized Tests: You should take the GRE general test by October. You can apply on-line. You can take the general test any day that your test center has an opening. The subject test in psychology is only offered on rare occasions, so check with your test center for details. Please ask that a copy of your GRE scores be sent to Simpson College! Doing so will help us evaluate our program and make further improvements. Choose A Number Of Graduate Programs: The book Graduate Study in Psychology contains nearly all the information you need to determine to which graduate schools you wish to apply. You might wish to purchase your own copy or you might wish to borrow the book through the psychology department or Dunn Library. In it you will find descriptions of programs available at the Master's or doctoral level, application deadlines, number of faculty within a department, acceptance ratios, admissions criteria, financial aid available, etc. Once you know who is on the faculty at a given school, you may wish to check the APA Directory for additional information on faculty interests or check information on the school's web pages. For people interested in a clinical or counseling path, it is important to select programs that are APA approved (and not on probation). The list of accredited programs is published each year in the December issue of the American Psychologist, which is available in Dunn Library. Matching your qualifications to what graduate psychology departments are looking for is tremendously important. Most stress GRE verbal and quantitative scores. Dr. Halgren can provide a fairly accurate estimate of your verbal and quantitative scores based on a multiple regression prediction formula derived from Simpson students' ACT scores and GPA'S. Just ask for it. It is strongly recommended that you make full application to a number of schools (at least six and usually no more than 12), choosing some that may not accept you, some that probably will accept you, and some that in all likelihood will accept you. If you really want to go, you need to hedge your bets! All offer accredited degrees, and in time nobody will care where you received your degree. (Do you know where the psychology faculty received their degrees? Is it really important to you?) It is not unusual for a school to receive 500 applications and accept fewer than 10. (The ratio of accepted applications to submitted ones is lower for clinical psychology programs than medical school, and in both cases it reflects students like you applying to ten or more schools and finally attending just one). The psychology faculty would like to review your tentative set of graduate school choices. By doing so we can make more probable your acceptance into a program of your choice. Places in graduate school go unfilled every year while some departments accept only a few of those who apply to their program. Try to be as flexible as you can in making your preliminary choices. Consider graduate departments in other parts of the country. Consider also various programs that interest you. If you are interested in counseling, consider vocational counseling or clinical programs, or Psy.D. programs, or other related areas such as Marital and Family programs. By October of your senior year, if not sooner, you should be reviewing web-based information or sending e-mails or postcards (letters are unnecessary) to twenty or more departments you are interested in. Simply ask for information about the department and the specific program. Also, download (or request by postcard or e-mail) the necessary application materials, which might include graduate assistantship and/or fellowship forms. Soon you'll be receiving more mail than you ever have! Make A Number of Applications: Once you have decided upon the graduate departments to apply to, make a schedule for applications. Some will be due as early as December 1, more by December 15, others in January and very few by February 15. However, some will be due much later. Do not miss the deadline for application, and don't push it either! You will need to arrange for your GRE scores to be forwarded to the various schools. If you order by phone, do so at least two weeks before the GRE scores are to be available to the graduate schools where you order them sent. You will need to request references from at least three people. Follow the reference guidelines on the next page! Most schools have application fees from $10 to $40, although some have a fee as high as $55 while others have no fee (programs trying to fill spots usually don't charge a fee). Also keep in mind that all schools request an official transcript. Simpson does not charge for the first but does charge $2 for each transcript thereafter (most schools charge more). General Information About References: It is both an honor and a duty for the psychology faculty to write references for you. Departmental faculty will make recommendations for you to as many as twelve graduate departments. But you must adhere to the guidelines below that have been established to facilitate completeness, accuracy, fairness, timeliness as well as efficiency. Unless you specifically waive your right to see your letters, the reader at the graduate school may assume that your references are not confidential. It is usually assumed that such "open letters" are less frank. It may be to your advantage to elect a "closed" file. If you have doubts about your writer's impression of you, ask! Most applications request a personal statement of your goals. The admission committee wants to know something about your interests, motives, preparation and ultimate objectives. Be concise, specific, well organized and straightforward. Feel free to have the psychology faculty help you polish your personal statement(s). It is helpful, and wise, to identify a couple of professors at the graduate school that you are applying to as people with whom you would like to do research and why. Follow The Psychology Department's Guidelines For References: 1. Complete and submit a self-evaluation form to each faculty member asked to write a reference. The form can be obtained from any psychology department faculty member. 2. Provide a copy of your resume to each faculty member writing for you. 3. Schedule an interview with each faculty member writing for you to review your self-evaluation and resume so that your reference letters can be more accurate. 4. Provide a list of the schools being applied to that makes clear the application deadline, the degree, and the particular program being applied to at each school. (The department faculty will submit references on time, but each faculty member reserves the right to accommodate writing your references within their other responsibilities). 5. Supply a stamped and pre-addressed envelope for each requested reference (a traditional courtesy). Wait For Notification of Acceptance: By a long-standing agreement among schools, psychology graduate schools notify applicants of their acceptance or rejection by April 15. In some cases you will know earlier. In most cases you will just have to wait. It's best to not worry until around April 15! Multiple Offers: You may receive several offers of acceptance. If such good fortune happens, you should decline all but your best offer so that the offer(s) can be passed on. Pressure to Accept an Offer Before April 15: If you are pressured to accept an early offer before April 15, the action is unethical and you should be sure to seek the guidance of the departmental faculty. Do not be pressured into a decision. At the very least it is your right to request a week or two to make up your mind! Be assertive. If the department persists in pressuring you, they are being unprofessional, unethical, and are reflecting badly upon their program. So, check with the psychology faculty before committing. (However, if you are pressured into committing to an early offer, your decision can be honorably rescinded). Your Responsibilities After Applying: You are obligated to report to your reference writers the good news and the bad news regarding the outcomes of your applications. A note will suffice, but a visit is much better. Those who have written for you have a real interest in your future and want to share your joys and your disappointments. In addition, they need such feedback to become better at helping you, and others, be successful. Good Luck!
About Simpson \| Admissions \| Evening, Weekend & Graduate Programs \| Academics \| Alumni Athletics \| Arts & Forum \| Campus & Community \| Student Life \| Support Simpson Simpson.edu \| Site Map \| Contact Us © Copyright 2008 Simpson College Last Updated: 3/16/05	SEARCH: