Which Of The Following Is The Least Important When Applying To Graduate School In Psychology?

Which Of The Following Is The Least Important When Applying To Graduate School In Psychology?   

A question many psychology graduate school applicants have is what gets the most weight when they are being considered for admission. Each component of an application is crucial, but not all components are equally important. This can include any of an applicant’s academic record (GPA), letters, personal statement, research experience, and the all-important GRE score. And then the final one, which is much harder I think to quantify and probably will–I’ll just call it GRE because that doesn’t sound like something people really care too much about. 

An Evolving Picture On GRE Scores 

The GRE (Graduate Record Examinations) has been a tried and true part of applying to grad schools for many years. Unfortunately, it is declining in importance over the past years. The recent trend among psychology programs is to greatly reduce the weight given to GREs overall because of worries about their predictive validity and bias. However, research also suggests that GRE scores are not always the best predictors of a student’s likelihood to succeed in graduate school. 

The Foundations On Which Your Application Will Be Judged: Academics   

You still need a strong academic record to go on to further study. Admissions committees want to see that you have a strong psychology and science-based coursework background. Once a student earns a high GPA, the assumption is that she can handle academic work well and will be able to survive graduate school coursework. While frequently just one part of the total admission consideration, GPA is typically oriented toward as an initial checkpoint in their audit procedure. 

Recommendations – The You Of Tomorrow 

Recommendation Letters: An evaluation of the applicant’s potential for successful graduate study from others who have assessed or are aware of their academic capabilities, character, and integrity. Reference Letters (usually from academic professors or other professionals who know the applicant) show a side of the candidate that no test score ever could.   

Personal Statement – Your Narrative  

The statement is a very important part of the application (a good one of those boosts you up) in which applicants get to express their desire for psychology and why they want an advanced degree. In the second year, applicants will describe their independent pursuits to underscore a different dimension of experience. 

Research experience: evidence of dedication 

Research experience is something that many psychology programs look for. In addition, graduate programs want a sense that you know something about the research process and can therefore recruit applicants who have been involved in at least one substantive project. Depending on the nature of their work, candidates who have strong exposure to research are also likely to be equipped with valuable skills in critical thinking, data analysis, and scientific writing.   

In sum, applicants would do well to bolster their academic records and ensure strong recommendation letters that convey the potential revealed in work and intellectual attitude along with standard personal statements. GRE scores continue to play a role but are no longer at the center of psychology application review for many programs.