How to Prepare a Personal Statement
Most graduate schools require a personal statement as a part of your application. This statement is often centered around your interest in psychology, your personal background, the reasons you are applying to that particular graduate program, and your career and personable objectives. Although a well-written personal statement will not overcome poor grades or low GRE scores, a poor one will surely hurt your chances of acceptance. Fretz and Stang (1988) cite the following example.
"Take the case of the student with a competitive grade point average and good references who was not accepted to any of the 11 programs he applied for. One cannot be sure, but the biographical statement included with his applications is the suspected reason. First, it was poorly typed, with many smears and crossed-out words. The spelling and grammar were both appalling. Finally, the content left much to be desired. It was far too long -- about 15 pages -- and went into detail about this person's philosophy of life (which was far from the establishment viewpoint). It also stressed emotional agonies and turning points in his life. Hoping to cure the world of all its evils, this person tried to indicate how a Ph.D. in psychology was necessary to fulfill that end. In short, it was an overstated, ill-conceived essay that may have be been received so badly that it overshadowed his other attributes and data" (p. 45).
Plan and produce your personal statement as carefully as you would a crucial term paper. The following tips (quotes taken from Fretz & Stang) will help you produce a personal statement as impressive and effective as the sample on the following page.
Before you begin your statement for each school, read as much about their program as possible so that you can tailor your statement to the program and convince the admissions committee that you will fit their program like a glove. "Each year many applicants will write, for example, that they want to attend the counseling psychology program at University X because they want to learn how to counsel emotionally handicapped children -- even though the program specifies in its brochure that is does not provide training for work with young children. The selection committee immediately rejects those candidates."
Prepare an outline of the topics you want to cover (e.g., professional objectives and personal background) and list supporting material under each main topic. Write a rough draft in which you transform your outline into prose. Set it aside and read it a week later. If it still sounds good, go to the next stage. If not, rewrite it until it sounds right.
Check your spelling, grammar, punctuation, and capitalization carefully. Nothing detracts from the contents of a statement more than these types of errors. Avoid slang words that make you sound uneducated, and overly elaborate words or stilted language that will make you appear pompous or pretentious.
Ask two of your teachers to read your first rough draft and make suggestions. Incorporate these suggestions into your second rough draft. Ask for another reading and set of suggestions, and then prepare your final statement.
Your final statement should be as brief as possible -- two double-spaced pages are sufficient. Stick to the points requested by each program, and avoid lengthy personal or philosophical discussions. If your statement sounds egocentric or boring, those who read it will assume you are egocentric or boring.
Do not feel bad if you do not have a great deal of experience in psychology to write about; no one who is about to graduate from college does! Do explain your relevant experiences (e.g., Service Learning or research projects), but do not try to turn them into events of cosmic proportion. "Be honest, sincere, and objective -- that is the only way to impress the evaluators that you are a person who is already taking a mature approach to life."
Writing a Good Resume
The resume is a concise synopsis of your accomplishments. it is important that your resume be "lean and mean." Truth is--most employers/committees will not give it a thorough reading. The individual who reviews your resume for a job or application is a busy person. You want to give him/her an accurate and thorough run-through of your accomplishments in as precise and condensed a fashion as possible. Therefore, it is important that you hit the most important areas of your background in a clear manner. Keep in mind that a resume is not only useful for your job search, but is also a tool you want to use when applying to graduate schools.
When building a resume, one must focus on the organization. Keep in mind that there is no "right or wrong" way to organize your resume. Your goal is to organize it so it makes the most sense to the busy reader. What follows is a generic format for resume construction.
1. At the top of the page, you should have your name (preferably in bold lettering) and your home address and phone number. If you wish to include you work phone number, do so here. For example:
2. Education. List your major and minor areas of study, the school, and the years of attendance or the year of graduation. For example:
3. Employment. List your job title, employer, years of employment, and your job responsibilities. some people choose to bullet their job responsibilities, others write them in paragraph form. It’s up to you to choose the method you feel works best. When writing the content, be consistent. Always start your points with an action verb and do not use statements such as "I did..." Prioritize the content so that the most important job function is the first one listed. For example:
Employment
1988-1989 Child Care Specialist. Fun Time Day Care for Disabled Children,
Columbia, MO.
 | Served as a classroom activity facilitator for parent training classes. |
| Coordinated daily activities for 0-3 year old children. |
| Worked with a population of children with a variety of disorders including Autism, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. |
If you have volunteer experiences, you want to represent them in their own section following the employment section. It’s important to distinguish between paid positions and those you did as a volunteer. The section heading is simply "Volunteer Experiences" and follows the same format described above.
4. Honors. If you have received any honors (e.g., Dean’s List, Employee of the Year) list them here. You want to shine by displaying achievements that may place you ahead of other job or graduate school applicants. For example:
1996 Volunteer of the Year, Columbia Memorial Hospital, Columbia, MO
1988 Dean’s List, Columbia College, Columbia, MO
5. Publications and Presentations. If you are lucky enough to have been awarded authorship on a presentation or publication, make sure you include it in the appropriate section. The APA Style Manual (1994) provides information on how to correctly write the content of these sections. Put your publications under a Publications section and your presentations under a Presentations section. For example:
Publications
Doe, J., & Jones, K. (1994). The use of medication versus relaxation training on test anxiety. Journal of Test Anxiety, 32(3), 123-127.
Presentations
Doe, J., & Jones, K. (1993). The effectiveness of relaxation training on test anxiety. Poster session presented to the American Association for Test Anxiety Convention, Chicago, Illinois.
6. Current Research. As a student, you may be currently involved in a research protocol that has not yet been presented or published. You definitely want to represent on your resume that you are actively involved in on-going projects. To that end, you will want to include a section about your current research involvement. For example:
Doe, J., & Jones, K. A proposed measure for test anxiety in undergraduate students taking statistics courses.
7. Professional Memberships To belong to professional organizations in the field of psychology further shows your interest in the field. Organizations, such as the American Psychological Association and American Psychological Society, have reduced rates for student members. Many organizations exist within the different specialty areas in psychology. As a member of most organizations, you receive the organization journal, newspaper, and other relevant information about the field. These should also be represented on your resume. For example:
Professional Memberships
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You may want to include other sections in your resume to represent your background. The Office of Career Planning and Development can provide additional information regarding resume construction. You can meet one-on-one with a representative or attend one of the many workshops they provide to students such as yourself.
Most importantly, do not pad your resume. Be truthful about your experiences and represent them accurately. Employers and graduate school selection committees will check to see if what you have indicated is accurate.
A typical resume is not usually more than two pages. As you resume becomes more detailed, you will want to change the heading to that of a "curriculum vitae (c.v.)." The major difference between a resume and a c.v. is the level of detail. More information on the c.v. can be provided by your faculty advisor.
Obtaining Letters of Recommendation
Whether you are applying for a job or admittance into a graduate program, you will be asked to provide references. These will usually be in the form of a letter of recommendation. Therefore, it is important to cultivate positive relationships with professors and employers from whom you wish to obtain this material.
Employers and selection committees take these recommendations very seriously. Therefore, the letter of recommendation should come from and individual who knows you well. You want to choose an individual who will write a glowing letter on your behalf. For example, let’s say you have put in time volunteering your services to collect data for a psychology research project. You know from unsolicited feedback that you have been doing a good job. You have also had an opportunity to get to know the faculty member who is running the project, and have dazzled them with your knowledge about psychology. This person would obviously be a good choice for a letter of recommendation. You have not only worked for them, but they know you as a hard-working, motivated, and dedicated individual. Another great letter may come from the boss you have been working under as a Psychology Tech for the last tow years at a local retirement center. Letters can also come from you superiors in a volunteer setting.
When approaching an individual about writing a letter on your behalf, you needn’t feel shy. Professors and employers alike anticipate doing this for their underlings. What you want to do is make the job easy for them. Provide them with a typed list of the names and addresses to whom the letters must be sent. If there are deadlines, provide those as well. Being straight forward and organized in your approach will insure the best and most favorable outcome.
Insider’s Advice on
Graduate School Admissions Procedures
Graduate school admission is a combination of how you look on paper and your connections in the field. That is why it is important that during your undergraduate years you cultivate positive relationships with your professors as well as with other individuals in the field. Network, network, network. Let those you work with know you are applying during the early phases of the process. For example, they may provide you with useful "inside" information about whom to direct your contacts to at a certain institution. You need to use your contacts wisely.
Applications for graduate school (especially at the doctoral level) are generally due around the same time every year -- once a year. Rolling admissions are not generally practiced by these programs. Be sure to be cognizant of all deadlines for applications. You can call or write a graduate program and request that they send you an application packet.
On the following page is a sample letter requesting such information:
[Date}
Graduate Admission Committee
[Address of Graduate School Here]
Dear Sir/Madam: (if possible, insert the name of the program director)
I am a junior psychology major at Columbia College, and I am in the process of gathering information about graduate programs in clinical psychology. Would you please send me the following materials?
I would appreciate receiving this information as soon as possible. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
Sincerely,
[your name]
Graduate school applications are rather complex. In general, you will be required to submit a completed application form, resume/curriculum vitae, letters of recommendation, transcripts from all undergraduate schools attended, and a personal statement. All materials must be submitted by the deadline or your application will not be considered. To that end, you will want to give the people you ask for reference letters ample time to complete and mail them.
Once received, the institution will plow through all applications and select several outstanding candidates for interviews. Do your homework before the interview. If possible, find out with whom you will be interviewing and become familiar with their most recent research. Practice interviewing with one of your professors. The interview also gives you a chance to see if you feel comfortable at this institution. You will want to check out the facilities, computer support, and so on. After the interview, send thank you letters to those with whom you interviewed.
Do not get discouraged should you not gain admittance on the first try. Graduate school is competitive, but there are strategies you can use to enhance your chances the second time around. Use that year between application deadlines to your advantage and beef up your resume/curriculum vitae, or network, network, network. For example, you may want to get involved in research at a particular graduate institution, or you may want to attend classes as a student at large and get to know the faculty. Showing that you are a serious and dedicated student is just as important as your GPA and GRE scores.
Resources
Author. (1993). Getting in: A step-by-step plan for gaining admission to graduate school in psychology. American Psychological Association, Washington, DC.
Selecting the right programs to apply to and showcasing both abilities and potential in the right way. Making informed choices. Helps reader to define if graduate school is a good choice for them.
Halyin, R.P. (1986). Advising undergraduates who wish to become clinicians. Teaching of Psychology, 13(17), 7-12.
Keith-Speigel, P., Tabachnick, B.G., & Speigel, M.B. (1994). When demand exceeds supply: Second order criteria used by Graduate School Selection Committees. Teaching of Psychology, 21(2), 79-81.
Lawson, T.J. (1995). Gaining admission into graduate programs in psychology: An update. Teaching of Psychology, 22(4), 225-227.
Woods, P.J. (1987). Is psychology the major for you? American Psychological Association, Washington, DC.
Good background material on graduate school tactics, careers with bachelor’s degrees, resume writing, setting career goals.
Woods, P.J. (1988). Is psychology for them? A guide to undergraduate advising. American Psychological Association, Washington, DC.
Good resource, chapter on psychology major for specific careers.