The trick to assessing your chances of getting into a
particular program is knowing where you stand with regard to the
various factors that programs consider when making admissions
decisions.
A good way to get a sense of how psychology schools perceive
you is to create a fact sheet with your GRE* and GRE Psych scores
(or projected scores), overall GPA, and GPA in your major (and
minor, if applicable). Relevant outside activities, work
experience, internships, publications, etc. will also contribute
to the overall strength of your application.
Use A Guidebook
The next step is to find a current source of information about
psychology programs. There are several guides published every
year that provide rankings of schools, as well as data about
acceptance rates, median GRE and GRE Psych scores, and GPA. In
addition, some rank schools according to their reputations among
students, professors, or prominent people in the field.
Put your GRE score, your GRE Psych score, and GPA alongside
the median numbers of schools that interest you. The comparison
will give you a rough idea of where you stand. But remember,
these are not the only criteria for admissions. Many other
factors like recommendations and "intangibles" like activities
and relevant experience can factor prominently into the
admissions equation.
Once you have some idea of where you fall in the applicant
pool, you can begin to make decisions about your application
strategy.
Make Sensible Choices
A sensible application strategy will include schools in three
general categories:
1. Dream schools — places you'd love to attend, but where your
chances of acceptance are up in the air or even unlikely.
2. Good possibilities — programs you'd like to attend and where
your grades and GRE score are close to the median.
3. Safeties — schools where your numbers make acceptance
likely.
Most prospective psychology students apply to between four and
seven schools. How many you should actually apply to, though, is
best determined by your strength as an applicant, the difficulty
of admission at schools to where you're applying, and the general
difficulty of getting into any program in your discipline.
If you're applying to five or six grad schools, pick a couple
of dream schools, several in the "likely" category, and one or
two safeties.
