Guide to Getting Into Graduate School > Wondering If You're Cut Out For Graduate School?

Let's get one thing out of the way right off the bat. Graduate school is not for everyone, and that's ok. Really, it is. You don't have to go to graduate school.

There are plenty of people who graduate with an undergraduate education, find a job, and do just fine without a graduate degree. In fact, it's a very small percentage of people that obtain graduate degrees...very small!

If you're not, that's okay.

There's no graduate school in the world that would look down on an applicant who took a year or two off after undergraduate and pursued some career-related employment, say in a counseling center. In fact, if your grades aren't competitive enough for the graduate school you want, this is encouraged. Additional experience related to the psychology degree you want can make you a much more appealing candidate.

Graduate school is incredibly hard

Grad school represents an investment of your life, time, energy, and money that is difficult to understand fully until you've experienced it first hand. But take it from me...it is challenging! It's a three to seven year education. Seven years from now, how old will you be? Are you okay with the fact that, while enrolled in graduate school, you won't be making more than twenty or thirty thousand dollars a year? And that's if you're fortunate enough to have a great stipend for doing research or teaching classes.

I'll tell you the same thing I've told countless other students -- If you're not willing to commit fully (and I mean, fully), don't go. To be successful and get the most out of it, you can't do it half way. But, if you're ready to go "all in", then going to graduate school in psychology can be one of the best things you'll ever do in your life.

You'll need to make many sacrifices to reach your goal

But, once you reach that goal, you've achieved something very few people achieve and something nobody can ever take away from you. If that seems worthwhile to you, then read on future graduate student.

Getting ready for graduate school and the application process should start very early in your academic career. This is something the average student fails to understand, and it ends up being a serious problem. But not for you! By reading this eBook, you're putting yourself on the right path.

Important: Reading this guide carefully can help you decide

It's filled with powerful recommendations and insights that can really make a difference for you as you consider applying. The guide starts with a section on what graduate schools look for in applicants, then we explore how to develop the characteristics of a successful student. We'll also discuss what you can do to increase your chances of acceptance.

Last, we will show you how to get involved in research. To start, take a look at the "Are you Sure?" section at the front of this book. If you're sure about applying to graduate school, we'll discuss what classes you need to take as an undergraduate, how to apply, what to write on your personal statement, and how to obtain strong letters of recommendation.

Please remember that this guide is primarily written for students applying to graduate school in the United States. Though most advice will work for readers applying Internationally, subjects like accreditation should be researched on your own, as it will vary from region to region.

Dr. Doug Kaufman
Founder
AlleyDog.com