| The first year of graduate school is often | | | | that crucial first hand experience in writing, analysis |
| overwhelming, regardless of which psychology | | | | and research; in fact, a research project is ideal for |
| program one chooses. Students who have been | | | | those in their first year as it provides yet one more |
| accepted into a psychology graduate program will | | | | learning environment. |
| soon discover a major change in the way they will | | | | The one common denominator for those enduring |
| continue in their educational career. With no more | | | | their first year as a psychology grad student is |
| than a five percent national acceptance rate, the | | | | dedication, a true commitment to studying and a |
| competition is fierce when applying to grad school. | | | | willingness to put their education above all else. It |
| Ask anyone who has completed their graduate | | | | takes the lion's share of anyone's life during that |
| studies if the sacrifices were worth it and the | | | | period, which is usually several years; but once that |
| answer will likely be, "Yes, with a passion for | | | | chapter is completed, degree in hand, it becomes |
| psychology... and a lot of social sacrifices". Rarely, if | | | | clear that those sacrifices opened doors that might |
| ever, will someone say they regretted their choice. | | | | not have been available otherwise. |
| The first goal of a psychology grad student is to | | | | Remember, the whole purpose of psychology |
| determine which core classes the psychology | | | | graduate school is to learn through experience. The |
| program requires. Required credits vary from one | | | | foundation is different from an undergraduate's and |
| program to another; however, most will require at a | | | | the one major difference that reveals itself early is |
| minimum: history of psychology, research methods, | | | | the overwhelming amount of reading. The goal of all |
| statistics, cognitive psychology, social psychology, | | | | the reading is to gain in-depth knowledge of |
| biopsychology and abnormal psychology. These core | | | | psychology. |
| classes provide a good foundation from which to | | | | While graduate school can be tough, it's important to |
| build on graduate level courses. | | | | find perspective. From a spiritual side, maintaining |
| Other suggestions for those preparing for their first | | | | some sense of balance is important. Whatever it is |
| year of psychology school include time spent | | | | that brings that sense of balance and peace is |
| volunteering on a crisis line, homeless shelter or | | | | encouraged. For some, a strong foundation in their |
| domestic violence shelter. Another idea includes | | | | religion is what provides it; for others, yoga, running |
| applying for a psychology research project with a | | | | or general exercise is what works. |
| faculty member. This is a powerful way of gaining | | | | |