As many of you are well aware, getting into graduate school isn't a piece of cake. So we thought it might be helpful if we could get some suggestions and experiences thus far from former UNI psychology undergrads who managed to get accepted into graduate level programs in psychology or other related fields. Here is what they had to say:

"The best advice I can give to an undergraduate psychology student planning on applying to graduate school is to take advantage of the opportunities you have as an undergraduate student to become involved in your school and community. Most graduate schools have minimum entrance requirements concerning grades and GRE scores that must be met before the school will even consider your application. However, having good grades and high test scores does not necessarily guarantee your acceptance into grad school. Most schools also highly value experience. Therefore, I would encourage all students who are seriously considering going on to graduate school to become teaching assistants and /or research assistants and to volunteer in the community. UNI and the Waterloo/Cedar Falls area offers many opportunities to do both those things. It not only will enhance your graduate school application but it also gives you an opportunity to get to know your professors and other professionals in the community. This becomes very important when you need to produce letters of recommendation for graduate school. These activities will also look great on future resumes."

"I would also like to offer encouragement to those students who would like to go on to graduate school but may not have a high GPA or have done well on their GREs. A lot of schools only look at your major GPA so if you didn't do well during your first couple of years in college it may not hurt as much as you may think. Also most schools will allow you to submit a written explanation for why your grades are not as high as their entrance requirements and they will take that into consideration when reviewing your application. Also, a lot of schools do not require the GRE and those who do generally only require the general test. As stressful as it is, you can always retake the GRE. If the rest of your application looks great, some schools will overlook grade or test score deficiencies which is another reason why it is important to get involved in various activities."
--Susan Earp, 1996 graduate

"It's never too early to begin the application process. Look at as many schools as you can and make an informed decision as to which kind of program you want to go into."
--Neil W. Chistiansen, 1997 graduate

"The transition to a new school really wasn't very different because it is the same size as UNI and it is another Midwestern school..no culture shock. The faculty is wonderful and I made some connections right away. I have already been working with a prof interested in personality and we have prepared some research for the Midwestern Pscyhological Association MPA next April. I will keep you posted on that experience next semester. See, all the hard work during our (UNI) Social Sciences Conference has paid off. I'm using those skills now. My assistantship includes proctoring and correcting exams (no sweat there) and organizing the career advising center in the psychology department. I truly enjoy that because I get to see undergrads on a regular basis and help them with their grad school applications and give them job information. I would describe my graduate work like a 40+ hour job. Instead of having a boss, you have professors. It isn't unbearable like I thought it would be. It is just MORE work. I tell all the students that if you apply your positive skills and market yourself, you can do it."
--Kathleen M. Schneider, 1997 graduate

"I knew that graduate school was supposed to be harder and more demanding, but I was at a total loss as to how they would make it that way. Were the tests going to be harder? How could I study any more than I did in undergraduate school? Well, as it turns out the material itself isn't a lot harder. I was well prepared by UNI and was ready to begin with 9 others, many from other states. However, what makes graduate school harder for me is the commitment that the department expects. Our professors expect that we have no commitments besides school and that we will always give it 100% +! No longer are excuses like jobs or family obligations acceptable. The other part of graduate school that I have found to be more challenging is the amount of work that they give you. There is a tremendous amount of reading and preparing for class that I did not necessarily have as an undergrad. I have found though that if I utilize the skills I've learned as an undergrad such as organization, persistence, and competency that I can get through it so far, one day at a time."
--Elizabeth Oneil, 1997 Graduate

"As far as getting into graduate school. I truly found that the things that helped me the most were my participation in service organizations including Student Alumni Ambassadors, ODK and groups like the psych club. Extra things like research publications helped but it seemed that they tried to "measure" your personality by looking at those areas in which you volunteered your time."
--Dr. John M Dose, 1990 Graduate, Employed at St Norbert College, Department of Psychology, De Pere Wisconsin

Four things that lead to success in the job market following graduate school
1. "Don't be in a hurry to leave graduate school, try to gain as much teaching and research experience during your time at graduate school."
2. "Try to be a TA or instructor as much as possible, preferably every semester."
3. "Take a variety of different courses to be compatible with a variety of different position openings."
4. "Have a good relationship with your PhD advisor; they can be the most influential person in your career development."

Dr. Dose's advise to students pursuing graduate school
"When I discuss the possibility of graduate school with my students, I emphasize that they need to look for graduate programs that provide them with opportunities-both research and teaching. Too many people that I have talked to get "locked" into a particular research lab, and they have very limited research experience and their advisor wants them to spend all of their time in lab and none of it in the classroom. I also talk to them about the importance of selecting and advisor- find an individual who is productive but who sincerely has the interest of the student in mind- an advisor that is secure enough to allow a student to take advantage of all of the opportunities large universities have to offer.