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What piece of info about applying to graduate school did you wish you knew before going through the application process I want to get all the tips I can before starting my application process. ?

College freshman with a major in psychology

psychology spring25 graduate-school college-freshman
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Orna’s Answer

One piece of advice I wish I knew and followed was to get things done early! Making sure you are one of the first applicants the program reviews is a huge advantage. Try not to delay on getting any test scores (GRE, if required) or recommendation letters from professors/mentors.
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Annah’s Answer

Amera, I wish I had known more about counseling theory. This depends on the degree you are seeking. I knew I wanted to study art therapy but I had no knowledge about other types of counseling; theory is incredibly important. It is the foundation of your practice. Some schools are eclectic and teach a variety of theories. Others focus on one; your training will be100% influenced by that singular theory. You may end up graduating and changing your focus. My program was eclectic which at the time I appreciated. Later I had regrets. However, it took me years of post-grad experience to find the theories I truly vibed with. I'm not sure I could have figured it out sooner, even in a program that focused on just one. But it may be useful to you now to look at this and consider what kind of practices align with your own values. Also it may help to find a school with a robust internship program; every school requires internship hours. Some will be better connected with local programs and organizations than others. Salary for post-grads with an MA is poor; my hope is that new grads especially will protest this as the time and expense we put into our educations should absolutely be respected. This is a systemic issue and a huge problem for many careers traditionally more populated by women such as education. If you are considering a doctorate, it may be useful to go straight through and maximize your student time. There is also always something to be said for taking time to gain real life experience. Sometimes a period (away from school) may influence your career in ways you had no way of predicting. I wish you the very best as you navigate your own life and career path! Know there are always opportunities to make changes and learn new things.
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