This is a guide to applying to graduate programs in psychology, oriented towards clinical psychology but applicable to all areas. The first time I applied to graduate school, I applied to social psychology/neuroscience programs during my senior year of undergrad, and I had several interviews but was not admitted. The second time, I applied to clinical psychology programs after completing a postbac research position, and I received several admission offers.

Should I apply to PhD programs right out of undergrad?

Not if you want to get in the first time you apply. Most applicants to clinical psychology PhD programs have additional research experience after undergrad, and you will not be as competitive if your only research experience is from undergrad.

I strongly recommend taking two years to work as a lab manager or other research staff in a psychology research lab before applying to PhD programs. Postbac (post-baccalaureate, AKA after undergrad) research is a great way to ensure you are passionate about research and hone your interests. You can also gain advanced data acquisition and analysis skills, work with clinical populations, coauthor posters and publications, and connect with faculty members who can write strong letters of recommendation for you.

How do I find postbac research positions?

The Harvard page for post-graduate research jobs in psychology is the best way to find postbac research positions. New positions get posted every week, so keep checking back, and apply to all the ones that interest you. Many take applicants on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

If I want to be a therapist or counselor, is a PhD program in clinical psychology the right choice for me?

No. If you only want clinical training, there are a variety of master’s programs that will get you there in 2-3 years instead of 5-7. You will have to pay them (PhD programs pay you), but the time investment is considerably less, and you won’t have to spend a lot of time doing research that doesn’t interest you. Social work programs where you can earn an MSW or LCSW degree are a good option.

Where can I find more information about applying to PhD programs in clinical psychology?

Mitch’s Uncensored Advice for Applying to Graduate School in Clinical Psychology is a popular (and accurate!) guide written by Mitch Prinstein, a faculty member at UNC Chapel Hill.

How do I figure out what my research interests are?

Take some time to write down answers to the following questions:

• What in psychology fascinates me the most? What is my “burning question” that I NEED to answer?
• Which kinds of empirical papers do I feel most excited to read? What are they about? (Reading one empirical paper a day is a great way to explore this!)
• Which methodological approaches interest me the most? (experience sampling, cognitive tasks, longitudinal cohort studies, psychophysiology, neuroimaging, etc.)
• Which populations or communities am I most interested in understanding and working with? (age range, racial/ethnic/cultural background, gender, sexuality, socioeconomic status, psychiatric diagnosis, etc.)
• In what ways do my personal identities or experiences inform my research interests?

How should I choose where to apply?

Only apply to faculty members whose research is an outstanding fit with your own interests, and who will be able to capably mentor you in the methodologies you want to learn. For PhD programs, research fit and match is much more important than the prestige or ranking of the institution. 

How do I write a personal statement? Where can I find examples?

You can read example personal statements in this document from Jessica Schleider’s lab. The book Graduate Admissions Essays by Donald Asher is a good resource for tips on writing personal statements, and also has example statements.

Who should I ask to write my letters of recommendation?

Letters of recommendation should come from faculty members (not graduate students – sorry to anyone who wanted one from me). This is a big reason why I don’t recommend applying to grad school right out of undergrad – most undergraduate students do not get enough face time with three faculty members to obtain three strong letters of recommendation. If you do a postbac research position, however, your postbac supervisor is a great choice for a letter writer, and you might be able to work with other faculty members or postdocs who could write one for you as well.

What are pre-interviews and how should I prepare for them?

Many faculty members will conduct informal “pre-interviews” (a short phone or Zoom call) before inviting applicants to formal interviews, in order to narrow down their list of applicants. In my experience, pre-interviews are almost entirely about research interest fit and match. Be prepared to discuss your research interests and why you believe they would be a good advisor for you.

What should I do to prepare for grad school interviews?

Find a list of questions you might be asked during grad school interviews. Choose one or two per day and practice answering them in front of your roommates, pets, or houseplants. Focus on speaking slowly, relaxing, and taking deep breaths between sentences.

Get someone to do a mock interview with you. This is great practice and your mock interviewer may be able to give you feedback to help refine your answers. For extra exposure, do a mock interview with an audience – this will make your actual interviews (with no audience) feel like a piece of cake!

What questions should I ask during interviews?

Always show up to an interview with questions to ask the interviewer – this is part of showing that you are interested in the program and genuinely curious to learn about it. I encourage you to create a custom list of questions to ask that are important to you!

What if I don’t get accepted to graduate school?

Don’t panic! Many people (myself included) go through more than one round of grad school applications before being accepted. Clinical psychology PhD programs are some of the most competitive doctoral programs out there – it’s not that you’re not qualified, it’s that everyone applying is incredibly well-qualified. Have a backup plan ready, and be thinking about whether you would like to apply again in the future, and what you might do differently next time.

Interview practice questions

These questions are oriented towards interviews for research PhD programs in psychology. Some of them are specific to clinical psychology because that is the area in which I have direct experience.

Questions that they might ask you

Why us?

Why do you want to come to our program? What stood out about us?

Why did you choose to apply to our program?

What does our program offer that will help you achieve your goals?

Why do you want to do this?

What are your career goals?

What do you want to specialize in?

What has motivated you to pursue this academic field?

What are your short-term and long-term goals?

Why did you choose this career path?

Why do you want a graduate degree in clinical psychology?

Why do you want to be a clinical psychologist?

Why would you be a good clinical psychologist?

Why didn’t you choose [some other career that was mentioned in your application, or that you have a background in]?

Who are you and what would it be like to have you here?

Tell me about yourself?

What strengths will you bring to our program?

How would your professors/friends/coworkers describe you?

Why should we consider you for our program instead of several other equally qualified candidates?

What skills or abilities do you hope to strengthen through our program?

What areas about yourself would you like to work on?

What are three things you want to change about yourself?

What do you think will be your greatest challenge in completing graduate school?

What are you like as a person?

What extracurricular activity has been most satisfying to you?

What activities do you enjoy most outside the classroom?

What do you do in your spare time?

What are your hobbies?

How do you handle stress?

How do you pursue goals and handle challenges?

Tell me about a goal you have set for yourself and how you have achieved it or intend to achieve it?

Tell me about a situation in which you showed initiative?

Tell me about a time when you had a number of deadlines to meet at once. How did you make sure everything got done on time and you did a good job?

Tell me about a mistake you made and how you handled it?

Tell me about a time you got feedback that required you to make a change. How did you receive and implement the feedback? Was the change successful?

What is the most significant contribution you have made to your school/community?

How do you function interpersonally in professional contexts?

Tell me about a time when you helped a group achieve a goal. What role did you play? How did you contribute?

Tell me about a time you assumed a leadership role. What went well? What was challenging?

Tell me about a professor or supervisor you didn’t like. What problems did this cause? How did you handle it?

Tell me about a situation in which you had a conflict and resolved it. What went well? What would you do differently? Why?

What kind of preparation have you had for graduate school?

Tell me about your experience in this field? What was your contribution? What did you find challenging?

Describe any research project you’ve worked on. What was the purpose of the project? What was your role? What did you find?

Discuss your clinical experience (if any)?

Discuss your volunteer work (if any)?

Why did you major in [your undergraduate major]?

How has your undergraduate background prepared you for our program?

Why did you choose to attend [your undergraduate institution]?

Which courses have you enjoyed the most?

Which courses have been the most difficult for you?

Do you feel your academic record accurately reflects your abilities and potential?

What didn’t you like about [your undergraduate institution]?

NOT OK QUESTIONS: Where else are you applying? / Have you been accepted anywhere? / What is your first choice? (Politely decline to answer these – a confident “I’m looking at multiple options that I’m excited about!” will do the trick.)

Questions for you to ask potential advisors

How would you describe your mentorship style?

What do you see as your role in terms of your graduate students’ professional development?

What changes have you made to your mentorship/training style based on feedback from graduate students?

How often and for how long do you meet with your graduate students, and for how long?

What do you discuss in your advising meetings with your graduate students?

Can you tell me about a situation where a graduate student asked for your help with a sensitive or personal issue, how did you respond?

What is your process for returning feedback to graduate students on research manuscripts and other written work such grant or award applications?

How much lab work (or work not directly related to their own research projects) do your graduate students do each week?

Questions for you to ask other faculty members in the department

Why did you choose to work here?

What do you like about this department?

What are the biggest strengths of this program?

How would you describe a student who would be really successful in this program?

What changes has the program made based on feedback from students?

What is the department climate as it relates to diversity, equity, and inclusivity? What training do graduate students receive to help them promote these values as professionals?

What kind of careers has this program helped to prepare students for?

Questions for you to ask current graduate students

How is your relationship with your advisor?

What is your favorite thing about the program? What about your least favorite thing?

Can you tell me about feedback you have provided to your advisor or the department about changes you would like to see? Were your requested changes made?

Can you give me an example of a time you needed support from your advisor or other faculty or department members, how did they respond? Did you get the support you needed?

Can you tell me about any collaborations or co-mentorship you have received from other department members (not your advisor)? How willing were those individuals to collaborate with you or contribute to your training?

What is the department climate as it relates to diversity, equity, and inclusivity? Do you feel you are receiving sufficient training to incorporate these values into your professional work?

What is your work-life balance like? How many hours per week do you work? Are you able to take time off when you need to?

Do you feel satisfied with your quality of life outside of graduate school? What do you do for fun?