Instructions for the

Graduate School Project

Due November 7, 2019

To Black Box BY 3:00 PM (submit ALL documents including completed

template & all appendices)
To the BeachBoard Dropbox BY 11:30 PM (submit completed template
only – NOT appendices)
Missing or Incorrectly Formatted Dropbox Submission = NO A, B, OR C
in the PSY 301 Course!!!

NO Late Projects Accepted

DROPBOX FILE FORMATS MATTER IN PSY 301:

Make sure your file is a .doc or .docx
ONLY .doc or .docx Word documents are acceptable for 301 Dropbox!

Warning!
If your file is not a .doc or .docx Word document for Dropbox for the Major
Project, you will receive a D or an F in PSY 301.

You cannot earn higher than a D in the PSY 301 course if your project is
incomplete OR your completed Dropbox submission is not readable or not
uploaded properly by the due date/time.

You must use these instructions together with the Graduate School Project
Template to successfully complete the project.

Who Should and Should Not Do This Project:

If your overall GPA (for all your Your 301 project

completed college credits) is AT THIS
MOMENT:
2.99 or below MUST be the Jobs with a Psychology
BA project
3.00 or above CAN BE EITHER:

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 *the Jobs with a Psychology BA project
OR
*Graduate School Project

If you do not meet the minimum GPA requirements (see table above), you
should not do this project. If you select the graduate school
project but your overall GPA disqualifies you, 50 points will
be deducted. If you have questions about this, consult with the instructors at
csulbpsy301@gmail.com.

To seniors: In the ideal situation, you would have already made the decision to attend
graduate school and have prepared to do so through course selection, the establishment of
contacts with mentors, and hard work including applied and/or research experience. As you
complete this project and read the recommended materials, you may decide that you are not
ready for a doctoral program. Many students whose grades and academic preparation do not
match those requested by the schools of their choice, may consider a master's program
where they can improve their GPA, make up missing classes, and demonstrate their skills in
relevant areas. Other students will discover that obtaining a master's degree in psychology or
a related area is all that is needed for the career of their choice.

Purpose of Project:
Deciding to attend graduate school, preparing for graduate school, and completing the
applications comprise a multi-year process that should be started by your junior year in
college (earlier is even better). In doing this project, you get to see the many steps involved
in applying to graduate school. In addition, seeing what is needed to be a successful
graduate school applicant should help you plan the remainder of your undergraduate
academic career. You still have time to improve your GPA, gain research and/or applied
experience, establish contacts with mentors, consider who will write your letters of
recommendation, and participate in department activities.

Message from your caring PSY 301 Instructors: We know that you’re a very busy student,
and that this project seems like just another college assignment you are forced to do. Okay,
sure but… this project is also ALL ABOUT YOU! In this project, you will spend time
investigating grad schools that YOU like and that may help shape YOUR future. And, you will
spend time developing application materials, such as a statement of purpose, based on good
advice we have compiled for you. Done well, this project may provide YOU with some stuff
you can ACTUALLY USE in YOUR REAL LIFE. If you approach this project seriously and allow
enough time to do it, you can learn a tremendous amount about the process of applying for
graduate study. Many former PSY 301 students report how they referred to their project
when submitting real applications to graduate school. We hope this project works for you
well beyond the PSY 301 course. Good luck!

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Important Reminders Before You Begin:
Although this project is worth many points and must be completed to earn an A or B or C in
the class, the rule about no late assignments being accepted still applies. So, regardless of
the reason, absolutely no late projects will be accepted in PSY 301. This is a
valuable lesson to learn in college. Students whose applications arrive after the due
date/time are NOT considered for acceptance into graduate programs!

This project, to be done thoroughly, takes at least fifteen hours. The PSY 301 schedule is set
up for you to work on this project across several weeks. If you wait until the last day or two
(especially the last evening) before the due date, you will NOT be able to finish the project,
and your course grade will be negatively impacted. Keep in mind, also, that there are a
limited number of directories available in PRO (Psychology Resource Office). If many
students are waiting to use them, you may not get to use them before the office closes!

When submitting this project, you must enter your answers to the questions on the Graduate
School Project Template. When using the template, you must retain the lettering,
numbering, title, and point values as they appear on the template. Save the
template on your hard drive and type the answers directly on it. Certain sections will not be
answered on the template, but, instead, submitted as part of an Appendix for the project.

The project is rigorously graded, and you are expected to put a lot of thought and attention
to detail in your answers. Many questions should be answered in paragraphs, not just words
or brief sentences. A paragraph is approximately 5 – 8 sentences. Tell a story and provide
explanations. Remember, there are 250 points on the line.

To see detailed information about how this project is graded, see the document called Grad
Project Scoring (found in the Grad Project folder on BeachBoard). The points for this project
will be posted near the end of the 15th week of the semester and the project will be returned
at the final exam.

Extra Credit, related to this project:

1) You will receive additional points if you do a Project Consultation with a Course Assistant
(Extra Credit Assignment #4). At that time you can discuss any questions you have about
the project and whether the grad project is appropriate for you.

2) To familiarize you with the resources available in the GRR of PRO, designated PRO guides
will be holding optional workshops for the Graduate School Project (Extra Credit Assignment
#5 – Attend Grad School Project Workshop). This workshop will help you get started on the
project and show you how to find and use PRO resources to complete the project. Go to the
Extra Credit section on BeachBoard for further details about the contents of the workshop,
the dates, location and how to reserve a space. The opportunity to sign up for them will be
announced about a week in advance. Spaces are limited so be sure to sign up as soon as

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you see the Announcement. Former students have indicated that these workshops have been
very helpful in getting them started on the project.

Organization of Project:
The project is divided into three sections, each taking you through a necessary step in the
process of applying to graduate school programs.

The sections are:

 Finding Graduate Programs that Match Your Interests
 Understanding Your Own Competitiveness for Graduate Study
 The Future is Now – Making the Most of CSULB

In the instructions for each section (below), you will be provided with information on
materials and resources you will need as well as detailed explanations about what is
expected for each question. Read all of the instructions for each question before you attempt
to fill in your answers.

Your actual answers must be completed on the Graduate School Project Template
(otherwise, you will lose many points).

Template Guidelines:
Save the Graduate School Project Template to your hard drive, so that you may just
type your answers onto the template.
The space allowed for answers on the template does not indicate the expected length
of the answers that you should provide. Once you start typing your answer, you should
expand the space to that which you need to answer the question thoroughly.

In using the template, do NOT delete the template information. You must
retain the titles, and the number and lettering system for each section, as well as
the question wording, point values, and expected length information for each
question.

Do NOT submit these detailed instructions as part of your project.

Penalties that result in loss of points:

These penalties apply in addition to loss of points for mistakes in any given section. Make an
extra effort to avoid these penalties! Double-check your work before submitting your final
project.

General Penalties:
 Inappropriate choice of project (-50 points for choosing Graduate School project when
you should not have)

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  Body of paper includes unoriginal (plagiarized) information from other sources (e.g.,
cut and pasted from the Internet) (forfeit up to 20% of total points earned on project)
 Paper not typed or not using black ink (-20 points)
 Did not use Template or deleted information from the Template (-25 points)
 Did not follow Graduate Project Instructions (-25 points, in addition to deductions in
text)
 Appendices not assembled in correct order (-10 points)
 Project not stapled in upper-left corner or secured with small clamp (-5 points if not
secured; NO paper clips, folders, or sheet protectors allowed)
 Poor grammar / spelling in body of paper (-10 points)
 Project not submitted to the BeachBoard Dropbox on time (up to 20% of total points
earned on the project AND cannot earn an A, B, or C for the course)

Section A Penalties:
 Did not include or complete Grid #1 as Appendix A (up to -10 points)
 Did not use and/or explain H, M, L classifications on Grid #1 (up to -10 points)
 Did not include or complete Grid #2 as Appendix B (up to -10 points)
Section B Penalties:
 You did not use your ACTUAL GPAs, experiences, or test scores (or other “real”
qualifications) as of today’s date
 Inappropriate GPA documentation provided or documentation missing (Appendix C) (-
10 points)
 Inappropriate GRE documentation provided or documentation missing (Appendix D) (-
5 points)
 Did not provide URL for information about program/faculty research for selected
school (-5 points)
 Did not provide or complete Grid #3 as Appendix E (up to -10 points)
Section C Penalties:
 Did not include or did not complete ALL sections of the Generic Application for
Graduate Study as Appendix F (up to -5 points)
 Poor spelling and/or grammar in Statement of Purpose (-10 points)
 Inadequate length of Statement of Purpose (-10 points for every 50 words short of
400 words required)
 Did not include hypothetical scenarios in Generic Application and/or Statement of
Purpose (scenarios required if you are a student new to CSULB or you have less than
104 units; -10 points if required but not included)

Begin the template by doing the following on the first page:

1. PROJECT INFO (3 points max) FILL IN the following information about YOU on
the template AND complete the checklists below. Do NOT attach a separate cover
sheet.
 Fill in your name here:
 Fill in your CSULB ID here:
 Indicate grad school area of interest:

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  Place your Initials here to verify that you know that you cannot earn higher than a D
in the course, if you do not submit a completed and readable file of the project to the
BeachBoard Dropbox by the due date/time, in addition to this hard copy. YOUR
INITIALS HERE:__________

COMPLETE ALL CHECKLISTS ON TEMPLATE.

STOP!!!! Take the time to check your Dropbox file!

Have you already uploaded your completed project to the BeachBoard

Dropbox?
CIRCLE ONE: YES NO

We strongly recommend you do so BEFORE THIS HARD COPY IS DUE!

WHY? FAILURE TO ENSURE YOUR COMPLETED PROJECT IS UPLOADED
CORRECTLY TO DROPBOX WILL RESULT IN A D OR F GRADE IN THE
COURSE!
If your Dropbox file is uploaded correctly, a “Turnitin Similarity” Score
will be generated.
For your own benefit and peace of mind (TO PROTECT YOUR GRADE), write
in your “TURNITIN SIMILARITY” PERCENTAGE HERE _________.

(REVIEW THE COURSE PROCEDURES DOCUMENT IN THE COURSE

ESSENTIALS FOLDER TO LEARN HOW TO FIND YOUR TURNITIN
SIMILARITY SCORE.)

IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO VERIFY YOUR DROPBOX FILE WAS

CORRECTLY UPLOADED BY THE DUE DATE/TIME.

Graduate School Project Instructions: Section A

Section A: Finding Graduate Programs that Match Your Interests

Materials: Throughout the semester, your BeachBoard readings about graduate study and
your text’s chapters about applying to graduate school should have prepared you for this
project. If you are seriously considering a competitive graduate program, you should also
consult the materials in the Graduate Resource Room (GRR) of PRO (Psychology Resource
Office).
Readings that are particularly helpful for answering many of the questions in this project
are your text’s Chapters 6 & 7 and the BeachBoard readings from the Getting In text
(Chapter 2 was a Quiz 13 reading and Chapter 4 was a Quiz 19 reading). You should refer
back to these readings throughout the project.

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 To complete this project, it is usually necessary to supplement these readings by
consulting the book Graduate Study in Psychology published by the American
Psychological Association and/or other listings of specialized graduate programs in areas like
social work, criminal justice, law, etc. Some of these listings can be found on the Internet.
Graduate Study in Psychology (an APA publication), is available in the GRR in PRO in PSY
206. It is also possible to purchase the directory for approximately $35 from APA or amazon.
For about $20, you can purchase a 3-month subscription to the online version of the APA
Graduate Study in Psychology guide. If interested in the online access, go to the link
http://www.apa.org/pubs/databases/gradstudy/
The Graduate Project folder on BeachBoard also contains many helpful documents for
your reference, and they will be referred to throughout the instructions. Also, if you get
stuck on a question, you may want to refer to the Sample Completed Template and/ or the
Sample Completed Grids documents in the Grad Project Folder on BeachBoard. Feel free to
use these sample completed projects as a reference, but DO NOT PLAGIARIZE from them!!

Questions A1 – A3 will ask you to:

Discuss your interest area and goals.

A1) Identify your specific area of interest.

(1 point max) (Expected length: 1 – 2 sentences)

Your Task: In order to find graduate programs that are right for you, you need to
narrow your field of interest, such as identifying a specialty within psychology
(like counseling, school, forensic, I/O, experimental, etc.). If you are not sure
about which area you will ultimately pursue in graduate school, we’ll ask you to
select one now to explore for the purpose of this project. The more you can
define your interests now, the more helpful this project will be to you later.

A2) How did your interest develop?

(3 points max) (Expected length: 1 – 2 paragraphs)

Your Task: Give us some background about why you are interested in that area of
psychology. Choosing a graduate school, not to mention a career, is a big
commitment. Why do you want to do what you’ve selected?

A3) In what capacity do you see yourself working in this field?

(3 points max) (Expected length: 1 – 2 paragraphs)

Your Task: Explain how you see yourself working in your specialty in the future.
You might want to think about all the career opportunities you’ve explored in the
PSY 301 assignments and text. What will you be doing in the field? What kind of
setting will you work in (e.g., a hospital, school, government / corporate
research, etc.)? Who will you work with (e.g., children, business clients)? Be as

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specific as you can. Different graduate programs emphasize different
experiences, and you want to find one where you practice what you want to do
later.

Questions A4 – A10 will help you to:

Select schools offering graduate programs in your area of interest.

A4) What degree are you seeking?

(1 point max) (Check only one below)

____ MA/MS
____ MFT
____ MSW
____ Ph.D.
____ Psy.D.
____ Other: Please Identify ______________

A5) What is the total number of schools in the United States offering that degree in your
area of interest?
(2 points max) (Insert number on the line below)

_______________________________

Your Task:
You need to consult a COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE FROM THE LIST BELOW to find
this answer. Other sources are not necessarily comprehensive and may not
include all programs.
Do not restrict your answer to the number in California. Include programs
throughout the country.
Your instructors are aware of the numbers available by fields, so it is not wise to
guess. For example, it would be marked wrong to indicate 30 schools for a field
where 95 schools is the appropriate answer.

LIST:
COMPREHENSIVE GUIDES TO GRADUATE PROGRAMS (all available in PRO):
 Graduate Study in Psychology (MOST STUDENTS SHOULD INCLUDE THIS
ONE)
 Insiders' Guide to Graduate Programs in Clinical and Counseling Psychology
 Princeton’s Review to the Best Law Schools
 Princeton’s Review of the Best Medical Schools
 Penguin’s Guide to American Graduate Schools
 Peterson’s Guides to Business, Education, Health, Law, Social Work, Social
Sciences and the Health Professions
 PRO-developed binders in the Graduate Resource Room (GRR), including:

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  Specific Binder for Virtually Every Sub-Discipline of Psychology, as well as
Binders for:
 Master’s in Social Work
 Education/Student Affairs
 Teaching professions
 Gerontology
 Occupational Therapy
 Art Therapy
 Law School
 Medical School

A6) What source did you use to find the total number of U.S. schools above?
(1 point max) (Expected length: 1 – 2 sentences)

Your Task: Simple. Just name the directory and year published, if available.

A7) Select three INFORMATION SOURCES FROM THE LIST BELOW to help narrow
your focus to approximately ten schools that have graduate programs that appeal to you
the most.
(6 points max) (Expected length: 3 paragraphs, one per source)

INFORMATION SOURCES FOR THIS QUESTION are:

1) recommendations from a faculty member in your interest area. If you consult
faculty, include his/her name in your paper. LIMIT ONE*
2) a recent journal and/or psychology conference program, including relevant journal
articles you find on PsycInfo. Look through them to identify the
institutional affiliation of faculty doing work in your interest area. LIMIT ONE*
3) binders, brochures and flyers in PRO. LIMIT ONE*
4) the Internet. When using the internet, give the URL of the grad school search
systems you used. (For the URLs, you should provide enough information
so that another person who wanted to find the same information could
do so.) LIMIT ONE*
(Do not rely on gradschools.com. It is NOT very complete and primarily
lists schools paying for listings. Use of gradschools.com will not count as
one of your three sources.)
5) the program descriptions in PSY 301 approved directories:

COMPREHENSIVE GUIDES TO GRADUATE PROGRAMS (available in PRO):

 Graduate Study in Psychology (MOST STUDENTS SHOULD INCLUDE THIS
ONE)
 Insiders' Guide to Graduate Programs in Clinical and Counseling Psychology
 Princeton’s Review to the Best Law Schools
 Princeton’s Review of the Best Medical Schools
 Penguin’s Guide to American Graduate Schools

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  Peterson’s Guides to Business, Education, Health, Law, Social Work, Social
Sciences and the Health Professions
 PRO-developed binders in the Graduate Resource Room (GRR), including:
 Specific Binder for Virtually Every Sub-Discipline of Psychology, as well as
Binders for:
 Master’s in Social Work
 Education/Student Affairs
 Teaching professions
 Gerontology
 Occupational Therapy
 Art Therapy
 Law School
 Medical School

*You need to use at least three different sources (such as those noted in the
introduction to this question). In the sources listed above, you may use only one each
from types 1 to 4. From category 5 (approved directories), you are not restricted
to just one. In other words, we WILL NOT ACCEPT two or three URLs, two or three
journal articles, or two or three names of faculty with whom you have consulted.
Using two or three directories is fine.

Be specific about your sources. Provide titles, dates, URLs and date retrieved,
names of binders or brochures, names of faculty you consulted or whose work you
saw referenced in journals, etc. For the URLs, do not indicate BeachBoard URLs.
Those are only accessible through BeachBoard. Provide the general URL instead.
And again, you should provide enough information so that another person who
wanted to find the same information could do so.

For each source, write a paragraph to explain all three of the following:
 What was the specific source?
 Where AND when did you use it?
 What kinds of information did you learn about possible schools?

Your Task: YOU WILL HAVE ONE PARAGRAPH PER SOURCE. Each paragraph
should summarize your experience exploring that particular source. For example,
if you spoke to a faculty member to get recommendations about graduate
programs, explain: who you talked to, where and when you talked, what schools
were discussed, what you learned about those graduate programs.

You need to explore your three sources (at least three; more if you want) until
you have at least 10 schools that might interest you.

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A8) Of your ten schools identified above, which ones were included in (or recommended
by) all of your sources?
(2 points max) (Expected length: please list as many of the ten schools as needed)

Your Task: Here, take note of any programs that keep appearing in your sources.

A9) Which source provides the best / most comprehensive information for your field of
study? Explain how you know it’s a good source.
(2 points max) (Expected length: 1 paragraph)

Your Task: Compare your sources. A comprehensive source will give you a lot of
detail about the graduate program, including aspects like its special emphasis,
size, admission requirements, and facilities/resources. What kinds of information
did your best source provide?

A10) Select your five favorite schools (from the ten you’ve identified) that you are
interested in exploring further for possible graduate study. ALL SCHOOLS SELECTED MUST
OFFER YOUR DEGREE PROGRAM OF INTEREST FOR FURTHER CONSIDERATION.
(RESTRICTION: At least one of your schools MUST be outside of California.)
Identify each school, and briefly explain why you selected each of them.
(10 points max) (Expected length: 1 – 2 paragraphs)

Your Task: You should not be ready to commit to one program yet (you still need
more information), but you should feel drawn to a handful (here, five) that you’d
like to investigate further. Select those, and explain why you feel you like each
one of them, so far.

Questions A11 – A15 will help you to:

Evaluate your selected schools on a number of important dimensions.

A11) Now, identify five factors relating to graduate study that are most important to you.
(Don’t worry about your five favorite schools here. Just concentrate on selecting the
factors.)
(10 points max) (Expected length: 5 paragraphs, one per factor)

In order of importance (with your first factor being most important),

write a paragraph for each factor to:
 Identify (name) the factor
 Explain why it is important to you
 How you will assess your favorite schools on that factor

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Your Task: Decide which factors related to graduate study are most important to
you. Although you can inject your personality needs here, this is still serious
business and the factors must be professionally relevant. In other words, the
information you seek should help you answer the question – “Assuming I were
admitted to the school, would I want to go there?”

Be wise about selecting factors that truly inform you about the quality of the
graduate program. Issues like ones affecting your social life are not appropriate.

Recommended factors include:

 research interests of faculty in program
 special areas of expertise of faculty in program
 specialized emphasis of program (This is not the same as identifying your area of
interest, as you did above. For instance, it is not appropriate to mention “counseling”
here, as you might have above. What is meant here is that if you are interested in
counseling, you might want a school with an emphasis on adolescent counseling or a
school with an emphasis on cognitive approaches to treatment.)
 Balance between research vs. practice / applied emphasis of program (mainly for
counseling, clinical, school, and other applied programs)
 size of program
 length of time to complete program
 quality of faculty (if this is important, indicate how you will judge this and where you
will obtain this information)
 successful placement of graduates of the program in internships or employment
settings
 diversity of faculty and/or students
 opportunities for individualized professional experiences
 types of courses offered
 national ranking of program (Caution: Beware overplaying this factor. Matching your
needs is more important than national rankings, and many good programs are not
ranked.)

Important warnings:

1) Do NOT include the following factors in your list of five.

 geographic location
 affordability
 program accreditation such as APA accreditation or other accrediting body for fields
like social work, law, etc. (Note on Accreditation: Remember, APA accreditation
applies only for an applied doctoral program in clinical, counseling, or school
psychology—it is not relevant nor considered for any other area of psychology or for
any master’s programs in psychology)
 your likelihood of admission Do not say anything about the school's requirements
(GPA or GRE scores) or the acceptance rate at various schools. You are to select
schools that you would like assuming you are a perfect candidate.

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All of these factors will be addressed later in the paper.

A12) Complete Grid #1.

Grid #1 should be submitted and labeled as Appendix A.
(Grid #1 completion is worth 20 points max)

Your Task: Complete Grid #1 thoughtfully and carefully. You will need a good
resource (The APA Graduate Study in Psychology guide, for most students).

More about completing the grid:

A blank grid is available on BeachBoard in the same folder with these instructions and in the
plastic rack on the table in the Graduate Resources Room of PRO.

Use the detailed, step-by-step instructions for completing the grid included in the BeachBoard
document that also contains the blank grid.

Information you enter on Grid #1 should be information on factors you consider important in
a grad program. These should be the same factors you discussed in Question A11 above. List
the factors in the order of their importance to you.

For each factor for each school, you should present 1) a brief (a few words) indicator of
the information or data about each factor for each school, and 2) make a determination
about whether the school is H (high), M (medium) or L (low) on that dimension.

TIP ABOUT COMPLETING ALL THREE GRIDS: The schools’ data will most likely be found in
your resource. You need to make a concerted effort to find the information for your schools.
School web sites are often not comprehensive, but the APA’s Graduate Study in Psychology
guide is very comprehensive. You will lose points for not finding data that are available.

Warning: You will lose points if you include only H, M, or L on the grid without
the descriptive data. To see how the descriptive data can be summarized in the
grids, refer to the Sample Completed Grids document in the Grad Project folder on
BeachBoard.

In the last row of Grid #1, rank the schools from 1 to 5 according to how well each school
met your factors. When ranking, 1 should be your most preferred and 5 should be your least
preferred. By your preference we mean, how well does this school rank on the five factors
important to you? If necessary, note on the sample completed grid how equivalent rankings
are handled (e.g., two schools might equally rank 2.5 – Please see Grid Instructions to
understand ranking system). Reminder: Do NOT consider your likelihood of
admission in making these rankings. That means you should not list GRE scores,
GPAs, number admitted, etc. as factors of importance to you; you will be doing
this in a different section.

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Grid #1 should be submitted and labeled as Appendix A.

A13) Write an interim (meaning, up to this point in the project) summary of findings. Using
the data for the five factors, explain why you ranked the five schools in the order you did.
(10 points max) (Expected length: 2 – 3 paragraphs)

Your Task: Explain your logic for your rankings. How did the data gathered on
the five factors contribute to your rankings? In other words, give the reasons
why the #1 school ranked so highly, another ranked second, and so on,
continuing to explain why a school ranked the lowest.

A14) Complete Grid #2.

The grid should be submitted and labeled as Appendix B.
(Grid #2 completion is worth 8 points max)

Your Task: Okay, now you have practice with grids. Complete Grid #2 as you did
the first (thoughtfully and carefully). You will still need your trusty resource (e.g.,
the APA Graduate Study in Psychology guide).

More about completing the grid:

A blank grid is available on BeachBoard in the same document containing Grid #1 and in the
plastic rack on the table in the Graduate Resources Room of PRO.

Use the detailed, step-by-step instructions for completing the grid included in the BeachBoard
document that also contains the blank grid.

Grid #2 asks you to consider the three factors of importance to most students. Once
again, you will find the data about each factor for your five schools.

On Grid #2, you will determine:

 Accreditation – If applicable, list the major accrediting body for the program of
interest. Then, for each school, list whether your specific program/area has been
accredited or not. If there is no accrediting body for your area of interest,
please indicate that by inserting “N/A” (for not applicable). See the
instructions for completing Grid #2 (included with grid document) for more
information about APA accreditation.
 Location --(Remember, at least one of your schools must be outside California. If you
are only interested in California schools, explain why you cannot move elsewhere,
even for a good program. You can always move back after graduate school.)
 Affordability
 -- cost of program / tuition and fees
 -- availability of financial aid

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A15) Provide an explanation about how the three factors of accreditation, location, and
affordability affect your earlier rankings.
(6 points max) (Expected length: 2 – 3 paragraphs)

Your Task: Because accreditation, location, and affordability are so often

considered by students when evaluating graduate programs, we have given them
their own special section here. Explain how the information on these three
factors affects your earlier rankings based on your five important factors
considered above. If your rankings changed from Grid #1 to Grid #2, make sure
you revised your rankings on the last row of Grid #2 to reflect these changes. If
there has been no change, you still need to explain why, and then just copy your
rankings from Grid #1 to Grid #2.

Graduate School Project Instructions: Section B

Section B: Understanding Your Own Competitiveness for Graduate Study

Note: For Questions B1 – B10 below, we will ask you about your academic record as well as
professional experiences. We apologize for the intrusiveness of some of the information
requested. However, the project is time consuming for you (and for the graders) and is of
little value to you, if you do not use accurate data. Information will be kept confidential.
Only the PSY 301 instructors will see it.

IMPORTANT WARNING (and potential loss of points):

For Questions B1 – B10, you will be REPORTING YOUR ACTUAL EXPERIENCES,

GRADES, ETC. THAT YOU HAVE ACCUMULATED AS OF TODAY’S DATE. THE POINT
OF THIS SECTION IS TO ASSESS WHERE YOU STAND RIGHT NOW, IN TERMS OF YOUR
REAL COMPETITIVENESS FOR GRADUATE SCHOOL. DO NOT SPECULATE ABOUT THE
FUTURE (WHERE EVERYONE SAYS THEY’LL HAVE RAISED THEIR GPAs, OBTAINED
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE, WON A NOBEL PRIZE, ETC.). WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE
FUTURE BRINGS. FURTHERMORE, WISHFUL THINKING DOES NOT GET YOU INTO
GRADUATE SCHOOL. YOUR REAL PERFORMANCE DETERMINES ADMISSION. ALSO, DO
NOT USE THE HYPOTHETICAL SCENARIOS (THOSE ARE FOR SECTION C BELOW)

Questions B1 – B10 will ask you to:

Summarize and document your own academic record and experiences, as of the current
date.

B1) What is your overall GPA?

(3 points max) (Expected length: 1 sentence)

15
(You will receive zero points if documentation is missing or inappropriate. Highlight on
transcript or show how you calculated it, if necessary.)

Your Task: Document your current GPAs for the next few questions.

Warning: Failure to include printed grade documentation such as your transcript

will result in a loss of points for questions in this section and an additional
penalty, because the grid and overall conclusions are meaningless without
verifiable data.

YOUR OVERALL GPA -- attach your most recent My CSULB transcript showing your overall
GPA (highlight it) or a copy of your transcript from your most recently attended school if your
My CSULB transcript is not available

B2) What is your last 60 units GPA?

(3 points max) (Expected length: 1 sentence)
(You will receive zero points if documentation is missing or inappropriate. Highlight on
transcript or show how you calculated it, if necessary.)

THE GPA FOR YOUR LAST 60 UNITS-- show how you have calculated this on the GPA
calculation sheet. (This sheet can be found in the main Grad Project folder on BeachBoard.)
If you have taken 60 units OR FEWER, then this will be the same as your overall
GPA (you do not need to RE-calculate it, BUT PLEASE REPORT IT HERE).

B3) What is your psychology major GPA?

(3 points max) (Expected length: 1 sentence)
(You will receive zero points if documentation is missing or inappropriate. Highlight on
transcript or show how you calculated it, if necessary.)

YOUR PSYCHOLOGY MAJOR GPA—

 If you are already a psychology major, MyCSULB should indicate your major GPA
near the bottom of the Academic Requirements Report. Highlight that and
submit it.
 If you are not a psychology major, you should show how you have calculated your
major GPA using the What-If function of “MyCSULB” (as you did for the Transcript
Analysis assignment) or the GPA calculator sheet mentioned in B2 above (available
in the Grad Project folder). Submit one of the following:
*the calculation from the What-If function of My CSULB
*the sheet listing your courses with your own GPA calculations
*the sheet listing your courses, with a calculation printout from a GPA
calculation website.
For links to several different GPA calculators, go to
http://gpacalculator.net/college-gpa-calculator/

16
 Another useful site is http://www.back2college.com/raisegpa.htm to
help you determine what is required to raise your GPA to a desired level.

Your GPA documentation and calculations should be submitted as Appendix C.

B4) Report your actual or “mock” GRE scores.

(3 points max) (Expected length: fill in lines on Template)
(You will receive zero points if documentation is missing or inappropriate. You will also lose
points if you do not convert your scores on the mock GRE assignment.)

Your Task: Document your estimated/actual GRE scores for this question.

Warning: Beware the penalties for missing or improper documentation. Failure

to include adequate documentation such as a print-out from the Grades tab on
BeachBoard showing your raw scores for Assignment 21 (the mock GREs) will
result in a loss of points for this section and an additional penalty, because the
grid and overall conclusions are meaningless without verifiable data.

Appropriate GRE documentation is ONE of the following:

1) If you have taken the actual test, attach copy of official report from the
educational testing services.
2) If you are estimating your Verbal and Quantitative scores
based on your SAT scores, attach copy of official report showing your actual
SAT V & Q scores. (Note: These data are available on MyCSULB.)
3) Provide a copy of your raw scores (as shown from the BeachBoard Grades
tab) for the mock GRE quizzes you took for Assignment 21. Remember, when
you record these scores on the template and discuss them in the
questions below, you need to convert your raw scores to estimates of
verbal and quantitative scores (see Understanding your “mock” GRE
scores, located in the GRE Quizzes folder for Assignment 21).

When using PSY 301 Assignment 21 as documentation, you must

attach a print-out of your raw GRE scores from the Grades tab on
BeachBoard.

Fill in the scores and sources of documentation on the Template, as indicated there.

Your GRE documentation of the information above should be submitted as

Appendix D.

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B5) Do you have any research experience, as of the current date? If so, what is the
nature / extent of it? Using the H, M, L scale, how do you rate your research experience?
Explain your rating.
(2 points max) (Expected length: up to 1 paragraph)

Your Task: Describe the nature and extent of any ACTUAL research you have
done as of the current date, and honestly assess your own participation. Include
research participation both for course work and outside the classroom. Rate your
experiences as H(igh), M(edium), or L(ow). Your rating should be based on your
mastery of specific research skills. For example, carrying out an individual project
is likely more challenging than working in a group. Generating the idea for the
research is “worth more” than having the topic/design provided. Did you take a
lead role in statistical analysis, or did someone else?

B6) Do you have any work experience, as of the current date? If so, what is the nature /
extent of it? Using the H, M, L scale, how do you rate your work experience? Explain your
rating.
(2 points max) (Expected length: up to 1 paragraph)

Your Task: Briefly describe your ACTUAL work responsibilities, again as of the
current date. Regarding the rating, work experiences that align more closely with
your field of interest should be more highly rated. Have you developed skills that
would serve you well in graduate study?

B7) Have you done any clinical public service, as of the current date? If so, what is the
nature / extent of it? Using the H, M, L scale, how do you rate your clinical public service
experience? Explain your rating.
(2 points max) (Expected length: up to 1 paragraph)

Your Task: For those of you interested in clinically oriented fields (e.g.,
counseling, school psychology, social work), relevant clinical public service
(generally speaking, providing help and service to others) could be a plus on your
graduate applications. You can include paid and unpaid work here. The
experiences here should be different ones than those included as work experience
above.

B8) Consider the relationships you have with faculty, as of the current date. Most
graduate applications require THREE letters of recommendation. Right now, whom would
you ask? Identify THREE recommenders. Using the H, M, L scale, how do you rate your
expected quality of letters? Explain your rating.
(3 points max) (Expected length: 1 paragraph)

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Your Task: Letters of recommendation are one of the most important
components determining graduate admissions (we will focus on this extensively
in Section C below). As of today, consider how well faculty members know you.
Who could best assess your academic ability, and what would they say about your
academic performance? {WARNING: Many students make the mistake here of
focusing on asking professors who are “nice”. YOU WILL RECEIVE NO CREDIT
FOR THAT RATIONALE. You need to select those in your area who best know your
academic work; that is the purpose of recommendations.}

B9) What kind of impression will you make if an interview is required for graduate admission?
Using the H, M, L scale, how do you rate your expected quality of interview? Explain your
rating.
(3 points max) (Expected length: 1 paragraph)

Your Task: Describe your confidence about your interviewing skills. Draw on any
relevant interviewing experiences you’ve had to rate your interviewing abilities.
Keep in mind you will have to talk to graduate faculty during your interview.
What kind of impression would you expect to make on them? Describe also what
steps you plan on taking to prepare for the interview.

B10) If you had to write a Statement of Purpose (autobiographical essay) right now, what
kind of effort would you put into composing the statement? Using the H, M, L scale, how do
you rate your ability to write a clear, compelling statement that would impress a graduate
admissions committee? Explain your rating.
(3 points max) (Expected length: 1 paragraph)

Your Task: Writing is often a challenge, even more so when we have to write
about ourselves. Writing a good statement of purpose takes time. You must seek
out information about the schools you’re applying to and be willing to write
multiple drafts before you have a final product. You have to write a compelling
argument to showcase your skills and experiences. How do you feel about your
ability, willingness and motivation to do all that?

Question B11 will ask you to:

Find detailed information about the admissions criteria for your selected schools.

B11) Complete Grid #3.

Grid #3 should be submitted and labeled as Appendix E.
(Grid #3 completion is worth 20 points max)

Your Task: Just one more grid to go! Complete Grid #3 as you did the others
(thoughtfully and carefully). You will still need your trusty resource about your
schools that you used to complete the other grids.

19
More about completing the grid:
A blank grid is available on BeachBoard in the same document containing Grids #1 and #2
and in the plastic rack on the table in the Graduate Resources Room of PRO.

Use the detailed, step-by-step instructions for completing the grid included in the BeachBoard
document that also contains the blank grid.

Note: Your own academic record and experiences provided in Questions B1 – B10 above will
be transferred into the far right column of Grid #3.

Near the top of Grid #3, be sure to give the names of the directories you used along with the
publication date of the directories (e.g., APA Graduate Study in Psychology, 2010) in the
space provided. Also include the URLs of Internet sites you visit. You should provide three
sources of data.

Include all information asked for on the grid, whenever possible (keeping in mind the grids
are carefully graded, and graders are aware of what the resources include). However, not all
information is available about all programs. If you are unable to find the information (after
reasonable effort to locate it), enter “NS” (for not stated) in that cell of the grid. To see a
completed sample grid, click on “Completed Sample Sections” within the Grad Project folder
on BeachBoard.

When inserting information about a program, be sure that it is from the program you want.
For instance, many students who are applying for the MFT or MSW programs at CSULB have
entered the data for the MA in Psychology program, which is a completely different program.
Completely separate programs are likely to have different admissions criteria.

When you complete Grid #3, you will be able to directly compare the admissions criteria of
your selected schools with your current characteristics. You will use that comparison to
determine how likely you are to be admitted to these graduate programs.

Questions B12 – B13 will ask you to:

Think about how well you currently meet the admissions criteria of your selected programs.

B12) Explain your R, P, S judgments for each of your five schools.

(10 points max) (Expected length: 3 – 4 sentences per school)

Your Task: There’s a lot of information below to help you make accurate R,P, S
judgments about your likelihood for admission. Read on...

In the bottom row of Grid #3, you made a judgment about your likelihood of admission for
each school as a reach (R), possibility (P), or safety (S). (Review Explanation for R, P, S
below to verify your judgments).

20
 Explanation for R, P, S
 Classify a school as a Reach if:
o You do not meet ALL of the minimum requirements, or
o School has a high rejection rate due to the large number of applicants. Specifically,
schools that admit less than 20% of applicants should be classified as an R, even if
you exceed the stated minimum requirements and exceed the requirements of
those actually accepted.
 Classify a school as a Possibility if:
o You are above ALL of the stated minimum requirements, and
o You are at or above the qualifications of those actually accepted, and
o At least a third (33% or greater) of the applicants are accepted.
 Classify a school as a Safety if:
o The school is one you are quite likely to be admitted to, because you exceed the
minimum requirements and the requirements of those actually accepted, and
o At least 75% of applicants are accepted. Do not mark any school an S unless you
exceed all of the requirements.

For Question B12, explain your judgments for each school. (In other words, why is each
school an R or P or S?) Address the following important criteria as you think about your
judgments:
 Use the GPAs and GRE scores of those actually admitted, not just the minimum
stated by the school, because those students are your actual competition
 Think about the acceptance rates for each program (you calculated these in Row 2 of
Grid #3). Even if you have all the criteria the program is looking for, it’s difficult to be
accepted to a program that has, for instance, 10 openings but 200 applicants.
 You must assess your likelihood of admission realistically, based on where you stand
right now. For instance, you MUST use the GPA you have right now as the basis for
rating each school as R, P, or S. Do not say something like, “Well, I only have a 3.0
right now but I know I’ll be able to get my GPA up by the time I graduate.” You will
lose points if you do not use your current GPA and other current criteria. The reality
check (looking at your chances given where you are now) is only one reason we want
you to look at your current standing. For other reasons, it is not possible to know
what your GPA will be by the time you graduate from CSULB, and there are other
applicants competing for graduate admission who already have maintained a high
GPA. (However, see the note on the first page of these instructions for information
about raising your GPA.)

B13) Thoughtfully compare your likelihood of admissions with your preference rankings for
each of your five schools.
(5 points max) (Expected length: 1 – 2 paragraphs)

Your Task: Just make sure you’re honest here about your chances for admission.

21
Compare your classification of R, P, and S for each school at the bottom of Grid #3 with your
preferences (ranking from 1 to 5) for each school from the bottom of Grid #2.

Address the following questions:

 How does your ranking of preferences compare with your likelihood of admission?
 Are you likely to be admitted to your top choices?
 What school are you most likely to be admitted to, and why? (Do not include any of
your R schools in this answer unless all of your schools are Reaches. In that
case, you should select the school closest to your own qualifications.)

Advice from your caring 301 instructors: Students often think that they can apply to those
handful of schools they’ve heard so much about (e.g., UCLA, USC) and one of them will take
them. What they don’t realize is that hundreds (literally!) of other applicants usually think
exactly the same thing. Even for really top-notch students, graduate programs are
competitive. One lesson many students learn here is that there are many good graduate
programs that could match your needs and interests that you didn’t even know existed
before doing this project. Look around and consider a few more programs. There are many
great programs that may be less well-known or outside your geographic target area. (You
can always move back to California after graduate school.) Your career success is not mainly
about getting your degree from the most prestigious university; it’s about how well you
perform and thrive during your graduate study.

Question B14 will ask you to:

Further research the program you are most likely to attend at this point.

B14) Select the school you are most likely to attend – this is a school to which you could be
admitted, and you would like to attend, if admitted. Investigate your specific program of
choice. Describe the emphasis of the program and/or the research of a faculty member, and
explain why it appeals to your interests/goals.
(7 points max) (Expected length: 1 – 2 paragraphs)

As above, do not include any of your R schools in this answer unless all of your
schools are R in which case you should select the school closest to your own
qualifications.

Your task: For this question, do the following:

 Name the school you have selected, and indicate why you have chosen it.
 If you are applying to a Ph.D. program (or a research-based MA or MS program),
o Indicate the name of a faculty member with whom you would like to work, and
o Describe the research being conducted by that faculty member. This
information can usually be found on the school’s website or you may
want to use the University Affiliation function of PsycInfo to gather
this information, and
o Provide the URL for the information.

22
  If you are applying to a Psy.D., MA program in an applied field, or MSW program,
o Describe a program or project or training activity at that school that appeals to
you. This information can be obtained from the website, brochure, or
catalog, and
o Indicate the source of your information. If you obtained the information from a
website, include the URL.

Warning: Be sure to use your own words in describing the program and/or
faculty research. There is a significant penalty for cutting and pasting from the
Internet.

Graduate School Project Instructions: Section C

Section C: The Future is Now – Making the Most of CSULB

In the first two sections of this project, you found graduate programs that interest you,
researched their expectations for admissions, and considered how you currently stand in
terms of competing with other students for being admitted.

The purpose of this last section is to figure out how to make the most of the time you have
remaining at CSULB. Here, you will figure out what you can do now to make yourself more
competitive for graduate admissions, when the time comes to fill out “real” applications.
Your preparation now can make all the difference in your future!

More advice from your caring 301 instructors: Sometimes, students can get discouraged at
this point in the project, when they see how competitive admissions are to many graduate
programs. The major point of having you perform this comparison is not to discourage you,
but to provide a necessary reality check. The reason we wanted you to take PSY 301 early in
your career here at CSULB is that you still have time to work on improving your academic
record and experiences, making yourself more competitive for admission (this is the focus of
Section C of the project). Additionally, you always have the opportunity to consider other,
less competitive programs, or even working in a professional setting for a while before
graduate study. With this project, you can create a well-informed career plan!

You’ve now considered all the components that go into building a competitive application for
graduate school. As you can see, readiness for graduate study goes far beyond a solid GPA.
You also need high GRE scores, research and/or relevant experiences and service, supportive
letters of recommendation, and perhaps preparation for an extensive interview. You’re also
going to have to convey all those qualities and experiences you accumulate through an
effective statement of purpose to include with your application. And, finally but just as
importantly, you have to be willing to search for programs that fit your needs and interests
and for which you can meet or exceed their admission standards.

23
The good news is that you know all that now, in this “mock” preparation for writing graduate
applications, before you write the “real” applications later. Answer the following questions to
develop a plan and to get ready for those “real” applications, while you are here at CSULB.

 For those of you just starting at CSULB or just beginning to take courses in
the field of psychology, it may be difficult to complete parts of this section,
such as deciding who will write letters of recommendation and writing your
statement of purpose. In the Grad Project folder on BeachBoard, you will see a
document entitled Hypothetical Scenarios that must be used to support your own
actual experience. See the instructions accompanying the scenarios about how to
incorporate them into your Statement of Purpose and how to indicate that you are
doing so. You must use these scenarios if you are new to CSULB or have fewer than
104 units total (completed and in progress).

Question C1 will ask you to:

Develop an action plan for your undergraduate study.

C1) In the time that remains of your undergraduate career, what specific actions can you
take to improve and/or enhance your chances of admission to the school(s) of your choice?
(9 points max) (Expected length: 3 paragraphs)

Your Task: Your goal for this question is to create an “action plan” for the kinds
of skills and experiences you want to develop while you are at CSULB. Be as
specific as you can, including steps and timeline.

You must include at least three ideas here, and you should outline a “plan of action” for how
you will accomplish each one. For instance, if one of your ideas is to get research experience
with a faculty member, explain necessary steps you will take, like: how you will find
information about faculty research and how you will ask to participate in the research. Or, if
you’re thinking about improving your GRE scores, how will you prepare for the test, and so
on.

Questions C2 – C8 will ask you to:

Prepare to ask for letters of recommendation in a professional manner.

One of the most important actions you can take in your undergraduate career is to get to
know and to work with faculty. Letters of recommendation from faculty who can assess your
academic potential for graduate study is important in admission to most every graduate
program. Just as it’s important to show faculty you are a serious student in your classes, it is
important to ask for letters of recommendation in a prepared and professional manner.

24
The following seven questions ask you to develop a professional plan for asking faculty for
letters of recommendation. Read each TIP below, designed to stimulate your thinking about
the kinds of impressions you might make on faculty as you request letters of
recommendation.

TIP: Review your text (particularly Chapter 7), the BeachBoard readings, especially Getting
In (Chapter 4 – a reading for Quiz 19), and Complete Guide to Graduate Study (a
resource in PRO) for tips and information about asking for letters of recommendation. The
best answers for the questions below can be found there.

C2) Identify and give descriptive information (including professional titles / degrees) about
three individuals whom you would hope to ask for letters of recommendation.
(6 points max) (Expected length: 3 brief paragraphs)

Your Task: Prepare now to make good impressions on faculty. Get to know who
teaches your relevant courses of interest. Look up their titles (e.g., Associate
Professor) and degrees (e.g., Ph.D.), if you aren’t sure.

TIP: Graduate programs are looking for letters from faculty who can assess your academic
potential. Letters for graduate applications should come from faculty with whom you have
taken upper-division courses (courses numbered 300 and above), preferably in your
discipline. Although positive letters from others (e.g., work supervisors, personal references,
community college faculty) are nice for job interviews, they are not your best choice for
graduate applications.

Note to students new to CSULB: Do not use faculty members from a community college
as references. Instead, note courses you plan to take at CSULB and select faculty who
regularly teach those courses. If you want to know who regularly teaches courses, look in
the syllabi binders in PRO or in the department handbook.

C3) Why have you selected each of these individuals?

(6 points max) (Expected length: 3 brief paragraphs)

TIP: Have some professional reasons for why you’ll ask these three individuals. It’s not
about asking the “nice” professors. It’s about asking faculty who are aware of your academic
performance and can write an informed letter. Also, it is about faculty who are familiar with
your discipline / area of interest.

Note: If you are new to CSULB or have yet to take courses with the individuals you intend to
ask, be sure to indicate that you have selected them only hypothetically and will change once
you know the instructors you actually have had.

25
C4) What will you do in class or via other activities to have the professors or people you have
chosen to get to know you and to get the best letters possible?
(3 points max) (Expected length: 1 paragraph)

TIPS: Asking them to follow you on Twitter would not be the best choice. Consider what
behaviors you will engage in, both in and out of the classroom perhaps, to show how you will
take your academic career seriously.

C5) Indicate how and where you will ask them for letters.
(2 points max) (Expected length: 2 – 3 sentences)

TIPS: Texting them a “REQST 4 LETR” is not a good way to ask. Running into them in the
bathroom in the psychology building is not a good time to ask for letters.

C6) How far in advance of the application due dates will you ask for the letters?
(2 points max) (Expected length: 2 – 3 sentences)

TIP: Be specific about timeline (number of weeks in advance, for instance).

C7) What materials will you give to them? Be specific. Explain how those materials help
faculty to answer the typical questions asked of those writing letters.
(6 points max) (Expected length: 1 paragraph)

TIP: We are looking for a very specific list here. You’ll want to give each letter writer an
organized folder/binder of materials. Indicate everything you will include in that folder.
Then, explain why you will include that information.

C8) Will you waive (waive means give up) your right to see the letters? Explain why or why
not.
(4 points max) (Expected length: 1 paragraph)

TIP: Waiving your right means that you cannot see the letters of recommendation that
people write for you. Whether you waive your right is not just a matter of opinion. There is a
right answer here.

26
STOP! IMPORTANT NOTE TO READ BEFORE CONTINUING!

Note to students new to CSULB or those with less than 104 units completed / in
progress:

The next two questions will ask you to complete the following:
A Generic Application for Graduate Study
A Statement of Purpose

If you are a new student at CSULB or if you have taken less than 104 units including those in
progress, you are expected to incorporate material from the hypothetical scenarios into your
Generic Application and your Statement of Purpose. The hypothetical scenarios can be found
in a document on BeachBoard located with these instructions (see Hypothetical Scenarios).

FYI: The point of the hypothetical scenarios is to ensure that you have something relevant to
write about in your application and statement of purpose, just in case you have not done
research, service, etc. in “real life” just yet.

IF THEY ARE REQUIRED, HYPOTHETICAL SCENARIOS SHOULD ONLY BE USED ON

THE GENERIC APPLICATION, AND
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

Notation: On your Generic Application and Statement of Purpose, mark each hypothetical
scenario by placing an asterisk (*) at its conclusion.

Use the grid below to determine how many hypothetical scenarios you may need to include
in your Generic Application and Statement of Purpose.

Number of units Number of hypothetical experiences that

completed must be incorporated into the project
105 or more 0
90 to 104 1
75 to 89 2
74 or fewer 3

C9) Complete the Generic Application for Graduate Study.

The Generic Application for Graduate Study should be submitted and labeled as
Appendix F.
(Generic Application completion is worth 10 points max)

Your Task: Complete all sections of the Generic Application for Graduate Study.
The application is a Word document located in the same folder as these
instructions. See Generic_Application.doc.

27
Reminder: If you are a student new to CSULB or have less than 104 units, you
must use materials from the hypothetical scenarios (in the same modules with
these instructions on BeachBoard) in completing the application. Notate the use
of scenarios on the application with an asterisk (*) following each hypothetical
entry.

TIP: Never ever leave a section of an application blank.

Question C10 will ask you to:

Compose your Statement of Purpose.

C10) Write your Statement of Purpose directly onto the Template.

(45 points max) (REQUIRED Length: 400 – 800 words)

The Statement of Purpose might also be called a personal statement, letter of intent,
application essay or autobiography.

Tailor your statement specifically for the school that seems most appropriate for you. This
should be the same school you selected in Question B14 above.

Before you write, consider the following general TIPS for writing a compelling
statement:

 You might think of a Statement of Purpose as a written job interview. Your

goal is to (truthfully!) convince the graduate committee that they want you
in their program.

 You will need to demonstrate that you can contribute to the department
whether by similar research interests, personal experience, applied areas of
interest, etc.

 It is likely that many students also vying for admission have good grades
and relevant experiences. How will you set yourself apart from other
candidates? Consider the following: What makes you a good match for this
particular program? What experiences ensure you are ready for the
requirements of graduate study?

This is not a comprehensive set of tips. Writing a Statement of Purpose is a very big deal,
and you should review more of the information we made available before you write.

One resource for you is available on BeachBoard in the Grad Project folder as a document
entitled “Tips for Writing a Statement of Purpose.doc.”

28
Information on how to write a statement of purpose is also available in Getting In and
Applying to Graduate School in Psychology, various sites on the Internet, and there is a
handout on writing a statement of purpose (available in PRO) for guidance. You may also
look at (but not copy) the statements of purpose found in the Graduate and Professional
Schools Success Stories of CSULB Psychology Students found in the Graduate Resources
Room in PRO. There are also some books on application essays in the GRR such as
Graduate Admissions Essays and How to Write a Perfect Personal Statement.

As a child growing up, I was fascinated by human behavior, which is an integral part
of psychology. I love analyzing people’s emotions and actions. Although I never really
understood why people hate psychology, it is an important part of our lives simply due to the
fact that it shapes everyone, whether they know it or not. My journey began because of the
connection I saw with my high school counselor. It was inspiring seeing her work such
complex problems with the thought process of being positive. My high school counselor, Mrs.
S, was an important influence in my life. She helped me through my high school journey,
starting my freshman year, and she guided me as I struggled to find my future career path
that would best suit my interests. I had my mind set on film, and she encouraged me to
pursue that field. However, little did I realize that this entire counseling process would lead
me to follow in Mrs. S’s footsteps.
My interest in school counseling began to develop during my junior year of high school
when I worked as a volunteer for the Happy Sunshine Preschool. I co-led a group of kids
(1) as we went into a time of discussion and activity. I also modified the sessions (2) we
had based on different personalities in the group. For instance, if they were shy or
outspoken; this would allow the shy kids to open up within the subgroup I formed. When I
brought the two groups together, the shy kids would open up and verbally communicate
their thoughts during the group discussion. The communication resulted in friendlier
interactions among both groups. During recess, I would supervise the children (3) as they
played on the playground. I also worked with staff members to conduct educational
outreach sessions (4) for aspiring teachers, who want to acquire effective learning
strategies to implement in their classrooms. In conclusion, my work allowed these children to
get closer and have a better understanding of school.*
My interest in school counseling further progressed when I began interning for the Big
Brother/Big Sister program. The technical aspects of my job involves answering phone
inquiries (1) and updating the website on a daily basis. I would also tutor elementary
and high school students (2) who were struggling with a particular subject, whether that
was math or English. Moreover, I would comfort these students as they went through
emotional hardships or obstacles in their lives, giving them life and social skills (3) in the
process in hopes of alleviating some of the stress. Every month, I would help the planning
committee organize fundraisers (4) to help fund the company and the students who were
part of the program. As a counselor, the wellbeing of my subjects is of utmost importance.
Giving advice to people when they are overworked or when they do not try enough helps
them find more fulfillment in what they do. Therefore, counseling requires great vision and
foresight to identify problems and propose solutions to address them.*
Looking back at my journey, I see the growth I have exhibited as an aspiring school
counselor and as an individual. I not only was able to apply my empathy and foresight into

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the personal, academic, professional, and cultural realms, but I was also able to see their
workings in my life. School counseling doesn’t only take place in the academic setting; it also
takes place in our lives. School counseling did not put my story together. It became my life
and essentially became my story.

Your statement should include all of the following points:

 your general reasons for undertaking graduate work (5 to 10 pts*)

 your specific interest with respect to the program to which you are applying including
your career goals and how those goals developed (10 to 15 pts.)
 how the program at the school matches your academic goals (The admissions
committee must determine whether or not your objective can be satisfied within the
program. Do not include factors such as location and cost in the statement of
purpose! The program description you discovered in Question B14 should be
helpful and included here. (10 to 15 pts.)
 how your background prepares you for the program (this section should include
information about your research and applied experience with the focus on either your
research experience, if a graduate research program, or your applied experience, if
the program is applied).
Note to new students or those with less than 104 units completed: If you are
a new student or if you have taken less than 104 units including those in progress,
you are expected to incorporate material from the hypothetical scenarios. Identify
each hypothetical scenario you use by placing an asterisk at the end of it, like this.*
If the program to which you are applying is in social work or marriage and
family therapy, you should also include information about how your personal history
has led you to the goal and how it will benefit you in the field. (10 to 15 pts.)

If relevant, your statement of purpose should also address:

 a brief occupational resume if any significant period has elapsed since you were last
enrolled in an academic institution. (up to 5 pts.)
 any factors which are not covered elsewhere that you think the admissions committee
should know. (up to 5 pts.)

After putting much thought and research into this decision, I have decided that I will
most likely attend Fischler College of Education, where I will participate in the Master of Arts
(M.A.) School Counseling program at Nova Southeastern University. I have rated this
program as a Possibility. Because I have exceeded the actual GPA requirement as well as
Verbal and Quantitative GRE scores, this makes my academic profile highly qualified for this
program. I like how the school counseling program provides three pathways: elementary,
middle, and high school. My focus will be primarily based on the high school pathway. Also, I
like how this program has a curriculum geared more towards the practice of school
counseling rather than research. All students are required to complete both a practicum,

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which consists of spending 100 hours in a Pre-K-12 grade setting with 40 of those hours
directly interacting with students. After the students finish the practicum, they are then
required to complete an internship, investing 600 hours in a Pre-K-12 grade setting. This
encourages more collaborative work between the student and the graduate student (who is
aspiring to be a school counselor). Getting exposed to different age groups can be a benefit
in the future when working with high school students. I can learn the different stages of
development these students undergo to better understand their behaviors and thinking
processes before relaying my advice and guidance to them.
This program has a somewhat fair balance in terms of affordability and the classroom
experience. It has 59 students enrolled. Even though the program isn’t as small as I had
hoped for, I am amazed to see the number of minorities enrolled in this program (64%),
which makes me feel more reassured about my placement among an ethnically diverse
program. Moreover, the program offers a research assistant tuition of $5,000, which would
help relieve a small portion of my financial burden. Nova Southeastern University is situated
in a tourist city, which is ideal for getting both my work experience and leisurely activities
done, all in one location.
I retrieved my information from a handbook provided by the Fischler College of
Education’s website: https://psychology.nova.edu/common-pdf/handbooks/handbook-
counseling2015-2016.pdf. According to the website, this handbook is in effect today, even
though it was created in 2015. This handbook gives an overview of the School Counseling
program within this particular school. It also provides all the information needed about the
program, such as the financial aid, faculty members, and course curriculum.

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