Tips for a Career in Experimental Psych
A Career in Experimental Psychology
If you are interested in a career in Experimental Psychologist, there are a lot of things you need to think about. Some of these are related to activities pertaining to college. However, here are some things to consider that we think are more related to outside of college--in the community:
1. It is important to develop critical skills
Take advantage of opportunities to develop skills in addition to what you learn in classes. These include learning more and gaining experience with computers, writing, and oral communication skills. t is important to remember that graduate schools are looking for well-rounded students, not just students with high grades. To improve these skills you can take an online course or join the organization Toastmasters to get experience with public speaking.
2. Getting involved in extracurricular activities works to your advantage
Whenever you get involved in extracurriculkar activities, it shows you have a high level of motivation and interest. As far as activities related to Experimental Psychology, ifyou were interested in animal research you could volunteer at a Humane Society, and if you were interested in cognition, you could volunteer at a local school, helping kids with study strategies.
3. Seek out work experience related to your area of interest
It is a real bonus if you can get a job related to your graduate school interests. This could be working in a hospital and interacting with patients to analyzing data on a computer for a company.
4. Understand the Importance of the Graduate Record Exam (GRE).
We have talked about the GRE a lot in other Tips and Advice posts, so we will not get into the GRE in great detail again, suffice it to say that thi exam is critical to get accepted to a grad school. Remember that the GRE is a standardized exam--it can be viewed as the “graduate SAT or ACT”. Make sure you understand how the GRE is set up, prepare for the exam in a big way, and be knowledgeable about the ins and outs of taking the GRE.
Please note that the comments of Dr. Golding and the others who post on this blog express their own opinion and not that of the University of Kentucky.
Want More?
Visit our website to learn more about possible careers for psychology majors or those interested in jobs that involve psychology.
Learn how to succeed in college with Professor Golding’s blog.
Check out Dr. Lippert’s website to learn about her work as a cognitive psychologist.