searching for programs
where to start & what tools are available
One of the first tasks outlined in my personal application timeline is finding potential programs to apply to, and making a preliminary list with universities that tick general boxes. Last year, my method for searching was quite clumsy and outdated – I printed the list of all clinical psychology PhD programs in the U.S. and systematically visited all program websites to determine if they fit my areas of interest. I definitely don’t recommend this strategy – it took me far too long, and spending so much time looking from my printed paper to my computer made me dizzy. This year, I’m trying to streamline my process. I’ll walk you through the methods I’m using to jumpstart my search.
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Did you know there are currently 395 APA accredited doctoral-level programs in the US? Imagine individually researching 395 programs just to find key information that could help significantly whittle down this list. Most of us don’t have the capacity to sort through that many potential programs just to find programs we can research further. Luckily, the APA has two different tools that can help find relevant universities and programs – one is a free search tool, and the other is a premium search service that you can access for a fee. In previous cycles, I had briefly used the free tool to navigate programs based on degree type, location, and pedigree. I was skeptical that the premium search tool would be worth the extra bucks, but was curious enough to give it a try myself. I have a reasonable amount of carryover universities and faculty members from Fall 2020 admissions, but am hoping to beef up my options.
The pricing for the APA search tool is:
· $19.99/ 3 months
· $39.99/ 6 months
· $49.99/ 12 months
It seems unlikely an applicant would need the service for longer than 3 months – I’m planning to use it for initial program & university searching, then accessing my inner Nancy Drew and investigating the programs on the individual program websites.
You’ll notice that these are all APA-accredited universities. When students attend and graduate from a non-accredited university, options for internship and licensure are severely limited. In addition, one of the largest employers of psychologists (the VA) does not hire graduates of non-accredited programs. If a program you are interested in is lacking accreditation, I would think carefully about how that will impact your job prospects later in life.
APA Links
· If you are interested in learning more about the general requirements for APA accreditation, go here:
https://www.accreditation.apa.org/about
· The free search tool provided by the APA can be found here:
https://apps.apa.org/AccredSearch
· The paid search service can be found here:
Another organization offering accreditation is the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS). PCSAS accreditation is based primarily on a program’s commitment to and evidence of adherence to the “clinical science” model of doctoral training and other factors. There are currently only 43 PCSAS accredited programs in the U.S. Upon first glance, most of the programs accredited by PCSAS are also accredited by the APA. If adherence to the clinical science model of training is important to you, you may want to use their site to search for programs as well.
PCSAS Links
· If you are interested in learning more about the general requirements, you can go here:
https://www.pcsas.org/accreditation/review-criteria/
· If you are interested in viewing programs that currently hold PCSAS accreditation, go here:
https://www.pcsas.org/accreditation/accredited-programs/
Contrary to my initial thoughts, the premium search and comparison feature is well-worth the $19.99 (if you can spare it – grad admissions are already expensive). In addition to basic program information provided with the free search tool, these are the additional items provided with the premium search & comparison:
· Admissions data (number of applicants, number of offers extended, number matriculated)
· Program outcomes (median years to degree, number of degrees awarded)
· Inclusion of master’s degrees – if you are applying to both levels of programs or just master’s degrees, the premium search tool could help you find programs whereas the free tool would not
· Application deadline
· GRE General or Subject required/not required
· Other admissions requirements such as LORs, statements, writing samples, etc.
· Estimated weight of admissions criteria – low, medium, high (it’s a bit unclear where they get this information from
· Minimum scores for GRE sections and undergraduate GPA, along with median scores for previous cohorts
· Financial assistance details – type of assistantships, average amount, percent of students receiving assistantships, tuition coverage
· Internship/Practicum information
· Program demographics (gender & ethnicity)
· Link to information for students with physical disabilities
* Caution – some of the outcome data is not recent and the contact information might not be updated. Be sure to do some extra investigating on program websites if you decide you are interested in a program or university.
Here is a comparison table of different search methods. To access & save the photo, here is the link.
Most of this is information you could easily find with some basic sleuthing on program sites, but depending on how many programs you are looking into, that could eat up a significant amount of time. Using this service, you can quickly see if your GRE/GPA are competitive enough, know what kind of degree is offered, and see the number of applicants from previous years. While GRE and GPA are not the end all/be all of admissions, they are holistically taken into account with other materials. You can also see how well the program incorporates diversity, which is a feature I really like, and may be important to some applicants.
Before you start utilizing these various tools to start your preliminary list, there are some foundational questions to ask yourself.
PhD or PsyD?
Choosing a degree type is a very personal decision. Each degree has its own set of benefits and risks, and looking ahead to your future career goals can be a helpful way to determine which degree is the right fit for you. One major component that may influence your choice is funding – PsyD programs are usually not funded to the same degree as PhD programs, and tuition is often not waived. This can result in leaving graduate school with significant debt. Though each program is unique, a PsyD may not be as research focused as PhD. Again, work backwards from your hopeful career trajectory to determine which degree is the right fit.
Program Type
Within the psychology field, there are quite a few doctoral degree types. Just to name a few: Cognitive, Social, Developmental, Clinical, Counseling, School, and Community. Before you start searching, it’s important to know which programs fit your goals. It’s also common to see combination programs – Clinical/Developmental, Clinical/Community, School/Counseling. You may find that multiple types of programs would fit your goals and that is fine. Again, work backwards – if you want to see clients in a clinical or therapeutic setting, not all doctoral degrees prepare students for that work.
Location
While it is inevitable that some applicants will have certain location restrictions, if you aren’t able to pursue programs dependent on their fit rather than their location, you might miss out on programs and faculty well-suited to your interests. If you have a partner that would need to relocate with you, start talking to them about what they are comfortable with, and see if you can open up your search radius.
School Pedigree
Like it or not, where your degree comes from can impact your future internship and job prospects. Thinking forward to my career goals, I know I want to be involved in academia, actively conduct research, and potentially work for other government agencies like the VA. Because of this, obtaining my degree from a program like Alliant University may not provide me with the opportunities I’ll want after graduation. However, I also know my qualifications are not well-suited for Ivy League programs. Be realistic about your possibilities, so your money isn’t wasted on programs that aren’t a good fit.
Although all of this is helpful information, there is a ton that the search tools DON’T tell you. Items not provided in this initial search are:
· Faculty research interests
· Faculty taking students
· Research/clinical split
· Program training model (clinical science, scientist-practitioner, etc.)
· Available specialties/concentrations (trauma psychology, developmental psychopathology, neuropsychology, quantitative, etc.)
Your next steps require a bit of time and persistence. What you have now is a preliminary list of schools within reach, based on location, GPA & GRE average, funding available, and other general checkboxes. To find professors conducting research aligned with your interests, you’ll need to systematically review program websites for information about faculty and labs. This process can quickly become cumbersome and overwhelming. Try to break up your preliminary list into manageable chunks, sorting through a handful of programs a day. Make sure to note any professors or research labs of interest. Another way to search is by using keywords associated with your area of interest. For example, I might search “trauma psychology PhD” or “developmental psychopathology PhD”. You could also search for labs in a similar fashion – “emotion regulation lab” or “maternal trauma lab”. Alternatively, if you know of faculty you’re currently interested in, you can also search for frequent collaborators to see who they are conducting research with. I personally want to make sure no stone is left unturned - it’s possible the faculty member or lab that is a perfect fit won’t come up in Google searches. I hope sharing my process is useful for folks.
Happy searching, and thanks for reading!