Finishing the
Undergraduate Marathon
Preparation for Graduate Studies in
Psychology
Presented by: Renée El-Gabalawy
What it takes to win a
marathon

Training

Devotion

Stamina

Commitment
Training and Preparation





GPA
Extracurricular activities (e.g.,
research, teaching, and
volunteering)
GRE
Developing professional
relationships
Funding and graduate school
applications
Ideal Timeline
Year 1:
University 1
Year 2:
 Register in honours psychology
program (B.A. or B.Sc.)
 Volunteer as a research assistant (or
other psychology related
endeavours)
Ideal Timeline
Year 3:
 Paid or volunteer research assistant
 January-February: Set up several
interviews with potential
undergraduate advisors
 January-August: Study and register
for your GRE
 Summer: Write your GRE
 Apply for TA positions
CUPE Student: Human
Resources
Ideal Timeline
Year 4:
 Write honours thesis
 TA 1 or 2 classes or RA
 September: Prepare national funding
applications (SSHRC, CIHR,
NSERC)
 November: Prepare grad school
applications
Note: Deadlines range from December
1st to January 15th
Why volunteer as a research
assistant?




Opportunity for paid work
Addition to curriculum vitae
Possibility for publications
Building a relationship with a
professor (letters of reference,
honours and MA advisors)
Some people see being an RA as
essential for grad school applications
Other unique volunteering/work
opportunities in the community
WISH Clinic
 Klinic
 Women’s Health Clinic
 St. Amant’s
 Canadian Mental Health Association
 Winnipeg Regional Health Authority
 Addictions Foundation of Manitoba
 Macdonald Youth Services
 Artbeat Studio
…to name a few

Why set up interviews in
January for honours advisors?




First pick
Options for research
Starting off on the right foot
Possibility of early research
assistantships
Do your homework! Check out potential
advisors at:
http://umanitoba.ca/faculties/arts/depart
ments/psychology/people/faculty_bios.
html
The GRE
Preparation for the Graduate
Record Examination (GRE)

Purpose:
To make your life miserable

True Purpose:
To use as an evaluative tool in
your application for graduate
school

Is it important? Yes, but it depends
It depends?

On prospective schools
The strength of other aspects of
your application

Should you prepare?
Absolutely!
GRE Prep Tools
GRE Forerunners
GRE Prep: Advice from Grad
Students
“Princeton Review SUCKED for the
General. I would recommend
Kaplens instead “
“I had a book from Princeton Review
that I found extremely helpful. It
came with a CD-Rom with practice
tests formatted like the GRE and the
book had old paper and pencil
versions to practice with as well”
Components to the GRE
1) Quantitative Reasoning (math)
Problem solving, arithmetic,
algebra, geometry, and data
analysis
2) Verbal Reasoning (english)
Reading comprehension, verbal
and analogical reasoning,
evaluating written material
Components to the GRE
3) Analytic Writing (essays)
Critical thinking and analytic
writing skills
Logistics
Score range:
Verbal and Quant: 200-800
(10 pt increments)
Analytic: 0-6 (0.5 pt increments)
Cost: $180 (US)
You can write the GRE 1 per month but
no more than 5 times within a 12
month period
Section
No. of
questions
Time (min)
Analytic
Writing
1 “issue”
and
“argument”
tasks
Issue: 45
Arg.: 30
Verbal
Reasoning
Quantitative
Reasoning
30
30
28
45
Unscored
Varies
Varies
Research
Varies
Varies
Sample Questions
Analytic
Issue: "The study of an academic
discipline alters the way we
perceive the world. After
studying the discipline, we see
the same world as before, but
with different eyes."
Argument: The following appeared as a
letter to the editor of a farming
publication.
"With continuing publicity about the need for
healthful diets, and with new research about the
harmful effects of eating too much sugar,
nationwide demand for sugar will no doubt
decline. Therefore, farmers in our state should
use the land on which they currently grow sugar
cane to grow peanuts, a food that is rich in
protein and low in sugar. Farmers in the
neighboring country of Palin greatly increased
their production of peanuts last year, and their
total revenues from that crop were quite high."
Verbal
Analogies:
COLOR: SPECTRUM
A) Tone: Scale
B) Sound: Waves
C) Verse: Poem
D) Dimension: Space
E) Cell: Organism
Quantitative
Quantitative Comparisons:
Column A
Column B
(-6) ^4
(-6)^5
A)
B)
C)
D)
if the quantity in Column A is
greater
if the quantity in Column B is
greater
if the two quantities are equal
if the relationship cannot be
determined from the information
given
Adaptive Testing
A form of computer-based test
that adapts to the examinee's
ability level
Test Day
•Arrive early
•Do not do anything out of the ordinary (e.g.,
decide to be a coffee drinker)
•Bring identification
•Bring snack and change
•Have an idea of what grad schools you will be
applying to so you can directly send your scores
(for free!)
GRE Prep: Things that work
for everyone
Verbal:
 Flashcards
 Word roots
 Memorizing words from ‘target lists’
in workbook
 Be curious
Quantitative:
 Practice makes perfect
Analytic:
 Use examples from GRE
website
 Practice on simple word
processor
 Look over high scoring and low
scoring essays
 Familiarize yourself with
components required to
succeed
General Practice:
 Practice tests (get as many as
you can!)
 ETS practice*
 Practice timing
 Work on your weaknesses
 Conservation of scrap paper
Answering Questions:
 Spend time on question 1
 Complete all questions. If your
running out of time – guess
 Don’t randomly guess, use
LOGIC
Things you SHOULDN’T do….





Not study
Cram
Try to memorize the entire
dictionary
Write during a high stress time
(e.g., November)
Read random intro math and
verbal reviews
Final Point
Always accept your score at the
end of the GRE and don’t beat
yourself up about it
Psychology GRE

Required at some schools
Intro psych knowledge
(experimental/natural science,
social/social science, general)


Preparation: Specialty prep or
intro psych books
Psychology GRE: Logistics

Paper and pencil

205 multiple choice questions

Fee: $150 (US)

Offered in October, November,
and April
Graduate Funding
Funding Applications
When in doubt…apply!
Deadlines (national funding):
Internal: End of November
External: Mid December
Value and Duration:
$17,500 (12 months)
Tri-Council Funding Bodies
1) SSHRC (Social Sciences and
Humanities Research Council)
www.sshrc.org
2) CIHR (Canadian Institutes of
Health Research)
www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca
3) NSERC (Natural Sciences and
Engineering Research Council of Canada)
www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca
Other Funding Opportunities

UMGF/MGS ($12,000-$15,000/year)
Deadline: February (automatic)

MHRC (Manitoba Health Research
Council; $17,850)
Deadline: January
Other (check out the award database)
http://webapps.cc.umanitoba.ca/gradawa
rds/

How to Apply

Prepare application (online)

2-3 letters of reference

1-2 page research proposal

Common CV
What schools and how many?
Check out CPA accredited
schools at:
www.cpa.ca (under: accreditation)

How many?
2: don’t have a shot
4: think you have a shot
2: know you’ll get in
Preparing Grad School
Applications





Contact prospective advisors in
September
Give 1 month notice for referees
(i.e., letters of reference)
Prepare personal statement
Order transcripts and GRE
scores (costs money)
Prepare CV
Choosing an Advisor
Important questions:
Does this advisor have a
developed research program?
Does this advisor have a website?
Has this advisor recently published?
Is this advisor currently funded?
Does this advisor have other
students?
Is this advisors research interests similar to
mine?
Contacting Prospective
Advisors
EMAIL
Inquiry of Acceptance
Introduction
Research Interests
Notes:
Clear and concise
Non-exhaustive
Knowledgeable
Non-binding
Goals
Making a Final Decision

Talk to advisor’s current
students

Be familiar with funding (don’t
be afraid to ask)

Be familiar with external costs
(e.g., cost of living)
Programs at the U of M
Psychology:
 Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA)
 Brain and Cognitive Science
 Clinical
 Developmental
 Social and Personality
 Methodology
 School
Community Health Sciences
Acknowledgements
Special thanks to:
Dr. Corey Mackenzie
Adam Rossi
Kristin Reynolds
Lisa Dredger
& Clinical MA 1 and 2 Students
Questions
Contact me: relgabalawy@gmail.com