| If you have ever hoped to one day get into grad | | | | psychology at UCLA? |
| school (or more specifically, gain admission to the | | | | The UCLA Psychology Department website states |
| doctoral program in psychology) at UCLA in Los | | | | that for the Fall admissions cycle of 2009, |
| Angeles, California, then you've come to the right | | | | approximately 690 applications were received. |
| place! Currently ranked at number 3 by U.S. News and | | | | Although precise numbers vary each year, only 30 |
| World Reports for best overall graduate program in | | | | students were admitted into the Ph.D. program. A |
| psychology, University of California at Los Angeles | | | | quick look at the numbers might suggest that it is |
| has applications pouring in from students all over the | | | | extremely difficult to get into UCLA. The matter of |
| country. These students represent the academic | | | | fact is that lots of applicants likely failed to do their |
| elite, contending for a spot on the next class of | | | | research before applying. There are several keys to |
| graduate students in their particular area of interest in | | | | admissions to Ph.D. programs - and the first rule of |
| psychology. Ph.D. programs are offered at UCLA in | | | | thumb is to apply to programs with good |
| the following areas: | | | | faculty-student fit. This means that if you are only |
| * Behavioral Neuroscience | | | | interested in becoming a psychotherapist, the |
| * Clinical Psychology | | | | research-oriented nature of the program is not a |
| * Cognitive Psychology | | | | good fit. Secondly, if you're interested in studying the |
| * Developmental Psychology | | | | development of autism, but there is no faculty |
| * Health Psychology | | | | member whose research interests mirror yours, you |
| * Learning & Behavior | | | | are better of saving your application fee to apply to |
| * Quantitative | | | | another university where you can find appropriate |
| * Social Psychology | | | | mentorship. |
| Lastly for those interested in studying Education and | | | | Do I have to take the GRE to get into UCLA? |
| Psychology, there is a related program for | | | | The short answer is yes. GRE General Exam scores |
| Psychological Studies in Education. | | | | are a requirement for admission. You're in good luck |
| As is the case for all Ph.D. programs (and certainly for | | | | though that there are no minimum GRE cutoff scores |
| prestigious Research One institutions of higher | | | | to be considered for admission. If you still feel like |
| learning), UCLA boasts its reputation for preparing | | | | your GRE scores might not be competitive, be aware |
| psychologists to work as researchers, college and | | | | that UCLA's policy is only to take into consideration |
| university instructors, and professional research | | | | your last reported GRE score. No averaging, no |
| psychologists. After graduation, typical careers around | | | | taking your best score. However, please be aware |
| found in both academic and applied settings, research | | | | that certain programs at UCLA require the GRE |
| and government agencies, business and industry, and | | | | Psychology Subject Test: These include Clinical |
| clinics and hospitals. | | | | Psychology. For the Health, Developmental, and |
| At UCLA you will also find several research institutes | | | | Cognitive Psychology areas, the GRE Psychology is |
| on campus. Graduate students are especially | | | | highly recommended but not a strict requirement. For |
| encouraged to get involved in research projects at | | | | other areas, you are in the free and clear. |
| the Brain Research Institute, the interdisciplinary | | | | Although getting into a great school can seem really |
| Neuroscience and Cognitive programs, the Institute | | | | tough, getting into UCLA is not all that difficult, as |
| for Social Science Research, the Neuropsychiatric | | | | long as you take the time to prepare yourself and |
| Institute, and the Fernald Child Study Center. For | | | | pull together a completed application package (yes, |
| clinical psychology students, there is a Psychology | | | | I'm sure many of those 609 applications got trashed |
| Clinic on campus where you will spend hours in | | | | for being incomplete). Get your academic resume |
| practicums learning how to treat patients under | | | | together to submit for letters of recommendation, |
| supervision. | | | | work diligently on your graduate personal statement, |
| How competitive is it to get into Ph.D. program in | | | | and get to applying! |