Honors Program? (Early Planning For Psy.D)

I've never applied to Psy.D's but I imagine they'd like to see some clinical experience on your CV. Keep that GPA up and you'll have a solid chance of getting into a funded program (e.g. Rutgers, Baylor). I think the honors program would be a perk for you application but not all schools even have this type option so I doubt it will hurt you significantly if you decide not to do it.

HeyJude said:

I've never applied to Psy.D's but I imagine they'd like to see some clinical experience on your CV. Keep that GPA up and you'll have a solid chance of getting into a funded program (e.g. Rutgers, Baylor). I think the honors program would be a perk for you application but not all schools even have this type option so I doubt it will hurt you significantly if you decide not to do it.

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Rutgers and Baylor will want research experience. A good gpa alone won't do a thing to get you in there.

OP: I think it depends on the places you're applying to. If you're going for one of the 200-applicants-150-acceptances PsyDs, then it won't be issue. If you want something a little higher end I could see it hurting your chances. But, I had a colleague who did a senior thesis and was in an honours program, and didn't get into several of the higher-acceptance-rate programs, so acceptance there likely depends on other things.

As has been mentioned already, not all universities have honors programs, nor do all of them have senior thesis options. Just as participating in either/both of them will not guarantee you an acceptance, neither will not participating in them guarantee you a rejection letter. It would still be a good idea to take some challenging coursework, in the psych dept as well as other depts (especially in math/stats, science), even if you are not in the honors program.

GPA alone is a relatively minor part of your application packet. You must have a at least a semi-decent GPA, but it is typically not going to be the reason for your acceptance. If you're interested in PhD programs, you need to work on research experience. If you're interested in top PsyD programs, you need to work on research experience. Find some profs in your dept whose area of research seems interesting to you and ask if you can help them out. Often, you can work this into an independent study class/course, so you're not completely overwhelmed with too many classes +research. If not, then you still need to suck it up and do it.

You need to check the requirements of the specific progam you are interested in. Also check the program statistics (usually posted right on their website) that show how many people apply vs. how many are accepted. That will give you an idea of how competitive the program is.

The program I got into required a minimum 3.5 GPA. Mine was a dismal 3.76. 😉 So, no problem there.

The REAL issue they wanted to discuss was staying power. How did I plan to handle the stress and challenges of grad school? How did I plan to juggle the rest of my life's responsibilities? Did I plan to finish my PsyD no matter what? The questions they asked were aimed at finding out how flaky or flighty I might be. How hard will I work in the program? And how much do I WANT my PsyD?

After my interview, my advisor told me that they had been impressed with my passion for Psychology, my determination to make this my career and my strong desire to attain my PsyD.

See if you can find some grad students at the school you want to attend who will talk with you about how they got accepted and what kinds of students the school is looking for. Some schools want diversity. Others want people who will do meaningful research. You'll need to do some homework on the program. Also, ask the admissions advisors and professors what the school is looking for. They will tell you! They WANT motivated students!

KimJ said:

I'll be starting my Sophmore year at UMass (Amherst) and I'm really interested in applying to grad school, specifically to a Psy.D program. However, I need a lot of help🙁

First of all, I currently have a 3.89 but I'm not in the Honors Program. The only reasons being I'm afraid my GPA will drop dramatically and I'm really not interested in research and doing a senior thesis (which is why I'm interested in getting a Psy.D as opposed to a Ph.D)

Will not being in the honors program dramatically decrease my chances of getting into grad school? Should I really just suck it up and join and hope my grades won't fall?

Also, what should I start doing to build my resume? I currently have nothing really under my belt besides my GPA and a couple honor societies. What do schools really look for and what should I start doing?

Any help would be great!! Thank you!

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It is still really early in your undergraduate career. You have plenty of time to get involved in a lab. I completely agree that research experience is a huge aspect of your development as a student, particularly if you intend to pursue a doctoral degree. Getting your name out there on posters, book chapters, and articles is key. Not to mention, the letter of recommendation you will receive from your advisor, as they will be best able to speak to your abilities as a scientist/student, your work ethic, your passion for the field, and your deidication to your work. This letter will carry substantial weight with the admissions committee. However, keep in mind that research experience is only ONE aspect that you will be evaluated on. Schools look at a host of different things when assessing your credentials. Psy.D. programs also value clinical experience, strong grades and coursework, and solid GRE scores. Being a well rounded applicant is important.


My biggest issue when applying to graduate programs was my GRE scores. This is a common problem for many applicants. I had strong grades as undergrad and in my masters program, a few years worth of research experience (some paid), and a host of different clinical experiences under my belt. But alas, my GREs scores were average at best. I barely broke 1200. Unfortunately, many schools use GREs to prescreen applications - meaning they might not even look at your CV or personal statement unless you reach a certain cut-off mark. I am pretty sure that this happended to me in several instances. From what I hear, its a rather common practice. Fortunately, I was able to have professors look past this issue and see my background as a whole - thus taking me down the path of doctoral study. I have many friends who did not have the same experence. I am not telling you this to evoke anxiety, but rather, to motivate you to prepare for the exam in advance.


Many students cram a month before the test, gaining little from such a condensed study strategy. You should take a practice GRE to see where you stand. If necessary, take a course. You want isolate your trouble areas if there are any, and study bit by bit over a long period of time. If your math is weak, you can learn it well with practice -its basic arithmetic, algebra, and geometry. If its vocab, study some flash cards here and there over the next year or so. Its quite difficult to raise your vocabulary in 3-4 weeks. Some might argue with that, but retention is low when you cram.

Thats my .02

Best of luck!!!!!!!!!!

I actually started studying for the GRE my sophomore year of college because people recommended that I start as early as possible, so you could get on that.

And, yes, research experience is so important! I don't know if your college is like mine and won't let you do research until after you've taken experimental, but the sooner you start, the better.