GRE Psychology

[commymommy]

This is going to sound like a really cyncical question and I'm sort of afraid that my attitude takes me out of the running for going into Psych in general.

I have good GRE general scores (though they are 10 years old, so I'll have to retake). When I was applying to Biology graduate programs (I have an MS in mol bio) I took the gre bio even though it was optional and scored in the 83 percentile (again...10 years ago)

So...last night I went to Barnes and Nobles and took a peek into the GRE Psychology prep guide....and within 15 minutes, I was completely turned off. I know that many programs require the GRE Psych and now I feel discouraged. Honestly, I'm not interested in re-learning the out-dated social theories of learning by so-and-so and those similar kinds of things to prove that I can memorize basically what I see as fairly useless information. In my ugrad days, I remember also being turned off by some of these types of classes where it seemed like what we were learning was kind of a psychobabble fluff kind of a thing. History and systems...ok..it has it's place...but the prep book that I looked at had a disproportionate amount of that kind of stuff. It made me remember why I eventually took biological psychology and then slowly made my way over to biology as a major.

I loved abnormal psychology, developmental psychology, test theories and measurement, statistics and bio psych. I enjoyed the classes where we talked about basic therapy skills etc.....but I abhored the whole "ten stages of blah, blah, blah by some hokey guy from 100 years ago" and the idea that we had to memorize some out-dated theories about social development or self-actualization, etc....as if they were still relevant.

Would I be miserable studying psychology again? After I looked at the GRE Psych prep book I actually had the thought "apply only to programs that don't require it". It seems silly to me to go back and memorize all of that kind of junk now.....for the sake of spitting it out.

hmmm

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[positivepsych]

This is going to sound like a really cyncical question and I'm sort of afraid that my attitude takes me out of the running for going into Psych in general.

I have good GRE general scores (though they are 10 years old, so I'll have to retake). When I was applying to Biology graduate programs (I have an MS in mol bio) I took the gre bio even though it was optional and scored in the 83 percentile (again...10 years ago)

So...last night I went to Barnes and Nobles and took a peek into the GRE Psychology prep guide....and within 15 minutes, I was completely turned off. I know that many programs require the GRE Psych and now I feel discouraged. Honestly, I'm not interested in re-learning the out-dated social theories of learning by so-and-so and those similar kinds of things to prove that I can memorize basically what I see as fairly useless information. In my ugrad days, I remember also being turned off by some of these types of classes where it seemed like what we were learning was kind of a psychobabble fluff kind of a thing. History and systems...ok..it has it's place...but the prep book that I looked at had a disproportionate amount of that kind of stuff. It made me remember why I eventually took biological psychology and then slowly made my way over to biology as a major.

I loved abnormal psychology, developmental psychology, test theories and measurement, statistics and bio psych. I enjoyed the classes where we talked about basic therapy skills etc.....but I abhored the whole "ten stages of blah, blah, blah by some hokey guy from 100 years ago" and the idea that we had to memorize some out-dated theories about social development or self-actualization, etc....as if they were still relevant.

Would I be miserable studying psychology again? After I looked at the GRE Psych prep book I actually had the thought "apply only to programs that don't require it". It seems silly to me to go back and memorize all of that kind of junk now.....for the sake of spitting it out.

hmmm

If a program is a good fit, I wouldn't recommend avoiding it just to avoid taking the test. And anyway, from what I hear its a very easy test compared to the GRE, you just have to put in the studying. If you have the time and opportunity, I would take it.

 

[clinpsychgirl]

This is going to sound like a really cyncical question and I'm sort of afraid that my attitude takes me out of the running for going into Psych in general.

I have good GRE general scores (though they are 10 years old, so I'll have to retake). When I was applying to Biology graduate programs (I have an MS in mol bio) I took the gre bio even though it was optional and scored in the 83 percentile (again...10 years ago)

So...last night I went to Barnes and Nobles and took a peek into the GRE Psychology prep guide....and within 15 minutes, I was completely turned off. I know that many programs require the GRE Psych and now I feel discouraged. Honestly, I'm not interested in re-learning the out-dated social theories of learning by so-and-so and those similar kinds of things to prove that I can memorize basically what I see as fairly useless information. In my ugrad days, I remember also being turned off by some of these types of classes where it seemed like what we were learning was kind of a psychobabble fluff kind of a thing. History and systems...ok..it has it's place...but the prep book that I looked at had a disproportionate amount of that kind of stuff. It made me remember why I eventually took biological psychology and then slowly made my way over to biology as a major.

I loved abnormal psychology, developmental psychology, test theories and measurement, statistics and bio psych. I enjoyed the classes where we talked about basic therapy skills etc.....but I abhored the whole "ten stages of blah, blah, blah by some hokey guy from 100 years ago" and the idea that we had to memorize some out-dated theories about social development or self-actualization, etc....as if they were still relevant.

Would I be miserable studying psychology again? After I looked at the GRE Psych prep book I actually had the thought "apply only to programs that don't require it". It seems silly to me to go back and memorize all of that kind of junk now.....for the sake of spitting it out.

hmmm

I understand your point. There are certainly schools that don't require the psych GRE. Infact, every single school I applied to did not require the exam. So, even though I studied for it, I didn't bother to take it. In my case, there was no need to give any extra money to ETS But, it is important to know that I was a psych major (recently graduated) with a strong GPA in my psych classes.

You are in a slightly different situation. Since you are a non-traditional candidate, taking the psych GRE will be of greater importance to you, even in instances where schools don't require it. Taking the exam, (and doing well on it), will prove to admissions committees that you know the basic material and that you know it well.

Also, it is important to know that when you take your licensing exam to become a psychologist, it will very likely be like the psych GRE all over again, plus 4-5 years of theory and concepts from graduate school. So, it couldn't hurt to get a head start on that material now!

I understand your thinking- but maybe it would be helpful if you think about the less "updated" information this way: Understanding the theories, albiet the outdated ones, is important because these people and their theories helped shape the field in its current form. So, perhaps, to understand the field of psychology as it stands today, it helps to see the development of the thinking its leaders in the field over time.

Good luck!

 

[commymommy]

No offense meant...and I wasn't referencing anyone specific, including Maslow...whom I don't find uninteresting, btw.

I suppose I will just have to 'suck it up' and relearn some of the things that I find less interesting....

Maybe it's just the way that things are asked that I have an issue with.

For example, I find Piaget to actually be quite fascinating. He was a biologist turned great develpmental psychologist (which I find really neat)..but the questions asked on the test are along the lines of:

A theorist who agrees with Piaget's basic assumptions regarding development most likely would say:
blah, blah, blah...with answers that are global and vague.....

What about delving into the stages of cognitive development or specifically addressing assimilation or accomodation, etc....That...I could become more interested in.

I don't know..maybe...I'm just too old to go back and play the 'jump through the hoops' game anymore.

 

[commymommy]

I understand your thinking- but maybe it would be helpful if you think about the less "updated" information this way: Understanding the theories, albiet the outdated ones, is important because these people and their theories helped shape the field in its current form. So, perhaps, to understand the field of psychology as it stands today, it helps to see the development of the thinking its leaders in the field over time.

Good luck!

I know you're right...and I did enjoy History and Systems for just this reason...I'll just need to take some time to re-read these things and get back up-to-speed.

 

[Forensic M.S.]

I know you're right...and I did enjoy History and Systems for just this reason...I'll just need to take some time to re-read these things and get back up-to-speed.

i only had one program require the psych gre. the test was the biggest load of crap i have ever taken, it was so superficial and meaningless. i did mediocre on it , it was just a bunch of trivia really. i personally think they should do away with it.

 

[psycholytic]

GRE's in general are the most unintelligent tests I have ever taken--at least as far as I remember . They are a long established BS that serves only one company and cause ; that is ETS and their money machine !

I find it highly offending that students who studied for years and show a record of excellence have to take that trash.

I also understand that you refuse to take it ; I had the same attitude. I still took it but only because the schools I applied to needed it. I do not care about scores; if these schools rule me out simply related to my GRE scores, I do not want to be there anyway. I could care less about an institution which only emphasis lies on "horoscope-like tests".

My guess is, in a few years the GRE's will be requested less and less.
I know of schools that got rid of it this year.