Master your doctoral application

Armed with a master's and seeking a doctorate? Follow these steps to smooth the process.

Having a master's when you apply to a psychology doctoral program can be an advantage for a student, but not always, according to Linda Forrest, PhD, the University of Oregon counseling psychology and human services department head.

"Some faculty love having students with more experience in their cohort because they find that their experience is very useful in group learning," she says. However, that's not always the case--with some faculty concerned about the quality of education students have received thus far, she adds.

Moreover, since master's-level programs vary widely, it's difficult for admissions committee chairs to know what kind of practicum and research experience these students may have. That's why students should clearly delineate their master's experiences, detailing the research they have done and what they hope to pursue with a doctoral degree, throughout the process—from their first point of contact with faculty through their statement of intent and interview, says Jay Greenfeld, a second-year University of Iowa counseling psychology student who often mentors other students on the application process.

To secure a good fit, Greenfeld and other experts recommend master's-level doctoral applicants follow these steps:

1. Assemble your options. One year out, list the 20 to 30 programs you'd consider applying to, based on location, research preferences and reputation. Dig around each school's Web site, or call their admission's office to find out whether they are interested in students with master's degrees.


2. Narrow your list. Once you've compiled a list, have faculty from your master's program pinpoint the schools that best fit your research goals, which schools you can cut and whether you missed any good options. Whittle your list down to around 8 to 12 programs, experts say.


3. Consider retaking the GRE. If it has been more than five years since you took the GRE, or if you want to improve your score, study and take the exam as soon as possible to give yourself enough time to take it more than once.


4. Contact faculty. Use the Web to research each program's faculty and identify three professors from each school who have research interests similar to your own. Then send a brief, (roughly 250 to 300 words) personalized e-mail to each one, introducing yourself and detailing your relevant master's experience, as well as how your research interests are similar to theirs. If you hear back, try to maintain a regular e-mail or phone dialogue.


5. Talk with admissions staff. Although most departments require a thorough review of students' master's coursework before granting credit, call each department's advisor to get a ballpark idea of which courses you've taken can be transferred.


6. Craft your intent. After getting acquainted with at least one faculty member from each school, write tailored statements of intent that include points you gleaned from them. Doing so personalizes your application and allows you to convey how your master's experience is relevant to your doctoral interests, says Greenfeld.. "It's your chance to say who you are and what you have to offer," he says. Have a detail-oriented friend or faculty member read through them for clarity.


7. Pick and organize your letter-writers. Ask faculty who know you best to write recommendation letters that highlight your master's experience. Give them a list of addresses to send their letters, a copy of your statements of intent and detail your connections to them, such as courses you took with them and the research you assisted with.


8. Apply. Fill out the application online and send your GRE scores to each program by the end of November so that you can avoid the pre-holiday mail rush. Prepare to pay roughly $100 per application.


9. Follow up. Call each school you applied to about a month after sending it in to ensure they have all of your materials. If you don't follow-up, "there's a 100 percent chance that something will be missing and you won't know," says Greenfeld.


10. Prepare to wait. You probably won't hear back from schools until at least the beginning or middle of January, when programs send out invitations for interviews. So try to sit back and relax.

BY ZAK STAMBOR

Zak Stambor is a Chicago-based freelance writer.