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Dear Senior at NIU, I’m very glad that you wrote in with your concerns. I would be very surprised if you were the only senior in this kind of position, so your note will most likely help others. It’s difficult when faced with graduation and diminishing hopes for graduate school. However, you do have some options that might not be apparent right now. First, make sure that you have
all of the information that you need about graduate school in
psychology. GPA is only one factor in the selection process, and it’s
important to see what different schools use as cut-offs when looking at
applicants. If your GPA falls above cut-offs at all, there is still
hope. You may be in good shape in regards to other important factors,
such as research experience, relevant work experience, volunteer work,
and GRE scores. The factors that are important will vary depending on
the school and the area of psychology that you enter. Also, many schools
look at GPA within your major or GPA for your last two years of college.
If these GPAs are significantly higher than your overall GPA, graduate
schools might take this into account. Letters of recommendation are also
important, so make sure you touch base with professors you have gotten
to know well. When graduate schools look at applicants, they look for an
entire package rather than just GPA. Second, if at all possible, you might want to take additional undergraduate courses to improve your GPA. You might consider delaying graduation so that you can concentrate on grades for another semester or two, and you might be able to take courses after graduation. Raising a GPA after 4+ years of college is difficult but not impossible. Also, taking additional courses in psychology could help you improve your GPA within your major. Third, it might be a good idea to put off graduate school for the time being. Many graduate schools look for work experience in their candidates, so an entry-level job in social services would not be a bad idea. Many people believe that there are no jobs available for undergraduate psychology majors who want to stay in the field, but that is simply not true. You could find a job as a psychiatric technician, case manager, vocational specialist, residential supervisor, or a number of other jobs. The important thing to keep in mind is how these jobs fit into your career development. That is, in psychology and social services it’s important to view your career from a broad perspective. You will most likely not stay in an entry-level job for long as you develop towards graduate school and beyond. However, it is often necessary to get started at the entry-level point in order to begin a long, satisfying career. Finally, I would highly recommend two important resources available to NIU students. First, the Career Planning and Placement Center, located in Room 220 of the Campus Life Building, offers help to students in your position. For instance, they can help you with graduate school preparation and the job search. Their new computer program, Victor eRecruiting, is very helpful for post-undergraduate needs. You can reach the system through their main website, www.stuaff.niu.edu/cppc. You can also make an appointment to speak with a career counselor by calling 753-1641. Second, the Career Resource Center, located in Room 235 of the Campus Life Building, has a number of helpful resources you can use in your career development. For psychology majors, there are books and directories that help guide you through a career in the social services. You can also use one of the computers, which are specifically set up to help with your career development needs. Thank you for contacting Barb Wired. I hope I’ve given you some useful ideas for your career development, and I wish you the best of luck in your journey. Sincerely, Barb Wired |