1. Finding the Best Program

2. 1. Guide to Graduate Study in Psychology (APA Press) 2. Insider’s Guide to Graduate Programs in Clinical and Counseling Psychology (Guilford) 3. Surf the Web 4. Talk to faculty, advisors, and current graduate students 5. Review rankings 6. Pay attention to attrition 7. Identify 6-10 potential programs 8. Contact current students in those programs 9. Contact promising faculty members 10. Form a tentative ranking

3. Finding the Best Program 1. Guide to Graduate Study in Psychology (APA Press) 2. Insider’s Guide to Graduate Programs in Clinical and Counseling Psychology (Guilford) 3. Surf the Web 4. Talk to faculty, advisors, and current graduate students 5. Review rankings 6. Pay attention to attrition 7. Identify 6-10 potential programs 8. Contact current students in those programs 9. Contact promising faculty members 10. Form a tentative ranking

4. Finding the Best Program 1. Guide to Graduate Study in Psychology (APA Press) 2. Insider’s Guide to Graduate Programs in Clinical and Counseling Psychology (Guilford) 3. Surf the Web 4. Talk to faculty, advisors, and current graduate students 5. Review rankings 6. Pay attention to attrition 7. Identify 6-10 potential programs 8. Contact current students in those programs 9. Contact promising faculty members 10. Form a tentative ranking

5. Finding the Best Program 1. Guide to Graduate Study in Psychology (APA Press) 2. Insider’s Guide to Graduate Programs in Clinical and Counseling Psychology (Guilford) 3. Surf the Web 4. Talk to faculty, advisors, and current graduate students 5. Review rankings 6. Pay attention to attrition 7. Identify 6-10 potential programs 8. Contact current students in those programs 9. Contact promising faculty members 10. Form a tentative ranking

6. Finding the Best Program 1. Guide to Graduate Study in Psychology (APA Press) 2. Insider’s Guide to Graduate Programs in Clinical and Counseling Psychology (Guilford) 3. Surf the Web 4. Talk to faculty, advisors, and current graduate students 5. Review rankings 6. Pay attention to attrition 7. Identify 6-10 potential programs 8. Contact current students in those programs 9. Contact promising faculty members 10. Form a tentative ranking

7. Finding the Best Program 1. Guide to Graduate Study in Psychology (APA Press) 2. Insider’s Guide to Graduate Programs in Clinical and Counseling Psychology (Guilford) 3. Surf the Web 4. Talk to faculty, advisors, and current graduate students 5. Review rankings 6. Pay attention to attrition 7. Identify 6-10 potential programs 8. Contact current students in those programs 9. Contact promising faculty members 10. Form a tentative ranking

8. Finding the Best Program 1. Guide to Graduate Study in Psychology (APA Press) 2. Insider’s Guide to Graduate Programs in Clinical and Counseling Psychology (Guilford) 3. Surf the Web 4. Talk to faculty, advisors, and current graduate students 5. Review rankings 6. Pay attention to attrition 7. Identify 6-10 potential programs 8. Contact current students in those programs 9. Contact promising faculty members 10. Form a tentative ranking

9. Finding the Best Program 1. Guide to Graduate Study in Psychology (APA Press) 2. Insider’s Guide to Graduate Programs in Clinical and Counseling Psychology (Guilford) 3. Surf the Web 4. Talk to faculty, advisors, and current graduate students 5. Review rankings 6. Pay attention to attrition 7. Identify 6-10 potential programs 8. Contact current students in those programs 9. Contact promising faculty members 10. Form a tentative ranking

10. Finding the Best Program 1. Guide to Graduate Study in Psychology (APA Press) 2. Insider’s Guide to Graduate Programs in Clinical and Counseling Psychology (Guilford) 3. Surf the Web 4. Talk to faculty, advisors, and current graduate students 5. Review rankings 6. Pay attention to attrition 7. Identify 6-10 potential programs 8. Contact current students in those programs 9. Contact promising faculty members 10. Form a tentative ranking

11. Finding the Best Program 1. Guide to Graduate Study in Psychology (APA Press) 2. Insider’s Guide to Graduate Programs in Clinical and Counseling Psychology (Guilford) 3. Surf the Web 4. Talk to faculty, advisors, and current graduate students 5. Review rankings 6. Pay attention to attrition 7. Identify 6-10 potential programs 8. Contact current students in those programs 9. Contact promising faculty members 10. Form a tentative ranking

12. Find names online or request from the program Email at least two students “ My name is ___________ and I’m thinking about applying to the graduate program in __________. If you would be willing to talk to me about your experiences in the program I would really appreciate it. I could either call you or email you, whichever works best for you. Thanks for your consideration and I look forward to hearing from you. ”

13. Finding the Best Program 1. Guide to Graduate Study in Psychology (APA Press) 2. Insider’s Guide to Graduate Programs in Clinical and Counseling Psychology (Guilford) 3. Surf the Web 4. Talk to faculty, advisors, and current graduate students 5. Review rankings 6. Pay attention to attrition 7. Identify 6-10 potential programs 8. Contact current students in those programs 9. Contact promising faculty members 10. Form a tentative ranking

14. Use the “4-A Approach” Identify faculty and read their work. If it is interesting 1. Ask them for other articles 2. Acknowledge their response 3. Actively engage them in an exchange 4. Alert them regarding your application

15. Ask For Other Articles “My name is __________, and I’m interested in the area of ________________. I read your article on _____________ and I wonder if you have any additional work in this area that is under review or in press. If so, I would be very interested in receiving a copy. Thanks in advance for your consideration.”

16. Acknowledge Receipt “Thanks for your email and your article(s) I look forward to reading them.”

17. Actively Engage in Discussion “This is __________ from ________. You had recently emailed me a copy of some of your recent work in the area of _________, and I have read it with interest. I’m wondering whether you are currently pursuing any of the follow-up work that you mentioned in the discussion section. I also wonder about……..” In addition, if you or your students have any additional work coming out in this area, I would welcome receiving copies of it to support my ongoing interest in this field. Thanks.”

18. Alert Them Regarding Your Application “This is __________ from ________. After reading your work and looking into a variety of possible graduate schools, I have decided to apply to your program. I know the admissions process with take a few months to complete. But in the meantime I would welcome any information or copies of further work that you may complete in the interim between now and then.”

19. Finding the Best Program 1. Guide to Graduate Study in Psychology (APA Press) 2. Insider’s Guide to Graduate Programs in Clinical and Counseling Psychology (Guilford) 3. Surf the Web 4. Talk to faculty, advisors, and current graduate students 5. Review rankings 6. Pay attention to attrition 7. Identify 6-10 potential programs 8. Contact current students in those programs 9. Contact promising faculty members 10. Form a tentative ranking