Embedded Files
"Go to the psychology lecture series talks, and not just for credit! They are incredibly interesting and can relate to other coursework outside of the psychology major sometimes, too. Additionally (as someone who experienced half of college in the pandemic), don't wait to take advantage of cool opportunities! Part of the amazing thing about SMCM is that whether you are a freshman or a senior, you have the opportunity to get involved. I also believe that my relationships with professors helped me to be successful in the psych major. Professors want to know you and help you, so take advantage of their time and expertise whenever they offer it." - Gretchen Young '21
"Take advantage of all the opportunities that SMCM has to offer and get to know your professors! I would highly recommend participating in job shadows through the Career Development Center and directed research." - Lily Folts '20
"Don't be afraid to explore! If a class or internship looks interesting but you aren't quite sure it aligns with your current goals, it can still have value and may be pivotal in the path you end up taking. " - Stephanie Schoch '19
"Explore as much as you can - new courses, new subjects, new journals, new employers and even new locations. Because psychology affects almost everything, it can be found almost everywhere." - Heather Wood '17
"I completed an off-campus internship at Pax River during my senior year - I highly recommend taking an on-campus or off-campus research position to any students interested in graduate school. Between my SMP and the hands-on research experience I gained at PAX, I was well-prepared for PhD applications." - Kati Peditto '16
"Really take advantage of on-campus resources for planning what you want to do after St. Mary's. You do not necessarily have to know what you want to do when you "Grow up" but it is important to build experiences to learn what sets off that spark, how what you learn is applied in a professional setting, and to learn more about yourself. Remember: because you are uniquely talented, there is always a way to offer unique qualities to any professional situation." - Jake Lowenthal '16
"Take classes you enjoy in a bunch of different disciplines so you have a breadth of experiences." - Julia Amick '15
"My coursework at SMCM prepared me very well for graduate-level coursework. The rigor of the SMCM psychology courses was comparable to, if not higher than, that of my graduate program.....Do a lot of research about what kind of careers a Psychologist can pursue. Thinking you can only do counseling or research does a disservice to you and the field" - Caroline (Davy) Brunger'15
"Find opportunities to work with professors on research projects." - Sarah Fisher '15
"Work with professors and jump at any opportunities that come your way while you’re still an undergrad! Research and learning statistics has aided me so much in continuing my education!" -Megan Ritter '15
"Take courses in a variety of different specialties. I would have never realized that I loved social psychology if I hadn't taken the plunge and ventured outside of what I thought I was destined to do." - Cassey Elder '13
"Take as many classes as possible! Psychology is such a broad field; you should expose yourselves to as many facets as you can." - Kate Pinder '13
"Explore other majors/minors in addition to psychology. Psychology by itself is great, but really shines when combined with experience/knowledge from other fields. Looks into internships, especially in the government. It's frustrating sometimes, but the career is stable and the work is even fulfilling." - Andrew Koch '13
"Don't be afraid to talk to a variety of professors about your interests for the future, and to ask for advice on how to get there, even if you may not have had that professor in a class before! Obtaining a multitude of perspectives from professors with varied experiences helped me to navigate my own path, and to get a better picture of what the path for a Psychology major could look like after graduation." - Katie Grein' 13
"Be willing to try new things. College is what you make of it; go out and have fun occasionally, but don't let the parties keep you from succeeding. Never be afraid of reaching out and making contacts; sometimes it's who you know, not what you know." - Dave Smith '13
"Understand that if a PhD is your next goal that your GPA, research experience, and letters of recommendation will be crucial. Start making sure those are in order early." - Chris Bouslog '12
"Do research and think about what you might be interested in after college. A bachelor's in psychology can get your foot in the door but a lot of career paths require additional education (typically a Master's degree). Planning ahead will make life easier in the future." - Jaclyn Ward '11
"Completing an SMP will make you stand apart when you talk to potential employers because you will be excited about it and it shows discipline and analysis skills. If volunteering for a hotline makes you nervous, volunteering for an online hotline can be a good compromise for the crisis experience. These two classes bolstered my clinical skills: PSYC 370: Counseling and Psychotherapy with Laboratory and PSYC 410: Service Learning. Advanced statistics courses could help you be eligible for analysis jobs with the federal government. Getting involved in professors' or other students' research projects can help you land a research job in private or public industries." - Stephanie Klapper '10
"Always keep your options open. If you are not sure about going straight to grad school or unsure if you want to pursue further education/career in psychology then try a few years post college in either a customer service, a human resources, or a sales role. These roles will allow you to work with people and directly apply many of the concepts you learn as a psych major in the real world. You may find another direction that you are passionate about and that the application of your degree in those roles will make you a dynamic employee. You never know what other options are available to you unless you get out there and try it!" - David Traher '09
"You may not know exactly where you want to end up. What you want to study or what you want to pursue. I certainly didn't - I only knew what I didn't want to do. Find what interests you and build on it. Look for new opportunities and see what you become passionate about." - Heather DeMarr '09
"Think critically, engage with your professors and other students and strive to understand and deepen your fascination for psychology." - Maya Cosentino '09
"Don't despair if you don't know exactly what you want to do after graduating. Try a job or two, travel, and wait until you're excited about something before getting another degree or certification. It took me seven years to find a field of work that really spoke to me. Now I'm back in school and loving it!" - Hank Miller '08
"Get to know all your options in the field...I didn't even know 'school psychology' was a field until now (more than 10 years after graduation)." - Jennifer (Lee) Formsano '03
"Get research experience, even if you think you don't want to be an academic or you know you want to primarily practice. It is invaluable for learning the science behind clinical practice and being able to critically evaluate information relevant to mental healthcare." - Erin Howard '02
Report abuse