General Advice from Alumni

"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

"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