Graduate School Advice - Dr. Joseph H. Hammer

Be sure to check out my Grad School Advice YouTube playlist for videos about getting in and thriving in psychology grad school.

Getting in to Graduate School

Here are some resources I recommend that will help you think about whether or not pursuing graduate education in psychology is a good choice for you, how you can best prepare yourself to be a competitive applicant to master’s and doctoral programs, and other important advice. Some of this advice is tailored to applying to counseling, clinical, and school psychology programs, but much of it remains relevant to applying to other types of psychology and allied mental health (e.g., social work, counseling) graduate programs.

How to Apply to Psychology Graduate School – In this 2-hour webinar, Dr. Hammer shares essential information about applying to psychology graduate school. Topics include how to decide what profession, specialty, and programs fit you best; things to think about when comparing programs; how to be a competitive applicant; a recommended application timeline; how to request letters of recommendation; and advice for the personal statement, CV, and on-site interview.
Counseling Psychology Q&A – In this 1-hour webinar, Dr. Hammer answers common questions about counseling psychology, graduate school, and related professions such as: What is counseling psychology? How is it similar or different from clinical psych, counseling, social work, etc.? What can I do with a master’s or doctorate (PhD or PsyD) in counseling psych? What does it take to get into a counseling psych graduate program? How do I find the right schools to apply to? How do I create a strong graduate school application?
Social Justice Advocacy Internship – Dr. Hammer personally coordinates this semester-long internship, which is a high-quality training opportunity tailored to helping current undergraduate students make a positive difference in the worldwhile building their (1) applied helping and active listening skills, (2) ability to earn a strong letter of recommendation from a doctoral-level psychologist, (3) social justice activism skills and critical consciousness, and (4) knowledge of how to be a successful applicant to graduate school. Interns can live anywhere in the world, as everything is done via virtual meetings.
How to Get Into a Counseling Psychology PhD Program Video Series – In this comprehensive video series, Dr. Joseph H. Hammer provides students with step-by-step instructions on how they can prepare themselves to be strong applicants to Counseling Psychology PhD Programs. The entire series is also available as a downloadable 4-hour MP3.
Comparing Counseling Psych, Clinical Psych, School Psych, Clinical Social Work, and Clinical Mental Health Counseling: Mental Health Professions Grad Student Panel – In this 52-minute video, Grad students from various mental health professions talk about why they chose their particular mental health field and what prospective students should know about their profession. You may also listen to this panel as an audio-only podcast by downloading this mp3.
Undergrad Research Assistant: How To Pick the Right Research Lab – In this 55-minute video, Dr. Hammer provides a systematic framework for determining what research labs will help you build the skills you need to be a strong graduate school or job applicant)
Tips for a Successful APA Convention – In this 2.5-hour webinar, Dr. Hammer gives an in-depth overview of how students can make the most of attending the American Psychological Association’s Annual Convention each August. Attending the Convention provides an opportunity to network with faculty and doctoral students who are at programs where an undergraduate or master’s student may want to apply in the future.
Top 10 Tips for Prospective PhD Students Attending the APA Convention – In this 15-minute video, Dr. Hammer shares his top 10 tips for how students hoping to apply for psychology doctoral programs can maximize their chances of successfully networking with doctoral program faculty at the APA Convention.
Using the APA Annual Convention Smartphone App – In this 8-minute video, Dr. Hammer explains how to find and use the APA App to help identify and save sessions that you may want to attend at the convention.
Finding post-bac (post-bachelor’s) research position opportunities – See slide 13 of this presentation for links to opportunity search engines and nationally posted opportunities, some of which are paid, that can help you strengthen your CV in advance of applying to psych PhD programs.
Should I take a Gap Year before Applying to Psych Graduate School? – In this 4-minute video, Dr. Hammer gives advice on how to decide whether or not to take a gap year between your undergraduate degree and your psychology graduate degree.
How to get Strong Letters of Recommendations for Psych Grad School – In this 23-minute video, Dr. Hammer provides tips on how to get strong letters of recommendation when applying to counseling psychology graduate school programs.
3 Qualities in Strong Letters of Recommendation for Psych Grad School – In this 12-minute video, Dr. Hammer talks about 3 personal/professional qualities that you want your letter writers to be able to say about you when they write their letters of recommendation for your doctoral psychology program applications.
How to Build Relationships with Psych Professors – List of tips for building good relationships with psych professors who can connect you with important professional development opportunities and eventually write you letters of recommendation for graduate school.
How to Address Professors: When can I use their first name? – In this 5 minute video, Dr. Hammer gives advice on how to address professors in a respectful manner. He talks about using the honorific “Dr.” versus calling them by their first name and how you can figure out what the professor wants when they haven’t told you explicitly what to do.
Should I Email the Professor Before Applying for the PhD? – In this 17-minute video, Dr. Hammer gives advice on whether or not to email the professor that they are interested in working with before submitting their application, as well as how to word your email if you do decide to email them.
Is it OK for me to disclose my history of depression or personal therapy in my Psychology Graduate School application’s personal statement? – In this 12-minute video, Dr. Hammer discusses the results of a 2020 experimental study that looked at whether disclosing a (1) history of depression and/or (2) seeking personal therapy in one’s personal statement when applying to a counseling psych or clinical psych graduate program would lead psych faculty to rate that applicant as less suitable/qualified for the program.
Can I get into Counseling Psych Grad School without a Psych Bachelor’s Degree? – In this 7-minute video, Dr. Hammer talks about what it takes to get into a counseling psychology or clinical psychology graduate program (masters vs doctoral) when a person did not major in psychology as an undergraduate.
Personal Statement of Purpose for Counseling Psychology PhD and PsyD Applications – Results of a nationwide analysis of what these doctoral programs want to see you talk about in your application’s personal statement, with tips from Dr. Hammer on what is essential versus optional to mention.
Watch a Counseling Psych Professor Analyze this Doctoral (PhD) Program Application – In this 62-minute video, Dr. Hammer shares an example of an actual application to a counseling psychology PhD program and walks the audience through his analysis and impressions of the entire application, including transcripts, CV, personal statement, writing sample, and letters of recommendation. Designed to give applicants to counseling and clinical psych doctoral programs a glimpse into how some professors review applications to determine who to invite to doctoral interviews.
Top 10 Tips for Interviewing Well for Psych Grad School – In this 14-minute video, Dr. Hammer shares his top 10 tips for how to bring your best self to your on-site interviews with doctoral counseling psychology programs.
Interviewing for Doctoral Programs in Counseling Psychology – In this 80-minute video, representatives from the Society of Counseling Psychology’s student group provide tips on doing well on interviews.
International Students, ESL, Applying to U.S. Counseling Psych Grad Programs – In this 5-minute video, Dr. Hammer talks about the potential challenges associated with completing a counseling psychology graduate program if you are learning English as a second language.
International Students in Counseling Psychology Graduate School: Applying & Thriving – In this 47-minute video, Cheryl Kwok, counseling psychology doctoral candidate at UK, joins Dr. Hammer for a chat about issues some international students may need to think about when they are applying to or navigating graduate school in counseling psychology (PhD programs in particular).
What does the “ideal” doctoral applicant look like? (concrete criteria that students can use to guide their professional development so that they will be strong applicants by the time they apply for doctoral programs.)
What’s the difference between counseling psychology and clinical psychology (summary of the similarities and differences between the two psychology specialties, using data from published sources)
Career Interviews with Clinical and Counseling Psychologists (a series of 5 to 15-minute video interviews with counseling psychologists and clinical psychologists who work in a variety of settings [universities, mental health agencies] doing a variety of work tasks [research, teaching, clinical supervision, therapy, assessment, advocacy] to help you think more about which of these two psychology specialties might be a good fit for you).
The Best Doctoral Programs in Counseling Psychology – In-depth information about the characteristics that define the best counseling psychology programs.
Counseling Psychology Faculty Research Interests List (this List provides a sample of the issues, populations, and topics that counseling psychology faculty members affiliated with APA-accredited counseling psychology doctoral programs study, which can be helpful when applicants are exploring potential counseling psychology programs to apply to)
List of Master’s Programs in Counseling (master’s programs that can help prepare students to become strong applicants for doctoral programs)
Society for Counseling Psychology, Division 17 of the American Psychological Association (the premier source for all things counseling psychology)
Psychology Graduate School website (excellent guide on how to choose between types of programs)
APA Graduate School Website, APA’s Applying to Graduate School webpage, and APAGS Resources for Students Website (collection of resources on topics such as finding, applying to, and affording graduate school, including the 80 minute webinar on Finding and Affording the Right Psych Grad Program For You and the 75-minute podcast on Students of Color Applying to Doctoral Programs and the Resource Guide for Psychology Graduate Students of Color)
Breaching the Tower: Applying to Grad School – great episode from the Black and EMPOWERed Podcast on getting into graduate school in psychology that provides advice based on the experiences of Black women who’ve gone through the process.
APA’s Applying to Graduate School webpage (how to apply, stand out as an applicant, and fund your education) and the guide Applying to Graduate and Professional Programs: A Guidebook for Students of Color
Insider’s Guide to Graduate Programs in Clinical and Counseling Psychology and Graduate Study in Psychology (a new edition of these inexpensive books is published each year with updated information about all of the counseling and clinical psych programs you can apply to as well as general advice on applying.)
Kisses of Death in the Graduate School Application Process (PowerPoint presentation telling students what to avoid when crafting their graduate school personal statement and getting letters of recommendation)
Strategies for Applying to Graduate School, Even During a Pandemic (APA Education Directorate hosted a panel with two psychology graduate faculty members about how the COVID-19 Pandemic may affect the admission and application process)
And here are some helpful resources related to getting into clinical psychology programs, a process similar to getting into counseling psychology programs: Mitch’s Uncensored Advice for Applying to Graduate School in Clinical Psych (2023), Getting Into Clinical Psych Grad School by CUDCP, The Portable Mentor
Student Doctor Network and Grad Cafe are two popular forums for Q&A about applying. Just be warned that the advice given is not always accurate and has the potential to needlessly increase anxiety.
Psychology Grad School Wiki – some professors in counseling and clinical use this website to indicate when they will be taking a graduate student for next year.
For UK Psychology Undergraduates: PSY 399 / 499 Internship with Dr. Hammer (Opportunity to help out with a graduate-level courses in counseling theories and techniques) and the “For UK Psych Students Interested in Graduate School: The Ideal Psychology Student – A Guide for Aspiring Undergraduate Psychology Majors” 35-minute podcast episode specifically designed to guide University of Kentucky students in thinking about psych grad school.

Thriving in Graduate School

The Portable Mentor (this open access book written by 70+ psychology experts covers some of the common challenges associated with getting in, thriving in, and pursuing successful careers after psychology graduate school)
How to Relate to Counseling Psych Faculty (In this 28-minute video, Drs. Brewster and Hammer give advice to graduate students on how to connect with counseling psychology professors, especially their faculty adviser.)
How to Interact with BIPOC Professors (an open letter to BIPOC grad students and others offering 10 tips for appropriately engaging with marginalized faculty.)
Research Interest Shift & Dealing with Research Frustrations (In this 29-minute video, Dr. Hammer talks about how his research interests have shifted over time and how to cope with the inevitable frustrations and intimidation that comes with doing independent research.)
Dr. Hammer Answers 9 Questions about Grad School Success (In this 20-minute video, Dr. Hammer answers UK counseling psychology graduate students’ questions about grad student success, mentoring, time management, etc.)
Using Google Scholar Alerts & PsychAlerts (In this 13-minute video, Dr. Hammer explains how to use Google Scholar Alerts, PsychAlerts, and other scholarly publication alert systems to keep tabs on new scholarship being published in your research interest areas and in the academic journals you care about.)
List of Helpful Statistics, SPSS, and MPlus Tutorial Videos (List of helpful tutorial videos on a variety of statistical and research method topics, with an emphasis on step-by-step instructions for conducting statistical analyses using popular computer programs.)
List of Research Skill Development Resources (List of resources related to developing your skills with social scientific research. These resources will primarily focus on those skills used to conduct social science research using large-sample survey designs.)
List of Counseling and Psychotherapy Demonstration Videos (List of videos featuring a variety of mental health professionals using various theories and techniques to help clients with an array of presenting concerns and mental illnesses)
Imagine PhD (Free, online career exploration and planning tool designed specifically for Ph.D. students and postdoctoral scholars in humanities and social sciences. Helps students assess career-related skills, interests, values; explore career paths appropriate to their discipline; create self-defined goals; and map out the next steps of their career.) Similarly, UKentucky graduate students have access to two resources: Aurora is an online platform to assist doctoral students and postdoctoral scholars with preparing for careers within and beyond academia and The Versatile PhD is focused on careers beyond academia.
Get Me Outta Here Please – Podcast series that covers topics such as internship applications and interviewing, pregnancy on internship/postdoc, etc. with a particular attention to the role of diversity.
APAGS Resource Guide for Ethnic Minority Graduate Students, Proud and Prepared: A Guide for LGBT Students Navigating Graduate Training, and many more Resources for Students from APAGS are all worth checking out
Grad School’s Hidden Curriculum – Links to a variety of helpful resources that provide advice on a variety of grad school aspects, many of which are relevant to our field.
APPIC Psychology Internship CV Checklist (a list of tips for formatting one’s CV when applying for pre-doctoral psychology internship, which builds on APAGS’ Internships in Psychology workbook.

After Graduation: Taking the Next Step

Applying for Psychologist Licensure in Kentucky (advice on navigating the application process)
Licensure Guidelines around the World – psychologist licensure criteria for over 50 countries, particularly helpful for those thinking about practicing psychology internationally.
Counseling Psychology University Faculty Job Openings (list of counseling psychology programs hiring faculty now and in past years)
Leaving Academia and Defining One’s Own Professional Journey – In this 36-minute podcast episode, Dr. Mosley shares her experience about transitioning from being a tenure-track faculty member to doing high-impact wellness work in the community.