Applying to Grad School for Peds Psych: When and Where

Applying to a doctoral program with the hopes of becoming a pediatric psychologist can be a daunting task. Deciding when and where to apply, submitting applications, and navigating interviews takes time, forward thinking, and persistence. This guide is designed to help you navigate deciding your when and where to apply.

When?

There is no simple equation to decide when you should apply to a doctoral program. There are, however, factors to consider while trying to decide.

  • Do you have enough experience to be a competitive applicant? For those seeking a PhD, it is increasingly unlikely that you will be able to gain enough experience during an undergraduate degree to transition directly from a bachelor’s to a PhD program. This is largely because the nature of these degrees requires that you have gained more research experience than most folks can fit into a 4-year college experience. PsyD programs, which are less focused on research production, are more likely to accept folks directly from undergrad, however the more competitive the program, the more experience you will need prior to acceptance. If you’re worried about having enough experience, especially related to research, consider a post-bacc position working as a research assistant. This can allow you to gain valuable research exposure, the opportunity to disseminate research via conferences and papers, and networking opportunities. Here are some resources to help you search for a post-bacc position:
  • Are you financially ready and able to begin this process? Graduate school applications are often pricey. Between individual program application fees, GRE exams, and transcript costs, things add up quickly. Beyond that, the cost of graduate school continues to rise. PsyD programs in clinical psychology are expensive. For example, the annual cost of tuition to earn a PsyD across the 6 accredited programs in Illinois (The Chicago School of professional Psychology, Adler University, Wheaton College, Roosevelt, Midwestern, and National Louis University), based on available data, is approximately $47,538 (value based on available tuition data and https://psydprograms.org/illinois-psychology-doctorate/). This number does not account for additional school fees, supplies, or housing costs. Many students accrue substantial debt to earn this degree. Working outside of these programs is often discouraged and sometimes not allowed. PhD programs, in contrast, often have some amount of stipend or funding to support their students paired with partial or total tuition waivers. While this means students are not paying for their education, they are unlikely to be earning enough to meet the cost of living in their area. Consequently, funding does not promise financial security throughout the duration of the program.
  • Is your biopsychosocial wellbeing in a place that would allow you to engage in a program in the way you want? Psychology doctoral programs, whether PsyD or PhD require 5 to 6 years of commitment to long hours, lots of learning, and persistence. You deserve to enter this program when you are in a place to follow through on this commitment. Immediately after undergrad, folks are often dealing with academic burnout, uncertainty about the next steps in life, and “what next” questions from everyone in their lives. While there may never be a ‘perfect’ time to start graduate training, it is important to consider how your wellbeing may be impacted, for better or worse, by the application process and starting a program. Keep an eye out in the coming weeks for a blog on coping with grad school for ideas of what to do to take care of yourself while you navigate the world of higher education.   

Where

When you decide it’s time to apply, then you are faced with the question of where to apply. Here are some things to help you narrow your search:

  • What are your research and clinical interests? It’s important to find a program that aligns well with your interests. Pediatric psychology is a field that has a wide range of research focuses and clinical niches. You do not need to know exactly what you want to do with your career, but think about your broad interests: do you want to study pediatric pain? Diabetes? Cancer? Sickle cell? Primary care? Prevention? Being as aligned as possible with the focus on the programs and labs you apply to will a) increase your fit on your application and b) increase your ability to get what you want out of the program. Research faculty, clinical placements for practicum and internship of current and past students, and think about how the geography of the program may influence your experiences (e.g., there tends to be fewer practicum training sites in more rural areas, you want to be sure those that are available align with your training goals).
  • What do you want your next 5 years to look like? This is a question I was asked (thanks Dr. Tran!) that made a big impact on my planning. Think about this not just about what you want to learn and do academically, but what you want the environment around you to look like, which leads me to the next point…
  • Where are you okay with living? There are pediatric psychology programs across the United States and Canada. For some, moving across the country is an option. For others, you may only be willing to look for programs near a certain city. The more open you are to moving, the more places you will have to apply. Sure, it sounds simple to apply without geographic worries, but in practice we all have factors that influence where we are able to move. Whether it be your family, health, cost of living, or any other factor limiting your ability to move – know you are not alone! You will just need to consider what you can do to make your applications to the sites you are able to attend even stronger to increase your chances.

Here are some tools you may want to use as you consider different programs:

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