Graduate Admissions in Psychology Before and After the Pandemic: GRExit Comes to Psychology

Abstract

Background Admission to graduate school in psychology is competitive. It is essential for both undergraduate students who seek graduate training and their professors to understand the key factors that contribute to successful applications for graduate study. Objective We aimed to see how the global COVID-19 pandemic affected graduate admissions decisions by comparing the results from nationwide surveys distributed in 2014 and 2022. Method A Qualtrics script asked respondents to rate the importance of 16 factors in admission to graduate school in psychology by reporting a percentage value for each factor, adding up to 100% across all factors. Results The importance of factors that had figured prominently in the initial sample (e.g., research experience, undergraduate GPA, recommendation letters, and personal statement) increased or remained stable in the recent sample, but all versions of the Graduate Record Exam decreased in importance. Conclusions Students who aspire to graduate study in psychology should engage in research and disseminate the results in papers and presentations. Teaching Implications Professors involved in training undergraduate psychology students need to provide opportunities for their students to engage in research, and to find outlets for the students to disseminate their findings such as undergraduate journals and regional conferences.