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What are some colleges that is good for anyone who wants to major in psychology?
I am a sophomore in high-school that wants to major in psychology, but I don't know what college to go to for that major. #major
#psychology
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6 answers
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Kayla’s Answer
Hi Lily!
As long as the school is accredited and has a psychology program, it is a solid choice! Some universities may only have undergraduate programs, so if you are looking to earn your Masters or Doctorate, I would look for a school that has those programs available.
Some of the schools on the East Coast that have recognized psychology programs include Harvard, Yale, MIT, Princeton, Columbia, Brown, John's Hopkins, NYU, Boston University, and Boston College. Most of those are difficult schools to get into. I live in Michigan where both Michigan State and the University of Michigan have psychology programs. I chose to attend a smaller Liberal Arts school because I wanted more one-on-one attention from my professors. I would consider what kind of college experience you are looking for, how far away from home you are willing to travel, and tuition costs before you start applying to universities.
As long as the school is accredited and has a psychology program, it is a solid choice! Some universities may only have undergraduate programs, so if you are looking to earn your Masters or Doctorate, I would look for a school that has those programs available.
Some of the schools on the East Coast that have recognized psychology programs include Harvard, Yale, MIT, Princeton, Columbia, Brown, John's Hopkins, NYU, Boston University, and Boston College. Most of those are difficult schools to get into. I live in Michigan where both Michigan State and the University of Michigan have psychology programs. I chose to attend a smaller Liberal Arts school because I wanted more one-on-one attention from my professors. I would consider what kind of college experience you are looking for, how far away from home you are willing to travel, and tuition costs before you start applying to universities.
Updated
Vince’s Answer
Hi Lily,
One way to consider this is by general rankings of psychology programs, such as this list by US News:
https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-humanities-schools/psychology-rankings
When choosing schools, you could also use online tools to consider if you have a reasonable chance of acceptance given your test scores and GPA. This tool can help you to quickly search for schools where other students with your GPA and test scores were accepted: https://www.collegesimply.com/guides/colleges-by-test-score/
I will close with some advice that I wish someone gave me before I went into psychology in college. Jobs and graduate student positions in psychology are currently very scarce. It is a competitive field. This is not meant to scare you, but I think it is good to consider if you are really passionate about it- to think about what kind of a career you could have in psychology and what kind of schooling past college you will need to achieve it. If you do go into psychology, take your studies seriously. Come out with a good GPA. Ask your professors if you can help them with their research. This will ensure you have a leg up on the competition for jobs.
If I was in your position, I would consider a double major. Have one major with your passion subject in psychology and pair it with something that can give you certainty of a job when you graduate such as business or computer science (or another field where jobs are plentiful). It's tough to say how you might feel about psychology after college so having a backup could be great for peace of mind.
All the best!
Vince
One way to consider this is by general rankings of psychology programs, such as this list by US News:
https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-humanities-schools/psychology-rankings
When choosing schools, you could also use online tools to consider if you have a reasonable chance of acceptance given your test scores and GPA. This tool can help you to quickly search for schools where other students with your GPA and test scores were accepted: https://www.collegesimply.com/guides/colleges-by-test-score/
I will close with some advice that I wish someone gave me before I went into psychology in college. Jobs and graduate student positions in psychology are currently very scarce. It is a competitive field. This is not meant to scare you, but I think it is good to consider if you are really passionate about it- to think about what kind of a career you could have in psychology and what kind of schooling past college you will need to achieve it. If you do go into psychology, take your studies seriously. Come out with a good GPA. Ask your professors if you can help them with their research. This will ensure you have a leg up on the competition for jobs.
If I was in your position, I would consider a double major. Have one major with your passion subject in psychology and pair it with something that can give you certainty of a job when you graduate such as business or computer science (or another field where jobs are plentiful). It's tough to say how you might feel about psychology after college so having a backup could be great for peace of mind.
All the best!
Vince
Updated
Kelly’s Answer
The field of I/O Psychology is one that is often overlooked for people who are interested in combining psychology with business. There are many great schools that offer business psychology related programs such as USC's Applied Psychology. This program teaches about how business leaders can use principles of psychology to create better experiences for employees and consumers. Here is a link to the program: https://dornsife.usc.edu/map/
Updated
Alexis’s Answer
The best advice is to obtain a double major for example: Psychology/Sociology, Psychology/Criminal Justice with a Master's Degree. It is important to do a field practicum in those areas which gives you experience, mentors and references.
Updated
Mauro’s Answer
Hi lily, not a psych major nor a psychologist. Regardless of your school, the most important thing is getting your masters and getting those service hours to graduate.
Updated
Michael’s Answer
It does matter! Your letters of recommendation carry a lot more weight if they are from a leader in the field. I would not be who I am if I had gone to a different school. A famous psychologist recommended me and I got into a good graduate program.
https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-humanities-schools/psychology-rankings
https://www.niche.com/colleges/search/best-colleges-for-psychology/
https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-humanities-schools/psychology-rankings
https://www.niche.com/colleges/search/best-colleges-for-psychology/