Our first move was to compile comprehensive lists of graduate programs around the country that were involved in researching topics that engaged our personal interests. My own list included around 20 doctoral programs in various areas of social psychology, and I kept track of what grade-point average (GPA) and Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores the universities considered necessary for admission, when the deadlines were for submitting an application, and who I could contact at each school. The next step was to sign up and prepare for the GRE, and we each took the exam in November, just in time to have our score reports ready to send out by the December application deadlines.

After receiving our results, we further refined our lists of schools and began the actual application process. This included collecting multiple copies of all of our transcripts and sending them to each school; asking our mentors and professors to complete and upload letters of recommendation; writing personal statements describing our journeys into psychology and why we wanted to continue our education; and completing the generic forms covering our demographic, academic, and employment backgrounds. I was fairly confident that I would get in somewhere, and we all had hopes that, come spring, we would know where we'd be starting the next school year.

January, February, and March rolled around without hearing much from any of the programs we had applied to, and we each began to receive letter-sized envelopes in the mail with return addresses from schools including the University of Pennsylvania, Colorado State University, Yale, UC Irvine, and others. I knew that only large packets were a reason to celebrate, and, sure enough, I only had to read the first sentence of each of these letters before my fears were realized. Over and over I saw the same first sentence: "We regret to inform you... We regret to inform you..." John and Erika, too, would come to school with a looks of disappointment on their faces, and the spring semester was tough for us. When all was said and done, I was only accepted to one program, and that was only at the master's level. The program wasn't exactly what I was looking for, and it was at a private school, meaning that I'd accumulate close to $100,000 of debt over the two years I'd be there. John and Erika, too, were unsuccessful in getting into any of the programs they had set their hearts on, and we all felt dejected about the entire process.

One morning in late April, however, I remembered that one of my mentors had mentioned a list of schools that the American Psychological Association (APA) sometimes publishes. This list contains the contact information for universities that are accepting applicants for spots not filled during the normal admissions process. I hopped on the APA website and spent some time exploring. Sure enough, hidden several pages deep on the site, I found that list for graduate programs with spots for the upcoming fall semester. Most of the openings were in PsyD and master's programs, but there were two spots in research psychology doctoral programs that I immediately started writing emails to. I sent the list along to John and Erika as well, and the three of us had reason for hope once again. One of those schools was Washington State University (WSU), and I was put in contact with a professor there who, oddly enough, was doing research into personality that I felt a strong connection with. It was easy for me to see where I could find my own niche working with her, and I spent several hours laboring over an email to her that felt like my last hope. She emailed me back, and we began to communicate back and forth, culminating in a phone interview that made me certain that, if offered the position, I would take it. The WSU professor, however, gave me no indication that I would be offered the spot and told me that she'd have to interview several other applicants as well. A week or so later, while I was at a research competition, I received another email from her telling me that WSU would open their application for me. I completed that application and waited several weeks more before I got a phone call from her and was offered the spot. I took it.

John went through a similar process with UC Merced, the other university offering an opening in their doctoral program. The field of research there was one John had a profound interest in, and he was chosen from several applicants for the position. The two of us couldn't believe our luck. But the happiness was something we tried to keep private because Erika was still not accepted into a graduate program, despite her best efforts to get in. The school year ended on a bittersweet note, and we could sense the pain she was in at being rejected anew, this time alone in her sadness. John and I moved off to our new homes, leaving her behind. She still had a few applications out, but I think she had lost all faith. That changed as our new school years were beginning in August, when she was offered acceptance to a master's program in Massachusetts. After a little pushing from John, me, and some of the other members of our undergraduate laboratory, she accepted the spot. Within two weeks, she was in her new home and preparing for classes to begin, ready to brave the New England winter and to continue working toward the bigger goal: starting a career in psychological research.

Here's my advice to future applicants:

1. Earning a high score on the GRE will NOT be enough to get you into graduate school. I did well on the exam, and I thought (and was told) that I should have no problem getting into a doctoral program. Though this may have been true for generations of past applicants, it's not anymore. I'm not going to argue that GRE scores aren't important because most programs consider them an absolutely vital piece of a strong application, but there are so many other students applying in recent years that your scores won't be enough to distinguish you from the pack. That being said, take them seriously and score well because, once your foot is in the door, you will need them. If you're applying to graduate programs this year and haven't signed up for the test yet, leave this blog immediately and do so now by clicking here.

2. Tailor each personal statement to the schools you're applying to. To be frank, if you're sending out a generic essay to each school you're applying to, don't be surprised if the programs toss your application straight into the trash. I was told that I should apply to between 10-15 schools and, in doing so, I spent far too little time customizing my personal statement for each. Looking back, I wish I had applied to less schools and spent more time explaining to each exactly why I was the perfect fit for their program. This is one of the few chances you'll have to demonstrate your writing ability and to prove to the reviewers that you're serious about attending their school, so do more than tell them about your strengths: give them insight into your passion for psychology, the tenacity with which you've pursued your goals, and why the time and money they will be investing in you will be mutually beneficial.