Scoring a GOAL Toward Earning an Advanced Degree: Pilot Program Offers a Crash Course in Crafting Winning Applications

Faculty members in the Gordon F. Derner School of Psychology launch New Graduate Programs at a Glance (GOAL), to help students from underrepresented groups successfully navigate grad school applications.

In working with undergraduates, Laura Brumariu, PhD, associate professor of psychology and associate dean for professional programs and student advancement, discovered that just describing and explaining the graduate school application process isn't enough to foster success.

According to Dr. Brumariu, by adding hands-on, guided mentoring to the process, students can best present themselves and their strengths in their graduate school applications. "Our students make us better mentors," she noted.

That's precisely why-with funding from an Office of the Provost Fund the Gap grant-she and Katherine Fiori, PhD, professor and associate dean for foundational psychology and faculty involvement, have launched the new Graduate Programs at a Glance, or GOAL, program, an innovative, comprehensive, two-part mentoring program designed to help students from historically underrepresented groups-racial, ethnic and LGBTQIA+-navigate the process of applying to graduate programs in psychology and increase their odds of success.

"The GOAL program is geared primarily toward students entering their senior year," Dr. Fiori explained. "Although the priority of this initiative is contributing to closing the gap in educational disparities and opportunities for Black and Hispanic and/or LGBTQ+ students, other students at disadvantage-including all students identifying as BIPOC, first-generation college and [students from low-income groups]-were offered the same opportunity based on availability of funding and student interest."

A Faculty-Led Summer Workshop

This summer, 17 psychology students from underrepresented groups attended a comprehensive three-day summer program led by faculty that focused on specific topics and skills and included breakout sessions with hands-on experiences.

According to Dr. Fiori, day one included an initial overview of different graduate psychology program options and discussions on identifying and navigating the challenges of graduate applications. Day two featured a hands-on workshop where students received real-time feedback from faculty and graduate students as they worked on their CVs and personal statements. And day three's topics covered everything from recommendation letters and volunteer opportunities to GRE scheduling and mock interviews.

Dr. Brumariu noted that they received rave reviews from summer workshop attendees, who said that learning how to personalize their applications while getting feedback in real time has already enriched their graduate school preparedness.

Supporting the Success of Students From Underrepresented Groups

The second part of the GOAL program will continue in the fall, when students will work with faculty mentors to finalize and complete their applications.

The professors hope that some of the GOAL participants will continue their education at Derner. "Our undergraduate students are terrific," said Dr. Brumariu, "and probably many of those participating would find that our programs provide outstanding training. "

Both she and Dr. Fiori believe in the potential of GOAL to increase the success of graduate school applicants from underrepresented groups-who would ultimately earn degrees and embark on meaningful careers.

"The field of psychology grapples with the issue of diverse representation, and psychology as a discipline does not necessarily reflect the diversity of the individuals that psychologists serve," said Dr. Fiori. "We hope this program can start to change that."