What else? You'll need to form a list of criteria you want in a graduate program, identify programs that potentially fit your criteria, and then select the programs to which you'll send applications.

Before you start searching directories we encourage you to spend some time thinking about what this decision-making process is going to involve:

• Read about factors to consider in evaluating any graduate program and think about how you'll eventually narrow down your list.
• Are you considering graduate study in psychology? See Getting In: Finding Your Fit in a Graduate Program.
• Will you be attending a research-oriented graduate program in preparation for a career as a psychological scientist or as a practioner? Important - read this!

  If you are applying to a research-oriented graduate program in psychology or neuroscience, keep in mind that your biggest task in graduate school will be to complete research projects and publish your results. You aren't just applying to a graduate program, you are applying to work with one particular faculty member who will be your research advisor for the next 4-6 years.

  If you plan to attend a research-oriented graduate program, your graduate school selection process may begin by conducting a literature search to find scientists whose research fascinates you. Ideally, you will find a graduate program with more than one faculty member whose research interests you so that you have the choice to collaborate with more than one mentor while you are a graduate student.

  Once you've identified a list of schools with potential graduate mentors that match your research interests then you'll take all of the other criteria by which graduate programs are measured into consideration (such as program emphasis, accreditation status, ranking, admission requirements, practica and special resources, tuition and financial aid, location).

  • Where Should I Apply to Graduate School?
  • Finding the Right Mentor: Gaining Admission to and Succeeding in Graduate School.
  • An Insider's Guide to Choosing a Graduate Adviser.

  P.S. Why would someone who is interested in becoming a practitioner plan to attend a research-oriented graduate program? The eventual career goal of students who want to go into practice is to work with clients to help solve personal problems, improve school performance, navigate the legal system and so forth. Why would they consider attending a research-oriented graduate program? If you want to keep a foot in both worlds -- to teach at a college or university and practice then you'll want to investigate research-oriented graduate programs. Also, most research-oriented graduate programs provide their students with substantial financial support in the form of research or teaching assistantships and grants.

• GradSchools.com - Search by field and specialty. Tip: Select "campus" for program format.
• Peterson's Guide - Use advanced search to select subject area, program and location.

Directories of psychology graduate schools:

• Graduate Study in Psychology is an excellent source of information. For approximately 600 graduate programs in all specialties in psychology, it provides a description of the emphasis of the department and degrees offered, information about admission requirements, applications, deadlines & fees, tuition & financial aid, internships/practica, and special resources available for graduate students. You can check it out for free from the Advising Resource Library or access it for a fee online.

• The Insider's Guide to Graduate Programs in Clinical and Counseling Psychology provides key facts on 300 accredited programs in the United States and Canada. Each program's profile includes admissions criteria, acceptance rates, research areas, specialty clinics, and more. The current edition of the book is available for check out from the Advising Resource Library.

Directories of accredited programs: Graduate school programs that train students who may become practicing psychologists or mental health care providers can seek accreditation.

• The APA accredits doctoral programs in clinical, counseling and school psychology. View a complete list of APA Accredited Doctoral Programs in Psychology. Access links to many accredited programs.
• The Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs (CACREP) accredits master's degree programs in: career counseling, college counseling, community counseling, gerontological counseling, marital, couple, and family counseling, mental health counseling, school counseling, student affairs. Find a CACREP accredited program.
• The Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE) reviews and grants accreditation to masters and doctoral programs in marraige and family therapy. COAMFTE Accredited programs.
• One way to become a mental health counselor is to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). The Council on Social Work Education confers accreditation status on schools of social work. Access the CSWE - Directory of Accredited Programs.

• U.S. News and World Reports Rankings for Graduate Schools - Psychology Graduate School Rankings.

• Princeton Review's "Gourman Report" rankings of U.S. psychology Ph.D. programs grouped by research area - clinical, cognitive, developmental, industrial/organizational psychology and more.

• National Research Council rankings of 185 psychology Ph.D. programs.

• Clinical Psychology Doctoral Programs ranked by mean number of publications and citations of full-time faculty in 2005.

• Clinical Psychology Doctoral Programs ranked by how well their graduates performed on the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP) from 1997 to 2006.

• You can see the number of students from each school who took the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP) and the percentage who passed at 2010 Psychology Licensing Exam Scores by Doctoral Program.