Planning to go to graduate school and looking for research experience? The best place to go is actually right at the university. There are so many psychology professors in desperate need of students to help them with their research. Yea, most of it is pretty dry stuff... entering data, mostly, but you gotta start at the bottom, right? Sometimes there is also data analysis and collecting...

I have personally sought out this type of experience myself, and there are so many different kinds at York, it really depends on the professor! Here are some of the type of psychology jobs you can find with York profs:

- Volunteer. It's not glamorous, but works in a pinch, and they'll remember you when they get the budget to pay you (Trust me, it worked for me!) You have to ask around to find these positions, there are many, but they go unadvertised, generally. Ask professors you'd like to work with whether they have any positions.

- Independently contracted. Whether this is subsidized by the university or the professor hires you seperately without any connection to the university at all (both are common). Again these aren't advertised so you have to ask around. Don't be shy and miss out on golden opportunities. Many professors need more students to help them out, and even have some budget flexibility to pay them, but don't know how or have the motivation to seek them out. (They're very busy as is, that's what I find, they just don't have the time to go looking.)

- Independent Study. Okay, you don't get paid for this one, but it still looks excellent on your resume for grad school, especially because you typically take the research project from start right to finish -- maybe even wind up being published! (In fact, the prof is conducting this research with you with the assumption that it will!) Having a published paper is outstanding experience for any grad school.

- Work/Study - At great way to make money right on campus, and you can fit your schedule around your classes! The catch is that you have to be in plausable financial need and you have to get it approved by the Student Financial Aid Office. Work/study is such a good opportunity it's well worth it to participate, even if it's not in a psych-related field. The pay is usually pretty good, too. Now's a good time to maybe look into a full-time position this summer on campus.

-- Pamela Stokes, Web Co-ordinator, UPSA (stokes@yorku.ca), January 17, 2002

Answers

I agree with Pam

Hi everyone,

I just wanted to say that I agree with Pam about the value of volunteering with psychology profs here at York. I began volunteering at the end of my 2nd year with a prof I didn't know too well but who I knew needed volunteer help. I spent the first few months doing the "dirty work" that had to be done, but now that I've gotten to know the professor and grad students, I'm more involved in the research and I have found a prof who I really connect with. I can't stress how important it is to make these connections.

Just thought I'd add my 2 cents.

-- Anthony C. Ruocco (yu250789@yorku.ca), January 17, 2002.