So, you want to know how to become a psychologist. Well, you’ve come to the right place because this feature spells out how you can become one in a step-by-step manner. A psychologist is an exciting, creative and rewarding career path. A psychologist helps the population regain mental and physical health and contribute positively to the nation. Now, here’s a step-by-step guide on how to become a psychologist:

The Planning Stage

If you are interested psychology, you must start pursuing it right from your high school. Opting for a AP Psychology course in high school will lay a solid foundation and you will find this knowledge very helpful when you join college.

Every psychologist must have a science background and so, every budding psychologist must focus his attention on biology, chemistry, anatomy, physiology, life sciences, and mathematics. High school courses in history, religion, language and philosophy will also help in college.  Students are encouraged to join or start psychology clubs.

If the student opts for these subjects in high school and gets good grades, he can go on to become a successful psychologist. So, the first step in learning how to become a psychologist starts right from high school. Students should start checking universities from early on and apply in time. Such prudent planning and forward-thinking will always keep them a step ahead.

The Undergraduate Degree

Before studying psychology in a university, the student must consult his academic advisor and formulate a solid 4-year plan that covers psychology, electives and general education. Creating this plan sets a path on which the student can surely and steadily travel.

As time goes by, the student will feel drawn to a specific psychology specialty. When the student starts developing interests in a specific area, he must shuffle his plan around and include more electives.  The student must keep his GPA grades high, engage in experiments, and become a research assistant. This will help him in graduate school.

The student must also include the Psychology test in his GRE exams, which are a prerequisite for graduate programs.

The Graduate Degree

The student must first ascertain which graduate degree he desires. He can choose to become a Doctor of Psychology (Psy. D.) or a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.). A Psy.D. goes on to practice in a healthcare setting while a Ph.D. focuses on research and experiments and can also consult patients. Students should choose their degree depending on their inclination and goals.

Every graduate student is required to complete a period of internship in a healthcare setting. This brings him in contact with experienced psychologists and even some famous names in the industry. So, every graduate student must sharpen his networking skills to get a great mentor and solid real-world contacts that can help him after he graduates. Clinical experience boosts the graduate’s experience, knowledge, real-world skills and gives him the much needed experience while he is studying.

Every student must ensure that he gets good grades. Most schools require every student to obtain minimum GPA-requirements and failure to obtain these rankings can even lead to the student being shown the door. Good grades are very important and every student must pursue and get these.

Every student must volunteer with his faculty. This way the student can expand his network and his real-world skills. He also gets experience in dealing with real-world problems. Students also must latch on to their preferred area of specialization. For example, students interested in teen behavior can specialize in child disorders or substance abuse.

Finally, every student must think through his thesis. Early and methodical thesis planning always leads to flawless execution and great grades.

This is how to become a psychologist. But, there lies another hurdle between a graduate and his practice, and that is a license.

Obtaining a State License

After graduation, every psychologist wants to start his practice. But he must first obtain a license to practice from his state. Every state has different laws and therefore all graduates must check their state laws and regulations before applying. Some American states require all fresh graduates to complete a supervised residency program before applying for a license. Such programs last for one-two years.

The graduate must get himself ready for the state exams, which include written and oral tests. After passing the exams, the psychologist obtains a license that allows him to practice. He should remember to keep his license current and active at all times.

Obtaining a state license concludes the answer to the question, “How to become a psychologist?”

Conclusion

Becoming a psychologist requires many years of hard work and study. Many students often feel frustrated while earning their degrees. However, it all works out in the end. The demand for psychologists is very high and the pay is rewarding. Psychologists from reputed universities can even start at $60,000/year in some settings. It is a very dynamic, creative and exciting career because it exposes the psychologist to different people and makes him solve a variety of problems.

So, you now know how to become a psychologist. So, go ahead, don’t “shrink,” and make your first move.