Gaining research experience
- While you're in undergrad, find a professor or two (or five) whose research interests you - especially someone whose research is close to what you'd potentially like to study in grad school. Ask that person if you can volunteer to work on a research project. People love volunteers. They're cheap labor. Be cheap labor. It's a really good idea.
- Do an honors thesis in undergrad. Even though it sounds like a ton of work, it will be more than worth it. You could even end up getting published! And being published looks extremely good on your application.
- Become a volunteer for a research center in your area. You may end up just doing data entry, but it's better than nothing, and you can listen to your iPod while you do it.
- Get a master's degree before applying to PhD programs. In an experimental psychology program like the one I was in, you will find yourself with numerous opportunities to engage in research, and you'll help undergrads with their research, which is basically like doing a research project all by yourself if they need a lot of help or wait until the last minute. Which many will.
- Get a job as a research assistant or coordinator. This will give you a wide variety of extremely valuable, decent-paying, and severely resume-building research experience. Plus... you get paid way more than you will in undergrad or grad school.
