We live in such exciting times! The most interesting thing in the Universe — the human brain — is beginning to reveal its secrets. We know a great deal about the brain and a great deal about behavior. The time has come to forge a unified understanding about how the former gives rise to the latter. Cognitive science today is at a threshold analogous to where biology was shortly after the discovery of the DNA 50 years ago. The next 50 years will witness similar breakthroughs in cognitive neuroscience. If you are a bright, hard-working individual with an interest in these kinds of questions, our lab might be a good place for you. Alex was introduced to this field over 10 years ago and never looked back. Who knows, you might find it just as exciting. There is plenty of unsolved problems for all of us.
Computer models, particularly neural network models, are guaranteed to play a key role in this unified understanding. So, you will need solid background in computer science, mathematics, physics, or a related field. You do not need an undergraduate degree in psychology to do well as a graduate student in cognitive psychology. In fact, a computer science degree is a much stronger foundation as far as we are concerned. In our lab, you will have an opportunity to develop state-of-the art computational models and perform state-of-the art psychophysical experiments. The graduate program in cognitive psychology at OSU deserves your serious consideration.
How to Apply
We are very interested in admitting new graduate students in the lab. To apply, make sure to designate “cognitive” as your primary area of interest in the departmental application form and to mention Dr. Petrov’s name prominently in your statement.
Your GRE scores are important for acceptance to our program (not just for the CogMod lab but the Psychology Department as a whole). Ideally, you want to get GRE scores that will make you eligible for the so-called University Fellowship (UF). If you cover the eligibility criteria below, you are 99% likely to be accepted to our program. (Although it would still be uncertain whether you will get the actual UF itself). The criteria are:
- Undergraduate GPA of 3.6 or greater
- At least 4.0 on the Analytical Writing component of the GRE
- A 75th percentile average of the GRE Verbal and Quantitative components. That is (V+Q)/2>75%, where V and Q are the corresponding percentile ranks reported by the ETS
These are hard criteria to meet. If you already meet them, congratulations! You are in very good shape! If you have a near-miss on some of the GRE components, consider retaking the GRE test. It is a good investment of your time because if you improve your score and get the UF, you will spend less time doing TAs later. When Alex was preparing for the GRE many years ago, Princeton Review was a wonderful resource. Check it out and remember that practice makes perfect. The good news is that the GRE probably is the last standardized test you are ever going to take.
Even if you don’t quite reach the high criteria above, don’t be discouraged. There are a few other fellowships in our department with lower eligibility criteria. Women and minorities are especially encouraged to apply.
Either way, you are most welcome to email Alex with questions, to arrange a meeting (e.g., at the Psychonomics conference in November), a phone call, or simply for moral support. I look forward to hearing from you.
Good luck with your application!!