Author: Peony Wong, 2025-2026 Diversity Liaison
 
If you’ve made it to the interview level of the graduate application process, congratulations! It is a huge accomplishment, and you should be proud of getting here. Programs extend interviews to those who are qualified, so the interview is more for the program and your future mentor to get a better understanding of who you are as a person. Don’t forget that just as much as they are interviewing you, you are interviewing them!
 
Here are some tips to get you started with the interview process!
 
1. If you’re doing a virtual interview, be prepared to sit in front of the computer for most of the day. Have snacks, water, a fan, or whatever you might need to be comfortable for a long period of time.

2. Take the time to research the program’s goals and your potential mentor’s research. When you speak with your potential mentor, it’s a good idea to run your research ideas by them to see if they align with their future research directions. It is not frequent, but sometimes research interests shift, and mentors may be moving in a different direction than their previous interests.

3. Be prepared to answer common interview questions. Here are some examples-
    a. Tell me about yourself.
    b. Why do you want to pursue a graduate degree?
    c. What do you see yourself doing after graduating from this program?
    d. Why are you interested in this program?
    e. Why are you interested in this faculty mentor?
    f. What are some ideas you have for a research project/thesis/dissertation?
    g. Talk about a time when you have overcome a challenge in your research or work.
    h. What are your strengths and weaknesses?

4. Ask questions about the mentorship style, student-faculty relationships, funding/tuition, or living in or near the campus amongst different students, staff, and faculty. Ask about practicum sites, internship outcomes, or post-graduate opportunities. Current students provide a lot of insight into the culture of the program, funding/tuition, and cost of living. Here are some common questions you may ask-
    a. How is work-life balance?
    b. Would you describe the students to be more collaborative or competitive?
    c. What does funding look like?
    d. What is it like living in this area? Do you feel that funding is sufficient for the cost of living?
    e. How do you feel about the learning and training you received with preparedness for internships and            graduation?
    f. Are there opportunities to work with other faculty mentors?
    g. What is the “worst” part of this program?

5. If you are in a group interview, it is important to stand out, AND it is also important to remain professional and conscientious of others. Many people are likely going to want to share their thoughts or ask questions. Try your best to manage standing out and letting others speak.

6. Practice short 30-minute interviews with peers, colleagues, and even friends! Practice helps work out some of the kinks of responding and helps get out of those interview jitters.

7. If programs give you enough notice, investigate your interviewers’ most recent research and connect their interests with yours, if it applies. Always have relevant questions prepared for any staff or faculty.

8. Although programs have likely read your CV and personal statement, think about the experiences you would like to highlight. Be able to summarize your research experience of each lab group or location and point out some of the ways you have uniquely contributed.

9. After interviewing, send a short thank you email to the faculty, staff, and students you interviewed with. It is also a great time to follow up with any questions you might have that you did not have time to get to or wanted more clarification on.
 
Now that you have finished the interview process... how do you choose which program is for you?
​
1. First, let the program that you received the notification. You don’t have to decide until mid-April.
2. Fit is everything! Really think about what’s important for you for the next 2-5 years and decide your non-negotiables. Everyone has different non-negotiables so decide which are yours and stick to them.
3. Only accept an offer from a program you can see yourself. Don’t settle if you cannot see yourself being there.
4. Consider which program best aligns with your long-term goals and career trajectory.
5. Take a deep dive into your budget and financial situation to decide whether a school would be financially reasonable. If you are considering loans, start looking at how that may impact any future financial goals.
 
Whatever you decide in your graduate application, you should be proud of yourself for applying! Make a decision that feels most right for you :)

​Students interested in psychology and law are often deeply familiar with the research side of the field. Many can readily discuss jury decision-making, eyewitness memory, interrogation practices, sentencing disparities, or procedural justice, yet still feel uncertain about how that knowledge functions once it enters real legal systems. Moving from research familiarity to practice-adjacent work requires a shift in orientation—one that centers less on theory itself and more on how psychological findings are translated into forms that legal actors can actually use.

In practice, working with the law does not follow a single pathway, even for those trained in psychology–law. Some individuals pursue legal practice through law school and draw on psychological insight in areas such as criminal defense, family law, civil rights litigation, or policy work. Others remain within psychology but operate in applied legal contexts, conducting research that informs court procedures, evaluating programs, advising agencies, or working in mediation, diversion, or advocacy settings. Still others occupy hybrid roles, collaborating directly with attorneys, judges, or policymakers without holding a law degree. Across these roles, the central task is not simply producing knowledge, but translating psychological evidence into legally meaningful guidance.
This translation process is often where students encounter the greatest disconnect. Legal decision-makers are rarely asking whether a finding is theoretically elegant or statistically novel. They want to know what it means for the case, the policy, the client, or the institution in front of them. Lawyers, judges, and policymakers operate under tight deadlines, procedural constraints, and adversarial incentives, and they care primarily about practical implications: what should change, what risks matter, what outcomes are likely, and how a particular insight affects a concrete decision. Psychological research has tremendous potential in these spaces, but its influence depends on whether it is framed in ways that answer those questions.

This does not mean that legal actors are indifferent to scientific rigor; rather, rigor is assumed and usefulness is decisive. Research that remains abstract or disconnected from legal realities is unlikely to shape practice, regardless of its quality. For psychology–law students, learning how to articulate the implications of findings—how they affect behavior, decision-making, fairness, or outcomes within legal systems—is just as important as the findings themselves.

There are also practical misconceptions that can limit students’ thinking. Holding a JD is not required to contribute meaningfully to legal systems, even at advanced levels. Many psychology–law professionals influence practice through program evaluation, policy advising, expert consultation, and applied research rather than litigation. Conversely, students who do pursue law school often underestimate how valuable their psychological training already is. Skills such as analyzing human behavior, evaluating evidence, identifying bias, and communicating complex information clearly are foundational to legal work, even if they are not explicitly labeled as psychology once inside legal institutions.
For those considering law school, it is worth noting that law schools prioritize demonstrated skills and clarity of purpose over disciplinary labels. Strong writing, coherent reasoning, research experience, and a well-articulated interest in legal systems matter far more than following a traditional pre-law path. Psychology–law students are often particularly well prepared, especially when they can explain how their background informs their interest in legal practice or reform.

Preparation for practice-adjacent work also differs from preparation for purely academic careers. Exposure to real legal environments—courts, mediation centers, advocacy organizations, or policy institutions—helps students understand how legal systems prioritize efficiency, finality, and procedure, sometimes at the expense of psychological nuance. These experiences clarify where psychological insight can realistically shape outcomes and where it must be adapted to institutional constraints. Learning to communicate research findings in concise, actionable terms is a critical skill for bridging this gap.
​
Many psychology–law students may feel pressure to commit early to a single trajectory or worry that uncertainty reflects a lack of direction. In reality, careers at the intersection of psychology and law are often incremental and adaptive. Professional identities develop through experience, collaboration, and exposure to legal systems in action, and the ability to move between research and applied contexts is often a strength rather than a limitation.
Psychology–law students are uniquely positioned to improve legal systems, not simply by producing strong research, but by translating psychological science into insights that legal actors can use. Bridging the gap between empirical knowledge and legal decision-making is challenging, but it is also where the field’s most meaningful impact occurs.

An Introduction to Qualitative Research (and Where to Learn More)
If most of your psychology training has focused on statistics, experiments, and surveys, qualitative research can feel like unfamiliar territory. Instead of testing hypotheses or calculating effect sizes, qualitative research asks questions like How do people experience this?, What meaning do they make of it?, and What gets lost when we only look at numbers?
For many areas of psychology, mainly clinical, forensic, health, and community work, qualitative research is an essential tool for understanding lived experience.

What Is Qualitative Research?
Qualitative research involves collecting non-numerical data such as interviews, focus groups, observations, or written narratives. Researchers analyze these data to identify patterns and themes rather than statistical relationships. Common qualitative approaches used in psychology include thematic analysis, grounded theory, narrative analysis, phenomenology, and case studies.
For students who are new to these methods, Introducing Qualitative Research: A Student’s Guide by Rosaline Barbour is a widely used and approachable introduction. Many universities also provide access to SAGE Research Methods, an online platform with tutorials and examples that walk through qualitative study design and analysis step by step.

 Learn more:

• SAGE Research Methods:
  https://methods.sagepub.com
• Barbour, Introducing Qualitative Research:
  https://methods.sagepub.com/book/mono/introducing-qualitative-research/toc#_

Why Qualitative Research Matters in Psychology
Quantitative research excels at identifying trends across large samples, but it often misses context. Qualitative methods allow researchers to center participants' voices, explore complexity, and examine the systems that shape behavior. This makes qualitative research especially valuable in areas such as mental health and legal systems, or at their intersection.

If you want to see how qualitative research looks in practice, the International Journal of Qualitative Methods publishes peer-reviewed qualitative studies across psychology and related fields. It is a great place to explore real examples of published work.

Explore qualitative research in action:

• International Journal of Qualitative Methods (journal homepage):
  https://journals.sagepub.com/home/ijq

Designing and Conducting Qualitative Studies
Designing a qualitative study starts with the research question. Rather than asking how many or how often, qualitative questions focus on meaning and experience. Decisions about sampling, data collection, and analysis are guided by the depth of understanding needed rather than by sample size.
Several university libraries host excellent free guides that explain qualitative methods in clear, student-friendly language:

• University of North Carolina – Qualitative Research Basics:
  https://guides.lib.unc.edu/qual/basics
• University of Michigan – Qualitative Research Guide:
  https://guides.lib.umich.edu/qualdata

These guides break down interviews, focus groups, case studies, and observational methods, making them especially helpful for students planning a first qualitative project.

Analyzing Qualitative Data
Qualitative analysis typically involves coding text data and identifying themes across participants. While this process can feel intimidating at first, it becomes manageable with practice and structure. Many students begin by coding in Word or Excel, while others use qualitative software such as Quirkos or NVivo.
For deeper dives into qualitative analysis, Basics of Qualitative Research by Corbin and Strauss and the APA’s Essentials of Qualitative Methods book series provide psychology-focused guidance on coding, theory development, and reflexivity, all of which are important concepts to understand before starting a qualitative study.

Helpful analysis resources:

• APA Essentials of Qualitative Methods (official APA Books series page):
  https://go.apa.org/qualitative-methods/
• Quirkos qualitative analysis software:
  https://www.quirkos.com

Getting Started as a Student
If you’re curious about qualitative research, the best place to start is small. Try conducting a short interview, transcribing a few pages, and practicing basic coding. Reading qualitative articles alongside method guides can help bridge the gap between theory and practice.
Most importantly, remember that qualitative research values transparency, reflexivity, and participant voice. These are strengths, not limitations, of the approach.
​
Final Thoughts
Qualitative research offers psychology students a powerful way to understand human behavior beyond numbers. Whether your interests lie in clinical work, forensic systems, health disparities, or community advocacy, qualitative methods provide tools for asking more profound questions and telling richer stories to help us better understand the experiences of individuals.

What is your school, program, and year?
University of North Texas, Clinical Psychology PhD, 4th year

Why psychology and the law?
Besides this clearly being the most interesting interdisciplinary field, I have always been interested in the 'why' behind the behaviors of people. Coupled with a general interest in criminal law, and some amazing seminar experiences on psychology and the law as an undergrad, I discovered a love for this field.

What is your favorite thing about your current graduate program?
Definitely the student body. I was able to meet my best friends through the program!

If you were not in graduate school, what would you do?
Realistically, probably law school (as cliché as it sounds), but maybe in a dream world I would own a bookstore with a little bakery.

What advice do you have for those applying to graduate school?
Don’t be afraid to ask questions! Remember that during this process, you’re selling yourself to programs, but they also have to sell themselves to you to make sure you pick the best fit.

If you had one year to train, what Olympic sport do you think you could qualify and medal in?
Maybe swimming because of my history as a swimmer, but definitely break dancing...

Books or movies?
Books, always

If you could only watch 3 movies for the rest of your life, what would they be?
This is so hard to answer, but maybe Mamma Mia, the Parent Trap, and Little Women

What is your go-to road trip snack?
Sprite, sour patch kids, and sea salt ruffles!

Does pineapple belong on pizza?
Absolutely NOT

Explain your hot take about pineapple on pizza.
The texture is wildly incorrect and why would you ruin pizza by adding a fruit to it??

What is your favorite place you have ever traveled?
St. Thomas!

Would you only eat hot food or cold food for the rest of your life? Why?
Hot food just because I thrive on pasta, and that is much better hot than cold!

What is your favorite weird fact?
Some dinosaurs had feathers, and this may extend to the T-rex!

What is your school, program, and year?
The University of Alabama, Clinical Psychology PhD, 4th year 
​
Why psychology and the law?             
Growing up, both of my parents were lawyers, and I always found the legal system, fascinating. When I was in middle school, I had a teacher that counseled/mentored children in the closest big city in the Summers which sparked my interest in psychology. In my senior year of college, I was an intern at a forensic hospital which made me realize the intersection of psychology and law and from there, I kept with it!

What is your favorite thing about your current graduate program?
The amazing experiences and professors that truly care about the students and their success

If you were not in graduate school, what would you do?
Cliche answer but most likely law school

What advice do you have for those applying to graduate school?
Get involved as much as you can! If you don't succeed the first time, keep working hard and don't give up

If you had one year to train, what Olympic sport do you think you could qualify and medal in?
Break dancing... for sure

Books or movies?
Books X10

If you could only watch 3 movies for the rest of your life, what would they be?
Ugh I can’t answer this one

What is your go-to road trip snack?
Dr. Pepper and Nerds Gummy Clusters

Does pineapple belong on pizza?
Absolutely not

Explain your hot take about pineapple on pizza.
Sweet and savory very rarely go together – why ruin something as good as pizza by adding a fruit to it?

What is your favorite place you have ever traveled?
Singapore!

Would you only eat hot food or cold food for the rest of your life? Why?
For sure hot foods - cold foods are good but just don't do the trick. Hot pasta > Cold pasta

What is your favorite weird fact?
There are only a handful of blimps left in the world so when you see one in the sky, remember they are very rare!

What is your school, program, and year?
University of Texas at El Paso, Legal Psychology PhD Program, 4th year

Why psychology and the law?
I want to make policy changes that make the justice system just and fair for everyone.

What is your favorite thing about your current graduate program?
The statistics training at my university is top notch - as much as the classes suck, I feel like I know what I'm doing when it comes time to analyze data!

If you were not in graduate school, what would you do?
I would rescue small animals and run a hobby farm!

What advice do you have for those applying to graduate school?
As much as you want the program to accept you, you also have to accept the program - make sure it's a good fit! You'll be spending a lot of time there.

If you had one year to train, what Olympic sport do you think you could qualify and medal in?
Rowing

Books or movies?
Books

What is your go-to road trip snack?
M&Ms (sweet) and nacho cheese Combos (salty)

Does pineapple belong on pizza?
Yes

Explain your hot take about pineapple on pizza.
It tastes good :) 

What is your favorite place you have ever traveled?
Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah

Would you only eat hot food or cold food for the rest of your life? Why?
Hot - you can warm up (most) food that you eat cold, but can't eat cold most of the food you usually eat warm

What is your favorite weird fact?
Grenadine is made from pomegranates

What is your school, program, and year?
University of Texas at El Paso, Legal Psychology PhD program, 4th year

Why psychology and the law?
I have always been interested in the legal system and biases which occur there, and simply found a love for psychology and law. It puts two of my favorite topics together!

If you were not in graduate school, what would you do?
I would want to own a bakery or bookstore so I could be around some of my favorite things.

What advice do you have for those applying to graduate school?
Choose programs/mentors that feel right to you. Especially with mentors, they can make or break your experience in graduate school so making sure that they are a good fit for you is key.

If you had one year to train, what Olympic sport do you think you could qualify and medal in?
Archery! I was really into archery in high school and think I could train myself well enough to qualify for a medal (even if it’s a low rank one). I’d also be happy with a participation trophy, haha

Books or movies?
Books!

If you could only watch 3 movies for the rest of your life, what would they be?
The Nightmare Before Christmas, Beetlejuice (1988), Corpse Bride

What is your go-to road trip snack?
Goldfish or Cheez Its

Does pineapple belong on pizza?
Yes!

Explain your hot take about pineapple on pizza.
I like the sweetness of the pineapple with the saltiness of the cheese

What is your favorite place you have ever traveled?
Dominican Republic

Would you only eat hot food or cold food for the rest of your life? Why?
Hot foods, most of my favorites are hot

What is your favorite weird fact?
Flamingos aren't born pink! Baby flamingos are a dull gray color and turn pink from their diet (their diet contains carotenoid, which is the same pigment that makes carrots orange).
 

What is your school, program, and year?
Montclair State University, Clinical Psychology PhD Program, 4th year

Why psychology and the law?
I’m interested in psychology and the law because I feel passionately that the legal system should reflect a rehabilitative approach rather than a punitive one

What is your favorite thing about your current graduate program?
My favorite thing about my graduate program is the immense amount of support offered by my peers and faculty!

If you were not in graduate school, what would you do?
Maybe I would have gone to beauty school because I think self-care is important and find doing hair/nails to be relaxing. Or – astrophysicist.

What advice do you have for those applying to graduate school?
My advice is to show both your knowledge/interest in the field AND your personality in your personal statement and during interviews!

If you had one year to train, what Olympic sport do you think you could qualify and medal in?
Maybe volleyball since that is the only organized sport I’ve participated in. If I’m fantasizing, I’d want to medal in something else, like figure skating or gymnastics

Books or movies?
Movies!

If you could only watch 3 movies for the rest of your life, what would they be?
The first Scream movie, Gone Girl, the original Twelve Angry Men

What is your go-to road trip snack?
For salty, I’d go cheez-itz, for sweet maybe M&Ms

Does pineapple belong on pizza?
If you want it to!
​
Explain your hot take about pineapple on pizza.
Sometimes it’s a vibe! Depends on how I’m feeling but to each their own for sure

What is your favorite place you have ever traveled?
I went to Paris when I was super young and would love to go back so I could appreciate it more

Would you only eat hot food or cold food for the rest of your life? Why?
This is tough – I would say hot foods because I can’t go without soups/stews

What is your favorite weird fact?
Snow formation is an exothermic reaction!

This is a recording of zoom-based webinar hosted by Secretary, Morgan Wagner and Communications Officer, Jayce Owens-Boone on January 28th from 4-5 PM (CST). 

What is your school, program, and year?
Florida School of Professional Psychology at National Louis University, Clinical Psychology PsyD Program, 4th year

Why psychology and the law?
Growing up, I discovered my ability to empathetically understand and connect to individuals in trouble with the law. I soon realized that the general public often has different views of people who have been in trouble with the law than I do! So, I found a career path in forensic clinical psychology where I can use my ability to help and connect with this underserved population as much as possible.

What is your favorite thing about your current graduate program?
My favorite thing is connecting with my peers who share the same passions as I do.

If you were not in graduate school, what would you do?
I would be a digital nomad traveling the world.

What advice do you have for those applying to graduate school?
Figure out who and what in your life brings you joy. Lean on those people and things throughout your graduate and professional career because they will be your lifeboat!

If you had one year to train, what Olympic sport do you think you could qualify and medal in?
I would love to say volleyball or track and field, but I could never make that happen in one year. So, I am going to have to go with archery. I have done archery a couple of times, and I think I could train for a year and be decent.

Books or movies?
Out of those two, I would pick movies. BUT if TV shows was an option I would definitely pick TV shows (specifically reality TV)

If you could only watch 3 movies for the rest of your life, what would they be?
The Blind Side, In Time, & The Other Woman

What is your go-to road trip snack?
Lime-Flavored Plantain Chips

Does pineapple belong on pizza?
Without a doubt, don't knock it till you try it

Explain your hot take about pineapple on pizza.
I grew up eating it, and a good Hawaiian pizza is my go-to pizza order! Add some red chili flakes and *chef's kiss*

What is your favorite place you have ever traveled?
While I am yet to be a world traveler, my so far favorite place to travel to is Salt Lake City, Utah! It has everything someone who enjoys nature could want (coming from a girl from Florida)

Would you only eat hot food or cold food for the rest of your life? Why?
I personally would have to say hot foods! Hot foods just taste so much better and have so much more flavor!

What is your favorite weird fact?
Dolphins have signature whistles for each other in their pod, similar to names humans have for each other