Is it true that Graduate schools perfer you major in something different from undergrad?

Question

I want to have a doctorate in psychology and somebody told me that I should major in another subject for Undergrad like art to show my diverse personality and have a better chance to get in. Should i do this or major in psychology to have a better background?

Answer 1

Stick with Psychology. Most graduate students studied close to or the same subject in undergraduate school. Graduate schools in general are primarily concerned with one thing: Does your academic background show that you can succeed as a student in your given field of study. As a Doctor, you'll need an extensive background in that field. If you skip around, it will be interpreted as a lack of commitment.
If you want to be well rounded--eat a lot of Big Macs.

Answer 2

No -- it is not true -- at least not for academic disciplines.

Business Schools and law schools like to have people with very different backgrounds. But most academic disciplines want graduate students capable of taking advanced courses. How can you take graduate courses in psychology, mathematics, physics or philosophy without having a broad background in that field?

Most PhDs in Psychology will have an undergraduate degree in psychology too.

Answer 3

No! Major in psychology! If you don't, you won't be well enough prepared for grad level coursework and research in psychology.

You can show your well-roundedness with a second major or minor in a different field and/or involvement in extracurricular activities, an unusual job or volunteer experience, etc. A second field will be even more useful if it gives you ideas for research in psychology (art therapy? psychology of aesthetics?); otherwise it's a bonus but not necessary. Not nearly as important as showing a strong foundation in psych.

Answer 4

That is not true for grad school. It may apply to medical school or dental school, where you just need to have taken the requisite courses (ie organic chem, anatomy, cell, biochem). You can get away with a little deviation between your undergrad and grad subjects (ie chemistry major in undergrad going into a biology program in grad school), but that may depend on whether you apply to an umbrella program or a specific department (ie a biochem/mol biol/cell biol program vs just biology).