The best time to begin planning is early in your undergraduate career. Thinking about and planning for possibilities will make the process much easier to handle if it does become part of your future. Each entry describes the program's degree requirements, admission requirements, tuition requirements, and the availability of financial assistance, teaching opportunities, housing, and day care. The author, Patricia Keith-Spiegel, discusses topics such as how to make better graduate school choices, how to enhance your chances of being accepted, and how to go about the application process. It is similar to Keith-Spiegel's book in its recommendations, while also offering descriptions of specific programs and their requirements.
Some students find it simpler to move directly from college graduation to graduate school.
If this is your plan, you'll need to begin preparing to apply to the programs of your choice by at least the latter half of your junior year. As you can guess, it takes time to gather these materials. For example, most graduate programs require applicants to take entrance exams such as GREs or MATs which are similar to the SATs or ACTs required by undergraduate schools, and these exams take time to process and be sent to your designated colleges. The first step is to speak with faculty in the psychology department and members of the Student Resource Center. They can help you determine what steps you need to take to get the application process underway in a timely fashion.