Students often comment that they never enjoyed psychology so much as when they were carrying out their own collaborative research. Later, they have good reason to be proud of their accomplishments and contributions to the field, and proud of the college for providing such a quality education. Practical benefits Extensive research experience greatly increases your chance of entering graduate school. Finished research projects document the student's abilities. They demonstrate that the student's education was not simply completing a group of courses.
Students have something tangible to show employers and admissions committees.
The research experience makes them stand out among all the other applicants. The reasons above also increase the student's chances of being funded in graduate school through scholarships, stipends, and assistantships. Research provides opportunities for summer employment for students. This opportunity extends their education beyond the normal academic year and may help make contacts in graduate schools or industries related to the research project. When a student carries out research in collaboration with a professor, both of them get to know one another better than they could in any classroom.