Get Your Hands Dirty
Graduate school is a huge investment of dedication, time, effort, and money. Obtaining hands-on experience in the area you would like to pursue before making the investment is of paramount importance.
If you don't have experience working with people in a one-on-one setting, how do you know counseling is for you? Likewise, if you have never set out to conduct a study or publish a paper, how do you know research is the career path you prefer? Getting involved with the type of work you envision doing after graduate school, even if it is only in a peripheral capacity, is the best way to make an informed decision about whether it is the right path for you.
Gaining experience also benefits you because you will be exposed to professionals in the area.
Graduate school applications require personal statements. Gathering relevant experience will come in handy when it's time to sit down and write. Describe the skills you have acquired. Show that you can write about your experience intelligently. Perhaps the best, most persuasive application essays include a description of how the applicant has already immersed themselves in the field. This shows admissions committees that they are prepared and ready to pursue graduate school in the area.
Gaining experience relevant to your future graduate degree will help you develop relationships with individuals, supervisors and professors, who can write compelling letters of recommendation.
Psychology Today
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