antipancakes
So I want to dedicate my life to research, I am mostly interested in experimental psychology or any neuroscience. Here is my dilemma, everyone around me doubts me when I present my future plans. They say things such as " You have to be the best" or "You have to be exceptionally intelligent"
My plan is to go to a private university in Puerto Rico, get my Bachelors in Psychology there and then transfer to a school that offers my desired major.
I'm asking for random people's opinion because I need an outside view on my plan. I probably sound ridiculous seeking approval of my plan from strangers but it would mean a lot to me thanks! Maybe I oblivious to what I am getting myself into, I don't know.
Thanks again for your help and taking the time to read this.
You will be fine. Experimental Psychology is a safe bet. While you may have to be "the best of the best" to get a job at an independent practice, you can always work for educational institutions. Pretty much any institution that teaches a psychology class will be performing experimental research. I bet you could get a job at the same undergrad or grad school from which you received your degree, since they will know first hand your talents. You can even fallback as a professor at any institute.
Your degree plan sounds almost identical to mine, save Puerto Rico.
You'll need your Bachelor's in Psychology. If you don't know your focus yet, which I assume you mean by "desired major," such as behavioral, social, developmental, etc. psychology, that is fine.
If you don't know your focus, get a Master's in Experimental Psychology. By this point, you should know your focus, and you should transfer to a place that offers a PhD in your focus.
If you do know your focus after getting your Bachelor's, you can go straight to your PhD program of choice and skip the Master's (or get the Master's along the way during your PhD program).
Just be sure to do as much undergraduate research as possible. Really. Every semester. Talk to your professors and ask them what you can do. Research experience is one of the most important aspects on a grad school application for experimental psychology.
Example degrees:
Bachelors in Psychology
Masters in Experimental Psychology
PhD in Experimental Behavioral Psychology
CH1YO
Once you have a bachelor's degree the time to be having majors is over.
Take a degree and decide what you like, there really is no point in deciding on something now, essentially arbitrarily.
I think he's referring to a focus, not a major. e.g. Behavioral Psychology.
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