FAQs for PPREP 2026
Q1. What is PPREP?
PPREP stands for Prospective Ph.D. & R.A. Event in Psychology. The aim of the program is to broaden participation in psychology by providing opportunities for direct mentorship to students who may be considering advanced education or careers in psychology, particularly those from first-generation and low-income backgrounds or who may otherwise have had less access to mentorship or application guidance (terms that describe socioeconomic and institutional circumstances, not race, ethnicity, sex, or any other protected characteristic). PPREP is open and welcoming to all. The program will include a day of free, online panel discussions and application workshops with students, post-docs, and faculty. This portion of PPREP is open to everyone who registers — there is no selection process to attend. At the end of the event, attendees who are interested can apply to receive structured, one-on-one feedback on the materials they intend to use to apply to research positions and advanced degree opportunities in psychology (e.g., cover letters, Statements of Purpose, and CVs). A subset of those applicants will be selected and paired with a current member of our psychology department (i.e., faculty, post-doc, and/or graduate student) to provide that feedback.
Q2. How can I register for PPREP?
You can register to attend the online panel discussions and workshops here! Registration for this part is open to everyone — there's no selection process to attend. At the end of the event, if you're interested in receiving feedback on your materials, we'll share a separate application; a subset of applicants will be selected for that portion.
Q3. Do I need to have any materials, such as a Statement of Purpose or cover letter, to apply to PPREP?
You don’t need to have any specific material to register for the PPREP panel discussions and workshops! That registration form is straight-forward and includes questions about your background, as well as a few short answer questions about who you are and what you’re interested in — it's meant to be very informal. If you're later selected to receive feedback on your materials, you'll be expected to have a working draft of your relevant materials (e.g., cover letter, Statement of Purpose, and/or CV) ready at that point.
Q4. Will everyone who registers get feedback on their materials?
No — the panel discussions and workshops are open to everyone who registers, but feedback on your application materials is a separate, limited opportunity. After the event, we will first review applications for the feedback portion to ensure eligibility criteria are met. Then, within each sub-discipline pool (i.e., cognitive/brain/behavior, developmental, clinical, and social), eligible applicants who meet defined socioeconomic criteria are given priority for selection. Remaining seats in each sub-discipline are filled by random draw from the remaining eligible pool. If the number of eligible applicants who meet the socioeconomic criteria exceeds the number of available seats in a sub-discipline, selection within that group is random, and other applicants may not receive a seat in that sub-discipline this cycle. If you're not selected, you're still welcome to have attended the panel discussions and workshops, and we encourage you to check our FAQ page for links to similar programs.
Q5. How much does it cost to apply to PPREP 2026?
Nothing! PPREP is a free, online event. It will cost nothing to apply or to take part in the event.
Q6. I’m not entirely sure what I want to do my PhD in psychology. Can I still register for PPREP?
Any prospective student or research assistant can register for PPREP 2026. However, attendees must be applying for full-time research positions, lab manger positions, and/or advanced degree opportunities in the Fall 2026 cycle.
Q7. I don’t want to go to graduate school at Harvard. Can I still register for PPREP?
Absolutely! The aim of PPREP is to provide mentorship and guidance to all prospective students, regardless of where you apply. There is no expectation or requirement that your participation in this event will be in service of applying to Harvard. Everyone who registers is welcome to attend the panel discussions and workshops, and anyone later selected to receive feedback on their materials is still free to apply to any graduate program of their choosing — although, we do hope you will consider us!
Q8. What is the goal of PPREP?
The Harvard Psychology Department is actively and intentionally committed to broadening participation in the field of psychology. The purpose of PPREP 2026 is to facilitate access to information, connections, and opportunities for students from all backgrounds. PPREP is open and welcoming to all interested applicants from anywhere and everywhere, and we encourage applications from students with first-generation and low-income backgrounds, as well as those from institutions with fewer research opportunities. These terms describe socioeconomic and institutional circumstances — not race, ethnicity, sex, or any other protected characteristic.
Q9. Are there any other similar events or initiatives that I should be aware of?
Other universities, such as Stanford, Michigan, and Yale are hosting similar mentorship programs. Furthermore, In addition to hosting PPREP, an individualized mentoring event, the Department of Psychology at Harvard also has an informational resource, PRO-TiP (Ph.D. & R.A. Online Tips Page). PRO-TiP includes videos from faculty where they talk about their approach to graduate and RA applications. Selected faculty from each of the four primary areas of research (Clinical, Social, Developmental, and Cognition, Brain, and Behavior) share their insights into what makes for a strong application. They also answer some of the most frequently asked questions that applicants have.
Q10. I have a question not covered in this FAQ. How can I know more/who do I reach out to?
If you still have any questions regarding PPREP 2026 or PRO-TiP, please reach out HarvardPsychRecruitment@gmail.com.