Answers to
Frequently Asked Questions
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  1. Can I become a certified graphologist by taking Andrea's course?
  2. What else can I do to improve my skills after taking Andrea's courses?
  3. Where can I purchase a copy of Andrea's "Advanced Studies In Graphology"?
  4. If I change my handwriting, can I change myself?
  5. Is Graphology Legal to Use In Hiring?
  6. If a handwriting is printed, can it be analyzed?
  7. Isn't handwriting just a reflection of the way the person was taught to write?
  8. If someone writes differently all the time, can you analyze their writing?
  9. If someone knew a little about graphology, couldn't they fake their handwriting to look a certain way?
  10. Can foreign handwritings be analyzed?
  11. Can you tell anything from just a signature?
  12. Can an illegible handwriting be analyzed?
  13. Does it matter if the person is left-handed?
  14. Is graphology a pseudo-science or part of the occult?
  15. Can I study with Andrea McNichol personally?
Q. Can I Become a Certified Graphologist By Taking Andrea's Course?
A.
  • Many who have studied Andrea's materials have gone on to become professional graphologists operating full time business, whether or not they have been "certified" by a given organization.
  • There are a few private organizations which offer some kind of certification in handwriting analysis, however the McNichol-Nelson Graphology Institute is not one of them. Since no state in the U.S. has a licensing program for people in this field, the value and significance of such certifications is uncertain.
  • To find a handwriting organization which awards certificates, we suggest you consult your yellow pages under handwriting analysis, search the Internet, or contact the American College of Forensic Examiners at (417) 881-3818.
Q. What Else Can I Do to Improve My Skills After Taking Andrea's Courses?
A.
  • For those interested in continued study of graphology, or in becoming a graphology professional, Andrea McNichol suggests that an important first step is to undertake your own personal research in the field.
  • Here is how you might go about doing this: Let's say you were interested in increasing your proficiency in recognizing dishonesty in handwriting. First, you would set out to collect handwriting samples from people adjudged "dishonest," and prepare a case study on each person by writing down all you learn about him or her. Such samples might be obtained from friends, law enforcement agencies, probation workers, or prisoner populations. You would then note which handwriting characteristics these "dishonest" people had in common, comparing your findings with information you've learned about graphology from books, classes and other sources.
  • Though it may at first be difficult to continue studies in graphology, for those who are determined to become highly proficient, it can be done and is well worth it. Graphology is a fascinating field with countless beneficial applications
Q. Where Can I Purchase a Copy of Andrea's "Advanced Studies In Graphology"?
A.
Q. If I change my handwriting, can I change myself?
A.
  • Yes; it's called "graphotherapy," and there is a lot of documented evidence that you can change your handwriting to change a corresponding personality trait. Review Andrea's videos and books for more information on the subject.
Q. Is Graphology Legal to Use In Hiring?
A.
  • Yes. Donald Lott, a spokesman for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commision in Washington has said that the use of graphology falls under the commission's policy with regard to testing for employment purposes. "If that testing has a disproportionate impact in terms of its effect on certain classes of individuals and if those persons raise allegations of racial, sexual or other discriminations, then the testing facility stands to be exposed to the enforcement's authority of the commission," says Lott. The graphologist does not need to see the applicant, only the handwriting. He is therefore influenced only by graphological traits and is in no way biased by race, sex, appearance, etc.
Q. If a handwriting is printed, can it be analyzed?
A.
  • Yes. Whatever style of writing the person feels comfortable or familiar with is fine for graphological assessment. The only trait that is not present in printing, but is present in cursive writing, is the existence of the strokes that connect one letter to another. All other features of the writing are assessed in the same manner.
Q. Isn't handwriting just a reflection of the way the person was taught to write?
A.
  • No. No two handwritings are ever identical, just as no two people have the same fingerprint. Each person's handwriting is uniquely their own regardless of where they learned it.
Q. If someone writes differently all the time, can you analyze their writing?
A.
  • Yes. Though a person may write with several different styles, it is readily apparent to the graphologist that all the handwritings were written by the same person. Even though the appearance of a handwriting may be quite different at various times, the basic personality structure remains the same. A friend of yours may show up at work with newly dyed hair and wearing a brand new outfit, but you still know who she is...
Q. If someone knew a little about graphology, couldn't they fake their handwriting to look a certain way?
A.
  • No. When we write in our natural handwriting we write with a fluidity that denotes spontaneity. Whenever a person attempts to write in a manner that is not natural to him, it is readily apparent in the handwriting.
Q. Can foreign handwritings be analyzed?
A.
  • Yes. The principles of graphic movement remain the same regardless of language.
Q. Can you tell anything from just a signature?
A.
  • Yes. The manner in which we pen our names reveals our public self image.
Q. Can an illegible handwriting be analyzed?
A.
  • Yes. Legibility is only one feature of graphic movement. Size, placement, pressure, spacing, etc., are also a part of any handwriting and thus the fact that the words themselves are not readable does not mean that there is nothing to analyze. Further, graphic movement is assessed and not content.
Q. Does it matter if the person is left-handed?
A.
  • No. It is a common misconception to think that all left handers write a certain way. With just a few minor exceptions, the graphologist analyzes the handwriting of both groups in the same manner.
Q. Is graphology a pseudo-science or part of the occult?
A.
  • No. Unfortunately, educators in the U.S. have been slow in recognizing the validity of graphology and its many uses. For this reason, there are few accredited courses offered on the subject and no licensing programs. Consequently, anyone can represent themselves to be a handwriting expert. However, the fact that there may be a few untrained graphologists does not mean that the science itself is invalid, nor that there aren't any real experts in the field. Over the years hundreds of research projects involving graphology have been conducted and reported on by U.S. scientists, psychologists and medical doctors. Their findings have been very favorable to handwriting analysis, but only recently have U.S. educators given this field the consideration it merits.
Q. Can I study with Andrea McNichol personally?
A.
  • You may contact Andrea McNichol regarding upcoming seminars and classes. If you live in the Los Angeles area, you may qualify to join her private seminar study group which meets twice monthly. Again, contact Andrea for details.
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