WannabSLP124

Check out Texas Christian University. It's a small program but my supervisor went there and when she went, everyone got 100% funding - so it is competitive. But you've got a competitive CV it sounds like! Good luck!

You seem to have some good experiences and good stats. Apply to schools that are a good fit for you and you'll be likely to get in! Research experience isn't necessary, unless maybe you want to get into a highly ranked school that has heavy research experience. Good luck!

My research methods course was pretty stats heavy. Outside of that, my professors want us to show that we understand the bell curve, percentile ranks, standard scores, and standard deviations. I'm sure if you go to a program known for research it may be different though.

I was waitlisted at 3 schools, and got into 2 of 3 I was waitlisted at. It definitely happens. The only one I considered going to that I was waitlisted at, was really expensive for out of state students so I declined. But the tuition may give you an idea about how likely you are to hear from them. I'm assuming a lot of people chose less expensive options.

Save your money and the added stress!!! You have great verbal and writing scores. Your math score is not going to keep you out of programs, especially if you have an overall strong application. Good luck!

I think it really depends on the university. I did not have to retake any of my SLPA specific courses, but I know there are some programs that will. One program coordinator said the issue with SLPA coursework is they often don't include assessment.

Keep your grades up in your pre-req courses, and that could really help with your GRE score. Also one month is not that long to practice and study, especially with English not being your first language. Give it time. I found the Magoosh flashcards really helpful (in addition to outside reading) for building vocabulary. What is your native language? The fact that you speak another language could be really helpful too. We need more bilingual SLP's. Even if it's not Spanish :-) Good luck!

How did you go about choosing schools you want to apply to? The first time I applied I was not very analytical about where I applied to, I just applied where I wanted to go. Many of those choices were a bit out of my league, and I did not get in anywhere. This time around I researched the stats (GPA/GRE) of all schools I considered and only applied to schools where I met their avg. stats or not far below. Don't waste your money applying to schools you probably wouldn't get into based on your stats unless you have something extraordinary about yourself that makes you desirable to that school. You need to be really honest with yourself and how you look as an applicant. You didn't mention any research, volunteering, shadowing, work experience, or organization - that stuff can help you a lot. It's also helpful to apply to schools that look beyond GPA and GRE. Based on the info you supplied, I think schools would look at your GPA and be concerned. Many people can get past a low cumulative GPA with work/volunteer/research experience, doing really well in their last 60 hours or major GPA, outstanding LOR's, coming from another field, or some extenuating circumstances that were occurring while you were in school (working through school probably isn't going to cut it, as MANY people have had to work through school while maintaining a higher GPA). Getting your GRE could help show that you are capable of more, but you are going to really have to sell yourself in other ways. I'm not trying to be harsh, it's just very competitive. I am a career changer and I got in with a low cumulative GPA and a decent but still lower than average major GPA, and it was a lot of work. A lot of research, a lot of writing and re-writing and re-writing, volunteering, making the right connections, etc. If you do look through the results pages of GradCafe you will get a good idea of what people's stats look like who get into programs. Good luck! You can do it, you will just have to put a lot of effort into it!

It really depends on the school. Some universities are strict and some are not. I don't think you will have a problem with BIO but the earth science probably won't be accepted. It has to be somewhat related to speech & language (think acoustics). See the link below which details acceptable course requirements. http://www.asha.org/Certification/Course-Content-Areas-for-SLP-Standards/ I took a very basic, intro to physics course (no lab) at a local community college. So easy and it worked just fine. Don't make it harder than you have to :-)

I wouldn't knock either of those jobs as a bad opportunity. Many applicants who get in have related experience, and those job probably require many skills that an SLP needs too. First and foremost, having experience working with populations who may need speech services is a step above many applicants. It requires patience, compassion, and you get experience being around individuals with speech/language needs. I would think about what you are interested in and try to focus your efforts in those areas. Adults, children, autism, brain injury? If you're unsure then I would try to diversify your experience. It might be good to have the caregiver position AND preschool on your resume. The experience will help you determine your interests and write you personal statements. You may have to be a little creative, but both are definitely worthwhile experiences.

I found a questionnaire online, that asked a bunch of questions that would be relevant to writing your personal statements. I answered all questions in detail to sort of prep myself and get my brain working. Then I just started writing a statement geared toward each school. Questions were: Why do you want to go? What can you bring to the program? What has prepared you for grad school? What experiences have shaped your interests? etc. My general advice would be to focus on what you can bring to the program, and show that you are competent to complete the program, rather than just "why you want in".

University of Houston is about $20k for the entire program - in state. I'm sure more out of state, but if you do a GA or something you can typically get in state tuition.

Yes, you all will have better luck if you do find an SLP who does want to hire you, as they will benefit from helping you once you are licensed. ' For MD I bet they will begin using SLPAs in the schools first, as that's where there tends to be the biggest shortage, and they have more resources than a private practice/small business. I would focus on getting in at a school and try contacting some SLP's and asking them if they will be hiring SLPAs in their district. You may just plant a seed in their head and they may voice wanting some help! Good luck!

Were there some circumstances that led to your low GPA? I think schools might be concerned about the last 60 hours, as generally thats when students buckle down, are focused, and are taking more CSD courses. If you have a legitimate reason you may be able to explain that in your personal statement, but remember grad school is going to be difficult. Be careful with your wording/reasoning because they may see it as poor time management/stress management.etc - all skills a grad student would need. If you have anything below a B in a CSD course you should probably retake it. Good luck.

Yes it really does depend on the school, but if this is a REQUIREMENT then I don't know how flexible they will be. When I applied, I only came across 1 school with a required GPA and they pretty much said don't bother applying if you do not meet their GRE and GPA requirements. That's much different than a school reporting their averages or GPA range. I would get clarification from the school. But you can offset a lower GPA with good GRE scores, work/volunteer experiences, participation in NSSLHA or other organizations, research experiences, great letters of rec. etc. Good luck!

I toured the University of Memphis and absolutely loved their facilities. The professors were very approachable and welcoming, and the grad students seemed very happy to be there. Unfortunately I did not get in there, but I would have loved to go there. It seems like a really solid program, and I spoke briefly with an alumni who loved it. I did get into UT Knoxville but declined, partly due to cost. I spoke with an undergrad student who was going into the grad program, and she said that funding is pretty rare to get, as well as GA positions. She said the program and faculty are great, but the facilities are old and not that great. This was actually a thread on Grad Cafe, so you may be able to find it still and see exactly what she said. It is a pretty big program, so depending on your background and stats, you may have an easier time getting into UT-Knoxville over Memphis. Memphis is ranked high and a smaller program, but if you are a competitive applicant go for it! Good luck!

I wouldn't worry too much about your LOR's not being from faculty. Yes it is helpful, but it's better to have a well written LOR from someone that really knows you, rather than a professor who barely remembers your name. All of my LOR's came from supervisors (SLPs) from various settings. Having a variety references is also good!

@Chai Tea Latte LOL yes I don't blame you on that one! I have never even been to that part of Texas, and not trying to either

I've been wondering if I should do an anatomy and phonetics refresher! It's been 4 years since I graduate, probably 5 years since I tool those courses

Was this Texas A&M Kingsville by any chance? I was rejected there and got a call last week offering me admission. Like you said, I think they probably went through their waitlist and still have spots in their class. They didn't say anything about a provisional acceptance though. I would think that would have more to do with needing to take courses prior to beginning the program. Definitely weird, but if it's the school you want I wouldn't worry about how you got in, just be excited you did. There are people who would do anything to be admitted anywhere, so congrats!

Ugh! Those evil observation hours!!!! So I have had to go through this twice. If you plan on moving in the future, I highly recommend taking a course that will give you the hours. Many states will take university observation hours. Just a thought! Anyway, both of my observations were done in private practices. It took 2 months one time and 4 months another time - but I was also working part time. If you have open availability you can probably get yours faster. None of the schools I contacted got back to me. I think they are just so busy, and this time of year might be tough because in most places school is wrapping up. If you are not in a rush and start contacting them in the summer months you may have better luck, getting started in the fall. I literally just did cold calls, and sent my resume to clinics. SLPs tend to be pretty friendly people and they want to help. They also like free labor :-) I did find myself assisting while observing, one clinic actually hired me as a receptionist so I got to work when I wasn't observing. Look for clinics that have summer camps. One clinic I worked at did a daily speech and language summer camp - that will help get more hours. Also look for larger clinics with multiple SLPs. In the summer months, lots of families are traveling which makes it a bit slower to get those hours. Good luck!

@amvat You remind me so much of myself right now! Your GPA is NOT crap and does not mean everything. My GPA is much lower than yours and I got in. I applied 3x. The first time, was definitely a learning curve, the second time I shouldn't have applied because I didn't do anything differently than the first time, and the third time I really got down to business and it worked. I'm happy to talk to you more about this. Would you mind sharing more about your applications: stats, schools you applied to, etc. Feel free to PM me if you'd rather. Graduate school admissions is a really funny business, and while I am not an expert, I do think I have some good advice. What state are you living in? Are you sure you need more courses to get your SLPA license? I know it can vary from state to state, but both states I have worked in accepted a bachelors, and you did not necessarily need an SLPA certificate. The hard part for me was getting observation hours as I did not get them during my undergrad. If you did that will help a bunch!

Oh great topic! Someone I know mentioned they had gotten a book specifically for the PRAXIS exam (I imagine like the GRE prep books). They studied the book, and passed no problem.

Thanks for the feedback @Auuudriana and @jpiccolo, so helpful to have student's input. It's such awkward timing because I have to plan for it now, if I don't want to pay a fortune for the flight! Thanks again :-)

Hey guys!. My program starts Aug. 22nd and I have been invited to an out of state wedding Sept. 9th. I'm debating if I should go or not! I keep hearing how busy SLP grad students are and I don't want to start off on the wrong foot, but it's a good friend so I'd love to go! Thanks for the input - I don't want to ask my program because I am afraid I won't sound dedicated ?