For those who are post-bacc

[SRod2015]

For those who are post bacc students do you know if you can retake classes from your undergrad? My undergrad GPA was low so that is affecting my admission to a grad program.

Also if you can retake communicate disorders classes? I know I cannot at the current school I go to but I was wondering if I can retake them somewhere else.

 

[Crimson Wife]

You could but CSDCAS factors both grades into your GPA. So unless the grade was really low, I don't see how retaking a course would be more helpful than taking electives that were not part of your UG degree. To my mind, retaking a course looks like shameless grade-grubbing, while taking electives can be explained as exploring an area of interest or broadening your knowledge base or whatever.

Depending on my final grade in Speech Science, I might be taking an elective this summer at a different school. It's related to my area of interest so I think it would be useful beyond just offsetting a meh grade.

[SRod2015]

@Crimson Wife I asked because I got a rejection letter from Eastern New Mexico University and one of the options was to re-take CDIS classes but at my school California State University, Fullerton I cannot do that. So I do not know if another school will allow me too. I emailed the chair of the department yesterday but I have no received a response yet.

Your 1st BA and CSD GPA are higher than mine plus my undergrad GPA is affecting my CSD GPA by bringing it down significantly. So I was exploring options that I could take if I do not get accepted to any programs for fall 2017. I have a lot of experience in the field but that does not seem to be giving me the extra push to get an acceptance letter yet only notices of being waitlisted or rejected.

Thank you for your idea of taking electives. I will look into sign language classes if those help.

 

[BeachySpeechy]

@SRod2015 I'm just trying to get a clearer picture of your situation to understand your questions better. 

Are you a post-bacc student with an undergrad in another major? Or do you have a bachelors in CSD but your other undergrad courses (general ed courses) are pulling your GPA down? What is your CSD GPA? 

[SRod2015]

@BeachySpeechy I am a post-bacc student with an undergrad in another major. My undergrad major is pulling my GPA down. My CSD GPA is a 3.6

 

[BeachySpeechy]

If you have a low undergrad GPA, the pressure to get all As in your CSD classes is pretty intense. I am a 2nd bachelors student with a low undergrad GPA, so I feel your pain. I really busted my butt to get As in my CSD courses because I knew my GPA would be under more scrutiny during the application process. 

If you have stellar GRE scores, LORs, and an awesome SOP, I think that will help immensely. I disagree with the comment that retaking some CSD classes doesn't help. I think retaking a fundamental course in our field, rather than an elective would look better...but only if you get an A! You can explain in your SOP why the class was difficult the first time around and show that you can ultimately succeed. You have to show you can do well in these courses rather than something just related to it. Yes, CSDCAS does factor both grades when you retake a course but taking an elective to compensate for the "bad" grade does the same thing for your GPA. At least retaking the CSD course will help increase your CSD major GPA on CSDCAS whereas an elective might be calculated under another category so your CSD GPA will stay the same. If you have any grades B- or lower in your CSD courses, retake those. It's not a guarantee you will get in, but it certainly wouldn't hurt. 

[BeachySpeechy]

BTW a 3.6 is great! It's unfortunate that we're made to feel like that's not good enough. I hope it all works out for you...best of luck! 

[SRod2015]

@BeachySpeechy as a post bacc I cannot re-take classes at the current university I attend, Cal State Fullerton. So I do not how to go about doing that plus wouldn't the school I apply to see the course that I retook? I am afraid that it would look bad. This whole process is such an emotional ordeal. I agree with you that it is unfortunate that a 3.6 or even getting a B is seen like a bad grade.

I am guessing my LORs were good and I thought my SOP was good. My GRE was average.

Thank you for your help

 

[Crimson Wife]

8 hours ago, BeachySpeechy said:

Yes, CSDCAS does factor both grades when you retake a course but taking an elective to compensate for the "bad" grade does the same thing for your GPA. At least retaking the CSD course will help increase your CSD major GPA on CSDCAS whereas an elective might be calculated under another category so your CSD GPA will stay the same. If you have any grades B- or lower in your CSD courses, retake those. It's not a guarantee you will get in, but it certainly wouldn't hurt. 

I agree about re-taking any courses with a B- or lower because a really low grade reflects a poor understanding of the material. But retaking a course to improve from a B or B+ to an A will not replace the original "meh" grade in CSDCAS. It just looks like grade-grubbing.

When I am talking about taking an elective, I mean a CSD department elective. So that would be factored into the GPA for CSD. Not every school requires the same courses for the CSD bachelor's/leveling program. So it is fairly easy to find something that you haven't already taken that still would count as a CSD course. Utah State does not offer Fluency, Voice, Neuro, Issues in Disability, or Educational Audiology so those are 5 potential CSD electives that a USU graduate could take to bump up his/her CSD GPA in addition to the CSD electives offered through USU like ASL, Socio-Cultural Aspects of Deafness, Multiple Disabilities, and the courses in the deafblindness intervention certificate.