queenleblanc

It is best to get your observation hours across different settings and disorders. I did my min. 25 hours, spent 2 days at a SNF, 1 day at a hospital and outpatient rehab, and also went to a developmental disabilities center. I also observed an audiologist for half of a day as well. Do: Make sure the SLP or AuD is CCC-SLP or CCC-A if you want the hours to count for the 25 minimum required for ASHA-accredited grad schools Send thank you cards to those who allow you to shadow / observe (not just an email) Ask a lot of questions in the various settings you see to get a better idea of where you might want to have your graduate school externships and/or CFY Don't: Don't be afraid to interact with a patient if the SLP asks you or gives you an opportunity (I played some memory games with the cognitive patients at the SNF and helped the SLP when she asked me for her dysphagia patients at meals) Don't forget that you need to see at least SOME diagnostic hours for your 25 hours of observation - especially if you have no idea about how a dx session works (I forgot to do this and was told by one of the SLPs to come observe a dx session the next day so I had a well-rounded experience) Don't forget to document -- most grad programs have a form you can use to document your hours and get signatures. There is nothing worse than having done the time but not having the paperwork to back it up. Hope that helps!

These are the sections I put on my admissions CV. Name/Demographics Objective Education ASHA Pre-Reqs and SLP Leveling Coursework (I was an out-of-field applicant) Employment History Other Experience Licenses and Certifications Honors and Awards Professional Affiliations Undergraduate / Graduate Campus Involvement If you need just a 1 to 2 page resume, you may want to condense the sections a bit. I found a template searching online somewhere that showed the coursework on the first page of the CV, and since this "resume" was for admissions to a grad program, I made it totally relevant for that. For example, my objective line stated something like "To be in the Fall 2013 cohort for the MS in Speech-Language Pathology, to participate in active research opportunities, and to learn from the many expert faculty members for working in a speech and hearing center, rehabilitation center and public school." Just a thought. Feel free to make your CV or admissions resume reflect YOU - that's what they're looking for.

I worked full-time (teaching) taking pre-reqs, so what I did was 3 courses during the summer, 1 course in the fall, 1 course in the spring, and the final 3 courses the summer before my master's program began. It worked out. I don't know if I could have done 2 courses during the fall or 2 courses during the spring like some others have, but my job was extremely demanding and I didn't even have a planning period. I'm fairly good at time management and organization, too, so it is all about knowing yourself and what you can handle.

Hi Hopefulgrad, I am currently in a master's program for SLP and I used to have a different career, took pre-reqs online while I worked, and started full-time on campus last Fall. It can be done! I did pre-reqs with Longwood University (in Virginia) online and 1 additional class with Utah State (also online). Just check into what pre-req courses the schools you want to apply to will require. I had to take a Bio class since I didn't have one in my previous degree, so double check that you have all of the ASHA general ed requirements too (chemistry or physics, biology or normal anatomy and physiology, statistics, and social sciences or psychology). Best of luck to you!

So... here's my list of "I wish I knew" (back when). I wish I knew how much I would grow to dislike my first career choice. I wish I knew that SLP existed, and that it is more than just teaching kids how to say their R's and L's. I wish I knew that I could help people with voice disorders when I was teaching middle school chorus and elementary music. I wish I knew how much I would like the medical side of SLP ... especially voice and swallowing. I wish I knew that SLP is so much more than speech and language. I don't regret my first career and I will always treasure those experiences and moments... but I could be SO much farther along. Heck. I could have my PhD by now.

My grad program doesn't accept students who got a C or below in the pre-req SLP courses, and I know they are not the only ones like that. I'd see if you can re-take the A&P for SLH class online somewhere like USU or other online pre-req programs. Your overall GPA will probably be just fine, but check to see if you have to have a B or better in all of your speech undergrad classes. As far as I know, a C or better in the general pre-reqs (sciences, math, etc.) is fine. If the anatomy class you're talking about is general (and not the SLH anatomy & physiology), I concur with the others on here - you'll probably be fine, but the grade in Anatomy II as an A would definitely boost your application, if you have the room to add another class in next semester.

I applied to one school that required an undergrad level Stats course - even though I had credit-by-AP-exam for Stats ... by the SAME university where I got my undergrad and prior master's in teaching... and where I was applying for SLP school. Long story short, I had every other pre-req and they claimed that I didn't have an ASHA-acceptable stats pre-req and it didn't take long to send a rejection letter. You may just want to contact the grad programs where you are applying if the general ed pre-reqs are not yet completed. Some will actually tell you that for your sciences, you have to have bio and physics, bio and chemistry, or bio (or) anatomy and chemistry (or physics) with no flexibility on the other sciences courses that ASHA actually DOES accept (I have a random weather and climate course that counts, too!). ASHA will tell you that it is up to each grad program. They supply their list of requirements and the grad programs (in some cases) do their own interpreting. I didn't have to retake stats at ANY other programs where I applied and my grad program now is perfectly happy with my AP credit for Stats. I took bio at a community college (online) during the first summer of my leveling courses since I had to have it for my A&P speech pre-req class. If I had to choose between lumping in a general ed pre-req on top of the grad program, OR taking it the summer prior, I would definitely choose summer prior. If you are applying at a grad program that is a 3-year (1 year pre-req plus conditional acceptance to the 2-year MS program), you may want to hold off until the pre-req year if that institution is okay with you taking the science course(s) later. I hope my experience helps someone! Getting a rejection because of ONE pre-req class... a general ed pre-req at that... was heartbreaking.

Hey, IvanBezdomnii, I got my BM and MAT at UNC. I am now in a MS -SLP program elsewhere. I got mostly H and some P grades during my MAT program. Yes it is unorthodox, and YES I got questions about my grades from one of the schools where I applied and at that point had only submitted "unofficial" transcript data. Univ. of South Carolina had never seen an application from a previous grad from UNC (oddly enough). She had just received the official transcript and emailed me. Basically, I would suggest the following after my experience with this school that was tops of my list: 1) Have at least one of your LOR writers be someone from that program who can qualitatively discuss your work as a graduate student. 2) Have at least someone who gives ABC grades (say, some close prof from undergrad) give you a LOR that shows that your high work ethic was the factor behind your receiving an A or high honors, etc. 3) Be prepared to field questions from admissions secretaries who are trying to get the info all together for the adcomms. I sent mine a picture of the box on the back of the transcript as well as a link to the specific section in the graduate school handbook where this is discussed. I had some profs in the UNC School of Education who did not give out any H's except one. I also had some profs who gave out H's to all who went at least one step beyond the minimum on all assignments (which was pretty much everybody in my cohort that year). I have grad professors in my current program that are telling me that "Grades don't matter in graduate school. B's get degrees." In all seriousness, you do have to work your butt off to even get a B. I'm actually VERY supportive of the H - P - L system that UNC uses after the fact. It makes total sense because I am in a grad program that grades A-B-C now, and the grades are not informative in the least. There are people who could cram for the tests, get their desired A, but not carry the information forward into other classes, at least theoretically. The more traditional system of grading doesn't really do anything for the graduate level. Either you know your stuff, or you don't. You get kicked out if you don't, which is typically represented by a C. I will say this... my undergrad GPA wasn't as high as some because my degree was 7 (almost 8) years ago. A 3.26 in a music performance degree is actually pretty great. The music performance professors don't give A's, and the more educational / music history / music theory professors very rarely give A's. If the GPA from undergrad had been higher, my grades from my MAT program perhaps wouldn't have been relevant, but I needed that to beef up my application with the adcomms, so I was prepared to put that experience in the best light possible. I should have gotten one of my profs to write one of my LOR's from that program but I only needed 3 letters, and 2 had to be from my speech-path pre-requisite courses. Plus, it had been 7 years since I finished the MAT program, and each year it is less and less likely they could write a LOR that would be as convincing as I would want. So... I was in a unique situation. You may be able to benefit from my experience since your degrees are likely closer together than 7 years apart like mine. I hope my experience in this issue helps! Best of luck to you.

I have seen "personal statement" at the top on some sample SOP's I looked at during this process last year. There was so little space to write what I wanted to write that I didn't waste a line on the title, much less any brain power on a specialized title. I felt like the stuff I did put (address, intended audience, etc.) was important though, so I guess it is all about your preference. It is YOUR application and ultimately YOUR personal statement / letter of intent, so don't let the boyfriend pressure you into putting something in there that you don't want.

I did my LOI's more of a letter style at the top with essay style body. In the header space, I had a running head of my name, the degree for which I was applying, and the school name. Then down below (in smaller font), I had a left side address section of the "ATTN" part of what would go on a letter -- ATTN: Admissions Committee, University name, College name, Department Name (4 lines). Over on the right side, I had the actual address that all application materials were to be delivered to since it wasn't going to be mailed. I did this to make sure that all parts of my application reached the correct people, even if somehow they became dissociated with my actual file on the graduate school's end of things. The body of the document was essay-style with personal pronouns where they were appropriate. Doing my LOI or SOP this way made it much easier to keep track of which school I was writing for. Additionally, the running head ensures that your application *probably* won't have difficulties with whomever is processing them on the other end, so all pages of your SOP or LOI get placed with the correct printed file. Make their job easier if you can, so they don't write back (after the admissions deadline of course) that your SOP seemed incomplete because it is missing the 2nd page. I didn't apply to any CSDCAS schools, though, so I guess the individualized "school" information and addresses may or may not apply if you don't upload separate letters. Having the running head with your name and any other identifying information you feel comfortable including does help no matter if the SOP is one single, or multiple. The best tip I ever heard for electronic application submission is to upload PDF's. Then you don't run the risk of them downloading a .doc letter that messes up the formatting in some way, making your letter 3 pages instead of 2, or 2 pages instead of 1. Hope that helps!

gradstudent23, if you are on facebook, look for the facebook group SLPeeps. There are LOTS of professional CCC-SLP's in that group who are glad to help answer questions like yours. I'm in my first year of grad school, and many others here are just in school or are currently applying. Best of luck to you!

Congrats FLgirl! I know that must feel like a huge weight off your shoulders! Best of luck to you as you prep for your first semester of grad school!!

Drug testing in itself should NOT be your worry. If you're asking about what kind of work or internship sites require drug testing to be eligible to even walk in the building as a graduate student, here is what I know. There is a local hospital that my grad program services for adolescents with language problems (and usually other behavior, ODD, etc. problems). They require a background check, drug screen, and all immunizations that a hospital site would require. Also, a hospital and clinical (combo) site where I am hoping to get my full-time internship requires all of the immunizations including varicella (chicken pox) or lab results showing immunity, Hep B, meningitis, updated flu shot, TB testing, MMR, DPT, etc. Most of these immunizations (if you were born in the US), you will have except for flu vaccine and Hep B vaccine. I have to get lab results for chicken pox because I didn't get a vaccine - I had Chicken Pox as a child. I also have to get a FBI background check and go through basic drug screening. I don't know if that answers your question, but if you are concerned about drug screening, consider why you are concerned. Is it the 'at your own cost' part that worries you? Or is it the fact that you participate in recreational use of illicit drugs? If that is the case... please consider why you are wanting to pursue further education in an allied health profession, and that you have an immense role in changing people's lives. No amount of drug use is acceptable on the job, and since we are graduate student clinicians from day 1 in most grad programs, no amount of drug use is acceptable in your clinical practicum. Just a thought. Don't want to make assumptions, so I kind of hope it's the cost bit, or that you just wanted to know what sites require it... hopefully. Best of luck to you.

I took most of my pre-reqs at Longwood. I did neuro last summer (2013). It is a very difficult course but I came out of the class with TONS of self-made resources that I'm constantly referring to in graduate school now. I'm almost finished with my first semester. Definitely stay on the ball and follow the syllabus with that class. Dr. McGuire is extremely knowledgeable and willing to help you understand the requirements when you contact him. It is a module-based class, and each module has a set amount of work that you can know well ahead of time. The summer timeline was 11 days per module, which was tight for all we had to learn, but I think the intensive time forced me to focus better. I ended up taking aural rehab with my current grad school because I don't think Longwood offered it at the time. I've heard good things about ENMU but hopefully someone who took classes there can comment. I have heard that they don't charge out-of-state rates for tuition at ENMU. Longwood in VA charged me out-of-state rates, but I feel SO well prepared for graduate school that it is totally and completely worth the extra cost -- smaller classes, more attentive professors, and a smaller pre-req program. That makes a difference in my book! Good luck!

If you are going to include transcripts, I would suggest using unofficial (usually free) ones. I sent mine my unofficial transcript, resume, and a letter summarizing what I would put in a letter of interest to an employer highlighting my strengths and my desires for SLP school. I also included info about where to upload (if the app system didn't automatically send them an email), or mail the LOR for each application. I ended up with 7 applications (originally 9 schools but I left off the last 2). I was able to do all of this with my LOR writers over email ... so I would suggest NOT over-thinking it in making some grand package just to elicit your LOR's. You have enough to stress about in the application process. Just ask your LOR writers what they want to see from you.