queenleblanc

A phonetics professor I had last year was asked this question by another student, and I was impressed with the answer -- it was something to the effect of "no and yes." You don't have to have perfect speech all the time, but when working with clients, you need to be able to model the sounds you are looking for them to produce, and model correct / standard speech. For a southern girl like me, that means bringing out my "teacher voice" (I've been teaching 6 years now), rather than my "friends" voice. I switch naturally between them now, but sometimes I do catch myself switching and it's really interesting to think about the fact that I didn't have to mentally TELL myself to correct my speech to fit the situation.

lrowe, I've felt the same way. I'm out-of-field and tried to beef up my CV, SOP, and get some great LOR's, but I'm also 6 years away from my last master's degree prof's, so I have felt like my LOR's could have been better coming from those professors who knew me for 5+years rather than the ones I had for my pre-SLP courses that I've taken over the past year. So I've been mentally freaking out, too. There are a limited number of spots, unfortunately, and while there may not necessarily be any "safety schools," in my opinion, there are some schools where the applicants have a higher chance -- the schools where there aren't as many applicants in general. Check the ASHA EdFind site and look at potential schools in the geographical area you are considering. You might be surprised to find that one school with name recognition has 300-400 applicants, while another lesser known school name or a school with a newer CSD program has only 100-150 applicants. Those schools, in my mind, are safety schools. We're all stressed, and you're not alone in that at all! I'm working full time and taking 1 class online right now, and my stress / adrenaline STILL has me going online to depressurize!

The overall GPA is a key piece to most admissions professors I've talked with. Being just below the 3.0 mark can be a problem at bigger or more well-known programs. Try applying to smaller or newer programs (which are all going to be great because ASHA certifications are tough). If there is anything you could do to beef up your undergraduate GPA, that would be the best route to try. Call your university to see if there is anything you can do, perhaps enroll in a post-bacc program that CAN help your GPA (check on this before you enroll and pay tuition). As far as retaking classes, I'm in a post-bacc program doing pre-SLP classes because my undergraduate degree is out-of-field. If your bachelor's degree is in CSD, retaking may not be the best route to go unless you want to better your grade in certain classes that look poor on your transcript. With the lower GPA, make sure you have a strong SOP, LOR's, and really write up about your experiences in therapy (etc) and look for programs that may not get as many applicants (the EdFind on the ASHA website gives an average number of applicants for each program).

I'm not familiar with your desired academic field, but check in the "Forums" tab to see if there is a specific subject area that might have a better group of forum participants who know your area. Best of luck to you!

I think you've gotten some really great advice in this forum. The only thing that stuck out to me was that someone criticized your Dec.1st self-imposed deadline for LOR's -- I think that is perfectly reasonable with a Feb.1st application deadline. You never know if any emergencies will arise with your recommenders, or with you. My professors actually asked me to start sending them recommendation links or forms in August/September because they knew they would have quite a few to write. The university admissions committee heads advised getting your LOR's in early as well, because it takes one more thing off the table as far as your application file being complete. Kudos to you for being on top of it. Not all recommenders are alike in the aspect of actually DOING the LOR, which is very frustrating. Stay on top of them, and don't be afraid to write an email and say "My application deadlines are coming up in a matter of two weeks and I'm beginning to get worried about the completion of the recommendations. Have you received the links or forms, and is there anything I can do to help?" (Or something kind like that). :-) Best of luck to you!

Most programs I've researched also require official transcripts to be sent prior to enrollment. If you are scanning them in for the application, technically they aren't official because you can see them (and potentially alter them before scanning). I wouldn't worry about the scan, but I would double check after you are given admission (and you accept the offer) to see if you need to re-send any transcripts.

My husband and I discussed going back to school for me (in some field) before we even got married - he figured I would get another degree, either in my current field (music education) or in another if I wanted a career change. Well, the career change desire hit the hardest. I am now applying to Speech-Language Pathology programs and before I even started taking the pre-req's, we laid out a plan for what options we had, what options fit us the best, etc. At first, we liked the idea of doing my degree "online" since that option is available, but after discovering that I'd have to drop from full-time working to only part-time working, and that the degree would take over 1 year longer than the on campus option, well, we knew what we were going to do. I made some compromises on where I was applying after we talked about many of the options that I liked, and I did add 2 schools to the list that were not originally top preferences, because he has a desire to move to those areas. I think once you bring in the "going back to school" thing with a marriage, it's not JUST your decision anymore, unless you want to be a commuter or temporary residence student (which we have considered if he can't find a good job in the TBD city... many options for single-bedroom rentals in most college towns now).

Not in the same boat, but I went to some info sessions and someone asked similar questions about the application deadlines. Some responses were "get your application in, and have everything postmarked by the deadline and you're fine." Another response was "if we haven't received and processed everything for your application by the deadline, it gets thrown out and you will only be considered the following year." I might call the admissions office to verify the completeness of your application file if they are still open. Best of luck to you!

The US News and World report offers a crude ranking system if you are interested in raw numbers. I do agree with some of these rankings regarding my previous master's degree (in teaching), and from the answers I have received from current colleagues in the field of SLP, these rankings are good in a broad sense. Top 100 schools are perhaps more well-known or have been around longer, but remember ASHA doesn't certify crappy programs... the standards are very high to gain ASHA certification! If you're doing pre-req's through a post-bacc program and considering online courses, look at Ohio State, Utah State, and others. I'm doing mine at Longwood University (VA) and started last May. BTW, I would advise going to an info session at UNC Chapel Hill if that is your top pick - they'll give you some good insight on what they want to see in your statement of purpose. In my opinion, here are some things to consider to create your own personal rankings: 1) Do I want to live/work in that area (you will get massive job hook-ups during grad school) 2) Are there areas of focus that I want to pursue, and which programs have them? Or, do I even want an area of focus? Is there a particular research area that this program has that none of my other potential schools have, and do I want the opportunity to study that area? 3) What kinds of internship and externship opportunities are available? Where are they? 4) Tuition? (I know you don't want to think about this now... but ...) -- out of state tuition rate? What about grad assistantships for funding or tuition reduction to in-state rates? What about research assistantships to help pay for school? 5) Do I have connections in the SLP world already, and is there a school near those connections? (I have been working for 6 years in public education and let me tell you, connections and networking are EVERYTHING, even when your degree is equal in education to every other candidate out there) 6) Consider the weather/climate. I personally would be miserable in the weather in Chicago, Michigan, the Northeast, etc ... so that makes any schools up there not quite as desirable even if I was to get an offer of admission.

I'm glad I have not applied to any CSDCAS schools then ... wow. All of the schools where I applied do old-fashioned letters, emails, and phone calls (ALL three methods), including contacting for an interview. The earliest notifications from these schools are March 15th. Best of luck to you all! :-)

I visited a few schools - some were "formal" visits on the department visit days, and I was able to meet some professors and ask relevant questions along the way. I also have visited some schools just to see the location, the campus (etc) - and that has also been very beneficial. If you have the opportunity to visit all of the places you're applying (provided it's not more than 12), my suggestion is to do it. When you get letters back, you'll have better ideas about what your first, second, etc choices are, as well as what each campus / school offers for pro and con comparison. Best of luck to you!

Thanks for the encouragement... We have explored the option in the past of him moving for a job and me finishing the school year (I am a teacher and breaking contract = loss of local supplement), so we are hopeful that if the split situation becomes reality that we can handle it... But ultimately we want his new job to materialize. We are definitely praying every day about it!!

Ugh, you guys are dealing with a lot! My husband also vows to find a new job wherever we decide to go or wherever I get in, but we are also considering the possibility of me actually living in a roommate or single bedroom rental situation and commuting to school as our gas budget allows. The farthest away from our current work/home is about 6 hours away, and everything else is within the 3 to 6 hr away range, so we think we can do it if we have to... Because we are facing the reality of actually having to keep afloat and pay our bills... Ugh! Anyway, I don't know how much longer I can wait to hear from my applications! We need to plan to move and figure out his job situation ASAP, so I am definitely trying NOT to go crazy!

Technical points: (unless otherwise specified) 2 pgs, double-spaced 1" margins name in the header on BOTH pages page numbers on BOTH pages (SOP's are often printed out by an admissions officer clerk, and you can make it easy for them by over-labeling) I also included the name of the school / admissions office address (etc) on the top of my front page as a reference for every SOP I wrote (did 7 applications, so this helped me to keep them straight) Advice from SLP admissions committee professors: -Stick to the topic or prompt ; show your personal style in your writing, but don't be too "flowery" or over the top or they won't take your SOP seriously -If no prompt, you need to show that you are interested in THEIR program -- not just the SLP field -- something that is specific to their research areas, focus areas, internship or externship opportunities, the location of the university, etc. -Don't be afraid to show your personality. They get TONS of application essays (400+ in many cases), and you want yours to stand out -- mention something about you as a person, what makes YOU, you. If you have life-changing experiences that led you to the point of applying for this field, mention those. Some departments are more interested in the academic side of you, so beware of putting too much into this part, but definitely show YOU in the essay, and you will stand out for who you are. -If you have any areas of interest that you must include in order to be eligible for scholarships, grants, or research assistantships, be SURE to include those. Check to see if an extra essay is required for any of those opportunities. Definitely get it proof-read, and then STILL, you proof it again. I missed "led" on one of my essays (the "l" was deleted) and was glad to catch it before submitting. It seems like a small, mundane detail, but imagine being on the admissions committee... you receive essays with one or two typos, and they automatically go in the "maybe" pile, or even the "no" pile. The competition is fierce! Good luck!!

A recruitment weekend is usually like an information session, sometimes lunch, school or dept tour, etc. I did my M.A.T with the UNC -CH School of Education and I did not do the recruitment weekend, but I also did my undergrad (B.Music) at UNC so I was very familiar with the school. I went to a recruitment weekend at USC (Columbia) for my upcoming application in M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology, and it really helped me to get to know what the department offered as far as research, areas of focus, etc. I recommend it if you are applying at a school where you just aren't very familiar with everything.

If you want online SLP programs, James Madison U in VA does an online program, and East Carolina U (NC) does an online program. Also, USC (Columbia) does an online program for SLP. Check if there are any other online programs you'd be interested in (maybe Ohio State or Utah State?). Most programs will work with you on clinical placements within your geographical area. According to USC when I visited them, I asked about waitlisting (etc) -- and they said that their wait-list is like many other university programs (for both their on campus and online degrees). Basically, the "cream of the crop" will get admission offers first, and after those folks decide where they're going, they'll be able to go down the wait-list, which they OFTEN do. So, don't give up hope on your TSU program. I'm also doing the pre-req's for this SLP grad program because I'm considered out of field (have a B.Music in performance and a M.A.T. in music ed K-12), and have spent a LOT of money on the pre-req's as well. Best of luck, and try not to be too nervous! :-)

My schools were all interested in the percentile ... so I'd wait a few days to get those numbers. Good luck!

The only thing making me lose my mind is that one of my recommenders has zero computer / online literacy, so having her fill out online recommendations has been difficult at best. Out of my 7 applications, I am still waiting on two of them -- because of this ONE person's recommendations. The final two require the text of the recommendation to be uploaded as a separate attachment, rather than an online form to fill-in, so she's struggling to figure out how to do that. Everything else has been submitted (etc) and I am to the point of just asking her how I can help her submit it. UGH!

UNC-CH, a top SLP and Audiology program, highly recommends USU for doing pre-req's so I wouldn't think that it being "online" would be a problem with getting accepted at any school. Most universities are recognizing that "online" is still intense and the material is the same. When online first started, it was a reflection into the internet forum of "course by correspondence" and universities didn't like the correspondence classes and used to make people re-take them. Now, the online format can be just as rigorous if not more intense, because the level of work required to ensure mastery of the material. Good luck!

I wouldn't be seriously concerned about counting the use of the personal pronouns. However, I would definitely be concerned with the variety of your sentence structure. Consider the advice you probably got WAY BACK WHEN, telling stories orally in Language Arts class. "and then I did ..." "Then I did"... avoid the repetitive phrases that can make your personal statement too predictable. Sometimes you NEED to focus on "ME" (you). Sometimes you ARE an integral part of the sentence, but the focus is more on the experience I describe, so I change the sentence to represent that. As an example: BAD: I went to Haiti on a mission trip and I worked with poverty-stricken people and I built homes in Cite de Soleil. I feel that this experience has given me countless rewards and perspective on my own life. (yes, that is a poorly structured set of sentences and overly simplified). GOOD: Building homes for poverty-stricken people in Cite de Soleil was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. The mission trip to Haiti was about meeting, interacting with, and working for people in Port-au-Prince, and this experience has enriched my life and has given me an appreciation for a diverse perspective in the many ways people live life (blah,. blah, blah). I hope that makes sense. YES, both sentences were about ME. However, I phrased the second set differently to put the focus on how the experience has impacted me (and of course I cut out / changed details at the end because this is a public forum). If you have experiences that make YOU who you are, INCLUDE THOSE. Just be careful about the sentence structure, the focus / hook, and what you want to communicate. Remember that it's not just a LIST of things about you -- but an essay that gives the admissions committee a connected picture of what MAKES you who you are. Good luck!!

Remember also that your first paragraph should hook the readers (admissions committee) to WANT to read more of your essay. However you end up writing your introductory paragraph -- I would start with a bang. Give them a hook to pull them in and make them want you to be in their grad program. Of course, the academic nature of your SOP will be dependent on the school or program. Specifically, one of the schools where I did a visit specifically stated that they don't want to be bored reading an SOP that could sound just like any other grad application essay. They were interested in character, personality, the experiences that make "you" you. I heard the same on another grad visit. So, blend a few of the ideas you get on here, send out your essay for review, and don't be afraid to completely re-write. I did 4 completely new essays before I found one that worked, and it ended up really being ME -- so if I don't get in, I feel like I did my best to represent myself, my strong academics, and why I am a good fit for my desired program -- and I know I did everything I could. Reach THAT feeling, and you'll be proud of your essay!

I agree with the other responses here -- the SOP should be positive, mostly about YOU, what your career aspirations / goals are in the grad program, and if asked, why you fit that school or why you want to go to that school (some ask this, some have specific questions). Definitely check to see if there are any specific topics or questions to cover. Don't focus on negatives about anywhere else you have considered or are applying (the admissions committee could care less about other schools), and don't bad-mouth any previous employers or educational programs in your SOP -- it may give the impression that one day, you'll do that about their school or your experience at that grad program. Just my two cents. Good luck with your SOP!