midnight

I'd be very curious to find out what UGA's offering, but other than that, the FAU offer looks pretty nice (taking into consideration everything Gauche said).

That's wonderful! I'm so glad you had the chance to check it out. I think it's a good location. You won't be far from Roanoke.

Thank you! Yes, it's my top choice. It's very likely that I'm going to attend Boulder.

Definitely familiarize yourself with the format! It's good to get a feel for everything, especially the questions that require multiple answers. I agree that if you're in the humanities, you likely don't need to cram vocab definitions or anything like that. However, I still think it might be beneficial to do some timed AW practice after checking out the samples and randomly picking prompts from the complete GRE list; it certainly can't hurt.

Tay, did you visit Radford? If so, how was it?

I have a feeling that the reasons you listed and more explain why both the schools and ASHA don't seem on board with expanding the programs. And though this is a different scenario altogether, look at what happened to law school grads. The glut of new lawyers coupled with our terrible economy has been incredibly detrimental; there are many JDs who are getting paid next to nothing or who can't find any work at all...and they still have to contend with massive loan repayments. It's rough out there.

Yeah, I think the deadline should be December 1 or December 15 like it is for most other grad programs. I have to say that UVA notified accepted applicants really fast (the last week of February/first week of March after a February 1 deadline); however, they seem to keep everyone else on an unofficial waitlist, which isn't a great method IMO.

Emerson and other schools with similar minimal prereq requirements might be another option for you: May I enter the graduate program if I don’t have an undergraduate degree in Communication Disorders? Certainly. Approximately half of our entering graduate students in the past several years have had undergraduate degrees (and careers) in other areas. However, Emerson requires that all entering graduate students have completed at least five undergraduate preparatory courses prior to matriculating. The courses do not have to be completed prior to applying for admission; however, they must be completed prior to beginning the program. To facilitate this, the department offers these course during the fall and spring semesters as well as in a concentrated format during the summer.

I think you should go to A and look at it as a challenge and new experience. You will have time to warm up to people and make friends, and won't you be exceedingly busy with your research and studies anyhow? Also it seems like $18K in a rural area will serve you far better than a mere $10K in an urban area. I understand what it's like when you don't get the best vibe from a school or from your peers, but I think it's most important to look at the practical concerns and advantages here and how a program will best serve you for the rest of your career.

True. Honestly I had no clue that they accepted so many US applicants.

But that's a biggie.

True, there are definitely practical concerns like the ones you've mentioned. I think ASHA has been hesitant for programs to expand as well. As for $60K for another professor, can our $50+ application fees partially go toward that? (Kidding, kind of!)

Haha, now? Albeit controversial, it's been a thing, at least in the nascent sense, for a long time (e.g., Heidegger).

I chose placement, location, and program rank (which actually isn't incredibly important to me aside from the off-chance that I'll go for a PhD). Funding hasn't really been on my radar since I'm not expecting much or any as an out-of-fielder accepted into competitive SLP professional programs.

Absolutely. At least a lot of wait lists are very active. I'm very curious as to how the programs and field continue to adjust or accommodate for the rapid growth they're experiencing.

She's no Charlaine Harris, that's for sure.* *Is this snark contradictory considering my above pop culture comment?

Good point--spring break is also a great time to take an impromptu trip out to visit schools. This process is stressful and uncertain enough as it is. It's nice when schools seem a bit more considerate. I do think some of the programs are still reeling from recent years' influx of applicants. I hope they all streamline their processes soon (I suppose CSDCAS is an attempt to do that, but many people have had issues with them; neither of my schools used them, though).

Agreed. I know that this might be easier said than done, but shouldn't all the programs try to use similar notification schedules? I think it would be to the schools' and the applicants' advantage to do so. Many people are already psychologically (and practically) prepared to go to schools that have already notified them, and I don't blame them--notifications that might bleed into April are late!

I get what you're saying, but I don't think the elapse of time really matters if a work is well written and meaningful (however we define "meaning," of course). Consider contemporary authors like Rushdie, DeLillo, et al. who are often considered part of the canon (or at least part of the "postmodern" one). I mean, The Satanic Verses is only 25 years old, White Noise 28. That's just one generation.

I think there's validity to what you're saying, CBZ. Not everyone is qualified, just like not everyone should get a gold medal just for showing up. However, as others have noted, applying to grad school and living one's life are not mutually exclusive. I don't think there's inherent harm in trying three times (aside from a hit to one's pocketbook and some of the stress of waiting, of course). And I do think many people wash out the first time not because they aren't qualified but because they don't fully understand the intricacies of the process.

Funny, I was nodding my head in agreement with Fishbucket's post, but then I realized that much of what's now considered "the canon" (or at least "classics," if there's a differentiation) was essentially pop culture when it was first published--Dickens, London, anyone?

I think that this process has taught me that my opinion of myself and my talents and abilities is far too dependent on outside approval. I need to do some hard, introspective work to figure out why that is. You have a lot of great food for thought here. Good luck to you!

My mother: "Colorado? You really want to move to Colorado?" (Gee, Mom, I've only been talking about it for over a decade.) Friend: "Pick Boulder so I can visit you! Charlottesville is boring." (I guess this is a common one!)

I recommend taking the free Manhattan and Powerprep practice tests and looking over the Magoosh math PDF's. And I always recommend the Barron's book Six GRE Practice Tests since I think it's very close to the material you'll see on the exam--and I checked out a lot of materials! 160 is definitely realistic if you have an aptitude for math, but the GRE isn't always the most straightforward, plus you have to make sure you pace yourself well. Good luck!

Yeah, I don't think applying three times is unheard of nor is it indicative of a person's abilities or potential. I don't think admissions is ever firmly rooted in reality. The reality is that one year an applicant may not make the cut, but another year she may be perfect for several programs--even if her application isn't significantly different or improved! And all it takes is one acceptance.