midnight

I'd probably pick Pitt, Cincinnati, or Tennessee based on your info, but I know that doesn't narrow it down much. Have you visited the programs?

Congrats! Have any of the schools offered you aid that might help with your decision?

Absolutely. It doesn't hurt that Montreal is a gorgeous and vibrant city and McGill is a fantastic school all around! Bonne chance!

junowhat, congrats on McGill! That sounds like a wonderful opportunity, even if the logistics are a bit daunting right now.

For Buffalo (which is just one example that I quickly found via Google--I don't even know if jmarti is interested in this school, haha), it looks like the clinic does allow for diverse and specific opportunities and is considerate of students' interests and goals: http://cdswebserver.med.buffalo.edu/drupal/?q=node/126 I think it's a good idea to communicate with programs directly and ask questions about their clinics, curricula, research opportunities, etc., and it's very important to discuss specific interests as well as specific professors and their research in your SOP.

Oh yeah, right after I posted, I saw Adelphi's requirements. Applicants are only allowed one C in their prereqs in order to matriculate. It's best to check with the specific program.

I can't find anything on the ASHA site, but several school programs' state that coursework must be a C or above.

Unfortunately a lot of the EdFind data, mainly in regard to stats and applicant numbers, is outdated, inaccurate, or for some of the schools, nonexistent.

It's probably best to ignore the rankings and check the schools' websites for program information and anything that's related to your interests. This sort of thing seems perfect for you: http://cdswebserver.med.buffalo.edu/drupal/?q=node/255 It might take a bit of research and digging around to put your list together if you need to reapply, but you have some time.

I'm holding off on any real decision until I visit Boulder on April 5, but I'm basically 97.2813% (exact calculations) sure I'm going with Boulder. My husband and I have been wanting to move to Colorado for the last 10 years or so, and the time is finally here! Good luck with your choice! I know that wherever you go will be great.

I hope people here can give you more info on Midwestern schools. I've seen several people here who have been pleasantly surprised by the programs and offerings at schools like Northern Illinois and Eastern Illinois, schools that people from outside those regions likely don't know much about or wouldn't consider. I think NAU sounds like a great option, and Flagstaff (the day I drove through it anyway, haha!) is lovely.

It's tricky because schools like UVA say that they prefer scores of 150 or over, which I know you have, but I think the reality is different when all of the highly qualified apps roll in, you know? Many schools seem to expect or prefer somewhat higher scores. According to Boulder's information for out-of-field applicants (which is probably already outdated), their average GRE score was 308. I think to stand out, it's probably best to be aiming for 155+ in each section if possible and a 4.5 or higher on the AW. However, I only scored 150 on the quant section, so I think my verbal score of 164 helped me quite a bit.

I'm thrilled for you!

jmarti, again, I may have asked this before, and if I did I apologize, but my memory isn't so good: Have you considered retaking the GRE? I think I remember you stating that you had a good score, but it still might strengthen your app or make you stand out if you raise it a few points, though I know taking the GRE is time-consuming, expensive, and not a good time.

caterpillar, I can't remember if you answered this before, but are you able to apply to schools in states other than CA and WA? From everything I've gathered here and in the LJ SLP community, all of the CA public schools are extremely competitive, and as a top-ranked program that is also the only SLP option near a major city, UW is extremely competitive as well. Western Washington, Portland State, and OSU might be good options in the Pacific Northwest, and it might be worth giving private schools in CA a shot. Best of luck to your husband and family!

I did something similar with a few direct mentions of the program throughout the SOP as well as one distinct paragraph about my interests and their match with particular professors' research.

Haha, yes--the knife cuts both ways!

For you:

I get what you're saying, clyde. If you're the lone guy in a class (or program!) full of women and you participate and generate good work, you're probably going to be a bit more memorable, which may be advantageous, especially for something like LORs. However, it sounds like most men who apply to SLP programs are generally up against quite a few equally qualified men plus the entire pool of women applicants, so admissions tend to stay similarly competitive whether separated out by gender or not.

karish, have you considered applying to programs with three-year tracks (sorry if you've already discussed this elsewhere)? Anyway, to answer your actual question, I think post-bacc programs are great, but I didn't do one because I was too concerned about putting so much time, effort, and money (and hope!) into classes and not getting accepted to an SLP grad program. But I do think it's a good idea just to go for it all the way if you're considering taking four or five pre-reqs anyway, and I think a complete post-bacc program will give you far more options when it comes to applying to schools. Good luck! ETA: Duh, I guess you did apply to three-year programs if you applied this year. Reading comprehension, hello!

Love that!

A. It just sounds like a better overall opportunity and like you'll have more support even without taking ranking into consideration.

Tuck, there might be statistics classes available on Coursera or other similar sites that could be good for review.

Zera, I'm sorry you're having such a negative experience while completing your prereqs. I hope you have a much happier time in your next program!

Congrats on your decision, AMarie! Do you know if UVA has sent out in-field acceptances yet?