Chai_latte

I'm sorry to hear that. I went to a liberal arts college for undergrad, and it was the best decision I could've made. I saved the research university/Ivy for grad school. My Ivy definitely wasn't "friendly" on the whole, but I was able to find a few pockets that were very supportive (reminiscent of my LAC experience). I'm mainly writing to wish you well. I don't know that much about physics, but I do know Yale's chemistry department has some really supportive profs (maybe take a look at their physics community). I've also heard good things about Princeton, UMich, Rice, UW-Madison, Vanderbilt, Berkeley and Duke. Again, these are mainly for chem (and related, non-physics fields), but maybe this speaks to the general tenor of the science departments. These places may be worth a look.

No, you can do whatever you want after the MS. It's just that admission to Stanford's PhD is not a guarantee (and may even be a rarity). Schools specify that a degree is terminal to say: you can apply to this program without enrolling in our PhD program and getting the MS along-the-way. At some schools, terminal MS kids aren't eligible for assistantships/stipends. So, look into that.

Have you looked at Maryland-College Park? If it seems like a good fit, I'd add them.

I think BU is the only school with a LEAP type program. I actually just watched a TEDx Talk by a professor who switched from a liberal arts background to chemical physics...so, it does happen. Since it's a rare path, I don't think (m)any programs are geared towards people with non-STEM backgrounds. But, I bet if you take the prerequisite math/sci courses at community college and then thrive in the core engineering courses at a 4 yr. university, you should have a good shot, like anyone else. Of course, you should get research experience by joining a professor's lab. That's as important as the coursework itself. There are plenty of good chemE programs in CA (Stanford, Cal, Cal Tech etc.). But, you can easily look into that after proceeding along this path and discovering what research areas interest you. The way I see it, you have quite a few more steps to go. But, it can be done.

slow down

My only additional piece of advice is don't just let it sit for 5 -7 years. Interest rates can vary between years. I took out some loans that had 5.3% interest, but the following year (or the prior year...I forget) I had loans that were 6.8%. So, ALWAYS check each year to see what the interest rate is. Why sit on a 6.8% loan, when you can pay it off and replace it with a 5.3% loan the next year?

My first thought was no. But, if you live frugally, save a lot each term and take out a ~$5K loan at the start of each year (that you repay at the end of each year you're enrolled), you may get the small security blanket you're looking for without bone crushing compounding interest at the end of your program. If you save a lot, your nest egg will get larger as you advance through your program (of course). Just don't take out a big, lump sum of $15-20K at the start of your program and let it sit. That's when interest can get out of hand...really quickly.

I would really take those classes (and Calc 3). Students coming from traditional/not applied chemistry backgrounds will have those courses. But, since you have a school in mind, ask them. Their opinion is the one that counts.

You should look at the courses that brought your GPA down. If they were the more quantitative ones, you should strengthen your background there. For that, undergrad courses (retaken and/or related ones) may be your best bet. You should also take a couple of graduate level courses to show you can do the work. Of course, you need to do particularly well on the MCAT. I've seen people get into solid med schools by following that prescription.

Do you plan to practice in the northwest? If so, I'd pass on NYU (or defer)? If you are going to take on an astronomical amount of debt, you want your alumni/professor/hospital network to be strongest in your preferred region. That can make the job search process smoother and/or faster. I'm in a different field, but I'll echo a previous poster: debt is no joke. With graduate loans, interest begins accruing the day after each loan is disbursed...even while you're a student. I realize that demand for SLPs is high, but if there's even a slight hiccup with your job search 2-3 years from now, that debt can really spiral out of control once interest capitalizes upon graduation. As a prospective student, you may not fully appreciate that now. But, you will once you graduate (or approach graduation).

Hi Mocha, Congratulations on such great options! I can only say what I would do: if the person at Harvard is tenured, is pulling for you and if the people in his/her lab are pleased with their choice/have enough support/graduate within a reasonable time-frame etc., I would go with him/her. You're going to be working hard for the next 5-7 years. At the very least, when starting out, you should be excited about the work & be paired with a good (and supportive) prof. I wouldn't bypass that for the security of a few labs that don't bowl me over at another school. But, I would do a lot of research into the Harvard lab (and MIT labs) beforehand, leaving no stone unturned and talking to a BUNCH of students... Congrats again!

I had lurked for a year prior to joining (2012-ish). I was drawn to the discussions and results section. I wound up pursuing a non-traditional path. And, I've gathered a lot of advice along the way--from folks in real life and on this site (some of whom have posted in this thread). Having officially finished school, I'm job searching now. But, I still pop in sometimes and add my two cents when I see posts that remind me of my own (circa 2012-2014)... posts of bright-eyed, bushy-tailed prospectives/first-years who want to hear as many opinions as possible. I was grateful when people responded to my threads and helped me out. So, I guess, I'm hoping my cameo appearances here can help someone else. At least, some of the time.

I can't answer the question fully, but I can tell you about my experience. I got a Direct Stafford for Summer 2015. I had to be enrolled at least half-time to get an adequate amount of money for the term. I remember expecting ~$20k, but wound up getting $14k. I can't recall the cause of that discrepancy, but I do believe you can get $20k for the summer term depending on the number of credits you register for (and still get the max for Fall & Spring). Hope this helps. You should really speak to the head of financial aid at your school; don't just talk to the person answering the phone.

Since you don't think a "top 100" (or R1--research oriented university) is a reasonable expectation, I would probably strengthen my application with a thesis-based/terminal MS. At that point, you can probably look at higher ranked schools and consider research fit (you'll have more defined research interests). Just make sure you go for funded MS programs.

What are the credentials that most people have in that field? Research that, if you haven't already. In most cases, it's probably just the MA in higher ed. If so, I'd just go with that. You don't realize it now, but the cost of two grad degrees can be crippling! Like the previous poster said, if you're looking towards the biz side of things, take a hard look at Stanford...or Harvard or TC (schools in areas with a strong business ecosystem). That way, in your MA or EdM, you can take full advantage of business electives, business talks and hob-knobbing with new friends/colleagues at the b-school (a decent number of b-school kids are interested in applying their skills to the education field). If I were you, that would be my path. Also, take a hard, long look at the ed electives themselves. Some of them can get surprisingly "business-like". That compounded with a few electives at a b-school and a good internship, might be all you need.