SLPjmar

After reading some feedback, I can see how they could be misconstrued. Again, I do apologize.

Ooh, what is an SLPA certificate?

I was thinking of you when I saw that. Keeping my fingers crossed for you, you deserve it!

I know that there are some OT programs that function this way as well. I really do think it's a good idea. I wonder if there's some reason it's difficult to implement for SLP.

It's not my intention to put anyone down at ALL. Like I've said above, I think that the opportunity for out-of-field students to apply and become SLPs is wonderful. I have no issue with that, and I think everyone who is entering this field is passionate, hardworking, dedicated, and worthy of being an SLP. If this board is just a small sampling of the wonderful people I hope to work with one day, then I can't wait. I apologize to you and anyone else who may have been offended through my venting.

Oh I'm not unhappy that they consider out-of-fielders. Sometimes it takes people a little longer to figure out their dream, or as you mentioned, there wasn't a way to have a undergrad degree in CSD. As a separate question, what language are the other SLP graduate programs in? I'm assuming French?

As an addendum, I would just like to make sure that my feelings are very clear. I don't think out-of-field applicants have less of an education/less of a right to apply or attend/less of a right to be an SLP. I think it's great! Our field is growing and expanding, and we need more people to work within it. However, I was told initially that majoring in SLP was necessary in order to be accepted to grad school. It seems to me that at many locations, out-of-field students are a large chunk of the accepted students. This seems a little unfair to me, and I hope you all understand that. After four years of SLP education (a degree that can't be used for anything else, either) and now I'm competing with post-bacc 4.0s. Even though GPAs do not determine a person's worth as a graduate student, many programs rank with GPA specifically. My undergrad program does a ranking scale for applicants with GPA alone. As much as we don't want to think so, it is a factor. How much of a factor is unclear, but still. The application process is very frustrating and self-deprecating by itself, but it is even worse when you think that you are competing with GPAs much higher than yours because there were different processes involved. I am with Tay on this, and I don't really understand the concept of a degree in SLP alone (as I am about to graduate with one ).

I completely agree with this. If for whatever reason I am not accepted to grad school, what am I supposed to do with a degree in SLP? I think having a more broad spectrum of degrees and classes makes sense.

To be clear, it's not the out-of-field APPLICANTS that are upsetting me. It's the entire process, and it seems to be a little backwards to me.

We had the option of taking chemistry (it was a chem geared specifically towards nursing/pre-med) or physics. I chose chemistry because physics was a nightmare for me in high school.

I'm really irritated by this whole out-of-field thing. I know at many schools, they accept 35-40 students, and that number INCLUDES the out-of-field students. I don't feel like that's totally fair. Many of us struggled through 4 years of difficult classes (chemistry, 2 A&P classes, etc) for a speech-language pathology degree, and then that works AGAINST us during admissions? If I had majored in something like education, I'm sure my GPA could have been exceptional. I know this is probably an unreasonable anger to have, but I have it.

The only things on there today seem to be rejections. Boo.

This is actually painful.

I'm so tempted to e-mail USF and ask what's going on with the decisions, but I'm scared to even know.

back up

fsustar, are you excited to hear from fsu on Monday?

It looks like over 100 for 35 spots. Though someone posted above that for out-of-field students, they are looking for nearly a 4.0

salt rub

Oh dear, organic chemistry sounds so painful! I don't blame you at all for switching.

Be safe!!

Thanks! I did find one school with spring admission that I would definitely look into. Since you're currently at UVA, do you know if they've started notifying? I know they've unofficially accepted a few out-of-field applicants, but I haven't seen anything else.

I think if for whatever reason I can't get in this round, I will apply to UCF for spring admission. I'm not really sure about the competitiveness of that program specifically, and I'll probably have to research the school a little bit more. If anyone knows anything about it, please let me know.

I mean, my undergrad program let us know that grad school is extremely competitive and we needed to keep our grades up if we ever wanted to be accepted. But I kept my grades up, I scored fine on the GRE, I held a NSSLHA board position, a peer advising position, and was a member of an honors group. I also had a very related internship. But it seems that no matter how high my grades were, because I took such a rigorous course load (as a double major, no less), I can't compete with those who have 3.98s with a less competitive program and less course rigor. I feel like I was misled by even the programs I applied to (aside from UNC-CH, since I knew that was competitive when I started).

I had a nice long cry last night, because at this point I'm feeling like grad school isn't going to happen. Even though I worked so hard for the past 4 years, it somehow doesn't seem like enough now. My poor mother had to sit there and listen to it, and she's struggling to understand the admissions process as much as I am.

I'm feeling so irritated with TGC today.