SLPzs91

I got all those emails as well! So excited to finally hear from them haha.

Haha, sorry about that. Yes, I meant for Fall 2013. And that's a great idea! From what a previous poster said, MGH was going to set up a forum later this month, but a facebook group would be nice.

You honestly don't need to create the account. It won't redirect you or anything like that. I would just keep checking your application account because that will be faster. Just keep holding on, I'm sure you'll find something out soon!

Just wanted to bump this conversation up a little bit. Haven't heard of many people attending MGH next year, so I wanted to see if anyone else had decided to accept their offer. Can't wait for next fall!

I officially declined my offers to BU, Emerson, and Northeastern last night. I really hope that helps someone (or multiple people) out!

There are multiple universities outside the US. I don't know them by name off the top of my head, but they're mostly in England, Australia, and Canada that I've heard of. They're each accredited through their country's version of ASHA, though. However, the US and those countries have an agreement that they'll honor each country's accreditation, you would just have to get state or town licensure to practice outside of the country you get your Masters from. I'm sorry if that was confusing, but I hope it helps!

Not at all. It might make you a little more qualified to work with that population in the future, but all around, SLPs have to be trained to work with the deaf and hard of hearing. Which means you'll be qualified from the beginning of your job. I've talked with one of the audiology professors in my undergrad, and she says that SLPs work with CI all the time. They're learning how to speak as close to what's typically deemed "normal" as proper, and we're the ones they would work with. I think you'd be fine either way working with that population. Just my two cents :-).

As far as I know, at the graduate level, it's a much more in depth look at those classes. I have also taken speech science, and wouldn't want to take it again. But from what professors told me, the undergrad level just skims the surface. So hopefully it will be new material. For both of our sakes haha.

I heard of something while I was at the MGH open house. As an SLP, if you work in a non-profit setting for 10 years out of graduation, all of your remaining loans will be forgiven completely. This is apparently nationwide, so it could help people here.

I was in the same situation until recently. I go to BU currently, and I always thought that I wanted to stay, because I had built up BU as the best program. However, I went to another open house, and realized that other programs are just as comparable. In all honesty, the tuition at BU doesn't differentiate it from. Other programs. The tuition mostly goes to things like being able to use the school gym and other things like that. Granted, the program is amazing, but I personally don't think it's worth paying that much more money for the same classes you'll get anywhere else. The difference comes down to clinical placements. If your program can offer you good placements, I think you'd be set. This is just my honest opinion. Best of luck in your decision!

Congrats jmarti! I'm very happy for you, and wish you the best next year!

As a BU undergraduate myself, I can tell you that while BU has great resources for literacy and reading, it doesn't really prepare you for medical speech-language pathology other than through your medical placement. As much as I would love to stay at BU, because it really is a great program, I felt that MGH would prepare me better in terms of the medical side of the profession. That's ultimately my goal. Also, MGH has the reading certificate which BU doesn't. As wonderful as the BU program is, I feel that MGH definitely has it beat in some regards like these.

Yes, it's just basic information. Classes offered in the summer, information on BU and Sargent, information on financial aid, information on housing around the Boston area, and a little card that you send in if you decline their offer. It also says that the open house is on April 5-6, and to RSVP by March 28 to Brie Goellner. If you need any other information, just post and I'll answer!

Yes. CSD undergraduate majors have all of the speech-path prereqs accounted for in their curriculum. There might be some variability as to what topics were covered, but they do fit the prereq conditions for grad programs. Most institutions encourage the ASHA prereqs, but those aren't necessarily required and accounted for. I hope that helps!

I have definitely decided on attending the MGH Institute of Health Professions! Congrats to everyone making decisions, and to those of you still deciding, best of luck :-).

I made my decision for the MGH program for several reasons: 1. Even though they don't publicize it really, MGH has a great set of assets in terms of medical speech-language pathology. I'm more interested in this part of the field than anything, and I feel it's going to better prepare me for what I'll encounter in my career. 2. The elective choices at MGH are a lot more broad and interesting than most of the other Boston schools, which I like. 3. The simulation lab is a unique feature for MGH, and I couldn't get over how cool it was. 4. I love living in the city of Boston, but having gone through four years of undergraduate work, having somewhere quite, like the Navy Yard, to do my work is something I appreciate. 5. Having the two people in charge of finding clinical placements and following up with you on a regular basis is something that I really love that MGH does. This is all my opinion, and I'm not trying to bash other Boston schools (I do go to BU and love it here). MGH just stood out more to me, and it seemed like a perfect fit. All the Boston programs are amazing, so in the end, picking where you think will suit you the best for two years while simultaneously preparing you for what you want to do for a career is the place you should go.

I was at the MGH open house yesterday as well! I alread had made my decision to go to MGH beforehand, but yesterday definitely secured that decision. The faculty all seemed welcoming, the facilities were incredible, and I really liked that it was in the middle of the Navy Yard. I'm excited to start! If anyone else is for sure going, we should talk before the semester starts!

I know I'm the only guy in my entire undergrad program. Admittedly in the beginning I felt a little isolated in that a lot of the girls didn't really think I was in the right classroom haha. But I think that the professors hold us to the same degree as female SLP students, they just call on us more. In a sea of 20+ girls and 1 guy, the professors seem to go with what's easiest. That's just my experience. But I feel that more guys would actually really enjoy the field, if they knew more about it. Most of what's publicized about SLP before the college level is working with children. Most guys I know aren't jumping at the bit to work with children (admittedly I'm included in that...adult neurogenic disorders interest me a lot more) but they don't know there's so much more to being an SLP. This is all from my personal experience, and I don't mean to speak for all guys. Just ones I know haha.

I really have to echo what has already been said. When I applied, my SOP detailed my experiences working with clients who have aphasia, and how that led me to neurogenic disorders. I really believe having a strong tie to an area in SLP is something that helps a lot. You can always change that later on, but initially, it shows you're committed. Schools love love love hearing about themselves as well. This means do your homework. They want people who know about the program. You're going to get classes wherever you go. You'll get clinical placements. But what specifically about that school makes it stand out more to you than others? Having a strong section in this area of the SOP is probably the most helpful. It how's commitment on your end to the school and program, and if you can put it together in a coherent way, it how's strong writing skills. I personally believe these two areas are the most influential in a SOP for grad school, especially in SLP. Like midnight said, check, double check, triple check, and maybe even quadruple check your work. It'll pay of later on.

I'm really interested in adult neurogenic disorders, specifically aphasia. The interest started because patients with aphasia are absolutely the most friendly people you'll ever meet, and know what of their capabilities were lost with their CVA. Because of this, they're really hardworking because they want to reach what they seem normal. Research-wise, though, I'm interested in bilingual aphasia, and how L1 can affect/help L2 or vice-versa due to complications arising from the aphasia. Also what residual linguistic capabilities are left from each language post-CVA.

Personally, I would wait until around April 15. That seems to be the deadline for most schools on acceptances, so they're probably really busy until then. Sending them something around that time will show your interest in the program, and will also be close to the deadline for acceptances/time for waitlists to be utilized. Most schools do have a set rank of who falls where on the waitlist, but It can't hurt your chances to be proactive about their program! That's just my opinion.

That is a good point. I think I should clarify that I didn't mean keep adding a few people every year. I meant going from, say 25 to 30 people in each program, and keeping it that way. In talking with current professors, that small of a number would not make too much of a difference in most programs because there's room for flexibility based on the amount of people they accept yearly. But I do agree with you that rapid expansion would cause a lot of problem monetarily, research, and training wise. I still do hope they do something about the rapid growth in the field at some point in the near future. Especially with the hypothesized influx of clients that we're going to be seeing shortly.

That's all I really hear from the program that I'm currently in. The field is growing rapidly, and there's always the influx of applicants. I think what that shows is they need to adapt a little bit and starting accepting a few more people, to get bigger classes every year. I'm not talking about ten+ people, but five more a year isn't much to ask for. Especially if they realize the growth rate. I hope they do something about this. I really do feel for the people in this forum who I can tell would be great SLPs but haven't heard anything yet. I hope for the best for you! Even though it's 2-3 weeks, the waiting game still sucks. Best of luck!

I agree with that as well. I know that the programs in Boston (other than Northeastern, apparently) all get the results out before the middle of March, because they know that's when a lot of students have their spring breaks. That's really how it should be. Being given that time to think over a week away from classes does a lot.

I hope that these schools are at least going to give you the time to think about your decision before making your choice. That'd be horrible if they send out decisions and expect an answer in a few days or a week.