mystiqueSLP

I'm an out-of-field applicant with no pre-reqs so I know it's going to take me a while either way (~3 years at NYU or Montclair). I am a little bothered that it'll be 3 years including summers though since that isn't the case with NYU. If I took summer classes at NYU, I could potentially finish a little earlier. It may be the lack of information on the website but I'm not too impressed with what it has to offer in terms of clinical experience and research labs at the moment but I hope visiting will change my mind! By the way, does anyone know the difference between M.S. and M.A.? I noticed that NYU has an M.S. program but Montclair has an M.A. program. Is one better than the other?

I didn't receive any email about an assistantship but I didn't expect to. It doesn't seem like there's an admitted students event but I'm going to visit this weekend and then make up my mind. I really loved NYU after visiting so it's going to be a tough decision :/

Thanks!! I'm really surprised I was accepted, I thought I would have been rejected (maybe wait-listed) for sure! Does anyone know when we get the financial aid package? Mine is "unavailable"...maybe it's too soon for me? slpgal123, have you officially decided on Montclair?

My Montclair application status changed over the weekend but I received my acceptance email today

This may seem like a dumb question but are supplies for grad school that different from supplies for undergrad?

Some jobs might prefer a more in-depth program over the other but I'm not sure

One might be more intense than the other. Are both programs completed after 2 years or is one 2.5 years long?

Definitely just the average, I'm sure there are some really rich SLPs out there that increased the average slightly I've heard that starting salary is around $40,000 in the city (not sure though). And I think NYU allows you to get TSSLD through their program but I'm not sure about that either. And congrats clydeyo12!!!

You're welcome! And it was something a current student and an admitted student from out of state were talking about and agreed on like it was common knowledge. I don't know if it's true but to hear the admitted student agree makes it seem like less of a sugar-coated fact contrived by NYU at the very least.

The only negative thing I heard from the current students was about how expensive the program is, which is very true. It is a BIG negative but it's sort of like designer shoes - expensive but well-made even though regular shoes would work just as well. It's really up to you on what you prefer. I went to the state school for undergrad so I'm really excited about maybe going to school in the city, sounds so glamorous for me!

298 isn't THAT bad so I don't think it'll be difficult for you to bring it up. Your in-field bachelors GPA is phenomenal so I think focusing on just getting more experience and working closely with your letter writers would help because you can't do anything about your first bachelors GPA. I had a below 3.0 GPA for my first two years in college (and it is SO hard to come back from a low GPA!) but the best thing I ever did was get involved in research at an amazing lab that didn't judge me on my low GPA was or how sparse my resume was. The lab director, and now my advisor, was actually impressed with my major in French - something that everyone told me was useless! He wrote a fantastic letter for me that definitely contributed to my acceptance. Good luck! I know you'll get an acceptance one day!

My score is 316 (159V & 157Q, 4.5AW), not too great (which is why getting advice from me is silly). I took it twice. The first time, I studied for 2-3 weeks, using Cliff Notes Math Review for Standardized Testing to refresh myself on math concepts and not really studying for verbal. I didn't understand how scoring worked and was devastated to get a 155V and 157Q. The second time, I studied for about two weeks and used the PowerPrep software and studied some vocab flash cards for a day or two. I only improved my verbal to 159, just a few points (but percentage-wise, it went from 50% to 80% I think, which is crazy). I should have devoted more time to studying but I HATE studying for standardized tests. It just seems so pointless! SLPjmar is right, most schools do want you to just exceed 50% but I think with a low GPA, other aspects of your application have to be a bit more spectacular to balance it out. I think what really got me accepted by NYU were my LORs and SOPs though. Also, I think schools see GPA and GRE scores as "potential". If one is bad (GPA/GREs) but the other is really good (GREs/GPA), then they're curious as to why. You could have switched majors or you're just a poor test-taker, that's fine. If both are not too great, schools are definitely a little more hesitant in accepting you because they think you wouldn't be able to handle their program so you just have to prove them wrong

I got into a program with a 3.28 and very little in-field experience. It's possible but with a low GPA, I think other things have to REALLY stand out. GRE scores can't be mediocre and your LORs and SOPs have to be amazing. I can't really give too much advice since I think I just got lucky but there have been people who were accepted with low GPAs.

Hi everyone! I know some people weren't able to go to NYU's admitted student event so I'm going to list a few things that I learned about at the event. I don't know what constitutes as a "good" event or a bad one since this was my first (and most likely only) event. Things that stood out to me: - You can take pre-reqs concurrently with some graduate courses. You can also take some pre-reqs this summer. - NYU really appreciates students who don't have a CSD background. Students who don't have pre-reqs aren't treated as "below" students who have a CSD background. - There is on-campus clinical practicum and off-campus practicum. The school encourages students to finish all required courses before off-campus practicum so you get your pick of placements, more time to focus, and it will be cheaper since the two off-campus practicum courses are considered full-time even though they're only 1 credit each. - On-campus practicum at the Cooke Center with adults with Huntington's disease - There are off-campus areas affiliated with NYU in New Jersey and Connecticut so you can fulfill your off-campus practicum requirements there as well - Different electives, including one on baby trachs, an inter-disciplinary course with nutrition science on dysphagia, and another with vocal performers - NYU has a pretty in-depth curriculum (53 credits + 24 pre-req credits) and they claim that this allows NYU students to get better placements in the city over other NY schools - Individualized advising and course plan so you take the classes you need/want and go at your own pace (you don't have to finish such and such by this date) - Class sizes are typically around 20 students and since everyone is taking whatever class they need, the people in your class will vary which I find to be a lot more interesting. You get to meet more people and it isn't as boring where you're stuck with the same people in all of your classes who you may or may not like. - Study abroad in Lund, Sweden - All of the students said that the program was challenging and intense Financial aspects: - The financial aid package is the max amount including tuition, fees and room + board. You can choose to take what you need. I talked with a few current students about how expensive NYU is. Almost all of the students said they were receiving financial aid (loans + work-study). They also said that they were not concerned at all about paying their loans off after graduating since, they said, that this is an in-demand field where getting a job is no problem and the average salary for SLPs in NYC is $120,000. They were all really confident that they would be able to pay everything off eventually. I asked if they knew anyone who graduated and had any problems and they said that everyone they knew had a job and were in the process of paying their loans back without an issue. They also said that they see the cost of NYU as "worth it", that NYU may be expensive but you get what you paid for. I don't know if they were just sugar-coating but I also somewhat doubt that all of NYU grad students end up in a miserable sea of debt after graduating. - Work-study includes any jobs around campus or doing research with one of the professors. Overall feel: - The professors seemed genuinely nice and excited to meet us. The financial aid lady was also really nice. The current students all seem to really love NYU's program and everyone was so friendly and open. It also seems like the students get along with their professors really well. - They emphasized a feeling of "community" for their students and that a lot of students become friends with each other. They try to hold events and have fun but they also noted that you have to reach out. - Their on-campus clinic is small but it looks really nice. There was an area for observations and another area where students can just study together. - The city itself is just great. Being able to do your practicum in such a large city with so many different types of people is awesome. Random: - There was food, the tech guy was really slick, and their pens had purple ink. One girl asked if NYU had a medical setting emphasis since she had an interest in that and the department chair told her that their program prepared them for any setting, she basically said "I want you to be able to observe and treat a client with what you have in your pockets". I know this event was trying to draw students to join so obviously there was some sugar-coating involved. But with the rumors surrounding NYU's program, I must say that I'm impressed. I expected a disorganized mess with professors phoning it in and snotty current students who looked down on us. But the event was organized and done efficiently. The current students who took us for tours didn't try to finish up by any set time and stuck around to answer questions long after the tour was over (at least the student I was with did). Either way, NYU sure knows how to sell itself! And personally for me, NYU offers a LOT more than Montclair in terms of clinical and real life experiences so I'm really leaning towards NYU now. I hope this helps someone and counters some of the bad rumors! Let me know if you have any questions and I'll try to answer them. Good luck everyone!

I believe NYU used to offer deferrals but not anymore :/ I wonder if it was because there were too many students or people took advantage of it and applied elsewhere..? Thanks for the advice!

Have you heard back from all 6 programs already? If not, there's still hope! It can be really subjective and unpredictable. Great stats can be negated by run-of-the-mill LORs or adcomns in a bad mood. Some applications just fall through the cracks if they don't catch anyone's eye. I think this process involves some pure luck when it comes down to being accepted or not.

My GRE scores aren't too great (159V, 157Q) but I used CliffNotes Math Review for Standardized Tests which I found to be really helpful for the math section. And practicing the test on the ETS software was useful.

I didn't know Montclair's program length included 2 summers, that's a little too long... I can't find anything about their clinical affiliations either, does anyone know anything specific about it?

Thanks everyone! It's really comforting to hear that some students recommend the program! I am super excited to attend their event on Thursday now!

Thank you so much My advisor isn't really in-field so he doesn't know specifics but he's the only one who has been really impressed. He sees NYU as a really great school and keeps telling me to just submit my deposit already But he's also still in shock that I wasn't accepted elsewhere despite me telling him that it is REALLY competitive and my GPA is awful so I'm not sure if he understands the process of applying in the SLP field Thank you! You're the first person to mention knowing anyone who is actually attending NYU's program here and that makes me really excited! Like, this program actually exists and has students who applied and are studying there

Reapplying is the last thing I want to do. If I didn't get in anywhere, I definitely would but the fact that I did makes me feel extremely lucky. I'm commuting from home so it's not that bad, pretty comparable to other programs. GA positions are only for PhD students at NYU but I did get some work-study and I'll try to work part-time at my current job so I don't think it'll be that bad. I'm just really defensive now because whenever I mention being accepted by NYU, people would just say how expensive it is or how the program is apparently not great. It makes me sad to think I got accepted into a program that isn't great. I haven't seen anything like that being said about the other programs here so it makes me wonder if it was all a mistake. I just don't understand how bad this program is if it has been accredited by ASHA for the past 20 years and it still has students applying and attending every year. Personally, I feel really, really grateful to NYU for giving me a chance with my GPA. I want to attend even more because they somehow overlooked my terribly low overall of 3.28 and it's just hard to get excited when everyone else just keeps bringing up the negatives about this program to me.

CONGRATS!!! I'm so happy for you!

Finally, someone who is excited about NYU! Those are my sentiments exactly when it comes to NYU but everyone keeps bringing up the loans and all this rumored bad news about the program. I'm really excited for Thursday too!

Congrats on NYU! So you'll definitely attend NYU this fall if you're not accepted elsewhere? A lot of people are concerned about the tuition costs for NYU which is why I'm asking. I'll be attending the luncheon event so we'll probably run into each other!

I also agree with katieliz456. It's hard to plan on something so subjective like being accepted into a cheaper school or a school that is likely to offer funding. Many people here have applied multiple times, demonstrating how competitive this field is. Putting another restriction, like applying to only cheaper schools, will only make it that much harder to receive an acceptance. I understand that 150k in loans is a lot though and should be cause for hesitation but what would anyone recommend for someone in my situation? I was rejected from almost every school I applied to and was barely accepted by one school. My GPA was probably why I was rejected and also not something I can easily fix. I could reapply but, from reading posts on this board, reapplying does not guarantee a future acceptance. We've already heard stories of adcomms accepting or rejecting a person based on whether they woke up on the right/wrong side of the bed that morning so should I really risk reapplying when I've already been accepted (albeit, by a very expensive school)?