lexical_gap

I'm a first year grad student in my second semester of my master's SLP program. Reviewing isn't a bad idea, but I wouldn't spend a ton of time on it. I would keep your books / notes as you will refer to them, but don't spend your summer re-teaching yourself everything you think you need to know. You're in school to continue learning. It'll happen. Don't burn yourself out before you even start. Also, trust yourself. You know more than you think you do. In my program, professors have hit on undergrad material in each course and built upon that base knowledge, thus making sure you really know what you need to know. Since grad programs are made up of a cohort of people from different underground backgrounds, there will inevitably be some review. Use your classmates as resources. They'll be able to help fill in some gaps you have, and you can do the same for them in return. To give you guys a sneak peek, next week is my spring break. This is/was my "To Do" list for this week: 2 midterm exams, 2 midterm reports for clients, conduct a 2-hour eval for a new client, do 3 small one-page assignments, study a manual for a standardized screening test I'm administering after break, hold 3 hours of therapy for my clinic hours, and submit therapy plans for the week after break. Over break, I will be writing 3 papers and reading research articles for my thesis prospectus. Thankfully, my advisor gave me the week off of my research job to focus on midterms. Otherwise, I'd be crying hysterically right now. Moral of the story: Take time off to enjoy your summer. You will have plenty of time to stress yourself out once grad school actually starts.

kayeff, I think a very brief mention focusing on the "why" might be ok, but I wouldn't dwell on it. I got the following advice from a professor who sat on last year's committee at my university: If we can find the information in your transcript or your letters of reference, save yourself the writing real estate in the essay unless there's a compelling backstory that needs to be told.

Prior to grad school, I worked in several school districts. Some required a "work physical" including a drug test. Others did not. I did not know which ones did until after the contracts were signed. All required vaccination records, TB skin tests, and a complete background check. In my program, any time clients or their families are in the building, we are "on the job". This is the standard, even if the client is not our own. We are representatives of the service provided by the department and all of its students. We are expected to be 100% clean and professional from the time we walk into the department until the time we leave. Even after hours, our supervisor told us that behavior is to be kept in check. Our personal lives are to be kept as private as possible. Section IV-E of the ASHA Code of Ethics states: "Individuals shall not engage in any other form of conduct that adversely reflects on the professions or on the individual's fitness to serve persons professionally." Even though judgements shouldn't be made, the reality is, people will judge- your clients, your supervisors, your future employers, and your fellow clinicians. It is in your professional duty to abide by the Code of Ethics as set forth by ASHA, especially since we are providing healthcare services. Our supervisors advised that we cut down or eliminate any behaviors that could call into question or damage our professional clinical practice; even something like smoking cigarettes. Imagine you are a clinician treating a voice client for a rough voice. You are a regular smoker and your own voice sounds rough, if not rougher than your clients'. As part of a vocal hygiene program, you have advised your client to cut back on smoking or quit altogether in order to achieve a smoother vocal quality. How will you convince your client to trust your professional judgement? What will you say if your client shoots back, "But YOU smoke! Why should I quit?" Why is it acceptable for you to have a rough voice but not your client? (If you tell the client he/she can have a rough voice, then you've lost the client.) It all comes down to your credibility as a professional. I once had a doctor who was visibly obese with audible, heavy breathing, tell me I needed to get more cardiovascular exercise. I was training for a 5k at the time. I immediately switched doctors. I'm sure he can recite a textbook of medical knowledge. But, I didn't feel comfortable putting my healthcare needs in his hands when he couldn't even take care of his own. Ultimately, your clients and their families are putting their speech, voice, and swallowing healthcare in your hands. If they don't trust you as a clinician, you've lost the client. While you may not have a problem with a clinician who smokes (drinks, or does other behaviors others find questionable), clients may be bothered by it and may seek out a different clinician. Is the drug use worth the potential loss of a client and income?

RoseGold79, if your GRE scores are more than 5 years old, my understanding is that you will need to retake them. To the original poster, JES3, I would also recommend taking a couple leveling classes instead of getting a second bachelor's. Some schools have more requirements than others as far as required course, but most require at least these three (if you are not doing a 3-year postbacc + Master's program): Phonetics Anatomy and Physiology of Speech / Hearing Audiology Not only will you get some foundational knowledge, you can build relationships with professors for those LORs. Based on a conversation I had with a professor on the admissions committee at my university, for him, letters from in-field professors hold a little more weight than out-of-field. I'd imagine he's not the only one with this thought. I, too, was a returning a student (though with a previous Bachelor's instead of a Master's). I took a two-year post-bacc program before admission. That said, now that I'm in a grad program, I am glad I did. I have colleagues who took just the minimum courses to gain admission and feel overwhelmed by the amount of material they hadn't previously learned. It's been a stressful month for them as try to "catch up".

I am also doing a thesis. Eventually, 20-30 years down the line, my goal is to become a clinical supervisor at a university teaching SLP grad students. Doing a thesis would be beneficial for that career goal. I have always been told, if you want to eventually get a PhD, do a thesis. My program has a thesis vs. research project option. So no matter what, I was going to be doing research on some level under the guidance of a professor. It's just a matter of being a researcher for someone else's project or getting to do what I want. My program does not have a comprehensive final exam, but everyone must take the Praxis. Initially, it was a choice to do a thesis. Then applied for a fellowship and received it. A stipulation of accepting this fellowship award is that I am now required to do a thesis.

skipper22, luckily you have the next couple months to start building a relationship with your professors. Participate in class, ask thoughtful questions, and go to office hours. Professors pay attention to what you do and don't do in and out of class. Even if you don't have questions about the coursework, go to office hours. It can't hurt to pick your professors' brains about why THEY went into the field. Ask them what they've learned that they wish someone would've told them early on in their careers. Let them know about your career aspirations and ask if they have advice. It looks like you have an interest in working with kids with autism and/or kid who use AAC devices to communicate. It couldn't hurt to ask if they know SLPs in your area who specialize in those fields that you could shadow and/or observe. (You may even be able to get some ASHA observation hours.) Maybe try to get in on a research project headed by a professor. Don't forget, any time you may be within eyesight or earshot of a professor, make sure you are the utmost professional. Even if you think you aren't being watched. One of my professors told me a story of a student whom she thought was a good student and had the potential to be a great clinician. Until the professor was in the observation room watching a session and overheard the student trash-talk the professor after the client left. The professor pressed the call button, gently reminding the student that the microphone was still live and she was listening.

When I went through the application process, one of the professors (who also sat on the department's admissions committees) told me that of your 3-4 LORs 2-3 of them should come from professors. The last can come from a non-academic source, but it had better be SLP-related. Each school's ad comm is different, but my impression was that academic letters hold a little more weight.

AspirantPH, if you have a strong credentials in other areas such as research, letters of recommendation, and GRE scores, those can make up for a low GPA. You may also consider retaking some courses. First , you have the potential to raise your GPA. Secondly, it can help you gauge how the content you learned at your home university compares with what is expected at an American university. Since you are not planning to go to school for another 3-5 years, you have some time prepare for those applications. There is also an entire discussion forum for Speech-Language Pathology. You may find better answers and people in similar situations over there. http://forum.thegradcafe.com/forum/95-speech-language-pathology/

castikat, I doubt you know me. I graduated in 2007. But I'm sure we know many of the same professors. That said, having the linguistics background greatly helped when I started taking Com Dis classes at UWM. I, too, did not do well in Phonetics at UW. (Ended up with a C.) I retook the course at UWM and got an A. Having had exposure to IPA and calculating formant frequencies made it much easier to grasp those concepts in speech science. In many of the Com Dis courses, you cover syntax, phonology, morphology, and semantics. It may be worth a shot to apply. Your GRE is strong. If you can get strong LORs, that will help. Grades are just one part of the application process. That said, some of the "smaller" schools in the UW system are also quite competitive. Whitewater accepts a class of 15 total. They also have a program where current UW-Whitewater students can do a 5-year Bachelor's + Master's program, cutting down on the number of available spots for those outside Whitewater. Eau Claire, UWM, and Stevens Point each accept classes between 25-30. (I think Stevens Point does fall and spring starts, but I could be wrong). At UWM, I was told this year, more than 300 applicants vied for those 25 spots.

castikat, I see you're a fellow Wisconsinite. I also did my undergrad at UW in linguistics. Feel free to PM me with any questions you may have.

TamaraG, thanks for sharing a little more information. Given that, I don't see any reason why not being a native English speaker would be a barrier for you as an SLP. Having knowledge and ability to demonstrate proper vocal technique will definitely come in handy. Best wishes as you continue your journey.

As long as you have a good handle on the English language, structure, and grammar, I don't think being a non-native English speaker will be an issue. Having a thick accent may affect how well your clients can understand you. In the case of providing articulation therapy, you want to be able to provide as clear and accurate a model as possible. That said, with work, accent reduction can give you a more American "accent". (Coincidentally, you could work with an SLP on accent reduction.) While I don't know your situation, I think the biggest obstacle may be the weakness of your throat that caused you to stop your singing career. Depending on the problem and its severity, having a compromised voice could potentially hamper success as a Speech-Language Pathologist. Also consider the area(s) within SLP you want to study and the type of clients with whom you want to work. A client may subconsciously (or even consciously) question your ability or credibility if your own voice is compromised. Imagine what you would think if your dentist gave you instructions on oral health while his/her own mouth was full of cavities and fillings. Or would you trust a mechanic who drove a car that regularly needed repairs? It may not be fair, but as a professional, your patients / clients (and their parents if working with young children) expect you to practice what you preach. However, if you approach your situation the right way, you could serve as an inspiration to your patients. You would just have to be careful not to make false promises that results from therapies / treatments are guaranteed.

I echo kcald716's sentiment. The departments I visited mentioned they are looking for promising, future clinicians. They want to know the characteristics of your personality that will help soothe clients when they are frustrated. How will you adapt to the child who cries for 10 minutes every time mom or dad aren't inside the room? How will you tell the terminally ill patient that the current treatment plan is to keep them as comfortable as possible during their last days? Academic knowledge and numbers are a crucial part of the foundational background, but people skills are another key puzzle. You could have the world's best methodology for curing a problem, but if you cannot explain it in a way the patient (or caregiver) can understand and execute with confidence, the knowledge you possess does not help the patient in the long run. As kcald716 mentioned, fit is key. Does the school's approach to therapy and treatment fit with how you envision yourself giving therapy and treatment to future clients? Some programs focus on a play-based approach. Some use a more traditional skill-practice approach. Some use a mixture of both. Obviously, each clinician is different, but think about who you want to be as a professional clinician and begin to develop your professional identity. Read up on different therapy approaches and techniques to treat different disorders. Observe what other clinicians do in their sessions. You will see approaches and think, "Wow! That really works! I might steal that!" Other approaches you will see and think, "Hmm... that seems counter-intuitive. What research is out there supporting this?" Don't be afraid to ask your professors how they approach therapy when working with clients. Also ask how they approach teaching future clinicians. You want to make sure that they way they teach matches the way you learn. No use in spending big money to go to Big Name School with Big Name Professor if you don't feel like you won't learn anything.

Congrats on your decision, badgerina! Best wishes my fellow, Wisconsinite and almost-classmate!

I left teaching to go into SLP. I have a background in education, linguistics, and theater. After substitute teaching for 5 years, I discovered I teach best one-on-one or in small groups, which led me down the path to SLP. Looking back, this field is what I tried to piece together in my first undergrad combining education and linguistics. I even remember thinking, "I wish there was field where I could teach about language without being an English teacher." That said, I'm glad I went the education and linguistics routes first because it gave me a solid foundation upon which to build my CSD courses.

Congrats, badgerina! First, I'd make sure the loan will transfer. The professors at UW-Milwaukee are all understanding. We were told that last year, admission was offered to a student the day before orientation because another student had vacated his/her spot. From what I can tell, both schools have comparable PRAXIS pass rates, graduation rates, and job placement rates. It all comes down to what you are looking to gain from your grad school experience and which school fits you the best. The two cities are two completely different cultures. I don't know if you are planning on doing a thesis or not. If you are, I can tell you a little bit more about the professors at UW-Milwaukee and their areas of research interest.

I currently use a Lenovo ThinkPad Edge at work and hate it. Our tech people are in here every other week trying to fix a bug. Some of the software we use for work is incompatible with Windows 7 and one of my co-workers is regularly locked out of his work software because of those incompatibilities. We have talked about ditching these computers and switching to new ones, even though the ones we have are less than a year old.

bcjami, as far as logging your hours, that can be tricky. From what I gather, each school has their own Observation Record Sheet. Here is one I found online for a school in Mass.: http://www.docstoc.com/docs/45309410/Observation-Log-for-Applicants-for-Speech-Language-Pathology-Assistant-andor-Audiology-Assistant The key is that your observations must be done with a clinician with current CCC licensing. Not all states require all clinicians to have CCC. For example, in my state, you can work as a school SLP without your CCC. Important information for the log includes: 1. Your name 2. Date of each observation 3. Location of each observation 4. Type of session (Grad programs require X amount of hours in educational and / or medical settings, with pediatric and adult patients) 5. Clinician's Name (printed) 6. Clinician's Signature 7. Clinician's State License # and / or ASHA member number (used to verify that the person you observed is qualified to sign off on your observations- ie, has their current CCC) 8. Your signature stating that the information provided is accurate to the best of knowledge. 9. The date you sign it (after all observation hours for that sheet are complete). If your undergrad has a Comm Dis department, contact them and see if you would be able to use their log sheet to record your hours. While I understand you are eager to get hours and experience, you also want to protect yourself with evidence that the hours you complete can be verified and recognized by ASHA.

ballerina18, I would focus on raising the GRE score; not just the verbal and quantitative parts, but also the writing. I think many underestimate how important the writing section is for this field. As for the SOP, one of the professors with whom I spoke at my local university mentioned he likes to see how well the applicant writes. Does the applicant construct a strong argument for himself/herself about why a master's in SLP is needed to reach professional goals, or is the argument a one-line sentence, "I want to be an SLP so I can help people." While it may be true, why do you want to help them and specifically how will you do that? Highlight your volunteer work and what you've learned through those experiences that will make you a good SLP. If a specific child stands out, discuss the types of things the SLP does with that child (without violating confidentiality) that spoke to you. If you are able to name specific approaches or assessments the SLP uses, even better! If you can't give specific names, give detailed descriptions about what, how, and why. I also tailored my SOP to each school I applied. For one, I focused on how that school's instruction, training, and approach to therapy fit my educational philosophy. For another, I focused on how that particular program's faculty fit my research interests for a potential thesis. Know and be able to articulate in writing specifically what you plan to do with your degree post-graduation and how the training you will receive will help you achieve those goals. Really sell yourself as a candidate for that specific school. What can you learn or experience at School X that you can't get at Schools A, B, C. Remember: Just as you are making an investment in graduate school, schools are investing in your education and future career when they choose you as a student. They want to send out the best professionals they can to potentially get some return on their investment in you: alumni donations, bragging rights about your professional credentials, sending future students to your practice for observations or student teaching, etc.

Another linguist turned SLP grad student-to be here. I echo the sentiments that it helped serve as a foundation for certain topics in Comm Dis: phonetics, formant frequencies, morphology, syntax, semantics, etc. If you plan to conduct research in language structure, having a linguistics background will definitely be helpful. I've enjoyed looking at the field of comm dis from multiple perspectives: a former patient, a teacher, a linguist, and a future clinician. Regardless of your own experiences, use them to help you become the best clinician you can be.

Admissions committees might factor it into your GPA. But as I said, the GPA and GRE are just two components of an application. The others: LOR, SOP, extracurriculars, resume, research experiences, etc. are just as important- if not more. The GPA and GRE tells of your ability as a student, but the rest speak to who you are as a person. As I mentioned, most programs are looking for more than the best academic students. They want the best overall for their program. Admissions committees look at how well they will get along with you just as you look at how you will get along with them. An applicant could thereotically have a 4.0 in the major and a 340 GRE with a 6.0 AW score. However, if every LOR mentions that the applicant has no people skills and is a pain to work with, I doubt that applicant would be offered admission. With regard to your chemistry course, I would say finish the course. From a financial standpoint, why pay graduate tuition rate for an undergrad course? From an admission committee standpoint, it could also be seen as taking initiative to fulfill the new ASHA requirements before starting the program. You just never know.

tankgirl, have you already applied for graduate school or will you be applying next application cycle (with the intent of starting Fall 2014)? In either case, if you're at a B+ / A- cutoff, I would say just finish the class. You've already more than halfway through the semester and the grade isn't a bad one. Admissions committees realize students take courses outside of the major to fulfill Gen Eds, many of which can be difficult and challenging in their own right. I highly doubt professors weighing in on grad school admissions programs are saying, "He/she only got a B+ in chemistry? Pfft... They'll be a horrible clinician since everybody knows you need at least an A- in chemistry to be a good SLP!" I know a lot of emphasis is put on GPA and GRE on these boards, but the numerical data isn't everything. Just as you are "auditioning" grad schools for fit, education, and training opportunities; the grad schools are "auditioning" you as an applicant. The relationships are reciprocal. If you accept an admission offer, they're stuck with you for the next two years of their lives too!

tankgirl, I would check with your prospective programs. Admissions Committees may wonder why you enrolled in the same course twice without being able to complete it. Since you are earning a second bachelors, did you take a physical science course to fulfill the degree requirements? My university advisor told me each student was responsible to know his/her deficiencies when entering the program and either complete them before starting the Master's program or in conjunction with the Master's coursework.

I did the math for the seven schools in Wisconsin that offer a Master's program in Speech-Language Pathology. There are 185 Master's graduate student spots available for the entire state. In my current undergrad cohort alone, there are about 35 students. Most of us applied to multiple schools within the state. If you figure each school has an average undergrad class of 30 students, 30 x 7 = 210. That's 210 students vying for 185 spots. Even if every single undergrad / in-field post-bacc in Wisconsin wanted to stay in the state for grad school, there just are not enough spots to offer everyone admission, assuming everyone only applied to just one school. Factor in out-of-field applicants, applicants applying for a second or third time, out of state applicants and the fact that students typically apply to multiple programs; you can easily how competitive the field can get just in Wisconsin alone. (Wisconsin also takes part in the Midwest tuition exchange in addition to having their own tuition reciprocity agreement with Minnesota, making the state as a whole even more attractive to out-of-state applicants from a neighboring state.)

danielleb, have you figured out why you "break down" when it comes to tests? Is it the pressure? The anxiety? etc. I ask not to be snarky, but to understand. From a clinical perspective, SLPs are placed in high-pressure, anxiety ridden situations all the time. SLPs have pressure from clients, clients' families, supervisors, doctors, etc. Unfortunately, comprehension of content isn't enough. You need to be able to show, teach, and defend your knowledge, skills, and practices to all the people I listed. Especially, in a litigious society where threats of malpractice and lawsuit are abundant. If a doctor questions and argues against the need for an eval or course of therapy you order, it is your job to advocate for the patients. Having a "break down" at that moment would not be helpful to you or the patient. I realize that academic testing and being able to demonstrate knowledge in the field are two different ideas. However, admission committees could look at low test scores as not being able to handle high-pressure situations. Figuring out why you "break down" during tests to the point where you aren't able to fully show your knowledge may be a key to unlocking part of this idea.