chitchat2016

Especially if you were accepted early or offered any sort of funding package, I think it's only appropriate to call. I know we're a digital generation but I think it's impersonal to send an email. The school spent time selecting you over hundreds of people and I think a quick phone call expresses that you sincerely are rescinding the acceptance.

Unfortunately I won't be home for the summer and of course don't qualify for in state tuition in the state I'll be staying in. Thank you for the information on Eastern Arkansas!

Hey everyone! I've been looking around for weeks now for an online program to take a statistics course and a class for the ASHA science requirement with no luck. All of the places I've researched have been at least $250/credit and the classes are 3-4 credits. Does anyone know of any cheaper options? Or schools that offer financial aid for summer besides loans? Any help is greatly appreciated!

Hey fellow out of field applicant For the observation hours, 2 of the schools I applied to required them to be through a program because eventually you'll have to submit documentation to ASHA that you observed licensed professionals. My current post bacc program requires a write up for each hour of observation as well. Last year I applied to 6 schools and hadn't completed any pre-reqs at the time. Result - wait listed at 5 and rejected at 1. I eventually got off the list for the school with a 3 yr program (where I am now) 1 yr pre-reqs, then the masters program. I reapplied to my original top 3 choices this year (Emerson College, UNC Greensboro, UGA) with 4 pre reqs done and another 3 in progress. Result - accepted with funding at 2 and wait listed at 1. So from my personal experience I would highly recommend completing pre requisite classes at an approved program. There are separate post-bac programs and also schools that have 3 year programs that you can look into. Good luck!

Considering they're both top 10 programs, I really don't think the "top 5 experience" will make an incredible difference. I think you should base your decision on other important factors since you're already in the top tier. Personally, I made my choice to attend UNCG due to a better funding offer than my other school choice was offering since their rankings were nearly the same and I liked the programs equally. 100% funding like you said is quite rare and means a lot for your quality of life later in graduating with zero loans!!

Sorry to hear your news, but great of you to keep your head up! This was my second year applying. Last year I was wait listed at all 7 schools then eventually accepted to the post bac program I'm in now. This year I applied to 3 schools, accepted at 2 and wait listed at 1. So I hope my insight is relatable and maybe helpful for you. I asked my top choice school last year what I could do to improve my chances and was told to get at least one LOR from my post bac program, retake the GREs, and write a new personal statement. I attended their open house in the fall and as I talked to fellow applicants realized we all sounded SO similar in terms of our interests and work experiences. And I realized that the personal statement I wrote the year before about my experiences likely sounded like everyone else's and though I have a high GPA, I realized that the personal statement along with my mid range GREs is likely why I got wait listed at all the schools. So for the changes...I wrote a new letter of recommendation from a point of view I felt no one else could have. Kept 1 LOR from my previous supervisor (work experience) and got 2 new LORs from professors in my post bac program. I didn't retake the GREs but I addressed that in my personal statement and I had an extra transcript from my post bacc with a 3.8 gpa. Overall, I did as much to change my application from the previous year and noted to all schools that I was reapplying because of continued interest. And the resut for me was a shocking acceptance and funding offers to 2/3 schools I reapplied to. If you really want to attend any of the 10 schools you applied to this year, I suggest contacting them for advice on how to strengthen your application and take additional/related courses to improve your gpa. I know it's an exhausting process but it is so worth it. I wish you the best of luck!!!

When I worked as a special Ed teacher in a public school my supervisor recommended that all of us staff (teachers, SLPs, OT) use blue pen for authenticity sake. If issues ever come up with lawyers and such she said blue pen marked documents are irrefutable proof (like of a parent agreeing to something). She'd seen black ink be questioned as a photocopies before. Thanks for the tip on getting lots of binders. I'll wait until the back to school sales when they're a quarter or so

Hi! I don't know about those schools specifically but I just made the difficult school choice for SLP too! For me both of the schools were equally ranked and of equal quality in matching my interests. So, even though one was close to home I decided to choose based off of the financial commitment. I made the standard pro/con list for each school but it wasn't getting me anywhere. Someone suggested thinking about life beyond grad school and the extra $30-40K the home school would cost would mean a lower quality of life until those loans were paid off so that made the decision for me once funding offers were made. From what I looked up, U of T is #10 in the country, that's pretty incredible. But if you love all the programs equally, perhaps consider the cost and opportunities/possible connections fir your future career. Good luck!

*www.tuftslife.com. People occasionally post housing options there and you can see the day to day events at Tufts. I am sure you will love it if you end up attending! Best of luck!

I went to Tufts for my undergrad degree in child development, so I can provide a bit of information. One of my favorites aspects of Tufts was my professors. They were extremely knowledgeable yet approachable and down to earth. My best friend majored in clinical psychology and had a similar academic experience. Since you are interested in children, I'll note that Tufts has it's own school and preschool facilities with mixed classrooms of children with and without a variety of disabilities. I loved the hands on experience and observations I was able to do while studying the material! Tufts is about 20 minutes from Boston via public transportation. I can't speak to the graduate students' social life, but most seniors hang around Davis Square bars, go to downtown Boston or take the 10 minute train ride to Harvard square. It's very easy to get around the area without a car and there are so many schools in the Boston area that there is plenty to do. All of the nearby squares are cool places to hang out - Davis, Porter, Harvard, etc. Housing is variable depending on if you want to live close to campus and/or if you want your own apartment. Most Tufts students live in the Medford/Somerville area and rent a room in a house with 2-3 roomates. Check out www.tuftslife

Congratulations to all who received acceptances today!!! The world of SLPs just got better

I also recommend Schuyler's Monster: A Father's Journey with His Wordless Daughter. I had to read it for my clinical methods class and really enjoyed it. I think it has a slow start but overall reading about the parent's perspective was wonderful.

This might not be a huge help but I attended Tufts for my bachelors degree in child development and took a few education courses during my time as well. I absolutely loved the academic environment at Tufts! Just enough rigor and support. I knew many of my professors on a personal level (and still connect with them years later) and genuinely enjoyed all of my classes. Many of my friends with various majors had similar experiences. Good luck with your decision!

I don't think it matters as long as you 1. dont apply to schools that specifically require a degree (most don't) and 2. Get great grades either way you go. I'm about to complete my post-bac this spring and this application season was accepted to the two schools I was wait listed at last year. I really think the grades in the CSD matter more than post bacc vs. second degree. Best of luck!

Hi! This is my 2nd year applying to schools (last year all wait lists then 1 turned into yes, this year all "yes"es) and from my perspective, reading stats of accepted students doesn't help much. A lot of people tend to have similiar statistics for the various clusters of schools. I think the personal statement, LORs and interviews are really what set people apart from one another. Grad school admissions also seem to have so much variability in what someone's chances are even if you "match" their average acceptance stats. But if you want to check stats anyhow for specific schools head to the main search page and you can look up past results for each school you're interested in. Best of luck

I'm a Caribbean American female and I too was the only Black person at the school where I interviewed ( and was recently accepted). On my interview day a Black male who worked in the building said I was the only Black candidate he'd seen come for in interview the whole week and wished me the best of luck with my interview haha. Considering I, like many of us on here, am just about to start graudate school I can't really say if diversity in the field is improving. I know that it is severely lacking, but I look forward being a part of the growth. My friends and family honestly never heard of the field before I became interested and there are less than 5 SLPs in the country we're from. And in fact I based my personal statement on my plan to use my degree to eventually open a center in our home country which I believe greatly set me apart from other qualified candidates. I also am taking this into consideration as I decide between my two top schools on where to attend - in terms of what the programs offer and the inherit value they place on racial and ethnic diversity. Thanks for starting this thread

Hi! Its really interesting reading this thread and everyone's thought processes. I'm deciding between Emerson and another equally ranked school - I'm as indecisive as all of you! Anyhow to answer your question, apparently people were offered funding last week. I called to ask about it and that's what I was told. So, no funding for me They did say that maybe funds will be reallocated if those offered fellowships choose other schools....so there's that. I'm having a hard time making a decision because between my two options the tuition is similar, but housing in Boston is SO much more expensive!!! Like others have said, I am incredibly grateful to have options but the back and forth is agonizing haha!

To the people who received funding, please please let them know as soon as you can if you're not planning on attending. I talked to Bill a few days ago to inquire about fellowships and such and he told me they went out last week but as people rejected, they'd reallocate the funds. It's my dream school (2nd year applying) but funding is holding me back from committing. Good luck to everyone else waiting on a decision, I sincerely hope they communicate with you soon!

I was just advising for people who are looking to start grad school in January/spring 2015. Current GW student

Last year I was wait listed at 6/7 schools I applied to. For 4 schools, I never got an update and had to call (with virtually no response). 1 school mailed me a month after I was placed on the list that they didn't have any space. Another turned into an acceptance in late May for their 3 year program. Emerson kept me on the wait list through the summer - a space never opened up. But I reapplied and got accepted this year

GW's program is only for fall admission

I've been stalking the threads for awhile and want to say congratulations to everyone who's received positive news recently But, it's driving me crazy that people have heard from UGA and my portal still doesn't say anything. It's my 2nd year applying and I just want to know one way or the other!