MonicaSLP

I was never given an answer from them.

I don't know how necessary it is but I found it interesting. I did it online at USU and it was probably the easiest class I've taken.

Did anyony else get the skype email from gallaudet? Is it just me, or did it feel completely unprofessional, starting with the subject line "wanna skype?" I almost deleted it thinking it was spam. Very odd...

Did you run your letter of intent past any academic professionals? I think if you have a low GPA and GRE, you really need that letter to make you stand out. Explaining why your grades are low is one thing, but how did it actually come across to those reading it? Perhaps it sounded like some long sob story of excuses. I obviously haven't seen your letter, so this is not an accusation, but really think about it. Meanwhile, retake some communication disorders classes so you can show what kind of student you can be now, if you had a hard time with undergrad. Show them you can get As. Don't make that the focus on your letter - make yourself unique. Most everyone applying is passionate for the job, many people have experience with speech therapy changing a loved one's life, but what can you add to their program that no one else can? It may very well have nothing to do with your SLPA experience at all. And make sure you personalize the essay for them based on their writing prompt and anything special about their individual program. In the real world results are results. If they have a minimum 3.0 GPA, there's no way to sweet talk your way out of it. Take more classes until you get it up there. Make sure your LORs are stellar. Even if the write thinks you're wonderful, do THEY have the writing skills to convey that in the way that you need them to? This completely sucks, I know. I'm a returning student who has been through all kinds of career highs and lows. But if you really want something, think outside the box a little and keep fighting for it. And sometimes you have to lower your expectation, and look at schools are states that aren't necessarily your first choice. Good luck!

Ditto DC2B - I had started my application but got into UMD before I finished. The application process was bad, and they took a month to email me back both times I emailed with questions.

Nothing here either, so I guess it's in waves.

I haven't and keep checking obsessively.

I haven't visited. If I get in and am still wavering at all, I'll visit, but I don't really have the time otherwise.

I feel like their application process was very scattered too. It kind of didn't feel "official" with an outdated type of form, and I think it was them who required a scanned in form to be emailed by people writing LOR. I was 99.9% sure I wanted to go to UMD, and a small part of me is excited about the idea of Gallaudet so I haven't withdrawn my app. But something about the process has left me feeling not so excited about it.

Nope - nothing, and I live very nearby.

Has anyone taken Bio at USU online? I'm trying to decide between that and my local CC this summer. Any feedback? And specifically, do you know if you can work ahead in the class, or do they only open up one module at a time? Turns out I only need bio and one other CSD class, so I want bio done as quickly as humanly possible.

I've taken several now and they can work a few different ways. I had 2 that were open book, at home, and timed. 1 (not CSD) at a local community college I have to go to their campus for exams. Most others (at USU) you find a local proctor and go there for exams (for me it's another college about 20 minutes away at their library). Some proctors charge $25-30 per exam - mine is free. If you have no local proctors (they provide you a national list) you can use an online service (proctoru, I think?) that you pay for that monitors you while you take it.

The admissions counselors didn't help me, but I eventually found an undergrad advisor who told me class for class the right ones to take at USU. It might take a while to find the right person, but be persistent. Be specific - "Here are the links to the syllabi for USU. Please tell me which classes will fulfill your requirements, or point me in the direction of someone who can". Finding that person was a game changer for me and made me finally feel like I had a plan. Do this for your top choices and take as many as you can before next summer, leaving room for anything additional.

The earliest applications are due mid January (check your schools to be sure). So you will be able to finish the first few classes before then. My biggest headache was also trying to balance which each school wanted. If you do the ones USU recommends (http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&ved=0CCsQjBAwAg&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcomd.usu.edu%2Fhtm%2Fonline-programs%2Fcommunicative-disorders-2nd%2Fcourses-syllabi&ei=fJsVVargJ8efgwS5hYHABw&usg=AFQjCNGw3JeRxly4xTZydApVV9lr7REhLw&sig2=0rlTl7lbvhlTyteqdZNuXw&bvm=bv.89381419,d.eXY) , you should be in good shape to cover most of it. Try to leave some extra room during the final summer though in case the school you decide on needs something you haven't planned for. And be sure to include the ASHA requirements too. I know you think you won't be ready to take classes this summer, but you may want to consider just doing one or two to get the ball rolling and get a feel for the classes. It might save you a huge headache in the end.

I registered last year for USU summer classes days before classes started because I was still figuring out my plan. Definitely start with summer classes to move things along. I started last summer, applied this season, and will be starting grad school this fall. 4 semesters part time (including this summer to cover my ASHA requirements). It's very doable and I’ve had only good experiences with my communication disorders classes with them. I didn't take all the ones they recommend - I based my class choices on the requirements of my first choice school, figuring I would use the last summer for anything I missed if my plan changed. You can also take them out of order if you need to and ask them to lift the hold. Be sure to click on "non-drgree seeking". They have also been helpful any time i email, if you need help navigating it. If you know your first choice schools, you can send them the list of USU classes, and they will tell you which ones they accept. Once I had that information it was much easier to know I was on the right track.

I haven't hear yet either. But according to the results page on this website, no one has yet.

When I got wait listed they kept me waiting until close of business on April 15.

Seriously! My only undergrad chem class was nutrition. It seems like it should relate far better than other chem classes. If I'm working with a kid on swallowing and texture, wouldn't basic nutrition be helpful in coming up with ideas on how to help them?

I hate etexts. My stats class is using one and it's so hard to flip back and forth when trying to figure something out. I buy and return, through amazon when I can. Keeping them is usually silly because things change over the years and by the time you graduate different things are important to you than when you're just starting out. I do make a copy of any pages that really might be important later, like a good chart that's hard to find online.

Don't go into more debt! One day you will have a family and want a house and pay for daycare and want to save for retirement and travel every so often....those loan payments will make a big difference. If by chance you don't want a family, you will still want to travel, and live wherever you want to and enjoy your life without that stress. Trust me.

I kept mine short and professional but not too formal - "I truly appreciate the opportunity to attend XXX. While I do believe that it is an excellent program which would be a good fit for me personally, I have accepted admittance to XXX. Thank you for all of your time, and I wish you and the XXX community continued success."

Let me be shallow for a moment - it's been a long time since I've set foot on a college campus. Backpack vs messenger bag vs tote bag or something else? Which is most fashionable at the moment and still practical? I don't yet know my schedule or work load and how much I'll need on a daily basis in terms or books and laptop etc.

Don't go into debt if you don't have to!! I am married, with kids, and we still have a long way to go to pay off my husband's college loans. This is NO fun while trying to save for a house, my return to school, and 2 kids' college educations as well as extras like travel or simply going out to eat once in a while. An SLP is never going to make a TON of money - don't start out life looking at massive loans if you can avoid it. Save smartly and you will be able to travel and explore the world after graduation. If you're in debt you'll feel like you can't travel and all you'll have to have satisfied that urge is 2 years in one city while studying hard and not really exploring or see new and exciting things.

I didn't retake classes, but since I was coming from a different major I took the prereqs after getting rejected, and then got into the school I got rejected from. My essay was mostly the same, I didn't retake GRE, most of my letters of recommendation were the same (I added a professor) - the only thing that changed were the grades from additional classes.

I saw the application and admittance threads, but what about decisions? If you've made your final decision already, what is it? And if you'd like to share, how did you come to your decision?