Jolie717

Plus there's this: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service Public schools and non-profit hospitals qualify. ?

Confused...?

Yup, she's definitely a hypocrite! Thirteen more weeks!

Huh? Still confused. As far as schools who "tie" they list them in alphabetical order. Not sure why they skip numbers though...

Exactly what mcamp said above, plus, one of the best applicants I knew in my program was wait listed over some that got in (that I didn't think were as qualified)... A week or two later, she was in off the list. I feel like you just can't take this process too seriously - the apps are evaluated by different people on the committee, each of whom have their own unique take on who is the ideal applicant. I was turned down for a scholarship today, so I know the feeling of rejection really sucks, but it's out of my hands now. This one was specific to my current school only, so maybe the universe is telling me something. In the meantime... ??

Whoops, that didn't work! Okay, so I grew up in the SF Bay Area and then moved to Los Angeles, so I consider Eugene to be a very small town, but still a college town. Maybe somewhat comparable to San Luis Obispo on the CA central coast. I haven't ever visited Eugene just for Eugene - we've only visited to spend time with family. Coming from LA, I definitely think there are beautiful areas and there is a lot of charm in some of the neighborhoods. While I think it can be a bit of a college party area, I don't consider it a "party town." It definitely has a bit of a hippy vibe - farmers market I think 8 months of the year, a few festivals here and there. If you like the outdoors and being active you can find plenty to do. If you are interested in a super active nightlife, or are a foodie, or love to shop, Eugene might not fit the bill for you. About a half hour out on your way to the coast, there are some great hiking spots with water falls. The Oregon coast is gorgeous - my mother in law lives in Florence, a very pretty, sleepy, touristy town on the coast an hour from U of O. The sand dunes are fun if you like ATVs. For the city vibe I would go to Portland, about two hours away as I'm sure you know. The way I see it, I will be very busy with school so I'm not worried about finding things to do with the little free time we have. If we end up in Eugene I would still plan to spend some time up in Seattle as well. That said, I have a family and the local parks and quieter way of life in Eugene do have appeal, as far as my grad years. For demographics, I don't remember the percentages or anything but let's just say it is not at all an ethnically diverse town. The university student body itself should be more diverse than the city. I'm not sure I would choose to live there permanently, but I think I would be happy as a student there. I've visited in February, June, and August and the weather was great each time (coldish in Feb of course). Rain doesn't bother me at all as I actually miss it, and from what my mother in law says it may rain frequently but the duration is usually short. She grew up in Eugene, and went to U of O for her undergrad in SLP. I consider it safe, but again, I have only lived in big cities. (A bit off topic but my brother says that while there is a homeless problem in Seattle, the homeless population is more aggressive in Portland, for whatever that's worth). I haven't looked at public transportation - ideally I will live very close to campus but it all depends on the waitlist and how it progresses. I'm trying to get an East Campus house, which is a 16 minute walk from the HEDCO building. Most other students seem to have a short commute or they bike. I remember hearing complaints about dealing with campus parking. I think most people are welcoming, but Oregonians don't like Californians too much, so there's that. I'll have to bug my brother a bit more about the specific areas you mentioned in Seattle. When I described the campus area he said it sounded like a good area (near downtown Seattle) and then mentioned the area his pilot friends tend to gravitate to but the name is eluding me - I will ask. I also looked up the rating of the elementary school my kids would attend if I get Blakely or Laurel Village housing, and it had high ratings which is usually a good reflection of the neighborhood. Traffic to me (and you) is probably very different from what others consider traffic, so I don't know much there but doubt it will be that bad. I'll update when I can!

Congratulations!!!

It's so refreshing to talk about a different kind of ranking: BEER! Lol. ? I think Portland is usually ranked higher for beer than Seattle, for what it's worth. I've been to Eugene many times - what kind of info are you after? I've visited Portland only once, but I think that is where we will likely move after grad school. I haven't been to Seattle yet, but my brothers are pilots and one of them is absolutely in love with the city and the other one is moving there in July. Let me know if you have specific questions and I'll try to get you some answers.

No word yet from UW, so I am unsure if this means no funding (since they told me we should know by this past Friday) or if it means they haven't sent anything out yet. I don't think they offer many people funding though, so I am assuming the answer is no. No word from Oregon on funding yet either (I keep checking duck web) - I'm bummed that I missed the deadline at UO for the COE scholarships. I suppose I was operating under the assumption that the deadlines for schools would all be similar. The majority of the scholarships I'm applying for through my school aren't even due until May! I'm also interviewing this week for a GTF position, so we'll see.

Crossing fingers for you...

That's sad - hopefully many will read this and won't do the same to members of their own cohort.

If I were in your position, I would look to see which programs have a more interactive style. I'm in a "regular" CD undergrad cohort, and have taken one CD core course that was online with a weekly "live" session with the instructor. I was very involved, asked questions, emailed the professor multiple times etc... In addition, I provided language samples of my children to several classmates for a big assignment. In short, she got to know me well and became one of my letter of rec writers, despite never having met me in person. I took an online Physics of Music class that also had an interactive weekly session - I was also very involved in asking questions and staying in touch via email with that professor. This semester however, I am taking an online elective course on autism that has no interactive component, and I do feel that there is a difference. I have been emailing the professor when I've needed clarification, but it's not quite the same. I don't think the university system in the US is sustainable in its current form, and do believe that there will be more and more online classes and degrees popping up as time goes by. For example, there is a DE.d. in Educational Leadership at University of Oregon that had its debut last fall with a "state-of-the-art virtual delivery system" that is open only to Oregon residents. US News ranks them 12 in education, so I am very interested in following the success of this program. At any rate, from what I understand, the diploma from my current university's online CD grad degree program is indistinguishable from the "normal" graduate degree diploma. Make sure you go the extra mile, and put time and effort into finding stellar clinical placements and you will likely do very well.

Not a minority, but I am married with kiddos and hubby is mixed race, which is something I was thinking about particularly with the "smaller" program I applied to (U of O). I did count three grad students with kids during the online open house though, so we'll see.

"They've all said is that it has much less to do with where you went to grad school than what you did at grad school." That at least makes me feel a bit better. It's tough for me too because I don't want to work in one setting or the other - ideally I'd like to work in a school and in the medical setting as well. Not sure how realistic this is, but it's what I'm aiming for. Med SLPs I've worked with have said that you can still get work in schools even if you go the med route (or track) in school but that the opposite isn't usually true. I think this is a bit arrogant, but they may very well be right. I also got the impression from the session yesterday (online for me) that there was no need to worry over clinical placement opportunities - they have a huge number of affiliations! I'm just crossing my fingers that some funding comes through soon, as the uncertainty is killing me!

I think it really depends on the school and the popularity/desirability of the program. Have you checked the results page here? I would send a follow-up email in a bit reconfirming your interest in the program and maybe adding any additional details or experience you've gained in the meantime. A bit more bold, depending on how comfortable you feel with the faculty, might be an actual phone call (rather than email) to the Dept head or head of admissions. Or faculty that you interviewed with. Also you should definitely let them know of any outside funding you have been awarded - schools love that!

I think most of us would need more info on your background in order to give advice on how to get into a grad program. Stats, previous experience, undergrad experience, letters of rec quality and from whom, your SOP quality (as judged by impartial and qualified others) and the list goes on. I know you're anxious about SF, but you interviewed, so I see that as a positive. I would honestly stay away from this site until you receive your answer, if you can. It's out of your hands for this cycle - hopefully you will receive some good news and won't need our advice! ?

Off topic, but do you have a Great Dane? We do, and are finding relocating to be a bit of a....challenge. ?

I called UW Seattle this week (because patience is clearly not my virtue) and found out that the MedSLP admits might find out about the only possible funding we qualify for - tomorrow. (recruitment scholarships) After that, I seriously think I will be taking a break from grad cafe for a while, because I am finding it way too intense. I had a nightmare that I accidentally hit the "decline acceptance" button for all my schools last night. ?

Groan. In addition, I just found out the U of O tuition increase was passed. 4.8% higher for in-state and 4.5% higher for out-of-state. It will likely increase again next year, given the trend... http://www.oregonlive.com/education/index.ssf/2016/03/university_of_oregon_board_app.html

Quick question - I just realized you mentioned that U of O costs less? How so? I thought out of state for U of O was more expensive than the $56K for the MedSLP program.

Congrats to you too! I haven't decided yet - I ask my husband to rank my schools in order of his preference all the time though, lol. At least he is consistent in his response - 1st choice U of O, 2nd choice UW. That happens to be my boys' order of preference too, ha ha. A lot will depend on funding too, which we won't find out about for a while. We have family in both areas, so it is tough. I should sit down with a paper and pen and a serious face, and ask him to rank each of our family members on a scale of one to ten for each of the two areas. Then he will know with certainty that he married a crazy person! ?

Which school is UNC - University of North Carolina? If you are seriously interested in a PhD, you should go for the higher-ranked program, as that is very important in academia. That's not to say a PhD is impossible if you attend a lesser-ranked school, but you will have more options with the higher-ranked school, no question. Case in point: Why did you choose Harvard? (Said no one, ever). LOL ? If you take initiative, and you are at a facility with research and a PhD program, I think you can get the experience you want if you pursue it, despite any program or curriculum limitations. If you are truly worried about being pigeon-holed by the tracks at UW, you should call them and ask. The MedSLP curriculum actually seems pretty comprehensive despite the med emphasis, so I would imagine the CoreSLP would be even more so.

Some of our concerns are the same, for example cost as well as availability of funding. I am, however, also married with kids, so being happy with area of the grad program we choose as far as family-friendliness is important to me. As is the family members we have living nearby in each of the areas - we no longer have family in LA (except one cousin) but we do have family in both Oregon and Washington. I get job postings throughout the year for SLP positions that include CFYs, so the time of year I graduate isn't as much of a concern for me, unless I take into consideration the money I will gain by starting a CFY early due to graduating earlier from UO as compared to my other two programs. There are far more opportunities for SLPs working with adults with strokes/TBIs than there are for SLPs desiring a career in neonates/peds, say specifically at a children's hospital, for example. At least this is what I've heard and believe to be true. Many hospital SLPs, such as several that I work with, have caseloads across the spectrum with some peds but mostly adults. I am, oddly enough, not at all concerned about the UO Spring practicum nor am I concerned about finding a CFY. I have worked in the hospital setting for years, I have gone through multiple clinical rotations, and have been hired at one of my clinical rotation hospitals. I feel like the biggest hurdle for me has been getting accepted into the very limited list of grad schools I applied to (well 2 out of 3 so far). Due to the demand in our field I am not as worried about the rest. That's not to say I will not be working my you know what off, but I am very driven and feel confident things will work out. I should also mention that my husband and I had always planned to move to the Pacific Northwest, so I don't really have to worry about a cross-country move for a practicum or CFY as you might. I think it's a great idea to ask the schools about the number of medical CFYs their grads get - keep us posted if you find anything out!

I don't know anything about Temple, but based on the four medical placements at UW, I would assume this equates to more medical-based practicum opportunities. I too am agonizing over my final decision...but for very different reasons. Also, have you compared the curriculum, units, and duration of the programs for U of O and UW side by side? They are strikingly different.