CBG321

The schools I currently have with better acceptance rates have been carefully chosen based on program content. But I do agree that randomly adding others just because of a higher acceptance rate isn't beneficial to anyone in the long run. I guess i'm just worried about getting into programs with the fierce competition, so don't want to make any mistakes in the application process. Thanks for the comment!

So i've been working hard on my Graduate program list and have 2 programs with strong acceptance rates but the other 6-7 programs i'm looking at range from 8%-30%. (The 8% is my biggest reach but I did research there and graduated from them so based on that i'm applying). I'm starting to get really nervous because when I started to narrow down my list, my plan was to have the majority of my applications be outside of my competitive home state and be 40% and higher. Do I need to re-evaluate or is it better to keep these programs that I am incredibly interested in and can probably convey how much and why I want to go to their programs with more passion and detail than other programs that have better acceptance rates? Sidenotes: My gpa seems within ballpark for most of these schools and I haven't taken the GRE yet. I'm planning on applying to 8-9 schools. I'm going to have visited all programs in person by the end of this month and was able to sit down with 2 department advisers. Anyone have better luck getting into the schools they really cared about in their statement of purpose or is it better to do this based on the school's number of acceptances even though that program may not be everything you're looking for?

Sorry ahead of time for not reading all 8 pages...but it was 8 pages lol. Just was curious since the last page seems like a lot of people were waiting a really long time to hear back from UTD. How early were the first round of acceptances made known? Would you experienced applicants recommend applying there? Was this an unusual year due to the review process also taking their time, or is UTD known for being somewhat delayed compared to other schools? Thanks!

Thank you! MonicaSLP!

I'm taking 5700(Speech Science) right now and didn't do as well as I'd hope on the first exam. Anyone have study tips? Honestly I should have devoted more time to absorbing/studying I felt the test was very fair, I just didn't study correctly/well. Anyone who has taken it or is a good online student, any advice? I am not the best "online" student, which is why I take the majority in person...I need an A in it though so got to step it up. Thanks in advance

I'd say think about if you're willing to move/apply to some new places and use that to base your answer on. If you're willing to move you really want it and should go for it at those new locations. If you keep applying to the same schools in the same area's your results might end up being the same, which would stink. Good luck, I hope everything works out!

I have not applied to nursing school so i'm sure any people with experience on that end can tell me how wrong I am. But I say if you're interested in both, i'd go for nursing. It seems (at least in my area) that it is "easier" to get it going and done. If you have an interest in both, SLP is a wonderful option, but like you were saying has a lot of boxes you need to check off and might have to apply a few times etc. I know two girls that got their nursing degrees very quickly and were also career/major changers. One had her teaching credential and switched she didn't have to take a year of pre-reqs either to be eligible to apply. Someone else on here posted really good advice about looking at what the jobs in your area have to offer. I could be wrong again, but I don't think SLP's always make more than nurses. I feel that is probably very dependent on your area and of course what kind of SLP/Nurse they are and idk what the nurse acronyms all mean so forgive my answer if it makes no sense based on that! Also compare how competitive and map out how long the nursing programs are in your area versus the SLP programs. Go with whichever one seems like it is the better fit for your future goals and family plans. Either one is a really great way to help people and both are exciting options.

I know this topic is super old, but I went on a tour at Chico and really liked the town a lot. Anyone that actually went there who can offer some first hand reviews?

I hope this is the right spot to post this. I toured Fresno State for a potential Graduate school program and liked the school. I toured an seemingly amazing apartment with crazy amenities and price only to check on yelp and see that it was party central and catered to the sports team and rowdy jocks. No big deal until I look on yelp and see even the highest rated apartments have some kind of bad review associated with them, not minor it was ugly stuff but my car was broken into they charged me insane amounts of money, roach/mice infestations, horrible management etc. I know no apartment is going to be perfect but i'm going to be in Graduate school I'm NOT there to party and won't be able to succeed in my program if i'm tired because of rowdy neighbors. So my super long question is where near Fresno State University can I find safe, affordable housing that is for adults not rowdy college students? I realize how lucky I have been in all my past renting experiences not to have any of the above mentioned problems. Thanks for any insight!

Thank you these are all awesome questions! Any advice on how to get in touch with Graduate students? I know for a few meetings/tours I won't be in touch with them but feel like they will have the most candid reviews of the program!

Thank you! I totally would have forgotten to ask about the class/clinic schedule. I knew I was forgetting some no-brainer Q's! That question could be a tie breaker if i'm lucky enough to have a number of choices when the time comes

I'm pretty sure I have all the basics in mind to ask about. Program stats, what they look for in a student, confirming cost and other details. Is there anything obvious or random that I'm not thinking of? I'm doing a lot of tours this next month to see which programs are a good fit. Thanks!

Awesome thank you so much. Ugh so expensive! I'll have to get research that info on NAU as well and that might be the deciding factor between the two of them. Although friendly departments is super high on my wish list so who knows what will end up happening after some tours. Thanks for the contact names that were helpful for you I find having a name ahead of time that has worked for people speeds up the process!

Good news they do exist! They are few and far between and their application cycle is very competitive due to there being only a small amount. Bad news I don't know them all by name I just know there are some out there. They are more often referred to as extended Master's programs. The extended bit is your leveling coursework. San Diego State University used to have one but they got rid of it unfortunately due to costs. San Jose State University might have one. There are definitely a few in other states as well. I'd have to double check for names! Umm if I can find the resource I used to have I will send it your way. They do exist though Google the term "extended Master's Programs" to find out more places that is the key terminology. Also read the fine print as i've gone a different route Idk the details. I am positive you'd have to maintain a good GPA but other than that idk what the criteria is. This is San Jose's: http://www.sjsu.edu/cds/Programs/extended_ma/

Oh great! I was hoping I was wrong what with as many units as they have you take! Great I am looking at the same focus as you! Thanks for the info I'm excited to tour and ask some questions

They have an Autism center? Gosh their website is severely lacking in good information. Or i'm bad at finding it haha. Because that is definitely something i'd be interested in. Oi it's probably a good idea for me to come check it out then if it was unexpected, b/c i'll be coming from a similar environment. I'd really like somewhere that has a few fun things nearby so i'll have to yelp while i'm there and see what they have to offer. If I put them on my application list can I contact you in the future to see how your first semester went? Thanks for the info!

Hi you didn't mention what either of those degrees were, so if they were not Communication Disorders/Speech pathology you can only apply to certain programs so take that into account as well. I know you already have a Master's degree, but speech is different from other Master's programs in that you can't jump in with a different background unless you're going for an "extended" master's program (which builds in the extra time you need to take pre-reqs) or have done a post-baccalaureate program in this major to complete all the leveling classes. There are a few different options for getting the job done, researching on asha edfind or typing the phrase into google should help you out. Good luck!

This is definitely something to consider. Do you think it would be easy to get an accurate description of what the student body leaned towards? Party atmosphere or mellow? I feel like the schools would downplay it but if you were seeking that position I hope they'd give you an accurate description of what you're getting into. Thanks for the advice!

I'm narrowing down as we speak though so if I fall in love with a certain number and go and visit and know for a fact it's a bad fit i'll adjust that amount accordingly. When you asked them about your chances do you kind of give them a run down of your extra activities? For instance tell them I volunteered this long and worked in a lab this long and have this gpa etc? Or do you just ask them what they are looking for and weigh your application against what they have told you? Thanks this is very helpful advice for those of us diving into this super fun time of application prep season haha. I need to go take that GRE soon so I can figure out what i've got in all areas lol.

Anything that set them apart when you made your decision? Congrats! I'm going to go on a tour there in the next couple weeks to get a better feel for their school!

There are some schools in the Midwest if you look on Ed find you can compute which schools have those numbers. Each year the number fluctuates though so it is always best to call and check. Since a school that was 30% last year may have gone up or a school that was 50% May go down. Look in Ohio, Idaho, Michigan, Montclair in New Jersey, South Carolina, Arkansas etc. Lousiana.

Darn i'm not applying in New York or Wisconsin. Oh well!

Thank you so much for the pricing! For the research aspect do you happen to know if their program leans more towards the medical or school based side? I feel like i'd have a much easier time coming up with something interesting from the school-based/children area since that's where my interests lie. Do you recommend the head of the department for emails or was there a particular contact person that seemed especially helpful? I'm trying to keep track of who i've asked what and where. The research period of the application process isn't exactly hard but it is time consuming lol. Edit: is the 27K per year or for the entire program?

I hope this isn't a stupid question, but is Loma Linda primarily geared towards students wishing to enter the medical side of the Profession. I know they have the Medical Center and their description of their program talks quite a bit about swallowing disorders. I tried to find a degree requirements list of the courses to see if I could also take classes on Autism or Literacy etc. but didn't have any luck. I'm going on a tour in a week and didn't want to sound uninformed if most people already know their program to be highly medically focused. Are my impressions, based on the website, correct or could someone interested in working in schools or with kids still find a good fit at Loma Linda? Thanks!

So with the average GPA increasing how does that work when schools are telling us a ton of them are 4.0's are you saying all of them may be 4.0's for certain schools? Or just saying it can't be predicted so do as well as you can and work on all aspects of the application (which makes sense). 32% increase is insane. It's too bad we don't have any data on what is doing those increases. It could be something as simple as more students are educated on the odds and are applying to more programs or that particular school was advertised a bit more etc. But wowza that is a large increase. I couldn't help but notice that one of the schools listed on this site as being one that was "less competitive" (I think they're all competitive anyway) had a huge increase in numbers as well. Sometimes word of mouth and forums can make that cushion real or imaginary disappear in one cycle. I think i'll just focus on making the strongest application I can and really be conscientious in the schools I choose to apply to. How many would you recommend based on the opinion that people are acting too comfortable when applying? What do you consider a realistic number?