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@AnnaB70 I did four classes online through Utah State University (I wrote about my experience on my blog too), and I liked it a lot. They were the MOST organized online classes I'd ever taken - seriously. And I got several admissions offers. I applied to schools that would let me finish the rest of my leveling courses as part of my masters. I'd be happy to tell you more about my experience at USU or at UNM where I'm in grad school. Feel free to PM me or email me through my blog

I took the Anatomy course through USU and I needed to complete 2 in order to meet the requirements set at UNM. USU divides the anatomy into the speech mechanism (1class) and the ear (a 2nd class). Maybe if you take both classes it'll count as the anatomy requirement you need? Check with your advisor

Congratulations on getting in! I'm sorry it didn't work out because of the other career stuff. But I agree with the other posters, I wouldn't mention it. At best it may help them think "Well XYZ University liked him/her. Do we like him her?" but at worst.... there's a much longer list: braggadocious, uncommitted, as if this university is your backup, etc. In the end, I think you have more to lose than to gain. If you were admitted elsewhere, me confident and trust in yourself that you'll be admitted again. I know it is a big scary gamble, but you've done it once before so you can do it again!

That's something I'm looking at right now too! What a great question!

Definitely agree with @chaitealatte above Maybe consider a way to overlay your notes onto the actual GFTA protocol as "reminders" so that clinicians don't have to look between 2 or 3 papers when doing an eval.

Have you thought about deferring for a year? See if it is an option. Work full-time and save as much as you can. You're right, $100,000 is a lot of debt. That is basically like buying a house! I'm not saying don't go, but maybe think about it. If you got in once, you've definitely get what it takes to get in again...at a more affordable, state school. Just my 2 cents

Yep Just sent you a message

Just out of curiosity, where did you end up going - A or B? What are your thoughts now?

It is now on the list! Asking about early re-payment in general seems like a good idea!

Don't worry about it

That's a great one! I'll add it to the list or maybe even do a whole separate post on financial aid!

Hey everyone, I'm working on a few blog posts about finances (saving money, funding for grad school, etc). I've got an interview set up with a financial advisor from Vanguard. I'm wondering, what are your most burning, desperate questions about grad school + money?

I have noticed a lot of people struggle with writing their personal statement / letter of intent. It is a weird piece of writing that most people have never done before. One thing I've heard multiple people say is, "I've never even read one before..." To help I'm putting together some example personal statements to share as a download on my blog. Is anyone willing to share theirs so I can include it in the download? It would really help because writing lots of examples myself is a slow process, haha. I am a little worried about people taking them and using them as their own (although I hope no one is stupid enough to do that). I think part of the answer to that worry is that just because a personal statement was part of one person's successful application doesn't mean it will work elsewhere. Each set of circumstances is unique. Anyway, I hope I can count on a few people to help out! Send me a private message and I'll share my email

I asked the same thing back when I started my SLP program, so interviewed someone who had just finished and got some advice: http://www.thespeechblog.com/tips-for-grad-school-success/ He was in a situation very similar to mine. Maybe you could find someone in a situation like yours and speak with them?

Generally, I don't like to pay for things I can do myself. That said, when I first started prepping for the GRE, I tried to do a free, DIY kind of thing. When I finally bit the proverbial bullet and paid for a class, it was SO UNDOUBTEDLY worth it. I'm not saying a consultant is the same thing, but I'm sure there are some advantages- especially if the pricing is not outrageous.

Another tip I thought of based on @Louly's reply, if you're used to now working a 9-5 job (which it sounds like you are), grad school won't be bad if you keep that same mindset. Instead of letting studying and clinical prep invading every moment of your life, see if you can manage to confine it to 9-5, 3-4 days per week. I came back to grad school after working full-time for a few years and with that mindset, grad school hasn't felt overwhelming and I have enough time that I could probably work 2 full days (maybe Fri & Sat) and be okay still. Does that make sense?

My tip is to find a niche and dive deep through research (do a thesis project) and extra certifications. "Medical" is a pretty wide term that includes the entire lifespan and scope of disorders SLP's cover. If you're willing to do a thesis project under a professor, 1) you'll probably make tons of connections on your own. I've had classmates do thesis projects related to aphasia and dysphagia in adults and they end up doing heavy recruiting and spending lots of time in hospitals. It is a great way to make connections. 2) That professor may be willing to "show you the ropes" on how to break into those areas. 3) You'll become quite an expert on the topic and sort of "prove yourself" as committed to that area. Finally, don't feel like you HAVE to be an expert when you interview. One of my SLP mentors told me she worked several years in schools and clinics before landing a great job at a hospital. She said that in her interview they asked about her variety of experience and she was honest, "I need to brush up on ____" but she still got the job. Other advice, listen to the professors and clinical instructors who are advising you. Many of them had (or still have!) long and varied careers before working at the university level. Finally, I'd say remember that it takes a bit of time. You're not going to land your dream job right out of school. It may take a few years to work your way up. Start in a SNF to get some good hard skills and experience. Be willing to move or have a long commute if it means you're learning invaluable skills.

I think that's great I'm also willing to help out and read over an admissions essay / personal statement. PM me for my email

Hi @Becky G. First off, kudos to you for being willing to share your experiences on here and ask for advice. That takes a bit of courage! Your overall GPA (3.19) isn't hot, but its not horrible. Your major GPA (3.7) is not bad! Do you know how it shakes out in-terms of "the last 60 hours?" Some schools only look at the last 60 credit hours no matter what. Might be worth calculating that GPA. As for GPA being a "red flag," I don't think that's the case. I think of GPA as more of a "gate keeper." What does that mean? Imagine there are 200 applications. They might do something like rank them from highest GPA to lowest and then only read the top 50. Not every school does that or exactly that way, but many schools (especially those who receive TONS of applications) do something like that. As for your GRE: I once did a little research for my blog and found that 303 was the average of the average for GRE scores across programs. So you're above average! That's good! How about your writing? Writing scores are important too. Have you considered prepping and re-taking? I know it sucks (I HATED the GRE). I spent 6 months preparing (20min to an hour per day, just like it was a class) and I raised by score a bunch. It sounds like you have some really great work/professional experiences that will help you write an amazing personal statement! Please reach out to me in a direct message if you'd like some help with it You can definitely ask for letters of rec from previous professors. Since it has been a while, you might consider going to ask in person to make it more personal and remind them indirectly of who you are. Since you're out of school for a while, you could probably be safe with 1 of 3 letters being from a professional source (but it will depend on the specific school). Finally, do not lose hope! I know people who applied 3 or 4 times before getting in and they're practicing SLP's now! I know people in my program RIGHT NOW with lower GPA and GRE than yours...and they're months away from finishing. A huge part of the process is luck, but don't lose hope and miss out on that other part that requires hard work and determination! You can do it!

Wow @momoftwo! I have met several SLPs who started in your shoes. I know an SLP who now owns a clinic and employs over 100 SLPs, OTs, and PTs, and she had a tough time getting into graduate school because of her accent. But she started just like you - as a mother of a child who needed SLP services. I think SLPs like her (and soon-to-be-SLPs like you!) have a unique perspective that really enhances the education of others in the classroom. Obviously you don't have to have a child with a disability to become a therapist, but understand family perspectives is a huge part of what we do as SLPs. It's 1/3 of our evidence based practice! There is a huge need and interest in pediatric feeding specialists in our field. I think with your experiences you could craft an amazing application. I'm no expert, but I'd be willing to help if I can! I'll send you a private message on here with my email.

I wish I had seen this early! I'm at UNM and love it! I wrote a full review about it on my blog. I'm guessing it is a little bit late to be helpful, haha. What did you end up deciding?

Hey GingerD! Sounds like you're super early-on in the process. This is a great place to start gathering info. Check out ASHA EdFind, and also look around at blogs. There's a flow chart here that (though a little cheesy) is kind of a nice, quick and dirty summary: http://www.thespeechblog.com/step-by-step-to-become-a-speech-language-pathologist/ I think one thing that might help you is to set-up a timeline and to understand the admissions cycle/timeline. You'll need to know when you would need to finish your leveling courses, etc to know when to apply, to know when to take the GRE, etc, etc. Does that make sense? And finally, I don't think 15 years away from school is a bad thing. In fact, if you leverage it right in your personal statement it might even be a strength. There are several people in my program who have take 15 (or even 30!) years off between their last degree and the masters. You can do it!

There's a form here: http://www.thespeechblog.com/resources/ On most applications, there will just be a box asking if you have completed the 25 hours or not. Once you're in, they'll work with you to get the documentation you need. I made my own form originally, but then when I got in I had to go back to the SLP I observed and re-do it. So, don't stress too much. If you have a good relationship with the SLP you're observing, I'm sure they'd be willing to help you out as needed. SLP's tend to be nice people.

I think your research experience sounds like something that could be really great if you work it into your personal statements in the right way. We need more swallowing research in the field! Did that prof also write one of your letters of rec? Maybe get some guidance from a professor or a coach on your personal statements. Like people above said, focus on raising your GRE scores if you can. It looks like your combined is a 300, which is pretty close to average. So that's not bad! Maybe focus on getting your writing up to a 4, or at least a 3.5. Not to toot my own horn, but I studied hardcore with Magoosh and boosted my score by a lot. http://www.thespeechblog.com/how-i-boosted-my-gre-score-by-15-points/ If you're taking a gap year, can you work as an SLP-A? That is a great way to boost your clinical experience which would really round out your awesome research experience.

Paper notes all the way!