copaceticbroad

NYU is also miserably expensive. It's an option, but it shouldn't be a top one.

I don't want to tell you that you'll get in everywhere because I can't know and false hope is cruel, but I'm not seeing any real weakness in your stats (unless you count the lack of research). Maybe if you applied exclusively to schools with less than 10% acceptance rates, but you look very strong to me. But, on a more nuts-and-bolts note, YES, being an RPCV is huge. Programs aren't going to look for that in particular, but your cross-cultural experiences will really stand out. Also, there is a desperate need for bilingual SLPs, so make sure you really nail your final LPI– Mandarin is the hardest language I've ever studied, so good on you. I would think you should look for regions with larger Chinese populations, which tragically means California, but maybe take a look at Oregon and Washington too? (Uh, in case it isn't obvious, I am an RPCV as well)

New Paltz! Amherst and NYU were too expensive at face value (I understand Amherst gives out financial awards later on, but I couldn't make that decision on hope alone); New Paltz is a bit more expensive than Brooklyn, but I sensed a more nurturing environment there.

If you really want to go to grad school in NYC, there are cheaper programs in the area. Adelphi and Touro (as well as the CUNYs) come to mind.

Have you considered Delaware and the schools in Philadelphia? It sounds like you're in South Jersey. You wouldn't get in-state tuition (unless there's a NJ/DE reciprocity that I'm forgetting), but since staying close to your community is important to you, it might be worth considering, especially if you could stay with someone rent-free.

I will have to let you know- I haven't started yet To be perfectly honest, I think the best preparation for this graduate program is my past experience- I already have one master's degree and I've worked in schools for 7 years. The practical experience and my usual work ethic will hopefully stand me in good stead.

It's a decent program, I think. Since I worked about 50 hours a week while taking each class, I wasn't incredibly motivated or giving it my best effort, but I learned a good amount. There are two important points, though. 1. The 8 week classes are INTENSE. They cover a lot of material in that timeframe, though some professors (Swift) more than others. When possible, I took 16 week classes. Also, 2. In my experience, the better classes are taught by on-campus professors. There was one professor (Melinda something) who taught online sections, but as far as I could tell, all she ever did was grade. The materials and assignments were designed by other professors, and she never provided lectures. Consequently, her classes were pretty easy A's, but I would have liked to have learned more.

I'm afraid I can't help you with that. You're better off asking Suzanne Swift.

I didn't get a 2nd bachelor's there; I just took leveling courses. What do you want to know?

So Brooklyn will actually waive your application fee if you attend their graduate open house. That's probably not a huge help for you, since it is midweek in October, but that's part of why I was comfortable applying to more than one CUNY. Additionally, check that you meet all of Hunter's pre-reqs very carefully. I thought I met them, but it turns out that they want more than just the 5 speech classes– they have a set number of undergrad gen ed courses they want you to have taken. I wasn't asked for an interview (I have decent stats, and I attended Hunter for my first master's degree) and I imagine that's part of the reason why. (If you're wondering how I met the gen ed requirement for one grad program but not two, the answer is that SLP seems to have stricter requirements.) As for the late acceptance date for New Paltz, they misread my application and thought I didn't have enough pre-req courses. They realized their mistake and included me in their second round of interviews/acceptances. It was a bit nerve racking– I had accepted another school's offer, but I felt New Paltz was a better fit. If you check the Results board, I think most people received acceptances in March. Oh, and the schools that required interviews were Hunter, Brooklyn, and New Paltz; of the two that interviewed me, both Brooklyn and New Paltz required writing samples.

To be honest, until I recently I assumed that NYC/NJ was the most competitive market in the US, but I guess there are some other areas that are similar. The CUNYs are the most competitive of all the schools in the city; I only applied to two because the app fee is $125 each; Queens is nowhere near a subway (they have a shuttle bus, but I refuse); and Lehman requires LORs from two professors who have supervised you, which would have been tough since I did my pre-reqs online. The private schools typically accept more applicants, but they also cost an arm and a leg (TC & NYU at any rate). I am going to attend New Paltz, actually; I grew up in a neighboring county, and I really liked the feel of the department that I got when I visited. Some things you might want to consider are that you'll need to drive for externships, since New Paltz is a pretty small village, and also, not all of the professors have PhDs. I don't see that as a huge drawback, but I imagine that is part of why the ranking is so low– I suspect that the focus is much more on teaching than on research, which is where a lot of the US News etc. credit comes from. Nevertheless, I am pretty excited about starting in the fall.

I took pre-requisite courses through ENMU online, because it was the cheapest option and the classes were asynchronous. It has been mentioned that not every course is available each term, but I never had any scheduling problems. For me, the thought of paying for 3 years of grad school (AND being unemployed for 3 years to boot!) was very unappealing.

There are a lot more schools in the greater NYC area– at the very least, 3 more CUNYs, if you're looking for affordability.

There's a professor at UMass Amherst whose specialty is autism research. She has gotten 2 grants to fund graduate fellowships over the past decade, so it's definitely worth checking out.

1. Congratulations! but 2. This legitimately sounds like the start of a spy thriller. The only reason that this would never work is that who needs speech therapy to rescue the world from geopolitical disaster?

If anyone is interested, I just got an email about an online program NYU has (is just starting this year?), called Speech@NYU. You can read more about it here. It might be cheaper. Also, NYU claims that "Speech@NYU’s online courses are unlike those of any other online communicative sciences and disorders programs", which is kind of a tall order, but hey, maybe it's true. https://speech.steinhardt.nyu.edu/about/faq/

I second the posters who say you should take some time off to get outside experiences. My numbers are decent, but I feel very confident that what clinched the deal was the amount of time I have spent: teaching English to non-native speakers (2 years) teaching language arts to high school students (6 years) and learning how to function in a professional environment (all of my time post-college) I wouldn't necessarily recommend either of the top two points, though you should definitely work with a population that relates to SLP, but I can't recommend the last point highly enough. Being able to conduct yourself like a professional is a huge asset. At one open house, I watched some undergraduate applicants speak to professors somewhat unprofessionally– not rudely, mind you, just in a way that emphasized their inexperience– and it made quite an impression. Also, one way to make sure you get accepted is to be open to different possibilities. If you're willing to consider an online program or one that's far away or one that may not specialize in what you want, your odds are much better.

I have finally decided and committed! 1. Why did you choose the program you're going to? What really sold it for you? New Paltz! It was one of the most rigorous programs I looked at (62-68 credits), which sounds good for an out-of-field applicant. In addition, it's one of the most affordable options, and the location is beautiful. I also formed a very positive impression when I went to the open house– it was the only one I attended where the program director met with applicants, and the atmosphere felt friendly. Finally, I'm originally from the Hudson Valley, so heading home is nice. 2. How many schools did you apply to? Five. I wanted to give myself a decent shot at acceptance without going bankrupt on application fees. I picked schools that wouldn't be too hard to commute to (though might require moving), that were potentially affordable, and that I might get into. Brooklyn and Hunter were mostly whims, but whaddaya know, I got into one of them.

1. Yes, you should take courses before you apply. To begin with, you want to make sure that you enjoy and succeed in classes like this. Additionally, most programs want letters of recommendation from SLP professors, and that's the only way to get them. Also, while some schools have a leveling track, not all of them do– and it's much more expensive. In most state schools, undergraduate credits are cheaper than graduate credits. 2. I don't think so. I got into 4/5 programs after taking relevant courses, and at least one of those programs is unbelievably competitive. 3. No courses would disqualify you from consideration, so don't worry about that. Different programs will have varied requirements, but every school I considered wanted these 5 courses: Introduction to Communication Disorders Language Development Anatomy & Physiology of the Speech & Hearing System Phonetics Audiology If you look through different schools, you'll probably see some variation on pre-reqs, but most of those should pop up. Make sure you take them. As for 4– I can see why that would be an appealing path, but I still carry some debt from undergrad. My pre-req decision was informed by which program had the greatest number of options for the most affordable price, which led me straight to ENMU.

@moni28, I did interview, but it was very late. They said they'd misread my application and thought I was missing pre-reqs. Thus, I don't really know what my chances are. I am fairly familiar with New Paltz– I grew up and went to high school just across the river. In general, I LOVE the Hudson Valley, so while night driving isn't my favorite, I could probably handle it. Thank you for all this information!

@moni28, thank you! What was your impression of the grad program? Was it well run? Did you ever hear about grad students struggling to get the classes or placements that they needed? Would love to hear any of your thoughts, though I understand if undergrads don't have much contact with graduates.

I don't know much about either of them, but since no one else is giving any suggestions, I will make one. If there's no overwhelmingly compelling reason to attend Northwestern (an unusual specialty, a professor you want to do research for), then TC is the better option. The cost of moving must be at least $5K, right? And then room and board for 2 years would be at least $24K. So I would vote for Columbia.

I stand corrected! In that case, though, SLP/CSD should be treated like STEM. STEM professors make very competitive salaries, because it's understood that they would leave for industry otherwise. I get that we're a health profession, but there are plenty of nursing programs out there; someone found a way to make it worthwhile for those instructors.

@palabracrush, I assume so, but I haven't asked. My understanding is that admission committees want to know if applicants can succeed in graduate school (which sounds silly and simplistic as I type it, but it's obviously true). I think your best bet is to come up with a list of schools that you would feel comfortable attending and email them asking if they consider credits earned after undergrad.

I think you should! Our backgrounds are similar, and I've gotten into some programs on the East Coast, which I hear is a bit more competitive than the midwest. Me (numbers are in the signature): Undergrad- majored in English Master's in Secondary Education (ELA 7-12), 3.77 GPA 5+ years of teaching experience in public school 2 years of Peace Corps service (TEFL) in Eastern Europe; some proficiency in Russian Pre-reqs through an online program Confession: I have no volunteer experience or observation hours. Some programs don't mind.