languagegirl

This is the FB group for NYU! https://www.facebook.com/groups/1750055565011112/?ref=ts&fref=ts

I think that you should pursue your masters. Your GPA is not the problem. A 3.6 GPA is quite respectable and a 3.45 GPA for SLP is not terrible either. What you need to boost are your GRE scores. Most schools have a cut off. If you don't make the cut off then most schools won't even look at your application. Most SLP programs will accept students from all different backgrounds. If you go to ASHA's edfind page (http://www.asha.org/edfind/), you can search schools and the website provides average GPA's they accept and their cutoff scores for the GRE. You should usually aim to get a score as close as possible to what you see there (usually 150 each for both quantitive and verbal). Many SLP program websites also offer this information. A background in special ed is amazing and your experiences with children with special needs must be many. However, if you don't make that cut off, most schools don't get to see any of the amazing work and experience you have that would make you a good candidate. My recommendation is to buy the GRE books and vocab cards and study like theres no tomorrow for no more than 12 weeks but no less than 4. You can buy a whole GRE Practice set on Amazon or Barnes and Nobles for $60. If you can afford classes, that might be a better option for you depending on what you feel will be most helpful. Don't give up!

I'd say business casual is good. Just avoid blue jeans I think. I wore black jeans to a few open houses. And comfortable shoes so you don't have to worry when you go on tours.

You don't have to commit before going to an open house! It's a chance to get to know the school, current students and potential students!

NYU is $500!! But alas, that's part of the deal.

Okay, honestly while Chicago is an amazing city (its gorgeous and I'll always have a special place in my heart for Chitown and the Cubs) I didn't end up meshing well with my cohort. Which is not to say it was their fault at all. But I was coming from NYC and most of my classmates were from the Midwest. Some were commuters and many already had friends or family in the city. Outside of class I spent most of my time alone and i had a hard time making friends in the place that was supposed to be my home for the next 2 years. I did have a good group of classmates & a couple of friends but most of the time it didn't make up for how unhappy and uninspired I was by my program. You can't pick your cohort but I would encourage you to visit open houses, go with your gut feelings, and look at the diversity of admitted students. Second, the program was focused on medical SLP and while I chose the program because of the unique opportunity it offered to be in a hospital setting, I realized I liked medical aspects of SLP but I loved the theoretical aspects, research, it's connection to psycholinguistics and that wasn't what my program prepared its students for. I went with what the school sold me as true about their program and not what I saw when I was at the open house. I encourage you to obviously consider what the school/program says about itself but ultimately get a sense of that yourself by talking to students and professors or even emailing if you can't go in person. As for choosing a new school, I was basically in a do or die position. I didn't want to waste time and I wanted to be closer to home. I chose two schools based solely on the fact that I was nervous about how my transition would look to the admissions of schools and needed some safety choices (or what I would consider safety's even though all SLP programs are difficult to get into). What I really wanted after moving back home was to be able to live at home but commute to the city so I started there. I applied to Columbia TC last year and got in but it wasn't my first choice. But I decided to reapply as I am bilingual and I would be okay with this path. However, I decided to look up NYU's program and I fell in love with all the opportunities (around 10 different research labs, clinical placements, elective courses, and study abroad in Sweden), along with the location of the school in Manhattan. I would like to pursue my PhD in the future and that is clear to me now and I think NYU gives me an opportunity to pursue that and my interests. I was lucky in that I found a school that I absolutely loved and felt was a much better fit the second time around and was able to get in. This all happened within the course of 2 weeks. But really put some thought into your programs before choosing one. I know a lot of people feel that it doesn't matter what school you go to as long as you get the degree but I've always felt that the program you choose does matter. It will shape the way you see SLP and your clients in the future. Plus no one wants to spend 2 years having a sucky experience especially when people are willing to move and change their life for grad school. You might as well pay good money for an education you'll actually enjoy! Best of luck and feel free to message me anytime!

I applied to schools for 2016-17 and was accepted to 4 schools (Columbia TC, Northwestern, Rush, and Temple). After moving to Chicago to attend grad school, I spent one semester unhappy with my school and ultimately decided to withdraw. I struggled with figuring out how to move forward - I had chosen a program that was not the best fit for me. I rarely found others with a similar situation online. People don't normally transfer or switch schools while getting a graduate degree. My mentor and professor from undergrad helped me and I reapplied within a few weeks of withdrawing. I was honest in my statements of purpose and applications and was admitted to two schools so far (NYU and Montclair) and was offered an interview at Hunter. NYU was my top choice. I made sure to carefully research schools and opportunities that the program could offer. My situation was a bit hectic and different but everything happens for a reason and it shows schools are willing to look at our unique circumstances! Best of luck to everyone!

Sorry, that might be misleading. I heard from them on 3/1 that I was offered an interview. But I will be interviewing on 3/14. I think most schools are releasing decisions in waves! I'll definitely post again once I have my interview!

Hey! I will be attending the Admitted students day! If for any reason you can't come feel free to message me for notes and info on what it was like!

Thanks! Much appreciated!

Hi guys! I am super psyched to be attending NYU this fall and have created an FB page! https://www.facebook.com/groups/1750055565011112/?ref=ts&fref=ts I'm excited to get to know everyone!

I received word of my acceptance to Montclair & NYU this morning so you should start hearing soon!

Yes! They are conducting interviews this year!

I recieved my financial aid letter and also recieved no funding. Originally that wasn't an issue - I was very excited to attend regardless. If you've read this thread, you know I was so excited to attend NU. But in the end, I decided to go with Rush, as NU seemed uninterested in whether I attended or not, or so it came off that way in an email I recieved and other communications. While I was so impressed and ready to go (it really is a fantastic school and program), I just couldn't see myself giving them all that money if they did not care for my attendance in the slightest (based on my impressions of the admins I have talked to). I know other people have had different experiences!! All the best, the best choice is always the one you make for yourself!

I definitely agree with you about that sparkle! I feel like I am definitely on the same page with you about the program and the different energies I got from both open houses and programs. @ENFPslp I think there is a certain pride and joy that comes from being accepted to a school that is more selective. Especially one that is so selective for undergrad and then you wonder, huh did is it really that great an accomplishment or program if they accept more people than other programs? Well I think like @SLP135 mentioned they probably accept a lot of people just to be safe. I know a lot of people who are already declining due to the issue of money. I think it's more of a safeguard because they probably have experience with lots of people applying and then less than needed attending. In any case, I think it's a protective measure and I didn't feel it said anything bad about us as students (we were selected over hundreds of other applicants!!) or the program! So feel proud and special no matter what! Your accomplishments got you your spot.

Northwestern SLL Class of 2018! Feel free to join! https://www.facebook.com/groups/236741376677398/

Hi guys! Just created a group for NU's class of 2018! Feel free to join! https://www.facebook.com/groups/236741376677398/

Hi @MHans! I was able to go to Rush and NU's open house and this is what I sent to @ENFPslp about what made me decide on NU and how the open houses went. I went to Rush and NU in the same day since I was flying in from New Jersey and couldn't come back "Hey! So I was able to go to NU's open house and I must say that I LOVED IT. Everyone was kind and excited about the program. They really showed how many opportunities were available at NU - included research, medical, school and rehab placements, and opportunities for specializations. I was able to talk to other students & staff members and they all had high energy levels about their program. I asked about the tuition and whether the price was justified. The response was that the opportunities and resources available at NU were unparalleled by other schools. One student told me that her placement manager said that when they receive internship applications from different universities, NU applicants go to the top of the pile. While this may not be true for every placement (who knows) I noticed that the environment was very supportive and the faculty and staff very proud of the NU program they have - but it didn't come off as snooty. Which was nice! I will also say that I've had three Uber drivers and all said they would rather by attended by someone at Northwestern in comparison to other clinics and hospitals. That also made me feel good about the school and the program. The admitted students were all very diverse and excited to be where they were. I went to Rush's open house and for some reason it didn't feel the same. (I'll add that this is not to take away from Rush's program. I thought they were very enthusiastic with their demonstration of the program, especially in terms of all the medical experience they offer. I know it's a fantastic program for those who know they want to work in the medical field. I however found that I could get similar opportunities plus more at NU in a style and environment where I learn best. I felt Rush wasn't a good fit for me as they imediately put you with clients from the hospital (with supervision of course) and while a difficult courseload doesn't scare me, I would like to take my foundational courses first and then start my clinical experience.) In any case, the building where the program is housed is very comfortable and the clinic building was clean, brand new, and pretty damn awesome. The technology available to us as students is so great. I was definitely impressed. That is all basically to say, that I have decided to attend Northwestern over my other schools. After everything I saw, I think it is definitely worth the cost. I know a lot of people don't think so, but the experience that they can offer is unlike other schools I have seen!" So, I was then asked by @ENFPslp about opportunities for paid teacher's assistant and research assistant opportunities, to which I responded: "I know they currently are not offering assistantship positions at the moment, although you can of course participate in all types of research regardless. I know money is a big factor so I had a big conversation with a current student and some prospective students like us. One prospective student basically said something similar to you in that he had received better financial offers from another school but he really wanted to go to NU. The current student (Meghan) said that she was also in a similar position when deciding between schools in 2014. However, she spoke to the director of NU's SLP program (who I believe is Kaplan) and she explained her situation and they were able to work something out (although she did not give specifics about what kind of aid she received). Additionally she said that NU is very conscious about the fact that their price is high, so they are constantly providing assistance in looking for scholarships for their students and providing information for any scholarships that come up, even after you've already enrolled in the program. So I thought that that showed they were very interested in helping their students. I know this doesn't necessarily provide the same opportunities as Purdue since you said that they have a lot of opportunities for financial aid. But overall there were a lot of people deciding between schools that have more money and the experience that could be offered at NU! So you're not alone, I also considered this before making my decision. If you can make it on campus and just walk around the Frances Searle building (which is the communications building) and the new clinic across the street, I think it would be good! Even if you can just arrange to talk to a current student because that's what really made me choose NU since all of the current students seemed to have such a wonderful experience. I even got to talk to some prospective students who had taken some of NU's online speech classes for the prerequisites and they said even online they loved their classes and their professors." If either of you would like to get the contact information of one of the current students, feel free to send me a private message! The school just emailed us with student contacts where we can ask more questions over email. Speaking to the current students is what really helped me make my decision. I wish you all the best in your decision making! @MHansand thanks for mentioning me @ENFPslp

I don't think there is! I've been thinking about starting one!

I am actually in the same dilemma but for my Chicago schools (Rush and NU) and I don't know what to do. Have you asked either of your schools if you can do a private tour? I know TC is more likely to connect you with a private tour and even a student! They did it for my friend so you should ask!

Ok! I'll definitely ask, cause those are some of my questions too!! @ENFPslp

Yes for sure!! I'll make a good list. Is there anything in particular you are interested in or want me to ask about? @ENFPslp

@ENFPslpI actually decided before my visit which is tomorrow! (Maybe that's a bit premeditated but I'm very excited and I wanted to make a decision already.) I mainly decided on Northwestern because I felt they had a well rounded program with all kinds of opportunities - new clinic, highly trained staff, research opportunities (particularly in neurological issues that I'm interested in) and I got the feeling that it didn't necessarily only focus on schools or only on the medical aspects of SLP but kind of a mix of two and you could personalize. I will really be making my absolute final decision this weekend and hopefully my visit to their program does not prove me wrong! *crosses fingers* While I am here I am also visiting Rush. Because while I decided on NU, I'm already here in Chicago, so I feel like I should check it out just in case. Have you gone to visit NU yet??

I think you're a competitive candidate! When it comes to the GRE, the most important thing would be to just make sure they are within the ranges the schools provide, which I always found on ASHA's edfind! If not, why not call up the schools? I know a lot of programs are willing to discuss your application and what could make it better!! I hope you get into your waitlisted schools! If not, don't give up!!!

I'm committed to Northwestern! You're not alone. I feel like when you know you know and everyone has a different way of going about making decisions! So no reason to feel bad!