theominousfuture

Hey! I was really worried about not having enough experience too. I looked up some speech clinics/hospitals near me and sent them a really polite email asking about any available opportunities and a small elevator speech about myself. I think I ended up reaching out to four places. I didn't think I'd hear back from any but I did hear from one! I don't know if you've tried cold-contacting places but I don't think it could hurt as long as you're super polite, humble, and eager. Maybe try to find a place that mentions volunteers on their website? September is coming up and the school year is starting so lots of places will soon be swamped and needing help. Worth a shot! Oh also, the psychology/language development research team at my school has accepted students from outside the school as volunteers or research assistants. Maybe reach out to some schools near you to see if they need an extra set of hands at a lab. Again, super polite and eager! Either people will appreciate you taking the initiative or totally ignore you but I think it's worth putting yourself out there.

Thank you so so much for your response! It's so great to hear that I'm not the only one who feels stagnant when having to delay school. Many of my other friends will already be in school when I start applying so that makes me feel a bit out of the loop but you're absolutely right in saying that the time and salary won't matter in the long run. I think I might take a diagnostic GRE and if I really bomb it, then I'll be settled on my extra year plan. If it doesn't go terribly, maybe I'll try to apply to a few schools. Thanks for your input and best of luck with your applications!

I searched for my science course with open.suny.edu! You can search through all the online courses offered by ALL the SUNY schools so it's a really great option, especially for NY residents. I decided on Human Biology (3 credits, no lab) through SUNY Ulster. In the description, it says it's a science course designed for non-science majors so I thought it would be pretty ideal! I second mccamp's suggestion to look towards local community colleges.

Hey all! So I have a problem. I just finished my summer semester in my post-bacc through SUNY New Paltz. I have a 4.0 in those three post-bacc courses, a 3.53 in my overall psychology major (last 60 being a 3.96). I have some pretty okay experience working with selectively mute students and administering preschool assessments like the PLS-5 to kiddos in NYC. I could be applying to schools for 2017 BUT I don't feel comfortable trying to cram for the GRE between August and an October test date. I have really bad test anxiety and I'm thoroughly dreading math. ALSO I have 1-2 LOR people in mind but I don't have the third letter I'd need. I'm waiting to hear back this week from a speech clinic to volunteer and observe at. Hopefully everything works out and then I'd feel pretty confident about getting a good letter through them. Of course, getting a letter from a clinic would mean working with them for a while which would be a part of my "take the extra year" plan. (If it doesn't work out, I'll just continue my search for experience.) My plan now is to finish my post-bacc in May 2017, spend that free summer studying for the GRE and getting speech experience, take the GRE in like October 2017, and hear back from schools in early 2018. My lease is also through 2018 so I wouldn't need to worry about living somewhere while not in school. I also want to stay in NYC and be competitive for NYC schools so more pressure to have a pristine application. Pros for applying now: - Don't have to take an extra year off and join the class of 2018 (so I don't potentially miss out on a year's salary?) Cons for applying now: - I'd have a weak third letter of rec - Having to cram for the GRE in such a short amount of time (definitely not do as well as I would after prepping for longer) - Having to do all the test prep, SOP drafting, and app preparation while taking 4 more post-bacc classes that start Aug 29th. I just feel so strange taking an extra year when I feel like I should be moving forward. It kinda feels like wasting time but I also really feel like spacing everything out would be so much better. Does anyone have anything to add to my list that I didn't consider? How would you all act in my position? This nervous wreck thanks you all profusely for your help.

I'm currently in the SUNY New Paltz program taking three courses over the summer and so far the professors have been awesomely attentive and super quick to respond to any concerns. I feel more taken care of now than I have in my undergrad in-person courses! So far only one of my courses (the anatomy and physiology course) requires proctored exams. My other classes do quizzes over blackboard that have some anti-cheating mechanisms like a time limit for the exam and randomization of question order. I have one professor who set up quizzes in a way that forces you to complete the quiz within a time limit without closing or switching your browser. This same class is very discussion based (with discussions posted every Tuesday to a list of topic questions the teacher has posted). I didn't expect to enjoy this part of the class so much but I really feel like it makes me pay close attention to the material and gives the professor an opportunity to actively watch me learn the material and read my thoughts on it. I definitely feel like she knows me as a student even though the course is online. Just my two cents! Let me know if you have any more questions!

Hey all! Does anyone know how much time should be set aside for 9 credits (3 classes) in SUNY New Paltz's online post-bacc program? The advisor recommended 10-12 hours per week per course but I'd love some input from people who've been through the program. Thanks a ton!

Thank you for sharing your experience with the application process! What kind of questions did you ask the schools? Are they really straightforward with telling you if you'd be competitive?

I'm glad you're in a program you love! It's nice that Montclair is so open to out of field applicants. I guess I'm a bit intimidated by the kick ass GPAs and GRE scores of the SLP undergrads I see on these forums!

Very true, it's going to be a pricey process. I feel like I'm not a strong enough candidate to be shortening my list and I really like each of the programs/could see myself attending What were your impressions of the Montclair admissions process? Did you talk to anyone who gave you the sense that they were holistic reviewers?

Your classmate gave some fantastic advice! I'm gonna get started on a massive excel spreadsheet for all my schools. Hopefully I can be as organized by the time application season rolls around. I'm a bit concerned about letters of rec. I trust my recommenders but I feel like I'll overwhelm them with so many schools but I want to keep my options open!

Hey all! I'm a Psych BA (3.5 GPA, 3.9 last 60 hours) starting a post-bacc program at SUNY New Paltz this summer. Background: I've worked with selectively mute kids, I'm in the process publishing a lit review/article in an undergrad journal on the subject, assisted in a classroom that had special needs children, and the research team that I'm on does a great deal of language development work and through the team, I'll get experience becoming certified in and administering several language assessments very commonly used by speech language pathologists to children on a large scale. After my post-bacc, I'm thinking of applying to these 18 schools: LIU Brooklyn, NYU, Columbia, Hunter College, New York Medical College, SUNY New Paltz, Montclair, Kean, Northeastern, MGH, Penn State, University of Pittsburgh, Southern Connecticut State University, UConn, Sacred Heart, University of Central Florida, Jacksonville University, and Howard University. Does anyone know how holistically any of these schools view applications? I'm planning on doing well on the GRE and my post-bacc but I want to know how schools will look at my other experiences. Has anyone had experience with these admissions offices and can speak to how thorough they are? I would also prefer to stay in NYC or the tri-state area so does anyone have and info on specifically those schools? I'm panicking a whole year in advance and this website's community keeps me sane. Thank you all for your time and advice.

Holy smokes, I would have thought you'd be a sure thing for NYU too. I've heard people with lower stats get into their program all the time. Did you do your undergrad in CSD? I feel like I hear more speech path undergrads express frustration with admissions compared to out of field applicants. It's a jungle out there.

Thank you all for your advice and wisdom. I've just gotten into the SUNY New Paltz post bacc program and hopefully I'll do well enough in it to really increase my chances at a Master's program! It seems that if I manage to get a 4.0 for my post-bacc, it'll bring my combined GPA somewhere around a 3.6. Will this, along with the rest of my application, be able to make the cut at the following schools? NYU, Teachers College, SUNY New Paltz, LIU Brooklyn, CUNY Hunter, New York Medical College, Kean, Montclair

I'm from the city so I was considering it if I got into a local school. But it seems now that getting in is a bit of a long shot haha. Hmm it seems that post-bacc may be the way to go! How long have those taken in your experiences?

Hello all! I'm a senior at a well-known university majoring in Psychology and minoring in child mental health and education. I'm looking at taking a year off to study for the GRE and getting some more experience before applying to clinical and school psychology programs. My graduating GPA will be a 3.53 (straight A's for the last 2 years) and I'll have done 2 years of developmental psych research experience and a blend of direct child clinical experience, classroom assisting, crisis counseling and training, and underserved youth work. I also have gotten certified in and regularly administered classroom assessments and a few developmental psych/language child assessments. In terms of research, I'll have a lit review/article on a childhood anxiety disorder published in one of my school's undergrad journals this April and if all goes well, I'll be second author on a poster presentation at a conference this summer. I'm also doing inpatient screening at the child/adolescent department of a hospital this summer. Programs in mind: Fordham School Psychology PhD and PD, Yeshiva Combined School-Clinical PsyD, Pace School-Clinical PsyD, Hofstra Clinical Psych PhD, St. Johns PsyD and Specialist, and TC/Columbia School Psych PhD (very much a reach) and Specialist-level degree. Am I on track for the programs I'm looking at (given I do well on the GRE that I'm taking half a year to study for)? Does anyone have some advice about these schools? Thank you all in advance for your time and advice!!

Congratulations on your acceptance!! Also, good god that is a lot of applicants. If you don't mind me asking, are you planning on doing the NYC Teach scholarship for NYU if you decide to attend? I'd love to learn more about that process if you have any info/advice. It seems like a spectacular opportunity but I'm just an outsider looking in.

Oh man, thank you for the tip about EdFind! Up until now I've just been using the NYU website which claims that: Data on accepted applicants: Below is information about the interquartile range for GPA, GRE-verbal, GRE-quantitative, and GRE-writing. The interquartile range is the middle 50% of scores. This means that 25% of the accepted students are below this range and 25% are above this range. In evaluating applications, we examine the whole application, including letters of recommendation, statements of purpose, etc. GPA: 3.56-3.85GRE-verbal: 152-160GRE-quantitative: 150-156GRE-writing: 4.0-5.0 Unfortunately they don't meet with prospective students and haven't listed their next info session :( It'd be nice to find out their acceptance rate!

Thank you for the response! I will look up your comment later in the summer when I'm sure I'll be feeling those procrastinating urges. The main school I'd really like to get into is NYU and they emphasize that they accept students of all backgrounds and levels of relevant coursework. Does anyone know how true this is?

Hello all! I'm a senior at a well-known university studying child/adolescent psychology and education. I'm thinking of applying to speech pathology programs after my gap year but I don't have a background in the coursework and I'm trying to avoid doing a post-bacc if I can. GPA: 3.53 (3.9 last two years) GRE: I haven't taken it yet, but I have a whole half year to study for it and I will hopefully get a great score. But here's the thing! I've worked with selectively mute kids, I'm in the process publishing a lit review/article in an undergrad journal on the subject, assisted in a classroom that had special needs children, and the research team that I'm on does a great deal of language development work and through the team, I'll get experience becoming certified in and administering several language assessments very commonly used by speech language pathologists to children on a large scale. Will any of this be enough to get into a program that will let me take pre-reqs upon admission? Thank you all for your time and advice. It's much appreciated.