kc1m2l8c

Hi @maurmaur - hopefully my response isn't too late. I was really pleased with the quality of education and the availability of courses through the UFL post-bacc program. They're also one of the more affordable options. If you have any specific questions, feel free to PM me. I would recommend supplementing with in-person classes if you're able to. It's much easier to get quality recommendation letters from professors that you interact with in a normal classroom setting. It can certainly be done through online courses as well, it will just take much more effort on your part and still may not be viewed as highly by an admissions committee. Of course your rec letters may come from non-CSD professors as well if you studied a related field in undergrad and completed your degree somewhat recently.

I completed most of my pre-requisites through the University of Florida online program and Marymount Manhattan College's (MMC) post-bacc program (in person), but I am taking my last course through SUNY New Paltz (speech science). I've been exposed to a lot of the material in the course I'm taking through SUNY New Paltz through the other courses I had taken previously, so I have been dedicating a bit less time to the class. There are typically three homework assignments per week, each which can take 1-2 hours. If you were watching the audio powerpoints, that would be another 3-6 hours. We have a test every two weeks, so if you figure you're doing the readings and studying for that an additional 3 hours per week, that gets you to a total of 7 to 15. I have never spent 15 hours on any single course (including those at UFL and MMC) in a week, but there were probably weeks that demanded 10 to 12 hours of my time for a class (not every week though). I knew someone who did half her pre-requisites through SUNY New Paltz and she said she had more work for those courses than she did for our in-person course at MMC. It sounded like she had to do a lot of writing. The speech science course has more labs than writing, which I personally find less time consuming. Each course is definitely different, and you will find some require much more time than others. If it helps, I worked full time while doing my prerequisites, and I was able to comfortably handle 2 classes at a time (with short periods of extreme stress thrown in). I usually reserved my entire Saturday to school work (up until about 5:00pm). Sometimes, I had to use a portion of Sunday as well. And I read / studied / attended class for about two hours per day during the work week. If I wanted to push myself to squeeze in 3, I probably could have, but I definitely would have had to sacrifice sleep, exercise, and even more social time. I hope this helps.

Are you referring to your EFC or to your financial aid award? The EFC is the only thing that FAFSA will determine, and you should have that immediately upon filiing. The school will determine your ultimate financial aid award package. The timing of the award letter depends on the school. Hope that helps!

I'm just posting this for anyone who has the same issue and stumbles across this post. I did speak with the financial aid office. It wasn't a mistake as much as just how their process works. I am indeed eligible for the maximum federal direct loan and PLUS loans to bridge the gap between that maximum amount and the total cost of attendance. At UW, they first award you the minimal amount of loans based on your FAFSA EFC and put it on you to request more. I personally think they should explain that in the award letter, but there it is.

Regarding the class size, I had the same concern and asked the student that I was speaking with about it. She said all cohorts can of course be different, but she didn't think the size prevented the group from being close. She said that her cohort is really close and very supportive.

@hkates I'd really like to hear more of your thoughts on PSU. I had noted several electives that interested me - do you know how many electives can be fit into the program? I'd also be interested to hear what in particular swayed you toward PSU over the UO? I am honestly worried about the program size - it seems so large. How do they accommodate that many students? What is their clinical training model like? Did you get any quantitative data on the students' workload? The one student I had been speaking with at the UO said that the first quarter of her first year wasn't too difficult but that she had 60+ hours of clinic and coursework per week during winter quarter.

This school didn't even offer me PLUS loans as an option! I don't know how I'm supposed to invent money. I'm hoping this was all just a mistake. I thought schools would only use what was reported on the FAFSA in determining aid, so that's good to know I can reach out to inform them my income will be SIGNIFICANTLY different. I had already come to terms with the fact that my 2015 income would prohibit me from receiving any aid except for loans (like work study), so maybe if they understand I won't be making that during the academic year I could become eligible for other types of aid too? I'm really stressing about this.

I apologize for posting yet another financial aid question, but I am really perplexed. Before yesterday, I'd received financial aid award letters from two schools, each with a 2016-2017 cost of attendance of about $40,000. Both schools had given me the maximum $20,500 in Federal Direct Loans and then the remainder of the cost of attendance was covered by Graduate PLUS Loans. So both award letters would have allowed me to take out full cost of attendance in federal student loans. However, I received an award letter yesterday from one of my top school choices that only allotted me $9,000 in Federal Direct Loans for the year. Nothing else. The cost of attendance is comparable to the other two schools. I'm really confused because I thought graduate students were guaranteed $20,500 in Federal Direct Loans. Does anyone know why the amount would be so different? I do currently work full time (and did curing CY 2014), so my expected family contribution on the FAFSA is greater than $0, but that clearly wasn't an issue with the other two schools. I had intended to cover most of my expenses with student loans...now I'm worried that I won't be able to at all schools.

Yes, I interviewed on March 11th.

I'd been waiting to reach out to the program director at Queens College with all of my questions until I knew for sure I'd been accepted. Everyone tells me that QC has a great reputation (at least within New York). I'm wondering, however, whether that reputation extends outside of New York and also how many graduates end up working in the medical setting. When I search LinkedIn (I don't have premium access right now, so my searches are curtailed), I am really not seeing many people working in hospitals or rehab clinics. Does anyone have any feedback on these two questions? I'd rather poll the outside world first to see if it jives with what the program tells me.

No worries - thank you for following up! I haven't seen any apartment listings in Mercer Island but will keep my eyes open. That's too bad Gig Harbor is so far from campus.

Of those schools, I only have some familiarity with the University of Oregon (through my own research and conversations with current students and professors). What are you interested in knowing? Where do your interests lie within the field?

@Gingiestrong This apparently depends on your state of residence (https://fafsa.ed.gov/deadlines.htm#). I can't imagine most states would have a deadline that preceded the tax filing deadline. Do you plan to file an extension or are you sticking with April 18? Also, you can submit your FAFSA before your taxes are finalized and then update it once your taxes are filed (it's just your responsibility to remember to update it - I'm not sure reminders are sent). If you do this, just make sure you select "going to file" in the FAFSA when it asks about your tax return status and use your best estimate on the figures (wages, taxes, etc.). If your earnings aren't significantly different from calendar year 2014 to calendar year 2015 (and you didn't get married or have a child in 2015), you can just use your 2014 income tax return information and then update it with your 2015 income tax information once you've filed.

@amc91 Jolie717 is correct - you must fill out a FAFSA to receive any federal aid, including federal direct loans and PLUS loans. As far as institutional aid (funds from the school rather than the federal government), there are two types: merit-based and need-based. Need-based aid is awarded based on your expected family contribution and the cost of attendance. The FAFSA determines your expected family contribution, so you must have a FAFSA to be eligible for need-based institutional aid. However, need-based aid is reserved for undergraduate students at most institutions. Each school may also have merit aid that they award, and it depends on the school whether or not they require a FAFSA on file for you to be eligible for that aid. Chances are, a school's institutional aid will not cover your cost of attendance. Student loans would be used to cover the shortfall (unless you are receiving help from family or otherwise). You should complete the FAFSA to cover all bases (it's free - make sure you go to www.fafsa.gov to file). You can still file your FAFSA after the priority deadline and be eligible for aid. I hope that helps!

@CMD2494 That's what I'm hoping to do as well. I've spoken to students at each school except Temple. I'm attending Temple's orientation next week, so I should be able to speak to students there. I did something similar on LinkedIn (also to see whether there was mobility from state to state after completing a grad program). It sounds like the girl you spoke with has had amazing experiences very early in the program.

I am battling with a similar decision. I am fairly torn between the University of Washington's MedSLP program, Temple, and Queens College (if I get in). I was also accepted to Hofstra with funding, but I don't know that it's a contender for me. Ultimately, my fiance and I want to settle in Philadelphia, so Temple would seem like the logical choice. But I really feel that the UW MedSLP program would be the best fit for me. I worry about finding a CFY placement back east if I attend school out west. If it makes you feel better, one of my supervisors at Mount Sinai Beth Israel explained that she knew she wanted to end up working in medical speech-language pathology in New York but she chose BU because she felt that program was the best fit for her. This is what she had to say about New York medical placements: "I remember that it was difficult for me initially to get a job in the hospitals in NYC right after grad school because a lot of them do not take Clinical Fellows. Going to school where you might want to end up might give you opportunities to make connections through your placements and networking that could potentially lead you to a job- but that is not necessarily a guarantee and shouldn’t deter you from going somewhere else." Also, the department chair at the college where I have taken some of my prerequisites said that the candidate matters more than the school's location. In the end, what seems to matter is whether or not an employer thinks you will be a good clinician, so I personally think you should choose a program that gives you the most clinical opportunities in the setting you want to find employment.

I had estimated about $65,500 when I calculated program costs back in January. I assumed full-time status in all fall/spring terms and 6 credits over the summer semester (note that if you are missing any prerequisites, your program may extend into the second summer). That cost doesn't include health insurance. It was also based off of 2015-2016 rates, so if they approve increases for the 2016-2017 academic year, that is not factored in. I also didn't assume any increase in the second year, but you can probably expect one.

Which schools are you considering? I am interested in the exact same thing (outpatient rehab for stroke and TBI survivors).

I really appreciate all the detail you provided here! The student I spoke with basically said as much - she wouldn't want to live there, but it was fine to spend a year and a half there for school. That would be unbelievably convenient to be able to walk to campus. I haven't looked much into housing options near the UO. Sounds great - thank you!

Haha, yes, I have heard that. I think it will be a great experience for both of us all around! Your description of Eugene is very consistent with what I've heard. I do love being outside. I think Seattle and Eugene would be both be a huge step up from where I am currently in that regard! I definitely understand where you're coming from. I look forward to hearing how it goes!

I used the program plan (see the graduate bulletin) to calculate the total credits for each semester and applied the semester rate to those credits. I double-checked my previous response and everything there is accurate. In addition, there is a basic practicum hour in audiology. I believe the advanced practica are completed at the onsite clinic. There are also offsite practica in each of the last three semesters. I am not sure how those placements are determined and whether there are restrictions on patient population or setting. I hope to find that out when I visit on April 1.

I will be visiting on April 1. I will tell you the cost is very high - it's about $75,000 just for out-of-state tuition and fees (excluding cost of living), and that was based off the 2015-16 rates, so it will likely be even higher. Cost of living will depend on whether you plan to live in Philly or in the suburbs, and whether you would be living alone or with roommates. If you look at the graduate program bulletin, I believe they state they have 180+ practicum site relationships in the Delaware River Valley area. They require some pre-requisites that most programs do not require (I'm not sure if your undergrad is in CSD - if it is, you're probably fine). You start clinical work in the first semester at the onsite clinic. There are some advanced practica as you move through the program in aphasia, voice, and stuttering from what I remember. I have more detailed notes at home that I can get to you later tonight (and can verify that everything I just said is accurate).

Ha! Very refreshing! Yes, that's my understanding as well. I think it's more of a matter of available positions. He told me that Portland was one of the first places to decide that it wanted good, local craft beer. It was basically the birthplace of the current movement. He seems to think there are a lot more smaller brewpub type places where they may be owned and operated by a few people that don't have any plans of leaving / expanding and thus wouldn't need to hire a brewer. At any rate, I asked my fiance to do some more research so that he could do what you asked your husband to do - rank both places! I guess I'm just looking to get a sense of what it would be like to live in these towns / cities. How big/small is Eugene? What's the demographic like? Mostly locals (older, younger, families?), mostly college students, a good mix? Is it considered a safe town? Are locals friendly toward / welcoming of UO students? What's the scenery like? What's the weather like? Is there any public transportation? If so, is it widely used and dependable? The feedback that I've heard on Eugene is that people are expecting it to be a vibrant small town and then visit and don't seem to get the sense that much is going on. For Seattle, I think I've heard / read that traffic is horrible, finding parking can be horrible, and it rains a lot during the fall and winter months. It honestly sounds a lot like where I live now, except I'm imagining there is a lot more nature in the vicinity! And perhaps it's relatively cleaner? I honestly can't imagine the traffic and parking could be as bad as they are in the 5 boroughs of New York City, but maybe that's naive. I read somewhere that the bus system is pretty reliable and you can get a Upass for $100 per quarter. I guess I'd want an opinion on the neighborhoods of Seattle. Like in New York City, each borough and each neighborhood have pretty distinct personalities. Is the same true in Seattle? If we were to live closer to the downtown area, where should we look for something relatively affordable but in a nice neighborhood? And how feasible (/ aggravating) might it be to live in the suburbs (Kent, Everett, Auburn, Lynnwood, Redmond, etc.) and commute to school every day.

I had seen Salem on the map when I was looking at cities in between Portland and Eugen, but I had no idea what to expect. I have never even visited the Pacific Northwest (which is at least in part why I applied to schools out there...that and they are much more affordable, even UW's, than programs out here). Have you spent much time in Salem and / or Eugene? I only have two accounts of Eugene thus far, and while neither of them was absolutely horrible, they weren't exactly positive either. My fiance is a brewer (of beer). I don't know much about the beer scene out there - it does look like there are a ton of breweries, but depending on the size and growth prospects of each, it could be hard to find available brewing positions. I think his biggest concern is having to take a job that's a step down from where he is now, especially given he is technically getting his education through work at the moment (he plans to open his own brewery when we return to the northeast). It sounds like he may have better connections through his current employers to breweries in the Seattle area. I'm also worried about limiting myself in a specialized program. I tend to like keeping my options open, even if I am almost certain that I want to specialize in medical SLP, so I completely understand where you are coming from. I think you're right about the core program - I believe I read somewhere on the site that the medSLP students have first priority for medical placements. I think you should definitely ask during your visit though. I'm interested in cognitive rehabilitation for TBI and stroke survivors. The UO would really be perfect for this for a number of reasons, but I think all of the other considerations are really swaying me towards UW. I was put in touch with a current MedSLP grad student at UW today, so I hope to get her thoughts on the program. We'll see what she says. And please do keep us all posted on how your visit goes!

I understand they work with you very early on to find your placements so you aren't left wondering where you will be. I just meant uncertainty in that I won't know where I would be doing my placements prior to deciding to attend the UO. I think if I weren't going to be married and was completely on my own, it would be a much easier decision for me to attend the UO. In fact, I believe it would be my top choice. However, I'm concerned about my fiance's job prospects in Eugene. We've discussed possibly living between Eugene and Portland as I imagine there may be more opportunities for him in Portland, but we would each have an hour commute one way if we did that. And then I would potentially be uprooting him again in 18 months when it came time for me to do my placements. I think it just feels a lot more overwhelming when I think about how the program structure would impact him as well. I have also heard that what you do matters much more than the school you attend. I have even experienced that first-hand with my first career. I was able to get a job in investment banking in New York City despite having attended a non-target school in the south (a target it school is a school at which the banks actively recruit). I just wonder if having a nationally-recognized program would make things a bit less difficult for me since I do plan to move back to the northeast after my program ends. Do you want to specialize in medical SLP?