mimithebellydancer

I'm about a month in at grad school and it's not at all what I expected. I moved to a new town for the program, not knowing anyone, to be closer to a big city that I hope to work in in the future. So far I'm having a hard time here getting close to other people in my program because almost everyone commutes from home and Im not feeling challenged with what im learning. I know its still early on but I came from a great undergrad program where I loved the professors, the city,  and with so many good friends in my classes and around me, that this feels like a huge change for me and its a hard adjustment. My friends in other programs elsewhere are so busy with having clients and are in clinicals, and meanwhile my classes are 12 credits and literally everything i already learned in undergrad and we don't have any exams yet or barely any homework. The program was competitive to get into I think because of the area but I just don't think that it's a good fit for me after all. I feel like transferring isn't really an option, but this program is making me question if speech pathology is even what i want to do. I also can't tell if it's a lack having close friends around me that's making grad school seem so depressing. Anyone else in the same boat?
 

Hiiii! I was accepted also! Super excited to met you all :) @mimithebellydancer I'll DM you my number for the groupme!

I would like to know other’s stats/stories of those who had low GPA’s and how they got accepted into graduate school. Hopefully it can show not only me, but others who are also losing hope that there is always a chance of getting in! 

I applied to Hampton with similar stats like yours and was accepted to Hampton. DM me if you have any questions

This can vary so much! I hear school SLP's employed through the school make on the lower end. If you're willing to be a contractor (typically no benefits, supply your own materials, and save your own taxes) you can make much more money. Although, I have only worked in big cities as an SLPA (Phoenix & Houston). I have made good money as a contractor, and right now I am making an per session rate (in private practice) close to some SLPs. From what I have seen home health pays well, but depending on driving conditions in your area it can be tough. 

Hi! I have created a groupme. If you and anyone else who will be attending Hampton would like to join, send me your number so I can add you. So far its only two of us!

2.8 overall, 3.8 last 60 credits, low GRE but great references, personal statement and experience. ---Accepted into 4 programs. Stats don't always represent a person as a whole. Good Luck!

Much like you @mimithebellydancerand @SLP<3 I wanted to go to an HBCU. Being from CA I've never experienced the culture of a predominantly Black or just not mostly white school. I've heard great things about the university and researched the program extensively before applying. I think it's going to be a great experience for all of us. Also, I secured an apartment! The rent is pretty cheap compared to where I'm from AND most spots come w/ a washer and dryer in unit (that's unheard of for a decent price out here), but I haven't heard anything about financial aid yet. I'm assuming they don't want us to work...so I'm hoping financial aid will cover it. Of course, I'm applying to scholarships like a mad woman but that part still worries me a bit. Are either of you open to exchanging info if I can figure out how to do it privately? I would love to know some people before stepping foot out there!

Got accepted! Will u be attending?

Hi everyone!
I recently got accepted into an experimental psychology master's program at Radford University. I'm super excited but quite nervous. I'll be moving from Florida to Virginia alone.  Does anyone have any moving advice for me? Currently looking into places to live but it'll also be my first time living on my own, so any advice would be greatly appreciated.  Also, any words of wisdom for grad school? 
Thank you!!

Me too, are you accepting? I’m trying to meet people in our Cohort. 

Transferring schools is not easy/most schools do not take well to it as they all have different course progressions.. I would say stick with it, it will prepare you to deal with adversity in the workplace in the future.

Wow, this is a hard one! If it were me--I would go. But I'm not the most competitive candidate, and I knew from the very beginning that if I got into any school I applied to, I'd be going.
I would think about your current financial situation, what it would mean to wait another year, and your goals. For me, it's important that I finish school ASAP. I want to get married soon, and start a family. I want to begin my career. The thought of waiting another year was awful for me, and with the option to go this year, there's pretty much no amount of money that would stop me from doing that.
I also have no debt from undergrad because I went to a very cheap, state commuter school. Will grad school put me in debt? Definitely. But SLPs make decent money. Not insane money, but decent money. I plan on working in Boston (large city) and buying a house in New Hampshire (very cheap state to live in), so I will be getting more bang for my buck. What are your finances like right now? Where do you plan on practicing and living and what is the cost of living like there? Do you have any other goals you need lots of money for, like buying a house soon? Do you have a partner that can help you shoulder some of the burden of a large debt, or a supportive family? You don't have to answer these questions, they're just things to think about if you haven't already.
Again, if it were me, I would definitely go. NYU seems like a great school, I would love to live in NY, and its got a great reputation from what I've seen on here. But if you want to stay closer to home, that makes sense too.
I would also consider--and I hate to even say this--how you would feel if you didn't get into any schools next year. You say you got rejected from all the ones in you applied to in your area--will you be reapplying to those same schools? You have much more competitive stats than me so I'm definitely not saying that would happen, I just always factor in the worst case scenario when making a decision.
I hope you make a decision you're really happy with! Good luck and keep us updated!

I just got accepted to Hampton University, and my gpa was lower than yours. I am sure you'll get in. These days, being billingual and able to work well with others of different cultures well is an advantage( youll be surprised so many people are horrible at this) . So def play that up ( your Spanish)- thats really important for billingual families, as well as the fact that you are going abroad. Def use those 2 to your advantage. I made sure to highlight I was a beginner in Arabic and studied in Turkey. So if I can do it why cant you? Make sure you get some great references too.

Upfront your experience. "Time off" is never irrelevant. Spin it, it gave you experience of something, it helped you learn at least one skill, even if it was time-management. 

Yes great idea! I also forgot to mention that I am going on a therapy abroad trip this summer and in addition to the internships and volunteering I was a teaching assistant this past year, but yes I am definitely considering all of the options you mentioned. Sorry, I just keep thinking of things. Thank you!

I would echo others here and say don’t give up on SLP if it’s what you really want to do. My GPA was below 3.0 and my GREs were very similar to yours, maybe a few points higher on math. This was my first application cycle and I got into one school I applied to (Emerson). But you only need one!
I wrote a LOI I’m very proud of. I focused on the things I was really proud of in undergrad (working full time, becoming a general manager of a restaurant, graduating early) and tried not to make excuses for my subpar grades, but instead said, “yeah, my grades weren’t great, I wish I’d known I wanted to go to grad school, but now that I do I’m not going to let a single thing stop me from succeeding and killing it at grad school”. In better words of course ? I struggle with mental health issues which contributed to my grades, but I read somewhere that it might not be a good idea to mention that in your LOI. The point of your essay is to show schools you are prepared for the difficulties of grad school. Don’t give them any doubts. 
I also had a really great interview. If you’re a good interviewer, try to look for places that do interview. I applied to several schools that offered interviews but only got an invitation at one (Emerson). Since you don’t know what the questions will be, try to think of all the things you want to talk about and work your answers around those points. I fit in my accomplishments and also made sure to acknowledge my not-so-great grades from the end of undergrad. 
Get some SLP related experience if you can. I volunteered at a private practice and I think that made a huge difference because it looked good on my resume, was something to talk about in my LOI and interview, and the director of the practice wrote me a glowing recommendation. If you don’t have 3 great academic recommendations, don’t use them. I only had 1 academic rec, one from my boss (which was very very kind, he let me read it), and one from the director. Many people told me that using professional recs over academic was a bad idea, but i think the most important thing is having 3 enthusiastic letters from people who genuinely like you and want to see you get into grad school. 
I’m sorry this is happening to you. Going into this app cycle I knew it was a very, very real possibility that I would not get in anywhere. Getting an interview to Emerson with the GPA I had was a huge break. But I truly believe that if you want to do this, you should stick with it and find a way. There are absolutely things you can do to improve your application without having to retake a million classes. If you want to be an SLP, believe in yourself and let that guide your next move!! I believe in you!!  
 

I’m not going to lie, my scores were overall lower than yours. This is my third round of applying, and I finally got accepted for this upcoming fall. My mentor advised me to reach out to the director of each program I was interested in, and discuss their admissions process (hierarchical, cumulative, etc). I was also advised to look for developing programs and schools that include interviews in their process. This helped me out, don’t give up! 

^^^^ For the Fall? I thought it was February 15th?????

congrats on being accepted! i love to hear stories such as this!

Hi there! Another average student here. I decided to apply this year just so that I wouldn’t regret not trying (I graduate in May) and I actually got into a program!! I still can’t believe it and don’t even believe I deserve it. But anyways, my overall GPA is a 3.56 and my CSD GPA is only a 3.3. My GRE scores were also not super impressive (145V 151Q and 4.0W). 
I was accepted to Pacific University in Oregon because of my interview. They believe that your numbers don’t say anything about your potential for being an SLP or about you as a person. 
My experience isn’t super crazy either. I have volunteer experience in a rehab facility for a summer (5 years ago) where I translated for the SLPs because they did not speak Spanish, I spent a lot of time involved in the deaf community and pretty fluent in ASL, and I now currently work as a Respite Worker with children with developmental disabilities, mostly autism and Down syndrome and through my job I get to observe their therapies and implement the strategies during play. 
HOWEVER, what Pacific also saw in me was that I come from low income communities, first to go to college, and from a single parent household where I am the oldest and have had to carry that extra load of responsibilities from a very young age and that it has also been a challenge to my studies. 
Most schools will not see all of that, they will see my numbers and 300words about why they should pick me. Idk what your story is, but if apply strategically you will find those schools that look at you, your experience, and your passion, you will just have to be willing to pay a little more or live very far lol. But you can do it!! If I did it you can too ?
PS: I used a book called “Graduate Admissions Essays” to help me write my personal statement, I recommend ✔️✔️

This is exactly how I feel regarding one of my schools!

I wouldn't worry yet, it's possible they send them alphabetically considering my last name starts with an A. 

See if either program has an open house. That will help you distinguish between them. If you still can't decide or see too much difference, then just go with the less expensive option.

What can we be doing in the meantime to productively prepare for graduate school life?