Hello all --
Like lots of folks around here, my undergrad was NOT in speech in hearing science. After working as an English/ESL teacher abroad, I bit the bullet, quit my full-time job (and left my health insurance behind) to enroll in a university an hour away from my home to take 26 credit hours worth of undergraduate communication sciences coursework. Here are the general equivalents to the courses I took:
- Intro to Comm. Sciences
- Speech and Hearing Science
- Anatomy and Physiology of the Speech/Hearing Mechanism
- Phonetics
- Language Development
- Phonological Disorders in Children
- Articulation Disorders in Children
- Intro to Audiology
For some grad programs (Purdue, MGH, etc.), this general course listing seems to suffice. However, doing my hard research now on what "local" midwestern universities I can apply to, my options seem slim to none. Most programs require at least 2 more courses than I have to meet the minimum requirements and, well, with taking stats and physics at a local community college this spring, I am just about financially maxed out. Still need to visit my top schools and apply, of course. That CSDCAS stuff ain't cheap.
Any current students or applicants out there apply to schools with a bit less rigorous standards on post bacc work? I realize a fleshed out "undergrad degree" makes an ideal applicant in a way, but for a lot of us adults, it's just not a feasible path to take.
I've e-mailed the "I'm so close" universities on my list for their approval of reasonable equivalent experience. A few were cool with my listing of CSD courses. Several have yet to respond. For a few places, I'm a mere 1 credit hour short of meeting their requirements. I am however, currently working as an assistant director/early intervention developmental therapist at a multi-discipline therapy agency. I feel like my job/life experiences give me a leg up on intense graduate study, but I'm also trying to fit myself into MOST of the boxes CSD programs require.
Would love to hear from some non-traditional SLP hopefuls/professionals. I'll be trolling the forums tonight in search of those types! Best of luck to all applying. The competition is intense!
Other Stats:
GPA: undergrad (French and Communication) 3.2, CSD: 4.0, Last 60: 3.9
GRE: V 157, Q 143
Graduate Programs on my Hit List:
Purdue University
MGH (Boston)
St. Mary's (new program)
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Western Michigan University
Wayne State (don't meet all post bacc requirements)
Michigan State (don't meet all post bacc requirements)