SLPsingballs

Thank you so much to everyone for all your thoughtful words of encouragement!! I truly truuuly appreciate it! I am so incredibly happy to say that today I received an acceptance from LIU POST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ????????????????????????? I literally cried tears of joy as soon as I saw the words "Congratulations" in the email subject. I am seriously so incredibly overjoyed. You were so right @plume. All I need is ONE! After 5 CONSECUTIVE PAINFUL REJECTIONS.... the 6th is a YES!!!! Thank GOD!!! ???

I'm in a similar position @SLPsingballs agh :/ 
Only thing is I love Milwaukee and accepted my offer there, but just got accepted from Central Michigan University with an offer of a GA position and in-state tuition. I'm so torn and don't honestly know what to do... and CMU needs an answer by April 21st (but I just emailed asking for a deadline so fingers crossed on that).

WOW!!!  Congrats!!??!  That is a tough decision to make.  24 hours is not a long time to respond.  What does your gut tell you to do?
I know I just got an offer from WWU with 3 days to decide, after I already accepted at CSUN (my undergrad).  I'm going for it, and just realized I now have a big move to plan.  Good luck with your decision!!  I grew up near Redlands so I might be able to answer some questions if you have any.

Guyssss Redlands offered me a spot today with 24 hours to accept! I should be more excited but I feel ill.....!

YAY! CONGRATS!

It looks like I'm going to CSUN, where I'm completing my undergrad!  I guess I am a matador for life, hahahaaaa!  Although I was accepted (and waitlisted) at other schools that seemed like fantastic programs, the reality comes down to finances.  I just don't have the funds for out of state without breaking the bank, and I have my family to consider.  If it were only me and I was 22 or 23, I would have gone across the country to the school that had research in the field of study I am most interested in.  However, priorities change, and I am looking forward to NOT have to move over the summer.    

It looks like I'm going to CSUN, where I'm completing my undergrad!  I guess I am a matador for life, hahahaaaa!  Although I was accepted (and waitlisted) at other schools that seemed like fantastic programs, the reality comes down to finances.  I just don't have the funds for out of state without breaking the bank, and I have my family to consider.  If it were only me and I was 22 or 23, I would have gone across the country to the school that had research in the field of study I am most interested in.  However, priorities change, and I am looking forward to NOT have to move over the summer.    

It looks like I'm going to CSUN, where I'm completing my undergrad!  I guess I am a matador for life, hahahaaaa!  Although I was accepted (and waitlisted) at other schools that seemed like fantastic programs, the reality comes down to finances.  I just don't have the funds for out of state without breaking the bank, and I have my family to consider.  If it were only me and I was 22 or 23, I would have gone across the country to the school that had research in the field of study I am most interested in.  However, priorities change, and I am looking forward to NOT have to move over the summer.    

I just officially accepted my offer to UW-Milwaukee's program 
Reasons? First, it is the only place I've fully been accepted to. I'm on some waitlists, but yeah. Second, I just visited and their program seems really nice! They have a professor there who is interested in Voice Disorders and has been researching Transgender Voices, which I would love to be a part of. I also found that they have some electives in Adult Neurogenic Disorders (!!!), which is one of the things I'm most interested in! I really would like to work with TBIs, etc., so that's right up my alley
Cons to the school: price! I'll be in debt forever. lol. (I laugh, but it's really not that funny)

From someone with more life experience -I don't think rankings matter.  Here's why - if your end goal is to get a job -then I would consider who's hiring you.  If you go to the program that's ranked 100 near where you live -chances are several of the area SLPs have gone to that program too.  If you go to a "name brand" school 300 miles from where you plan on living -chances are the employers 300 miles away have hired successful people from lower ranked programs and are not completely familiar with the "name brand" school.  I would choose a program that fits your personality and where you think you will be successful. Also, it takes a LONG time to payback student loans and 10 years from now you don't want to be frustrated that you can't buy a house or new car because of your student loans.  

Oh wow, how confusing!!  Did you email them for clarification?  I only received one letter, an acceptance, thankfully.

I also appreciate you posting this.
I got into Northeastern today and while expensive, it might be a better school.

Congrats!!  It seems like a wonderful program.  

http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2017/04/05/522575533/teachers-lawyers-and-others-worry-about-the-fate-of-student-debt-forgiveness
I just think that I have other viable options, so I'm not going to put all of my eggs in the loan forgiveness basket. It very well may work for people still, but I would hate to follow the rules for 10 years and get slapped with a big "sorry"
 
That NPR link is just a small sample, and the people who basically had their chance at loan forgiveness recinded were all attorneys that didn't *technically* work at a nonprofit, but the first "payout" from this particular loan forgiveness is coming this fall, so we'll see how it goes down soon. It was started by Bush, and I know Obama capped it to $50k and odd dollars, and there is now talks that Trump may do away with it entirely or just lower the cap again.

Was going to share the same article, I read it this morning.
I was banking on PSLF when I first was interested in changing careers to SLP in 2015, but that's no longer the case. I was accepted to two programs so far, waitlisted at one, rejected from two, and still waiting to hear from two. Of the two that I was accepted to, one is a much closer commute (thinking about gas, toll, mileage expenses for two years!), and $20k+ in tuition less than the other program. I accepted the offer to that program (NYMC) right away. It's still more expensive than the RMUoHP tuition that I just googled, but it is in the NYC area so everything here is more expensive to begin with. 
When I talked to a few of my SLP coworkers about prospects for loan repayment, one of them told me to start looking for per-diem or part time hours at a SNF or hospital as soon as I get my C's. She said that the income from one or two per-diem shifts per week at a hospital ten minutes from her house is more than enough to make her loan payment each month. She also picks up more hours there during paid breaks from the full time job to earn even more towards paying the loans off faster. This was a relief to hear! 

I went to a more expensive private university in a bigger city. I received a large scholarship, but had to pay for living expenses since I moved far from home. I lived like a peasant and with paying for partial tuition, rent (a room in a house), supplies, and basic living necessities I still managed to have around $50,000 in debt (6 semester grad program).  I can't even imagine some of the students who had to pay around 100,000+ for tuition/school expenses alone. Do I think it's worth it? For me no, but it may depend on the type of person you are. I moved far away only to move back to my home area, so while I made connections at grad school, they didn't benefit as much as ones nearer to where I ended up would have. I also didn't think the quality was better- the education really depends on learning styles and whether you click with the professors and the style of learning the school promotes- not really big name college vs smaller not big name college. Also at bigger universities or in cities with many schools you may be competing with other classmates and other schools for clinical spots. So although many people want to go to those schools thinking that they will get good medical expenses, we may or may not end up getting your ideal placement. 
I also am more conservative with money and don't like to have debt (aside from school I don't have any). While I know there are loan repayment opportunities, I don't want to be paying my loans for 5 to 10 years + only to not have that work out or to still have a large monthly payment (which is why I didn't pick the most expensive school I got in to). And the interest can make it difficult to see a dent put into your loans.
If you do decide to spend a lot on grad school the best way to pay it off would maybe include some of the following:
-part time job, fellowship, or assistantship to make small payments while in school (or reduce the needed loan amount)
-continue to live modestly for a few years after graduating to make extra payments toward loans 
-live with family or friends for a few months after to make a large dent in the loans 

Hello!
I received my first acceptance this afternoon! I'm super excited.
What is the next step apart from accepting an acceptance? I will most likely accept. My top choice (which I actually think is also cheaper) I was waitlisted at and so I am going to possibly wait and see about that one. I need to weigh pros and cons now that I actually know I will be somewhere in the fall!
However, in the meantime, I didn't have to take out loans for my undergraduate education. I am the oldest in my family. Basically, I have no idea where to start about paying for graduate school.
I have a little saved up, but pretty much will be paying with my graduate education with loans. 
Where do you start? I filled out my FAFSA, because I knew that, but what do I do now?

I got an acceptance too! It's also my first acceptance!

Mmm, I just got th follow up email. But I got a phone call and my email acceptance letter this morning!! It's my first acceptance and my third time applying so I am over the moon. I hope you hear good news

I haven't heard anything, which makes me nervous, but oh well.  Maybe I'm on a "possibly we'll consider her, but we have to go over everyone first" list.  I did see the results.  Dr. Spencer makes you feel so comfortable.  I'm glad you had a similar experience.  I hope you hear soon!

Dr. Spencer was very down to earth, understanding, and a pleasure to speak with on the phone.  She'll make you feel really comfortable.  The program seems really cool, but it is highly unlikely I'll attend there because it is more expensive than another school I've been accepted at and in a location that is less desirable to my family.  I'd love to be a part of the first class there, and take some of the more specialized classes, but it doesn't seem realistic for me.  

I know, right?? I was so relieved when I got that first acceptance,  but things became more complicated when I was waitlisted at my top choice, and had deadlines for accepting...it's not easy! It's good to have options, though. Congrats on the acceptance and waitlists! 

Your story of acceptance off the waitlist at WWU gives me some hope too.  I was offered a spot on the waitlist at WWU (and at EWU too), and of course I have another school that has a $500 deposit due by 4/15!!  So many decisions!!  
 
I've also been offered an interview with Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions MedSLP master's program.  (that name is a little longer than I'd like to say or type again).  I thought there would be more certainty after decisions were made, but now it's even less certain!!  

Congrats! I'm currently going to grad school at WWU, and I got accepted off the waitlist right before April 15 last year (I think it was like the 11th). I hope you do, too!
I got in the day after after I sent my acceptance (and $300 deposit!) to another program, of course. I got lucky, though, in that they were willing to just send the check back to me, as it hadn't been processed yet. Sorting all that stuff out can definitely be frustrating!

I finally got an acceptance! Woooo!!! Still waiting on WWU (top choice), but I'll be more than happy to continue at WSU if it's not good news from Western.