WannabSLP124

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. 

Do you have any SLP-related shadowing and/or volunteer experience? If not, I would work on getting some ASAP. You are going to need to convince the AdComm that you are serious in your desire to become a SLP and are not just going through normal 20something panic at having graduated & finding out that "the real world" isn't what you had hoped it would be.

I wouldn't knock either of those jobs as a bad opportunity. Many applicants who get in have related experience, and those job probably require many skills that an SLP needs too. First and foremost, having experience working with populations who may need speech services is a step above many applicants. It requires patience, compassion, and you get experience being around individuals with speech/language needs. I would think about what you are interested in and try to focus your efforts in those areas. Adults, children, autism, brain injury? If you're unsure then I would try to diversify your experience. It might be good to have the caregiver position AND preschool on your resume. The experience will help you determine your interests and write you personal statements. You may have to be a little creative, but both are definitely worthwhile experiences. 

I wouldn't knock either of those jobs as a bad opportunity. Many applicants who get in have related experience, and those job probably require many skills that an SLP needs too. First and foremost, having experience working with populations who may need speech services is a step above many applicants. It requires patience, compassion, and you get experience being around individuals with speech/language needs. I would think about what you are interested in and try to focus your efforts in those areas. Adults, children, autism, brain injury? If you're unsure then I would try to diversify your experience. It might be good to have the caregiver position AND preschool on your resume. The experience will help you determine your interests and write you personal statements. You may have to be a little creative, but both are definitely worthwhile experiences. 

I toured the University of Memphis and absolutely loved their facilities. The professors were very approachable and welcoming, and the grad students seemed very happy to be there. Unfortunately I did not get in there, but I would have loved to go there. It seems like a really solid program, and I spoke briefly with an alumni who loved it. 
I did get into UT Knoxville but declined, partly due to cost. I spoke with an undergrad student who was going into the grad program, and she said that funding is pretty rare to get, as well as GA positions. She said the program and faculty are great, but the facilities are old and not that great. This was actually a thread on Grad Cafe, so you may be able to find it still and see exactly what she said. It is a pretty big program, so depending on your background and stats, you may have an easier time getting into UT-Knoxville over Memphis. Memphis is ranked high and a smaller program, but if you are a competitive applicant go for it! 
Good luck!

My cumulative GPA was a 2.8, got completely denied by one school with a 3.0 GPA requirement. Even after having one of my references from a prestige school write to explain my situation (the bad grades were from 12 years ago & my last 100 credits, I maintained a 3.8), the director still said no. I just said screw it! on to the next school. A month later, I got accepted into five other programs that are actually some of the top 20 schools for SLP training. If they deny you even after a pretty good explanation, you obviously do not want to be with a program like that anyways. Good luck! 

I got into my 1st choice with a hefty scholarship. I was below the requirements in both GPA and GRE (GPA: 3.16 GRE: V150 Q147 W4). I was really close to my professors, so I'm sure they wrote really great LOR for me. I also mentioned in my SOP how transitioning from high school to college was difficult for me, but my junior year I buckled down. My senior year, I become an academic personal trainer where I had the opportunity to teach essential skills to students who were on academic probation. This showed that I not only worked harder, but was willing and able to help kids with similar struggles. I beleive this really helped my application. My GPA in CSD courses was a 3.57 also. I applied to 4 grad schools and got into 3 so it isn't all about grades and GRE. I was also fairly involved on campus and didn't just go to school and go home. Hope this helps! Good luck!

Were there some circumstances that led to your low GPA? I think schools might be concerned about the last 60 hours, as generally thats when students buckle down, are focused, and are taking more CSD courses. If you have a legitimate reason you may be able to explain that in your personal statement, but remember grad school is going to be difficult. Be careful with your wording/reasoning because they may see it as poor time management/stress management.etc - all skills a grad student would need. If you have anything below a B in a CSD course you should probably retake it. Good luck.

Also, there is a website called Autism Navigator and you can sign up for free to view videos regarding development and different treatment methods. It's not necessarily speech-language pathology oriented (though there are videos of SLPs included), but the videos are still interesting and useful for those interested in learning more about working with children with autism. I liked watching therapists use different intervention methods, from DTT to Floortime, and I think even the videos that do not feature an SLP demonstrate behavioral methods that are applicable to speech-language therapy. Here is the link to the free videos: http://resources.autismnavigator.com/

If you're interested in working with kids, some people already posted a lot of great thing. The only thing I didn't see was a respite or a habilitation worker. Respite provides breaks for parents of children with special needs. Basically a babysitter. A habilitation worker will do the same but also provide assistance with life skills. They have goals that you must work on such as dressing themselves. They can vary based on the child's age and level of functioning. 
If you are interested working with adults I'm not sure what there is do give you paid direct experience. As in not a receptionist - but if you have time to volunteer, I would look into stroke/aphasia recovery centers. 

I had a two year gap before I went back to school and I was fine not studying. I was also an SLPA, so that may have contributed to it. You will be fine. Trust me. If anything just go over ipa and see what you are taking your first semester and go over that. No point in refreshing something that you won't learn again until spring or later because it won't be fresh on your mind. 

Yeah it's been about a year or more for me since I've taken my coursework and I definitely planned on refreshing my memory over the summer. There's one girl I know in my proven right now who started last year. I'll ask her what she thinks about it and let you know what she says. 

Noo, it was UNT, and I am not trying to go there so its whatever.
I'd rather carry my behind out-of-state.

I've been wondering if I should do an anatomy and phonetics refresher! It's been 4 years since I graduate, probably 5 years since I tool those courses 

I've been wondering if I should do an anatomy and phonetics refresher! It's been 4 years since I graduate, probably 5 years since I tool those courses 

I contacted schools I was waitlisted at and wrote a continued letter of interest. I had positive feedback and got off the waitlist at 2 schools after doing so!

This is the Speech & Language Pathology board. Hardly any of us are going to be winding up pursuing a tenure-track position in academia with "publish or perish" pressure and a LOT of SLP positions are part-time. Even "full-time" SLP positions may only be 30 hours/week for 36 weeks/year. So yes, it is INFINITELY easier to find a position with a family-friendly schedule after grad school is over in SLP.

I mean I don't know for sure but it'll still be the beginning of the semester, so you'll probably be okay to go.

Multiple classmates and myself either got married or attended weddings out of state during a semester. It helps once you know your clinic schedule and policies for cancelling clients and making up sessions. We planned ahead and talked to supervisors early so they were prepared. I'd also recommend not saying hey I'll be gone, but make it more a request, is it okay if I miss? Like a time off request at a job. Don't just inform them you're leaving. As long as it's not a habit hopefully it'll be okay. Between an out of state wedding and funeral plus illness I was able to make up what I missed and supervisors were fine. 

Burn out is huge in SPED. That would be my biggest concern for you. Most people I know who have gone into SPED are no longer in the field because long hours, paperwork, difficult/demanding/uncaring parents, districts BS, feeling unappreciated, etc. So really look into that before you decide. 
I have worked as an SLPA for 5 years, which I think is going to be super helpful when I start grad school in the fall. I also think the experience helped me get into programs. It's great because you can really see what the field is like, and know if it is truly for you before investing in a masters. Volunteering is also great. SLPAs have very limited exposure to working with adults, but I was able to get that experience by volunteering and it turns out I love working with adults. 
I would recommend focusing on getting more experience, and boosting your GRE scores. Prep hard - independently with something like Magoosh or do a course if you have difficulty staying motivated (I did!). Classes are really expensive to re-take since community college is not an option. If you can get your GRE up, some experience, get good letters of rec, do your research, tailor each app to the school, and try to visit the programs, I think you can get past your GPA. I have an overall GPA of 3.22 and I got into 3 schools this year. I applied 2 other times getting all rejections. It can be done, it will be some work though!

@kjack99 Don't panic! You still have time and it sounds like you're on the right track :-) Volunteering is just something you can show you did, that other applicants may or may not have done, so it may help you stand out more. I have also heard getting undergraduate research can be helpful - especially when applying to higher ranked schools as they tend to be very involved in research. One of the coordinators told me they just want to see that you have demonstrated an interest in the field beyond the classroom.
Also I highly suggest trying to go to their graduate info days. I learned a lot more about the program and what they like to see in applications - much more informative than the websites! Since you have over a year, you can try to spread them out some, so you're not overwhelmed during application season. Good luck to you!

Ditto what Alicia said. My time commitments for each thing also weren't huge at all; I think the most I did was 20 hours at one place. But I tried to explain why these things were meaningful to me in my personal statement - like relating homeless tutoring online to a possible future in teletherapy, describing how I met a more diverse range of clients by being involved in horse therapy, that sort of thing. Plus it helps you learn where you might like to work, why you are doing this, etc.
Also like Crimson Wife, I had the opportunity to volunteer at a speech clinic far away where I basically would have been filing and setting up for board meetings, but it didn't seem like doing that would show much to schools except that I was checking a box. I plan on going back to one of my positions this summer, even though I'm already in, because I loved it so much. That's the kind of place you should volunteer.

I knew I wanted to go into this field or I would not have applied/accepted admission to graduate school. Pretty simple, right? But once I got there and had a full week of orientations, reading clinic handbooks, and having to write treatment plans for my clients, I started to feel unsure. At the time, I read a lot of other forum posts, mainly SLP reddit, to see if I was the only one who felt this way. I was not, which helped a little bit, but not too much. The feeling I had was referred to as the  "Imposter Syndrome."
I know many programs are operated differently, but in my program, you are given multiple clients as soon as the clinic opens (the beginning of the semester). So here I was, a brand new graduate student, providing therapy to clients within the first two weeks of school. Trying to write the perfect plans without bombarding my clinical supervisor was tough. The whole process leading up to meeting a client for the first time was tough. I am not going to sugarcoat it, it was hard. But the second I finished my first session with my first client, all the unsure feelings I had disappeared. I never experienced something more rewarding. Fast forward a month and a half later and every week I look forward to seeing my 4 clients. Although it means more paper work, I am looking forward to picking up more clients through this semester and in the spring. The paper work is still stressful and tedious, but I'm getting used to it and it is getting easier.
Before you get into the swing of things, you will most likely think it is impossible to balance clients, classes, classwork, clinic work, and your mental health. Completely understandable, but the point I am trying to get across is that it is possible. You will succeed, and often times, you may even exceed your own expectations. Don't give up within the first couple weeks. Grad school is most likely going to be the hardest part of the process of becoming a successful SLP. 
I hope I was able to help or relate to at least one person. 
Have a great day
 
 

Your stats look great! I toured and applied to UT Austin, and loved the program. They are a big research school, so if you can get or have research experience that will be to your advantage. They seem to look at the whole package rather than just stats - but they are a top ranked school so still very competitive. They like to see that you've explored the field and what you have learned from those experiences - volunteering, research, shadowing, etc. if you have great stats but little else to show, I recommend doing some things to build your CV/resume. I highly suggest going to the tours or scheduling visits to the schools you are seriously considering because you learn a lot more about the program and the admissions process. Good luck!

Thank you for the answers and I'm so glad I'm not the only one who had these questions. Idk if it's just me but I was stressing about getting into grad school, thought that once I got accepted I wouldn't be as stressed, but I'm still stressed LOL