BeachySpeechy

Since your GPA is average, you definitely need to have stellar GRE scores to make you stand out. I think you should retake the GREs.

Definitely dedicate a couple months to studying for the GRE (magoosh and ETS materials) to raise your GRE scores. Spend 2-4 hours each day studying if you have to. With your stats and high GREs, along with applying to more programs (look into online programs), you should get in somewhere. Good luck!

Use magoosh and get those GRE scores up. Apply to NAU summers only track for working SLPAs. Someone I know got in with under a 3.0 but she had stellar GRE scores.

Good news is that I got into graduate school. Bad news is my employer is upset that I will have to leave work a couple of weeks early because my school starts this summer before our school year ends. My program is a summers only program for working SLPAs. I was planning on keeping my SLPA job during the academic school year (a requirement for my program is to work at least 20 hours per week during the school year). My employer pretty much said I wasn't going to be asked to return next year because they will not be able to accommodate me leaving a couple weeks early at the end of the year. I know there are some people on here that work as SLPs on waiver. I was wondering which school districts are the best ones to work for on a waiver. Not just the ones that offer incentives and good pay (although I'll need it because I will have to move for the job), but I'm also interested in the districts that will support my position with proper training and supervision...I'm pretty confident with the therapy I give my students, but I will need training/support with IEPs and assessments. I am also hoping to stay in Southern CA...the closer to Orange County the better...I have a sick family member. Does anyone have information on Hesperia, Apple Valley, Victorville, etc.? I'm also hoping for a district that includes all grade levels, including high school...I'm just thinking about my future clinical sites and I would like to do some of my adult hours with the high school. TIA for any information you guys can send my way.

If you are trying to get licensed in CA, you must go through an approved SLPA program to do your clinical experience hours. Loma Linda is a popular program to do your hours. You can also try local community colleges (if they have a SLPA program). Some of them will take bachelors students who are looking to do their hours but it's really hard to find one....you're better off going through Loma Linda even if it's a lot more expensive.

I just wanted to add that I've been a SLPA for almost two years and the self-confidence builds up very slowly. Don't be discouraged and remember that even experienced SLPs have bad therapy sessions and self-doubt. Learn from your mistakes...you actually learn a lot from reflecting back on what you could have done better...but know that it's completely normal to feel like a "failure".

I heard Emerson is going to notify applicants next week.

You can only work on a waiver for districts that are in high need. Those types of jobs are usually more inland like Victorville, Apple Valley, etc. Nowadays, it's unheard of in places like Orange County and Los Angeles.

The most accurate way of calculating the tuition is finding the per credit cost and multiplying that by the total number of credits in your program. The total cost will be more than this calculation because of the fees they add to this total (ex: clinical fees).

Thanks!

I hope it all works out....sending positive vibes your way!

I'm still waiting on Emerson (low-residency) and NAU (Summers track). If I don't hear anything tomorrow I'm going to cry....not just any cry but an ugly cry.

If I were in your shoes, I would put down the deposit to Emerson but go to Redlands instead if you get in, even if you lose the deposit at Emerson. Having a sick parent is hard...it's what has kept me close to home. I don't think that's something you will look back at and ever regret.

Do you have any information regarding the loan reimbursement program? If you work for a school district in the area after graduation, how much do you get reimbursed? How long do you have to work at the district? Thanks!

BTW a 3.6 is great! It's unfortunate that we're made to feel like that's not good enough. I hope it all works out for you...best of luck!

If you have a low undergrad GPA, the pressure to get all As in your CSD classes is pretty intense. I am a 2nd bachelors student with a low undergrad GPA, so I feel your pain. I really busted my butt to get As in my CSD courses because I knew my GPA would be under more scrutiny during the application process. If you have stellar GRE scores, LORs, and an awesome SOP, I think that will help immensely. I disagree with the comment that retaking some CSD classes doesn't help. I think retaking a fundamental course in our field, rather than an elective would look better...but only if you get an A! You can explain in your SOP why the class was difficult the first time around and show that you can ultimately succeed. You have to show you can do well in these courses rather than something just related to it. Yes, CSDCAS does factor both grades when you retake a course but taking an elective to compensate for the "bad" grade does the same thing for your GPA. At least retaking the CSD course will help increase your CSD major GPA on CSDCAS whereas an elective might be calculated under another category so your CSD GPA will stay the same. If you have any grades B- or lower in your CSD courses, retake those. It's not a guarantee you will get in, but it certainly wouldn't hurt.

@SRod2015 I'm just trying to get a clearer picture of your situation to understand your questions better. Are you a post-bacc student with an undergrad in another major? Or do you have a bachelors in CSD but your other undergrad courses (general ed courses) are pulling your GPA down? What is your CSD GPA?

Thanks!

I have a Skype interview with Emerson tomorrow. I've never used Skype before. Will they call me? Or do I have to call them? I received an email saying "Please make sure to accept the Skype request from the faculty prior to your interview." I never received a request. What do they mean? This whole process is nerve-wracking...Thanks!

I have an interview tomorrow for Emerson's low residency program. They have interview dates through the month of March so I'm guessing they will start to notify in April.

I hope CSUF reads these posts and does something about it...because for a program to keep someone like Dr. Tsao as their point of contact, after so many negative comments about her, says something too. And their total disregard to notify students of rejections is absolutely unprofessional...to tell an applicant that contacts her to "check their portal" when asking if they are waitlisted BUT not even notifying applicants that decisions are posted on the portal to begin with...that's rude. We paid a lot of money to apply and I don't know where that money is going to if not to support the application process. Especially since we now have to pay CSDCAS and they do all the transcript verification, LORs, etc. Correct me if I'm wrong but the CSU mentor fee did not get reduced with the implementation of CSDCAS. I can't help but feel this program just wants the fees from the hundreds of applicants that apply. I applied to this school on a whim and what I experienced during the application process made me feel like I was scammed. I wanted to ask for a refund of my application fees about a month ago but I knew Dr. Tsao would give me the run around so I didn't bother.

She shouldn't be the point of contact for applicants. She comes off very rude and incompetent...maybe incompetent is too harsh of a word, but honestly I felt like I was talking to a brick wall.

Yeah, she's really giving CSUF a bad name. I'm not the first person to have my reservations because of her. I'm glad to hear the other faculty members are awesome!

I think she meant the CSUF student portal. Dr. Tsao has a history of giving out incorrect or misleading information. I think she told someone from last year to look on CSDCAS but she meant CSUF. She is the primary reason I have doubts about the quality of their program.

Was it their online program?