Louly

I included my CV/resume to help make up for my low grades whether they asked for it or not. I snuck it in along with my cover letter and personal statement...all on one PDF file.

As AlwaysaFalcon mentioned, each of your references submit one letter of rec on CSDCAS. All your schools will use that one submission. Personal statements or Letter of Intents are submit separately for each college on CSDCAS. I, too, also made a general one that targets the obvious questions (Why you chose this field? Why that particular school, etc.) then later tailored it to that specific school. A HUGE Tip: Try to submit your stuff at least 3-4 weeks in advanced (including your LOR). It takes FOREVER for CSDCAS to receive it, review it and post it in your file as "completed". Some schools will specifically say it on their site that if CSDCAS did not completed it by the due date, it's considered as an incomplete application. Every school is different, call CSDCAS to see which one of your schools need everything "completed" by the due date and which schools are ok that CSDCAS received documents but have not put "completed" in your file yet. The earlier you start on your submissions, the better. Don't wait till peak time (Dec-Feb) because my GRE scores took 3.5 weeks to be posted in my CSDCAS application. Even the process of paying it needed time to approve. It was such a hassle!

Don't give up hope. I had a friend who didn't get off the waiting list till the end of July! Yes, JULY.

If I were you, I'd shoot for straight A's the next two years + experiences/research. That should offset your C's. My first two years in community college, my GPA was below a 1.0. Yes, it was that bad! But I offset it by getting a 3.8+ my last 60 credits along with tons of experiences (I was in a worst situation than your C's). If getting straight A's might be a challenge, redoing those C's isn't such a bad idea (if time & money isn't an issue). It varies from school to school on what they'll look at. I had schools that shut me down and their reason was because my cumulative GPA was below the requirement of a 3.0. I also had schools that specifically looked at my last 60 credits and gave me the opportunity to explain my story behind those bad grades. Good luck!

I live with severe anxieties. They're so bad that at times, I cannot get up from my desk or walk out of the classroom. It was so extreme that it prevented me from finishing my degree years ago. I managed to seek help and eventually returned back to school. Ive learned that professors are not out to get you, they want to see you succeed and they'll do anything to accommodate students who care about their education. Beginning of every semester, I set a time to meet with them and let them know about my mental health. I take my tests privately and away from my classmates which offered me opportunities to ask questions and get extra help if needed. I meet with them often, talk about assignments/projects and how I'm doing so far....it's all about communication. The more I opened up to them, the more they understood my anxiety and this "fear" I lived with everyday. The more I got to know my professors, the better my grades got. Do not be afraid to be vulnerable. Good luck!

I completely agree with Neurotic_Jay. It depends on the field. I've been accepted into a combined MS/PhD program for Speech Pathology. My masters prepares me to become a clinician while the PhD is research based. During many of my interviews, I've been questioned about how serious I am as a researcher ...at times, it cost me my chances of being accepted since both routes are so different from one another. Obtaining my masters was crucial since I cannot practice as a clinician and getting my PhD is my ultimate goal ..which I decided pursuing a combined program was best for my future.

From what I remember, a few schools asked me specifically what I got in Chemistry and Statistics. My Chemistry course was taken years ago during my freshman year and I got a C+. Stats wasn't taken till after the application cycle. I believe they were more concerned about my last 60 credits. As mentioned above, some schools do require a certain grade and they'll state that one their website. I can ultimately say, it didn't affect my acceptances.

The break down of my personal statement: A personal story (relating to CSD, of course) My background history (family struggles) My motivation (stemming off of the two listed above) What I want to study/focus on in grad school and why Why I believe that particular school was the right fit for me What I want to do with my SLP degree/how I can benefit the field Hope that helps! Good luck.

@chloslp because of out-of-state tuition, I knew it was crucial for me to get a TA position/assistantship (in state benefits & stipend). I emailed the professors I wanted to work with and why, therefore when they were making decisions about assistantship, my name either stands out or the professor already confirmed and can bring it up to the admissions committee that he/she wants me as an assistant. Fast forward, I got my position and stipend along with my acceptance letter. Hope that helps! 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 agree with Crimson Wife. Occupational therapy is another professional career just like Speech Language Pathology, meaning it's as competitive to get into. As you mentioned, you might start out as an Occupational Therapy Assistant instead ...which is not a bad idea but you'd probably want to do VERY well in those courses if you want to continue on at a graduate level. If I were in your shoes, I would not graduate yet ...pause for a moment, take a good look at why my grades are suffering and continue schooling when it's right. The reason I say that is, if you graduate, you cannot retake courses to adjust your GPA anymore. They are permanent! This can affect your entrance to those other programs you're interested in. As for starting over, good for you! My best friend went into business, got her degree...then 5 years later pursued nursing, did horribly but found her passion for radiation therapy instead. It might take a while but you'll find your niche. Good Luck!

I've looked into this for the state of CA, the required 100 hours are employed hours ...so no observations or volunteer hours are acceptable. If you can, find an slp to hire you, if not, you might have to go through a program that offers a clinical practicum course. I've also looked into Florida's licensing and it doesn't ask for any required hours ...but I didn't see many job postings for SLPA. =\

@jess5822 What you can do is attend that masters program, do very well and apply again for SLP (if you're still interested and $/time isn't an issue). Proving that you can handle graduate level courses versus retaking undergrad courses will give you a better position. That was my backup plan if I didn't get accepted into a SLP program. @poor_salieri It varies from school to school. My current college doesn't allow retakes unless it's a C- and lower. My past university let's you retake any course you like.

Great job! I'm proud of your perseverance. --I had the same story, a cumulative of 2.8 and even lower GRE scores but worked my a$$ off to prove I've changed. Got accepted first round!

I'm planning on looking over the book called, "Introduction to Clinical Methods in Communication Disorders". It's been over a year since I've taken any ComD courses.

Since you've already received your degree, the only option is to go back and take a few courses at a community college and raise that GPA up. I was accepted into a few grad programs with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 but my last 60 credits was a 3.8+, proving that Ive changed. I would also recommend finding work relating to the field, if not at least pick up a volunteer position. Something I noticed is the lack of originality in personal statement. I've read a few of my classmates reasons for entering the field and it's the typical, "My passion is to help people" "I love working with kids" ...or "I love this campus, the professors and it's closed to home". Instead of using the word "passion", explain it through life experiences. Let the reader sense your passion without literally reading it. LOR is also something to think about. Most people I've talked to had three professors as their references, which isn't bad if they know you well enough. If they don't, it could also hurt you because their LOR could be vague. Try to finding references that can talk about you from different points like who you are professionally, who you are academically and who you are as a leader. That way, the admissions committee can get an idea of who you are as a whole person. I hope that helped. Good luck!

I worked at a rehabilitation office doing clerical work. Prior to that, I was a chiropractor assistant and office assistant. On the side, I volunteered as an augmentative and alternative device assistant at another rehabilitation clinic.

@panda1991 I went on the university's website to check out their off campus housing, see if I like any of them. If not, I check out apt websites and Craigslist. If I'm interested, I go on google map to "drive" through the neighborhood and check out the environment. You can also use google earth to do this. If you want, you could also try finding apartment complexes with short leases (3-6months) until you find a more suitable long-term home. @ssllpp It varies from school to school. A friend of mine got in-state within six months while some got in-state by the second year of grad school. Check with your school what they offer to their out-of-state students. I got lucky and got in-state tuition by becoming a TA. @SLPsingballs Depending on the apartment management, you might have to get a co-signer. Loans do not count as a stable income. If you're granted a stipend, that's considered as income. If I were you, try finding a roommate that's already settled in or apartments that rent out to students.

Nope! I had four interviews BEFORE applications and two after, rejected by three, waitlisted by one, accepted by two. It just depends on who you're interviewing for/with, people they're also interviewing, and if you're a good fit for their program.

I'm 31 starting my masters, 33 for PhD.

I actually had the same exact experiences as you; conducted research, presented at ASHA and worked in the medical field. There is hope! I applied to 15 schools and got accepted into five of them....with a below 3.0 GPA!!! and a 3.8 my last 60 credits. Good luck!

15 Applications. GRE: $650 (Some were resent) Applications: $500 (McNair helped with the others) Transcripts: $400 transcripts (I had three transcripts from three different schools) Total: $1550'ish

I agreed with @kayyyyy_. I opted out of living with someone from the same cohort and am choosing a medical student instead.

From the 15 applications I applied last fall, I don't remember any of them asking for volunteer hours. I believe two schools asked for total hours of observations and one-on-one clinic hours (to meet ASHA's requirements) but nothing about adding up volunteer hours. Although I do recommend being as active as possible. I had a well rounded resume. I'm a part of a leadership group on campus, was team captain for Relay for Life/Autism Speaks/Strides for Stroke, worked at a rehabilitation institute, volunteered as a special education aide, and as a classroom teacher assistant. I covered all populations to show that I'm flexible and well suited for this profession.

No, it shouldn't. I attended three schools in the last 10 years and still got in as a PhD applicant. I did 7 interviews as part of the application process and they never ever brought up the number of schools I've attended. Good luck!