bibliophile222

Yes, PhD programs tend to have a lot more funding available. The general rule of thumb is not to do any PhD program that doesn't pay for your tuition and give you a stipend. 
However, a PhD shouldn't just be something you do because it's cheaper. It's a lot of extra time, you'd need to complete the masters as part of it anyways, and it's for people who are more interested in research than being a practicing clinician. Most people who end up getting a PhD do a masters first, get their CCC, and practice for a few years before going back. It also doesn't necessarily get you more money, since you'd likely have to work for years as a poorly paid adjunct professor before getting tenure and a reasonable salary.

Hey @GHW, That's rough! Sorry to hear that it's taken longer than expected. I know a handful of people that have gone through similar things prior to getting into grad school, and it really wore on them over time. Most of them didn't complete prerequisites or had limited life experiences, or picked schools that were more competitive without realizing it. That said, I know at least one person that took 3 tries to get in despite doing well as a CSD undergrad, so sometimes the logic is just absent. It's also worth noting that Covid has changed many things, among them SLP grad programs for the time being. You may have dodged a bullet by being forced to wait it out a bit. 
I am currently in graduate school, but I'm responding because I did a lot of other jobs prior to pursuing speech pathology. Here are but some of the things I did with a linguistics-adjacent interests and a degree: 
Managed an alternative healthcare clinic Web design (taught myself how to code after graduating, and then as needed on the job) and social media management Part time PA in an animation studio In-house e-commerce manager/UX researcher and designer Private tutoring Literacy intervention/case management It was 8 years of confusion and falling ass-backwards into new opportunities between graduating from undergrad and enrolling. I have love/hate relationships with all of those experiences, but I can honestly say that every single one has helped me be a better therapist and collaborator. I can also say that even though people think certain degrees are "useless," every single one of my employers benefitted actively from work I did as an undergrad. In retrospect, I let fear and my imposter syndrome trick me into not negotiating for better situations. Sadly, most don't automatically recognize the economic worth of hiring those who actively explore their interests, and even fewer people seem to understand what linguistic anthropology is, no matter how many times you explain it to them. But I digress. 
While linguistics undergraduates are common in SLP grad programs, the degree of overlap isn't as high as one might anticipate. Depending on your focus, it can be about the same amount of overlap as one would expect going into programming/UX and mathematics, philosophy, sociology/anthropology/cultural studies, education (especially ESL and sp-ed), psychology, neurology, translation/technical writing, etc. Exploring those options may be worthwhile if considering "plan B." If the reason you're wanting to become an SLP is because you felt like it was the most logical next step by default, and you're not especially passionate about working closely with kids, the elderly, and/or people in crisis, I'd take time before committing to reapplying. Being an SLP can be a rewarding and relatively steady job with a lot of benefits, but it's also potentially a lot to carry. You can make more money in other fields with less emotional labor and education, but you'll probably have to spend some time leveling up. 
If you still really want to be an SLP, don't give up. There are definitely things you can do to make yourself more competitive in the meantime. As someone who has dealt with her fair share of grad school rejections and came from out of field, taking a more active approach in addressing the questions below was what ultimately worked: 
Have you completed prerequisites with good grades (B+ or higher)? Were they the specific prerequisites the schools you applied to asked for? Are they recent (within the last 5 years)? Are your GRE scores competitive (if it's needed where you're applying)? Typically 300 or above combined quant/verbal and a 4.5 or above in writing.  Do you have any relevant work experiences? These can pertain to a lot of jobs, as long as they're person-centered. You just have to relate it to why it'll make you a good therapist.  Are there any populations you're especially interested in servicing that you can find work/volunteer opportunities with? I'd also try to figure out where it makes sense for you to apply and expand that criteria as much as possible. Often people get in when they broaden their searches (after the aforementioned things are addressed) to out of state. 
Hopefully this helps! Best of luck. 
 

Hi! I got my bachelors and post-bacc online, and I would definitely not be worried about taking an online post-bacc if I were you. For one thing, colleges typically can't tell that it was from an online program if you take it from a school that has a physical campus. Some colleges may still be hoity-toity about accepting people with online B. A.s, but online CSD post-baccs are pretty common now. I got my post-bacc through Pacific University. I enjoyed it and found it to be as challenging and informative as an in-person program.

Honestly, I would hold off on buying clinic materials and miscellaneous supplies until you see what your grad program has to offer. My grad clinic had tons of toys, games, totes bags, art supplies, and more. I did make good use of a clipboard with storage and a digital recorder with a USB drive. I bought almost nothing else for clinic all through school, and even now a year into my career. 
Now, for classes it all depends on how you learn/study/focus best. I used individual notebooks for each class and took handwritten notes with good pens. I also had a planner that broke down each day by hour. 
As far as clinic clothes, wait to see if your grad program has a specific outfit, like scrubs or a shirt with the clinic name, but chances are you'll be in business casual clothing. For women, that means a dress that's not too short or a blouse/skirt/slacks combo with shoes (probably closed-toe) that aren't sneakers. For men, a button down shirt and slacks should cover it. Don't expose cleavage or wear shirts that can expose your tummy. 

Honestly, I would hold off on buying clinic materials and miscellaneous supplies until you see what your grad program has to offer. My grad clinic had tons of toys, games, totes bags, art supplies, and more. I did make good use of a clipboard with storage and a digital recorder with a USB drive. I bought almost nothing else for clinic all through school, and even now a year into my career. 
Now, for classes it all depends on how you learn/study/focus best. I used individual notebooks for each class and took handwritten notes with good pens. I also had a planner that broke down each day by hour. 
As far as clinic clothes, wait to see if your grad program has a specific outfit, like scrubs or a shirt with the clinic name, but chances are you'll be in business casual clothing. For women, that means a dress that's not too short or a blouse/skirt/slacks combo with shoes (probably closed-toe) that aren't sneakers. For men, a button down shirt and slacks should cover it. Don't expose cleavage or wear shirts that can expose your tummy. 

I used to print the PPT handout in the Notes format (3 slides/page) and write on it.

Hi there! I'm a current grad student in a program that admitted several people with backgrounds in the social sciences. I got my BA in anthropology with a focus on sociolinguistics and it's come it very, very handy. Most programs appreciate students that are focused on being stellar clinicians, which is very evident for those of us that chose those fields as undergrads, so no - definitely not "too out of the box." Any program that doesn't see that impulse as an asset is probably worth avoiding, IMO. 
If you see yourself working with this population longterm and you don't share that background personally, it'll likely be helpful. I would also recommend taking other languages salient to the demographics of the area you intend to work in (spanish, tagalog, korean, ASL, etc), even if it's not through your current school. Majoring in a relevant 2nd language would also look good, although I get that the GPA fears are real. 
Linguistics is completely amazing, however the elements of it that will be useful to you as an SLP are likely already being covered in your communication sciences coursework. Unless you see yourself going into linguistics research or you're just extremely passionate about it, it may feel redundant. If your school offers applied linguistics or psycholinguistics courses, those may also be worth considering. 

Step 1
You’re a CSD Undergraduate Student reading this 1-3 years before you apply, and you know it is never too early to start thinking about who to ask for recommendation letters. If you’re planning on applying this year, skip to step #2.
As you attend CSD courses, you’ll want to make sure to develop close professional relationships with your professors. At most larger universities, you’ll notice that the tenured research MS-SLP professors rarely teach undergraduate classes.
If you can, enroll in courses taught by professors in the program. If this is not possible, a way to ensure that you’ll have developed a relationship with one or two CSD professors by the time you graduate is by asking your other instructors if they’re involved with research.
Hear me out: from personal experience, instructors and lecturers are usually master’s or doctoral students that are involved with research themselves. They can let you know about openings in labs and put in a good word for you as well.
I was able to enroll in a lab for credit because one of my instructors is a doctoral student and co-leader on a research project!
You'll want to make sure that your recommendations come from professors who have had a chance to get to know you in a variety of academic settings.
In addition to seeking out research opportunities, make sure that you make your presence known in classes. If you're a wallflower like me, this might mean that you need to put yourself out there a bit more than you're used to:
visit your professor's office hours regularly ask about professional organizations your professor is involved with join student organizations that your professors are staff advisors for ask about your professors career trajectory: what steps did they take to get to where they are? ask about funding opportunities or scholarships that might be available to you this might be cliche, but ask about your professor's research: I'm sure they'd love to talk to you about it. Before you ask, read up on past projects they've been involved in. (You can usually find this information on google or your university's website) offer to be a note-taker for students with disabilities in your class be a leader and contribute in group work send quality and professional emails Worried that you need to be doing more, or want to know more about what your professors want to see from you? Ask them about it! Feel free to use this example email, but modify it to fit your voice and your particular circumstances.
 
Subject: CSD 100 (or whatever class) introduction and questions about participation
Hello Dr. ________________,  
My name is ___________________, and I will be your student in ______(class)_____ this semester. I have read through the syllabus, gone over the course schedule, and have started looking through the book and canvas materials. I am very excited to dive into learning and discussion in this class, and wanted to express to you my interest in going above and beyond in my work this semester.  
I will be applying for graduate schools in Speech-Language Pathology starting in ___________________. My undergraduate degree was in ___________________, and I graduated __________ years ago with a __________ GPA. While I was a highly motivated student even then, it has been so long that I do not believe that my professors from that program would be able to write me a strong letter of support as I begin sending in applications to graduate institutions. I would like to express that I hope to demonstrate the qualities of a high-quality graduate student in your class, so that you would feel comfortable writing a recommendation letter on my behalf when the time comes around. I know that it is a highly personal decision for professors as to whether or not they are willing to provide strong recommendations to students and under which circumstances, so I wanted to pick your brain a bit.I know that you receive quite a few emails at the start of the semester, so I understand if this is low priority.    
If you have time, would you mind detailing the qualities and activities that you look for in a student that you would recommend for graduate admission? I fully intend to submit high-quality work, study effectively, attend and contribute to lectures, and come to office hours with questions and relevant topics. Beyond this, is there anything specific that I could add or contribute so that you can get to know me and my work on a deeper level this semester? Will you be advising any clubs or student organizations, or conducting research projects that I could volunteer on?  
 
Thank you for your time, and I'm looking forward to hearing from you!  
- __________________
 
 
The professors' perspectives:
 
Most, if not all, professors receive requests from students for letters of recommendation. It's generally considered to be one of the responsibilities of a tenured professor, though it is less important than service and research requirements. That being said, whether or not they'll write a letter for a particular student is a personal choice. They might write a letter for one student but not for another, even if they were in the same class and got the same grade. Some professors will write you a letter if you only took one of their classes, but you'd have to *really* stand out in that class. Others won't write you a letter at all if they weren't able to observe your development as a student over the course of multiple semesters.
 
If you check out r/professors over at https://www.reddit.com/r/professors and search "letters of recommendation," there are quite a few professors that state that they look at the student's motivation in their classes, whether or not they participated in extracurricular work, whether they went to office hours, whether or not they had high quality contributions to add to the class, etc. Even if you do all of that, some professors will flat out refuse to write letters for any student who receives less than a certain grade or is in only one of their classes. It will depend on the professor's personal preference.
 
If they refuse, or say they don't know you well enough to recommend you, this is to your benefit. It is usually not a reflection on you, but on their ability to provide a strong recommendation for you. Refusal sometimes means that they just think you'd be better off getting a stronger letter elsewhere.
 
 
What's the difference between a strong letter and a weak letter, and why should I care?
 
What does a strong letter look like?
 
To whom it may concern,
I am delighted to write a letter of support on behalf of Example Student for admission to your graduate degree program. Example Student was an active member of Student Organization, which provided this service to this population. As the advisor for this club, I witnessed Example Student exemplify the tenets of service, equity, and inclusion on a daily basis. They excelled in their collaboration with members of the organization, providing high quality ideas and a desire to implement them effectively. Their peers and other advisors often commended Example Student for their collaborative nature and innovative ideas.E
Example student is very goal oriented, and seeks out ways to help others with a nuanced understanding of how their background influences perceptions of challenges that they face. For example, when met with Example Challenge, Example Student rose to the occasion by doing this really great thing. The effect of their intervention was that the member of the population served excelled in meeting the challenges that Example Student assisted with. Their experiences with challenges in their own life played into their service, as they could relate more closely to overcoming difficult circumstances. Example Student worked full-time throughout their involvement in my courses and in Example Organization, due to this circumstance in their life. I watched with pride as they were able to leverage those experiences, which in turn led to introspective and empathetic service for members of the disadvantaged community that we serve.
In class, Example Student went above and beyond in all capacities: they advocated for clients, wrote some of the highest quality work of the semester, and even assisted other students in their study of the material. Example Student volunteered to be a note taker for a student with disabilities in one of my courses, which further demonstrates their commitment to equity and inclusion, as well as a determination to serve people with disabilities humbly and in a culturally sensitive manner. I believe that Example Student will be successful wherever they go, and in whatever capacity they intend to serve in. I have personally witnessed their strength of character and studious nature, so I am able to recommend Example Student for admission to your program without reservation.
Sincerely,
Dr. Professor
 
What does a weak letter look like?
 
Example Student was a member of my Intro 100 class during the Fall semester of the 2020-2021 school year. Example Student received the grade of A- in the course. Example Student satisfactorily completed all of their work in the class during the short time I knew them. I recommend Example Student for admission to your graduate program.
 
Each graduate program will place different weight on letters of recommendation, but it is well within the realm of possibility that a strong vs. a weak letter could spell the difference between an acceptance and a rejection from your program of choice.
 
 
Step 2
You’re 3-6 months out from your deadline and it’s time to select a concrete list of recommenders.
 
Most programs will ask for 2-3 letters, and most will also require that 1-2 of those letters come from professors, with priority placed on letters from professors of CSD courses. Think about it this way: academia is a small world, and most professors will have built relationships with colleagues at different universities. That trust in their peers' work will transfer to trust in their recommendations for graduate school applicants. From hours and hours of research from multiple forums and talks with professors, here’s your game plan:
 
3 letters from professors, **OR**  2 letters from professors and 1 from an SLP that you’ve shadowed or worked with closely **OR**  2 letters from professors and 1 from a supervisor for a related work experience or extensive volunteer experience  
This could vary, depending on the programs you're applying to, but it would be a good place to start. You’ll want to ask professors that you’ve built long-term professional relationships with, and it’s preferable that you have at least 1 professor that can speak to your research skills.
 
 
Step 3
You’re still about 3-6 months out from the deadline. You have a list of recommenders, so now you need to decide which aspect of your background you want your recommenders to speak on. Then, you’ll be ready for the most important part: popping the question.
 
Most programs want to see you as a well-rounded individual, so your letters should encompass the following characteristics:
 
unique contributions that you’ll make to the incoming class academic ability communicative ability level of professionalism analytical skills research experience cultural competency flexibility resourcefulness self-reflection clinical competence ethical behavior social and emotional awareness growth mindset  
For each of your recommenders, choose 1-3 points that you’d like them to speak on, specifically. It’s better to have detailed letters with specific stories and insights than a short, broad or general recommendation.
 
There’s conflicting information about how to ask for a recommendation, especially in the era of Covid-19. Usually, you would ask in person, but it is just as acceptable to ask via email or phone. In fact, it’s highly likely that if you ask in person, busy professors will also ask that you email them formally so that they have your request in writing to refer to.
 
Whichever method you decide, here is a template from which you can craft your request. Be sure to tailor your own request to the specific points that you’d like your recommender to attest to in their letter.
 
Subject: Letter of Recommendation Request  
Hello Dr. _________________,  
I'm reaching out to ask you if you would be able to provide a recommendation as I apply to graduate programs in Speech Language Pathology. Most of my applications are due around ______(range of dates)______, with the soonest being ____(date)_______. I know that this time of year can be especially busy, so please don't feel obligated to say yes.  
It has been an honor to get to know you during my time in ________________. You are one of the reasons that I became interested in Speech Pathology, and at this point I can't imagine a different path for my future. I know that the skills that I've refined during my time in ______________ will be very beneficial to my application, and I know that you would be the best person to attest to my academic and research abilities.  
I will provide copies of my resume, unofficial transcript, and any other information that you might find useful, should you choose to accept. I would be more than happy to meet with you at your convenience regarding this letter or my overall application. I look forward to hearing from you.
 
Sincerely,
- _________________
 
 
Step 4
You’re 2-3 months out from your application deadline. Your recommenders have accepted your request, and now you need to create packets for them.
 
In each packet, you’ll need to have:
 
A cover letter thanking your recommender for taking the time to speak on your behalf. This introduction should include: the date of the deadline(s), the school(s) you’ll be applying to, the points that you’d like them to speak on, and reminders of specific interactions that you’ve had with this individual that could inform their letter. If this is a professor and you are not enrolled in one of their courses this semester, include examples of work that you’ve completed in their class. A copy of your unofficial transcript A copy of your resume  
Here's an example packet that you can use!
 
Step 5
You’ve been accepted! Or, you’ll try again next year. There’s no shame in coming back for a second round of applications! Either way, you’ll need to thank your recommenders for their time. Some out there would advise that you send a small thank you when the letters have been submitted, and a larger thank you when you can report on how your application fared.
 
Honestly, the most important advice I can give you is to make this personal. Writing a letter of recommendation can be incredibly time consuming, and your recommenders deserve to know how important it was to you that they took this time for you. Some ideas for your thank you include:
 
Handwriting a thank-you card You’ll have developed a relationship with your recommender, so you could include their favorite candy or a small gift card for their favorite coffee, drink, or store.  
For ethical reasons, professors will absolutely not be comfortable with a large or extravagant gift. Keep it small, just as a token of your appreciation.

If you move before you have your CCC's, you would need to apply for provisional licensure in Florida. Full licensure can only be granted after 9 months of employment. So, if you're moving after you have your CCC's, you'd be able to apply for full licensure in the state of Florida. 
 
These are the requirements for full licensure: https://floridasspeechaudiology.gov/licensing/speech-language-pathologist/
There are different avenues that license seekers can take, but this is the one that would be most applicable in your case (current licensure in another state, looking to apply for licensure in Florida):
"Licensure by Endorsement from Another State/Territory:
LAWS AND RULES: Submit a copy of the laws and rules of the state or U.S. territory outlining the criteria for licensure at the time you received that license. The criteria must be substantially similar or equivalent to the licensure requirements in Florida at that time. Note- if you received your license through grandfathering or reciprocity you may not qualify for licensure under this method. LICENSE VERIFICATIONS: You must request that verification of any license to practice any profession that you now hold or have ever held in any state, U.S. territory or foreign country be mailed directly from the other licensing entity to the Board Office. A copy of your license is not considered verification. Some states/countries may require you to send them a License Verification Form. The form is available on our website for your convenience." So, the criteria for your Maryland license should be substantially similar to the criteria for a Florida license for easy transfer. So what are the licensure requirements for Florida?
"Master’s degree or completion of the academic requirements of a doctoral program, with a major emphasis in speech-language pathology Applicants enrolled in an approved program prior to January 5, 2005, must complete a minimum of sixty (60) semester hours at least thirty-six (36) hours must be earned in graduate level courses. Applicants enrolled in an approved program after January 5, 2005, must complete a minimum of seventy-five (75) semester hours at least thirty-six (36) hours earned at the graduate level 300 clock hours of supervised experience with at least 200 hours in the area of speech-language pathology Nine (9) months of professional employment experience Proof of passing the Praxis exam no more than three (3) years prior to the date of this application" Provided your Maryland license has "substantially similar" criteria, you should not have a problem with the transfer. 
 
These are the requirements for provisional licensure, if you move before you have your CCC's: https://floridasspeechaudiology.gov/licensing/speech-language-pathology-provisional-licensure/
"Master’s degree or completion of the academic requirements of a doctoral program, with a major emphasis in speech-language pathology
Applicants enrolled in an approved program prior to January 5, 2005, must complete a minimum of sixty (60) semester hours at least thirty-six (36) hours must be earned in graduate level courses. Applicants enrolled in an approved program after January 5, 2005, must complete a minimum of seventy-five (75) semester hours at least thirty-six (36) hours earned at the graduate level 300 clock hours of supervised experience with at least 200 hours in the area of speech-language pathology"  
This is the application for both full and provisional licensure: https://mqa-vo.doh.state.fl.us/datamart/voservicesportal/

I don't know what you ended up deciding but before I started my clinical rotations I became depressed. My body and mind finally had to time to deal with the prolonged stress and anxiety to deal with graduate school. During graduate school I had multiple instances of self doubt, anxiety and a professor that bullied me and made me feel inadequate. The best decision I ever made was to utilize the counseling center through my school. Most programs will have free or reduced rates for services. It was my first time receiving counseling and was nervous but it was so worth it. My practicum was also a welcome distraction from my emotions. It was a process and sometimes I'm still learning to deal with my triggers (hello 2020 and a cfy during a global pandemic) but I'm so proud of myself that I invested in myself and my mental health. Obviously you know yourself better than any of us do online but I personally knew I needed to push through with help and let me tell you that it's a better world out their compared to graduate school. In my experience my clinical supervisors were so supportive and encouraging and helped to improve my confidence. Please pm if you need anything else! You've got this and you should be proud of yourself for recognizing you might need to take a step back. 

@cjthax, don't rule out taking prereqs at community colleges, if they're offered! CC tends to charge less in tuition. You could also contact advisors for the more expensive prereq programs you're interested in to see if you can qualify for loans/scholarships/tuition assistance.
 
Not all of your letters need to be from professors, but the general rule of thumb is 2 out of 3. Just make sure that this is acceptable for the program you're applying to: there were at least two grad programs that I looked at that required all three letters to be from professors. If the grad programs you're interested in allow it, you could ask a manager or supervisor at your place of employment for one of your letters. Just make sure that this letter writer can speak to how successful they think you'll be as a graduate student and future SLP. You could ask them to write about your work ethic, ability to work with a wide range of clients effectively, effective interpersonal communication with people from a wide variety of cultural and linguistic backgrounds, etc.
Remember, you'll only want to take the prereqs that match the requirements of the grad programs you're applying to as closely as possible, so it doesn't really matter how long the program is! (i.e., if you're only applying to grad programs that require physics of speech, language development, anatomy&physiology, and phonetics, you're going to go into a lot of unnecessary debt taking a full year of full-time prereq classes.)

That being said, most professors won't even be willing to write a letter for a student that they don't know very well. Not only that, but you want to have strong, personal letters of recommendation, not just template letters. For that reason, I really suggest structuring your leveling program so that you can take multiple classes from one or two professors, even if they're both in the same semester.
I'm not sure if that makes sense, so I'll clarify: let's say you have class 1, 2, 3, and 4. Class 1 is taught by Dr. A or Dr. B, class 2 is taught by Dr. A or Dr. C, and classes 3 and 4 are taught by teaching assistants or grad students. You're really going to want to take class 1 & 2 with professor A, because then you'll have a better chance of making a good impression and getting to know that prof better. 
These are some things to try to improve your chances of receiving a high-quality letter of recommendation. If you want more of my personal opinions on asking for recommendations, this is a blog post I wrote (it's a work in progress but most of the important info is there): https://www.jomyers.online/post/_lors
visit your professor's office hours regularly ask about professional organizations your professor is involved with  join student organizations that your professors are staff advisors for ask about your professors career trajectory: what steps did they take to get to where they are? ask about funding opportunities or scholarships that might be available to you this might be cliche, but ask about your professor's research: I'm sure they'd love to talk to you about it. Before you ask, read up on past projects they've been involved in. (You can usually find this information on google or your university's website) offer to be a note-taker for students with disabilities in your class be a leader and contribute in group work send quality and professional emails  
This is an example of a packet I provided to my recommenders, so that they could speak clearly about me and my experiences (make a copy to make changes): https://docs.google.com/document/d/1VOoUShxyVQVncnl2QArAMU8b6Fgb5NawAILsV1hOwG8/edit?usp=sharing
 
This is a really good thread on reddit to read if you want professors' perspectives on when they're willing to write a recommendation letter: https://www.reddit.com/r/Professors/comments/lq4pmc/professors_in_which_instances_do_you_agree_to/
 
I know that was a lot of info, so don't hesitate to reach out if you have any follow-up questions!
 

This is great advice! I didn't do this in undergrad and wish I had. 
 
@cjthax: make sure that the courses you decide to take match the requirements of the schools you're planning on applying to as closely as possible!
Different programs are going to have different requirements - some as few as 3 or 4 courses, some as many as 9 or 10.  There's really not much consistency between programs as to what prerequisite courses are required, aside from the general ASHA pre-reqs (biological sciences, social sciences, physical sciences, stats). There are programs that might accept you conditionally if you don't have all of the required credits, but they'll likely have you complete the ones you still need before you start the program. Other programs will not consider students that do not have their prerequisites done.
My leveling program was 26 credits, and I feel that I'll be more prepared for graduate school than if I had a shorter prereq program. I don't think I'd have taken this entire leveling courseload if I wasn't absolutely sure that I wanted to attend KU. It was very expensive, so if I wasn't sure which grad program I wanted to attend I would have looked at others that required fewer credits, because it was very expensive. But, because I knew that KU was the place for me, it was worth the investment.
Another consideration is that financial aid can get a little tricky for non-degree seeking students. This can be even more of an expense than taking classes in undergrad if there isn't a degree/certificate awarded for your program, because some students are forced to pay out of pocket or take outside loans. Get in contact with the leveling programs you're considering and talk to them about what the financial aid situation would look like for you when you're making decisions!
The best advice that I can give leveling program students is to get VERY involved with your classes, because there are quite a few grad programs that specifically look for letters of recc from CSD professors. You'll probably be just fine asking for letters from your undergrad professors if you don't plan on attending a full year of leveling classes. If you'll be enrolled for a year or more, though: take multiple classes with the same professors, go to office hours, join (virtual) clubs that your profs are advisors for, and try to see if you can get involved with (remote) research opportunities.
 
-Jo

Hello @BlueWaters!
I truly believe that you should take the time that you need to be in a good headspace, but it might be a good idea to ask your advisors, a faculty member that you trust, and students in the program that you feel comfortable asking for advice about how this decision will affect your program completion. You might be able to use that feedback to alleviate any concerns that your family has. Moreover, as helpful as I try to be, they might be able to offer you more sound advice than strangers on the internet.
Depending on your university, you might be able to find student counseling services that are free or low-cost. At my undergraduate university, seeing a therapist was approximately $15/session. I was able to schedule the occasional emergency session during a traumatic time in my junior year, and continued with these services until I could find a more permanent counseling service through my insurance. If you choose to go this route, your service provider might be able to assist you in navigating interpersonal concerns with your family members over your decision about whether or not to delay your placement.
Best of luck,
-Jo

Great idea! The vast majority of people on Grad Cafe are applying or maaaybe in grad school, so there are very few actual SLPs on here to provide advice (although there is the Reddit SLP sub, where I'm pretty active.)
I'm also a CF and am free for questions, although it looks like we're both school CFs, so we might not have very different insights on things. I recognize your username from when I was applying, and it's awesome to see that we both made it through and are real-life SLPs!

Hello @socalmom!
That sounds like a pretty tough spot to be in. I have a few ideas, but they might not be all that helpful:
 
Bachelor's degrees in CSD are accepted. Do you know how many more credits would be required by your post-bacc program to turn it into a bachelor's? What was your undergraduate degree in, and did you attend the same university for your undergrad and post-bacc? The gen-ed classes will probably transfer pretty easily. My post-bacc program was pretty extensive as well, so my plan B was to finish up that program as a 2nd Bachelor's degree. For me, it would have only required 2 CSD courses and some language credits, so just one additional semester. You might be able to complete these credits online or at a community college and transfer them over, which would lower the overall cost. Make sure you're hitting the minimum on-campus credits from the institution that would be issuing the degree. You might also see if any of the board approved SLPA programs (American River College, Cerritos College, Orange Coast College, Pasadena City College, San Joaquin Delta College, Santa Ana College, Reedley College) have courses that line up with those you've already completed - you might be able to contact the program and see if your credits would transfer, knocking at least a few semesters off.  If you can handle a move, there are MA-SLP programs that allow/require full-time concurrent employment as an SLPA. (off the top of my head, the University of Northern Colorado Online, West Virginia University Online, and the University of South Florida Online) If you can handle a move, some states (like Kansas) have "speech para" positions in the schools - kind of like what an SLPA does, but it doesn't require any additional education beyond a HS diploma  
Hopefully others will have better advice for you. In the meantime, you could check out r/speechassistant. It's a new forum, and still pretty small, but they might be able to help. 
 
-Jo
 
 

@jomyers.online Ah! That does sound horrific. I did see that a few 2nd-year-students participated in clinics this past term, but I believe that was likely because the externships that they got weren't offering quite as many hours/opportunities due to Covid and the fact that the abroad trip for the bilingual track had to be postponed for two summers. Hopefully that's not the case for you or the program you end up attending. ? 
RE: externships vs. internships - it's a pəˈteɪˌtoʊ / pəˈtɑˌtoʊ situation IMO. I think it's really about the nature of the field you're attempting to enter. Internships are usually more about participating on a project basis in either non-profit or for-profit settings, usually with the bulk of it being "unskilled" grunt-work / free labor but with the promise of access to relationships in a particular industry. Externships are more about shadow experiences in highly-trained person-centered fields (non-administrative healthcare, therapy, teaching, etc), where you take on supervised tasks that are more hands-on with clients. Kind of like SLPA work ultimately, but for college credit. Networking is definitely a part of it but the main point is applying the things you've learned to novel situations. 
 

This definitely depends on the program, but mine was as follows:
1st semester I had one client in the on-site clinic and 4 or 5 classes. Clients were scheduled around the daytime classes, which were T-Th. I also had to keep Fridays free for meetings and evaluations, but I only had one eval all semester. I only got about 15 clinic hours all semester.
2nd semester I had two clinic clients, one evaluation, and 6 classes (but some of them were only 1-2 credits). All but one class was during the day. At the end of this semester I had a total of about 50 hours.
3rd semester (summer) I had one online class, but it was a prereq so not everyone had to take it. It was condensed and required at least 2 hours a day of work for 5 weeks. I also had a medical placement 4 days a week (7:45-4:15), two clinic clients,  and one evaluation. In addition to that, I was doing RA work and did some evals for that. My summer was BUSY! I got 190 hours, so my total at this point was about 240.
4th semester was definitely the roughest.  I had placement 3 days a week at a school (8:30-2:30; I got to arrive a bit late because I had an hour commute) and 4 evening classes. I was also doing a research project and RA work, so I had very little free time. I don't think I had a day off from school stuff all semester. I got about 100 hours, putting my total at 340.
5th semester was easy for me because at this point I was almost done with my hours and we were done with classes. I just had an audiology block which was half a day a week for four weeks and placement two days a week at another school (7:30-3:00), so I had plenty of time to finish my research project, and had plenty of time to take the Praxis and apply for jobs. However, some students who needed more hours had full-time placements.
Now, from what I've read, some programs are set up quite differently.  Some don't have an onsite clinic, many only offer two externships instead of three, some might have 5 or 6 smaller placements or special tracks to move through. You might not start clinic in the first semester. Some might give you a full-time placement in your last semester even if you're done with hours. Some schools might still have classes in the last semester and others might have you finish all your classes before starting placements. Take anyone's schedule with a grain of salt because yours may very likely be different.

This definitely depends on the program, but mine was as follows:
1st semester I had one client in the on-site clinic and 4 or 5 classes. Clients were scheduled around the daytime classes, which were T-Th. I also had to keep Fridays free for meetings and evaluations, but I only had one eval all semester. I only got about 15 clinic hours all semester.
2nd semester I had two clinic clients, one evaluation, and 6 classes (but some of them were only 1-2 credits). All but one class was during the day. At the end of this semester I had a total of about 50 hours.
3rd semester (summer) I had one online class, but it was a prereq so not everyone had to take it. It was condensed and required at least 2 hours a day of work for 5 weeks. I also had a medical placement 4 days a week (7:45-4:15), two clinic clients,  and one evaluation. In addition to that, I was doing RA work and did some evals for that. My summer was BUSY! I got 190 hours, so my total at this point was about 240.
4th semester was definitely the roughest.  I had placement 3 days a week at a school (8:30-2:30; I got to arrive a bit late because I had an hour commute) and 4 evening classes. I was also doing a research project and RA work, so I had very little free time. I don't think I had a day off from school stuff all semester. I got about 100 hours, putting my total at 340.
5th semester was easy for me because at this point I was almost done with my hours and we were done with classes. I just had an audiology block which was half a day a week for four weeks and placement two days a week at another school (7:30-3:00), so I had plenty of time to finish my research project, and had plenty of time to take the Praxis and apply for jobs. However, some students who needed more hours had full-time placements.
Now, from what I've read, some programs are set up quite differently.  Some don't have an onsite clinic, many only offer two externships instead of three, some might have 5 or 6 smaller placements or special tracks to move through. You might not start clinic in the first semester. Some might give you a full-time placement in your last semester even if you're done with hours. Some schools might still have classes in the last semester and others might have you finish all your classes before starting placements. Take anyone's schedule with a grain of salt because yours may very likely be different.

Great idea! The vast majority of people on Grad Cafe are applying or maaaybe in grad school, so there are very few actual SLPs on here to provide advice (although there is the Reddit SLP sub, where I'm pretty active.)
I'm also a CF and am free for questions, although it looks like we're both school CFs, so we might not have very different insights on things. I recognize your username from when I was applying, and it's awesome to see that we both made it through and are real-life SLPs!

Hello @dvchay!

I am looking into working in a medical-based setting as well, so I've scoured around and found as much advice as possible. I will reiterate several times that if you graduate from an accredited program and you are licensed in your state, then you are able to practice in any setting your SLP heart desires. This is more for those that are looking for ways to expand their depth and breadth of knowledge in the area of medical SLP practice, or those that are looking for ways to improve their applications while they are still in their programs to make the job search easier when they graduate. I'm not an expert, so take everything here with a grain of SALT (lol).

Quick bites if you don’t feel like reading this loooooong post:
Read, read, read: ASHA SLP Health Care community, Dysphagia Cafe, Tactus Therapy, Medical SLP Collective, Honeycomb Speech Therapy, SLP subreddit (search “medical” or “medSLP”) Spend too much of your time reading? Listen to some podcasts instead: Down the Hatch, Swallow your Pride Join ASHA Special Interest Groups, which are only $10 each for student membership: 2 (neurogenic communication disorders), 13 (dysphagia), 15 (gerontology) Take CEUs: speechpathology.com ($99 for all of their online courses), Aphasia Toolbox, MedBridge  
First, take a look at which medical settings might interest you:

Acute care
Working in acute care, you’ll see complex cases, with many SLPs reporting that the majority of their caseload includes dysphagia and trachs/vents. You’d be working with patients with speech, language, and swallowing difficulties stemming from head injuries, strokes, and other medical issues that result in a typical stay of a few days to a few weeks. There are options for further specializations, like working in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Click here for more information about Acute Care settings.

Skilled Nursing Facility
At a Skilled Nursing Facility (often shortened to SNF online, you’ll also see this setting referred to as “long-term care”), You’ll see patients for an average stay of about a month. SLPs report that most of their caseload includes patients with CVA (stroke) and work primarily in the area of swallowing. SNFs get a bad rap online for productivity standards and you’ll occasionally hear about pressure to bill insurance fraudulently. Click here for more information about Long-Term Care settings.

Pediatric Hospitals
At a Pediatric Hospital, you’ll be working with children from birth to 18 years old. This is another setting that you’ll see shortened online: you’ll find people refer to these settings as “Peds” or “Pediatrics.” As a SLP specializing in pediatrics, you’ll see a range of disorders. Click here for more information about Pediatric Hospital settings.

Acute Inpatient Rehabilitation
Working in inpatient rehabilitation (a.k.a.: “inpatient rehab” or just “inpatient”), you’ll see patients with traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and stroke patients with an average stay of a few weeks. You’ll be working with adults on memory, swallowing, comprehension, expression, and attention goals. Click here for more information about Inpatient Rehab settings.

Outpatient Clinics
You’ll have the opportunity to provide services to a wide range of clients in outpatient settings, with ages ranging from infancy to 80+ and a wide variety of diagnoses and goals. The average length of time for working with a patient is 3 months, but this varies. Click here for more information about Outpatient Clinic settings.
 
Classes to look for in your program:

If you are already interested in a few programs, compare their curriculum maps and elective courses. You can highlight classes that you are interested in and this process might help you narrow down your decisions. While all accredited programs will prepare you to work in any setting, you’ll find that some programs have dedicated classes in medical-based topics and concerns, while others have a larger part of their curriculum geared toward school-based SLP topics and concerns.  
Classes to look for include Dysphagia, Neurogenic Motor Speech Disorders, Pediatric Feeding & Swallowing, Interprofessional Practice, Traumatic Brain Injury, Treatment of Voice Disorders in Medical Settings, Dementia, Neuroanatomy & Aphasia.
 
Opportunities to look for in your program:

In addition to classes, look for clinical experiences that will help you gain knowledge and experience in medical settings. Advice is frequently tossed around online about finding programs that have hospitals nearby or hospital and medical affiliations, but I’ve yet to find a comprehensive list of these programs. For now, here’s a short list of programs that provide opportunities for specialization: 
The University of Washington offers a dedicated Medical SLP track and has affiliations with 17 hospitals Chapman University offers an emphasis in medically-related conditions New York Medical College offers LSVT LOUD training, FEES, anatomy dissection classes, an external clinical rotation specifically for medically based competencies, and interprofessional activities with the PT program MGH Institute offers concentrations that include electives, dedicated practicums, and mentorship in areas like Adult Neurogenic Communication Disorders and Medical Speech-Language Pathology.  Portland State University offers a medical concentration with dedicated elective courses, clinical placements in dysphagia and adult medical, and two medical practicum placements  

Definitely want to go to a program that is more medical based than school based. If the program you are applying to has a heavy emphasis on schools, its probaby not the best option. Look at the curriculum posted on the website and at the clinical externship opportunities the school has. However, you could always do medical even if you go to a school-based program because ASHA requires that everyone gets experience at both school and medical settings before they graduate their programs. Hope this helps! I am currently applying to programs too and this was the advice I was given during the application process!

So I currently work at a school for my CF so from personal experience I can't answer that, but I do know the slp that previously had my position worked in the school and then once she was done moved out to California and now works in a hospital. It may be more difficult to get a medical cf but it's not impossible. It all just depends on what you are looking out of from a cfy experience. Traditionally I know it's easier to get medical settings such as snfs compared to hospitals unless you have that connection with a hospital because snfs, especially during COVID are more open to hiring cfs but in this case you may be more willing to jump into the deep end with less support because of productivity standards. You could take continuing education CEUS during your CF but they won't count towards your CEUS hours needed after you obtain your CCCs. I hope that makes sense. I also recommend shadowing medical slps if you can if your goal is a medical cf. 

They've posted on a few forums talking about their grad school acceptances so I'm under the impression they are currently applying to grad school. 
Additionally, there are many ways you can find people who bully others on this forum. The idea of "anonymity online" doesn't exactly exist and regardless of the fact I never said you aren't anonymous on here. I said imagine if the admissions committee saw the comment you made to put it into the perspective of how inappropriate that is. It's important to note that they were not asking a question or offering advice on this forum. They were putting OP down.
Regardless, nobody should be putting anyone down whether they are in school, going through the admissions process, or currently employed as a licensed SLP. The comments I made the other day still stand and I stand by them.

You don't have to belittle someone's negative experiences. Just because they aren't fond of a program that you like doesn't make their experiences any less. As a future SLP you should be more empathetic to another person's experience even if it doesn't coincide with what you believe. Imagine if the admissions committee saw you making such hurtful comments to another person.

I was just going through some old files from undergrad and found something that made me cry from laughter.
My undergrad was online at a for-profit school, so there were some students that, well, maaaybe weren't ideal candidates for higher education, to put it politely. In one class there was this girl who wrote INSANE discussion posts. In addition to the terrible grammar and lack of insight into the topic, her posts were incredibly long and veered from wild tangent to even wilder tangent. She found vocab words (I'm guessing from the thesaurus in Word) that made no sense in context but substituted them in for simpler words. 
So it turns out that I saved all of this girl's bizarro discussion posts in a Word doc and was able to reread them all. It feels like Christmas!
I think my favorite line is "The cusp is that ants are a common living thing these days. That will never go away. The cogent is how many are there???"
Amazing.