colormespeech

Hi everyone! I accepted my admission into the Fall 2019 cohort at Truman State and am interested in connecting with others. I am not sure if there is a Facebook group available, and I understand that some students may not use Facebook. Any opportunity to connect is an opportunity I will gladly take!

Hi, everyone! This is my second time applying to grad programs and I am feeling a lot more confident this time around. I have already been accepted into one program, but I am still waiting to hear from my other four schools. I wanted to let those with stats as low as mine know that there is absolutely a chance for you to succeed. Where are you from? Illinois. Which programs are you applying to? Wichita State University, Truman State University, Saint Mary's College, Minnesota State University Mankato, and Louisiana State University. What are your biggest concerns about applications? As indicated in my signature, my stats are not the greatest. However, I worked hard to improve my major GPA and GRE scores. I had many people look over my personal statement and I obtained strong reference letters from supervisors and colleagues (including an SLP) since I wasn't close with my professors. I started student organizations in college that fostered leadership, diversity, and inclusion. I also worked as a paraprofessional/assistant teacher at therapeutic day schools after college. My current school allows for me to work with SLPs and run speech therapy sessions with their students. Not only do I get to observe SLPs, but I am fortunate to be able to carry out students' speech therapy programs on my own as well. I also worry about the cost, but most of the schools I chose are in a decent range for me. Best of luck to everyone this application season!

Hi everyone, One of the scariest things many of us who aspire to be SLPs are facing is the cost of education. This is a very sensitive topic for many people, including myself. I was not very smart about student loans as an undergrad, and am very worried about the amount I will rack up if and when I am accepted into a graduate program. I graduated with over $100k in student loan debt and am wondering if going to graduate school and tackling a possible $200k loan (due to interest) by the end of the program is worth it. Salary was never a huge thing for me going into CSD. It was never the reason I wanted to become an SLP to begin with. I have always had a passion for working with children, especially those with disabilities. I hope to work as an SLP in a school-based setting one day. Everyone knows how passionate I am about the field. Unfortunately, I am constantly reminded of the huge loans that will be weighing down on me if and when I graduate from school. Based on research (which may vary based on setting, location, and years of experience), SLPs do not make much in their CFY and in their first few years in the field. However, loan payments will be required during that time. For reference, I graduated a year ago and am currently working at a therapeutic day school as an assistant teacher. I work very closely with the SLPs, so I am also getting a lot of hands-on experience. Financially, I have been making all of my loan payments on-time. I currently live at home, which is fine. Therefore, I am able to live comfortably and can afford to splurge every now and then while also saving money. I was planning on applying for programs this upcoming season, but I can't help wonder if now would be the right time for me to do so. I am a follower of Dave Ramsey, so my budgeting skills have definitely improved. I am also worried since many programs advise you not to work at all or to work for little with highly flexible hours, which means interest would accrue during that time. Should I wait and pay off some loans first before applying to grad school, or should I be willing to tackle these loans all at once afterwards? I am not sure if anyone else out there is in the same financial situation as me. If this resonates with you, know that you are not alone. Any and all advice is greatly appreciated!

Thank you for your response! I was unsure about whether to take the GRE again since the programs I will be applying to this next season have Verbal and AW scores that I exceed. Only my Quant score would be low by a couple points. According to EdFind at least. You have a good point about obtaining a score of at least 300! Since submitting applications I also picked up a part-time job on top of my full-time job to tutor in reading and math. Since GPA was my weakest area, I am currently enrolled in an online course in CSD (and am doing very well). I plan to take another course in the fall while applying for the next round. My time management has definitely improved, which I struggled with in undergrad. I was also very introverted (in class) and hesitant to ask help, but I have established good relationships with my professor and mentors now. Would academic performance be worth mentioning in my personal statement, or should I reserve it for the "anything else we should know" part of the application? I will be applying to a new batch of schools this time, so I am not sure if all applications have a designated space for this.

This was extremely helpful. Thank you so much!

Hi everyone, It will be my second time applying for graduate programs. Since I applied for the Summer and Fall 2018 terms, would it be advised to apply for programs in Spring 2019? Or should I wait to apply for Fall/Summer 2019? My first time applying during this past application season, CSDCAS had lowered my already low GPA from 3.11 to 2.97. This is below the minimum GPA of 3.0 that most schools require. I am currently taking an online course at USU and another course in the fall to raise my GPA up to above 3.0 to at least be considered. The GRE was a horrible experience for me since I am terrible at standardized tests. My second time taking the GRE, I received a 155 Verbal, 142 Quantitative, and 5.0 AW. My resume and experience, on the other hand, are really strong. I work very closely with SLPs as a paraprofessional in a therapeutic day school. I also tutor children ages 3-6 in reading and math. I hope to work as a school-based SLP in the future, and I have a huge interest in working with children with disabilities (autism in particular) and AAC. My first time applying, I really had no sense of direction. I was out of school and was not close enough to any of my professors to be able to ask for guidance. I am in search of any advice to hopefully make this next application cycle more successful than the first. I want to find better ways to research graduate programs based on my stats, learn how to write a letter of purpose that an admissions committee would like to read, etc. Any resources, links, or advice on which topics in this forum to look at would be great. I hope this topic will also assist those in the same boat as me. Any and all help is welcome!

This will be my first time applying! Which programs are you applying to? Midwestern (Illinois), Illinois State, Western Illinois, Southern Illinois (Carbondale), Northern Iowa, and Grand Valley State. Six schools total! Where are you from? Illinois. What are your biggest concerns about applications? GPA and GRE. I had a lot of trouble with my mental health at the beginning of my college career, which I mentioned briefly in my personal statement. I improved but not enough for my GPA to be “competitive”. I also took the GRE twice but both scores are still not “competitive”. First round was 144V, 145Q, and 5.5AW. My second round was 155V, 142Q, and still waiting for my AW score since I took it last week but should be within the same range. I do have lots of experience from a clinical practicum in a language acquisition preschool, special recreation, and working at an applied behavioral science preschool. I am currently working as a para at a therapeutic day school. Will be interviewed for an additional part-time position in behavior therapy tomorrow. Also hoping my recs will help offset my poor scores. Best of luck to everyone else applying! ❤️

I currently work as a para in the elementary multi-needs classroom of a therapeutic day school. I am so in love with my school and the work I do with each student. Not only do I get to incorporate teaching strategies from fellow teachers, paras, and related services (including licensed SLPs), but I also learn so much about behavior management. I am also learning more about AAC since a majority of my kids were just approved by their school districts to use them! I am also being interviewed for a part-time position in behavior therapy. About 10-12 hours a week. Makes for great experience and extra funds!

Thank you so much for all the suggestions everyone! It really does give me hope and a sense of direction for where I need to go next. As of now, I have basically been applying to any and every job opportunity that would be valuable for me as a future SLP. I currently have interviews as an assistant teacher in early childhood development. I have applied for full and part-time ABA therapist and behavior technician/specialist positions, paraprofessional positions, and even some recreational aide positions. I have also contacted locations for volunteer experience with an emphasis on those with certified SLPs. I was unsure about whether to go through with my assistant teacher interviews since I noticed many other individuals in my situation are leaning more towards one-on-one and behavioral intervention. However, my main focus is on early intervention and I wanted to seek out opportunities that enhanced my ability to create lesson plans and implement engaging learning strategies. I will also be studying for the GRE starting this August. How much time is recommended for studying?

I apologize if you initially received a reply from another account. I accidentally replied thinking that I was using my own account when it turned out to be my friend's. Anyway, yes we do have SLPAs in our state! I was thinking about studying hard for the GRE and aiming for a high score, writing a great SOP, getting great LORs, and getting more work experience in a related field for this upcoming admissions season. If I did not get in, I was considering enrolling in an SLPA program and working as one for the next few years before applying again. I was wondering if this would be the recommended route or if enrolling in an SLPA program now would be better.

Thank you so much for the suggestions! I started looking into post-bacc and pre-SLP programs. However, I know they are targeted at individuals who are out-of-field. Would I be allowed to apply since I would already be graduating with a CSD degree? I have never gotten below a B- in any of my major classes but I have never succeeded in getting a A. I was always a couple points shy. In reality, I would like to redo all of my major courses because I know I would have been capable of getting As if only I knew what to focus on the first time around. I also struggled with making connections to professors besides the SLP I did my practicum experience under so most of my LORs will come from supervisors and I know know graduate programs require LORs from mainly faculty. As for professional experiences, prior to my post on this forum I had been applying to a number of different preschools as a lead or assistant teacher. Since then I have also started applying for ABA therapist positions.

Hello, I will be graduating with a degree in CSD at the end of this week and have already opted to take a gap year. Due to unfortunate circumstances, I realize that my GPA during my final semester will contain a D in one course. This would cause my cumulative GPA to drop to a 3.10. My major GPA is about 3.20, which is higher but not too high. These scores are due to my first year being fairly rough since I am an out-of-state student, it was my first time on my own, and I also attended a predominately white institution as a person of color (which was very difficult especially since where I grew up was incredibly diverse). Once I was able to really find myself and the motivation to better myself, my C's and D's eventually became A's and B's. While I did not obtain straight A's, I was still able to average a B each semester after my freshman year leading up to my senior year. While my grades may not be what is expected of me as an applicant, I decided to invest in other experiences that would hopefully boost me up. I was heavily involved within my campus community. I served as president and eventually vice president of an organization that I helped start on-campus which addressed the need for diversity and inclusion. My work experiences include working at a park district catered to individuals with disabilities where I worked with mainly teenagers and adults. I have also worked at a preschool for children with disabilities and have completed a clinical experience working with children in a language acquisition classroom under a licensed SLP (my area of interest). I am currently figuring out ways to further boost my chances of being admitted to at least one program during my year away from school. I will be taking the GRE in time for the next application season. I have also looked into working in the schools as a teacher/teacher assistant. I am currently awaiting approval for licensure as a paraprofessional in my current state of residence. I am interested in finding more opportunities to offset my low GPA. I was doing so well during my last semester so to suddenly have my last 60 hours marked with a D is very upsetting. Especially after researching and hearing how many graduate admissions councils focus on your last 60 hours the most. Since I am an out-of-state student and am not interested in continuing my studies at my university due to cost, I was wondering if there were other ways to improve my grades or just general ways to further boost me up as an applicant since I cannot retake the course at my institution. While my grades may be B-average, I have a lot of passion and a variety of experiences to bring to the table. I am interested in finding more opportunities to learn and grow not only to impress admissions but for myself. Any and all suggestions are greatly appreciated!