aelwood14

I was just accepted into Pacific U via phone call!

I just got a call from Pacific and was accepted! I'm literally over the moon! Be on the lookout for a call. Ahhh So excited, it doesn't feel real!

I have been wondering about this too. According to the admission results page, it looks like they sent out acceptances mid-February last year... but there hasn't been anything for 2018 posted yet. I'm really anxious to hear any news at this point!

Yes! The wait to hear back from any school is pure torture... I highly considered calling Diana as well but held off. I have been trying to keep myself busy, but it's not going too well.

Hey! I must say that you are an inspiration to me because we have similar GPA's and I'm terrified I will not be considered because of that. I have an undergraduate GPA of 2.63... which is due to having an undiagnosed learning disability. After my diagnosis, I went back with the appropriate accommodations and retook all of my undergrad CSD courses. I completed my post-bach with a 3.98 which brought me up to 2.99 . With it still being under a 3.0 I have very high concerns of not getting accepted but, seeing that you are on two waitlists gives me hope that maybe someone, somewhere can look past my low undergad GPA. Congrats on the waitlists! SO awesome!

I hope everyone's interviews went well! Now we just have to sit back and wait.....

I have not. According to the results page, it looks like people heard back from U of M at the end of March to early April last year.

I follow her too! I love her fun and spunky personality! Plus, she makes great resources on TpT! I have purchased her IPA flash cards and a few other materials to use with the kiddos I work with ( I am also an SLP-A).

It's hard to say... I heard in passing that there are 150 people being interviewed, but then I also heard that wasn't the true number. I was in the afternoon group and arrived a half an hour before the morning group ended. If I had to guess, I would say about 70 people interviewed in person (between both groups) and then the professors also had Skype interviews scheduled. BUT with all that being said, it feels great to make it past the first round. The wait has been slowly killing me...

I went to White House Black Market at bought a business casual outfit. I went with cropped slacks, a blouse, and paired it with matching cardigan. For shoes I wore a nice pair of flats. I also brought a nice raincoat. There is a tour of campus that is outside and it will more than likely be raining. Mostly everyone that was interviewing wore black, white and gray. I choose to go with a pop color to show my personality and because I didn't want to blend in. All of the professors had on color (as with the 1st grad student mentors). I think as long as you look put together and look presentable and nice you will be fine! I would pick an outfit you feel comfortable and confident in. Just be yourself really! You will love it, everyone was so nice and friendly. As soon as I got there I felt calm and comfortable, when in reality I was expecting my anxiety to be through the roof! Best of luck! I'm sure will rock it.

Hey! I just got home from my interview visit- you are going to love it! My actual interview took about 20 minutes. My grad student mentor told me each interview has a 15-20 minute time slot. You will be interviewed by one professor or CSD faculty member and their "community partner". The community partners seemed to be very close with each faculty member. So yes, you will be able to ask those community partner questions as well as, the professor that interviews you. While you are not in your interview, you will be in a large room with some of the current grad students and other interviewees (the Mixer). You can ask all of the current grad students any questions or concerns you may have about the program. Everyone is so open and friendly there, so just be yourself! I'm sure you will do great. Best of luck to you!

I took the leveling program online from the U of MT last year. It was very intense and very time consuming, but I believe that would be the case for most CSD online classes. They are shortened so you only take one class at the time. There is only one break for two weeks at Christmas, but the rest is pretty much straight through. They do give the option of completing it in 1 or 2 years, however, I was told that if you apply to graduate school at UM they look closer that applicants that complete the program in one year because the intensity is similar to that of graduate school. For just the anatomy class... I will be honest and say that it is a bit disorganized but the quizzes were open-book which was nice. The professor is also very kind and wants everyone to succeed.

Congrats on the upcoming interviews! If you search for "interviews" under the Speech pathology forums, older forums will pop-up full of interview tips/ suggestions. I have an interview on Friday and I went with business casual for my outfit choice. I based this off of the dress code in the student handbook and from askings friends that have interviewed previously at this school, as well as, one friend that is a current student.

Anytime love! If I get into grad school, I hope to inspire others with lower GPA's. Sometimes, it can feel like a loosing battle, but I truly believe that if you can turn your negative into a positive your time will come.

Hi amf18! My first piece of advice is to not get discouraged. I know this can be hard when everyone around you has a high GPA. It can feel like there is no hope and lot of disappointment, but the truth is all of those 4.0/ high GPA students do not have the same story as you. As someone that also has a lower undergraduate GPA, I can personally understand the uphill battle of getting into grad school. This is my second round of applying. I first applied in 2014 after one year of related work experience (SLP-A) and was rejected to every school I applied too. Now, here I am 4 years later and just finished reapplying to schools. I was offered an interview to one of the schools I applied to and I am over the moon about it! Proof, that I still have not given up after 5 years. I found at the age of 24 that I have a learning disability, which gave clarity to my low GPA. I contacted student disability services (DSS) at the school where I completed my undergrad and I was granted accommodations (i.e. extended test times). I made the decision to back to school and retake all of my CSD classes, even the ones I got a B's in. I went from a 2.68 GPA to exactly a 3.0 (my post-bac GPA 3.98 and last 60 GPA is 3.65). While in school, I continued to work as full-time SLP-A while managing a caseload of 45 students. To me this is important, because it will show that I can balance both the high demands of homework in graduate schools, as well as, planning and preparing for clinicals. If I were you, I would try to look for an SLP-A job, even if you have to move to do so. Maybe call the local school district and ask if they have SLP-A positions or other para-educator positions available. If you are unable to find a job as an SLP-A, I would look in into jobs that will give you similar experience (behavior specialist, para-educator, etc.). Maybe even possibly looking into volunteering or do some job shadowing at school or hospital within your community. Through the DSS at the school I attended both test anxiety and depression were considered to be disabilities, which could be worth looking into if you decide to retake classes. One other thing I did was made contact with a professor from my undergraduate studies and asked if I could do some research under him for the experience. I was able to help publish a paper and present poster at both ASHA and my state's local speech and language conference. Finally, when you feel that you are ready to apply, I would look at schools that look at the last 60 credits (as you mentioned) and schools that holistically look at your application. I would also address the reason behind your low GPA in your personal statement. Look at your low GPA as a positive, not a negative. Prove to the school that you are applying to how hard you have worked to overcome a low GPA and how the experience helped you to grow as a person. I personally feel overcoming my lower GPA is a strength, because SLPs provide their clients with the right tools and strategies to make their client's successful. Oh one more thing (sorry this is so long), when I decided to re-take the GRE, I studied through Magoosh.com. Magoosh offers a 5 point score guarantee (in both sections) as long as you complete all lessons and practice problems. I would recommend the 6-month study plan vs. the one month study plan. But, do not give up. Your time will come and keep your head high! If you want make it happen, you will find a way to do so! I hope these tips helped. Best of luck my friend!

I am honestly not sure how many distance students are accepted, but I can try and find out. I have a friend in the distance program now. Did you put on your application that you would be open to in-person classes if the distance program wasn't an option?

I am glad you posted this... I am having similar concerns. I applied to 9 programs and the cost of tuition ranges from $16,000-$59,0000. I know that if I am accepted into more than one program that I should choose the school that will be most financially feasible. But at the same time, I should also choose whichever program I believe will be the best fit for me, regardless of how much it costs.

I went shopping for my interview this past weekend. I felt totally lost but went for business casual. I choose cropped (ankle length) slacks, nice flats, and a blouse with a pop of color and matching cardigan. It was what I felt most confident/comfortable in, which I think is important. I just hope I made the right choice and that I don't look "too casual". I also read online to wear minimal makeup, hair out the face/eyes, and no fragrance. I hope this helps!

I have not heard a thing yet. I have about 10 friends that have completed the program though... and even though the website does say early March, every year the decisions seem to come out a little later. But hopefully this year they will be on time. It was also my understanding that the secondary applications come out only after you have received a letter of acceptance. The following I took straight from their website: Second:Only when directed by the CSD department, complete the UM Graduate School Online Application. As part of this process, applicants must do the following: Enter names and timeframes of all colleges and universities attended. List names of the 3 references provided to CSDCAS (see above). Pay the application fee. To me, this would be after you have been accepted.

Its going to be different for each school you apply to and it is also going to depend on whether you are a in-state and out-of-state applicant. Not to mention, some programs are from private schools. For instances, I applied to 9 schools and the cost of tuition ranges from $12,000-$59,000. Cost of tuition can also be found on individual final aid pages, and some can be found directly under the program page.

University of Montana offers a 'distance' program. However, you can not take the classes on your own time, the distance students have to Skype-in at schedule class times. Which can be difficult for those with full-time jobs. And I believe the distance students do have to go to campus in the summer to complete some clinical hours. I am not sure if that would be a feasible option for you or not. Also, Northern Arizona University has a program that is called "part-time Summers track" that is designed for SLP-A's that are unable to move. One other I have heard of, but know very little information about is University of California Northridge.

Thank you! Where are you from? I have not heard from UM yet. I have also heard they can be a little late getting acceptances/wait-lists/rejections out. I'm hoping to hear back by the end of March. UM is where I completed both my undergrad and my leveling program through. Do you know anyone that has completed these program there? It makes me nervous how competitive their program is... but then again all of the programs are competitive!

Hello jnbfutureslp, Yes, I did address both my lower GPA and my undiagnosed learning disability in my personal statement, as well as, over-coming my disability. I felt it was important to disclose this information for them to understand my personal situation and that there was in fact a reason for my lower GPA. Just out of curiosity, did you apply to Pacific U? And did you also disclose your disability in your personal statement?

Hello MinnesotaHappy, It is good to know that are others out there with similar concerns. I do not want my past to held against me. I did explain in my personal statement why I do have a lower GPA. Is this something you did as well? I am just hoping at least one school (All I need is one "yes") can see past my lower undergraduate GPA, and value the hard work I put into completing my leveling program while working as a full time SLP-A.

Which programs are you applying to? The University of Montana, Idaho State University, Northern Colorado University, Pacific University (Interview 2/16/18), University of Wyoming, University of Oregon, and Northern Arizona University. Where are you from? Montana What are your biggest concerns about applications? My biggest concern is that I have a low undergraduate GPA (2.68). However, with that being said, I was unaware that I have a learning disability and was diagnosed at the age 24 with severe dyslexia. Last year, I made the decision to go back to school, with the appropriate accommodations, to complete a post-bac leveling program. Thankfully, I was able to bring up my GPA and completed the courses with 3.98 GPA. I have also been an SLP-A for the past five years and I'm hoping my experience will help with my application. However, I am still concerned my undergrad GPA will overshadow my post-bac GPA and my work experience.