Geroge325

Hello all, This is my first post in this forum. I was hoping to gain some feedback from those currently in an SLP grad program, or those already in the field. I'm 35, married, have children, and currently work full-time in a government job that pays a modest salary with benefits, but ultimately is not in my area of interest or skills, and is hard to find personally rewarding. I have a strong undergrad record (B.A. English, minor Spanish), have scored well on the GRE in the past, and have been taking SLP pre-requisite courses online this past year. My chief concern moving forward is finances. I am trying to figure out how my wife and I would be able to manage me going through a 2 or more year grad program without my current income. My wife currently is a stay at home mom. She wants to return to work once our youngest (age 3) goes to school in a few years. I have friends who have completed longer, PhD programs while raising a young family, and I know at least one family that got through on welfare and food stamps, so i know it can be done. What I'm wondering though is, would it make sense were I to become an SLPA first, and then work toward the grad degree part-time while already in the field? This way, I could maintain a salary and gain experience at the same time. Or, is it be better to complete an SLP grad program from the get-go? From what I have read, SLPA jobs are in short supply in my state, so I'm leaning toward the latter, but we might be flexible in moving to a nearby state if they're in higher supply elsewhere in the Mid-Atlantic region. Advice is appreciated. Thanks!