Ecstatic!

I am already in the first year of my grad program and am happy to look at it - please feel free to message me.

I took a Kaplan course which was expensive but worth it, especially as I had been out of school for a long time so I needed the extra support. I had signed up for Magoosh but personally I found that I had to go back and learn some basics from Khan Academy before I was able to grasp their material. From my past research, Magoosh has excellent reviews and is known to be one of the best test prep options out there - I just did not get back to it to find out how good as Kaplan kept me busy all the way through until I received my acceptance. If I had your scores, I would start off Magoosh as it's highly rated and inexpensive. Good luck.

Hi, how did you find out about the networking/interview event last week? I have been in touch with them to ask questions over the phone and been on their the website but I did not know about that. Just want to make sure I don't miss out on a future event. Thanks.

Gradcafe has been a great source of info and support at the application phase for graduate speech pathology programs. I was wondering though if there exists a similar website/online forum for current graduate students after one has been accepted into a program. I am a member of ASHA and their student counterpart (NSSLHA) but not sure if they have similar forums. I am not sure where to ask questions more appropriate for students already in graduate programs. Thank you.

Thank you so much - that is really helpful. I don't plan to work (as in take a job) during my program but I have a family to take care off as I'm a non-traditional older student, so in a way I could count that as a 'part time' job. It sounds that from your experience it's not so insanely busy, that you have no life outside the program - that is good news to hear. I was hoping there would be breathing space. Thanks.

Based on the rankings of both, I would personally choose NYU but that's just me - you may have different priorities. NYU is a highly reputed school with world class professors and resources. Hofstra may be a good school too but if you have a choice, NYU would do a lot more for your resume and long term job prospects. Your long term career goals should also factor into this if the programs are significantly different.

I agree with this advice. If you really want to get in and not give up, you need to do what it takes to raise your score. Take a test prep course if you have not already done so - it can significantly boost your score.

Congratulations! That is quite an accomplishment to get into all those top schools. May I ask what your stats were like - GPA/GRE etc since there is so much anxiety on gradcafe in general about what it takes to get admitted. Your journey as a grad student at Columbia university should be interesting to follow, especially to give students an insight into what to expect on the other side. Good luck on your journey - it sounds so exciting.

Personally I would not give up, but change my strategy. I am not sure if applying abroad is an option for you but it is definitely worth considering if you can do it. USA has some of the most stringent admission standards in the world and there are many students who study abroad and come back to work here.

I'm bumping this thread as I have a question for current graduate students. What is the work-life balance like in speech pathology graduate school? For example, is it possible to take evenings and/or weekends off like a regular job or do you find yourself working on evenings/weekends? Is there time to fit in a social life while still keeping up with the workload? Any insights are appreciated. Thank you!

Interesting thread as I feel I am in good company age-wise and as a career changer! I am in my mid-40's and was quite intimidated by all the threads out there about how difficult it was to get into grad school so I was amazed when I got into the university of my choice. I did not have to apply to multiple universities or apply over multiple cycles. My personal opinion is that if you have the basic stats, then a good personal statement and essays are critical. Had I spread myself thin applying to multiple universities, I probably would not have been able to do full justice to the one I applied to. One thing I would advise though from experience is that if you have a lot of other commitments in your life as an older student (work, family etc), it may be wise to give priority to part time programs as the pace can be intense. It's one thing getting into grad school but you also want to make sure that you stay in there and don't get dismissed from the program by not meeting the GPA requirements.

If you choose to apply within Iowa as has been suggested, the University of Iowa happens to be rated as the best program in the country by several sources. Having been through the application experience with a similar GPA and lower GRE scores, my advice to you would be to think about where you want to go rather than than which schools look at GRE scores more than GPA. Most schools I spoke to take a holistic view of the applicant and your stats look really good to me so I think you will have a lot of opportunities.

Thank you so much!

Does anybody have any ideas about where/how to complete the list of ASHA pre-requisites? I have to complete a Biology and Physics related subject to earn credits. I was wondering if there are any online options? If you have already taken them, what was your experience? I am nervous as I last took these subjects in school over 20 years ago. I am based in New York city so if anyone has experience of any universities/community colleges/institutions in this area where I can take these courses, that would also be appreciated. Thank you so much!

According to the Mutual Recognition Agreement, speech pathologists from UK and several other countries can practice in USA. However, it may be a more complicated route to follow as you would still need ASHA accreditation if you choose to come back to USA. Your best option is to get qualified in the country where you intend to work but if you choose to go abroad, it is do-able. I have heard of students who have successfully done that.