meadymalarkey

As Jo alluded to, lots of things are taken into consideration when departments look at applications. One of the things they consider is life circumstances, especially if you use your SOP to address why those B's may have happened. A ~B average is by no means the end of the road, but the fact that they're in your speech path prerequisites can narrow your options, especially considering what the world has just been through. A lot of people are going to be applying to graduate school in the coming year after realizing they hate their jobs/life is too short/etc. I'd recommend really targeting schools that have a wide GPA range of ~2.5-4.0 and applying to at least 7 programs that admit at least 30% of their applicant pool (you can figure this out with EdFind stats)... more, if you're able. Note that this rarely correlates with program rankings and more often with costs/location/funding availability. Depending on your area, being willing to relocate may help. Having a SPED background is a fantastic start, but probably not enough on its own. I say this because there are lots of people with similar backgrounds that apply to grad school for speech, and even those with high GPAs are posting all over the GradCafe results page that they aren't getting in when/where they expect to. I was one of them the first time I applied. Your SPED background will be valuable to the extent that it directly informs your "why" and how well you show that in your application. Your "why" may be translated into concrete research interests and populations you want to work with, but those should be fleshed out beyond your work experience and made evident in your application. It should also be clear how your interests align with the department faculty's resources. Do you have any specific research/topic interests?

I'd also add that if your college has an linguistics, psychology, or neurology labs that have student roles open to you, definitely seek out and do those things. As far as work goes, anything having to do with small group/one-on-one teaching will give you lots of solid experience to draw from. Check out companies/organizations that provide intervention services for speech-adjacent topics: literacy, behavioral, life skills, etc. You can also look into volunteer opportunities for summer camps in your area that are specific to different populations (ASD, fluency, etc), as well as retirement homes/skilled nursing facilities more generally.

It's intimidating, but finding SLPs in those settings and talking with/shadowing them is your best bet. This year is rough for observing in hospital settings, but it's possible that as things are starting to open up, there will be more opportunities. It sounds like you might know people who know people, based on your nursing background? If not, start by targeting teaching hospitals. Sometimes clinicians will also allow observations during tele-therapy sessions, which based on the population your interested in will primarily mean coaching caregivers. You might also consider starting early on MBSImP training/reading more about it, which you will likely be expected to do as a graduate student during the dysphagia courses. It's a lot cheaper when you do it as a student, but you have to pay the difference after you graduate to be considered certified.

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.

Many people use ipads to write directly on PDFs of the slides, or use apps like Notability, which is great for working with PDFs. I tend to take notes by typing, often in GDocs or in the powerpoints we're provided in the notes section, but this is mostly because I haven't taken the time to learn a new thing as it's worked for me for years. I'm sure Notability and other apps offer much better solutions. Also, if I know I'm going to need to make flashcards, I'll also take my notes directly in Quizlet (with everything set to private to make sure I'm not violating any guidelines). I like this because I can use what I do in different modalities and see what others have written as I go. They also have some game options for learning, which is sometimes helpful in breaking up studying activities.

Can't speak to Bougie, but I took A&P last summer through ENMU with Lacey Plummer. It was very straight-forward. We had an exam every week or two and 3 written assignments that were designed to be useful beyond the class (and they actually have been! Yay!). Doing anatomy and physiology online is definitely not ideal but I lived and am now doing just fine in my grad-level courses (although I DID have 2 separate anatomy classes as an UG with labs, so my understanding going into CDIS 300 was supplemented a lot by those experiences). I'd highly recommend drawing out diagrams to help cement concepts, especially when it comes to the anatomy of swallowing and the larynx. Obtaining an A&P coloring book could be helpful. Memorizing the cranial nerves and where they go is also really important down the line. I have a friend that really enjoyed the Language Science course (Plummer also teaches that one sometimes), but they didn't mention who their professor was. Mason has great reviews. I would not add another course for the 8 week session. 3 is doable but it's likely that you'll have more than enough to do with what you have if you plan to study and do assigned readings.

Also, something worth noting (that I've run into as a grad student): Sometimes "speech science" courses are offered as physics GE's, but they may not always count towards the physics requirement by ASHA's standards, even if the department says it does. I took the one through CSUSM, which was listed as counting in the course description, and my current department is still not sure if it will count. It's not the biggest deal, it just means one more GE course, but still... worth mentioning. It's kind of a gray area.

It depends on what's being offered and what you actually need. Most bridge programs are intended to be somewhat spread out (like between 1-2 years usually) because you're essentially completing what would have been a 2nd major. If you're ambitious you could possibly take multiple courses at different institutions based on what you know you'll definitely need for the graduate program you've chosen. For instance, I had acquired some of my pre-reqs already, but the grad program I chose wanted others that none of the other programs I'd applied to had asked for. I could have waited to take them as a grad student, but decided to knock them out over the summer: 2 at ENMU, 1 at San Marcos, another at UCLA extension, and one at my local CC. Previously I had done several through CSUSM. ENMU does 6-8 week intensive courses, which means you can take several in a relatively short period of time. Same for CSUSM.

I'd recommend checking out ENMU's offerings. All of the classes I took through them were asynchronous. They're easy to enroll in and less expensive than a lot of other online programs. Other options: Utah State, CalState San Marcos, Northwestern... There may also be some options at a CC level in the state where you live if they offer a SLPA track. Another thing to consider is that most likely many programs are still offering most things online right now, even if they'd normally be in person.

@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.

@jomyers.online What @bibliophile222 describes is pretty much what my program has been like thus far. My program has lots of clinics that were able to pivot to telepractice -- not all programs did that. My first quarter I had 2 clients (adult language), this quarter I have 1 (preschool), and in the spring I'll have 3-4 (fluency). For those that didn't get placed with live clients, they completed a clinical term via Simucase. We usually take 3-4 courses (if 4, two are usually worth fewer units) and meet 2-3 days per week, never the same day as clinics. That said, because of telepractice, most of us with live clients tend to spend a lot of unrecognized extra time preparing digital materials from scratch in the lesson planning process. I'd say between 1-2 hours extra per 50 minute session (usually clients come twice per week), unless you end up with a caseload where the materials you create are easily generalizable or you invest in pre-made options (Boomcards, TPT resources, etc). If we had access to campus, this wouldn't be a factor because we'd be using physical resources provided by the department. Externships start in summer or fall depending on the person and tend to be 35-40 hours per week. The majority will likely be in person because we've all been eligible for vaccinations. It may be different in other states though. Our course-load shifts significantly in year 2, so we're expected to complete things like electives, theses/culminating experience projects, etc at that time.

Hi @Mayestr - I'm not currently experiencing that feeling, but I did live through it the first two times that I applied to graduate programs. I was almost universally rejected, with consolation offered in the form of waitlist placements. If there is a purgatory, I'm certain it's that. Well, that and being stuck on the set of "Love Island: Australia," but I digress. The good news is that even if things don't turn out your way this cycle, you can always reapply, and you'll have time in between to take classes to improve your chances. That's what I did, and it worked out. I've responded to a few threads along these lines that speak to my experiences with rejection. If you want to look through those, snoop through my post history by way of my profile. There is absolutely no shame in rejection when it comes to graduate school, but I do understand that it's not how it feels until this stage is over. Just know: this too shall pass. 10 programs is a great number to have applied to if your GPA isn't where you want it to be, especially if they represented a range of admittance profiles. Most programs take a holistic approach when looking at applicants, and while GPA is important, so are other indicators of readiness like writing ability, your last 60 units of coursework, courses you've taken that are specific to the field, GRE scores, rec letters, work/volunteer experiences, etc. After that, no matter who you are or what you look like on paper, it's still a numbers game.

Hi ABC1 - CSULA does a general rejection wave when they invite people to interview (typically about 1/3 of applicants). It happened around this time last year, based on my experience of being rejected. ? I also remember being surprised by the timeline and the fact that my stats didn't make the cut, but it all worked out in the end. Hope you get better news soon.

I can't speak to the quality of WKU's program, but in glancing at the cost per unit on their website, if you're not a KY resident there are likely far less expensive ways to take those prerequisites that are more flexible for time. If you're expecting to be online anyway and you're on a budget, it may be worth considering that. If your goal is to go to grad school at WKU, then taking your pre-reqs through them is a good way to make connections early. In my grad program, several of the people that did their prerequisites at the school were admitted (although it was by no means a certainty). Sometimes it's worth it to make those connections if you feel that will make you a more competitive candidate.

::sigh:: Yeeahhhhh... I'm originally from southern California. My impression of Chapman has always been that it's a place most people choose when other programs don't pan out, but that's mainly based on undergraduates. It's a lot of money. Also Orange County isn't exactly known for being a bastion of diversity or its inclusive, forward-thinking atmosphere. Not surprised that the program leaves a lot to be desired. For all of the good intentions and feel-good moments, there is certainly a lot of mediocrity to go around in SLP-dom. In past years a lot of people on gradcafe have been very enthusiastic about Chapman. Thanks for being open about your experiences!

It is possible to accept and then change your mind, but you may lose deposit money doing it. I'd check with the school's policies if that's information you don't already have.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

I should add that while none of my exams were proctored at ENMU, Aural Rehab was set up so that you couldn't go back to change any of your answers. It was all open-book though.

I took 2 courses at ENMU and have a friend that has taken several others after I recommended it. Our experiences have been generally good. I took Anatomy of the Speech and Hearing Mechanism and Aural Rehab, and I took them simultaneously while also completing a statistics course elsewhere and working a full time job over the summer. Aural Rehab made use of recorded in-person lectures, which I appreciated. The anatomy course was dry, but that's pretty standard for that topic. The workload was mostly self-guided and very manageable, with limited group work and no synchronous meetings. They were by far the most cost-effective outside of taking community college courses. Had I known about ENMU sooner, I would have done all of my pre-reqs through them.

Hi JessC! Having been in a very similar state of panic last year, I can definitely relate. I think it's important to know that getting into graduate school is a bit of a numbers game crapshoot, no matter what career you're pursuing. You can do your best to inoculate yourself against rejection to some extent, but at the end of the day your application is going to be considered relative to everyone else that happened to submit to that school in that cycle. You can only control so many variables. Paying attention to what you can control will ultimately pay off, but it may take more than one try, and that is okay. Nobody will ever ask you how many times you were rejected once you're accepted, where you were accepted once you're licensed, or even what your GPA was 99% of the time. My advice (based on having gone through 3 grad school application cycles, 2 of which were for SLP) is: 0) Develop a crystal-clear understanding of the range of student profiles commonly accepted at the programs you're interested in. ASHA EdFind is a great resource for this, as the information is updated very consistently. Find ways to make yourself competitive based on that criteria rather than what you may already have in your head. You might be surprised at the ranges evident in many well-known programs. If you notice that you're swinging for the hills, explore options that fall more into the range you're currently in and apply to both next time. 1) take it seriously, but don't take it too seriously. Recognize that even if you don't get it right away, you're a competitive candidate - not an outlier by any means - and you can use the time in between to add to your experience through work or additional observation, both of which will add to your toolbox once you do get into a program. 2) Graduate school is demanding. Anything you can do before starting to ease that up will make you a stronger candidate and student, including retaking classes that apply to the field that you may not have done well in, studying for and retaking the GRE if it seems worth it, etc. 3) Get in the habit of acting like you're already in grad school before getting in by refining your interests. Explore specific topics and exploring the literature out there. ASHA evidence maps are a good jumping off point. Good luck!

Most of the time it's just CSDCAS, but I did have one CSDCAS school that wanted original transcripts as well (super annoying). To avoid confusion, I recommend checking with each program.

Congratulations! When I was in the last application process, I completed one interview for a school I ultimately got into but did not attend. It was via zoom, pre-pandemic. Echoing what Liza_Ann_92 said, I was asked what my plans were, motivations for entering the field, what experience I had, and what I hoped to gain from their department/school specifically. That said, it was comparably less involved than what some people describe (no group component, no spontaneous writing sample). It felt very similar to a job interview, which in my experience is best when you ask your interviewers good questions to make it feel more like a natural conversation. I was told who would be meeting with me, so I looked up their research ahead of time and skimmed what I was able to get access to, which helped. I also discussed applicable populations I was interested in working with as they pertained to the location of the school, and sent a detailed, thoughtful followup thank you message ~24 hours after the fact. I think that it's a good move to send a followup email because most of the time they're interviewing a substantial number of candidates. I didn't make this, but I second the points made in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tu_6ezBMQ70

I'm glad! You may want to call reps at these schools to get more information. I know both programs are very communicative once you give them your info. Just wanted to add: I doubt you'll be asked to retake the psychology class, especially since you got an A. However, you may consider taking another class with comparable but different content just to show recent work and expand on what you've already done. Child and/or lifespan psychology could be useful, as could biological psychology (can be used to double as a bio requirement) or abnormal psych. Biological psychology in particular was super-helpful in preparing me to work with acquired language/motor-based disorders.

Hi! I think your work experience speaks for itself and my understanding that the ASHA general education requirements are not given the same weight as courses you've taken that apply to the SLP field. Grad apps are tricky. Acceptance anecdotes tend to fall all over the spectrum. I've met exceptions to all rules, but what I've learned is that personally I have seen the most success when I've opted to not gamble. Applications are expensive and require a lot of time and focus to do well. It takes more time to make sure there's no reason outside of your control that a committee would not consider you, but it's likely worth it. I could have bought A LOT of waffles with the $ I spent other attempts. That said, I did get in with a stats course that had been taken P/NP. I was then asked to retake statistics by my department because I had taken in 7 years prior and it wasn't for a letter grade, but I was accepted regardless. I took the class over the summer before fall quarter started. It felt much easier than the first time, so it didn't feel like a massive commitment. Last I checked, NYU and Emerson both offer rolling enrollment options for their online options. If I were you, I would at least retake statistics because even if you get in, you'll probably be asked to do so.

If you're seeking experience with kids, I suggest looking into private companies that do related work and/or positions in schools as a classroom aid. When I say "private companies," I'm thinking along the lines of literacy intervention - like Lindamood-Bell (which was founded by a speech pathologist) - or potentially ABA work (although many speech paths reject behaviorist models of intervention these days, and rightly so). These companies typically offer paid role-specific training at an entry-level, so the pay is usually better than minimum but not by much but if you go into it knowing what you're getting out of it professionally it's actually useful. I've had a leg up on many of my cohort members because of the hands-on experience I received when working for one of these companies. If you're more interested in working with older populations you can also work or volunteer for retirement communities a lot of the time. You can also reach out to SLPs in your area to see if they have opportunities available beyond the scope of SLPA work (administrative) that would allow you some access to their practice on a day to day basis.