SLPenthusiast

My suggestions would depend on your additional statistics: What was your cumulative GPA? CSD GPA? GRE scores? Volunteer/work experience? Research experience? Who wrote your LORs? Did they know you well? Did you feel your personal statement was strong? These would be helpful to know As a side note, I think it is uncommon for applicants to apply only to a single graduate program, unless you had amazing stats. I would say among my cohort, the average number of schools they applied to ranges from 5-10 schools, depending on their stats.

That is a tough choice! I'll tell you some of my reasonings for choosing SLP: 1. I wanted a career I could do my entire life. I felt labor intensive/physically demanding jobs (OT, PT, nursing) would personally be too hard on my body as I got older. 2. I loved the variability. I could do everything from work with children ages birth to 3 in early intervention all the way up to adults in nursing homes with dementia and everything in between. 3. I am the expert in my field. I would be the go-to for whatever setting I am in. For example, in the schools, I would be the language/artic/pragmatic expert. In the hospital, I would be the swallowing/aphasia/dysarthria expert. (With nursing, I would feel like jack of all trades, master of none) 4. I wanted a decent paying career. Granted, this field isn't the most high-paying and we tend to actually be underpaid, depending who you ask. It is possible with nursing you would make as much or more, depending on your state and setting. 5. I love therapy. You are actively working with the client/patient towards reaching goals that will allow them to communicate/swallow/speak more effectively/efficiently. While these were important reasons to me, they may not be to you, and that is totally okay! I chose a career I was passionate about and that I felt I could make a difference in someone's life. I knew I picked the right field because when people ask me what I am going to school for (I'm a second year grad student), I could talk about it all day! If possible, maybe you could take an Intro to SLP/CSD course to see if this is something you would be interested in. Or you could shadow a school SLP (depending on your area's COVID restrictions). Perhaps you could become a CNA to see if you would prefer nursing. You could go always go into nursing, then, if you decide you don't like it, do the prereqs for SLP grad school. I think that would be much easier than becoming an SLP to find out you don't like it, and then go into nursing. Either way, I think these are both two great careers. Good luck with your decision!

I was recently accepted into Michigan State's SLP grad program! However, I'm having a difficult time finding others who have attended this program in the past, or who have personal experience about going there. I am from out-of-state and originally chose this program to be closer to family and because their program seemed pretty reputable. Does anyone have knowledge or advice about this program? I would really appreciate it, thank you!