SLPhopeful127

That’s interesting and definitely give people hope! I got this feedback from her during the summer before they’re admissions policy changed for this year and next. I’m not sure though but it’s definitely comforting for applicants.

I’ve spoken to Vicki after being waitlisted last year and she said that they like having pre-reqs B+ and above. If you have any course work below a B+ it’s worth considering repeating it.

MST - I’m in Edmonton

I got it the portal message at 3:01 and the official email at 3:04.

I got a portal message about needing to update an transcript from 2019 for a course I took at another university and that I’d get an email soon. I got the official letter a few minutes later. For sure! I don’t mind my last name starts with S. I got my B.Ed in 2020 and after being waitlisted I decided to take on a diploma in ESL last fall. I’ve worked as an RA for the past three years and also volunteering in various labs. I think that really helped alongside my student teaching experiences. My gpa calculation was a little strange because I had practicum courses in my last two years so I think I barely met 3.5 last year. That’s probably why I was waitlisted last year. I think taking on more coursework and the removal of competitive GPA helped me this round.

Hey everyone! I just heard back from UofA! ? I’m a second time applicant and I didn’t make it off the waitlist last year.

Hey there! I'm a second time applicant. I'm assuming that your statement of intent has a word/page limit therefore it's important to be really selective about the experiences you're elaborating on. Your statement is your chance to tell them why they should pick you. Why you stand out and what you can bring to the cohort that you're peers might not be able to. You really have to sell yourself. And so take pride in your accomplishments, the lessons you learned, and exude that confidence. Passion gets you far because it'll answer the so-what. Your grades and resume are just facts about you - they don't tell the admissions committee why your applying. I really had to do some soul searching and went through countless drafts. Its hard to think about yourself so ask the people around you what makes you special. I probably asked a dozen people why they thought I should apply. Research the universities you're applying to. Identify an area of interest that aligns with a professor. It's a good idea that you contact them and try and get a meeting. Or you can just mention that you like their work and would like the opportunity to join their lab and work under their mentorship. You really want to identify two things: What value do you bring to them and how they can help your professional goals. The bottom line is that you have to tell them why you're a good match. Your statement might be different depending on the guidelines of the university. I know the schools I considered were pretty open ended. Also if you have any gaps in your application - maybe you had a bad semester it's a good idea to address it. You can mention why it happened and how you've recuperated or what you learned from it. It's better to address it (you don't need to go into too much detail) then have the committee come to their own conclusions. Hopefully that helps. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.

For those who are applying to the UofA, have you seen this message on the department page. Does it mean that they'll be taking into account how competitive an applicant's GPA is? A plan of action towards an Anti-Racist Communication Sciences and Disorders Department at University of Alberta In keeping with our commitment to recognize barriers and increase Equity, Diversity and Inclusivity (EDI), we are adjusting our admissions process in two ways beginning in 2021. This is in addition to the requirement for all students admitted to the MSc-SLP program to complete a course focused on Indigenous History in Canada. First, GPA will be primarily restricted to an entrance requirement. Students will need to meet the minimum GPA of 3.3 on most 4-point grading systems ( or B+ on most letter grading systems). Second, we strongly encourage applicants to highlight their personal experiences with respect to equity, diversity and inclusion. In doing so, applicants can reflect upon how these experiences have inspired their interest in speech-language pathology and/or will influence their role as a Speech-Language Pathologist. This can be accomplished in several ways, for example, 1) the resume, 2) the statement of career interests and/or 3) in the requested reference letters.

Will anyone who's been accepted to UofA mind pm-ing me their stats and their experiences? I'd love to get a sense of what they're looking for and see how I can improve my future application. Thanks!

I spoke with Vicki a few weeks ago and she mentioned that she recommends we hold onto the letters just in case for next year (the department hasn’t made any decisions about next year’s admissions). This semester‘s grades aren’t considered for admission - our GPA’s were calculated based on previous semesters. It might be different if you’re completing pre-reqs this semester. But they usually tell you your admission is dependent on you passing and completing the course. This is what I know about U of A. It could be different for other universities.

No I haven't heard back yet. It's proving to be a much slower process than I anticipated. I think it's a combination of the two. It usually takes a few days for your acceptance to kick in before you can enrol in classes.

Not yet. Trying to remain patient ?

Does anyone know if there was a delay like this last year? Are they waiting until after the weekend?

Same here! I'm wondering if they even sent out offers today

Has anyone heard from UAlberta today?

Wow your extra-curricular sound amazing! Unfortunately with Canadian schools I've found that a huge emphasis is placed on GPA especially due to the competitive nature of the program and limited amount of schools. I'd recommend taking on another semester of course work to place yourself in the best position for the next cycle. I'd take a close look at my GPA and figure out exactly what I have and how much do you need to place yourself in a competitive position. It's also really important to research the classes you take to maximize your ability to score high. Sadly it's GPA that gets you through the door or what can hold you back. You've done an awesome job at taking on those experiences and that's something that will definitely work in your favour. It shows that you are dedicated and passionate about the discipline! I don't know what schools are nearby you but if you are able to, I would try to volunteer at a lab in the department you'd apply to. This will help you familiarize with the program and get to know the professors. At the same time, it can put a face to your application and hopefully someone there can vouch for you. Something that I've learned is that it's really important to not take it all to heart. There are so many people applying and at the end of the day, there are only so many seats. It's a setback but it will only push you to work on the weaker points of your application. Hopefully that helps!

Hey, I haven't heard anything back yet. based off of the letter I think the earliest people would start hearing back is on the 15th.

Just a heads up for anyone who will be re-applying next year to Alberta if things don't work out, I've spoken with Vicki and depending on you institution, you may want to obtain letters from your professors for any coursework being completed this semester. I know that the UofA has switched their grading to Credit/No Credit and therefore students will be able to obtain a letter from their professors about their class performance. She recommended that I hold onto those letters just in case. She also mentioned that "there has been no discussion currently regarding next year. The department is working through covid-19 and budget cuts at this time". I want to stress that this isn't something official but is worth considering and looking out for. I know with how things are these days and being asked to self-isolate I'm not sure how things will turn out, so it's best we all do our due diligence and keep records.

Waitlisted at Alberta!

I would send an email to Vicki and attach the certificate. She'll be the best person to ask.

My understanding is that people have until April 15th to respond. So people on the waitlist will hear sometime after that. Stay safe!!

I've also been waitlisted and wondering how long the waitlist was. Did you see that on last years forum? I also heard that 20 of the 58 seats last year were filled by people who were on the waitlist. Hopefully the list moves fast for those us hoping to get into UofA.