Dannemarie

When trying to increase your GPA, take a step back and ask yourself, realistically, what is holding you back from achieving the grades you desire? Often it is putting too much on your plate for fear that you won’t graduate ‘on time’. If taking 1 class in your busy life is all you can handle, do that. Once you finish your prerequisites there is no viable way for you to change your GPA. So now is the time for you to slow down to do your best to achieve your goal. You don’t have to keep up with anyone else, this is all about you. I postponed my acceptance when I transferred for my bachelors because I was diagnosed with cancer. I still deal with the effects of chemo brain on top of my lifelong learning disability. But by slowing down, I have steadily increased my GPA and the last 10 classes I took I got straight A’s in. You will get there, you just have to take that pressure off of yourself and find the balance that works for you. Also, your personal statement/letter of intent gives you the opportunity to explain your situation. Don’t make excuses, just explain...”while working, parenting, and going to school I struggled to find the proper balance to do my best academically. I have learned better time management skills as demonstrated by my recent coursework and much-improved grades indicative of my dedication to becoming a speech language pathologist”. Best wishes!

ASHA Ed Find is a great tool to help find a school that fits with your grades/scores & future goals. The listed scores and GPA’s change each year based on each accepted cohort, to use merely as a guide as you decide which schools you may apply to. I also recommend reaching out to the grad advisor/program coordinator to learn about their program’s requirements as an out of field student because there is usually a requirement of 25 observation hours so learning how you can achieve that is important. You can usually take the pre-req’s once accepted before beginning masters classes. Best wishes!