ingolstadt

So far, I'm thinking "Empowering the world through communication" in IPA with a globe replacing the word "world." I need to show some love to my double major (geography) but it's hard to incorporate both! I still can't believe we're decorating caps soon.

I've got Neuro, AAC, Treatment, Stats and an environmental policy course for my double major... so I totally see what you all mean about the motivation part. I followed the A = Average, B = Bad, etc scale my whole undergrad and now I'm thinking "Gosh, would it be terrible if I let myself get a couple of Bs?" My brain graduated way before schedule and I've been dragging this semester like a bum leg. The only thing keeping me from just getting a 3.0 is this fear that I need to maintain my grades in order to keep my fellowship.

I saw the offer under ECommon on Wednesday of last week and the letter came through this weekend (dated 4/4).

Hi! UConn is a great school... I wish I were in-state. My GRE was 650q/600v/5.0AW, GPA was 3.88 cumulative, 3.94 CSD. Aside from a couple of volunteering stints, I don't really have any experience though. Thanks and I hope you get in! It was my top choice as well but I rapidly sent my decline since I realized I couldn't afford their out-of-state tuition for two years.

I was offered a Dean's fellowship to Emerson ($10,000/yr) so I can afford it now! I'm mailing my deposit and papers to them tomorrow. As for people asking about CSU East Bay, I was admitted last Tuesday. In the email, they said they want a decision by April 18th (I emailed my decline today). Since I haven't heard of anyone being waitlisted there, I'm assuming they're waiting to hear back from people who were offered admission before they send out another round of offers. I don't know -- I'm currently attending a CSU for undergrad and I've noticed our program's bass-ackwardness with grad school admissions is pretty staggering. Good luck! I hope you hear from them soon!

I'm glad you proved them wrong and best of luck to you in grad school! I love it when the underdogs get to shove it in a pompous instructor's face. I go to a state school in California and our department chair flat out told a couple of students (who didn't have stellar GPAs) that were asking for grad school application advice "Don't even bother." Our program apparently didn't take anyone below a 3.8 last year and I'd venture to say it was just as high (if not worse!) this year. I can understand the volume of applications can be overwhelming but, you know what? Suck it up. It's your job. Do a thorough evaluation rather than this half-assed process of eliminating everyone below your ridiculously high minimum. If we pay these insane application fees and put time and effort into our personal statements, filling out applications and collecting LoRs, they should consider each application equally, even if they need to stay after hours for a couple of weeks. This process was costly and time-consuming for us (especially those who used CSDCAS!!!) and they should at least give us that much respect.

I got pretty angry last night when I was looking on the results page and someone just flat out dissed Columbia TC because they got rejected. Sour grapes much? Not all programs base their decisions solely on GPA and GRE -- and I really commend them for that. Grades definitely aren't everything and I've seen booksmart grad students at my school who struggle when it comes to the clinical, non-academic portion (which, in the end, is that part that matters most). I really think LoRs and personal statements are much stronger indicators of an applicant's potential than the other two measures. I'm really cross about admissions committees using GPA to compare applicants because conditions are not the same in every undergrad/postbacc program. Some programs offer just the basics like phonetics, A&P, language development and audio while other programs require that undergrads take neuro, dysphagia and motor speech as well. And of course, there is variation among programs when it comes to how feasible it is to get straight As. Let's not forget applicants who switched over from a tough major like engineering or chem and fought an uphill battle to improve a lackluster GPA.The GRE is really the only quantitative measure they should use for comparison.

Dang, what d-bags! I'm sorry. I've got serious doubts about the quality of a program that treats its applicants that way!

MGH really does seem great and I've heard nothing but positive things about it. Unfortunately, there is a significant cost difference between Emerson and MGH -- and Emerson is already at the high end of my budget. I had hoped MGH would help me with funding but it's not looking bright. Emerson seems to have more funding opportunities for its student body, be it merit aid or work study. And it's cheaper. I visited yesterday and was very pleased with it... and in reference to the adult emphasis part, I'm constantly flip-flopping on whether I want to work with adults or kids. I went into CSD to work with kids, became intrigued by acquired neuro, and now I'm finding myself interested in pediatrics again. They definitely have opportunities for work with adults there, as well as the strong pediatric component. The student who endured my barrage of questions is finishing up and is preparing to work in an SNR. So, in the end, I think it's well-rounded enough to prepare me for either setting - since I can't decide as an undergrad, I'm sure I'll have a better sense of direction when I get clinical experience. I haven't accepted or declined any offers yet (I know, I'm awful) but I'm sending out my declines for UConn and NAU today. I'm still waiting on CSU East Bay, which is dragging its feet big time. I'm glad you've decided though and I hope you enjoy MGH!

Yay for MGH!! Tayfray, same Emerson thing happened to me. I got the letter in the mail yesterday saying I qualified for the $20,500/year in Stafford loans (wtf at not qualifying for Perkins) but no word on anything else. I just came back from an info meeting at Emerson (seriously, LA --> Boston and Boston --> LA in 24 hours is crazy. Never again.) and they said the merit aid is not awarded until they know who's accepted the offer of admission. Therefore, people who want to know what merit aid is being offered at Emerson BEFORE submitting the enrollment deposit -- no such luck. I am sort of in love with the program (and location!) right now. I think I'm going to accept, regardless of merit aid, since they've got good FWS opportunities.

Well, I got my letter from University of Connecticut today and because I'd be resigning myself to paying 2 years of out-of-state tuition ($28,000/year!), I need to decline. The letter indicated that merit aid is 'extremely limited' so I'm not holding out any hopes for that. Boo. I'm going to Emerson on Tuesday for an informational visit (the meet-and-greet date doesn't work for me). If anyone has any questions regarding the program, let me know so I can jot them down and ask!

I think I'm pretty set on Emerson! I like MGH but it's just too expensive for me and they didn't offer me any funding. I think I'm going to visit in about 2 weeks.

Congrats!!! I'm also stuck between Emerson and MGH. Emerson is significantly cheaper and I like what I hear about the program but it's hard up MGH. My friend's two cents were "If you're looking to work in the medical setting, placements don't get better than MGH." I'm still waiting for my MGH envelope (I only got the phone call) to see if maybe, just maybe, I might get some financial help. Emerson hasn't offered anything yet.

You applied to NAU as well? I'm really not enthusiastic about their program (I actually applied there solely because my parents wanted me to have a couple of schools in the southwest) but I did get my call today at around 12 PST. I can't get any definitive information about assistantships off of the NAU website but it's something like a 75% tuition waver plus $9900 a year if you work 20 hours a week and 37.5% tuition waiver for working <20 hours/week (nothing about salary). It definitely helps since I'm out-of-state but I'm starting to doubt if 20 hours/week, seminars, and clinic is just too much. If you had to choose -- a program/school/region you don't particularly like that offers you funding vs a program/region you're enthusiastic about with very limited or no funding -- which would you choose? This is my dilemma. I don't want a huge loan but I'm even more afraid of regrets.

The department chair from NAU left me a voicemail today, saying that I'm accepted to the program and that I'll be getting my letter in the mail soon. In addition, I'm "among the students selected for a graduate assistantship." I'm waiting to for her to return my call so I can get details on the terms of the assistantship. I should be more excited than I am but I guess that's because this is my backup school.