tayfray

Mainly the medical practicum options and the choices in classes. I also don't have a lower cost alternative at this point. My husband took a job in Boston, which allowed me to narrow it down to the three Boston schools that I applied to: BU: Definitely a good program with a good reputation, but I don't like the large university setting. I've had experiences with both very large and very small schools, and I prefer a smaller one for a variety of reasons. I also never felt like I got very friendly or personal responses to my phone calls and emails to the faculty and administrative staff. They do have great aphasia options (which is what I'm mainly interested in), but so does MGH. Since it was the most expensive option, I felt comfortable eliminating it. Emerson: I did get a very friendly impression from the program, and I think I would be happy there on a social level, but it doesn't have the medical emphasis that I want. They have a heavy peds focus, and that's just not what I'm looking for. Although this certainly isn't a deal-breaker of mine, I did notice that the program doesn't have name recognition. The cost is comparable to MGH, so I decided that unless a really good funding opportunity came through for Emerson, I could also eliminate it. MGH: I didn't get to visit, but I did get to have a really good conversation with a current second year student, and I've corresponded with faculty. It has all the right elements for me: top faculty who are accessible to the students, great medical placements, lots of elective options, and it's not a big university.

You're going to accept Emerson or MGH? Emerson's just not for me. I was holding out just in case something came through, but now I really don't have an excuse not to go with MGH.

I'm pretty sure I've made my final decision, guys. I didn't end up with any funding from Emerson (just loan offers), so I'm defaulting to my top choice, MGH!

I had the "enrollment deposit" link, which was a clue, but they didn't post the decision on eCommons until after they sent me the letter.

Yeah, I called some programs to ask and that stuff comes in during the summer. I did my FAFSA in January.

I'm about 80% sure it's going to be MGH, but there's a slim chance I could choose Emerson if they come through with some funding.

Contact Marjorie Nicholas. She has a list of students who have volunteered to talk to prospectives. Have you visited?

Unfortunately I won't be able to visit. Too far away, too much work and school. I did have a really good phone conversation with a current second year student at MGH, and that was really helpful. I'm trying to find someone at Emerson who might do the same. I ALMOST sent in my 'decline' card to BU today, but I couldn't bring myself to do it yet. I officially declined my offer from Rush, and it was hard even though I knew moving to Chicago isn't even an option anymore.

There's a part of me that, even though I'm disappointed that I didn't get funding, is glad that I don't have to make the difficult decision between a more expensive program with a better reputation and a lower cost program that I might not think was as good a fit for me.

I'm looking at ~$70k, total cost of attendance. I've already committed to choosing one of the Boston schools because my husband accepted a job there and we're already making the moving preparations. I'm eliminating BU because it was super expensive, I didn't get a scholarship, and I'm just not really attracted to that program. I really want to do MGH, but if by some miracle a significant amount of funding came through for Emerson, I could be swayed. I'm just accepting that there will be debt, and that's what happens when you do a professional program that leads into a career. Doctors have debt, lawyers have debt, PTs have debt... it's an investment. (That's not to say I wouldn't love to NOT have to pay this huge amount.)

Scores are not everything. From what I understand, letters and essays make a much bigger difference.

I haven't been at home today, so I don't know, but don't let that make you nervous. Word on the street is that they do rolling admissions, so they do start snatching up a FEW top students early and then do everyone else later. They're in fierce competition every year with UO, and won't want UO (whose letters are going out on Friday) to get to the best students first. UO is getting the leading edge on this market this year because they're not using CSDCAS.

No news from Northwestern here.

I was, too, before I started working at a big sports university. I don't like the politics of it.

That's funny-- one of my favorite things about the school that I'm leaning toward is that there ISN'T an athletics program.

It really helps to have the company of other people going through the same thing! Are you planning on taking the pre-reqs over the summer?

I've had a phone call, snail mail, email, and the next one is arriving FedEx! I'm just waiting for one of them to text me, or send a singing telegram.

You're a sweetie. I'll definitely let you know which I end up choosing.

I'm curious about this too. I'm wondering who to contact-- head of the department? Financial aid office?

Yeah, I definitely know I want to be in the medical setting. I'm not that interested in peds, but I love adult neurogenics. You're right about the pre-reqs. That's another thing that was kind of turning me off from BU. I had a problem with getting the Intro to CD requirement, and MGH and Emerson are willing to accept a combination of classes that I already have plus one extra, which I can take here before I move to Boston. I have a faculty tuition reduction since I work at a university, so I take classes for cheap. Plus, I was really looking forward to have the summer open to ease the transition, and it would be real bummer to be taking a class, especially since I've spent the last year and a half taking all these pre-reqs (9 of them).

Wow, that's an interesting thing to consider...

Yep, me too. I don't think the chances for me are good in either case, but that's okay. I read that Emerson gives their merit aid based only on numbers (GRE and GPA). My GRE is okay, and I don't have a real GPA, so I don't think I'm really in the running. I'm holding out hope for the MGH envelope... but so many people have reported finding out about the merit aid by phone that I'm just, you know, trying to stay positive. -T

Unfortunately, no. I haven't had the time or funds to make the trip from Oregon. I like the idea of BU in theory, since it's certainly a very good program, but there's something about MGH that I'm really drawn to. The people I've spoken to there are very friendly and really helpful, and I always had much more trouble making contact with people at BU. I had some complicated issues with my application, and the MGH faculty were always willing to go out of their way to help me out, and I always got to speak with professors and not a secretary or a work study student. Also, this is just a personal thing, but I'm sick of being at a full university, since I've been working in a large university setting since I graduated in 2008, and I'm wanting to be in the the more professional, grad-student only, setting. Change of scenery. The research being done at BU is really excited to me, but to be honest I'm really ready to bring the research chapter of my life to a close and focus on the clinic. The reason I switched to SLP was that I decided that I didn't want to do research anymore. From what I understand, MGH is great for medical placements, which is what I want. Sorry for the ramble...

Thanks! It feels really good! I'm 75% sure it's going to be MGH. Emerson is my second choice, and I planned to only accept BU (if I got into the other Boston schools) if they offered me money, which they didn't. Since they were my third choice (and also happen to be the most expensive), it doesn't make sense to go there without financial incentive. I'm still not sure about the aid situation with Emerson and MGH, but a good package could sway me.

Got the big envelope from BU this morning. I'm in Oregon.