[SLP program: how long of a personal statement if not specified?]

*bump*

[Online LOR: will it disappear once the app is submitted?]

I couldn't find this question, so pardon if it's been asked before.

For online recommendation forms: can I submit the application before the professor submits his/her recommendation? Will the link go away? Will I no longer be able to check on the status of the recommendation once I submit the application?

Thank you!

[GREs and admission deadlines--is this doable?]

My GRE prep class was CANCELLED without ANY notice (yay go Princeton Review) and I now have to take another class much closer to the application deadline (January 5th).

I need this prep class because I bombed the GRE before. Is taking the GRE on December 19th completely unaccaeptable for programs whose deadlines are on January 5th?

[Recommendation promised but no reply--what would you do?]

Do you know his office hours? If you're e-mailing him to find out when he'll be in his office, then yes, e-mail him again a few days later. If he offered for you to meet with him in person and you know his office hours, I would just go.

[SOP for Speech-Language Pathology: how different are our SOPs from other programs?]

kcald716,

Thank you for the reply. Great link!

[Recommendation promised but no reply--what would you do?]

ssk2 and TakeruK,

Thank you for your replies. I got a reply via text after 2 days. I think I'm starting to freak out too often. Please tell me this is normal?

[CV: do we display prerequisites here or not?]

comp12,

Thanks for the reply. I also thought the transcript would be enough, but doesn't it take them a lot of time to have to search through all the classes for each application? Or is that simply part of their job? hah.

[CV: do we display prerequisites here or not?]

All of the programs I'm applying to require that we take prerequisite courses if our undergraduate degree is in a different field. My question is, where do we carefully display that we've taken these courses? Is it even necessary? Is the transcript enough or do the admissions committees have a hard time locating everything?

[Let's vote and discuss the appropriate length of a good SOP]

I'm shocked by the results. I would never have thought a lengthy SOP at 600-1000 words would be the popular vote. I guess I've just been conditioned by my programs!

[Recommendation promised but no reply--what would you do?]

I did volunteer work that is a very big part of my CV and SOP. Before I left, my supervisor told me herself that if I needed a LOR, she'd be more than happy to write me one.

Well, that time has come a few months later and I sent her a text message last night on her cellphone and haven't heard from her still. My question: How soon should I contact her again? Should I text her again or call? Or should I ask the department instead, through e-mail or a phone call?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[Revising you personal Statement for a SLP graduate program]

I just finished reading Alan Stewart's "How to Write the Perfect Personal Statement" and he wrote that the biggest mistake people make when writing their SOPs is "to write an expository resume of your background and experience."

Taking this advice, I wrote an essay explaining why I'm passionate about this field and did not mention a lot about the SLP classes I took or anything about working with kids and in the hospital. My experience is plentiful, but I was afraid of writing a resume, as the author put it. But today I was looking over some SLP sample SOPs and they ALL mentioned classes, work and volunteer experiences.

So now I'm completely confused as to what I should do: should I write an expository resume or not?

[SOP for Speech-Language Pathology: how different are our SOPs from other programs?]

Hello all,

I just finished reading Alan Stewart's "How to Write the Perfect Personal Statement" and he wrote that the biggest mistake people make when writing their SOPs is "to write an expository resume of your background and experience."

Taking this advice, I wrote an essay explaining why I'm passionate about this field and did not mention a lot about the SLP classes I took or anything about working with kids and in the hospital. My experience is plentiful, but I was afraid of writing a resume, as the author put it. But today I was looking over some SLP sample SOPs and they ALL mentioned classes, work and volunteer experiences.

So now I'm completely confused as to what I should do: should I write an expository resume or not?

[Sh*t people say when you are applying to grad school]

My 85 year old coworker (whom I adore) told me I better get my act together and start studying for the GRE or I'll get stuck in this hell hole just like she did. That was really the kick in the ass I needed. Taking it in September.

[Submitting LOR online--why do I find it so confusing?]

Pitangus, thank you for the reply. That definitely sounds like the best option.

[Submitting LOR online--why do I find it so confusing?]

TakeruK,

Thank you for the reply. It sounds like I'm stuck where I can't get the LOR before I finish the entire application. Perhaps it'll be best for me to ask my professor if they'll wait until I'm ready with my application?

[Submitting LOR online--why do I find it so confusing?]

I'm applying for Fall 2013 and my application isn't ready yet (still need to take GRE, perfect my essay, etc). I want to ask my professors for LOR now because they both have a minimum they give out per semester.

My question: Can I submit my LOR before I submit my entire application? Most of the applications are online except for two. Will the online letters get saved and submitted only when I choose to the submit the entire application?

I apologize if this question has been asked before--I couldn't find a similar topic. It seems like I'm always asking the most basic questions here everyone else knows the answers to.

[SLP: Which recommender would YOU choose?]

Thank you all for the replies. Perhaps we should create a thread called "Am I overthinking it" under SLP forums, hehe

[SLP: Which recommender would YOU choose?]

Unless the schools you're applying to specifically say, do not send us more than 3 LORs, it's probably fine to send 4. I sent 4 to all of my schools. Good luck!

My only concern with this, is that only the first three will be read, which would be a disaster. Were you not worried about that? Am I overthinking it?

[SLP: Which recommender would YOU choose?]

I can honestly say my work experience is what I learned from most, but I am still leaning towards an SLP recommendation only to diversify my application--is that a bad idea?

[SLP: Which recommender would YOU choose?]

My personal essay discusses how my professional career has given me a great deal of experience, but I also have experience volunteering in an SLP office. My question is, would you choose to have a letter of recommendation from your boss or SLP supervisor? I'm leaning towards the SLP, only to diversify my application, but I also don't want the admissions committee to think "well, if you mentioned work in your SOP, why didn't you get a recommendation from your boss?" I'd love to include both, but I don't want to exceed the school's limitation to 3 essays (or is 4 recommendation letters even an option?)

[SLP: is there such thing as applying too early?]

Thanks for the reply, NorcalSLP.

Yes, I meant 2013--sorry about that. It just so happens that most of the schools have online applications ready for Fall 2013. The other ones only open applications for Fall 2013 in October (which is crazy late) but they want their forms mailed with the application package so I can just keep the recoomendation letters for later.

[SLP: is there such thing as applying too early?]

I'm applying for Fall 2012 and my recomenders want the forms now--is it too early?

[SLP program: how long of a personal statement if not specified?]

i assume you mean 2-3 pages double-spaced. that sounds about right. i definitely would not go on and on--being concise is key. to my knowledge adcoms will stop reading if it's past the specified amount allotted. they have to read hundreds of these, so not following the rules is a GREAT reason to chuck an application in the circular file.

Good point. That bring my attention to something else--are we submitting SOPs double spaced or not? Most of the schools I'm applying to do not indicate anything other than word limits

[SLP program: how long of a personal statement if not specified?]

Thank you for the responses--all very helpful. Will try to search and call until I get an answer from these schools.

[SLP program: how long of a personal statement if not specified?]

My classsmates told me most of the SLP programs want no more than 2-3 pages. Is this true?