Is declining my only option crazy?

[Jbslp95]

Wow, this is a hard one! If it were me--I would go. But I'm not the most competitive candidate, and I knew from the very beginning that if I got into any school I applied to, I'd be going.

I would think about your current financial situation, what it would mean to wait another year, and your goals. For me, it's important that I finish school ASAP. I want to get married soon, and start a family. I want to begin my career. The thought of waiting another year was awful for me, and with the option to go this year, there's pretty much no amount of money that would stop me from doing that.

I also have no debt from undergrad because I went to a very cheap, state commuter school. Will grad school put me in debt? Definitely. But SLPs make decent money. Not insane money, but decent money. I plan on working in Boston (large city) and buying a house in New Hampshire (very cheap state to live in), so I will be getting more bang for my buck. What are your finances like right now? Where do you plan on practicing and living and what is the cost of living like there? Do you have any other goals you need lots of money for, like buying a house soon? Do you have a partner that can help you shoulder some of the burden of a large debt, or a supportive family? You don't have to answer these questions, they're just things to think about if you haven't already.

Again, if it were me, I would definitely go. NYU seems like a great school, I would love to live in NY, and its got a great reputation from what I've seen on here. But if you want to stay closer to home, that makes sense too.

I would also consider--and I hate to even say this--how you would feel if you didn't get into any schools next year. You say you got rejected from all the ones in you applied to in your area--will you be reapplying to those same schools? You have much more competitive stats than me so I'm definitely not saying that would happen, I just always factor in the worst case scenario when making a decision.

I hope you make a decision you're really happy with! Good luck and keep us updated!

[smarieSLP2b]

On 5/11/2018 at 12:21 AM, nwslp said:

That's a super fair question!! I definitely wouldn't say I had/have no intention of going, I have already paid the deposit, flown out to visit the school, and am really impressed with the program. It's more an issue of just getting a little less funding than I had hoped and a friend who i'd planned to move in with ended up leaving the city so my housing isn't as cheap/secure now.

Short answer, life has a way of spiraling a bit  Definitely don't regret applying! Just trying to weigh my options

Any update on this? What did you end up deciding? Have you considered comparing what your loans will be to starting salaries for SLPs? I think if you were able to get into NYU you could easily get accepted to a much cheaper program, especially if you already have $20k from undergrad. But if the experience of living and studying in NYC outweigh the cost for you then go for it.

EDIT: Just saw your other post on your decision, great choice.

Edited October 23, 2018 by smarieSLP2b
adding edit