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2019 Canadian SLP Thread


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On 1/15/2019 at 11:37 AM, peachy_speechie said:

Hi everyone! 

I graduated with my BScN in May of 2018 and I've been working as a surgical RN for 8 months now. I applied for SLP right out of university at Western and Mac but unfortunately did not get in (I did get on the waitlist for an interview at Mac though). I spent the year taking courses, writing my GRE, volunteering and finding quality references for this time around. My subGPA is 3.68 and my cGPA is around the same. I have 275 hours of volunteer experience with a local children's centre where I assisted with speech therapy both at the centre and in schools. I've also worked with a children's program for 4 years assisting kids with disabilities at summer camp. As for the GRE, VR 157, QR 154, AW 4.5. Although my GPA and GRE scores are solid, they aren't anything really eye-catching so I really tried to make my personal statement stand out. Hoping that my nursing experience will add some value to my application as well. This year, I applied to Western, Mac, Dal, McGill and UofT. 

Just wanted to introduce myself, share some stats and see if anyone is in a similar position as me. I hope to hear of many acceptances in the coming months!

Hey @peachy_speechie !

Is your current subGPA 3.68 after retaking courses or was that your original subGPA for the first time you applied? I'm asking because my subGPA is around the same and then I have around 300 volunteer hours as well as 500 TA hours, but I'm SO incredibly nervous that I won't stand out from the applicant pool. If you wouldn't mind sharing your initial stats from the first time you applied I would greatly appreciate it! :)

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On 10/21/2018 at 10:10 PM, cneuz said:

Hey! I am applying to the SLP program at Western. Honestly I'm not holding out a lot of hope that I'll get in this time around. My GPA is roughly a 3.3 - 3.4, so I don't think I'll make it through due to the competitive GPAs of other applicants and the admittance numbers. But I also have a lot of volunteering experience in various areas; I volunteer with children in school as a mentor, I volunteer at a Distress Centre, and I am volunteering with an SLP at a children's centre as well. I heard having lived in another country is a plus, which I've done (student exchange to Germany), and I also know a second language and have beginner's knowledge of a third. Right now I'm working as a community support worker... Sigh. I dunno. I will have some good reference letters and am working on what will hopefully be a funny, memorable personal statement. I'm just really hoping they look at everything combined and not my GPA alone, because then maybe I stand a chance. I'm taking more uni classes in the new year, trying to be proactive regarding my GPA, so that if I don't make it through this time, hopefully the second time around I do.

I'm really nervous about this whole process, more so now that I've started actually working on the different parts of my application, realizing what a task it will be to get it all finished. But I'm honestly just really excited to have a clear goal. While I was getting my undergrad (in Psychology) I had no idea at all and it was mentally draining. 

Hi! I am in the same position as you but I am applying to Western, Uoft, and McMaster. My subgpa is a bit over 3.0, but I tons of valuable volunteering experience as well. I also know a second language and beginner's knowledge of a third.  From what I heard, the schools really want well-rounded applicants. So we would both have a chance of getting in despite our decent GPA as long as we meet the minimum requirements and have amazing volunteer experiences. I also know a few people who got in with a decent sub-GPA. :) There's hope!

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On 12/27/2018 at 7:34 PM, filibus said:

Hi everyone!

I'm a third year undergrad student and I've been reading some of the posts here trying to get an idea of what is required to be accepted into Canadian SLP programs. I unfortunately had a (very) rough year in second year and the highest I will realistically be able to boost my cGPA is 3.2/3.3 and that includes an extra semester. Reading these posts has made me think that I perhaps do not have a chance of attending grad school without doing more than one additional semester which, at that point, will not be worth it for me financially.

Anyway! my main question is how important is cGPA?  My subGPA will be stellar if I continue earning the grades I am right now but I can't erase the damage from second year.

Sorry I know this is a bit off-topic but I have not received a response from any of the  universities I contacted and I need to start making some decisions.

Thank you and good luck to all of you!

I did lots of damage to my sub-GPA in third year.I did not want that year to be used in the calculation of my sub-GPA,so I decided to take a fifth year, which I am currently in right now. I thought that finding funding for my 5th year would be impossible because OSAP doesn't cover students in their 5th year unless they have not met the required number of courses to graduate. But I knew I had to take that extra year to bump up my sub-GPA, so I was indecisive. I talked to my school's financial office about it and they were about to help me out! Definitely talk to your school's financial office!

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On 1/16/2019 at 8:01 PM, slpleaseletmeintoslp said:

Hello Everyone!
I have applied to UofT, Western and McMaster and I'm sooooo freaking nervous! I am in my last semester of my Early Childhood Studies degree with a minor in Psychology and I have a subGPA of 3.92. Although I feel like my GPA is competitive, I have heard that people in my program have a very difficult time getting into SLP. I'm wondering if anyone knows of anybody who has a similar background who got into the program? I could use some hope right about now lol!

I have over 500 hours volunteering with SLPs in a variety of settings (Hospital, laboratory, preschool, geriatric facility) and another 500+ hours volunteering with children and their families in hospitals, daycares and drop-in centres. 

I thought I would introduce myself to all of you and wish you all the best of luck. This is such a nerve-wracking process but we're all in it together!

 

Your sub-gpa and hours are amazing! If you have met all the minimum requirements , I definitely think you have a chance! I am applying to Uoft, Western, and McMaster. My volunteer experience is extremely similar to yours, but less hours though (400 hrs in total). I volunteered in hospitals, a school, clinics (as a Research Assistant), non profit organizations, and labs. My subGPA is a bit higher than a 3.0 ? , and since my GPA is decent, I am having doubts.  I am extremely nervous as well!

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On 11/24/2018 at 9:54 PM, amandae said:

Hello! 

 

I'm a UofT Kinesiology student (random i know LOL). I have a 3.1-3.2 subGPA for my application. I'm applying to UofT, Western and McMaster, but UofT is my number one choice. I have 100+ hours in volunteering with various cohorts (young students to retirement homes). I do not have strong faith in my application, as my phonetics mark is meh. The rest of the pre-reqs are great and I'm beginning sign language lessons in 2019, so hopefully that'll push me through. I decided to pursue this field later in my degree, when I realize physiotherapy is not what I actually love after volunteering for a bit. Does anyone have any tips or ideas to help my application stand out, or do they think I have a strong/medium chance of getting in?

 

On 12/6/2018 at 11:34 AM, HopefulSpeechie2018 said:

Hey! My cumulative gpa was around a 3.8 and sub gpa was around 3.85. I had about 200 hours working with a SLP at a preschool speech and language clinic, and about 75 hours working with adults with aphasia. I also had some research experience working in a cognitive neuroscience lab that focused heavily on language. I know multiple of my friends who are in the program with me right now who had lower gpa's as well as less hours so definitely don't get discouraged if you feel like you may be lacking in either area. They really do look for overall well-rounded candidates, and in my opinion (also based on some of my classmates' stats that I've heard) your volunteer experience is more important than your gpa!

Do you mind telling me what your classmates' sub-GPA were?

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On 11/24/2018 at 9:54 PM, amandae said:

Hello! 

 

I'm a UofT Kinesiology student (random i know LOL). I have a 3.1-3.2 subGPA for my application. I'm applying to UofT, Western and McMaster, but UofT is my number one choice. I have 100+ hours in volunteering with various cohorts (young students to retirement homes). I do not have strong faith in my application, as my phonetics mark is meh. The rest of the pre-reqs are great and I'm beginning sign language lessons in 2019, so hopefully that'll push me through. I decided to pursue this field later in my degree, when I realize physiotherapy is not what I actually love after volunteering for a bit. Does anyone have any tips or ideas to help my application stand out, or do they think I have a strong/medium chance of getting in?

As long as your phonetics mark meets the requirement,you have a chance!m My sub-GPA is a mid B as well, but I hope to made up for it with my valuable volunteer experiences! The schools want well-rounded students, so its not the end of the world :)

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 1/31/2019 at 12:41 PM, Hopeful_Speechie said:

Hi Everyone! 

I got an email from McMaster to set up an Application account and wasn't sure if Western does/has done the same thing. It's my first time applying so I'm probably over stressing... but just wondering if anyone has received any correspondence from Western to set up an account with them? 

I also received the email from McMaster but nothing from Western! I think maybe Western (and Toronto) only notifies us through ORPAS about our application status.

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Hey there!

Looking to apply hopefully next fall, but will likely have to take some sort of fifth year because of my second year grades. 

Does anyone know how bad it looks to have a "Withdrawn" class on your transcript/have a semester where you took 4 classes instead of 5? I'm in a class right now that I don't really need and the prof got in trouble previous years for her average being too high so now she's making it unreasonably difficult. I'd like to drop it because it's going to bring my average down and I will have enough credits to graduate due to a summer course I'm taking regardless, and I feel like I will do better in my other classes if I drop this one. But I've been told it might look bad to have a dropped class/lessened course load - but at the same time, what's worse, a lower GPA or one withdrawn course in your entire transcript?

 

Thanks!

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On 12/2/2018 at 6:51 PM, SLP2B_95 said:

Hey y’all, I’m wondering if there are any other indigenous applicants this year? I’ll be applying to Alberta, McGill, Western and McMaster. Or, any past indigenous applicant care to share their experience with application/acceptance? Thanks and good luck to everyone this year!

Hey, I am applying as an Indigenous applicant this year, only to UAlberta though! 

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SOOOO I just realized I could've (should've?) submitted an updated transcript to ORPAS after fall grades were posted. They have one from when my fall 2018 classes were in progress. What do you think are the chances that they would update my GPA calculation to include these grades? I have grades equal to or above my GPA in those classes and it would decrease the value of my 1st & 2nd year grade average from 14 to 8 in calculating my subGPA, so it would be  a tiny GPA boost if they did ?

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So thanks to ORPAS scale my subGPA is not as high as originally intended...only a 3.62. Now I have no idea what my chances are of getting in (even with 200+ direct observation and hands-on experience hours, and with great references). Only applying to Western and Mac. Trying hard to keep the faith but this is sooooo hard. Not knowing what my chances are SUCKS.

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Hi everyone! My subGPA only includes 15 of my courses. I thought they were supposed to count the winter semester for my second year? I'm finishing up my final courses this semester so I'm kind of confused. Does anyone know if the subGPA is supposed to include the 20 most recent courses (including winter of 2nd year) for the students who are still in 4th year?

Thanks!

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19 hours ago, slpleaseletmeintoslp said:

Hi everyone! My subGPA only includes 15 of my courses. I thought they were supposed to count the winter semester for my second year? I'm finishing up my final courses this semester so I'm kind of confused. Does anyone know if the subGPA is supposed to include the 20 most recent courses (including winter of 2nd year) for the students who are still in 4th year?

Thanks!

Hey there! According to ORPAS, your sub-GPA is based on your 10 most recent full-credit courses or 20 half-credit courses counting backwards from your fourth year fall semester. If they can't extract the full amount of courses needed to calculate your GPA, they average out an entire year (for example, your entire second year). This might be the case here, but it would probably indicate that in your GPA calculation. Hope this helps!

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On 1/11/2019 at 10:45 PM, EagerSpeechie2019 said:

I'm just in the process of applying to  U of A ? Do you know how much they factor in your GRE score? 

I don't think they really look at the math portion (I scored in the 42nd percentile for math, I know someone in my year who was in the 30th..) but I think they look at your other two scores more when it comes to tie breaking. If two people are matched in all other ways, that is what they use to decide. But really, don't stress the GRE scores too much, I have heard such a range of marks from my classmates! 

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Has anyone received any kind of confirmation from any of the schools regarding their application (excluding McMaster, who appear to have done this)? I'm starting to get a little concerned, seeing as in past years Dalhousie appeared to email people at the end of January indicating all the components of their application were complete. :///

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4 hours ago, maroo7 said:

Has anyone received any kind of confirmation from any of the schools regarding their application (excluding McMaster, who appear to have done this)? I'm starting to get a little concerned, seeing as in past years Dalhousie appeared to email people at the end of January indicating all the components of their application were complete. :///

I was wondering the same...has anyone heard from Western yet?? I still haven’t received any email indicating I can access their student portal or anything like that. I’ve only received McMaster (I’m only applying to Western and Mac though)

Edited by 19SPEECHIE
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Hey everyone! Best of luck to each and every one of you! 

This is my 3rd year applying but my 1st year applying to schools other than ualberta. This year I'm applying to ualberta as well as Western, McMaster, McGill, and Dalhousie. 

I'm curious about Dalhousie - do they mail a letter of acceptance/rejection or is it via email? And when do offers typically go out for them? I couldnt find this info on their website.

Thank you in advance!

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Just now, slpleaseletmeintoslp said:

Hello everyone!

My cGPA is really terrible because they used my transcript from the first school I went to before I transferred. Does anyone know if the cGPA counts for anything? I know they focus more on the subGPA but I'm wondering if anyone knows if the cGPA is taken into consideration.

Thanks!

 

Hey! I'm in the same boat. What school(s) are you applying to for 2019?

I'm not expecting to get into McGill because I think they give more weight to cGPA. U of T cares more about sub-GPA, and mine is 3.73 so hopefully that's competitive enough combined with my clinical references and diverse research experience.

Good luck everyone!

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5 hours ago, SSSLLLPPP said:

Hey! I'm in the same boat. What school(s) are you applying to for 2019?

I'm not expecting to get into McGill because I think they give more weight to cGPA. U of T cares more about sub-GPA, and mine is 3.73 so hopefully that's competitive enough combined with my clinical references and diverse research experience.

Good luck everyone!

I didn't apply to McGill but I applied to UofT, Western and McMaster. My subGPA is a 3.89 but my cGPA is really bad so im hoping these schools don't count it as much. Ah!

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31 minutes ago, slpleaseletmeintoslp said:

I didn't apply to McGill but I applied to UofT, Western and McMaster. My subGPA is a 3.89 but my cGPA is really bad so im hoping these schools don't count it as much. Ah!

Western, Mac and UofT dont look at cGPA, only your subGPA (aka last 60 credits), so you should be completely fine with your subGPA based on acceptances from previous years :) 

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19 hours ago, SSSLLLPPP said:

Hey! I'm in the same boat. What school(s) are you applying to for 2019?

I'm not expecting to get into McGill because I think they give more weight to cGPA. U of T cares more about sub-GPA, and mine is 3.73 so hopefully that's competitive enough combined with my clinical references and diverse research experience.

Good luck everyone!

Hey! So McGill only takes into account cGPA not sub-GPA unfortunately. I remember contacting them to clarify this point. 

Best of luck!

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