2020 Canadian SLP Thread

[speech2020]

Hi there!

Haven't seen a group for this round of applications started yet so I figured I might as well get it going. 

I was wondering if anyone else has gone on exchange and will have to use those marks from abroad in their application? ORPAS says they don't use international grades but I was curious if anyone has gotten around that.

 

Thanks!

[v.lee]

Hi all!

Thanks for starting a new thread for us 2020 applicants, speech2020! I unfortunately don't have an answer to your question, but hopefully more people will join the discussion now that it's that time of year.

Anyone else applying to U of A or McGill? I'm considering Dalhousie too. I'm incredibly nervous about getting in as I didn't actually make the decision to go into SLP until after I finished my undergrad. Thankfully with my type of degree I had most of the prereqs done, just needed some linguistics courses which I'll be done in December. I have an okay GPA (primary source of anxiety), 2 years research experience in a cog neuro lab in speech perception where I'm now working as a research assistant, work experience as a home aide for kiddos with speech and other developmental delays (under SLP, OT and behavioral therapist supervision), and various volunteer experience with kiddos and seniors. My GRE verb score was great, quant score meh, writing score eeeehhh (another source of anxiety). Hopefully we can all support each other in this super stressful process! 

Cheers!

[tulipz]

Hey guys! @speech2020 I also don't have a clue about that, sorry

I'm also applying to McGill and Alberta @v.lee! I actually just wrote the CASPer test for them yesterday. I'm also applying to Dal, U of T, and Western -- I know that is potentially excessive (and expensive) but I am in the same nervous boat as you are. I'm sure the applicant pool will be strong and competitive as always, ahhhh! Just curious, have you taken U of A's Indigenous studies course yet? Not sure if I should take it or wait until it's necessary, aka if I'm lucky enough to get accepted, lol

[v.lee]

Hey @whalezie! I haven't taken that course yet either. I actually went to the U of A's oasis conference last month where they had a panel about the application process, and that question got asked. Vicki mentioned that the Indigenous course isn't required as part of the application package, it's only required before starting the program. Good luck to you on your applications!

Does anyone know if McGill has a list of specific prereq courses (that has course names and numbers) that are accepted from the different universities across Canada? And do they look at the GPA of your entire undergrad or just the subGPA? 

Cheers!

[/əˈmændæ/]

Hi @whalezie! How was writing the CASPer test? I have been kind of putting it off and I just don't know what to expect.

@v.lee - I think most schools (from what I've found) focus on your most recent 20-30 credits. 

[HannaK98]

On 9/24/2019 at 10:38 AM, speech2020 said:

Hi there!

Haven't seen a group for this round of applications started yet so I figured I might as well get it going. 

I was wondering if anyone else has gone on exchange and will have to use those marks from abroad in their application? ORPAS says they don't use international grades but I was curious if anyone has gotten around that.

 

Thanks!

Hey, 

Thanks for making this group! I'm sure it will be really helpful for all of us. 

I went on exchange too and when I talked to ORPAS (at the Western open house) they said that your host university needs to send your exchange transcript to ORPAS. Then each university calculates your exchange gpa and adds it to your overall gpa. Personally, I don't think that's really fair cause each country especially those in Europe have a different grading system and different level of difficulties. Either way hopefully it won't effect us to much! :) 

[GenerationSpeechie]

Did they happen to say anything about last year’s cohort at the Western Open House? Such as average subGPA of those admitted, acceptance rate, etc.?

[NeeksSpeech]

Hi everyone!

Happy to see a Canadian thread for this year, with some of us in the same boat! 

I'm applying for SLP programs this year and I have EXTREME anxiety over not getting in. My background is so different than most other applicants and I feel like I have much less of a shot of getting in, since I only decided I wanted to get into SLP after I finished my undergrad. I have a degree in Psychology and also a Bachelor of Education (have a teaching degree). I am taking a few courses this year to complete my prerequisties that I am missing. I have several volunteer/teaching experiences working with children with developmental delays and very low socioeconomic status, including international english teaching experience in underprivileged communities. I've only recently began volunteering with an SLP working with adults with aphasia, but worried I won't have a high number of hours. 

My SubGpa I'm not too worried about, just that my background won't cut it to the programs even though all my experiences and degrees have led me to become so interested and passionate about speech pathology!

Anyone know how much they weigh direct SLP experience over relevant volunteer work?

I'm applying to all Ontario grad programs.

[HannaK98]

22 hours ago, GenerationSpeechie said:

Did they happen to say anything about last year’s cohort at the Western Open House? Such as average subGPA of those admitted, acceptance rate, etc.?

Nope, they didn't mention anything. They said they get around 450 applications and accept 50. They also said that they look at everything (gpa, letter of intent, volunteering etc.) when choosing applicants. And they are looking for well rounded individuals. Hope that helps. 

[tulipz]

On 10/28/2019 at 10:23 PM, /əˈmændæ/ said:

Hi @whalezie! How was writing the CASPer test? I have been kind of putting it off and I just don't know what to expect.

@v.lee - I think most schools (from what I've found) focus on your most recent 20-30 credits. 

 

Hey @/əˈmændæ/ ! It actually wasn't too bad - I did the systems check practice test the day before to give me an idea of what to expect (and to calm me down haha). Definitely felt like my answers could have been longer, but writing three questions in five minutes is hard. All in all though, not too stressful, and I skipped the optional 15 minute break so it only took about an hour.

[SSSLLLPPP]

On 10/29/2019 at 6:56 PM, NeeksSpeech said:

Hi everyone!

Happy to see a Canadian thread for this year, with some of us in the same boat! 

I'm applying for SLP programs this year and I have EXTREME anxiety over not getting in. My background is so different than most other applicants and I feel like I have much less of a shot of getting in, since I only decided I wanted to get into SLP after I finished my undergrad. I have a degree in Psychology and also a Bachelor of Education (have a teaching degree). I am taking a few courses this year to complete my prerequisties that I am missing. I have several volunteer/teaching experiences working with children with developmental delays and very low socioeconomic status, including international english teaching experience in underprivileged communities. I've only recently began volunteering with an SLP working with adults with aphasia, but worried I won't have a high number of hours. 

My SubGpa I'm not too worried about, just that my background won't cut it to the programs even though all my experiences and degrees have led me to become so interested and passionate about speech pathology!

Anyone know how much they weigh direct SLP experience over relevant volunteer work?

I'm applying to all Ontario grad programs.

Hi! I'm also applying to Ontario programs, not all of them however. I know that Western and U of T require your volunteer experience to be directly supervised by an S-LP. They also require a clinical reference form from the supervisor. Although your experience teaching will be a BIG bonus.

Good luck!

[SSSLLLPPP]

On 10/22/2019 at 2:27 AM, v.lee said:

Hey @whalezie! I haven't taken that course yet either. I actually went to the U of A's oasis conference last month where they had a panel about the application process, and that question got asked. Vicki mentioned that the Indigenous course isn't required as part of the application package, it's only required before starting the program. Good luck to you on your applications!

Does anyone know if McGill has a list of specific prereq courses (that has course names and numbers) that are accepted from the different universities across Canada? And do they look at the GPA of your entire undergrad or just the subGPA? 

Cheers!

Hi! I think McGill just requires you have enough credits in the listed domains on their applications website. But I always e-mail the department to double check if it's a cross-listed course, or to clarify if a specific course is approved.

McGill ranks all applicants by cumulative GPA (your whole undergrad) before even looking at your supporting documents (ie. SoI, references). This allows them to chop off a portion of the applications with the lower GPAs so they have less work to do. They don't even consider sub-GPA that I'm aware of.

[NeeksSpeech]

3 hours ago, SSSLLLPPP said:

Hi! I'm also applying to Ontario programs, not all of them however. I know that Western and U of T require your volunteer experience to be directly supervised by an S-LP. They also require a clinical reference form from the supervisor. Although your experience teaching will be a BIG bonus.

Good luck!

hii! Yeah that's why I started working under an SLP this summer who will be providing me with a reference gladly. I'm just worried the number of hours won't impress the schools since I know other applicants have sooo many more committed hours. 

 

Good luck to you too

[GenerationSpeechie]

1 hour ago, NeeksSpeech said:

hii! Yeah that's why I started working under an SLP this summer who will be providing me with a reference gladly. I'm just worried the number of hours won't impress the schools since I know other applicants have sooo many more committed hours. 

 

Good luck to you too

I actually messaged UofT about whether they care if somebody else had way more hours than me, and they said that as long as you had 14 hours you were good, but what matters most is the variability of the settings and populations you encounter!

 

Hope this helps!

[c.bee94]

Hi everyone! I have a question about entering pre-requisites on ORPAS, wondering if anyone has advice. When you're entering your course prerequisites in the personal submissions section, are the grades received in those courses a big factor in your application (assuming they're all over the minimum requirement)? The reason I ask is that for my statistics/research methods credit, I have the choice between submitting a 2nd year course in which I received an A+, or a 4th year course in which I received an A. I'm wondering if it will matter which one I put. I'm tempted to add the 4000 level course however I do think the A+ would look better than an A. I know on my transcript they would see both anyways, so I'm not sure if it even matters.

Thanks! 

[Meggiemoo]

Hi all! I graduated from the u of a in the summer with a major in linguistics (honours) and minor in psychology. I’m applying to McMaster and Western. I’m having a really tough time getting a gauge on how good my chances are so if anyone can give me an idea, I would be so grateful! 

I have a cGPA ~ 3.5 and a sub GPA ~3.8-3.9. I still have yet to take one more stats prereq (which is not my strong suit) and I can’t seem to get higher than a B in my current anatomy prereq (will this hurt my application?). I will only have around 20 clinical volunteer hours when I apply but I’ve worked about 30 hours a week as an RA in two linguistics labs for a long time. I’m worried my lack of volunteer experience will be an issue, but I have lots of job experience working with and teaching kids of various backgrounds and abilities. I also wrote an undergrad thesis, but will that matter? 

 

Please let me know what you think and good luck to all ??

[cneuz]

On 10/29/2019 at 11:08 AM, GenerationSpeechie said:

Did they happen to say anything about last year’s cohort at the Western Open House? Such as average subGPA of those admitted, acceptance rate, etc.?

Hey, they said that roughly 400 people apply and they accept about 50-52 and subGPA range was 3.5 - 4.0 of those accepted.

[Slpeechie]

On 10/29/2019 at 6:56 PM, NeeksSpeech said:

Hi everyone!

Happy to see a Canadian thread for this year, with some of us in the same boat! 

I'm applying for SLP programs this year and I have EXTREME anxiety over not getting in. My background is so different than most other applicants and I feel like I have much less of a shot of getting in, since I only decided I wanted to get into SLP after I finished my undergrad. I have a degree in Psychology and also a Bachelor of Education (have a teaching degree). I am taking a few courses this year to complete my prerequisties that I am missing. I have several volunteer/teaching experiences working with children with developmental delays and very low socioeconomic status, including international english teaching experience in underprivileged communities. I've only recently began volunteering with an SLP working with adults with aphasia, but worried I won't have a high number of hours. 

My SubGpa I'm not too worried about, just that my background won't cut it to the programs even though all my experiences and degrees have led me to become so interested and passionate about speech pathology!

Anyone know how much they weigh direct SLP experience over relevant volunteer work?

I'm applying to all Ontario grad programs.

The fact that you have a different educational background is probably a huge advantage for your applications. They want people from diverse backgrounds to bring in different experiences, so you'll stand out compared to all the other linguistics degrees. However, I've been told by different universities that having prerequisite classes in progress is quite a disadvantage. They rather take people who've already finished the pre-requisites because then they can already predict their potential in the program. How much the universities weigh direct experiences depends on the program. McMaster only considers sub-GPA and interview scores, so as long as your GPA is high enough you'll be guaranteed an interview there.

[SpeechPlease]

Hi everyone,

Second year applying and I have to say I'm feeling discouraged before the process officially begins. I rewrote my letter, redid my CV, spent the entire year off volunteering.. I just finished my second B.A where my sub-gpa is pretty good (not as good as McMasters minimum interview cut-off from last year though) but some of my pre-reqs from my first degree have really low grades.. These are classes I can't redo and I can't take other classes before applications are due since it would have to be in the winter semester. Anyone have any advice?

[DreamingofSpeech]

Hi everybody! 

Quick question about getting approval for a prerequisite (for McGill in this case). Does anyone know if they require the course outline from the year/semester that you took the course or if a more recent outline is acceptable? I don't have copies of the outlines because I took these courses several years ago. Just thought I'd ask before reaching out to some profs.

Any help is appreciated! Thx.

[tay1998]

Does anyone know how important the marks for the prerequisite courses for McGill is? Or is it just important that we've completed them. Also, for the stats requirement, my syllabus says my course includes "regression" and it also says "linear regression" but doesn't explicitly say "multiple regression". Do you think this is acceptable?

 

 

[SSSLLLPPP]

On 11/15/2019 at 11:44 PM, DreamingofSpeech said:

Hi everybody! 

Quick question about getting approval for a prerequisite (for McGill in this case). Does anyone know if they require the course outline from the year/semester that you took the course or if a more recent outline is acceptable? I don't have copies of the outlines because I took these courses several years ago. Just thought I'd ask before reaching out to some profs.

Any help is appreciated! Thx.

Hi!

You can contact the department office and ask for the syllabus from the year you took the course. They should have a file on hand of all course outlines.

This worked for me last year when I was looking for some psychology course syllabi.

[speechie_3423]

I'm a current student in the UBC program if anyone has any questions! 

[SSSLLLPPP]

On 11/15/2019 at 6:15 PM, smellyrich said:

Hi everyone,

Second year applying and I have to say I'm feeling discouraged before the process officially begins. I rewrote my letter, redid my CV, spent the entire year off volunteering.. I just finished my second B.A where my sub-gpa is pretty good (not as good as McMasters minimum interview cut-off from last year though) but some of my pre-reqs from my first degree have really low grades.. These are classes I can't redo and I can't take other classes before applications are due since it would have to be in the winter semester. Anyone have any advice?

I believe you can take the courses in winter semester and then send them the final grades in April when you complete the course.

 

[SpeechPlease]

1 hour ago, SSSLLLPPP said:

I believe you can take the courses in winter semester and then send them the final grades in April when you complete the course.

 

But for ORPAS, you need to enter individually the grades of the prereqs