App State vs UNCG

[slptobeee]

UNCG is ranked higher than App State, but should I make my decision based solely on that? (still waiting on decisions from UNCG...) Based on a comparison of their SLP programs, would anyone choose App State?

[jomyers.online]

Hello @slptobeee!

You can find quite a bit of information about this already in this forum: search "rankings" in the top right corner, and make sure to click "in this forum" if you only want to see results for the SLP forum.

This is what should pop up.

 

Selected responses:

On 3/2/2020 at 3:40 PM, lifeispeachy said:

every program that meets ASHA requirements for certification will get you where you need to go. Sure, there are more prestigious programs, but the goal is to get your CCCs and become a licensed therapist, right? So if both programs offer that, then there’s really no difference once you get out. Not being in debt will be a huge advantage in the long run, so I would definitely go with the cheaper program! 

 

On 3/3/2020 at 7:06 AM, bibliophile222 said:

Ranking doesn't matter, but things like a high Praxis pass rate (should be at or near 100%), program completion rate, and the school's reputation for good placement opportunities do. You want a school that can provide you with a wide variety of settings and not struggle to place students (I've heard horror stories). A high program completion rate is a sign that the program supports its students, and a high Praxis pass rate means the program teaches you everything you need to know. If the lower-ranked program has all these things, go for it. If either program is lacking in any of these areas, stay away. 

 

On 3/3/2020 at 1:14 PM, maskingeffect said:

All that really matters is opportunity and fit. If you have a preference for a type of setting, talk to current and former students regarding practicum options available. Long-term, it’s just what practicum locations exist and if there are enough spots for everyone to get experience in exactly what they want. Ask if there are opportunities for students to advocate for contracts between the school and location if there isn’t one yet, in the case that there’s a localish practicum you want but the school doesn’t currently have a connection to the site. If you want to get crazy, ask for a list of sites the school has a contract with or connection to.

Even if you think long-term in regard to furthering your education, you’ll be fine as long as you get some research experience, which even low-ranked universities should be able to offer. I went to a >180 ranked school because it was a state university that offered a TAship, and I’ve got several acceptances/interviews for a CSD PhD at schools ranked as highly as #3 on that US News ranking thing. Don’t go into insane debt, you’ll be fine as long as you’re cognizant of the above. 

 

On 3/23/2020 at 3:45 PM, MadisonMachelle said:

I've heard from SLP's that I've mentored with that the reason it doesn't matter about the ranking is that its an in-demand field so as long as you are qualified with your CCC's and went to an ASHA accredited school, you'll get a job. I've noticed that getting a good CFY or externship depends on if the school has good connections with nearby providers. Again, if you get a good CFY/externship/clinical placement you have a better shot at getting a good job. With that being said, you can still get a job without having extraordinary experience during grad school. You'll just develop your repertoire after grad school. 

 

On 3/16/2013 at 4:59 PM, SLPzs91 said:

as long as you get your CCC-SLP/CCC-A, it means you graduated from an ASHA certified institution, which employers look for more. That having been said, I really think picking where you're comfortable is the most important thing here. You want to be happy with the program and the area you're living in for the next two years.

 

 

[slptobeee]

Thanks so much @jomyers.online

Edited March 6, 2021 by slptobeee

[jomyers.online]

@slptobeee you bet!

My own two cents:

Everyone will weigh pros/cons differently when deciding on programs. If you're reeeeeally type A like me you might come up with a weighted list of things that matter to help you line the schools up with one another based on your criteria. One of your criteria could be ranking if you end up deciding that it does matter to you. I did this when deciding on schools to apply to, and it helped me realize that there were really only one to two programs that I wanted to focus on. It could be applicable to deciding between schools that you've been offered admission at, though!

 

Things that I look for in a program, from most to least important:

• 25% If the faculty research interests and program specialties match my interests (I'm interested in early childhood language development, autism spectrum disorder, disability & special education law, speech patterns in adults with intellectual disabilities) I'm very interested in research, and could see myself pursuing a PhD in the future.
• 25% If the program guarantees placements in medical and school-based settings, and if those placements are negotiated on the graduate clinician's behalf
• 18% commitment to diversity and atmosphere welcoming atypical SLP students
• 15% If funding is available, and if these opportunities were offered to more than 20% of the incoming class: as a former teacher, I'm very interested in teaching at the collegiate level in GTA positions.
• 10% tuition <15k (A), 15-25k (B), 25k-35k (C), 35-45k (D), 45k+ (F)
• 5% housing and weekend employment opportunities
• 2% praxis pass rate (all of the programs I was looking at had pass rates in the upper 90's so this wasn't much of a determining factor for me)

Dealbreakers:

• Whether the program is located in an urban, suburban, or rural area (I'm a city girl and not willing to budge, even for two years.)

From there, I would give the programs letter grades based on each factor.

Fake example: Let's say a program had 3 faculty members with a similar background or research interest (A, or 100 points), medical and school-based placements were guaranteed but no mention of how they were negotiated (maybe a B+ so 87 points), funding was available, but not to many and no mention of the number of GTA positions (C, or 70 points), tuition was $38,000 (D, or 60 points), the atmosphere was nice but not great (B, or 80 points), the housing options were amazing!!! (A, or 100 points) and the praxis pass rate was 98% (98 points).

I would add them all up by weight (100*0.25)+(87*0.25)+(70*0.15)+(80*0.18)+(60*0.10)+(100*0.05)+(98*0.02) = 84.81

Then I'd just compare the schools to one another using that scoring system.

I just really like having something more concrete than a pro/con list, but that's just me!

 

-Jo

Edited March 6, 2021 by jomyers.online