Left my SLP M.S. Program, now I regret it...HELP?!

[re-slp]

Hi all,

Fall 2010-Spring 2011 I was in one of the top 5 programs in the country for an MS in SLP. (I don't want to name which school for anonymity reasons, sorry.) I ended up leaving for a variety of reasons, but they all boiled down to: I was super-unhappy, basically spiralling into a huge depression, and I thought if I left the program and switched fields I would be much better off.

Fast forward a year, and I wish I hadn't left. Well, I wish I was still doing SLP. I hated the program and the location, and the people in my cohort were awful to me. But I think had I been getting my master's somewhere else I would have loved it and would be finishing it!

Is there any hope for me to even bother applying? I'm interested in distance learning programs and have contacted the few that I'm not disqualified from (my undergrad is in a different, albeit related, field). My graduate GPA is 2.992 because of the 2nd semester spiral of depression- 1st semester my GPA was 3.486. I got something like an 1160 GRE score and I am very passionate about SLP. I just...was having a rough time.

Problem is I'm also not certain I could get good letters of recs from any of my previous teachers or clinical supervisors, since I left the program. I didn't get the impression that they would want to do that. I want to make it clear that I don't want to go back to the program I was in- I'd like a new program! Ideally online, but residential in SoCal is okay too.

What do you all think??

[Hopeful SLP]

if grad schools want anything, they want someone who will finish the program. it is REALLY hard to convince them of that unless you have stellar letters (from yourself and professors, etc.) ... coupled with the low GPA, you have a difficult road ahead. however, I don't necessarily think it is impossible. what have you been doing for the past year? can't you have whoever you've worked for/studied under write the letters instead of going back to your SLP program?

[re-slp]

I know, that's what I'm so concerned about. The past year I haven't been doing SLP because I conflated the depression/issues with the location and cohort with not liking SLP. I recently realized I want to do SLP and that the depression etc weren't related to SLP itself. But in the meantime I wasn't doing anything related to SLP. I'm applying to SLPA jobs here in Rhode Island & Mass but not many places seem to be hiring assistants. If I had my master's, of course, that would be another story...

[trina]

What do you all think??

Why don't you give it a shot and apply next year? Target schools that might be less competitive, or take in more students.. In the meantime, you could volunteer and do SLP-related work, and have those people write you recommendation letters. It probably won't be easy.. but if SLP is what you want to do, then try your best to get back into grad school. Your undergraduate GPA is probably pretty good, considering you got into a top 5 school. So if you could explain your graduate GPA and your time at your top 5 school with a positive spin in your SOP, you might still stand a chance.

[re-slp]

I agree that it's probably my best bet to just reapply, but how do I put a positive spin on my failed semester that caused me to drop out? Any ideas? I'm seriously concerned that that's all they'll look at.

[tpatoatl]

I PMed you. It can be done.