Utah State Online Post-Bach and Acceptance

[ImHis]

Has anybody with comm disorders as their undergrad taken the 2nd bachelors courses at USU?

 

I graduated from CSUF last spring with a low GPA and am hoping that taking this as a 2nd bachelors would help my application.

 

On the website it says "The second bachelor's degree also provides courses for students who may need to retake courses or establish core courses for a master's degree."

 

One of my classmates who had a first bachelors in CSD had to retake a few courses at USU. She was accepted at NOVA, but this is after 3 years of persistent applications. Make sure you have a 3.0 or above though in your first bachelors or else it might not be considered as noted in the results pages.

Edited April 22, 2015 by ImHis

[ivalopez]

One of my classmates who had a first bachelors in CSD had to retake a few courses at USU. She was accepted at NOVA, but this is after 3 years of persistent applications. Make sure you have a 3.0 or above though in your first bachelors or else it might not be considered as noted in the results pages.

 Sorry but what do you mean it might not be considered? My CSD GPA was even below a 3.0 but my cum undergrad GPA was above it. 

 

Do you thinking taking the courses offered at USU and doing well in them would help my app stand out?

[Crimson Wife]

Are you fluent in Spanish? The SLP Asst. program I'm going to be starting this fall had a job posting recently for bilingual SLPA's offering a salary of $60k/yr. Getting strong real-world experience as a SLPA would help towards making up for a weak GPA.

[ImHis]

Sorry but what do you mean it might not be considered? My CSD GPA was even below a 3.0 but my cum undergrad GPA was above it. 

 

Do you thinking taking the courses offered at USU and doing well in them would help my app stand out?

 

If your cumulative in your first bachelor's is equal to or greater than 3.0, it's still okay to apply. In your situation, you should be okay. If it's below, it's risky to apply because 2 of my classmates who had less than 3.0 GPA in their first bachelors didn't get in.

 

I can attest from witnessing my classmates' experences to answer your second question. My classmates who got in graduate schools already had a 3.0 and above GPA in their first (non-CSD) bachelors. They did extremely well in the USU courses with GPAs ranging in 3.9-4.0. I think they were able to prove to the admissions of their ability to excel in the CSD subject. This made their applications stand out.

Edited April 22, 2015 by ImHis

[ivalopez]

If your cumulative in your first bachelor's is equal to or greater than 3.0, it's still okay to apply. In your situation, you should be okay. If it's below, it's risky to apply because 2 of my classmates who had less than 3.0 GPA in their first bachelors didn't get in.

 

I can attest from witnessing my classmates' experences to answer your second question. My classmates who got in graduate schools already had a 3.0 and above GPA in their first (non-CSD) bachelors. They did extremely well in the USU courses with GPAs ranging in 3.9-4.0. I think they were able to prove to the admissions of their ability to excel in the CSD subject. This made their applications stand out.

Thank you so much for all of your input. But my major is CSD already. I would just be retaking classes.

 

I am also looking for a SLPA job right now. I currently work at a center for learning disabilities (working with a variety of ages those with attention difficulties, auditory processing delays, are on the autism spectrum, etc).

[ImHis]

Thank you so much for all of your input. But my major is CSD already. I would just be retaking classes.

 

I am also looking for a SLPA job right now. I currently work at a center for learning disabilities (working with a variety of ages those with attention difficulties, auditory processing delays, are on the autism spectrum, etc).

 

Not a problem as long as your bachelors cumulative is a 3.0 or above, you still have a chance. There were a few people who were retaking in my cohort as well and they already got in the program at NOVA.

 

You will be very well prepared to manage difficult behaviors with your experience working with those populations. I really feel any experience is valuable, as long as you enjoy it and can talk about it with passion in your personal statement.

[steveshooman]

Posting this here for anyone searching later: I graduated from USU in 2015 with my 2nd bachelor's (4.0 GPA) and was accepted to University of the Pacific today for the Fall 2016 admission cycle. I received a rejection from CSU Chico and haven't heard yet from the three other schools I applied to (SFSU, CSU East Bay, CSU Sacramento).

The CSU Chico rejection wasn't a surprise, as I was told by two other USU applicants that advisors there indicated they don't even consider USU applicants. SFSU actually mentions online leveling/2nd bachelor's courses in its graduate admission information, so it seems pretty open to USU's program. 

I had a low cumulative GPA (still over 3.0) based on the fact that CSDCAS doesn't allow replacement grades for repeated courses, but I had significant volunteer experience with English language learners, refugees, and an education nonprofit. GRE scores were slightly above what was required for quant, well above the requirement for verbal, and at the requirement for analytical. I'm also completing a certified SLPA program through a community college right now.

I'm very excited and happy to have been admitted and just wanted to put it out there that an online program isn't necessarily going to prevent you from getting into grad school--most schools seem to look at the "whole package," so just make sure that the big picture is a good one :).