Colorado Boulder Applicants

[CO (soon to be) SLP]

These are just MY impressions:

 

·      Please note that I’m a bit biased as I have already made a decision to attend Boulder… and live here already

 

·      Sorry it’s so long… I can be wordy

 

·      Last disclaimer, please contact someone there rather than take my word, everyone I talked to was open and I can’t imagine a scenario where they would not answer questions or find someone who could!

 

 

Overall I was really impressed with the program and faculty! The open house included both SLP and AUD, I counted about 35-45 people in attendance. Despite the fact that it was somewhat of a sales pitch, everyone was very approachable and spoke openly about issues and experiences. What really makes me excited is how much they emphasize making the program fit your individual interests. They have a LOT of very varied clinic options (they spent 20-30 minutes just listing them off with many sounding like truly amazing experiences – they have a lot of off-site options once you are out of your first semester that leverage all of Denver and the surrounding area.) Both the faculty and students talked at length about how they tailor schedule, classes, and even elements within classes to meet your end goals or help you explore areas of interest while still meeting ASHA requirements. They seem to have large focus areas in adult neurogenics, TBI/concussion (lot of exciting things happening in concussion and sports-related brain injuries), and child learning so if you want to be in those areas you might be very happy. As expected, there is a big research emphasis throughout the program and they tried to sell the thesis option pretty hard. The students I spoke to were down-to-earth, friendly, seemed to love the program, and all had a passion for what they do.

 

I could probably go on and on about what I like (remember I’ve already decided to go here), and please ask any questions but here are the counter points I saw:

 

The faculty is stretched quite thin, they are trying to hire new people but everyone did mention that it can be, at times, difficult to make schedules work.

 

Both my observations and talking to the students seem to indicate that there is a little disorganization as a result of people being stretched so thin in addition to the normal interplay of any academic department.

 

The SLHS building where the clinic is housed is somewhat of an older facility, and could do with a facelift. I know it’s what happens inside that matters, but coming from a biotech background with all sorts of fancy new stuff, the initial appearance does not impress too much.

 

Funding looked to be hard to come by. They have already awarded most or all of the assistantships, so everything else is up to the students to go after. There are around 10 or so competitive TA positions each semester, and opportunities to work in various labs. However, most of the students that I spoke to choose not to pursue these options because they really didn’t fit into their educational plan or interests. Tuition is not bad by many standards, but it’s not dirt cheep either.

 

Although Boulder is a very fun and beautiful place to live, it’s not a cheap place to live. Be prepared for some higher cost-of-living shock depending on where you come from. Also, CU is well known amongst undergraduates as a party school, (and I say this with all love) the douchbag ratio (not in the SLHS program… but overall undergrad pop) is a little higher here than in most places (think a big frat scene)

 

The school has to work harder than many to find CLD clients. Colorado as a whole is not incredibly diverse, and although I know there is a lot of SES variance to be found in the cities, in the on-campus clinic you probably won’t find too much. So if that is very important to you, it’s something to keep in mind. There is a pretty large Spanish-speaking population here, but you have to remember that Boulder is somewhat of an island.

 

Lastly… I am very hesitant to bring this up and would really like to hear other opinions… but the only thing that really spooked me a little was that it SEEMED as though students are a little more on their own for taking advantage of some exciting program elements. Even though the university has relationships with all sorts of amazing opportunities for off-site clinic time, externships, and even CFY placements, I didn’t get the impression that the school had the bandwidth to really help students navigate these options well. Now, to state again, I really feel the faculty and even students (your first year you will have a 2^nd year mentor) will go above and beyond for on-campus opportunities, tweaking, etc, it just really felt like some of the best opportunities required students (going through a very rigorous first year) to pursue almost alone. I don’t know if this is really the case, but that was just the first impression that made me a little nervous.

 

I keep trying to think of any counter-points, but simply can’t!

 

Like any program, there are good and less than great components, but after attending I really feel that the options available to students to pursue widely varying tracks is just amazing. I hope this helps!

 

The flyover: It’s in a beautiful city, but one that is expensive to live in with somewhat limited funding options. The faculty was amazing, approachable, and exciting with a wide spectrum of interests. The current students were all very passionate, professional, driven but easy to be around, and loved the environment. People are spread thin, and the facilities could do with some updating, but what happens inside was very cool. There are a lot of nice programs that are available, but you have to work to find and access them. I, personally, could not be happier with my opportunity here, but please ask questions to those who can really answer them, I am far more qualified to tell you about what living in Boulder is like than to really comment on the program. 

[SDBear]

Wow thank you so much for that information! I have been in contact with one former student who still works in the department and another current student and they have been very helpful, but it was nice to hear some outside perspective as well. This will really help me with my decision, thanks!

[CO (soon to be) SLP]

you are more than welcome, please let me know if there is anything I can answer. BTW, what have you heard from your contacts.... I always like to know more of what to expect!

[SDBear]

Here are a few things I asked about:

As an out of field student, what is the leveling year like academically and socially - she said it depends year to year on how many students are leveling. You tend to get closer to the cohort that joins you in your first grad year. She also suggested taking grad courses during the leveling year to reduce your course load once you start clinic in the following year.

I also asked about living costs and transportation- she said boulder is fairly expensive but was not able to give me a price range since she commutes. She said public transportation is pretty good in boulder.

In terms of working while going to school, she said it is possible during a leveling year but much more difficult once clinic starts (which seems to be the case in most places).

[rpatty]

Thanks for the great information you shared!  I really wanted to attend the open house but was unable to because I was presenting research at a conference and the department told me I wasn't able to reschedule my visit :/  it's really great to hear someone's perspective from the open house.   I'm feeling so torn about where to go and I know I have to make a decision soon.  I'd love to live in Colorado and the school/program sounds absolutely fantastic, I only wish it wasn't so expensive and far away from home :/

Thanks again for all of the information and insight you shared!! I'm glad I found this discussion.

[CO (soon to be) SLP]

You're welcome, 

 

On the expense side, you can get in-state tuition for your second year and if you live in the west, you can get in-state tuition from the start through the graduate exchange program. Of course there is the higher cost of living in Boulder. Even though you probably can't re-schedule a visit, I'd bet you could ask to talk to faculty and current students; everyone was very accommodating. 

 

Good luck in making a decision, it looks like you have some wonderful choices!

[midnight]

Tuck, I'm back from the open house, let me know if you want a rundown, or if you were able to get questions answered. I'm sorry I wasn't able to meet you in person!

 

Midnight, it was great meeting you! I hope to see you here in the mountains come fall! 

 

It was great meeting you, too! I'm sending my acceptance this weekend.

 

And I definitely agree with your impressions of the program. Anyone who's interested in Boulder should read your posts.

[CO (soon to be) SLP]

It was great meeting you, too! I'm sending my acceptance this weekend.

 

And I definitely agree with your impressions of the program. Anyone who's interested in Boulder should read your posts.

 

Congratulations on your decision! It'll be an amazing experience no doubt. Do you have any other thoughts on the program or Boulder?

[midnight]

Congratulations on your decision! It'll be an amazing experience no doubt. Do you have any other thoughts on the program or Boulder?

 

Not much! My thoughts on the program are the same as yours.

 

I will say that as a prospective leveling student, I was able to speak to a student who's currently finishing up her leveling year, and she reinforced that there are some benefits to completing pre-reqs at Boulder because I'll be able to get a leg up on some of the two-year graduate coursework if I want to, plus I'll have a little more time to feel out my options. That's very attractive to me since I'm making a big transition by moving across the country and immediately delving into SLP studies.

 

I know that some of the open house attendees were surprised that Boulder doesn't have a dedicated bilingual track, but I'm confident that anyone who wants to work with Spanish-speaking populations will be able to do so, especially since Boulder is technically an extension of the Denver metro area. The city seems rife with amazing and dynamic SLP opportunities: so many hospitals and schools!

 

Overall, everyone I met was really welcoming, helpful, and enthusiastic, and as someone who'd never been on the Boulder campus before, I found it absolutely beautiful and appealing.

[CO (soon to be) SLP]

I know that some of the open house attendees were surprised that Boulder doesn't have a dedicated bilingual track, but I'm confident that anyone who wants to work with Spanish-speaking populations will be able to do so, especially since Boulder is technically an extension of the Denver metro area. The city seems rife with amazing and dynamic SLP opportunities: so many hospitals and schools!

 

I think this reflects the differences in how various states approach educational certification/pay/etc. From my understanding in talking to teachers, many states (especially those back east) place a lot of emphasis on various certificates as a prerequisite for either entry to a sub-field or for increased pay for working is said sub-field; In general, Colorado is not one of those that does this. So it is understandable why many attending would want to know about various certificates. It's still amazes me how different educational culture is in various parts of the country!  

[Tuck]

CO (soon to be) SLP and midnight, thank you so much for writing out your impressions of the open house! I read through your comments many times and found them most helpful. It sounds like a great program.

 

It was not an easy choice, but I've decided to go to Vanderbilt. I just now sent my paperwork in - last minute much?!

 

On another note, I hate that I didn't get to meet y'all! Perhaps in the future at a conference or some such we can make it happen.  :-)  Congrats and best wishes on your graduate careers.

[midnight]

CO (soon to be) SLP and midnight, thank you so much for writing out your impressions of the open house! I read through your comments many times and found them most helpful. It sounds like a great program.

 

It was not an easy choice, but I've decided to go to Vanderbilt. I just now sent my paperwork in - last minute much?!

 

On another note, I hate that I didn't get to meet y'all! Perhaps in the future at a conference or some such we can make it happen.  :-)  Congrats and best wishes on your graduate careers.

 

Best of luck to you, too, Tuck! Vandy is an amazing school, and I know you'll do great things there and afterward.

[CO (soon to be) SLP]

CO (soon to be) SLP and midnight, thank you so much for writing out your impressions of the open house! I read through your comments many times and found them most helpful. It sounds like a great program.

 

It was not an easy choice, but I've decided to go to Vanderbilt. I just now sent my paperwork in - last minute much?!

 

On another note, I hate that I didn't get to meet y'all! Perhaps in the future at a conference or some such we can make it happen.  :-)  Congrats and best wishes on your graduate careers.

 

Congrats on the decision, Vandy looks like an amazing program! Good luck, and hope to meet you in-person one day as well!

[rpatty]

Hi midnight and CO (soon to be) SLP!

 

If the two of you are still reading this page, I just wanted to thank you for all of the helpful insight you shared.  I finally made my decision (last minute on Monday!) and am nervous/excited.  The information that both of you shared really helped me to make my decision and I'm so grateful that you took the time to do so!

 

I apologize if this isn't the right page to be asking all of my questions on, I'm still relatively new to gradcafe so I'm still trying to figure it all out!

 

Have either of you heard about TA positions?  I had emailed Amy Walker, I believe on Wednesday, to ask about them and she told me that she would let all applicants know probably by the end of the day but I never heard back from her again.  I was just wondering because if there are any openings, I would really like to apply for some type of position, especially before the deadline (whenever that is). 

 

CO (soon to be) SLP, I noticed that you said you live in Boulder so I was hoping to ask you a few questions about housing/where to live if you don't mind?  I am currently going to school out in the middle or rural Missouri and, with no easy access to an airport, I haven't had time to fly out and visit and with how busy my schedule is with graduation coming up, it's not possible to drive down either.  I am hoping to fly out once I get back home, but I'm not sure when/if that is happening for sure.  First, I was just curious about driving/biking/walking in Boulder.  What is most common for students to do?  I know Boulder is pretty expensive, so I'm looking for a "relatively" cheap area to live that's close to campus? I'd love to be able to walk/bike.  Do you know if places like this exist or is this an oxy-moron? I am planning on living by myself, and I'm definitely willing to live in a studio apartment.  Anyway, any suggestions that you have at all would be greatly appreciated!

 

Also, do either of you know anything about establishing in-state residency?  I'm probably going to email the registrar's office to find out for sure what I need to do, but I was just wondering if either of you knew anyone who had gone through this and/or how difficult of a process it is.

 

Thanks again for ALL of your help!

[midnight]

Congrats on your decision, rpatty!

 

I would also love any info on where to find an apartment near the school (preferably walkable). I was going to stay in grad housing, but now I think I need my own place so I can bring my pets with me.

[CO (soon to be) SLP]

Thanks for the update on the TA positions, I have not heard anything yet either, but I had planned to call on Monday as I know they just submitted the info to the office of admissions allowing for students to submit the intent to enroll middle of last week. I am interested in applying for one as well. 

 

I'll write up something more on housing in a bit, but I suppose it all comes down to how you define "relatively"  Boulder is a pretty small town (by design actually) and is very bike friendly and pretty easy to walk, so finding something in walking/biking distance is in no way unreasonable. It may be important to note that driving may become important in getting to off-campus clinic hours.

 

Living alone is a bit harder, there is what I tend to call an "entry price" for any space which makes the difference between a studio and a more bedrooms far from a linear relationship. I've lived in a small (~ 300sq ft) studio for a couple of years, and will be looking to move out and (I still can't believe I'm going this route) get some roommates. Basically getting two roommates means that I can live in a much nicer/closer place for a 0.4 or 0.45 multiplier on my current costs. I certainly understand wanting to live alone, I just don't want to take on tens of thousands more in loans (or work myself to the bone while in an intense program) to do so; it's a personal preference. I'll write some more on areas and general ranges when I get a chance 

 

Congrats on the decision!

[rpatty]

Fantastic!  Thanks again for taking the time to write that up, just whenever you get to it, no rush! 

 

I have considered roommates as well, I'm definitely not opposed to it (I currently live with two other people) especially if it means a drop in the price.  My only hesitation is that I really don't know anyone at all in Boulder or, outside of the two of you, anyone going into Boulder's program.  I'm just worried about randomly finding roommates somewhere and then not being compatible with them which would just add more stress to grad school which I'm sure I won't be needing.  Do either of you know if there is a facebook page for the incoming students yet?

[midnight]

Thanks, CO! I'm fine with a larger studio or a one bedroom. My husband is going to stay with me for extended periods of time when he's working in the area, and we're also going to use the apartment as a sort of storage space until he can permanently move out to Denver, so the extra cost won't be a total loss.

 

I wish I could room with a couple reliable people, but between my cats and my unique situation, it's not ideal.

[CO (soon to be) SLP]

FYI... I just realized that my post could have been taken as asking for roommates (a lack of clarity is exactly what you expect from someone in a language/communication field... right?), that was not my intent. I was just communicating that it's weird for me, I haven't had roommates for many years, and not really looking forward to it; I've rather grown accustomed to having my own space. 

 

I promise I'll write up something better on areas, what to expect, and what to watch out for sometime tomorrow (crashing a deadline now) 

[midnight]

FYI... I just realized that my post could have been taken as asking for roommates (a lack of clarity is exactly what you expect from someone in a language/communication field... right?), that was not my intent. I was just communicating that it's weird for me, I haven't had roommates for many years, and not really looking forward to it; I've rather grown accustomed to having my own space. 

 

I promise I'll write up something better on areas, what to expect, and what to watch out for sometime tomorrow (crashing a deadline now) 

 

Oh no, I didn't think that you or rpatty were asking anyone here to be roommates. I just hope it's not too hard for me to find somewhere for myself since roommate situations seem to be really popular in college towns, and I need a small place of my own.

[midnight]

Oh, and here's the already-existing Facebook group for Boulder SLP/AuD incoming and attending students:

 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/168863929844238/

 

Someone might want to create a class of 2015 page, but I'm actually in the class of 2016. Womp womp.

[CO (soon to be) SLP]

If you are not really set on being able to walk to campus you might look to start out in Westminster, Broomfield, Gunbarrel, or Longmont. They are not long commutes, quite a bit cheaper, and when your husband gets here it might make things clearer? You are at a benefit in that because you are leveling you have a year before things get intense.

 

In Boulder, especially, the roommate thing makes a lot of sense just because of the high entry cost. For example I pay near as makes no difference $900/mo before power, internet, and parking for a small studio (~ 300 sq ft) That is a little high, but only by about $150-$200 or so a month as I live downtown. I have a friend that has a small two bedroom (mind you a bit further from campus) for about $1000/mo.  On the other hand, a much nice much bigger 3 bedroom place can be had for 1200-1500, and one of the 4 bedroom places I'm looking at that is very nice is less than 1800/mo within easy walking distance of campus and full of grad students. 

 

okay time to stop procrastinating on this report  

 

take care and thanks for the Facebook page!!!

[midnight]

Thanks! I love that Boulder is pedestrian-friendly, so I hope to take advantage of that and won't be bringing a car with me my first year or two. $1K (and nearish the campus) is in my price range, though the upper limit. I'm going to search around later and see if I can get your opinion on promising places I find.

 

And yeah, stop procrastinating.

Edited April 22, 2013 by midnight

[CO (soon to be) SLP]

To be fair I was not entirely procrastinating... just taking more frequent breaks than necessary (but it's done now so... wahoo).

 

If that is your range, then I think you should be fine. I would stay away from the hill as it can be a very obnoxious place to live (some of downtown too for that matter), and be wary of the lowest priced places. I have looked at a lot of the $550 and $600 studios and... all of them were pretty crummy, many don't have any kind of kitchen, some don't have internet, etc etc. 

 

Were I you, I might re-think not bringing a car. It is true Boulder is a walking town, and many days my car sits happily in it's little spot, but Colorado as a whole is not; Boulder is an island. We have pretty good public transportation, but outside of even social things (which is when the bus system is most useful IMHO) at the grad level, having an absolutely reliable transportation mechanism is pretty important. That's just my take, PM me and I can hook you up with one of my neighbors who does not have a car and you might pick her brain. Let me know if there is anything I can do to help you scout a place, I'm more than happy to check something out or take a few pictures. College town landlords can be kinda crummy, Boulder has a very tenant friendly legal system... but still. 

[rpatty]

I agree with midnight, no worries, I didn't feel like anyone was fishing for roommates either!

 

Thanks for the information about the facebook page as well as for the information about the housing already.  If all goes according to plan, I will definitely be bringing a car to campus.  The town that I am currently living in (for school) is pretty small and could, I suppose, be walkable for everywhere I need to go, but I love having a car here, it just makes things quicker and easier.  That's just my opinion though!  I'm definitely caught between trying to find roommates or just resigning myself to pay more money.  I think there are great benefits to having roommates, including the price reduction!, but I also think there are benefits to living by myself.  I did discover that Colorado has a site for off-campus housing (as well as for people looking for roommates) so I'm using that as a springboard for ideas/locations and potential roommates.  I also thought about living in on-campus grad housing, but I'm not sure how I really feel about that (or if there are even any places left this late in the year).