Need MAJOR advice for someone pursuing a masters in Speech Pathology

[springhillmike]

I have a good friend who was an education major, but has recently had to change to General Studies. This person would like to pursue a masters in speech pathology, but has a very low 1.9 GPA. They are a Sophomore by hours and a Junior by age and years in college. Is there any hope for this person? I have read some programs look at UG60, but what exactly does that mean (I obviously know it means the last 60 hours). Is this person doomed, or do they have a chance. They have emailed the school they would like to attend, and the person said that she would be worried about their ability to perform well in the masters. This person would still have to take the pre-req's for Speech Pathology as well. I am not sure what they should do or if there is any hope. Also, if the person has done poorly in 5 semesters thus far, would it even be likely that they will have the ability to perform well enough throughout the rest of undergrad to have a competitive GPA. I know that 3.5+ is typically competitive, but what options does this person have at this point? ANY advice at all will be welcomed, this person is desperate.

[DShenge]

If your friend's transcript shows an upward trend and does well in the major classes, then there is certainly hope.  The overall GPA might be rough, but if you can get a good major GPA, it really helps.  Plus, the GRE can change be a big factor.  If he/she can do a stellar job with the GRE, then it can change the entire application.  Plus getting experience and doing things like shadowing a clinician can strengthen an application.  And in any case, Never Say Die. 

[katieliz456]

If they are still a sophomore credit-wise, it sounds like they would still have 2 years/60-ish credit hours left, correct? I think that is enough time to raise their GPA to an adequate level. To be honest, they'd need to have AT LEAST a 3.0-3.2ish cumulative gpa to even consider applying (otherwise, they'd be wasting money on fees, etc.).  This is the advice I'd give your friend:

-Make sure to get all As/4.0s in SLP or related classes (linguistics, psych, child development). I believe a "B" or "C" in, say, an Astronomy class or Film class doesn't look as "bad" as a "B" or "C" in an SLP-related class.

-Start building relationships with potential recommenders NOW! Ask profs if you can volunteer in their labs, even if it is just doing data coding or transcriptions. It will show professionalism and the ability to commit.  Make sure to go to office hours etc.

-Find related employment (if planning to work part-time or during summer). Do respite/habilitation, work as a school aide or camp counselor, or even nanny for kids with special needs. 

-Does he/she know a foreign language? Bilingual applicants seem to be more in demand, particularly Spanish or other languages that are common in certain regions (here, there also happen to be a lot of Vietnamese-speaking families, and in Minnesota, I believe there is a large population of Somali immigrants). If so, make sure he/she stays fluent and, if not, it is never too late to start learning

-study, study, study for the GRE! i happen to be good at standardized tests, but I know the vocab can be a downfall for lots of people. It's not too early for your friend to grab a study book at barnes&Noble and start skimming it.

-Thoroughly research the schools before applying. If your friend is able/willing to move, encourage him/her to apply to several (10ish) schools throughout the US, and to avoid any of the hyper-competitive ones (Vanderbilt, Iowa, Purdue, UNC, etc). You can use the EdFind tool on ASHA.org  

[midnight]

You've already gotten some great advice, but I want to say that if this person is technically a sophomore, there is plenty of time to improve that GPA! Is this person capable of earning A's and B's, or is there something more dire hindering his or her performance (depression/anxiety, a learning disability, other health or familial issues, etc.?). I mean, only your friend knows for sure what s/he is capable of doing and why his/her performance has been lacking.

 

Also, strong GRE scores, good recommendation letters (another reason GPA is important since these can generally only come from professors in classes a student has done well in), and a solid CV with some experience or volunteer work will help a lot, but that GPA has to improve to be more competitive.

[springhillmike]

I mean if the person has been there five semesters and had a downward trend in GPA is it likely that they will increase to all As and Bs? Also, they emiled a program and they said that they would be leery of letting them in even if they had a good 60 hours because of such a low start. I am not sure if there are programs that tend to let in people with lower GPAs but since Speech is so competative, I doubt there are any. Also, they said the last 60 are upper level classes too, so I think that may hurt since this person has already done poorly in some upper levels.. Just more food for thought.

[sugarmilk]

You received some optimistic advice here that I agree with. I just want to play the other card and ask (and adcomms will ask too): why speech? Is this what he/she is truly passionate about? If there is strong enough motivation, acceptance is definitely possible. If you want something badly enough, I believe you can get it. But if this is a desperate attempt to just get a career in anything, it might not be worth it for your friend. Speech-language pathology is a hyper-competitive field right now, and it certainly is not an easy route.

How badly does your friend want this? Show it in grades. Never too late to start giving it your all.

Your options are to try or not try. Why not try?

Edited February 21, 2013 by sugarmilk

[springhillmike]

They have a strong passion for it, and have worked with their family member who is also a Speech Pathologist. A lot of it stems from a cousin who is autistic, and their desire and passion for children with this disorder. They have a compelling story, and they are tri-lingual (Spanish, Italian  and English) . I just fear that given their track record, they will not be able to overcome this. Also, the adcom that they contacted believed the same. I am totally oblivious to Speech Pathology, since I have been accepted to another professional school. I just ask advice. I truly believe her problems stem from something greater, because based on intelligence she is okay..

Edited February 21, 2013 by springhillmike

[sugarmilk]

Trilingual, that is excellent. Experience/ability is sometimes more compelling than grades. Seems like they should go for it! But also develop a backup plan, just in case. Perhaps the poor grades are due to poor written English? My bilingual friends often needed help editing their assignments. Professors would fail them on grammar.. See if he/she can get some sort of tutoring assistance in the undergrad college. It could help a lot. Again, as long as they are willing and able to put in the effort, why not try!

[cnc__]

I have a good friend who was an education major, but has recently had to change to General Studies. This person would like to pursue a masters in speech pathology, but has a very low 1.9 GPA. They are a Sophomore by hours and a Junior by age and years in college. Is there any hope for this person? I have read some programs look at UG60, but what exactly does that mean (I obviously know it means the last 60 hours). Is this person doomed, or do they have a chance. They have emailed the school they would like to attend, and the person said that she would be worried about their ability to perform well in the masters. This person would still have to take the pre-req's for Speech Pathology as well. I am not sure what they should do or if there is any hope. Also, if the person has done poorly in 5 semesters thus far, would it even be likely that they will have the ability to perform well enough throughout the rest of undergrad to have a competitive GPA. I know that 3.5+ is typically competitive, but what options does this person have at this point? ANY advice at all will be welcomed, this person is desperate.

I would recommend they take a year off, sew their oats, and come back when they've had some time to reflect. There's nothing wrong with taking time off to find yourself.

[midnight]

I mean if the person has been there five semesters and had a downward trend in GPA is it likely that they will increase to all As and Bs? Also, they emiled a program and they said that they would be leery of letting them in even if they had a good 60 hours because of such a low start. I am not sure if there are programs that tend to let in people with lower GPAs but since Speech is so competative, I doubt there are any. Also, they said the last 60 are upper level classes too, so I think that may hurt since this person has already done poorly in some upper levels.. Just more food for thought.

 

People with low GPAs--even lower than 1.9--have raised them before. You sound very uncertain about her ability to work hard and earn A's and B's, though, which is why I'm wondering if there's a more serious issue at play here.

 

Also, it's extremely important that she doesn't psych herself out by thinking of upper-level classes as inherently "harder." They are often more specific and in-depth, but they aren't always more difficult. And please tell her not to let one school's opinion of her grades color her perspective, either--there are plenty of programs who would be satisfied or impressed by an upward trend, and her passion for the field and language skills are huge strengths.

 

There are other avenues to becoming an SLP. She could work as an SLP-A for a while to gain experience, or she could hold off on SLP classes as an undergrad and complete a post-bacc SLP leveling program wherein she would be able to focus solely on her SLP work.

 

A good attitude, determination, and a lot of hard work will go a very long way!

[springhillmike]

I think i doubt, because I believe there is something larger going on. Also, I believe this person's family may not support a year off. I agree with everyone totally, and am VERY grateful for all of the advice. Like I said, I am pretty much oblivious to SPL school, except with what I have researched for this person. Which schools typically take students with lower averages. This person is from Florida, and I know they hope to stay in the state. Also, can you give me more insight to what a SPL-A is?

[SpeechyK]

Upward-trending GPAs can certainly say a lot.  When I transferred to undergrad University from community college, my GPA was 3.1 with the average admitted transfer being at 3.75.  I had gone part time the first 30 hours and had a 2.8 or something like that, but the last 30 before I transferred were 3.75 and then 3.8 semesters, I like to think that had a lot to do with me getting in even with a low overall GPA.  Granted, that was undergrad, but if they have a compelling story to explain the change of heart (and grades), it might work.

 

With that said, SLP is HIGHLY, HIGHLY competitive.  I don't think it's that difficult of a field, but there is a shortage of educators and therefore programs.  Even highly qualified applicants are being turned down one after another because there's just no room.  If your friend would consider physical or occupational therapy (also focusing on special needs), I think they could give themselves a more realistic, fighting chance.  I don't have time to do the math for you, but I'm thinking to even get an overall 3.1, your friend would have to ACE every. single. class for the next 60 hours.  I have yet to meet a student who's done that, and I know some smart people. :-)

 

I know that's probably not what you want to hear, but I just think they may be setting them up for failure- not because they aren't capable, but because there just aren't enough programs out there for below-average candidates to have a high probability of getting in.  

[springhillmike]

I understand. I am not discouraged, only worried for this person's future. I understand what you are saying about acing everything. It is not that I do not believe in this person because I totally do, but it just doesn't seem realistic given their track record thus far. I agree, I think they need to take time off and figure themselves out and then do school again. I feel like an increase in maturity would go a long way. I understand the competitive nature of the program. I am in medical school, so I know what it takes to work hard. I am interested in the SLP-A, however, can anyone elaborate on it, or give me some good links. Also, are there good links for people who are interested in SLP? For example, student doctor network is basically a site that is all medicine, is there something of that nature for SLP? Can you become a SLP-A just by taking the pre-req's for a masters in SLP? Thank you to everyone who has contributed. It truly means a lot to me that you have sacrificed your time to help me gain more insight for my friend.

Edited February 22, 2013 by springhillmike

[sugarmilk]

Also, are there good links for people who are interested in SLP? For example, student doctor network is basically a site that is all medicine, is there something of that nature for SLP?

www.asha.org

[tacomatalks]

I guess it's all been said with everyone else's post, noting that it is important to get that 3.8 to 4.0, do well on the GRE exam, and get experience as well as professor recommendations that go beyond the regular 'yes, this student attended my class."

 

I have tried to get in to grad programs for two years running, and have yet to be accepted. I work full-time as a speech assistant (7 years now, and 2 of those were conditional certification as an SLP for a rural school district). I have to apply to online programs only because I have kids and can't change that part of my life. My gpa is 3.4 and my gre is at 300, with a 4.5 in the critical writing part. 

 

I think that Longwood University was the only program I saw that listed people with a 3.0 getting accepted last year.

 

I am retaking courses, but starting to lose hope with the amount of competition from the others who have earned 3.8+..... wish that were me!

[mystiqueSLP]

Any specific reason why they didn't do so well in the beginning?

I didn't do well for the first three semesters of college (2.0 ish GPA, failed a class, lost my scholarship) but I quickly switched majors and made it on the dean's list the very next semester, retook my failed class and got my scholarship back before junior year.

Is this person motivated enough to work hard to get into a graduate program? Personally, I think upward trends are even better than people who get 4.0 out of the gate. Their transcripts tell a better story of their dedication and work ethic after all of the failure they've encountered (it was so hard for me to do well after failing a class and barely passing in my other classes, I was completely unmotivated and stressed out, my parents were unsupportive and thought I ruined my future).

If this person has the work ethic and dedication to do better, then I say go for it but if they don't, a year off would be a wise choice.

My current GPA is a 3.28 (very low by SLP standards) by the way and I was accepted into NYU so don't lose hope! Excel in other areas, get good recs and unique experiences.

[mystiqueSLP]

And I don't mean to be intrusive or offensive about my first question! Just wondering if they slacked off, majored in something hard, or just personal reasons is all

[springhillmike]

I honestly think their problems stem from many things in their lives... To the point where a year off would be their best option. I just pray that they will turn things around, but from what I have seen/heard it has not changed much. I just honestly think they may need to take some time off to find themselves and then return to school once they are more well grounded in themselves. Again, I thank everyone for advice. This person has so much potential to be great. They are trilingual and are learning a new language now. They have an apitude for lanuage learning, but I think self confidence and self awareness are lacking. I think they try to put up a persona that is not themselves and that leads to poor scores, because they have to keep up an image and they lose focus of reality which causes poor grades. What sort of things can someone do to improve an application outside of grades and GRE? I know for medical school they look at research, volunteering, etc.

[mystiqueSLP]

I'm out of field and have no in field experience like observation hours or volunteering at speech clinics. But I have volunteered at a hospital for a lot of summers and been doing research at the psycholinguistics lab at my school. I also work at a tutoring center with a lot of kids that don't speak English as their first language and tutored a girl who was seeing an SLP and was mildly autistic. I used to teach young children French and Japanese and interned at a company that develops software for the army since I'm pretty handy with computers.

I honestly don't know why I was accepted anywhere without real in field experience but I think it helps that this person is trilingual and they should definitely take advantage of that. During their year off, they should volunteer in clinic-like settings with adults and kids, figure out who they like to help and narrow it down from there. Find places that need Spanish speakers, they're in high demand so that would be a good for them. Work closely with an SLP or someone of a related field for good letters or get involved in a lab at school for research experience. Even if they want to do only clinical, I think it helps to have a different experiences.

And do something they're really passionate about, something totally unrelated to SLP. I think that helps to set you apart from all the other applicants. Like captain of an ultimate Frisbee team or skydiving instructor or a dancer. Like anything different. SLP should be their passion but not their life. I'm sure a lot of people would disagree with me on this since I have an "outside" perspective, but I don't think adcoms want someone who does absolutely nothing but live and breathe SLP stuff 24/7. It's great that it shows your passion for SLP but it can't be your only passion...

But this person should really figure out what they exactly want to do after graduate school. Work with kids or adults. Clinical or school setting. Language disorders or autism. Accent modification or stuttering. Knowing that will help guide the person know what they should get experience in.

[misshopeful]

Any specific reason why they didn't do so well in the beginning?

I didn't do well for the first three semesters of college (2.0 ish GPA, failed a class, lost my scholarship) but I quickly switched majors and made it on the dean's list the very next semester, retook my failed class and got my scholarship back before junior year.

Is this person motivated enough to work hard to get into a graduate program? Personally, I think upward trends are even better than people who get 4.0 out of the gate. Their transcripts tell a better story of their dedication and work ethic after all of the failure they've encountered (it was so hard for me to do well after failing a class and barely passing in my other classes, I was completely unmotivated and stressed out, my parents were unsupportive and thought I ruined my future).

If this person has the work ethic and dedication to do better, then I say go for it but if they don't, a year off would be a wise choice.

My current GPA is a 3.28 (very low by SLP standards) by the way and I was accepted into NYU so don't lose hope! Excel in other areas, get good recs and unique experiences.

you graduated with a GPA of 3.28 and still got into two schools? thats amazing!! i've been really worried and almost gave up because I have an overall GPA of 3.37, probably 3.4 by the end of this semester(hopefully) and I am so worried I wont get in anywhere! My major GPA is a 3.8 though. Im taking the GRE soon but i DOUBT ill do very well on that. Im wondering why you feel they accepted you? was it high GRE scores? good recommendations? or maybe your personal statement explained why your GPA was low? I would love to hear from you as I am in a similar situation as you once were. Thank you so much

[misshopeful]

also, did you have speech pathology experience? I work very hard...30-40 hours a week..but unfortunately not speech related at all! 

[mystiqueSLP]

I've sent you a PM