Speech Language Pathology- Rejections

[mmarti16]

Hello fellow applicants,

So I'm in a second degree program, getting my BS in Communication Science Disorders this May. I have at this point received 3 rejection letters of the 6 schools I applied to. I'm starting to freak out and think I may not get in anywhere. Everyone keeps telling me to calm down and just wait... but every time I get to a point of calm, it seems like another rejection letter rolls in. Does anyone have advice as to what I should do to get my foot in the door should graduate school not work out. For example how should I or could I get a position as a speech language pathologist aid? 

Thank you for any words of wisdom and calm you can offer. :/

Edited March 21, 2013 by mmarti16

[midnight]

I think finding a position as an SLPA or volunteering in an SLP setting are both great ideas.

 

It's also a good idea to look at the components of your application to see what you can improve or refine. (Is your GRE score competitive? Is your SOP error-free and interesting?)

 

I hope you hear good news from your remaining schools!

[fsustar83]

Hello fellow applicants,

So I'm in a second degree program, getting my BS in Communication Science Disorders this May. I have at this point received 3 rejection letters of the 6 schools I applied to. I'm starting to freak out and think I may not get in anywhere. Everyone keeps telling me to calm down and just wait... but every time I get to a point of calm, it seems like another rejection letter rolls in. Does anyone have advice as to what I should do to get my foot in the door should graduate school not work out. For example how should I or could I get a position as a speech language pathologist aid? 

Thank you for any words of wisdom and calm you can offer. :/

 

Are you in the USF program? I am in my last semester of that program myself. I suggest getting as much work experience as possible, whether it be volunteer or paid. Apply for the SLP-A license through the FL Department of Health, and try to find a SLP to write the supervisory plan of action for you. Most importantly, if you don't get in this year, re-applying next year with work under your belt ALWAYS looks great on an application. It shows true dedication and commitment to the field. And save up your money to allow yourself to apply to as many schools as possible. I applied to 2 programs last year and was rejected from both, so this year I applied to 11! Best of luck!

[travelnguy]

I agree with midnight streetlight. You have to make sure that you are competitive. How are your grades in SLP? What was your GPA like for your first degree? If it was low, maybe address it in your SOP. Also, after picking a list of schools that are a good fit for you, narrow them down to ones where people with stats similar to your stats were admitted. It may mean moving (if that is an option) or applying to smaller schools, but the end result is the same. Also, make sure the schools know who you are. Call them prior to applying. Find out what research they are interested in. Do as much as you can to stand out.

[CO (soon to be) SLP]

I feel like something of a fraud answering as this is my first year applying, I only got into one program, and I have no real feedback on why I got into that one (luck?). Perhaps the only bit of "advice" I could give is that if you have a specific area or population you want to work in/with then volunteer or work there even if it's not SLP specific. The reasoning is that if you can demonstrate familiarity and competency in working with certain populations or in certain settings then you might be able to show to adcomms that the addition of SLP skills will make you a higher-contributing member of the profession? Also if it's something you are passionate about, then you are likely to do better and have better recommenders. Outside of that, the standard work on SOPs, GRE scores etc might help? 

 

I wish I had something more concrete to give you. Good luck!

[midnight]

I feel like something of a fraud answering as this is my first year applying, I only got into one program, and I have no real feedback on why I got into that one (luck?). Perhaps the only bit of "advice" I could give is that if you have a specific area or population you want to work in/with then volunteer or work there even if it's not SLP specific. The reasoning is that if you can demonstrate familiarity and competency in working with certain populations or in certain settings then you might be able to show to adcomms that the addition of SLP skills will make you a higher-contributing member of the profession? Also if it's something you are passionate about, then you are likely to do better and have better recommenders. Outside of that, the standard work on SOPs, GRE scores etc might help? 

 

I wish I had something more concrete to give you. Good luck!

 

I think your acceptance is a testament to your interesting background, experience, and other application elements.

 

You prove more than anything that GPA isn't a be all and end all. (Not that mmarti16 has a low GPA; I just mean in general.)

[mmarti16]

Are you in the USF program? I am in my last semester of that program myself. I suggest getting as much work experience as possible, whether it be volunteer or paid. Apply for the SLP-A license through the FL Department of Health, and try to find a SLP to write the supervisory plan of action for you. Most importantly, if you don't get in this year, re-applying next year with work under your belt ALWAYS looks great on an application. It shows true dedication and commitment to the field. And save up your money to allow yourself to apply to as many schools as possible. I applied to 2 programs last year and was rejected from both, so this year I applied to 11! Best of luck!

Yes I am in the USF-SM program. I actually worked full time at USF the past two year so I could get this degree, I've been so thrilled to get to the next step. So to find myself here has been challenging to deal with. You have all provided amazing advice. I'm going to look into the Licensing tonight. I really want to try my hardest to find a SLPA job so at the very least I can be getting experience. My GPA is good but not competitive, due to my first degree. My GRE are something I can easily focus on ... and given the extra time I'll definitely devote it to perfecting it.

 

I agree with midnight streetlight. You have to make sure that you are competitive. How are your grades in SLP? What was your GPA like for your first degree? If it was low, maybe address it in your SOP. Also, after picking a list of schools that are a good fit for you, narrow them down to ones where people with stats similar to your stats were admitted. It may mean moving (if that is an option) or applying to smaller schools, but the end result is the same. Also, make sure the schools know who you are. Call them prior to applying. Find out what research they are interested in. Do as much as you can to stand out.

 

I didn't even think of calling before applying. I did go to the ASHA conference in hopes of meeting with some of the schools. I was able to meet with a few, but not many of the ones I wanted to apply to were there when I arrived, which was disappointing considering it was one of the main reasons I went. 

 

Thank you all. Right now I'm grieving a bit... and perhaps this is a bit early to be boo joo-ing, but from everything I've read and understood I'm thinking I know how this will end. 

 

Honestly this constant rejection is worse than a breakup... I just want to stay home from work with a tub of ice cream, but I'm not. Time to start doing some research.

[CO (soon to be) SLP]

Yes I am in the USF-SM program. I actually worked full time at USF the past two year so I could get this degree, I've been so thrilled to get to the next step. So to find myself here has been challenging to deal with. You have all provided amazing advice. I'm going to look into the Licensing tonight. I really want to try my hardest to find a SLPA job so at the very least I can be getting experience. My GPA is good but not competitive, due to my first degree. My GRE are something I can easily focus on ... and given the extra time I'll definitely devote it to perfecting it.

 

 

I didn't even think of calling before applying. I did go to the ASHA conference in hopes of meeting with some of the schools. I was able to meet with a few, but not many of the ones I wanted to apply to were there when I arrived, which was disappointing considering it was one of the main reasons I went. 

 

Thank you all. Right now I'm grieving a bit... and perhaps this is a bit early to be boo joo-ing, but from everything I've read and understood I'm thinking I know how this will end. 

 

Honestly this constant rejection is worse than a breakup... I just want to stay home from work with a tub of ice cream, but I'm not. Time to start doing some research.

 

I totally get the rejection emotions, I went through that applying for some jobs when the company I was with went under... everything I wanted, and even thought I had a real shot at (e.g. high-level interviews) just dissolved; it's ugly! Hang in there.

 

Hope is far from over for this app season, but if I can give you any advice should you find yourself reapplying, it would be to choose somethings to do in that time that you are truly passionate about. If you can make a full-time-pay-the-bills job out of it, great if not, don't pick something just because it might look good. In the almost three years I've been getting things done so that I could get in to a grad program, what has made it so much easier and fulfilling is having that ability to have an impact on things that I really care about. Frustrating at times to have to work and take so many undergrad courses, but because I was doing volunteer work in areas where I REALLY wanted to be it never felt like I was standing still or just biding my time. I hope this helps some?

 

My fingers are crossed for you (I tried the toes... not that dexterous in the lower extremities) 

[fsustar83]

Yes I am in the USF-SM program. I actually worked full time at USF the past two year so I could get this degree, I've been so thrilled to get to the next step. So to find myself here has been challenging to deal with. You have all provided amazing advice. I'm going to look into the Licensing tonight. I really want to try my hardest to find a SLPA job so at the very least I can be getting experience. My GPA is good but not competitive, due to my first degree. My GRE are something I can easily focus on ... and given the extra time I'll definitely devote it to perfecting it.

 

 

I didn't even think of calling before applying. I did go to the ASHA conference in hopes of meeting with some of the schools. I was able to meet with a few, but not many of the ones I wanted to apply to were there when I arrived, which was disappointing considering it was one of the main reasons I went. 

 

Thank you all. Right now I'm grieving a bit... and perhaps this is a bit early to be boo joo-ing, but from everything I've read and understood I'm thinking I know how this will end. 

 

Honestly this constant rejection is worse than a breakup... I just want to stay home from work with a tub of ice cream, but I'm not. Time to start doing some research.

 

I'm in the same program as you, not sure if we're in the same section though. It's gone by pretty fast thankfully, but I find myself struggling to study this semester. I'm burning out! I was working full-time up until February, and we had so many assignments that I had to go to part-time because I was so overwhelmed! Anyway, I definitely know how you feel, I went through it last year and hence the second degree. I was lucky to find a job as a SLP-A, but I made no money and only worked like 8-12 hours a week, so that was difficult. You definitely don't have to be licensed to be a SLP-A, but it looks great on your resume and grad school app. I don't have one! I applied, but I didn't have my prereqs finished. Don't get too discouraged, it only takes one yes! And you can always apply to schools that admit in the Spring like UCF. Best of luck, send me a PM if you want to talk more. I'm rooting for you!!!

[finnimbrun]

I'm in the same boat. I had what I thought was a competitive (or at least, acceptable?) admissions package: 3.8 GPA, 314 composite GRE, I earned two degrees in four years of undergrad (BA in music and BS in speech path) because I know I want to work as a voice specialist for the professional voice user population, which I wrote about in my SOP. I was in a good bit of undergraduate honor societies and held leadership positions on my campus, which apparently are all meaningless. So far I've been rejected from Vanderbilt (it was a long shot, I know, but they have such a focus on voice, I thought maybe...) and wait listed at Auburn. I'm waiting to hear back from Alabama, but apparently acceptance letters are rolling in and I haven't so much as gotten an e-mail. I'm just at the end of my rope. What did I do wrong?

[fsustar83]

I'm in the same boat. I had what I thought was a competitive (or at least, acceptable?) admissions package: 3.8 GPA, 314 composite GRE, I earned two degrees in four years of undergrad (BA in music and BS in speech path) because I know I want to work as a voice specialist for the professional voice user population, which I wrote about in my SOP. I was in a good bit of undergraduate honor societies and held leadership positions on my campus, which apparently are all meaningless. So far I've been rejected from Vanderbilt (it was a long shot, I know, but they have such a focus on voice, I thought maybe...) and wait listed at Auburn. I'm waiting to hear back from Alabama, but apparently acceptance letters are rolling in and I haven't so much as gotten an e-mail. I'm just at the end of my rope. What did I do wrong?

 

You didn't do anything wrong! Different schools are looking for different things, and no one knows what those things are going into this process (unless you have some connections). All you can do is make the best case possible as to why you want to be a SLP, what you can contribute to the profession, and why you'll succeed in graduate study and be a good representative of the program. It's definitely not all about scores for some schools, and for others it seems to be all about scores, it just depends on the program. Stay positive!!!

[mystiqueSLP]

I feel like something of a fraud answering as this is my first year applying, I only got into one program, and I have no real feedback on why I got into that one (luck?). Perhaps the only bit of "advice" I could give is that if you have a specific area or population you want to work in/with then volunteer or work there even if it's not SLP specific. The reasoning is that if you can demonstrate familiarity and competency in working with certain populations or in certain settings then you might be able to show to adcomms that the addition of SLP skills will make you a higher-contributing member of the profession? Also if it's something you are passionate about, then you are likely to do better and have better recommenders. Outside of that, the standard work on SOPs, GRE scores etc might help? 

 

I wish I had something more concrete to give you. Good luck!

 

I can agree with this completely. I'm an out-of-field applicant with pretty pathetic stats so I focused a lot on my SOP and tried to show how all my experiences led to my passion for SLP (especially working with children). I also worked really closely with my LOR writers and I know for sure they said great things about me. Taking classes over and the GREs again can be expensive so my advice would be to just focus on SOPs and gaining more (unique) experiences.

 

Good luck! I hope you get an acceptance soon! 

[midnight]

I'm in the same boat. I had what I thought was a competitive (or at least, acceptable?) admissions package: 3.8 GPA, 314 composite GRE, I earned two degrees in four years of undergrad (BA in music and BS in speech path) because I know I want to work as a voice specialist for the professional voice user population, which I wrote about in my SOP. I was in a good bit of undergraduate honor societies and held leadership positions on my campus, which apparently are all meaningless. So far I've been rejected from Vanderbilt (it was a long shot, I know, but they have such a focus on voice, I thought maybe...) and wait listed at Auburn. I'm waiting to hear back from Alabama, but apparently acceptance letters are rolling in and I haven't so much as gotten an e-mail. I'm just at the end of my rope. What did I do wrong?

 

I agree with fsustar--you didn't do anything wrong!

 

I hope Auburn and Alabama come through for you, but if you do end up needing to reapply, my main suggestion would be applying to more programs. People here can likely recommend other schools for you that have a focus on voice or might otherwise be a good fit.

 

Best of luck!

[midnight]

I can agree with this completely. I'm an out-of-field applicant with pretty pathetic stats so I focused a lot on my SOP and tried to show how all my experiences led to my passion for SLP (especially working with children). I also worked really closely with my LOR writers and I know for sure they said great things about me. Taking classes over and the GREs again can be expensive so my advice would be to just focus on SOPs and gaining more (unique) experiences.

 

Good luck! I hope you get an acceptance soon! 

 

All good advice!

 

I personally recommend retaking the GRE if someone's scores are lower than schools' suggested minimums (assuming it's monetarily possible for someone to take it again, of course). Some programs, especially ones that receive hundreds of applications, are stricter about numbers, e.g., USF allegedly uses numbers to weed out applicants.

 

I scored the equivalent of 143 on the quant during my first GRE attempt, and retaking the test to hit UVA's suggested minimum was really important for me to feel more confident--of course I have no clue if it actually mattered, but since many schools are so competitive, it may have helped.

[finnimbrun]

I agree with fsustar--you didn't do anything wrong!

 

I hope Auburn and Alabama come through for you, but if you do end up needing to reapply, my main suggestion would be applying to more programs. People here can likely recommend other schools for you that have a focus on voice or might otherwise be a good fit.

 

Best of luck!

 

Thank you, everyone. I applied to pretty much all the in-state grad programs, hadn't really considered going too far out of state. I guess if I'm not accepted into any in-state programs I'll have to explore other options. 

 

As far as GRE scores go, I could never get a handle on what a "good" score was. Most of the programs listed their unconditional minimum as a comp. 300, so I figured I was safe with a 314, but I guess it wasn't really sufficient. 

 

How crucial is experience working with children or working in a medical setting in the application process? I'm a pretty typical "college student," I focussed on academics and being involved on my campus during my 4 years of undergrad. It didn't occur to me that in order to progress to the next level of academia, I'd need to have work or volunteer experience in a tangentially related field. I guess you could consider me a "young" applicant, many of the other women in my program are coming back for a second degree or after having worked for several years. I don't know if this was a detriment on my part, or something that I may need to improve on in the event of having to take a year off. Any advice?

[midnight]

Thank you, everyone. I applied to pretty much all the in-state grad programs, hadn't really considered going too far out of state. I guess if I'm not accepted into any in-state programs I'll have to explore other options. 

 

As far as GRE scores go, I could never get a handle on what a "good" score was. Most of the programs listed their unconditional minimum as a comp. 300, so I figured I was safe with a 314, but I guess it wasn't really sufficient. 

 

How crucial is experience working with children or working in a medical setting in the application process? I'm a pretty typical "college student," I focussed on academics and being involved on my campus during my 4 years of undergrad. It didn't occur to me that in order to progress to the next level of academia, I'd need to have work or volunteer experience in a tangentially related field. I guess you could consider me a "young" applicant, many of the other women in my program are coming back for a second degree or after having worked for several years. I don't know if this was a detriment on my part, or something that I may need to improve on in the event of having to take a year off. Any advice?

 

I think 314 is absolutely fine for the GRE! (But I could be biased since I scored 314 as well, haha!) I don't think your score is an issue at all unless perhaps it is extremely lopsided. But even then, I doubt your score is holding you back.

 

The bigger issue is that Vanderbilt is so, so competitive; I have no doubt that they turned away dozens, if not hundreds, of qualified applicants, and I'm sure Auburn, another strong program, received tons of apps this year as well.

 

If you can get experience somehow, I think it's a great idea to do so. And it seems like other activities such as volunteering in a hospital or nursing home, tutoring kids, or any other work that involves common SLP populations could add to your CV as well.

Edited March 23, 2013 by midnight streetlight