Program Opinions??

[SLPeechHopeful]

I was just wondering if some people could give me insight on some schools. Does anyone have knowledge/attend these schools and can tell me the pros and cons: Pitt, Penn State, LaSalle, NYMC, UNC, Univ. of Memphis, Vanderbilt, Univ. of Tenn, and Univ. of S. Florida?? or are there any programs I'm not listing that are really good (or that should be avoided... I've heard UC Boulder is bad)? I'd generally like to stay Tennessee and eastward. (You can say what made you decide not to attend a school after visiting it, too.)

Also, does anyone know if you go to a more medically based school but maybe do one school practicum if that affects you getting a job in education settings later on (or visa versa)? Hope that makes sense!

Edited July 9, 2013 by vintagexshortie

[katieliz456]

I'm not familiar with all of those programs, but I know that UNC is pretty unique.  For example, their program doesn't assign letter grades/GPAs; instead they do Pass/Fail.  Also, you aren't responsible for giving therapy during 1st semester-- you do hearing screenings in elementary schools & do some observations at a center for disabled kids. (This might be a nice transition into grad school:).)  Additionally, they don't have an in-house university clinic; this isn't a huge deal, but I preferred having the security of a "back-up" placement in case an external placement fell through or couldn't give me enough hours.  I think an in-house clinic is nice, too, in case you need some last minute diagnostic practice/adult hours/etc.

 

They don't give many merit scholarships for M.S. students, and they don't have many GA opportunities, but it seems like a great program if you can afford it (or get in-state tuition)!!!

[SLPjmar]

I'm not too comfortable bashing any programs. I will say that anything "bad" is pure speculation/opinion/possibly based on an individual's poor experience. I will be attending USF in the fall (woohoo!!) and I have so far been satisfied with the amount of information I've received, as well as the assistance and communication regarding the program.

 

Go for programs that match your interests/career goals and try to stay away from personal "great" or "avoid" schools. Good luck!

[queenleblanc]

If it is an interest to you, Vanderbilt has a voice track in their program.  I looked at it  before deciding (with my husband) that we did not want to move that far.  I have two (now SLP) friends who went to Vanderbilt and the voice track and they absolutely loved it - perfect fit for them.  I applied at UNC CH and they are VERY competitive.  I was in the middle of doing my pre-reqs (out of field) and to be competitive with the other applicants, even though I have a B.Music and a MAT both from UNC CH, I needed more hours or my pre-reqs complete and graded to apply there, which totally makes sense.  It may not have been the best fit for me, either, even though I went to UNC for other degree programs.  They do not have an in-house clinic, which some see as a draw-back, but with the plethora of very regional internship / clinic type sites, no one I talked to who is a current student saw that to be a problem - they like the diversity of their off-campus site offerings and championed that during the visitor's day I went to. I also found the appeal in their extensive list of internship / clinical placements. 

 

There are a couple of posters on here who are going to UC Boulder and are extremely excited about their decision - one is doing a 3-yr program (no pre-reqs) and I think some others are doing the 2-yr program.  I wouldn't discount it just on what opinions you may have heard; if you are truly interested in the program and the particular areas of research they offer, it's worth calling, emailing, and perhaps even visiting (if possible) to determine if you want to apply.  

 

I think there will always be someone out there who didn't like their SLP program no matter where they went to school - maybe the school just wasn't the best fit for them.  Thankfully, the profs reviewing applications can make the determination of fit based on your application.  To make sure you are incredibly honest about yourself on the personal aspects of the essay(s), don't focus too much of your SOP on areas of your experience or education that really weren't as big to you as you make it in the essay.  It is easy to do - on my first draft of my SOP, I read through it two weeks later and thought to myself, "What in the world am I telling these people I'm about?!!"  The things I wrote were true about myself and my experiences, but I misrepresented how much they really mattered to me.  When I fixed that and re-prioritized the experiences I wanted to relay in my essay, I had a much better essay to send in.  Thankfully that first essay never saw the light of day much less a second reader!! So, I guess the lesson is to be very self-critical, give yourself time to write a really honest essay, and then get two or three pairs of eyes on your SOP to make sure that the personal aspects of the essay truly represent you.  This ensures a great fit wherever you get an offer of admission.  :-)

 

Best of luck to you! 

[SLPeechHopeful]

Thank you guys very much for the input! I hate making decisions like these, but at least it's a great field to get into. You guys brought up some great points, and I'll be sure to not over-emphasize my SOP. The only reason I mentioned UC Boulder was that several students had mentioned their dislike for the administration organization. I wouldn't let that completely deter me from a program, at least not without visiting it first and checking the people out myself, but since several all have the same problem it raised a small red flag.