Bcjami Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 I also recommend Magoosh! I'm retaking the GRE today but I really liked the math videos and have heard only good things about it . Yes, I would recommend this route too! I really liked the program! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burnsl Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 I seem to be one of the few East Coasters on this forum. I am having a lot of frustration right now with LIU Brooklyn because their admissions process was really hard to understand, different than the other schools, and I didn't realize till the last moment they wanted the third recommendation to be a *personal* recommendation so that messed me up. And now for some reason they didn't get my transcript for my one community college class. Not to mention I just had to send a correction in to Pitt because I accidentally left off an article ("a") on my personal statement that neither I nor my mom caught in reviewing it. So stressful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sayjo Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 Whoohoo! I just finished my 9 applications! Let the waiting begin!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flnjslp Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 I seem to be one of the few East Coasters on this forum. I am having a lot of frustration right now with LIU Brooklyn because their admissions process was really hard to understand, different than the other schools, and I didn't realize till the last moment they wanted the third recommendation to be a *personal* recommendation so that messed me up. And now for some reason they didn't get my transcript for my one community college class. Not to mention I just had to send a correction in to Pitt because I accidentally left off an article ("a") on my personal statement that neither I nor my mom caught in reviewing it. So stressful. I'm an East Coast applicant! I'm doing my undergrad in Florida but I only applied to grad schools in NJ and PA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PsycD Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 Another East Coaster here. You are def not alone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burnsl Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 I'm applying to University of Pittsburgh, Penn State, Temple University, West Chester University, Bloomsburg University, Long Island University Brooklyn and Adelphi. My current issue is that some of my transcripts and materials don't appear to have been processed or went to the wrong place or something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chellinchen Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 My very good friend who's currently taking prereqs at Boulder with me is applying to Rush, too. The program really interests her, and one of our professors last semester is an alumna and had only good things to say about it. It would be wild if you two ended up in the same cohort--small world! Best of luck, chellin! That would be fantastic! It's always good to connect with people before diving straight in, although I have to say - after visiting Rush, I can't imagine we'll have much time to socialize (not that I'm complaining - have you seen that hospital? I'm already ready to move in). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plmgis Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 (edited) Hello, newbie here. I have just read through this forum and am now completely intimidated! Everyone seems to have such wonderful scores and experiences that I no longer know where I stand.. Although as someone else mentioned, those intense enough to seek out a forum like this probably skew towards the more competitive end of the pool so I'm trying to keep that in mind. Something I've been wondering about though.. I see a lot of GPA and GRE listing and comparison and such, but never any mention about academic differences in undergraduate programs. If someone has a 3.6 GPA from a nationally top 10 school, doesn't that hold at least as much weight as someone getting a 3.9 at a lesser known school? Doesn't it count for something if someone has a 3.2 but majored in an intensive engineering program (where GPAs are notoriously lower)? Based on what I've read it seems like GPAs are just compared at face value as though the same number means the same thing everywhere. Thoughts? Edited January 10, 2014 by plmgis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLPamy Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 Hello, newbie here. I have just read through this forum and am now completely intimidated! Everyone seems to have such wonderful scores and experiences that I no longer know where I stand.. Although as someone else mentioned, those intense enough to seek out a forum like this probably skew towards the more competitive end of the pool so I'm trying to keep that in mind. Something I've been wondering about though.. I see a lot of GPA and GRE listing and comparison and such, but never any mention about academic differences in undergraduate programs. If someone has a 3.6 GPA from a nationally top 10 school, doesn't that hold at least as much weight as someone getting a 3.9 at a lesser known school? Doesn't it count for something if someone has a 3.2 but majored in an intensive engineering program (where GPAs are notoriously lower)? Based on what I've read it seems like GPAs are just compared at face value as though the same number means the same thing everywhere. Thoughts? I do think that some schools develop "reputations" that can influence the way an admissions committee views a prospective student from that school. Like if, in the past, students from that undergrad program were admitted and looked great on paper, but didn't fare well in the grad program, the grad admissions committee may remember that next time they see an applicant from that school. So I'm sure that if you went to a school with a very good undergrad program, that has a good reputation with the grad schools you're applying to, that will be taken into account even if your GPA is slightly lower. However, if a school has a cut-off (like below 3.5 or something), I think they just don't even consider your application regardless of what university you came from. I went to a small, private school that grad programs outside of the midwest probably haven't heard of, and I really hope they don't think that I got a 4.0 easily because of that. GPAs and GRE scores should be comparable - that is the point of them. As far as someone coming from out-of-major, I think admissions committees have a different way of evaluating their application so I'm not sure about that. ImpulsiveNixie 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ehemingway Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 I do think that some schools develop "reputations" that can influence the way an admissions committee views a prospective student from that school. Like if, in the past, students from that undergrad program were admitted and looked great on paper, but didn't fare well in the grad program, the grad admissions committee may remember that next time they see an applicant from that school. So I'm sure that if you went to a school with a very good undergrad program, that has a good reputation with the grad schools you're applying to, that will be taken into account even if your GPA is slightly lower. However, if a school has a cut-off (like below 3.5 or something), I think they just don't even consider your application regardless of what university you came from. I went to a small, private school that grad programs outside of the midwest probably haven't heard of, and I really hope they don't think that I got a 4.0 easily because of that. GPAs and GRE scores should be comparable - that is the point of them. As far as someone coming from out-of-major, I think admissions committees have a different way of evaluating their application so I'm not sure about that. I agree with you. I'm not sure about cut-offs unless they're explicitly stated (like NYMC's program). As someone who spent his first two years as a computer science major, my GPA isn't as pristine as some of you who were speech from the start, or at least had an idea of what they wanted to do entering college (or, when doing your post-bacc). I'd like to think looking at the coursework factors in greatly when deciding whether or not to dismiss an applicant simply based on their GPA. For example, I believe relatively good grades in CS (or any "difficult" non-speech major) shouldn't frowned upon for not being straight A's, but should still be seen as a positive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flnjslp Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 Ugh. One of my letter of recommendation writers never sent in his letter and hasn't responded to my two emails (one last semester with info about where I was applying, one followup this semester). So I asked my employer for the third letter for this school. I work with children with special needs so it's applicable and my two other letters are professors but still I hate it when my plans fall through. So stressful! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
autismadvocate Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 (edited) I feel for you. I was in the same situation (with only two days remaining before the deadline), but today (we're talking within the past hour) the remaining two recommenders FINALLY submitted their recommendation letters and I feel SO very relieved. Turns out one of my recommenders hadn't been responding to my emails because she was in Bolivia. Hopefully you'll have a similar outcome!!!! Edited January 13, 2014 by autismadvocate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caterpillar Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 It must be going around. My husband just sent another reminder to his last LOR writer (who approached HIM and volunteered to write it!) that applications and LORs are due Wednesday. So stressful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
autismadvocate Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 At this point if I didn't get a reply to today's reminder, I was going to email, Facebook, AND call my recommenders... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twinguy7 Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 It must be going around. My husband just sent another reminder to his last LOR writer (who approached HIM and volunteered to write it!) that applications and LORs are due Wednesday. So stressful. Hey, Just noticed your husband is applying to 3 of the schools I am applying to! I havn't seen anyone applying to Fort Hays, Jackson state or Central Arkansas on here except me and your husband! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caterpillar Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 (edited) Hey, Just noticed your husband is applying to 3 of the schools I am applying to! I havn't seen anyone applying to Fort Hays, Jackson state or Central Arkansas on here except me and your husband! Oh, nice! He didn't get into any of the schools he applied to last year, and they were all on the west coast, so even though we're California natives, we decided to branch out into the southern (and Kansas) schools in hopes that they'd be a little less competitive. Edited January 13, 2014 by caterpillar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twinguy7 Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 Oh, nice! He didn't get into any of the schools he applied to last year, and they were all on the west coast, so even though we're California natives, we decided to branch out into the southern (and Kansas) schools in hopes that they'd be a little less competitive. Same here in respects to last year. I applied to just 2 online schools because my wife got into a nursing program at CSUN where I did my undergrad. We are California Natives as well but realize how competitive it is here also. We are actually excited to hopefully live somewhere else for at least 2 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caterpillar Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 Same here in respects to last year. I applied to just 2 online schools because my wife got into a nursing program at CSUN where I did my undergrad. We are California Natives as well but realize how competitive it is here also. We are actually excited to hopefully live somewhere else for at least 2 years. Good luck to you! If you both get into the same school and decide to go, I'll show him your post so he can keep an eye out for you. twinguy7 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
autismadvocate Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 Oh wow, it's stories like this of people who didn't get admitted that scare me. Caterpillar, may I ask your husband's stats and how many schools he applied to last app season? How many schools would you guys recommend applying to to have good odds of admittance to at least one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caterpillar Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 Oh wow, it's stories like this of people who didn't get admitted that scare me. Caterpillar, may I ask your husband's stats and how many schools he applied to last app season? How many schools would you guys recommend applying to to have good odds of admittance to at least one? Sure! He has a 4.0 in his pre-reqs (done at Portland State), and a 3.31 in his first bachelors in Psychology. He's worked in special education since 2008, but took the two years off to get his pre-reqs done so I believe it came out to 3 years of experience in SPED altogether. His GRE scores: 160V/153Q/3.0AW. Quite honestly, I think the 3.0 in AW coupled with applying to very competitive programs are what did him in. He applied to San Diego State, University of Washington, and CSU East Bay - we were limited in how many places to apply by financial problems. Two of his LOR writers knew him well, but the third outright told him to ask someone different for a LOR next time, once all the rejections had come through. I think generally, "as many schools as you can afford to apply to" is a good policy hahaha. When choosing schools this time around, he started combing Edfind to figure out 1) which schools would take his low AW score, and 2) which schools accepted the largest percentage of applicants. Some places seem to extend acceptances to a third of their applicants; others accept 40 out of 200+ applicants and with applying as expensive as it is, it didn't seem wise to try his luck there. I believe I've seen the suggestion to apply to 2 dream schools, 2 mid-range schools, and 2 fallback schools, and adjust those numbers based on your own stats/competitiveness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
autismadvocate Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 (edited) I'd only been planning on applying to four schools. I chose them by whether or not they had autism programs, so their competitiveness varies (I didn't look at rankings at all). UCF admits 45%, Marshall admits 36%, FSU admits 22%, and Texas State admits a mere 8% (yikes!). So I guess I have a combo of reaches and safeties, even if it's on accident. I'm wondering if I shouldn't apply to more, just in case, but I don't want to apply to any more than necessary because I, too, am very, very ridiculously broke. With my stats (GPA: Undergrad: 3.9, Post-bacc: 3.91 | GRE: Verbal: 167; Quantitative: 155; Writing: 5.5 | Languages: Pretty Much Trilingual (Spanish and Mandarin Chinese) | Experience: Lots of volunteer, personal, and professional experience with people on the autism spectrum), do you think those four schools are enough, or should I apply to more? Edited January 13, 2014 by autismadvocate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caterpillar Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 I honestly think your stats are great and very competitive, and would be genuinely surprised if you didn't get into at least one of your schools, if not several/all. Don't put yourself into debt just to apply! Even though it was a huge bummer when my husband didn't get in anywhere last year, it did allow him a whole year to refine his application, statement, recommendations, and so on, and in the meantime I was very glad that we didn't take money we didn't have just to try to force him into grad school somewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twinguy7 Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 I'd only been planning on applying to four schools. I chose them by whether or not they had autism programs, so their competitiveness varies (I didn't look at rankings at all). UCF admits 45%, Marshall admits 36%, FSU admits 22%, and Texas State admits a mere 8% (yikes!). So I guess I have a combo of reaches and safeties, even if it's on accident. I'm wondering if I shouldn't apply to more, just in case, but I don't want to apply to any more than necessary because I, too, am very, very ridiculously broke. With my stats (GPA: Undergrad: 3.9, Post-bacc: 3.91 | GRE: Verbal: 167; Quantitative: 155; Writing: 5.5 | Languages: Pretty Much Trilingual (Spanish and Mandarin Chinese) | Experience: Lots of volunteer, personal, and professional experience with people on the autism spectrum), do you think those four schools are enough, or should I apply to more? I I agree with caterpillar... your stats and experience are great! I wouldnt worry about applying to another school, but in case you did want to there are a few whose deadlines are not until march 1st. I personally am applying to 13 schools because my OVERALL GPA is 2.77 and my GRE's are mediocre. I emailed over 100 schools last May and the 13 schools I am applying to all have taken chances with applicants like me who have horriible overall GPA's, but have shown improvement in their last 60 units/credits(3.34 for me). So it all depends on what those 4 schools are looking for also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
autismadvocate Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 (edited) Okay, I feel better, then. Thanks guys! I know it might seem silly to be worrying with my stats, but I'd heard all these stories about people not getting in, and I grew up in an environment where anything short of perfection was treated as not good enough to succeed (I had a 4.1 GPA in high school and a 34 ACT and my dad told me repeatedly that I wouldn't be able to get into any college) and it kind of got in my head. Thanks for the reassurance, it really does help. twinguy7, wow, I'm really impressed with your dedication and forethought emailing so many schools! Very wise decision on your part. With so much planning, I'm sure you'll get into one of your schools! :) Edited January 14, 2014 by autismadvocate twinguy7 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Persis Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 Are there any schools that do not require letters of recommendations? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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