Fall 2014 "Less Competitive" Grad Programs Applicants Thread!

[ballerina18]

Hi! I'm in the same boat as many of you my overall GPA is not too fabulous 3.43 & major GPA 3.82. I have a lot of volunteer hours with Hippotherapy and have had the opportunity to nanny for a young boy who has a speech disorder and have been with the family since therapy has begun. I take the child to therapy each week,so I get to observe different therapy techniques... ANYWAYs I thought my volunteer work and work history would override my low GRE scores and not to hot overall GPA....looks like I was wrong.

Has anyone heard back from western Kentucky university or texas state university?

Ugh, I'm tired of waiting...

 

I'm still waiting to hear from Western Kentucky as well. I applied to their worldwide distance program.

[mheroux92]

I'm still waiting to hear from 4 schools. And it's driving me INSANE. I kinda hate that some will send letters in the mail, mainly because all the schools I applied to are 1,000+ miles away. And they can get lost. Email is so much more efficient.

[twinguy7]

I see some people are posting acceptances for Idaho State University in the last 10 minutes!  CONGRATS!  Hoping for a wait list @ least!  

[caterpillar]

I see some people are posting acceptances for Idaho State University in the last 10 minutes!  CONGRATS!  Hoping for a wait list @ least!  

 

Crossing my fingers for you!

[Mellyb517]

I didn't hear back from western michigan and noticed many people were stating on the admissions forum that they heard

Of their acceptance via e-mail. Well I heard back today and got a decline..wasn't surprised. I'm assuming I got a decline from GVSU because I didn't get an invite for an interview..

I know I need to retake the GRE, but does anyone know of anything else to do to increase my chances next time around?

[caterpillar]

I didn't hear back from western michigan and noticed many people were stating on the admissions forum that they heard

Of their acceptance via e-mail. Well I heard back today and got a decline..wasn't surprised. I'm assuming I got a decline from GVSU because I didn't get an invite for an interview..

I know I need to retake the GRE, but does anyone know of anything else to do to increase my chances next time around?

 

I think the standard formula is the following:

 

1) Increase any scores where possible

 

2) Increase experience in the field

 

3) Cast a wider net - applying to more schools, less competitive schools, schools in less desirable areas, etc. 

 

I'd also suggest taking a good look at your LOR writers. This is probably not the case for most people, but after my husband was rejected from everywhere last year, he notified his LOR writers as a courtesy. One of them wrote back and strongly suggested that he find someone else to write the LOR next year. I can only imagine what the LOR looked like. 

[DeafAudi]

 

I'd also suggest taking a good look at your LOR writers. This is probably not the case for most people, but after my husband was rejected from everywhere last year, he notified his LOR writers as a courtesy. One of them wrote back and strongly suggested that he find someone else to write the LOR next year. I can only imagine what the LOR looked like. 

 

I just do not understand why these people agree to write LORs if they can't provide a good reference...it just seems cruel and it's easy enough to say no, isn't it?

[caterpillar]

I just do not understand why these people agree to write LORs if they can't provide a good reference...it just seems cruel and it's easy enough to say no, isn't it?

 

I don't either. I suppose it is good, however, that my husband was at least made aware (one way or another, after the fact) of an area of his application package that needed improvement. It still stung following all the rejections, though!

[Persis]

I don't either. I suppose it is good, however, that my husband was at least made aware (one way or another, after the fact) of an area of his application package that needed improvement. It still stung following all the rejections, though!

I found out myself when i opened the reference letter because one school only required 2 and i had 3, so i decided to open the one i didn't have a good feeling about, and i was right.  So, i have come to terms that i am already ruined for this year.  I will have to re-apply next year.

[ballerina18]

I see some people are posting acceptances for Idaho State University in the last 10 minutes!  CONGRATS!  Hoping for a wait list @ least!  

I've noticed this as well. It's totally not helping my anxiety. I've been checking my email non-stop all day. lol.  Congrats to everyone admitted!

 

On this note, I received a financial aid award email today from ISU, but no news on admissions. Does everyone get a fin-aid award email? I'm trying not to get my hopes up.

[twinguy7]

I've noticed this as well. It's totally not helping my anxiety. I've been checking my email non-stop all day. lol.  Congrats to everyone admitted!

 

On this note, I received a financial aid award email today from ISU, but no news on admissions. Does everyone get a fin-aid award email? I'm trying not to get my hopes up.

That seams like a good sign to me! Yesterday seems like it was just the acceptances for the Meridian campus so maybe you will get in to the Pocatello or online cohort depending on what your first and 2nd choices were.

[Mellyb517]

hmm yeah I 'll probably have to retake the GRE. Does anyone have any suggestions for studying for it? I took a Princeton review class and studied crazy for it, but my scores were lower when I took the actual test compared to my Princeton review practice test GRE score. I probably will not be using any Princeton review materials. I heard ordering a ETS study book is the best way to go?

 

 

 

 

Waiting on: Grand Valley State University, Western Kentucky, Texas State

Rejected: West Texas A&M, St. Ambrose, Western Michigan University, Wayne State

Accepted: -------

 

Over all GPA:3.42, Comm Disorders GPA: 3.82  V:143 Q:141 W:3.5

[lgwslp]

I used magoosh.com - it's online, which is the way you take the test so I felt like it was similar and very helpful. they have tons of practice questions and tests, as well as videos on EVERY section of the GRE and even writing. it was incredible. I split the cost with someone, and we shared the login - but you can erase your answers and start fresh too, at anytime. it also lets you see what your average school will be based on how well you do on the practice questions and tests. It's awesome! Maybe see if they have any deals for it. we got it on sale last summer. 

[sayjo]

I swear that the reason I had such a good verbal score was because I memorized vocabulary.  I'm a strong reader, so the only thing holding me back on the verbal section was the weird vocab words that they use.  I'm not sure if memorizing vocab will work for everyone, but it sure worked for me.  

[caterpillar]

I swear that the reason I had such a good verbal score was because I memorized vocabulary.  I'm a strong reader, so the only thing holding me back on the verbal section was the weird vocab words that they use.  I'm not sure if memorizing vocab will work for everyone, but it sure worked for me.  

 

This. My husband is an avid reader but didn't feel confident that he'd have the vocabulary to do well on the verbal section. He got the Kaplan New GRE flash cards (i think there are like 500 cards?) and spent months going through them, having me test him on them, etc., until he only had a tiny fraction that he couldn't remember off the top of his head. He said it really helped because a lot of the words ended up on the test, and learning the root origins to so many words enabled him to more intuitively guess the meanings of words he didn't know.

[SweetPea21]

I agree with Sayjo... everyone said that memorizing vocab wouldn't help but I found it DID help me. A lot of study guides have vocab in the back of the book, I went through and highlighted the ones that I didn't know and made flashcards on Quizlet (or there are already sets on Quizlet if you don't want to make your own). When I took the test after studying vocab I raised my Verbal score 5 points  

 

Also, follow the Magoosh outline/video for the essay section. I found their advice to be the most helpful. Remember, that when it comes to the essay... LENGTH is key. I tried to make my essay around 5-6 paragraphs long (Intro, 3-4 body/supporting, conclusion). My writing scores were 5.0 first test, 5.5 second test.

[mheroux92]

What helped me the most on the GRE, honestly, was the TEST TAKING STRATEGIES. Yes, I did study the materials too, but I know that with vocab, I had NO idea on half of the words. But by the test taking strategies (either in the ETS book or Princeton, I can't remember which) had a section on how specifically to eliminate answers and stuff. And by using that strategy the second time (I didn't the first time) my verbal score went up 7 whole points! Good luck!

[sayjo]

I used this book for vocab and just worked my way through it.  

[katielea]

I used this book http://www.amazon.com/Kaplan-Premier-2014-Practice-Tests/dp/1609789369

It includes many online practice tests, strategies for each section, and a list of the 150 most common vocab words. My scores were v168 q158 aw4.5. This book was definitely the reason I did as well as I did. 

[katielea]

I thought i would share this is since  it wasn't obvious to me when I applied to Idaho state. If you applied to the online program there is a $424 per credit fee even if you get in-state tuition. I applied there because I could get resident tuition rates even though i live out of state, but with this fee the cost of the program will be close to $50,000. I didn't think they were very up front about that on their website. 

 

Unfortunately this is the only school I haven't heard back from yet and I have one rejection and one waitlist. If I get accepted it will be really hard to decide if I should just go....

[ballerina18]

I thought i would share this is since  it wasn't obvious to me when I applied to Idaho state. If you applied to the online program there is a $424 per credit fee even if you get in-state tuition. I applied there because I could get resident tuition rates even though i live out of state, but with this fee the cost of the program will be close to $50,000. I didn't think they were very up front about that on their website. 

 

Unfortunately this is the only school I haven't heard back from yet and I have one rejection and one waitlist. If I get accepted it will be really hard to decide if I should just go....

Thank you for sharing this info. I never saw this fee on the department program-cost webpage, but it is clearly stated on the ISU financial aid professional fee page. =/

Edited March 30, 2014 by ballerina18

[katielea]

Luckily for me I emailed them about wrgp when I was applying and they told me about the professional fees when they responded. I'm not sure if it makes the program too expensive for me or not. It more than doubles the cost. Also it's so much more than alot of the other professional fees

[selbstverteidigung]

I found out myself when i opened the reference letter because one school only required 2 and i had 3, so i decided to open the one i didn't have a good feeling about, and i was right.  So, i have come to terms that i am already ruined for this year.  I will have to re-apply next year.

OMG WHAT DID IT SAY? Send them a nasty thanks I hope!

[selbstverteidigung]

I used this book http://www.amazon.com/Kaplan-Premier-2014-Practice-Tests/dp/1609789369

It includes many online practice tests, strategies for each section, and a list of the 150 most common vocab words. My scores were v168 q158 aw4.5. This book was definitely the reason I did as well as I did.

168v and rejected from Montana? Wow!

[katielea]

168v and rejected from Montana? Wow!

I know, right? I was pretty confident about getting in to school, but have not gotten one offer yet. I'm trying to figure out where I went wrong. I'm wondering if one of my professors gave a less than glowing recommendation. I might not have put enough work into my personal statement. I'm not a strong writer so I know it could have been better. I'll admit that I thought I could rely on my stats to get me in and I should have worried about other parts of my application more.