Boston programs - Fall 2014

[shuca]

Hi all

 

So Emerson finally started making calls! Congrats to those who got accepted!!! I got a call today too and I got accepted. I'm also accepted to MGH, and I'm waitlisted at BU.

 

I know there was a similar thread comparing Boston programs last year, but I wanted to hear opinions from the people starting this coming fall too. Also I figured it'd be better to start a new thread so we can meet our future classmates here .

 

So what do you all think about pros and cons of the Boston programs?? I went to Emerson's Open House, MGH's information session, and I interviewed at BU so I got a chance to see the facility and talk to the current students there as well.

 

Here's what I think (pros marked with + and cons marked with -) :

 

Emerson

 

+ strong sense of community and supportive people

+ strong program for pediatrics focus

+ in the center of Boston (I guess for some people this can be a con too?)

+ tuition is cheaper compared to the other Boston programs

+ Robbins Center has a really warm feel to it (this one is very subjective, I know lol).

- fewer selections for courses

- you may not get the best medical-related experiences (Note: Someone asked this to a current student during the interview week, and the student said it's something a lot of people outside of Emerson say, but she said it's not true. She emphasized that it is definitely possible to get medical placements too)

- student body is very homogeneous (I know it's just how most programs in SLP are, but I got the impression that Emerson is more so than others - both ethnically and gender wise).

 

MGH

 

+ optional specializations and concentrations

+ more credits required (I heard that you can negotiate a starting salary with prospective employer because of this)

+ great program for medical SLP

+ beautiful campus & newly built facilities away from the busiest part of the city (again, this can be a con for some people)

+ access to resources through Harvard Medical School

+ broader choices for elective courses

+ possibility of interdisciplinary interactions with students in PT, OT & maybe even nursing?

- expensive (about 70K for two years)

- takes longer (6 semesters, including two summers)

 

BU

 

+ great research

+ I got the impression that the person in charge of clinical placements really focuses on what students want. although it's just what I "felt" after talking to the person, but this is a big plus.

 

OK this is all I can think of. Sorry I'm clearly not that invested in BU at this point but since I was waitlisted there I just wasn't spending that much time thinking about BU. lol If others can add more about BU to the list that would be great!

 

As of now, I am more interested in MGH (as you can probably tell by the number of pros I listed above), but it's expensive!!! Money is such a big factor that it overweighs other factors...

 

 

 

[marybren16]

I got into MGH as well and the cost is what concerns me. It does seem like it has a great reputation and great connections, so i'm wondering if the job opportunities can justify the costs. 

[AMKersh]

Hi guys!  I'm having a similar dilemma - I was accepted to MGH and Emerson (rejected from BU).  I have a few thoughts:

 

Another pro for MGH is the number research opportunities that are available to students (this is a big plus for me, as I am thinking of pursuing a PhD down the road...).  Many faculty members are engaged in current projects, and the resources and networking available there are pretty extraordinary.  I see MGH as really being in a very distinct and prestigious league in this way.  (Of course, I also fell in love with it when I visited, so I could be biased.)

 

I did not get the same sense of "research culture" at Emerson.  I understand that there are a few opportunities for assisting professors and writing a Masters thesis rather than taking exams, but overall it didn't seem to be a major focus.  All that said, it seems like a very nice, close-knit program.  

 

Just thought this might be a helpful addition to your really great list, shuca! 

[vickster15]

I'm in the same boat as all of you!

 

While money is always a concern, I've accepted that I'm going to have to take out loans so I figured I'd just choose the program that's a better fit for me.

 

I've loved MGH since the moment I visited the website, then went to an open house and was in awe.  What I love most is that the faculty are still very involved in the field, so the information they are providing us is the newest, most reliable information.  The prestige, clinical placements, and location are all huge bonuses too!  What concerns me is that the program requires so many more credits than Emerson - I just wonder if it'll be too much to handle?  But, I do agree that the more classes you take and the more clinical experience you have, the more negotiating you can do in regards to salary.

 

When I interviewed at Emerson, my favorite part of the program was the atmosphere.  I wasn't intimidated at all ( I totally am when I think of MGH) and felt like I would have unconditional support from fellow students and the professors.  That being said, I think this is the only aspect of the program that I prefer to MGH.

 

Are you going to either of the admitted student events?!

[speechb14]

Congrats to everyone on your Boston acceptances! I'm in a different situation as the previous posters and would love advice. I'm choosing between BU and MGH (with a scholarship), and I'm waiting on the other Boston schools. I think both programs are strong, and since I want to go into medical speech-language pathology, I think both would offer similar clinical placements and job opportunities. I feel like I should go to MGH because the funding is pretty hard to turn down, but I think I prefer BU to MGH slightly -- mostly due to reasons other than the actual strength of the programs (like the location and resources of a large university). Does anyone have input on BU vs. MGH, especially if you were in my situation with funding only from MGH? I know money isn't everything, but I don't think I could justify choosing BU over MGH when it would cost so much more, and I want to see what other speechies in my boat would do. (My family and friends aren't knowledgeable about these programs and would only see the $$$).

[shuca]

Another pro for MGH is the number research opportunities that are available to students (this is a big plus for me, as I am thinking of pursuing a PhD down the road...).  Many faculty members are engaged in current projects, and the resources and networking available there are pretty extraordinary.  I see MGH as really being in a very distinct and prestigious league in this way.  (Of course, I also fell in love with it when I visited, so I could be biased.)

 

I did not get the same sense of "research culture" at Emerson.  I understand that there are a few opportunities for assisting professors and writing a Masters thesis rather than taking exams, but overall it didn't seem to be a major focus.  All that said, it seems like a very nice, close-knit program. 

 

Thanks, AMKersh for adding that in! I totally agree - MGH has great research opportunities, and I also didn't get the same impression from Emerson. I think Emerson focuses more on training clinicians rather than researchers.

 

While money is always a concern, I've accepted that I'm going to have to take out loans so I figured I'd just choose the program that's a better fit for me.

 

I've loved MGH since the moment I visited the website, then went to an open house and was in awe.  What I love most is that the faculty are still very involved in the field, so the information they are providing us is the newest, most reliable information.  The prestige, clinical placements, and location are all huge bonuses too!  What concerns me is that the program requires so many more credits than Emerson - I just wonder if it'll be too much to handle?  But, I do agree that the more classes you take and the more clinical experience you have, the more negotiating you can do in regards to salary.

 

When I interviewed at Emerson, my favorite part of the program was the atmosphere.  I wasn't intimidated at all ( I totally am when I think of MGH) and felt like I would have unconditional support from fellow students and the professors.  That being said, I think this is the only aspect of the program that I prefer to MGH.

 

Are you going to either of the admitted student events?!

 

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this, vsa10002! I kind of feel the same way about the money. The cost difference between Emerson and MGH is about 13K. I am more interested in the medical aspect of SLP too, and in that regards MGH has so much more to offer than Emerson seems to (although the current student did say that Emerson offers adequate medical training as well). And for me, the great opportunities MGH can offer is enough to justify the extra $13K. Emerson hasn't made the decisions on fellowship offer yet though, and if I am lucky enough to get fellowship from Emerson I think it'll be MUCH harder to turn down the offer.

 

I'm also kind of worried about how rigorous MGH will be... I'm definitely scared, but I'm trying to tell myself, "if the program believed in me and thought I would be successful in their program, then I will. I should be the last person to give up hope on myself." I do agree with you though, it's a bit scary.

 

Congrats to everyone on your Boston acceptances! I'm in a different situation as the previous posters and would love advice. I'm choosing between BU and MGH (with a scholarship), and I'm waiting on the other Boston schools. I think both programs are strong, and since I want to go into medical speech-language pathology, I think both would offer similar clinical placements and job opportunities. I feel like I should go to MGH because the funding is pretty hard to turn down, but I think I prefer BU to MGH slightly -- mostly due to reasons other than the actual strength of the programs (like the location and resources of a large university). Does anyone have input on BU vs. MGH, especially if you were in my situation with funding only from MGH? I know money isn't everything, but I don't think I could justify choosing BU over MGH when it would cost so much more, and I want to see what other speechies in my boat would do. (My family and friends aren't knowledgeable about these programs and would only see the $$$).

 

Congratulations on the scholarship offer from MGH! I'm really jealous!! If you are more interested in medical SLP and you got scholarship from MGH, I think MGH is your best bet. If I were you, I would happily take it.

 

I can understand where you are coming from, but I wouldn't worry about the location and resources of a large university that you mentioned. Graduate school is really going to eat up your time, so I really doubt you'd be able to "enjoy the city" anyway even if you were to study at BU. Also, even though BU is in the center of the city, the building itself (Sargent College) isn't all that great. It's an old building, and it's not old in the "historic" way. MGH has great campus and their facility is amazing. Even though you won't be "in the city", I bet you'll feel great while you are on campus - and I'm sure you'll be spending a lot of time on campus.

 

Also, students at MGH have full access to Treadwell Library (owned by MGH and shared with Harvard Medical School). I think it's a great resource offered by them.

 

I'm not really sure what kind of "large university resources" you find appealing about BU so what I said above may not really ease your concern, but I think MGH would be a great fit for you. Congrats again!

[speechb14]

Thanks, Shuca!  It just seemed to me that, in the past, people on these forums almost always chose BU over MGH, and I don't see why that was the case so often since MGH's program is impressive. Of course, no one's decision should be influenced too much by what other people do, and you really can't go wrong with any Boston schools. I feel like I'm pretty set on MGH right now, and I'm excited for the open house!

[shuca]

Thanks, Shuca!  It just seemed to me that, in the past, people on these forums almost always chose BU over MGH, and I don't see why that was the case so often since MGH's program is impressive. Of course, no one's decision should be influenced too much by what other people do, and you really can't go wrong with any Boston schools. I feel like I'm pretty set on MGH right now, and I'm excited for the open house!

 

You're welcome, speechb14!!! I've noticed that people in the past tend to choose BU over MGH too, but I've certainly seen some people who do the opposite, too My guess is that people tend to associate MGH with heavy medical focus (which is understandable), and those who are interested in both pediatrics/school-based SLP and medical SLP are more inclined to choose BU because they feel that BU would be better for that. I don't know, just a guess.

 

I agree that the final decision should be yours, but I can totally understand why you feel unsure after seeing other people's decisions. Like you said, BU and MGH are both amazing programs so you really can't go wrong with either one. I'm glad you are feeling better about your option. I'm going to the accepted students event too. Maybe I'll see you there.

[anonymous3]

I was accepted to MGH as well and will be attending the information session on March 29...I'm really excited by the opportunity and it seems like MGH is one of the best..it does sometimes make me nervous to think about how many more credit hours MGH requires than any other grad school. Does anyone know why this is or if it is a really instensive program? I dont want to overkill with the credits and not be able to manage everything

[vickster15]

I was accepted to MGH as well and will be attending the information session on March 29...I'm really excited by the opportunity and it seems like MGH is one of the best..it does sometimes make me nervous to think about how many more credit hours MGH requires than any other grad school. Does anyone know why this is or if it is a really instensive program? I dont want to overkill with the credits and not be able to manage everything

 

Ah - I wish I knew!  I just think that it is a way for the program to really stand out.  I spoke with a student during the Open House I went to and it does appear that the program is very intensive but I doubt you'll find a grad program that isn't!  Plus there is the option of not having a concentration, so that is a few less credits (this is something I'm thinking about, although I really want a concentration in Medical SLP).

 

Its so much to digest!  Hopefully the admitted students event will help answer our questions

[anonymous3]

Ah - I wish I knew!  I just think that it is a way for the program to really stand out.  I spoke with a student during the Open House I went to and it does appear that the program is very intensive but I doubt you'll find a grad program that isn't!  Plus there is the option of not having a concentration, so that is a few less credits (this is something I'm thinking about, although I really want a concentration in Medical SLP).

 

Its so much to digest!  Hopefully the admitted students event will help answer our questions

 

Thanks for getting back to me and for telling me about your interaction with the current student! Did they say anything else that stood out to you? Im sure you are right and all the programs are intensive and I love the added concentration so Im sure its worth it in the end. Im hoping the event will help as well!

[shuca]

I'm still not sure which school I should go... I really like both programs, and it seems like their strengths are in different areas so it's really hard to make the decision I hope the Open House will help me but I have a feeling I'll be all like, "wow both programs were so cool I liked then both!!" and I'll be even more confused lol.

For those who are worried about how rigorous MGH will be, I have a few points to add. First, I think grad school will be pretty intensive no matter which program you decide to attend. I have a masters degree in something else already, and I can say from my experience that grad school is SO much harder than undergrad. That being said, I'm sure there will be some programs that are tougher than others. Looking at the number of credits required is one way to compare the programs, but there are other factors you can consider.

First thing that comes to mind is the minimum grades required for graduation. BU requires minimum GPA of 3.0 (which is equivalent of B ) for students to stay in the program, and you can’t have more than 8 credits of C or C+. MGH also requires a minimum GPA of 3.0, but they don’t have a set number of Cs you can earn. Even if you get Cs in multiple courses, as long as your cumulative GPA is over 3, you are safe. Of course, you should strive to do well in classes regardless of these policies, but I think MGH’s leniency takes a lot of pressure off the students’ shoulders. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find any official information about this on Emerson’s program, but one of the current students told me that their passing grade is B. I’m not sure if she meant we just need to maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0, or if we actually have to have grades better than B in all of the classes.

What makes a program rigorous depends on a lot of other factors: how the classes are structured, how willing the professors are to help their students, how much of collaboration there will be between students, how flexible the professors are about deadlines, etc. So while I can totally understand people’s concern about how intensive MGH will be, I feel like you can’t really say it’ll be harder than others just based on the number of credits required.

All of that said, I totally understand where you guys are coming from - I mean, after all this logical thinking I’ve done, I am still concerned that MGH will be too hard for me, too lol.

Edited March 11, 2014 by shuca

[NCAR823]

Accepted at MGH, attending the information session. SOOOO Excited!!! Who else will be there? Everything about the program aligns with what I want to do. Look forward to actually seeing the hospital and meeting some faculty, grad students, and alumni (talk about excellent networks!)  

[vickster15]

First thing that comes to mind is the minimum grades required for graduation. BU requires minimum GPA of 3.0 (which is equivalent of B ) for students to stay in the program, and you can’t have more than 8 credits of C or C+. MGH also requires a minimum GPA of 3.0, but they don’t have a set number of Cs you can earn. Even if you get Cs in multiple courses, as long as your cumulative GPA is over 3, you are safe. Of course, you should strive to do well in classes regardless of these policies, but I think MGH’s leniency takes a lot of pressure off the students’ shoulders. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find any official information about this on Emerson’s program, but one of the current students told me that their passing grade is B. I’m not sure if she meant we just need to maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0, or if we actually have to have grades better than B in all of the classes.

 

 

I actually checked out Emerson's Grad Course Catalog a few weeks ago and this is what it says: 

 

"A student must have a 3.0 cumulative GPA to graduate.  In addition, no course in which a B- is earned may be credited toward any degree.  A student who receives below B- in coursework totaling 8 credits is automatically withdrawn from the graduate program."

 

So, there's that.

 

 

Thanks for getting back to me and for telling me about your interaction with the current student! Did they say anything else that stood out to you? Im sure you are right and all the programs are intensive and I love the added concentration so Im sure its worth it in the end. Im hoping the event will help as well!

One thing that really stuck out for me was that the grad student said she felt like she had a lot of support from the faculty and her supervisor.  It was really reassuring to hear that because up until that point, the environment felt SO competitive that I thought everyone would sort of have to fend for themselves.

[anonymous3]

I actually checked out Emerson's Grad Course Catalog a few weeks ago and this is what it says: 

 

"A student must have a 3.0 cumulative GPA to graduate.  In addition, no course in which a B- is earned may be credited toward any degree.  A student who receives below B- in coursework totaling 8 credits is automatically withdrawn from the graduate program."

 

So, there's that.

 

 

One thing that really stuck out for me was that the grad student said she felt like she had a lot of support from the faculty and her supervisor.  It was really reassuring to hear that because up until that point, the environment felt SO competitive that I thought everyone would sort of have to fend for themselves.

thanks for sharing! that makes me feel better because I've kind of gotten that vibe that everything is really competitive and not as supportive but its nice to hear that the faculty and supervisors are supportive!

[shuca]

I actually checked out Emerson's Grad Course Catalog a few weeks ago and this is what it says: 

 

"A student must have a 3.0 cumulative GPA to graduate.  In addition, no course in which a B- is earned may be credited toward any degree.  A student who receives below B- in coursework totaling 8 credits is automatically withdrawn from the graduate program."

 

So, there's that.

 

 

Wow thanks for that information!! Where did you see this catalog?? I've been looking for it everywhere and I can't find it. If you can share the link to it, that'd be great!

 

What you said makes me feel assured that although MGH requires a lot more credits, they are trying to make it less stressful for the students.

[vickster15]

http://www.emerson.edu/academics/courses#graduate

 

If that link doesn't work just go to the Comm Dis homepage and click on the "Curriculum" link and under the Overview there's a link to "Graduate Course Catalogs" 

[shuca]

http://www.emerson.edu/academics/courses#graduate

 

If that link doesn't work just go to the Comm Dis homepage and click on the "Curriculum" link and under the Overview there's a link to "Graduate Course Catalogs" 

 

Thanks, vsa10002!!

[ladyinwaiting23]

Accepted at MGH, attending the information session. SOOOO Excited!!! Who else will be there? Everything about the program aligns with what I want to do. Look forward to actually seeing the hospital and meeting some faculty, grad students, and alumni (talk about excellent networks!)  

 

I will be there!!! I'm really excited about MGH, I've heard such good things about the program and the facilities too.  Hope to see you there NCAR823

[Speechstudent]

I have heard that some programs require tremendous amounts of reading and critical analysis of journal articles which is particularly time consuming and students feel completely overwhelmed - they literally are analyzing journal articles all the time and do not have enough time to devote to therapy plans and other work. Students cannot keep up with the journal reading because there is not enough hours in a day!

 

Other programs are more hands-on and clinically focused. 

 

Does anyone know which is the case for MGH?

[SLP person]

MGH versus northeastern? I've heard great things about MGH and iffy about northeastern... Thoughts anyone?

[gstar]

Hey SLP person, did you hear back from Northeastern?

[LuxAurorae]

Hey. I'm super excited about MGH. But I'm in a bit of a dreamschool vs cheap local program dilemma. The local program is well respected within the city, but obviously, I wouldn't have access to all the awesome medical placements I would from MGH, though I would still have a guaranteed hospital placement. There is also the extra cost of moving to another city and the fact that I would have to leave my bf for at least 2 years, probably 3 (including the CF because a medical cf in my state seems doubtful). I'm still leaning heavily towards MGH though. There doesn't seem to be many GA positions available though...

[NCAR823]

I will be there!!! I'm really excited about MGH, I've heard such good things about the program and the facilities too. Hope to see you there NCAR823

I am I'm Boston! Just got offered a research position with the LARRC lab and am already in love with the buildings that make up the MGH campus! Look forward to seeing you there!

[SLP person]

Hey SLP person, did you hear back from Northeastern?