Who is Out-of-field and did not get accepted?

[nata25]

I have a BA in psychology (not in communication disorders). At the time I applied to grad programs in the fall, I only had one SLP prerequisite completed, but I had a semester-long internship with an SLP in a school, experience tutoring a bilingual student and some other relevant experiences. I knew how competitive admission was, but I felt like I might stand out because I had a different undergrad major and could bring a different perspective in. It seemed like some of the university websites "welcomed" and "encouraged" people with other backgrounds to apply for this reason. However, after not receiving admission anywhere so far, I am doubting that claim. Of course it might just be that my GPA and GRE were not as high as others, but is it also possible that since this year was SUPER COMPETITIVE the school's just decided that if you didn't already have the courses, you're not going to get in? I am wondering if other people with different undergrad majors have experienced this? Or, if you have a different major and DID get accepted, did you have a lot of prereqs. done? Did you have really awesome scores? 

[rollinat]

I had completed all my prereqs before I applied, so I don't know if that helped. My bachelor's was in French and German, and I had a reasonable amount of volunteering / experience. You still have a couple to hear from, is that right? Hope you will be accepted by one of them - good luck!

[MonicaSLP]

I have a BA in an unrelated field and more than a dozen years of work experience in that field. I only applied to one school since it had the 3 year program and was by far my first choice (with the plan of if I didn't get in to take the prereqs and reapply everywhere next year). I got waitlisted, and still waiting to hear the final outcome. It was a VERY competative school, so I'm disappointed but not shocked. No idea if being out of field has helped or hurt the application though. My gpa is on the lower side, so I think that my years of work experience and recomendations might have made up for it a bit.

[caterpillar]

My husband has a BA in Psychology as well. His BA GPA was only 3.31, but he completed every pre-req offered at PSU (and some classes that weren't pre-reqs but were in the major) with a 4.0. 

 

It's not clear from your post, did you apply to extended programs that give you the extra year to complete the undergrad requirements? It is my impression that, unless you are applying to extended programs that allow you an extra year to do the undergrad courses, you won't be eligible for admission to the regular 2 year programs.

[shuca]

It's not clear from your post, did you apply to extended programs that give you the extra year to complete the undergrad requirements? It is my impression that, unless you are applying to extended programs that allow you an extra year to do the undergrad courses, you won't be eligible for admission to the regular 2 year programs.

 

Some 2-year programs allow out-of-fielders without prereqs to apply, and they are given equal (well at least I think equal) consideration for admission as well. I myself applied to 2-year programs without any pre-requisites and I got accepted to two. Though I do think that lack of pre-requisites may have been one of the reasons why I didn't get accepted to other programs.

 

nata25 -

I am an out-of-field applicant as well. And like I said above, I had not taken any of the pre-requisite courses at the time of application. My GRE score is mediocre (definitely not bad, but not outstanding either). But I think I probably stood out a lot - I am not a native speaker of English and I grew up in a country where language that is VERY different from English is spoken. So considering my background, I think my mediocre GRE score probably didn't look that bad. (I had a perfect TOEFL score, too) I also have a master's degree in Linguistics (with a 4.0 GPA), which probably helped me demonstrate that I can be successful in grad school.

 

I really hope you hear back from some of the other programs soon and sincerely hope that it's good news! Good luck!!

Edited April 9, 2014 by shuca

[QS05]

I also had a BA in Psych and had 6 pre req courses finished when I applied and I'm currently taking 3 more. I felt I was at a disadvantage when applying because I didn't have a degree in CMD so I did everything to make sure that I would be a good candidate for programs. I completed 25 observation hours. My GPA was high (3.8 undergrad and 3.9 in pre reqs). My GRE scores were average but combined they were over 300 which I heard is a common cutoff score for grad programs. The most important thing, I believe, that I did though was researching different programs! I e-mailed many different programs and told them what pre reqs I had and asked if I would be able to apply to their programs with those pre reqs. There were many programs that I was not able to apply to because they required more or different pre reqs. I only applied to programs that I knew would accept applicants with my background. I also applied to a couple "safety" programs, although I know in this field that doesn't really mean much.

[Arcanelady27]

I am an out of field applicant and have not been accepted. If the schools you apply to state prerequisites must be done before applying and you haven't completed them, it is a safe bet to say that's why that your application would be denied. I would think if the program you're applying to does not require prerequisites to be completed and you are still denied, your application was not competitive enough (GPA, GRE, personal statement).

[katielea]

I am also out of field. I have a BA in psych and I'm in the process of taking my prereqs now. I had four classes complete when I applied and was in the process of taking two more.  I got rejected waitlisted and accepted at the three schools i applied to. I was surprised because I thought my stats were pretty good. I asked my current professor about it and she said that most schools base their decisions mainly on numbers. I think this has been a really competitive year. I know my GPA is not is high as others so I'm guessing that's why I got waitlisted and rejected. 

[nata25]

My husband has a BA in Psychology as well. His BA GPA was only 3.31, but he completed every pre-req offered at PSU (and some classes that weren't pre-reqs but were in the major) with a 4.0. 

 

It's not clear from your post, did you apply to extended programs that give you the extra year to complete the undergrad requirements? It is my impression that, unless you are applying to extended programs that allow you an extra year to do the undergrad courses, you won't be eligible for admission to the regular 2 year programs.

I did a lot of research and made sure the schools that I applied to offered the extended program option. 

[nata25]

I am also out of field. I have a BA in psych and I'm in the process of taking my prereqs now. I had four classes complete when I applied and was in the process of taking two more.  I got rejected waitlisted and accepted at the three schools i applied to. I was surprised because I thought my stats were pretty good. I asked my current professor about it and she said that most schools base their decisions mainly on numbers. I think this has been a really competitive year. I know my GPA is not is high as others so I'm guessing that's why I got waitlisted and rejected. 

But you got in SOMEWHERE! I am sure having several courses completed was to your advantage. Congrats on that! 

[nata25]

I am an out of field applicant and have not been accepted. If the schools you apply to state prerequisites must be done before applying and you haven't completed them, it is a safe bet to say that's why that your application would be denied. I would think if the program you're applying to does not require prerequisites to be completed and you are still denied, your application was not competitive enough (GPA, GRE, personal statement).

I made sure the schools I applied to had an extended option for out-of-fielders. Sorry to hear you have not had success with this yet, either. 

[nata25]

I also had a BA in Psych and had 6 pre req courses finished when I applied and I'm currently taking 3 more. I felt I was at a disadvantage when applying because I didn't have a degree in CMD so I did everything to make sure that I would be a good candidate for programs. I completed 25 observation hours. My GPA was high (3.8 undergrad and 3.9 in pre reqs). My GRE scores were average but combined they were over 300 which I heard is a common cutoff score for grad programs. The most important thing, I believe, that I did though was researching different programs! I e-mailed many different programs and told them what pre reqs I had and asked if I would be able to apply to their programs with those pre reqs. There were many programs that I was not able to apply to because they required more or different pre reqs. I only applied to programs that I knew would accept applicants with my background. I also applied to a couple "safety" programs, although I know in this field that doesn't really mean much. I had 120 observation/interactive hours with an SLP and my GRE score was above 300. 

I had 120 observation/interactive hours with an SLP and my GRE score was above 300. I spent many hours checking what was required for each program, as I am sure you did, as well lol (they don't make it easy for us, do they?). I am guessing that I did not have enough prereqs done at this point. 

[sayjo]

I'm out of field and only had two COMD courses completed at the time of applying.  You can see my signature for my stats and admitted schools.  I think the following are three things helped me get in:

 

1. I had great LOR writers.

2. I was an English major, which I think gave me an advantage when writing the SOP.

3. I've got really unique experiences.  I did a program a lot like Teach for America out of undergrad.  At my school, I had a lot of experience working on the RTI committee, writing instructional goals, and updating IEPs.  I also got my M.S.Ed. from Northwestern.

 

nata25, I'm actually thinking about declining my offer at UIUC, so maybe you'll get it...?

Edited April 9, 2014 by sayjo

[Greyhound111]

Actually some of my classmates and other peers here were talking about the Grad school admissions process having become so hyper-competitive BECAUSE of all the out-of-field folks jumping into SLP the last few years.

 

Someone (don't recall if it was in this forum elsewhere) noted to me that as recently as 2009 or 2010, Graduate admissions acceptance rates in  some programs were almost double (percentage-wise) what they are in 2014.

 

So, with a B.A. in SLP, the options are pretty limited if one does not get into Grad school after receiving their Bachelor's ..  

But in some other health care related fields, it's not as daunting; a B.S. / B.A. has more post-Grad employment options...

 

For those of us not getting in anywhere, we were thinking of following a similar strategy and applying out-of-field ourselves into programs like behavioral analysis, forensic psych, heath care management, etc. and continuing our education that way; in essence, try to go where decent opportunities remain, the same as any job-seeker would. for example - since admittance into a Graduate SLP program isn't going to ever be a certainty or something that can be planned upon, for some of us out here...

Edited April 10, 2014 by Greyhound111

[goingtobeslp13]

I think it really varies from school to school whether and how many out of field applicants (without any prereqs) they are willing to accept. I know Teachers College told me that if you apply without your prereqs and they accept you, they are assuming/requiring you to take those prereqs there as an additional year in the program.

 

I have a BA in Psychology with a minor in Childhood Education (certified to teach). When I applied I had 6 completed prereqs, and I was in the process of taking 3 more. I think applying with so many prereqs under my belt let me be considered a quasi-in-field applicant, because I wouldn't need to take any prerequisites once admitted.

 

Good luck to you!

[sayjo]

Someone (don't recall if it was in this forum elsewhere) noted to me that as recently as 2009 or 2010, Graduate admissions acceptance rates in  some programs were almost double (percentage-wise) what they are in 2014.

 

I'm not sure if this is entirely correct.  I know a few people who applied around that time and it seemed just as competitive as now.  Maybe it wasn't as bad closer to the new Millennium?

 

 

So, with a B.A. in SLP, the options are pretty limited if one does not get into Grad school after receiving their Bachelor's ..  

But in some other health care related fields, it's not as daunting; a B.S. / B.A. has more post-Grad employment options...

 

For those of us not getting in anywhere, we were thinking of following a similar strategy and applying out-of-field ourselves into programs like behavioral analysis, forensic psych, heath care management, etc. and continuing our education that way; in essence, try to go where decent opportunities remain, the same as any job-seeker would. for example - since admittance into a Graduate SLP program isn't going to ever be a certainty or something that can be planned upon, for some of us out here...

 

I'm not meaning for this to be a commentary on you; rather, just a general "life lesson" I've come to realize in my old age...but, I think specialized (or job oriented) majors in undergrad are stupid.  There.  I said it.  I got a teaching degree in undergrad.  Did I need to?  Nope.  Plenty of one-year certification programs out there.  Do you need to get a Bachelor's in SLP to get into grad school?  Nope.  Easy enough to complete the pre-reqs later.

 

I realize this isn't the case for EVERYTHING (i.e. engineering), but it certainly the case for a lot of fields.  You don't need a business degree to work in an office.  You don't need a communications degree to work in P.R.  If I was going to do my college experience all over again, I would have majored in English.  The.  End.  I would have still been qualified to work in a multitude of fields.  I just wish someone would have told me that earlier.

[Greyhound111]

I'm not sure if this is entirely correct.  I know a few people who applied around that time and it seemed just as competitive as now.  Maybe it wasn't as bad closer to the new Millennium?

 

I'm not meaning for this to be a commentary on you; rather, just a general "life lesson" I've come to realize in my old age...but, I think specialized (or job oriented) majors in undergrad are stupid.  There.  I said it.  I got a teaching degree in undergrad.  Did I need to?  Nope.  Plenty of one-year certification programs out there.  Do you need to get a Bachelor's in SLP to get into grad school?  Nope.  Easy enough to complete the pre-reqs later.

 

@sayjo - I am not taking it as a commentary on me personally, cause it's pretty much an backhanded indictment of thousands of SLP majors everywhere, not just on this forum.  Sorry to hear about your regrets in getting the undergrad studies in teaching.  Appreciate the insight, though and I do share your viewpoint actually in some ways.  Good luck to you in your search as well !!!

 

As for how things were back at the new millennium, not sure, my crew and I here were a lot younger then, worried about far more pleasant things.

[nata25]

I'm not sure if this is entirely correct.  I know a few people who applied around that time and it seemed just as competitive as now.  Maybe it wasn't as bad closer to the new Millennium?

 

 

 

I'm not meaning for this to be a commentary on you; rather, just a general "life lesson" I've come to realize in my old age...but, I think specialized (or job oriented) majors in undergrad are stupid.  There.  I said it.  I got a teaching degree in undergrad.  Did I need to?  Nope.  Plenty of one-year certification programs out there.  Do you need to get a Bachelor's in SLP to get into grad school?  Nope.  Easy enough to complete the pre-reqs later.

 

I realize this isn't the case for EVERYTHING (i.e. engineering), but it certainly the case for a lot of fields.  You don't need a business degree to work in an office.  You don't need a communications degree to work in P.R.  If I was going to do my college experience all over again, I would have majored in English.  The.  End.  I would have still been qualified to work in a multitude of fields.  I just wish someone would have told me that earlier.

I'm going to have to agree with you, sayjo. Just because we choose an undergraduate major because we think it is appropriate at that time does not mean we are bound to it forever, nor should we be. People with knowledge and experience in different areas can work together to attain a much higher efficiency and problem-solving creativity in a specific field. I am sorry if you feel that out-of-fielders are stealing SLP spots, greyhound111. But the truth is that people change majors, jobs,  and careers all the time. Hardly anyone ends up where they predicted 10 years ago. We all just want to do what's best for us and the potential people we can assist. 

[Greyhound111]

I'm going to have to agree with you, sayjo. Just because we choose an undergraduate major because we think it is appropriate at that time does not mean we are bound to it forever, nor should we be. People with knowledge and experience in different areas can work together to attain a much higher efficiency and problem-solving creativity in a specific field. I am sorry if you feel that out-of-fielders are stealing SLP spots, greyhound111. But the truth is that people change majors, jobs,  and careers all the time. Hardly anyone ends up where they predicted 10 years ago. We all just want to do what's best for us and the potential people we can assist. 

 

I couldn't agree with you more, nata25, which is why we're learning from this as you and sayjo have explained and demonstrated.  Don't we all want to do what's best for ourselves and those whom will benefit from our skills.

[wishingwishing]

What bothers me is that there are majors out there that are not really adequate for getting a job in that field. For an SLP major, you are qualified to be an SLPA -- but they are not hired at all that many places (I'm talking about in my area), so why bother with getting a four year degree in that subject? When I was getting my degree in English, I planned to be a librarian, but they got rid of the undergrad Library Science program at that time because it was useless. If they were going to require people to go to grad school to do anything with it, they figured you might as well major in something else (which would still benefit you as a librarian).

 

I would like to see SLP undergrad programs either go away, more SLPAs hired, or for ASHA to acknowledge that you can perform the job with quality undergrad training.

[hopefulspeechie16]

Does anyone know if volunteer hours have to be recorded on some type of document thing? And is it just with an SLP that they have to be recorded? I worked with an audiologist so I'm not sure if I can record those hours.

[Stephanie2323]

Out-of-field and many rejections, mainly NY programs. Three wait lists and one program left to hear from. I know if I had a 4.0 undergrad gpa this wouldn't be the case, whether or not i'm in or out-of-field. - so I believe. 

 

Sucks. so. much. 

[nata25]

Does anyone know if volunteer hours have to be recorded on some type of document thing? And is it just with an SLP that they have to be recorded? I worked with an audiologist so I'm not sure if I can record those hours.

I have no idea about "official documents" (I didn't use any), but your experience with an audiologist can certainly be mentioned in your resume, personal statement, special interests, etc. 

[Chandru1]

Does anyone know if volunteer hours have to be recorded on some type of document thing? And is it just with an SLP that they have to be recorded? I worked with an audiologist so I'm not sure if I can record those hours.

My SLP told me to use this: https://www.dropbox.com/s/3ugas0y9aakqhhs/Scan%20Mar%2031%2C%202014%2C%2019.30-page2.jpg