I've been through the application process, succeeded, and now I want to share my knowledge.

[gradschoolspeechie2020]

Last year around this time, I was preparing to start my senior year of undergraduate work and getting ready to start the application process for graduate school.  Through classes, NSSLHA meetings, and talking with students older than myself, I had heard time and time again that "the application process starts as soon as you get back to campus in the fall".  I wanted to prepare myself for what was ahead early enough so that I could enjoy my senior year, do well in classes, and get all of my applications in on time, so I used my lazy summer days to research the application process, which is how I found GradCafe.

 

This website and forum has provided me with a lot of great information. I found so many tips about staying organized, letters of recommendation, personal statements, GRE scores, etc., and it really helped me out before, during and after the application process. So I thought that now, while I have time in the summer before my rigorous graduate program begins, I could answer any questions that you all may have about the application process.  I have been through it, succeeded, and am very happy with where I am going to be in the fall, and a lot of that is due to advice that I had gotten from people who had done it before me.

 

What makes me qualified to answer your questions? I think the most important reason is that I went through this process and applied to 10 schools, got accepted to 8 schools, and was wait listed at the other 2 schools.  The schools ranged in rank from top 10 schools to schools ranked in the 100s, and everywhere in between.  During this time, I was able to keep a 4.0 average for my fall semester taking 15 credits, continue to exercise regularly, continue being active in an honors fraternity, and was still able go out to bars with my friends at least 3 nights a week.  I didn't sleep much hahah, but I had a great senior year and was successful in the application process, and I want to help you do it too!

 

Here are 3 of my top tips for the application process:

 

1. Use your time wisely. This seems like a no brainer, but hear me out.  Don't spend every hour of every day that you are not in class fretting over your applications, but make the time that you do spend on your applications count.  I couldn't tell you the number of times I talked to girls in my classes who said "I am going to go home and spend the next 8 hours on my applications; I can't do ANYTHING for the rest of the week because of these applications".  The thing to remember here is, that they aren't spending all 8 hours doing those applications.  They are checking Facebook, talking to their roommates, making dinner, or tweeting about how much time they are spending on applications.  While this may work when procrastinating a paper that is due, this is not a productive use of time when you are applying to graduate school.  Plan your days out so that you have a large chunk of time to specifically work on applications, and only applications.  For me, this meant scheduling all of my classes to end at or before 12pm every day of the week.  In order to do this I had to take an online class and get up earlier than I had in my college career, but it paid off.  At noon I would leisurely eat my lunch while checking social media or watching tv (to get it out of my system) and then I would put my phone away and get to work on my application binder until about 4 in the afternoon.  This process of applying to graduate school takes a lot of organization and double and triple checking of documents, so being completely focused on the task at hand is a MUST.  By setting aside this large chunk of time in the afternoon to work on graduate school applications, I was able to say to myself by 4pm each day "I accomplished "xyz" today for grad school and it's only 4pm, I have time to do my homework, workout, hang out with friends, or just relax because I was disciplined with my time until now".  Boom. Productivity and fun all in one.

 

2. Work for that 50% or greater GRE score. Disclaimer: I am but a mere student and am not claiming to be on any board of admissions, and the following advice is me recalling the information that I have gleaned from professors, students, and others in the field. From my own experience and that of my friends, I believe that this tip is so important to stress.  While I know that other factors such as personal statement and letters of recommendation are important in the application process, the amount of weight that these factors get during the admissions process could first depend on your GRE score. Your great personal statement or stellar letters of recommendation might not even see the light of day if you do not meet the GRE requirement that the school has set.  The argument to this is "I have a great GPA so that should make up for my low GRE score".  This is my opinion on this statement: different schools calculate GPA in different ways, so this really isn't an equalizer for graduate admissions teams when they are deciding between two candidates.  I know girls who had ridiculously high GPAs, couldn't reach that 50%+ mark, and didn't get into graduate school, or at least the ones that they really wanted to attend.  Also, on a positive note, GREs are something that you CAN change and improve on right now! For me, I had a terrible freshman year grade wise.  I worked very hard for the next two years to get my GPA higher, but it is really hard to makeup what you have lost. At the time I applied to graduate school my GPA was "only" a 3.6 (but if you had an undergraduate experience that was anything like mine, every other girl in the class seemed to have a 3.9).  With the GRE, you can improve your chances of getting into graduate school by simply studying and taking the test.  If you're reading this now and thinking about applying in the fall and you haven't yet gotten a score over 50%, you still have so much time to study and retake it!  Albeit, the test is very expensive, but it is a "drop in the bucket" of the money that you will be spending and making throughout your lifetime as a speech therapist, and since you will be spending so much money on applications in the fall, you want to make them the best that you can so you are not wasting money applying to schools that won't admit you because you do not meet their GRE requirement.  Every person is different in their learning style, and what works for me when studying for the GRE might not work for you.  But whether it is classes, books, practice tests, or all of the above, take the time and learn how to get the best score that you can on the GRE, it will be worth it when you get that acceptance letter.

 

3. Personalize your personal statement (but not just the paragraphs about you).  After talking about my outlook on the importance of the GRE score it seems like my advice would be that you shouldn't be concerned with your personal statement, but in reality I believe that schools do look at these statements thoroughly once you have passed the GPA and GRE requirements, so it is important to have a well written personal statement. The most valuable piece of advice that I received in regard to personal statements is that you should include a paragraph about why you want to attend THIS school.  So many personal statements only talk about how many clubs a person joined, or how much volunteer work that the person did, basically focusing only on you the applicant.  The trick is to turn it around and write about what you will bring as a student once you are admitted to the university and why you want to attend this university specifically.  It is easy to copy and paste one very well written personal statement into 15 different applications and click send.  But instead you should take the time to do research on what each university is known for and what the professors in your department are doing research/clinic-wise, and then write a paragraph for each of the schools that you are applying to that talks about what you found and how it interests you as a student. Also show that if they admit you to their program you will be a good fit for them because you are interested in the areas in which they are putting their time, money and professional resources.  Most students have reasons why they want to attend the schools that they are applying to, and it is important to articulate them in your personal statement.  You should spend the first few paragraphs talking about your accomplishments and skills to the admissions panel, and then use this last paragraph to turn it around and show your enthusiasm for their specific school.  Compared to the rest of the areas of the application process, I personally spent the most time doing research on the schools and crafting each paragraph to articulate why I want to go to that specific school.  In my opinion, I think this really made the difference and is why I got accepted to so many places, and it helped me picture myself at each university.

 

 

These are just 3 of the tips that I have on this subject of applying to graduate school.  The reason that I am making this post is so that you can use these tips and ask me other questions that you have about any stage of the application process, undergraduate classes, or whatever!  Since the past year of my life was spent planning, applying and waiting, I have a lot of opinions and advice on those subjects.

 

Again, like I said throughout this post, I in NO WAY am an expert on these subjects, and if you have differing opinions on the application process then that is great! I'm simply presenting this process in the way that I see it.

 

Peace and Blessings.

[caligirl002]

Thank you for your post! Many of us are going through this process for the first time and your candid post demystifies everything, a little.

[Missthang]

To add a few things to the original post, here's a few more things to help out anyone beginning the grad school applications process...

Definitely figure out if there are specific things that your potential schools are looking for. I knew that I 100% wanted to get in to my current university's grad program so I talked to professors and current grad students about what they looked for when selecting applicants. My particular school (and a few others I applied to) did not put much emphasis on the GRE, just as long as you made a combined score of 300+ or they were in/around the average from previous cohorts (you can find these answers through ASHA's EdFind or even on many universities' websites- my school said something like "2013-2014 cohort's average on verbal section was 155, quan. avg 150, AW avg 4.0 or whatever the specific numbers were so you'd know the ballpark to get around).

Many schools also put more emphasis on the last 60 credit hours and Comm Dis. class grades rather than those random math/chem classes you did not-so-great in during freshman year
I think personal statements are one of the biggest parts of your application. There are so many other people out there fighting for a spot with equal or better grades, so what will make YOU stand out? I was at a total loss on what to write, until I discovered the career services center at my school. Who knew there was a specific person in that office that helps with finding schools, completing applications, revising personal statements, interview help among finding volunteer work and internships (he was my lifesaver!). Have a professional help you revise and edit your personal statement and most importantly... TRIPLE CHECK that everything is sent in the correct way and on time.

Good luck "and may the odds be ever in your favor"!

 

Edited July 3, 2014 by Missthang

[gradschoolspeechie2020]

No problem! That's why I spent a great deal of time thinking about and writing this post, I remember that exact feeling of "how do I do this?..." and I know that the best way to get the answers is from someone who has been there, done that!

[SLPcrazy]

Thank you!! That is so so helpful!

A few questions --- You say that we should aim for the 50% in the GRE... is that the minimum? Do you know what is considered a "good" score?

Also, did you apply to any schools in CA and what were your experiences if so...?

Thankssss!!!!

[sayjo]

Thank you!! That is so so helpful!

A few questions --- You say that we should aim for the 50% in the GRE... is that the minimum? Do you know what is considered a "good" score?

Also, did you apply to any schools in CA and what were your experiences if so...?

Thankssss!!!!

 

Many programs say to aim for at least 300 on your combined score.  You should check with your prospective programs just to be sure.  HOWEVER, I'd definitely aim to get higher than that if you can.  It makes your application stand out and gives you a better chance to earn things like graduate assistantships.

[gradschoolspeechie2020]

Thank you!! That is so so helpful!

A few questions --- You say that we should aim for the 50% in the GRE... is that the minimum? Do you know what is considered a "good" score?

Also, did you apply to any schools in CA and what were your experiences if so...?

Thankssss!!!!

From my experience speaking with my undergraduate head of department, he told me personally not to retake them unless I had some sort of strategy that would help me get much higher than I currently had (63 % Q 68% V). His words were that most schools will take you into consideration if you reach that 50% mark (I'm guessing he meant most schools that take the GRE into account greatly, which in my experience has been most but like someone said up there, you have to contact your schools). So it wouldn't hurt for sure to have higher than 50% but you have to decide for yourself if you think you will do significantly better in order to justify taking it again, from my experience I decided not to, I studied really hard and this was the best score I felt I could get. Also, it was really helpful talking to the head of my undergraduate department because he sees so many students and was really a great help, I would recommend talking to professors that you know and trust because they will usually talk to you honestly about the process in my opinion. It reflects well on them if their students get into good graduate programs.

And no, I'm sorry, unfortunately I have no knowledge of CA schools specifically. All of my schools were in the Midwest/Mid Atlantic areas, but I had a good mix of clinic heavy and research institutions that I applied to.

[ImHis]

Thanks for your tips GSS2020!

 

Have you ever had schools that never replied to your email inquiries? I haven't heard back from some professors I contacted to learn more about their research. I must be doing something wrong and feeling discouraged and ignored.

[gradschoolspeechie2020]

No, I never emailed the professors directly about their work, but I guess that couldn't hurt. It is summer so maybe they are not checking email as much, I wouldn't get discouraged yet. I usually went on the university websites to learn about the professors and areas of research, and then looked up their papers if they had any. I didn't read every single paper, so don't fret about doing that, but looking at them helped me get a better feel for what type of research is happening at the university.

And, some universities don't even have much research going on, and for those I focused on what was happening at the onsite clinics that was interesting.

[Chandru1]

Thank you so much for this!

How do admissions committees look at essays? I have this idea that's still kinda half baked where my essay will link my interest in SLP and Classical Indian Music. Do you think a topic like this will work?

Thank you again!

[gradschoolspeechie2020]

Thank you so much for this!

How do admissions committees look at essays? I have this idea that's still kinda half baked where my essay will link my interest in SLP and Classical Indian Music. Do you think a topic like this will work?

Thank you again!

No problem! I think that sounds like a really good idea to include a personal story like that in your statement of purpose. I went to a grad school essay writing workshop that my university held, and the number one tip that I got from it in regards to writing style is to tell a story in your first paragraph that is personal to you and makes you stand out. Admissions committees see so many of the same opening paragraphs that start off "I want to become an SLP because I like to help people". Well, so does everyone else, that's why we are in this profession. But starting out with a story that makes you unique will make them remember you when they are going back through every applicant. If you start out with a unique and interesting story that is true to you, you'll be more memorable. At least that's how I looked at it when I was writing my first paragraph.

[GandalfTheGrey]

Thank you so much for this!

How do admissions committees look at essays? I have this idea that's still kinda half baked where my essay will link my interest in SLP and Classical Indian Music. Do you think a topic like this will work?

Thank you again!

I think that sounds like a great idea for an essay. Speaking from personal experience, I opened my essay with an anecdote about how my obsession with all things Tolkien made me want to be an SLP, and I got in everywhere I applied. I think showing you have interests in other areas that will augment your clinical practice is a good thing.

[Bapple]

Very helpful and encouraging information guys!

 

Thank you so much for the input!

[Chandru1]

I'm glad you like the music idea! I even have this idea where I bring a specific song in and talk about my study of the song helps me in SLP. I really hope this idea doesn't backfire, but I want to ensure that my essay is not generic.

Thank you again!

[ImHis]

No, I never emailed the professors directly about their work, but I guess that couldn't hurt. It is summer so maybe they are not checking email as much, I wouldn't get discouraged yet. I usually went on the university websites to learn about the professors and areas of research, and then looked up their papers if they had any. I didn't read every single paper, so don't fret about doing that, but looking at them helped me get a better feel for what type of research is happening at the university.

And, some universities don't even have much research going on, and for those I focused on what was happening at the onsite clinics that was interesting.

 

That's great. How did you get know about what's happening at the onsite clinic? Did you visit all of them before you wrote you PS?

 

Can you give an example how you weaved your interest in how you wanted to attend the school in your PS? There's really not a lot of space for some (especially those with 250 words).

Edited July 4, 2014 by Patont

[rks2010]

What a great and helpful post for future applicants! 

 

I see a few people concerned with the gre so I would like to add in my two cents for any future applicants who is reading this thinking "I'm a terrible test taker and I don't know if I can't get into grad school because of the GRE." I am here to tell you it is most certainly possible. I didn't hit the 50% mark on the quantitative or verbal (I did get a 4.5 on the writing which is decent) and I got into 5 awesome schools- one of which included my top choice. It truly depends on the school. Mediocre GRE scores are not an end all be all especially if you have a rather high GPA (I had a 3.93). Im not saying don't study, because you should and aim for at least 300. I am just saying, don't be like me and cry all the time because you think your GRE scores will prevent you from getting in anywhere. So not the case if you are otherwise an outstanding applicant. I wished I had someone from this perspective giving advice last year! So, please study and do you best. But if your scores are not outstanding, make a huge effort to show you WILL be an excellent grad student despite a stupid GRE score that means nothing. 

[GandalfTheGrey]

I'm glad you like the music idea! I even have this idea where I bring a specific song in and talk about my study of the song helps me in SLP. I really hope this idea doesn't backfire, but I want to ensure that my essay is not generic.

Thank you again!

Definitely ask a professor to read over your essay before you submit it - then you can be more confident it won't backfire.

[Chandru1]

Definitely ask a professor to read over your essay before you submit it - then you can be more confident it won't backfire.

Will do! Thank you!