Firsthand reviews of Graduate Programs

[namarie]

On 3/5/2016 at 4:06 PM, clmogel said:

Anyone know about Northern Arizona University online program? How about Marshall, Radford, ETSU, Towson, Western Kentucky, California of PA, IUP, Loyola, Western Carolina U? 

I went to WCU as an undergrad. What do you want to know? 

[clmogel]

6 minutes ago, namarie said:

I went to WCU as an undergrad. What do you want to know? 

What's the area like? How affordable is housing? Do you know anything about  the grad program?  Profesors? Where are the closest outside potential clinical sites?

[newspeechie93]

This is such a helpful thread! Does anyone have any first-hand information about Vanderbilt's program? I would be especially interested to know about any clinical or research opportunities they offer for Spanish-speaking/bilingual communities. I'm also very interested Temple University, so info about that program would be super appreciated!  

[Gingiestrong]

Does anyone have any info on Portland State's program? I'm highly considering attending, but would like to know a bit more about their clinical placement opportunities and overall feel of the program. I have like 8000 questions, but I'll cut it down to three just to make it a bit easier lol. 

1.) What are the off-campus placements like? Are they usually more medical or school-based? 

2.) Based on ASHA EdFind, it looks like their cohorts are pretty large (around 40 people). Did you find it difficult to get to know your classmates and faculty on a personal level? 

3.) This is kind of a weird one: how laid back is your cohort as a whole? I'm a focused and driven student, but I can't say I would consider myself very "type-A". I don't really give a s*** about comparing grades and such with my peers, and my hope is that grad school will be less catty and competitive than undergrad lol. I would love to be in a program where my cohort is down to go out and grab a beer downtown after a long week in school. I suppose this question is more subjective and would vary year to year, but I'd like to know your thoughts on the overall feel of the program and your peers. 

Any feedback on PSU would be much appreciated! Oh and happy St. Patty's Day ya'll. 

[SLPgradstudent]

Can anyone here share their experience of UMD (Maryland).  I've already decided for sure to attend, but it'd be nice if someone could share their experience in the program and any tips for someone just starting.  What do you wish you'd known before you started at UMD?  Any opportunities that I should definitely look into?  Also, does anyone have experience taking the UMD shuttle from Silver Spring metro?  That's my plan, and I'm curious if the shuttles generally run on schedule.  TIA!

[slporbust2016]

1 hour ago, Gingiestrong said:

3) This is kind of a weird one: how laid back is your cohort as a whole? I'm a focused and driven student, but I can't say I would consider myself very "type-A". I don't really give a s*** about comparing grades and such with my peers, and my hope is that grad school will be less catty and competitive than undergrad lol. I would love to be in a program where my cohort is down to go out and grab a beer downtown after a long week in school. I suppose this question is more subjective and would vary year to year, but I'd like to know your thoughts on the overall feel of the program and your peers. 

 

I can't speak to that school in specific, but I can tell you something an SLP I've observed told me. She said in undergrad, everyone was competitive and very cutthroat at her program. She stayed at the same school for grad school, and 2/3 of her classmates were also from the same program, but they all shifted since they were no longer competing against each other to get into grad school, and her cohort is still close 15+ years later.

I think taking the stress of grad school admissions out of it would definitely alter the dynamic for many. 

[Cowsy]

6 hours ago, Gingiestrong said:

Does anyone have any info on Portland State's program? I'm highly considering attending, but would like to know a bit more about their clinical placement opportunities and overall feel of the program. I have like 8000 questions, but I'll cut it down to three just to make it a bit easier lol. 

1.) What are the off-campus placements like? Are they usually more medical or school-based? 

2.) Based on ASHA EdFind, it looks like their cohorts are pretty large (around 40 people). Did you find it difficult to get to know your classmates and faculty on a personal level? 

3.) This is kind of a weird one: how laid back is your cohort as a whole? I'm a focused and driven student, but I can't say I would consider myself very "type-A". I don't really give a s*** about comparing grades and such with my peers, and my hope is that grad school will be less catty and competitive than undergrad lol. I would love to be in a program where my cohort is down to go out and grab a beer downtown after a long week in school. I suppose this question is more subjective and would vary year to year, but I'd like to know your thoughts on the overall feel of the program and your peers. 

Any feedback on PSU would be much appreciated! Oh and happy St. Patty's Day ya'll. 

Hey there! I don't attend PSU and wasn't accepted this year, but I thiiiiiiiink I've read on their website that they actually do two cohorts of ~25 each, so they're able to admit more students but maintain the close-knit cohort thing. Also, if you dig around enough on their website they've got a list of community partners for externships and I recall there being a good mix of school/med, including a couple of the awesome children's hospitals in Portland. Not sure how that list translates to reality for students though. If you have any questions about Portland more generally I might be able to help with those as well. :-) 

[kendralynnt]

Does anyone have reviews of UNC-Chapel Hill, EWU, University of Northern Colorado or Southern CT State (especially UNC-CH and EWU)?

I was accepted to UNC for this coming fall but I've also been accepted to schools that are less expensive, but also far lower ranked. I'm out of state and I know funding is pretty unlikely at UNC for most people- do you think that the cost of attendance is worth it? I want to specialize in craniofacial anomalies which is a large part of why UNC is so attractive to me, as well as the fact that it's a larger research school with more opportunities than a smaller, more local school would offer me.

Does anyone have any insights about what the teaching styles at these schools are like? Did you feel prepared for entering the workforce when you graduated (especially from EWU)? I'm unable to go to the UNC open house that's being held today since I live so far away but would appreciate any and all advice you (or anyone else!) has about these schools!

[CMD2494]

On March 12, 2016 at 8:20 PM, OverCaffeinated said:

if anyone has first hand review on new york med ,i would love to hear it!

Hi! I am 95% sure I am attending this school. I have visited 3 times and the campus is pretty small, we would mostly be in the School of Health Sciences and Practice building. They also offer on campus housing which is pretty nice and suite style.

I have been speaking to a girl who currently attends the program and she loves it there but says it is a very demanding workload. The program is 75 credits and you complete it in 5 semesters. 

However, it sounds like she has had a lot of experience so far. She's only in her 2nd semester and has already had placements and seen clients at New York Methodist Hospital, Westchester Medical Center, Westchester Institute for Human Development (WIHD), Speech and Language Partners (campus clinic), Behavioral Health Center (inpatient hospital for psychiatric care), completed audiology rotations, and completed infant newborn screenings at the hospital.

[LadyT]

I would love to hear more about the University of Tennessee's program as well as the University of Georgia's! 

[OverCaffeinated]

7 hours ago, CMD2494 said:

Hi! I am 95% sure I am attending this school. I have visited 3 times and the campus is pretty small, we would mostly be in the School of Health Sciences and Practice building. They also offer on campus housing which is pretty nice and suite style.

I have been speaking to a girl who currently attends the program and she loves it there but says it is a very demanding workload. The program is 75 credits and you complete it in 5 semesters. 

However, it sounds like she has had a lot of experience so far. She's only in her 2nd semester and has already had placements and seen clients at New York Methodist Hospital, Westchester Medical Center, Westchester Institute for Human Development (WIHD), Speech and Language Partners (campus clinic), Behavioral Health Center (inpatient hospital for psychiatric care), completed audiology rotations, and completed infant newborn screenings at the hospital.

cool info, thank you!

[ApplyingSLP]

Thanks for the info about Wiche!  Interested in University of Northern Colorado.  Does anyone have firsthand experience?

I'm looking for a place with great faculty and high standards.

[Southwest Speechie]

On 3/8/2016 at 5:38 PM, CBG321 said:

Great information thank you so much.  So safe to say busy Monday-Friday.  All day? or is there any typical schedule like done by 5pm or done at 10pm etc.  And no clients until the 3rd semester that is fantastic information as well!  

Thank you for the insight on how the program operates it is very helpful to hear how it is set up.  And knowing weekends are fair game for clinic is good to know ahead of time as well.  I like to know what my schedule will look like

Well, during the second semester you will have at least one client with a more seasoned graduate student (if you are in the FT program). You will shadow the grad student initially, then slowly take over. You will have your own clients by 3rd semester (which is in the summer). You will be busy all week, every day. I guess weather you are done by 5pm or 10pm depends on your study habits. The clinic closes at 5pm, so no clients in the clinic after that time when you are in clinic. However, you may have some late afternoon classes, and some classes early in the morning. The voice clinic starts at the crack of dawn... seriously. 

 

[ApplyingSLP]

Anyone have first hand experience in CSULB or CSULA?

[kumapanda]

27 minutes ago, ApplyingSLP said:

Anyone have first hand experience in CSULB or CSULA?

I went to CSULB as an undergrad and I've worked with some of the grad students there, so I could answer a few questions. 

[panda1991]

Does anyone have any information about Salus University or University of Northern Colorado?

[bbayardo1015]

Hi. I am a senior in my undergraduate and will be starting graduate school in the fall. I have been accepted into the he grad program at my home school, the University of New Mexico, as well as the University of Colorado Boulder. I would like some opinions on the gtad program at Boulder, and at unm too. Thanks.

Brianna