Is there a such thing as too much ecs?

[LillyZebras]

Sorry if this has been talked about before, I couldn't find anything but didn't know exactly what key words would be used. Anyways, when I attended my regional nsslha convention last fall one of the professors giving a presentation discussed how they do their application process. I had forgotten this part until know, but she said something along the lines of "if you have a ton of extra curricular activities and slp related experiences we will know you are lying or embellishing and throw your application out!"

 

Now this is scaring me!! I have a ton of ecs and a good amount of slp related things. I've held multiple leadership positions in a few student orgs concurrently every year excluding my first semester. I've planned campus events. I have hundreds of hours of volunteer work and around 100 hours related to slp. I've observed and been mentored by an slp at a clinic for the past year. I've done research with various professors. I'm doing an internship with an slp abroad this summer and the past summers I have work experience with children.

 

To me this doesn't seem like anything crazy, it seems normal if you're trying to get into a program. But now I'm really worried my application will just be thrown out! Does anyone have any experience with this or thoughts on it? (btw all my ecs and experience can be verified). Maybe I'm just finding things to worry about but any thoughts would be appreciated! 

[bindlestiff]

...??? This is absolutely ridiculous! Everyone knows how hard it is to get into grad school for SLP. Case in point, this month's ASHA Leader is all about how few spots there are in grad programs. On the front page: "CAN WE ADMIT MORE GRAD STUDENTS? Expanding the Pipeline".

 

I can barely believe an admissions board member giving a speech at a NSSHLA convention would say something like that. When it is so difficult to get in, how can you not expect people to pack their resumes as much as possible? You and I and countless others have worked really hard to beat the odds and gain admission, and for someone to say that they throw applicants out for looking too good...is that a joke??

 

Do you remember this person's name or where they work?

[ImHis]

Did she give a reason why they'd think you would be embellishing your resume?

 

In terms of experience, I was advised to show committment on 1-2 activities that you would enjoy so that you can talk about them in your SOP. Too much shows lack of direction or focus.

[LillyZebras]

Bindlestiff- I don't remember her name however she was on the University of Akron's admission committee. I'm not interested in that particular school but I don't know if other schools view it similarly.

 

Articklish - I think it was basically along the line of they don't believe anyone could be that involved possibly? It was a few months ago and they didn't delve into it too much. 

 

Maybe they're talking really crazy amounts of stuff, but I still think there aren't limits to how much someone can do if they're determined. I chose to really be involved in just a few orgs and with one slp, but if I wanted to sacrifice some sleep or social life I could do even more. 

[Chandru1]

Maybe they're saying to not list EVERYTHING - like if you worked at Starbucks, or were president of the M&Ms club where all you did was eat M&M's. But I put all my ECs, as they show that I have challenged myself and take part in a wide range of activities. 

[OverCaffeinated]

Maybe they're saying to not list EVERYTHING - like if you worked at Starbucks, or were president of the M&Ms club where all you did was eat M&M's. But I put all my ECs, as they show that I have challenged myself and take part in a wide range of activities. 

 

i loved the eating m&ms part....

 

that sounds like complete BS

 

i have a ridiculous amount of ECs and thats cause i work hard. im doing leadership, i have over 50 hours of working with speech problems and counting.... thats complete bs

[futurespeechie]

As long as you're being honest about your experiences, I say don't worry about it. With how competitive it is to get into a grad program these days it is practically expected for applicants to have as much ECs as they can. Maybe the professor was just saying it to discourage people from being dishonest and over-embellishing their experiences, because I am sure there are people who do that (like saying you did all this cool SLP related stuff when what you actually did was file papers at a clinic or something). But if you are honest and are able to provide verification, I think you will be fine

[CBG321]

I hope most schools don't have people like that on their admissions committees that is such BS!  Glad I wasn't planning on applying there anyways.  

 

These programs really aren't doing anything for their students lately.  They aren't going to fulfill their growing PhD shortage by not letting anyone into graduate school.  Those ppl could later come back and be PhDs.  Just frustrating for all of us to be told do absolutely everything and then people like that discourage it!  

 

Just got to hope not every school has that awful attitude towards applicants.  I say put them on I feel like schools should appreciate your efforts!