Already have a Masters in Education…wanting to pursue MS-SLP…scared of GRE!

[princessmommy25]

Hello, all. This is my first post…I came across this forum as I was searching various grad programs. Here's a little background information. I have a BA in Mass Comm….had a mediocre GPA. Years later I got into grad school and I have an MS in Secondary Education…my GPA was awesome (3.8). I worked as a teacher for 7 years in the public school setting. I now stay at home with two little girls….who are both in speech therapy. A light bulb clicked for me! I feel so passionate about learning….about helping others….about educating myself. I've been researching every post-bac program I can find. I've looked at online leveling programs. I've been in contact with different advisors at various schools, etc.

 

My first concern is making sure schools look at my Grad GPA as a true picture of who I am…focused, determined, and competitive. My undergrad GPA shows a girl at 19, in a sorority, skipping classes, changing majors, and not sure of her future. 

 

I have to say I'm more scared of taking the GRE than the taking the CSD courses. It's been YEARS since I've done math….especially at the level of the GRE. 

 

Is anyone else out there with a Masters and making a switch to SLP? 

[pandasa]

Hi princessmommy25. I got a BA in Mass Comm and Master of Education(higher education) as well!!!! I've worked in a voice lab for a few years before I decided to switch to SLP. I got into 5 schools this year and all those programs I applied to this year welcome out-of-field students.They are usually 2.5 - 3 years programs. One of them (California State University East Bay) doesn't' require GRE (though I did take it twice and got a good score). If you think you GPA is not good enough, you may choose to do a postbac/2nd bachelor's degree before applying to any graduate programs. I did some SLP prerequisites at Utah State University (but not a 2nd bachelor's degree) and I think they really helped! You can message me if you need more advice! Good luck  !

[princessmommy25]

So funny….we have the same degrees. HA! I feel like my background and teaching experience really make me a strong candidate….and now seeing first-hand what my daughters are learning is amazing. I've looked a Utah State's curriculum. Did you just pick out the classes you wanted to take? I am planning on taking the GRE in July….fingers crossed..but I really don't remember crap about math. I'm studying like crazy. So in case my score sucks, I'll take it again. There are some good schools that don't require it like you said. Where are you going to school now?

[kristenflowers]

What state are you in? I'm also terrified of the GRE because of how tough and tedious it is. I'm in california and found some schools that don't require it- CSUF, CSUSM and Loma Linda University (where I was just accepted!)

So there is hope!

Also, I heard many time that the GRE is not your final say in grad school. It's worth a try to study and take it, once you get it over with I'm sure you'll feel relieved.

[HappyThoughts]

Check out Magoosh for the GRE.http://magoosh.com

I highly recommend it!

[Magpie J]

Although I don't have a master's degree, I can relate to your concerns. I earned a BA in communication design 7 years ago with a very weak GPA. At the time, I was unfocused, unmotivated, and immature.  I was so scared that I would never be considered anywhere because of this, even though I now have an entirely different outlook on my goals and future. I have spent several years as an ESL teacher, which is what led me toward SLP.  I completed the online leveling program at Eastern New Mexico University part-time over two years, and made sure to earn a 4.0! This nudged my overall GPA up slightly, and showed that I was able to succeed in CSD courses, which really seems to be what matters. However, your MS degree is awesome, and should definitely trump your undergrad GPA!  I was also terrified of the GRE, since I hadn't taken a math course in 10 years. I bought the Princeton Review book, studied for a few months, and ended up getting a decent quant score on my first try. Don't stress too much, because you can always take it again! The grad program I am attending in the fall did not even require the GRE.  I think your academic background, teaching experience, and personal motivation make you a strong applicant and a great fit for the field. Go for it!! 

[kristenflowers]

the Princeton review book, Manhattan prep flash cards and magoosh vocab app will help a lot!

Edited May 11, 2015 by kristenflowers

[princessmommy25]

Thank you for all the encouragement. I've downloaded some apps….I've bought three different study guides and I've watched countless math videos. I don't remember the basics….I was a drama teacher so i used math on a basic level with a calculator! I didn't need to find inverse equations and solve for "x"…and find the slope of a line….and all this other stuff. It's been OVER 15 years since I took college algebra and with my Bachelors degree I only needed one math class. I'll look at magoosh.com. Thanks for that tip!

[Deoredlm]

I am a career changer, too, and hadn't done high school math in 25 years.  The GRE prep products still assumed more math than I was able to do.  I don't even remember if I ever learned how to graph the slope of a line!  I found the basic algebra, geometry, and statistics free online classes from Khan Academy to be extremely helpful as a first step.  I had to go through those Khan classes before the Magoosh practice could then be helpful.   (https://www.khanacademy.org)  Good luck!