Do I even have a shot..? :/ Feedback is appreciated!

[HopefulFutureSLP2016]

Hello all! I am currently an undergrad Communication Disorders major and am striving to one day become a certified SLP! I have just finished up my junior year at my university and am about to begin my senior year this fall..let the stress of grad school applications begin    ..anyway, I will applying to grad schools this upcoming winter to hopefully be accepted somewhere for the fall of 2016! (honestly..I'll go anywhere that takes me!) After this past semester, I was only able to raise my overall GPA to a 3.211 and my major overall GPA to a 3.513. Granted, I am taking a few summer courses to help boost my GPA and still have another semester to go before applications are due, but I'm beginning to feel as if there is no hope for me    I have not yet taken my GRE's but plan on taking them next semester and am doing whatever possible to prepare myself for them. 

 

I participate in a lot of extra curricular activities, as well. I'm a member of a social sorority (Delta Zeta), where I am required to do at least 15 hours of community service per semester. Also, our national philanthropy is speech and hearing, so we do a lot for places such as the Starkey Hearing Foundation and Gallaudet University. This summer I also plan on volunteering in my free time at a local children's therapy center near my hometown. I also am an active member of my university's NSSLHA chapter, where I just recently was elected to be the SAI Representative for the chapter. I am also a peer mentor for underclassmen at my university, as well. 

 

If anyone has any advice or guidance for me PLEASE comment and let me know! I would greatly appreciate any feedback. I will do anything it takes to just get in a least somewhere.. 

[_kita]

Committees understand that some applicants start off weaker their first few years in college and improve. Your GPA is not an immediate "no" but you'll need to really impress them elsewhere in your application. Volunteer work is great, and does work well on an application, but again, will make you a decent applicant, not a strong one. From here, start demonstrating and building a resume on the job you WANT to have. Summer jobs and experiences in the SLP field would benefit you as well. That way, you have professional experiences as well as volunteer ones. 

 

Most jobs are more interested in your professional experience. The degree is only a qualifier. Grad school is similar. Heavy research institutions want to see that you have research experience. Heavy clinical programs would prefer seeing clinical experiences. Keep that in mind and get yourself the experiences that help do so. 

 

By no means do I suggest giving up volunteer work at the children's therapy center. I just also suggest applying to special needs summer camp jobs, etc.