In reality what is considered a competitive or majority of schools will consider you GPA?

[CBG321]

Realistically speaking what is the majority of school's actual cut off in considering your application.  I know there are special circumstances here and there, but I want to know what the majority of schools look at as okay this is good enough to review the rest of their application seriously. 

 

And I don't trust ASHA's reports because I know some schools that state 3.0 as being eligible, in reality haven't accepted anyone under a 3.5 in years...

 

Is it 3.7+ or 3.8+ 3.6??  I know 3.9 and 4.0 are the only really "competitive" GPA's but being in such a competitive field what is the golden standard for "most" schools. 

 

I only need information on GPA's please, I know how important a well-rounded application is.  I'm just trying to figure out how much extra time I need to spend on the GRE to balance out my GPA.

 

I was cursed with no plus minus grading in my hardest class, and as a result my GPA took an unexpected hit

 

Thanks for the help!

[jmk]

I would email programs you are interested in and find out what GPA they look at (last 60, CSD, or cumulative), and what was their average admit GPA last year. What a competitive GPA is differs vastly on location and number of applicants. Some CA schools may get up to 700 applicants and take a 3.8 and up. Some midwest schools that are not as well-known may get 200 applicants and take a 3.2 and up. 

 

In addition, if you have a 3.2 CSD GPA but a 3.6 average GPA, you still may not competitive due to your subpar CSD GPA. 

 

 

From my hours of viewing acceptance threads and emailing programs, I've come up with these conclusions (for cumulative and last 60): 

-3.8 GPA/above = very competitive for any program

-3.6-3.7 GPA = competitive for most schools (depends on location) 

-3.5 GPA = average, cut-off point for if you're applying to more "brand name" schools

-3.2-3.4 GPA = below average but some EC's and at least average GRE balance out for multiple acceptances at less well-known schools

-3.0-3.2 = not very competitive, but will be accepted somewhere if researches programs well, and most likely waitlisted at other schools

-Below 3.0 = research programs very well, apply to 15+ schools, hope for best 

 

Realistically, your CSD GPA should be a 3.7 or up. If not, more competitive schools seem to be a reach despite cumulative GPA. 

 

You will get a range of responses on this thread from many folks like myself making generalized assumptions based on information we've gained. You can search schools you're interested in on this forum and spend hours reading acceptance and rejection posts. Both will give you a general ballpark of what schools match your credentials. I would highly recommend making a list of schools and emailing the programs yourself as well for a more accurate representation. Best of luck! 

Edited May 22, 2015 by jmk

[Jolie717]

The head of our admissions committee at CSUN made a point of mentioning that 100 of the 300 applicants this year had a GPA of 3.8 or above, and I am fairly certain that she was referring to the CD GPA. The fact that she threw that out there made me think that this might serve as somewhat of a "cut-off" point, but of course I'm sure there were exceptions made for a handful of students based on experience, GREs, stellar LOI/LORs, etc.

[CBG321]

Good thing i'm not applying to CSUN lol.  Honestly I still have 4 classes to go within the major so it is possible I could pull off a 3.8 with all solid A's but i'm trying to look at worst case scenario to be prepared for all outcomes since I haven't taken those classes yet.  Plus factoring in my cumulative and last 60 i'll need to double check what all those numbers are.  So many classes to calculate!

 

This information is great though it really gives me a ballpark range that helps me figure out how good my GRE scores need to be.  I appreciate it!  I'm narrowing down my list this summer so will factor those number in.  Unfortunately I already know from earlier communication some are more difficult to get responses from than others haha.

[Missthang]

I had around a 3.2 overall GPA but a 3.7-3.8 CSD GPA and got in to half of the schools I applied to in Texas. If you're in the midwest or north, your GPA will probably need to be quite a bit higher than this since southern schools aren't as competitive as schools in those areas.

[Slp1268]

I applied to 10 schools in Indiana and Illinois. 3.7 gpa, 167 V 148 Q 4.5 W. I had no relevant experience in the field.

I was accepted at 2 schools, accepted off the wait list at 2 schools, rejected by 2 schools and rejected from the wait list of 4 schools.

[Crimson Wife]

Different majors have different grading scales so it makes it hard to do an apples-to-apples comparison. A 3.5 in a science major is an excellent GPA but in an easier major it wouldn't be.

 

I was pre-med for the first half of my 1st UG degree and I worked WAAAAAY harder for those B's and B+'s in the science courses than I did for A's in psych courses. I only just started my 2nd bachelor's in CSD a few weeks ago so I don't yet have the sense what the grading is going to be like. I'm hoping it'll be more like psych.

[Jolie717]

I feel like there are a lot of students out there that are somewhat naive when it comes to what it takes to get into an SLP grad program. I would imagine (or hope) that at least those on this forum are fairly in touch. One of our professors does strongly advise that we aim for (and get) a 4.0 in all of our CD classes.

I feel like a lot of my classmates have not even looked at the numbers on ASHA's Edfind and have no idea what they are in for. Mind you, I'm not saying everyone has to have a 4.0 to get in, but you have to be pretty darn close for many programs. To put things into perspective: med school overall acceptance rate is about 41% whereas SLP is about 26%.

PS: Edited to add - to the original OP, I thought the plus/minus thing could typically only hurt a GPA, not help it? For example, I had one +/- class this semester and was worried bcz if I had gotten an A- it would have pulled my GPA down, whereas in a non +/- class an A- is no different than an A, GPA-wise so I would not have taken a hit.

Edited May 23, 2015 by Jolie717

[MangoSmoothie]

To put things into perspective: med school overall acceptance rate is about 41% whereas SLP is about 26%.

 

Where did you find a published overall acceptance rate for SLP? I've seen 41% thrown around for medical school, but never anything "overall" for SLP. That doesn't mean the schools are accepting 41% of applicants, either; it means 41% of applicants who apply get in somewhere.

 

Regardless, you can't really compare the two fields, so this doesn't really "put things into perspective." Med schools tend to have an acceptance rate of 1-10%. A "generous" acceptance rate would be around 7%, and I've read before the average is around 9%. The school with the highest acceptance rate was Oklahoma State University, with 19.8%. SLP Grad school's acceptances rates tend to be higher than 19.8%, somewhere in the 20-30%, and their average acceptance rate is nowhere near the average medical school acceptance rate. Some schools even have acceptance rates bordering on 45-50%.

 

If the overall acceptance rate (again, "overall acceptance" meaning the percentage of applicants who applied that get in somewhere) even is higher for med schools than SLP, which I don't think it is, there isn't much you can directly infer; it could mean a lot of things. It could mean people applying to med schools apply more selectively and apply to schools they're more likely to get in to, maybe because med schools are more expensive to apply to and require more application work (most have secondary apps that cost money, as well as the interview process). It could mean there's not much overlap between where applicants apply (for example, at least 75% of the people in my program applied to at least 4 of the same schools). It could mean they're better prepared for the schools they do apply to, because unlike SLP, med school generally requires more undergrad prep work (not that I want to devalue the work it takes for SLP). It could mean they apply to more schools overall. Med school is still far more competitive than SLP will ever be, but the people applying to med school are also going to be much more prepared for the schools they're applying to because of the nature of the application process and prep work.

 

I'd also disagree you have to be "pretty darn close"  to a 4.0 to get in to many programs, unless our definition of "pretty darn close" is wildly different (I imagine pretty darn close as 3.9+). Look at the ranges on EdFind, and you'll find this to not be true at all, unless you're only looking at top 10 programs, and then yes, I think this is more true. If it was true across the board too, I'd probably be suspicious of grade inflation. Programs also sometimes publish acceptance statistics on their website, and you can again, find this to not be the case. You're right though, a higher CSD GPA is good,and the higher the better; it certainly will never hurt you.

 

Although I don't like the obsession with GPA and GRE, I think the ranges jmk gave are good, and I would second them especially if you're limited in your experiences both in and out of the SLP field. I've seen people with absolutely zero experience get in with a 3.8+, which makes sense. Then I've seen people, like myself, get admitted in the 3.2-3.4 range, with lots of relevant experience and great GRE scores, and not even just at "less well known" schools, which are still incredibly competitive, just in a different way.

 

For what it's worth, to get your application "seriously considered" you generally just have to make it past whatever arbitrary cut-off a school has. I know of one very well-ranked program that assigns points to GRE and GPA, and if you make it past their cut-off, they read the rest of your application. If you don't, they toss you out.

 

If you say you're almost able to pull off a 3.8, you seem to be in a good spot, and I bet you'll meet all cutoffs schools have to be fully considered. I would really put as much time as possible in the GRE, because it will not hurt your application to do well on it. Of course, it depends on what schools you apply to too, but you seem like you're in a good spot. Like Jolie said, you're at least aware, and I think that's what hurts applicants who have trouble getting accepted the most.

 

(About med school acceptance rates: http://www.usnews.com/education/best-graduate-schools/the-short-list-grad-school/articles/2015/03/31/10-medical-schools-that-are-most-competitive-for-applicants )

Edited May 23, 2015 by MangoSmoothie

[CBG321]

I feel like there are a lot of students out there that are somewhat naive when it comes to what it takes to get into an SLP grad program. I would imagine (or hope) that at least those on this forum are fairly in touch. One of our professors does strongly advise that we aim for (and get) a 4.0 in all of our CD classes.

PS: Edited to add - to the original OP, I thought the plus/minus thing could typically only hurt a GPA, not help it? For example, I had one +/- class this semester and was worried bcz if I had gotten an A- it would have pulled my GPA down, whereas in a non +/- class an A- is no different than an A, GPA-wise so I would not have taken a hit.

 

I'd say i'm pretty aware lol (I agree most of us on this forum seem to be in the loop), I did a year of lab work in speech language before even deciding to apply to a post-bacc due to the insane competition involved in this field  .  I think everyone knows who those "unaware" people are in their program, my Professors certainly notice!

 

It can be beneficial as well, if I had that +/- system in a class pretend I received an 87% then that 87% would give me 3.3 points.  Which is much more helpful than a non +/- class giving me 3.0 because all B's count as 3.0 no matter how high with non +/- grading (at least at my school).  So it can work in your favor or it can mess you up, it goes both ways for each system. 

 

Since I won't have a 4.0 hopefully all my other efforts will be considered just as carefully since i'm doing everything I can to make up for it.  I'll definitely work on that GRE score (even though my personal opinion is that it is absolute BUNK!  I'm sure most of us agree a standardized test that is half math isn't a great indication of our SLP skills haha.  Interview me any day instead!)

Edited May 23, 2015 by CBG321

[CBG321]

 

 

For what it's worth, to get your application "seriously considered" you generally just have to make it past whatever arbitrary cut-off a school has. I know of one very well-ranked program that assigns points to GRE and GPA, and if you make it past their cut-off, they read the rest of your application. If you don't, they toss you out.

 

If you say you're almost able to pull off a 3.8, you seem to be in a good spot, and I bet you'll meet all cutoffs schools have to be fully considered. I would really put as much time as possible in the GRE, because it will not hurt your application to do well on it. Of course, it depends on what schools you apply to too, but you seem like you're in a good spot. Like Jolie said, you're at least aware, and I think that's what hurts applicants who have trouble getting accepted the most.

 

Exactly!  Yes I'm trying to determine that "arbitrary cut-off" for most programs I'm doing the research but the numbers online are not always accurate and a third of the programs i'm looking at have not been in contact with me despite my efforts lol.  

 

Plus even if I get the information on their last cycle it might change drastically.  Just look at Portland State this year it went from a 44% acceptance rate based on the number of applicants and slots down to literally half of that (if I'm recalling correctly from another post on this forum.)

 

I think I had a 3.7 in my undegrad and don't expect to have anything lower than a 3.7 in my CD classes it's going to range from 3.7+-3.8(something). So it seems like most agree that is at least glance worthy as long as the rest of my application is strong as well?  Right?

 

Referring to inflated grades Amen!  My school needs a 93.34 for an A no exceptions.  While another nearby private school has a 92.1+= an A.  Oh the GPA i'd have if I went there lol.  It is what it is though, I wish schools would take those differences into consideration though!

[Jolie717]

Where did you find a published overall acceptance rate for SLP? I've seen 41% thrown around for medical school, but never anything "overall" for SLP. That doesn't mean the schools are accepting 41% of applicants, either; it means 41% of applicants who apply get in somewhere.

 

Regardless, you can't really compare the two fields, so this doesn't really "put things into perspective." Med schools tend to have an acceptance rate of 1-10%. A "generous" acceptance rate would be around 7%, and I've read before the average is around 9%. The school with the highest acceptance rate was Oklahoma State University, with 19.8%. SLP Grad school's acceptances rates tend to be higher than 19.8%, somewhere in the 20-30%, and their average acceptance rate is nowhere near the average medical school acceptance rate. Some schools even have acceptance rates bordering on 45-50%.

 

If the overall acceptance rate (again, "overall acceptance" meaning the percentage of applicants who applied that get in somewhere) even is higher for med schools than SLP, which I don't think it is, there isn't much you can directly infer; it could mean a lot of things. It could mean people applying to med schools apply more selectively and apply to schools they're more likely to get in to, maybe because med schools are more expensive to apply to and require more application work (most have secondary apps that cost money, as well as the interview process). It could mean there's not much overlap between where applicants apply (for example, at least 75% of the people in my program applied to at least 4 of the same schools). It could mean they're better prepared for the schools they do apply to, because unlike SLP, med school generally requires more undergrad prep work (not that I want to devalue the work it takes for SLP). It could mean they apply to more schools overall. Med school is still far more competitive than SLP will ever be, but the people applying to med school are also going to be much more prepared for the schools they're applying to because of the nature of the application process and prep work.

 

I'd also disagree you have to be "pretty darn close"  to a 4.0 to get in to many programs, unless our definition of "pretty darn close" is wildly different (I imagine pretty darn close as 3.9+). Look at the ranges on EdFind, and you'll find this to not be true at all, unless you're only looking at top 10 programs, and then yes, I think this is more true. If it was true across the board too, I'd probably be suspicious of grade inflation. Programs also sometimes publish acceptance statistics on their website, and you can again, find this to not be the case. You're right though, a higher CSD GPA is good,and the higher the better; it certainly will never hurt you.

 

Although I don't like the obsession with GPA and GRE, I think the ranges jmk gave are good, and I would second them especially if you're limited in your experiences both in and out of the SLP field. I've seen people with absolutely zero experience get in with a 3.8+, which makes sense. Then I've seen people, like myself, get admitted in the 3.2-3.4 range, with lots of relevant experience and great GRE scores, and not even just at "less well known" schools, which are still incredibly competitive, just in a different way.

 

For what it's worth, to get your application "seriously considered" you generally just have to make it past whatever arbitrary cut-off a school has. I know of one very well-ranked program that assigns points to GRE and GPA, and if you make it past their cut-off, they read the rest of your application. If you don't, they toss you out.

 

If you say you're almost able to pull off a 3.8, you seem to be in a good spot, and I bet you'll meet all cutoffs schools have to be fully considered. I would really put as much time as possible in the GRE, because it will not hurt your application to do well on it. Of course, it depends on what schools you apply to too, but you seem like you're in a good spot. Like Jolie said, you're at least aware, and I think that's what hurts applicants who have trouble getting accepted the most.

 

(About med school acceptance rates: http://www.usnews.com/education/best-graduate-schools/the-short-list-grad-school/articles/2015/03/31/10-medical-schools-that-are-most-competitive-for-applicants )

Hiya -

I think you are looking into the acceptance rates much more deeply than I was intending. I believe I found both rates on the U.S. News site on a day when I was stressing and procrastinating before studying for a midterm, lol. At any rate - I interpreted those numbers as being representative of the number of seats available and the number of qualified applicants applying. I don't think anyone here will debate that one of the main obstacles that we as future SLP grad students are facing deals with a lack of PhDs in our field and therefore a lack of programs and/or seats in a program.

Overall acceptance is the key idea here, and not individual programs' acceptance rates. For example CSUN is likely around 16-18% based on the numbers I was given just a month ago. Vanderbilt is more like 10-12% or so. So if there are twice as many med school programs with twice as many seats, the 41% acceptance rate is plausible. I am not arguing which major is "harder" - we all know med school requires more of the "hard science" classes. That being said, I myself am confident I could achieve the same high GPA in all of the pre-med classes and beyond and am guessing many other SLP majors who are high achievers could as well. The accepted SLP students' average GPA on the site that I found (again, probably US News) was significantly higher than the pre-med students, around 3.8-3.9 vs 3.55 if I remember right. So I am guessing that we would likely even out or come close to the pre-med students, GPA wise, even given the greater degree of difficulty in the "hard science" classes (and math too, for that matter.)

A side note here, but this is a really a huge pet peeve of mine - people in America view an MD or a JD as the ultimate in academic achievement. I strongly disagree. In China for example, teachers/professors are as highly valued as doctors, as well they should be. I view PhDs in many fields as far superior to both MD and JD. But that's just me, and neither here nor there at this point, I suppose.

As far as "pretty darn close" to a 4.0 - I myself would say that 3.7 is within that range. And again, I am referring to CD GPA, not overall GPA here.

"To put things in perspective" again, LMAO, in my very unscientific and anecdotal way:

My older sister was awarded a very prestigious fully funded Howard Hughes Medical Institute Fellowship and attended Harvard for her PhD in Genetics (this means a few years at Harvard Medical School plus a few more to finish the PhD). Another sister attended a top ten law school, University of Michigan, to receive her degree (JD). Both of them think I am crazy when I say that receiving a "B" in a CD class is not acceptable to me. Then again, they were young and unattached with no kids or hubby when they were in grad school - so I suppose my way of seeing things is likely VERY different and much more rigid than the younger set. I can not and will not uproot my family for grad school, so of course the stakes are higher for me and my opinions likely reflect that.

I still maintain that many have no idea how competitive it can be to get into an SLP grad program. I'm hoping that maybe a few might read this and realize they have to work a little harder than they might think is necessary at this point.

[Crimson Wife]

 That being said, I myself am confident I could achieve the same high GPA in all of the pre-med classes and beyond and am guessing many other SLP majors who are high achievers could as well. The accepted SLP students' average GPA on the site that I found (again, probably US News) was significantly higher than the pre-med students, around 3.8-3.9 vs 3.55 if I remember right. So I am guessing that we would likely even out or come close to the pre-med students, GPA wise, even given the greater degree of difficulty in the "hard science" classes (and math too, for that matter.)

 

 

Have you taken any pre-med courses? I'm guessing not, and for that reason I think you are VASTLY overestimating how difficult it is to get a decent grade in those courses. Bear in mind that the MEDIAN (as in half score higher, half score lower) is often set to a C+ or B- as a way to weed out all but the smartest and hardest-working students. And unlike the CSD courses I'm taking now, the tests were not multiple choice or true/false but open-ended.

 

My 1st UG alma mater prided itself on an acceptance rate in the high 90's to med school but what they fail to mention is that 50% of entering freshman start out as pre-meds but only 20% go on to med school after graduation. That's a whole lot of really smart kids (SAT's >700 on each section) getting weeded out. I got halfway through and even though I had an ok GPA, I decided that I didn't want to go into medicine badly enough to slog through the rest.

[Jolie717]

Yes I have taken pre-med classes, but my main point wasn't supposed to be about med school - I just got sidetracked. My friends who are doctors all have said that getting into med school was the easy part when compared to the rest of it (residency, fellowship etc) so I suppose my thinking has been colored by their experiences. At any rate I just hope people realize that GPA is really important and take it seriously. Can you still find a program without the best GPA? Of course - but it will likely be much more difficult, stressful, and might take longer. I hear classmates say things like "I'm just aiming to get a B" (bcz of what they've heard / read) before a class has even begun and it makes me cringe. At my school they emphasize GPA the most and are very clear about it. Sorry - I suppose I am getting all "mama bear" about it in my old age but education is SO expensive these days that it kills me when I see classmates that don't seem to be taking it seriously. I will get off of my high horse now, lol.

For those interested here is the link with the info on percent admission into SLP programs - she links the stats back to the ASHA site.

https://slpecho.wordpress.com/2014/02/08/what-are-my-chances-of-getting-into-slp-grad-school-part-2/

[CBG321]

I feel like all the people that really deserve to get into Graduate school are very aware of how important grades are (at least in my program and 3 nearby schools).  Some of those that aren't as conscientious are the same people I worked on group projects with and their portion was always late or done with the least amount of effort.  I think a lot of it has to do with life experience and personality they may have to figure things out the hard way. 

 

It may come across as harsh but those that aren't aware are choosing not to do any research and probably are not paying attention in their classes.  I think it's very sweet of you to be concerned for them and wishing that they had some better guidance.  However, I can't help but feel that with that kind of attitude do they really deserve to get into Graduate programs?  

 

If you've heard grades are important and have had classes with these people, aiming for B's, than chances are they have had the same opportunity to hear that and were too busy chatting with their neighbor in the back row or texting.    (Flashback to the two girls loudly, talking and giggling about showing my teacher their extra credit assignment while we were taking a FINAL!)  I can't help but think those girls and the "naive" people you've run into have some stuff in common. 

 

Just my 2 cents thanks again for all the feedback everyone!

[SLPosteriorCricoarytenoid]

This sounds pretty straightforward (because it kind of is), but it can be very difficult to predict whether or not a program will consider you. You can look at previous years' stats, but in reality these stats can deviate widely from year to year. I found this to be true with the program I was accepted to and will be attending. This year in particular, they had received 32% more applicants than the previous year, and they also had fewer spots to fill (a measly 7 spots). My program also had the average GPA increase. 

 

As can be inferred, the odds of getting in are dependent on not only the quality of applicants, but the changes in applicants on a yearly basis. It's all about what your competition is for the application cycle, which can be difficult to predict. Likewise, many programs' cutoff scores are derived from computing numerical scores for the applicants, based on GRE and GPA. I know my program specifically takes the numbers from GRE and multiplies them by GPA and then puts students on a ranking system (this way they don't use an arbitrary cutoff, but rather you are directly compared to your peers). The students ranked in the bottom 50% will find their files hit the trash without so much as being opened. From there they go through applications and look at them closer (and finally consider things other than the hard numbers) and cut them in half again. By this point, they are getting down to the students being considered for one of the 35 interview slots. After they eliminate more and conduct interviews, not even half of the interviewed applicants are offered admission. It is essentially a series of rigorous cuts. You just HOPE that your file is strong enough that they will give it the time of day. 

 

On another note, I find it alarming how many out of touch people there are who don't seem to grasp the difficulty of this and have a false sense of comfort that they WILL get into graduate school. I never once felt 100% comfortable throughout applications. It is all so unpredictable. 

Edited May 25, 2015 by SLPosteriorCricoarytenoid

[CBG321]

This sounds pretty straightforward (because it kind of is), but it can be very difficult to predict whether or not a program will consider you. You can look at previous years' stats, but in reality these stats can deviate widely from year to year. I found this to be true with the program I was accepted to and will be attending. This year in particular, they had received 32% more applicants than the previous year, and they also had fewer spots to fill (a measly 7 spots). My program also had the average GPA increase. 

 

As can be inferred, the odds of getting in are dependent on not only the quality of applicants, but the changes in applicants on a yearly basis. It's all about what your competition is for the application cycle, which can be difficult to predict. Likewise, many programs' cutoff scores are derived from computing numerical scores for the applicants, based on GRE and GPA. I know my program specifically takes the numbers from GRE and multiplies them by GPA and then puts students on a ranking system (this way they don't use an arbitrary cutoff, but rather you are directly compared to your peers). The students ranked in the bottom 50% will find their files hit the trash without so much as being opened. From there they go through applications and look at them closer (and finally consider things other than the hard numbers) and cut them in half again. By this point, they are getting down to the students being considered for one of the 35 interview slots. After they eliminate more and conduct interviews, not even half of the interviewed applicants are offered admission. It is essentially a series of rigorous cuts. You just HOPE that your file is strong enough that they will give it the time of day. 

 

On another note, I find it alarming how many out of touch people there are who don't seem to grasp the difficulty of this and have a false sense of comfort that they WILL get into graduate school. I never once felt 100% comfortable throughout applications. It is all so unpredictable. 

 

So with the average GPA increasing how does that work when schools are telling us a ton of them are 4.0's are you saying all of them may be 4.0's for certain schools?  Or just saying it can't be predicted so do as well as you can and work on all aspects of the application (which makes sense). 

 

32% increase is insane.  It's too bad we don't have any data on what is doing those increases.  It could be something as simple as more students are educated on the odds and are applying to more programs or that particular school was advertised a bit more etc.  But wowza that is a large increase.  I couldn't help but notice that one of the schools listed on this site as being one that was "less competitive" (I think they're all competitive anyway) had a huge increase in numbers as well.  Sometimes word of mouth and forums can make that cushion real or imaginary disappear in one cycle.

 

I think i'll just focus on making the strongest application I can and really be conscientious in the schools I choose to apply to.  How many would you recommend based on the opinion that people are acting too comfortable when applying?  What do you consider a realistic number?

[SLPosteriorCricoarytenoid]

So with the average GPA increasing how does that work when schools are telling us a ton of them are 4.0's are you saying all of them may be 4.0's for certain schools?  Or just saying it can't be predicted so do as well as you can and work on all aspects of the application (which makes sense). 

 

32% increase is insane.  It's too bad we don't have any data on what is doing those increases.  It could be something as simple as more students are educated on the odds and are applying to more programs or that particular school was advertised a bit more etc.  But wowza that is a large increase.  I couldn't help but notice that one of the schools listed on this site as being one that was "less competitive" (I think they're all competitive anyway) had a huge increase in numbers as well.  Sometimes word of mouth and forums can make that cushion real or imaginary disappear in one cycle.

 

I think i'll just focus on making the strongest application I can and really be conscientious in the schools I choose to apply to.  How many would you recommend based on the opinion that people are acting too comfortable when applying?  What do you consider a realistic number?

 

I was referring specifically to the program I will be attending. The rising GPA does seem to be the trend for most programs though. I also second doing as well as possible and focusing on all areas of the application. I am an example of how numbers aren't everything. Although I have a good GPA, my GRE scores were less than stellar. I had a lot of relevant experiences that were unique that helped set me apart from others. Many of the other students I have spoke to also have a pretty built resume of experiences as well. It is a balancing act in that if you know you may not be strong in one area of the application, it is good to build the other parts to make up for it.  

 

I also applied mostly to "less competitive" programs and by no means do they seem "less competitive" lol. That's just the nature of the beast I guess. The number of schools you apply to should be dependent on how strong you think your application is. One useful thing you could do is meet with faculty to discuss potential graduate school options and how competitive they think you will be. I did this last summer before starting my post-bacc and it was good to hear the perspective of a faculty member who is on an admissions committee. This is also an excellent way to build a good professional relationship and make sure they can put a name to your face! I also contacted some of the programs I was applying to and confirmed that I had met all the prerequisites for their program. Some programs don't openly say on the website what they expect students to have coming in, so this is a good idea if you're not sure! 

 

Anyways, I personally applied to 6 programs that I did a lot of research on. I made sure my application was similar to students' stats who they had accepted in the past. That is one of the most important things you can do. Some of my friends applied to only "more competitive" type programs and ended up getting rejected from all of them. It may be hard to critically evaluate yourself, so this is why it is good to get faculty perspectives on yourself so you have realistic expectations on where you apply. I got into 4/6 I applied to, which I am so thankful for. My advisor told me that students here usually apply to ~4-7 programs.

 

Likewise, if you really feel uncomfortable with applying to a small number of schools, apply to more! It is hard enough keeping your sanity during applications. The last thing you need is extra stress during the waiting part, wondering whether you should've applied to more!

[CBG321]

I was referring specifically to the program I will be attending. The rising GPA does seem to be the trend for most programs though. I also second doing as well as possible and focusing on all areas of the application. I am an example of how numbers aren't everything. Although I have a good GPA, my GRE scores were less than stellar. I had a lot of relevant experiences that were unique that helped set me apart from others. Many of the other students I have spoke to also have a pretty built resume of experiences as well. It is a balancing act in that if you know you may not be strong in one area of the application, it is good to build the other parts to make up for it.  

 

I also applied mostly to "less competitive" programs and by no means do they seem "less competitive" lol. That's just the nature of the beast I guess. The number of schools you apply to should be dependent on how strong you think your application is. One useful thing you could do is meet with faculty to discuss potential graduate school options and how competitive they think you will be. I did this last summer before starting my post-bacc and it was good to hear the perspective of a faculty member who is on an admissions committee. This is also an excellent way to build a good professional relationship and make sure they can put a name to your face! I also contacted some of the programs I was applying to and confirmed that I had met all the prerequisites for their program. Some programs don't openly say on the website what they expect students to have coming in, so this is a good idea if you're not sure! 

 

Anyways, I personally applied to 6 programs that I did a lot of research on. I made sure my application was similar to students' stats who they had accepted in the past. That is one of the most important things you can do. Some of my friends applied to only "more competitive" type programs and ended up getting rejected from all of them. It may be hard to critically evaluate yourself, so this is why it is good to get faculty perspectives on yourself so you have realistic expectations on where you apply. I got into 4/6 I applied to, which I am so thankful for. My advisor told me that students here usually apply to ~4-7 programs.

 

Likewise, if you really feel uncomfortable with applying to a small number of schools, apply to more! It is hard enough keeping your sanity during applications. The last thing you need is extra stress during the waiting part, wondering whether you should've applied to more!

 

I'm narrowing down as we speak though so if I fall in love with a certain number and go and visit and know for a fact it's a bad fit i'll adjust that amount accordingly.

 

When you asked them about your chances do you kind of give them a run down of your extra activities?  For instance tell them I volunteered this long and worked in a lab this long and have this gpa etc?  Or do you just ask them what they are looking for and weigh your application against what they have told you?

 

Thanks this is very helpful advice for those of us diving into this super fun time of application prep season haha.  I need to go take that GRE soon so I can figure out what i've got in all areas lol.

[SLPosteriorCricoarytenoid]

I'm narrowing down as we speak though so if I fall in love with a certain number and go and visit and know for a fact it's a bad fit i'll adjust that amount accordingly.

 

When you asked them about your chances do you kind of give them a run down of your extra activities?  For instance tell them I volunteered this long and worked in a lab this long and have this gpa etc?  Or do you just ask them what they are looking for and weigh your application against what they have told you?

 

Thanks this is very helpful advice for those of us diving into this super fun time of application prep season haha.  I need to go take that GRE soon so I can figure out what i've got in all areas lol.

 

When I met with faculty I brought along my CV and transcripts in case she wanted to see them. I never ended up handing her them since I gave her a summary of who I was, what I had done, my GPA, and GRE scores in order to save time. I have sort of a long CV so I didn't want to throw it at her and bore her with it. For instance, I briefly told her about my internship, my job working with special needs individuals, my volunteering in inpatient rehab, teaching assistantships, and my research experiences. Those were the things I thought were most memorable so I wanted to know if she thought they were sufficient or if I needed to seek out more "big" experiences. I also asked what their specific program looks for in applicants and they told me their main areas were:

 

1. CSD GPA

2. Last 60 credits GPA

3. Cumulative GPA

4. GRE scores

5. Interview

6. Relevant experiences

7. Letter of recommendations

 

Some programs may weight importance of application materials differently, but I really focused on ensuring these areas were good since I was told they loosely weight the areas in this order. I think most programs are pretty similar, from what I've heard. 

 

Study, study, study for the GRE! It can open a lot of doors if you do well!   That was my weakest area of my application but my other areas helped make up for it. 

 

You're welcome! I found these forums to be very helpful when I was going into application season, so I figured I would contribute and pass along what I learned along the way!