Why is being an SLP so difficult!!??

[fbf13]

I just took my GRE and my scores are literally terrible!! Let's just say I did a lot better on the math than I did on the verbal...so of course the first thing I do is Google "what do I do now?" I live in Michigan and I have an overall GPA of a 3.35 (retaking a class that will bring it up to a 3.4) and a 3.5 in my CSD courses. After reading a couple of threads and everyone's comments I feel COMPLETELY discouraged especially after taking my GRE. I am on NSSHLA's e-board and I have worked in a private clinic for 4 years and all of this just isn't good enough for anyone?! It's sad that this field makes me feel this way when I have such a passion for it and the personality. 

I was thinking about retaking my GRE but honestly how will I ever learn 1,000 vocabulary words that no one ever uses. 

Please someone help! 

[GeoDUDE!]

I don't think being an SLP is any more difficult than any other subfield. For example, most people, to get into graduate school in my field, need a 3.5+ GPA and 320 combined. There are people who get in with less, but that tends to be close to the average. 

[fbf13]

I know there are a lot of other hard graduate programs, just like SLP and some may be even more difficult. I was just looking for advice I'm feeling pretty awful about my GRE score and I'm just desperate to hear what other people think or what their experiences are. 

[twinguy7]

apply to GVSU

[jmk]

What are your GRE scores, and what were you doing in terms of prep? Did you use any test taking strategy books? 

[LillyZebras]

How low exactly were your scores? The GRE shouldn't require really knowing that many words unless your aiming for a really high score, it's more comprehension and reasoning. These can be tough when you're nervous and more likely to make mistakes, but I imagine practice questions would help. After that just learn the most common words - or write down words you struggle with on practice questions - and go from there. Keep studying until you score higher on practice tests than your target score, leaving room for the silly mistakes you'll make when nervous. Also time how long it should take you to do certain types of questions, if you're taking too long on one on the test skip it and come back. Better to rush on one or two questions at the end then rush on the whole test. 

And I don't think 3.4 is abysmal for an overall, but do you have time to retake any CSD classes? A 3.5 should still get you into one of some less popular programs if everything else is great but it wouldn't hurt to raise it. 

[mr479]

I just took my GRE and my scores are literally terrible!! Let's just say I did a lot better on the math than I did on the verbal...so of course the first thing I do is Google "what do I do now?" I live in Michigan and I have an overall GPA of a 3.35 (retaking a class that will bring it up to a 3.4) and a 3.5 in my CSD courses. After reading a couple of threads and everyone's comments I feel COMPLETELY discouraged especially after taking my GRE. I am on NSSHLA's e-board and I have worked in a private clinic for 4 years and all of this just isn't good enough for anyone?! It's sad that this field makes me feel this way when I have such a passion for it and the personality. 

I was thinking about retaking my GRE but honestly how will I ever learn 1,000 vocabulary words that no one ever uses. 

Please someone help! 

I personally think it's easy to learn 1000 or 10000 new words. It just takes time. Suck it up. The words you don't want to learn are used everyday. I hear them on the radio all the time. 

Edited August 22, 2015 by bettercallsaul

[Crimson Wife]

Not all schools require the GRE, so I'd be more concerned about the 3.4 GPA than the GRE. Try to find some "easy A" electives to help bump up your GPA to a 3.7+.

[jmk]

Not all schools require the GRE, so I'd be more concerned about the 3.4 GPA than the GRE. Try to find some "easy A" electives to help bump up your GPA to a 3.7+.

For this particular student, that seems almost impossible (though fantastic advice for any other 3.4 students with coursework left.) If the student has a 3.4 GPA and 120 units of coursework, to raise their GPA to a 3.70, that would be exactly another 120 units of A coursework, with no lower grades. 

fbf13- I would check out the GRE forum, and seriously consider a private tutor, a GRE prep course in verbal, as well as some test taking strategy books, and Magoosh. Private prep is costly, but depending on your learning style, can be greatly beneficial. 

[.letmeinplz//]

Not all schools require the GRE, so I'd be more concerned about the 3.4 GPA than the GRE. Try to find some "easy A" electives to help bump up your GPA to a 3.7+.

This is assuming professors on the admissions board don't look at your transcript that they require you send as part of applying... They are looking at your grades in your field, not your grades in Beekeeping 101.

[Crimson Wife]

This is assuming professors on the admissions board don't look at your transcript that they require you send as part of applying... They are looking at your grades in your field, not your grades in Beekeeping 101.

I'm not talking about completely unrelated courses but electives like child dev and education ones (and some of the psych courses but ask around since other psych courses are hard). My sister-in-law was an ed major and she told me the coursework was a total joke. One of the psych courses I took was called "Developmental Psychology Lab" and it was super-duper easy because all it entailed was visiting the on-campus preschool and making observations of the kids. I believe there may have been a summary reflective paper at the end of the term but it was an easy "A".