Low GPA and GRE Scores...

[Gkj _ Speech]

Hello Everyone,

I'm looking for some advice / direction for applying. I went through all the schools on Edfinder and made a spreadsheet of potential schools, but now I have this list f 25 schools or so. I don't feel like I have any "safety" schools on my list, so I don't know how to choose. 

Stats

Cum GPA: 3.198 (do I round that to 3.2 on apps/resumes?)

Major GPA: 3.72

GRE:  157 Verbal, 148 Quant, 3.5 Writing

Personal Info:

I finished undergrad in May 2015 with a speech path degree. I started applying last year, but decided to take a year off and never finished the application process. During undergrad, I worked a lot (desk assistant 4 years, housing staff [RA] for 3/4 years, private school's aftercare program, retail and ABA para during the summers) and volunteered (Reading Partners, TA at an oral school for deaf children) to keep myself busy. I've done a small bit of pediatric hospital shadowing. I was also moderately involved in my university's Deaf Culture and Comm Dis organizations. 

Now I work full-time as an ABA para in an elementary school, and I also nanny 3 typical children. The plan was to volunteer in a nursing home or hospital to get experience with the adult population, but time got away from me... I'm in the Midwest, but willing to travel! 

Knowing all this, does anyone have any encouraging words for me? Any school recommendations? Advice?

Thank! 

[Arcanelady27]

What I will say is this field has become so competitive I do not think there is no longer a "safety school" dynamic when applying. 

Your verbal is great. I have been told a combined score og 300 what more schools look for or scores within the 50th percentile. Your writing score is something I would consider a slight glitch. I was told 4.0 and higher is what most schools look for...

I would highlight all those experiences in your SOP.  

[me_kaleidoscope]

I'd say, if you're passionate about this field and if you aren't afraid of stepping outside of the box and wholly expressing it in your applications, I'd say you're A OK.  The application process is a total load of bullshit.  I understand the point of filtering people out with GPA's, but in the long run, good grades won't get you ANYWHERE when it comes down to being a solid clinician dealing with some emotionally heavy stuff. My only regret is the fear I had in the application process of comparing myself to everyone else's process and not truly showing my whole weirdo self through my essays.

It's really unfortunate that so many of the programs rely so heavily on people's grades, but if you believe in yourself (and your experience, which MEANS EVERYTHING and will be immensely valuable to you once you're in grad school!!!), go with it! Forget comparing yourself to other people's academic standings, and soar into this with all of the passionate gusto your heart has. YOU WON'T REGRET IT. I know how cheesy that sounds, but it means everything.  And you know what, if a school doesn't like or want that, than quite honestly, that's not going to be the right school to nurture you as a student. 

I got into 1 out of the 8 schools I applied to, but it was the one that mattered and the one that I wanted: Pacific University in Oregon.  My grades in comparison to everyone in the application pool were super shitty (3.0 undergrad, 3.45 post-bacc, 298 total GRE with a 3.5 essay), and I have a heavy dose of ADD, but I had a lot of experience and was really proud and passionate about it (7 summers at an overnight camp for kids and adults with special needs, and 5 years of ABA therapy work and parent coaching in an EI and elementary school environment). I knew that by taking the risk of going against the grain and showing to the best of my ability how much being in this field means to me and what my passion would to do help contribute to it, that they would see it. And they did!  The prof who interviewed me asked the question -- what made me stand out as an academic student?  I took the risk and told her: "I process slowly.  I process differently. " (thanks ADD), and she literally lost it in enthusiasm over the fact of how open and honest my answer was, and how much Pacific's program wants and nurtures all learning styles. I knew at that moment that I had totally nailed a spot in the program.  Oh yeah, and once I did get in, she totally asked me to be her grad assistant . BOOM!

So I guess what I'm trying to say is:

believe in yourself, your, experience, and your passion for the field -- it'll get you so far.  The best clinicians are the ones who are willing to take risks and think outside the box.  And really do your research into the programs and professors that fit your values and needs as a student. 

Feel free to message me if you have any additional questions/comments!

Good luck!!! It'll all be soooo worth it!!!

Edited November 15, 2015 by me_kaleidoscope

[Rose Garden]

Awesome post, me-k!  I love people that are real and aren't afraid to show it.