Getting A Master's Degree in a Related Field

[edardi1]

Is there anyone here who had trouble getting into an SLP program and got a master's degree in a related field (education, applied behavioral analysis, psychology, special education, etc.) then got a master's in SLP?  Do you think the other master's degree boosted your application?

 

[Speechster]

I got a master's in special ed, and just recently got admitted into a SLP program. I don't think it boosted my application because my scores were still the same, but I feel that what I learned from my program will help me be a better SLP because I learned how to teach concepts to children with disabilities.

[orangegreenblue]

i feel like you could just work and gain practical experience without wasting a ton of time and money on a degree that you wouldn't really use

[edardi1]

1 minute ago, orangegreenblue said:

i feel like you could just work and gain practical experience without wasting a ton of time and money on a degree that you wouldn't really use

You do have a good point, but over the past four years I've worked with deaf children, kids with ASD, and have also done volunteer work with special needs kids.  It doesn't seem like it's helping much with the app, that's why I feel the need to boost the academic side.  

[Crimson Wife]

That's a lot of money to spend on a degree that you don't intend to use.

If I cannot get accepted to SLP after 2 tries, my plan is to get a Master's in Deaf Education and become an Auditory-Verbal Educator rather than an Auditory-Verbal Therapist. The work is similar but with small groups in a classroom setting rather than 1:1 in a therapy setting. I think I'm better suited for SLP than classroom teaching but either way I'd be achieving my goal of helping deaf & hard-of-hearing kids learn spoken English. That's what I feel God is calling me to do with my life and whatever route is necessary to achieve my goal is fine.

[GMT]

It may help, but I think the experience is a key factor. I have a Master of Arts in Teaching but also 9 years experience in the classroom. Maybe it helped my application in the sense of I have another more recent GPA that they can look at, but if I just had the degree and not the experience, then I don't think it would be as valuable.

[SouthernDrawl]

6 minutes ago, GMT said:

It may help, but I think the experience is a key factor. I have a Master of Arts in Teaching but also 9 years experience in the classroom. Maybe it helped my application in the sense of I have another more recent GPA that they can look at, but if I just had the degree and not the experience, then I don't think it would be as valuable.

MA in Writing and Linguistics here. I 100% agree. Do I think it really boosted my app? Not specifically. But it did get me a job (three years of relevant experience) which I think did a lot for an out-of-field candidate. I would not have gotten the degree if my sole motivation had been to directly apply for another degree though. When you say academic boost, do you mean your GPA? My program was around 36 hours, while my BA was close to 130. Mathematically, it may not have as much of an effect unless you are looking at a last 60 program? 

Edited April 6, 2016 by SouthernDrawl

[GMT]

3 hours ago, SouthernDrawl said:

MA in Writing and Linguistics here. I 100% agree. Do I think it really boosted my app? Not specifically. But it did get me a job (three years of relevant experience) which I think did a lot for an out-of-field candidate. I would not have gotten the degree if my sole motivation had been to directly apply for another degree though. When you say academic boost, do you mean your GPA? My program was around 36 hours, while my BA was close to 130. Mathematically, it may not have as much of an effect unless you are looking at a last 60 program? 

Exactly, the program I got accepted to only looks at your last 60 hours.

[jmk]

Slightly off topic OP, but I see you have a GRE of 292. How does your score break down? Have you considered strengthening your GRE score through added prep and a retake? 

Also- have you considered widening your pool of school choices (if geographically/financially possible), and emailing programs for the next cycle asking if your stats fit their average applicant? 

I only have a story from a related field- a friend got a Masters in Kinesiology while trying to get into OT school. He did not think the Masters really helped his app, but did the the research experience and volunteer opportunities he had while at the program did. 

[edardi1]

4 hours ago, jmk said:

Slightly off topic OP, but I see you have a GRE of 292. How does your score break down? Have you considered strengthening your GRE score through added prep and a retake? 

Also- have you considered widening your pool of school choices (if geographically/financially possible), and emailing programs for the next cycle asking if your stats fit their average applicant? 

I only have a story from a related field- a friend got a Masters in Kinesiology while trying to get into OT school. He did not think the Masters really helped his app, but did the the research experience and volunteer opportunities he had while at the program did. 

Quant is 147, Qual is 145.  If my last two schools are not in my favor, I thought about getting a private GRE tutor.  I figured having someone guide me may help with my test anxiety instead of me trying to teach myself.  I had a friend who had a hard time getting into audiology school and she got a masters in oral deaf ed, the classes and research experience certainly helped with her eventual acceptance into AuD.  I'm in the process of contacting the schools I got rejected from to see what else I could do to strengthen my application, and I figured if I get this other master's degree and I don't get into SLP school next year, I could at least work in the field of my other master's degree.  

[orangegreenblue]

17 hours ago, edardi1 said:

You do have a good point, but over the past four years I've worked with deaf children, kids with ASD, and have also done volunteer work with special needs kids.  It doesn't seem like it's helping much with the app, that's why I feel the need to boost the academic side.  

it would probably be cheaper to just do a post bac program and to retake the classes in the major! and a lot of schools accept the people who do post bacs into their own grad programs

[orangegreenblue]

2 minutes ago, orangegreenblue said:

it would probably be cheaper to just do a post bac program and to retake the classes in the major! and a lot of schools accept the people who do post bacs into their own grad programs

also, try applying to more schools! 

[CBG321]

I think applying to another graduate program would do the opposite of what you want.  It wouldn't help, I don't think, and could potentially paint you as not knowing what you want to do which would be detrimental to your application.  

Plus as other posters said it is a waste of your money.  I agree with what others are saying in focusing on the GRE and applying to more schools.  Another tip is to go visit in person if you can and give a face to your future applications.  

Good luck!!!

[edardi1]

Thanks everyone!