Not sure if I should re-take classes, or hope that my classroom experience helps

[MerleSquirrel]

Hello!
 

I graduated two years ago with an undergraduate degree in CSD. My major GPA is 3.1 and overall a 2.8.  I had some testing woes and a few non-CSD filler classes slay the GPA. 

 

After graduating , and after my advisor telling me to find a new career, I did a year of AmeriCorps in a low-income school as a teacher assistant and reading support staff, and as an after school teacher. I am now a lead summer teacher in a Montessori school, embarking on my third year of classroom experience. 

 

My question is, should I bother spending a thousand dollars re-taking a speech science and audiology class that I made a C+ in, or should I apply without touching the already set-in-stone GPA and depend on my LORs and new GRE score to better my chances? 

 

I don't care where I go to school. I want to be a school SLP more than anything. 

[Apogeee]

46 minutes ago, MerleSquirrel said:

I graduated two years ago with an undergraduate degree in CSD. My major GPA is 3.1 and overall a 2.8.  I had some testing woes and a few non-CSD filler classes slay the GPA. 

I'm sorry about your testing difficulties. And I'm sorry about your advisor not being very helpful or kind. Is this testing issue just the once, or is it a pattern with testing, in general? Either way, it is not impossible to overcome, but you could get different advice depending on your specific situation. Who is writing these LORs? Have you written your personal statement yet? How is your CV, otherwise? Have you been able to review any books or publish any articles in peer-reviewed journals? If you haven't yet, don't worry. Most BA's haven't. But these are areas for you to work on later. If you retake a class that you earned a C+, doesn't that grade stay on your transcript and remain averaged in to your GPA? When did you take the GRE? How did that go? What was your strongest area on the GRE?

Have you considered an intermediate MA in SLA or ESL? Do you have a teaching license? Can you combine ESL with a MAT? This can help you build your confidence as you improve your teaching skills and add to your resume. You will make connections in the field experiences for the MAT. And as you are doing all of that, you are inching closer to your dream. 

Could you afford to be a FT graduate student, or are you looking to go to school while working? Are you willing to relocate? 

I think I have asked more questions than given answers. I hope the questions get you thinking about a different route to get where you want. Sort of "go around" instead of "go over". 

[Apogeee]

Well, if I were you, and I'm not, I would study for the GRE and take it again. You want to improve the writing substantially, and also inch up your verbal and quant. I'm glad you have people around you now who know how to work with your strengths. It's these strengths that you will have to write about in your personal statement: and that can't be wishy washy, so take out all of the negative things you have ever heard, and write about the positive, and how this will strengthen the program you are looking to attend. Start that personal statement now, and get an experienced advisor to help you edit and improve it. I think this is the most difficult part of our application package. You want to get it right.

The problem with testing is that once we get the idea that we're not good at it, it can be difficult to shut that narrative up and just get on with it. The best thing you can do to shut up that narrative is study, over a lengthy period of time, the material that the test is designed to cover, hopefully with a tutor or a friend, and exercise your iron will on test day.

The only problem that I see with your LORs is that you don't mention any from a university. You will probably need 3, so is there a professor in your field who will write a LOR for you? A good one? 

Get ready to do this, and apply to at least 10 schools. The object is funding. You often have to invest for that to happen. I wouldn't retake that class yet. I'd work on the GRE, and perhaps think about an MAT (not a PostBacc). Think about applying to one MAT program, and tell them you want to be considered for funding. That teaching credential is going to open up your options in terms of your ultimate goal.