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2017 Canadian Application Thread!


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16 minutes ago, princesst said:

Am I okay to submit my entire application if ORPAS has not received my transcript from my uni yet? Still waiting for a final mark from last semester and my uni is responsible for sending it to ORPAS anyways right? 

Hi princesst, 

You'll be fine to submit the application, as the transcripts need to be in to ORPAS by January 30th. 

Source: https://www.ouac.on.ca/guide/orpas-transcript/

Good luck!

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58 minutes ago, A_linguist said:

Hi princesst, 

You'll be fine to submit the application, as the transcripts need to be in to ORPAS by January 30th. 

Source: https://www.ouac.on.ca/guide/orpas-transcript/

Good luck!

Thank you! Good luck to everyone submitting their applications as well! :D Waiting will be stressful but I'm glad I can finally submit this application and get it off my plate!

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If there is anyone already in the program and accepted an offer from an Ontario school recently, I would really appreciate someone sending me their stats (GPA especially) to get an idea of where I stand. This uncertainty is killing me! But maybe don't bother if your GPA is 3.9 or above lol

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@SLPhopeful17 from what i've read/heard, subGPA is your last 60 credits counting backwards from last term (or whatever grades they have access to). Cumulative GPA is just ALL you marks. 

Edited by mizuro
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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi guys! I'm already getting so anxious even though it's only been 3 weeks since the application deadline. I've read through just about every year's Canadian SLP thread and figured I'd join in. It's so exciting to actually be able to talk to the people who might be our future classmates. I've applied to U of T, Western and McMaster.  I have about a 3.88 sGPA right now (cumulative probably around the same), and all my prereqs are between 3.9-4.0, except for one, which is 3.7 (stupid research methods). I have around 240 hours of volunteering directly under a speech pathologist and then another 250 working with kids with developmental disabilities (most see a speech path). All my volunteering is child based. I have a little bit of research experience (25 hours), but in an unrelated field, and a few other extraneous extracurriculars/volunteering. 

For those of us applying to McMaster, when do you think we'll find out about the interviews? (they say the last week of february, which technically is the 26-5th of March... do you think they would give us that short of a time to go? Or do you think it'll be the week before? And do you think they'll notify us only if we got an interview or if we didn't get one too?

Good luck to everyone! I hope you all get your top school :)

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Hi everyone! 

Quick question!

I have completed a bachelor last year and I have started a new undergrad program both at the same university. 5 of my courses were transferred to the transcript of my new program. Does ORPAS consider transferred credit grades in the sub-GPA calculation?

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On 10/29/2016 at 0:39 PM, A_linguist said:

@mizuro I just looked over the conversation I had with a friend who went through UBC SLP. He said that the program is pretty heavily research focused. He thinks that UofA graduates are better prepared to practice than UBC ones, as the UofA has a clinic on-site (UBC doesn't) and he found the UBC program to be heavily research focused. So to answer your question, yes, it seems like the general consensus is that the UBC program is really theoretical. If you have research experience, it probably won't hurt your application.

No idea about competitive GRE scores. I'll be taking it in early December, so I'll get back to you once I have my results.

Hello!

 

I am a UBC SLP student currently, and I wanted to give you a more complete perspective about the program.

 

It isn't any more " research heavy" than any other school. You need to have a theoretical framework to know why therapies work or don't work. Evidence based practice is very important, so we do course work. Without efficacy data.... what are you doing?

 We also have 32 weeks of externships over the two years, plus school based clients. We have the Aphasia Mentors program, ALL group, and a phonology clinic. We also have the FIRST and ONLY swallowing simulator system in Canada. So.... in terms of our clinical skills... they are well honed and well taught. 

 

In terms of our prof's.... well... we have some of the best in the world, and yes, they publish a lot. But you don't have to do a thesis. I am not doing one. You can do a graduating project if you want, or write a comprehensive exam. 

 

I had an externship at a hospital and there was a student from another school ( I will not name it... haha) and they didn't know how to do an Oral Motor Exam. Because it was expected she would learn in her placement.... I knew how to do it because we learned in our course work. Personally I don't like being thrown into clinic without knowledge.... just saying...

 

If you don't like theory, then you shouldn't be an SLP. Period.

 

Good luck everyone. 

 

And those of you who get into UBC, congrats! You are going to be heading into and AMAZING program.

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10 hours ago, ihpmpsdcdrr said:

Has anyone heard from Dal about their application status? It seems late, even for them. 

You mean if everything is in order and you aren't missing anything for the application?

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@VancitySLP Thanks for the insight! It's good to know that UBC has a strong clinical program alongside a good theoretical framework. I was worried based on what I've heard from previous students/SLPs that it wasn't clinical enough. :)

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22 hours ago, Bananis said:

Yes, I got an email the same day you posted actually. They can't find my GRE scores.... lovely.

I know someone that that happened to, and it all turned out ok. They can take a while to arrive. 

 

I still haven't gotten an email from them, but maybe that means everything is fine. 

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I received a noticed from Dal on Feb 1 confirming that my application was complete and submitted.

I did have a bit of an issue during the application process -- they had changed the mailing address on their website after I had already sent all of my documents. Fortunately they were able to track everything down!

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Is anyone else feeling nervous about McMaster interviews? I hate not knowing if I'm going to get an interview request or not, although we will know soon. Have any of you prepared for an MMI? 

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7 hours ago, princesst said:

Is anyone else feeling nervous about McMaster interviews? I hate not knowing if I'm going to get an interview request or not, although we will know soon. Have any of you prepared for an MMI? 

Agreed @princesst! I don't want to start preparing too much incase I don't even get an interview. ?  Just 1 more week to wait! 

Some of the preparation that I have been doing is reading articles and watching some YouTube videos although a lot of them have to do with medical school interviews. I also went to a talk by the head of the McMaster SLP program and she said 2 things that might be helpful: 

1) Before ORPAS released the applicant information to them, they had no clue how many applicants they were going to get - they can put a suggested GPA out there but it's hard to know how many people will apply and where the "cut-off" will be 

2) They don't want to provide TOO much information about the MMIs and they don't even want you to spend too much time "preparing" because they want you to be as close to your true self as you can be. 

Hope this helps a bit but we'll find out on Feb 23rd/24th! 

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3 hours ago, DanielleSLP said:

Agreed @princesst! I don't want to start preparing too much incase I don't even get an interview. ?  Just 1 more week to wait! 

Some of the preparation that I have been doing is reading articles and watching some YouTube videos although a lot of them have to do with medical school interviews. I also went to a talk by the head of the McMaster SLP program and she said 2 things that might be helpful: 

1) Before ORPAS released the applicant information to them, they had no clue how many applicants they were going to get - they can put a suggested GPA out there but it's hard to know how many people will apply and where the "cut-off" will be 

2) They don't want to provide TOO much information about the MMIs and they don't even want you to spend too much time "preparing" because they want you to be as close to your true self as you can be. 

Hope this helps a bit but we'll find out on Feb 23rd/24th! 

Just wondering where you got the interview request date? I had been looking for it but didn't see any info on the McMaster website! But if that's right it's great news, definitely sooner than I expected

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7 hours ago, SLPMaybe said:

Just wondering where you got the interview request date? I had been looking for it but didn't see any info on the McMaster website! But if that's right it's great news, definitely sooner than I expected

The dates are on the website (Feb 23rd or 24th) and if people are offered an interview, they have to accept the offer by Feb 26th, then the interviews will be held March 3rd and 4th. 

Info @ the top of the page here http://srs-mcmaster.ca/slp-admissions/:) 

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11 hours ago, DanielleSLP said:

In general, how are people feeling about the new McMaster program? Does the MMI process appeal to you? How would you rank McMaster in your choices of universities? 

The only reservation that I have about the new program is that it is not yet accredited (but they are confident that it will be with the first graduating class in 2019). Other than that, I think that it is great to have another option in Canada, to avoid going to the States (and racking up a huge amount of debt).

In regards to the MMI process, I think it's great! I have heard anecdotal evidence from many SLPs that there is a growing problem with students getting in to the SLP program who are really smart but who have no communication skills or life experience. One, who teaches at one of the other SLP programs, is trying to get interviews into that program, too, because of the issue. Grades are important, but I feel that they shouldn't have 70% weight on applications as they do in some programs. 

I would love to go to McMaster and be a part of the first graduating class. That said, if I get in to McGill or UBC, I would also be very stoked. It's all up to the SLP powers-that-be at this point, so I am trying to relax and let it happen :)

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13 hours ago, DanielleSLP said:

In general, how are people feeling about the new McMaster program? Does the MMI process appeal to you? How would you rank McMaster in your choices of universities? 

 I like the idea of the MMI's, just cause it gives you a chance to really let them get to know you, more than in a 3000 character statement of intent. I am also a little nervous about them not being accredited yet, but McMaster is an amazing (and tough to get into) school, with a great med school, so I'm sure there will be no problems. After seeing some of the amazing stats on this website, I'm starting to think McMaster is my best shot! I also think that being in the inaugural class would be a really cool opportunity. It's just killing me not knowing whether my GPA is good enough or not! Good luck everyone. 

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On 17.02.2017 at 9:31 AM, hopefulspeechie52 said:

@SLPinthemaking

@A_linguist

Hey guys! I emailed the mcmaster administrative team about the whole accrediting thing, and they said that since they've been approved to hold the program, it is safe to assume that they will get accreditation. 

That's great news. Thanks for contacting McMaster.

I guess for those who applied to McMaster, we find out later on this week if we get invited to interviews. I'm wondering if anyone who lives in other parts of the country (aside from Ontario) will be making the last minute trek to Hamilton. I live in Alberta but would definitely make the trip. New Leaf flies straight to Hamilton from Edmonton, too, which is awesome.

Also, I am curious about other plans that people might have in the unfortunate event that SLP doesn't work out this time around. Full disclosure: I've applied twice (to no avail), took two years away from the field to question my motivations and try other things (public sector, private sector, academic world, living overseas), but decided to come back for another shot as the other career paths weren't fulfilling. If it doesn't work out for me, I have some other coals in the fire that are in no way related to SLP. Fingers crossed that it works out this time (and for all of you, too :) ).

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