Mixed GRE Scores, High GPA, Nontraditional

[mmartin767]

Hi all. I'm not personally applying to SLP grad school, but my husband is and I'm asking for him (and to soothe my own nervousness). He and I both have Ph.D.'s in English, but unfortunately the job market is horrendous. So he decided to attempt a career in SLP. Last year he only applied to two schools (he ran into some difficulties applying) and didn't get in. Since then, he has finished most of the prerequisites with a 4.0 in his SLP classes (his undergrad average was above 3.5; his English grad average was around 3.8 or so). He's been volunteering in an SLP-related lab for the past 9 months. His GRE scores are what we're both worried about. He aced the verbal section (perfect score), but only got about a 144/145 on math. Is this going to kill his chances? Do schools look at the GRE scores separately? He has applied to 6 schools this time around. Thanks in advance!

[Afternoonprogram]

Did he asked at the individual schools?  I think it really depends on where he's applying.  I applied to a couple schools (I"m also non-trad. with previous graduate degree) that told me that they look at the whole score (total should be over 300).  It's generally recommended to get at least a 150 but I doubt any school would flat out reject him with a perfect verbal score (and I"m assuming great writing score).  

[ElKel87]

@mmartin767 Every school is different, but I have heard many say they value the verbal and especially the writing score more than the math. What did he score on the writing portion (I'm assuming high with a Ph.D. in English and a perfect verbal score)? I have also heard that, for some schools, as long as you break 300 you're okay. Is he applying to schools that put less weight on the GRE? Or schools that adopt a "holistic approach" to reviewing applications?

The only other thing I can think of is his statement of purpose. I'm sure it is extremely well-written given his background, however what does he say about his motivation for switching to SLP? You mention in your post that the job market for Ph.D.'s in English is horrendous which is what lead him to pursue speech. That on its own may not be enough for many admissions committees, they need to believe he is genuinely interested in the field. Personally, I think his prerequisite grades and volunteer experience show that but maybe it's not coming through in his SOP? I'm no expert, just my personal opinion. Good luck!

[mmartin767]

Thanks, all. ElKel87, his writing score was a 5.5, I believe. The lack of jobs in English academia prompted the switch, but he is truly excited about SLP and has very specific career interests in mind (he hopes to work with older aphasiacs). His statement of purpose last year was okay, but this year it's excellent - conveys his excitement, is very specific about his interests, shows he researched the programs to which he is applying, etc. He also has developed relationships with several SLP professors, including the one he works for in the lab, and his letters of rec should be very good. Honestly, while I can understand why he didn't get in last year, I think this year everything is lined up great for him except for the math score, his nontraditional status, and the fact that he still has two pre-requisites left. I don't know about the schools' approaches to applications. I'm not even sure where one could find that information.

[ElKel87]

@mmartin767 I'm also interested in working with that population! I always feel like I'm in the minority since I didn't get into this field to work with kids so it's nice to know I'm not alone   I think his experience, GPA and GRE scores are great and really wouldn't worry about the GRE quant score too much. I also don't think that his nontraditional status will harm him, in fact I think it could help (again, depending on the school). I'm also a nontraditional student who got my bachelors in an unrelated field about 8 years ago. My experience in researching programs and perusing this forum is that many nontraditional students with less than perfect scores get accepted over students fresh out of undergrad with a 4.0 and a CSD degree. Programs often want a diverse cohort and people who have life experience and/or a degree from a different field can bring a new perspective. This isn't the case at every school, and maybe I'm biased and won't be this optimistic at the end of this application season, but hopefully that helps reassure you a little.