Easy Program or Difficult Program? Which One to Apply?

[azure]

I am looking into the SLP programs that I can apply for Fall 2018, but I'm having some dilemma. School A requires more graduate coursework and research, and it offers courses such as Cranial Facial Abnormity (cleft palate) and two challenging courses in neurogenic communication disorders. On the other hand, School B requires no research, and it requires less coursework and doesn't offer specific courses in cleft palate and neuro, thus it's less challenging. I understand School A will get me more prepared for my SLP career, and I need to learn cleft palate and neuro stuff for my long-term professional development. However, my immediate concern is to survive grad school, and I believe I can do better with school B as it is less challenging.

These two schools are similar in reputation, cost and distance. I need your opinion guys!

[DDolores]

10 minutes ago, azure said:

I am looking into the SLP programs that I can apply for Fall 2018, but I'm having some dilemma. School A requires more graduate coursework and research, and it offers courses such as Cranial Facial Abnormity (cleft palate) and two challenging courses in neurogenic communication disorders. On the other hand, School B requires no research, and it requires less coursework and doesn't offer specific courses in cleft palate and neuro, thus it's less challenging. I understand School A will get me more prepared for my SLP career, and I need to learn cleft palate and neuro stuff for my long-term professional development. However, my immediate concern is to survive grad school, and I believe I can do better with school B as it is less challenging.

 

Getting into school for Speech Pathology is incredibly difficult, and you might want to apply for both anyway. However, if you have the choice between attending either, I would definitely go to school A. Speech Pathology is a service career. If you can improve the quality of services your patients will receive, you should. At the end of the day it's what's going to make you a better SLP. 

[plume]

I don't disagree with the above poster, but if you have the option of either I would think a little further about it. If both programs are accredited, I think both would prepare you very well for a career. It also depends what you are interested in clinically. But I do suggest you do a little more research—for example, a school may not offer that cleft palate class but they may have more clinical affiliations than the other school where you could gain experience with cleft-palate. I would not simply go for program B because you are worried about not performing well in program A unless you know for certain that school A's environment is more competitive/challenging/research-focused/insert whatever adjective you do not want in a program. Good luck!

[Crimson Wife]

On 9/13/2017 at 8:04 AM, azure said:

 I need to learn cleft palate and neuro stuff for my long-term professional development.

Maybe, maybe not. It really depends on what you hope to do career-wise. Many SLP's specialize in one particular area and wouldn't need to know that type of stuff beyond what meets minimum ASHA requirements for initial certification.

[SLP advising]

i would agree -- it all depends on what you want to do, where you want to end up. want to be in a top-tier medical facility? choose the more rigorous one. also- how bout a future PHD? you never know- the tougher school would better prepare you. finally- how bout networking? those tougher schools may have better networking opportunities. and even just name recognition? depending on where you want to live- one school may have a better rep than the other.