High GPA and good GRE score but very little in field experience and extra curriculars?!

[futureSLPhopefullylol]

I always see posts about if people who have lower GPAs and lower GRE scores but a lot of extra work they can put on their applications have a shot at getting into graduate school. But what about those of us who are in the exact opposite boat? I have a 3.96 GPA (with the only class I've ever gotten lower than an A in being an audiology course), got a 304 on my GRE with a 5 in Analytical Writing (but I am retaking it to see if I can raise my low quant score) but have virtually NO shadowing/observation hours, no volunteer work, and really no in-field experience at all. The only "extra" thing I have is that I am an involved board member at my school's speech language and hearing association. I am working on setting up some shadowing/observation hours (side note: what is a good amount of total observation hours to have?).

Just wonder if there is hope for someone who has little in-field experience to get into grad school if my grades are overall strong??? I'd love to hear from anybody who was in my same boat or has any insight on this or advice for me. 

Edited October 3, 2017 by futureSLPhopefullylol

[katherinexo]

It seems like a lot of schools will take your high grades and GRE into consideration more than someone who has an average GPA and GRE.

I have an average GPA of between 3.4-3.5 but I've volunteered and observed to help counterbalance my low GPA and GRE.

But for your side note question I have about 30 observations hours with medically fragile and special education children, and over 200 hours of volunteer work in the hospital and private practice of speech therapy.

[Daniel998]

5 hours ago, futureSLPhopefullylol said:

I always see posts about if people who have lower GPAs and lower GRE scores but a lot of extra work they can put on their applications have a shot at getting into graduate school. But what about those of us who are in the exact opposite boat? I have a 3.96 GPA (with the only class I've ever gotten lower than an A in being an audiology course), got a 304 on my GRE with a 5 in Analytical Writing (but I am retaking it to see if I can raise my low quant score) but have virtually NO shadowing/observation hours, no volunteer work, and really no in-field experience at all. The only "extra" thing I have is that I am an involved board member at my school's speech language and hearing association. I am working on setting up some shadowing/observation hours (side note: what is a good amount of total observation hours to have?).

Just wonder if there is hope for someone who has little in-field experience to get into grad school if my grades are overall strong??? I'd love to hear from anybody who was in my same boat or has any insight on this or advice for me. 

I am somewhat in the same boat. I do not plan on retaking the GRE as I think my Verbal and Writing will supersede my abysmal quant score. I have a 3.97 GPA but believe it will go down due to the neuroanatomy class I am undertaking :/ How competitive are the schools you are applying to? I have spun my work experience as a substitute teacher, English tutor, and ASP tutor to fit skills and abilities desired of SLPs.

[Crimson Wife]

The hurdle you are going to have is convincing the AdComm that you actually want to go into SLP and that you know enough about the field to know that it is a good "fit" for you. You're going to be competing against people with similar GPA's and GRE scores but who also have relevant experience and/or extracurriculars. "Book learning" isn't the same thing as watching a real SLP working with a real client.

ASHA requires 25 observation hours and one school I have applied to wanted me to send signed documentation that I had completed that. So I would shoot for that as your goal. 

[SLP advising]

this is where it all depends on the school youre applying to-- MOST schools primarily look at GPA/GRE - when youre receiving upwards of 400 applications, its just too much to go through each one individually so people are placed into a spreadsheet and ranked.  Also, most applicants are about the same-- most have volunteered a bunch, done NSSLHA, and look relatively the same on paper so thats why GRE and GPA are such a huge thing (FYI- I'm a university prof).  I would say youre absolutely fine applying without that experience-- you may want to do it for yourselt to make sure its what you want to do but most schools wont take that into consideration. I offer lots more advice and insight on my website if youre interested--- www.slpgradschool.com

good luck---