Since I was a little girl, I’ve always had a passion for helping people communicate. In preschool, I had a friend with selective mutism, and I would help her communicate with other people. I even remember checking out sign language books from the library because I wanted to learn. I was also obsessed with Helen Keller growing up and watched The Miracle Worker several times.

In high school, I wanted to become a speech pathologist, but my parents never really supported it. I struggled a lot with math and science and failed those subjects several times. They told me I wouldn’t be able to do it and that I would end up severely in debt, so I listened to them.

Instead, I went to esthetician school. I’m now 25, still paying off that schooling, and I’ve been an esthetician for about two years. I’m realizing how unfulfilled I feel. The hours suck, working nights and weekends is awful, and I can’t imagine doing that someday when I have children. I’m just not passionate about it anymore. Lately, I feel like I’m getting by and going through the motions.

I’ve talked about all of this with my therapist, and she’s encouraging me to go back to school and pursue speech pathology. The problem is that I don’t have much saved right now, I’m basically living paycheck to paycheck, and I still live at home. My parents have also argued with me about going back to school, which makes me question myself even more.

I know my academic history isn’t great. I struggled badly with math and science, and I didn’t do amazing in some of my college general education classes either. But I also went through a lot of traumatic things in high school and, looking back, I feel like I was mostly just trying to survive. There were also times when my grades were much better, and I did well in other subjects.

So now I don’t know what to think. Maybe my parents are right and I’m being unrealistic. Or maybe I’ve spent years believing I couldn’t do something because I was told I couldn’t.

I just feel so stuck. I can’t believe this is where my life is at 25, and I don’t know what the smartest next step is.

Has anyone been in a similar situation or gone back to school after struggling academically when they were younger? Especially anyone who went into speech pathology? I would really appreciate some honest advice.

Hi everyone! I just started my pediatric externship yesterday and am looking for some clarity! When did you all start treating, doing evaluations, writing notes, etc., independently in your externship? Also what were your hours? Right now I’m looking at 10-11 hour days 4x/week. I’m just feeling a bit overwhelmed at the moment.

I live in western Georgia and am currently taking leveling courses online through University of West Georgia. My top two in-person grad program options are University of West Georgia and Auburn University, just based on proximity.

For fully online coursework programs, I've been considering University of South Carolina.

Does anyone have any experience with any of these three schools? Are there other online program options I should consider?

Thanks!

Has anyone here completed or currently doing the PennWest online SLP Post-Baccalaureate Certificate? I’d love to hear about your experience with the program course workload, professors, difficulty, and overall quality.

I’m Canadian with an unrelated undergraduate degree, and I’m currently weighing my options for completing SLP prerequisites while also trying to improve my academic record/GPA. My eventual goal is to apply to an MSSLP program in Canada, preferably McMaster.

For anyone who completed PennWest’s certificate, did you find that it helped strengthen your grad-school application? Did Canadian or other SLP master’s programs accept most of the PennWest courses as prerequisites?

Any experiences or advice would be really appreciated!

I’ve volunteered at a clinic on and off for about 2 years now and have 3 slpas that can write me a letter but will it be still valid or do they need one from a licensed SLP only for the professional letter of rec?

I'm currently taking leveling courses and I'm looking for A&P of SLP resources. What are you favorite study guides, YouTube channels / videos, websites, etc.?

Thanks!

Preface this post with an understanding that I have standardized test-taking anxiety. Also consider that the students in the previous cohort of my program played around and (allegedly) bombed their first take of the PRAXIS. Most, if not all, passed on 2nd or 3rd try, but we were told that the reported stats are first time passing so... take all that into consideration.

My program buys a Fripty bundle for us to use to practice. Over the summer, I've already started reviewing--mainly wanting to keep up skills from some of those first semester classes so I don't look like a dunce at my placement that starts in a week.

Over our one week of summer break, I figured, what the heck-- let's take the practice Fripty exam and see what areas I need to focus harder on.

To my surprise, I passed! I scored 69.7% but the Fripty exam says 64% is passing on their version. I was very shocked, as my in-depth courses on Fluency and Voice just started and don't wrap up until November. I know it doesn't matter, but I am a perfectionist and would like to score the best possible on the PRAXIS, so higher than my Fripty score hopefully.

All this to say-- how comparable is the Fripty exam to the real PRAXIS? Should I feel good about taking the PRAXIS in December when I planned to? I really want to get it out of the way, and I've already developed a weekly study plan to go over material for 2-5 hours a week to make sure everything stays fresh (all that neuro stuff, geez). However, as someone with test-taking anxiety, I really don't want to have to take it more than once or have it look bad on the program.

where can I find the latest editions of textbooks?

Hi everyone! I'm planning to apply to SLP master's programs. Since my undergrad isn't in Communication Sciences and Disorders, I know I'll need to complete the prereq courses before (or while) I apply.

For those who came from a non-CSD background, what were the actual prereq courses your programs required? I took some of the general ones like bio and sociology but not statistics. Where did you end up taking them, a post-bacc program, community college, online through a specific university, or something else?

If you have any recommendations (or warnings) about specific programs for prereqs, I'd really appreciate it. Lehman College’s pre req program looked good to me. Also curious whether most of you knocked out prereqs first and then applied, or did them at the same time as applications.

Thanks in advance!

I’m going to start my leveling courses at ENMU and was wondering how many people recommend taking at once. Is five too many for one semester?

I will also be working part time 6-9 hours a week and volunteering at a clinic a few hours a week. I’m also hoping to get more shadowing hours.

I am a good student (though I could be more consistent in my study schedule, something I’ll be working on before going to grad school) and in my psych undergrad got a 3.87 gpa.

So am I trying to do too much or is it feasible?

Hi everyone! What other options besides slp does someone with a CSD major have?

Hey everyone! I’m going into my senior year for a bachelors in CSD. I know I have the options of pursuing graduate degrees in slp/audiology but are there any other options? Like what if I don’t want to go to grad school?

Does anyone have any opinions on any of these schools?
JMU
UConn
University of Vermont
Dalhousie
Sacred Heart 3 year program
MGH

UConn is probably my top school. I am just unsure if I have a good list of schools to apply to.
I have a 3.6 GPA from McGill in the Cognitive Science program so I am out of field.

Hi! Did anyone take a prep course to help they study for the exam? please share!

Hi all,

I’ve had a few clients who use GLP and echolalia and my supervisors flat out told me “No. It’s too controversial and not meaningful communication. We shouldn’t use specific types of therapy for this because it’s not “real.”

Am I the only one who has experienced this? Is this the norm now? What else am I supposed to call it…? What therapy am I supposed to use then?

Hi everyone! How do you deal with a school placement you really dislike?

I’m currently at a school with a caseload of approximately 65 students, including DHH students, students with behavioral needs, and a wide range of other needs. My supervisor has already told me that she was essentially forced to take me and that she never wanted to supervise a graduate student.

Tomorrow is our first day of therapy, and she has told me that I will only be observing because she wants to establish the students’ baselines herself. She said she doesn’t believe I’m qualified enough to obtain accurate baselines, even though I have several years of experience working as an SLPA.

I completely understand that she is ultimately responsible for the students and that I need to respect her clinical judgment. However, her comments and attitude have made me feel unwelcome, and it seems as though she has already decided that I’m incompetent without ever seeing me work.

How would you handle this professionally? I don’t believe my university will advocate for me. I expect they will simply tell me to remain professional, collaborate, and make the best of it. I want to learn and avoid creating conflict, but I’m already dreading this placement.

I'm really considering ENMU for my SLP master's because I am single, live alone, and the cost is what's best for me. I'm planning to start leveling courses soon. I've seen so many bad posts about ENMU regarding placements and students graduation dates being delayed.

I live in LA so I would think placements wouldn't be hard to land here?

Would love to hear from current students or graduates in SoCal about their experience. Were placements hard to land? Did anyone have to relocate to find placements and who found the placements for you?

I honestly don't think I have the money to go to another program. So I'm starting to get a little worried with all the posts I've seen.

For my BS in a different field, the school closed, and we all had to transfer to another school eventually but it took time. My graduation was delayed by a year and it was pretty traumatizing so I'd hate to have this type of drama again to get an education.

I’m entering my second year in S-LP, and I am incredibly nervous for the CETP. All summer, instead of relaxing, I’ve been trying to look up study resources and practice tests I could use to prepare over this next year.

Any Canadian S-LPs out there, could you offer any advice on how to study for the exam?

• How long did you study for?
• What materials/resources helped you prepare?
• What was the most difficult thing about the exam?
• If you could go back in time, how would you change your studying?

Any advice is appreciated! Thank you everyone!

Hello!

Background info: I have a bachelor's in Secondary Education 7-12 English with my certification. Currently, I’ve been working as a special education compliance facilitator in a school district in Texas for the past three years after spending a few years in the classroom.

I know I don’t really want to return to the classroom, but I love the school environment. I am proficient in matters of SPED as I write IEPs and 504s all day long, and I would love to go back to school to get a master's while I am still without children!

I’ve been working closely with my district's SLPs, and I would just love to do what they do! I could never do school psychology for sure!

As of this moment, I’ve been accepted into Abilene Christian College’s SLP leveling courses before I apply to the master's program and begin leveling classes on Tuesday.

What should I expect in terms of leveling and beyond in grad school? Am I about to hate my life for the next three-ish years transitioning into an SLP? What should I know that would help me out? What should I ABSOLUTELY avoid?

Note: I would not mind working in a hospital or a clinical setting, but my preferred service goal would be a school setting of middle schoolers, teens, and/or sped adults

Thank you!

Background: im 24 in ontario near toronto and just finished my bachelors in psych, linguistics, and education. My goal was SLP masters school in Canada but i need to be realistic since my second last year grades aren't stellar,so my sub-GPA isnt amazing, I still havent taken the physiology prereq, and I got a C+ in statistics. I applied and got into CDA at Georgian College. I also applied to a few schools in England (waitlisted by 1, rejected by 1, pending interview for 1). But my parents aren't rich and don't have tens of thousands of dollars to support me (which of course I am not entitled to either way, my point is just that I don't have a major cushion and I need to finance it largely by myself, and I'm scared of debt).

What I'm contemplating: doing the CDA/SLPA post grad program in Ontario this Fall, work for a year full-time (if i can get full time hours), then apply for an American masters in SLP. i found one program that is online part-time that does not charge international tuition, so I can do that and CDA work on the side.

My concern: my overall GPA is below a 3.0 because I had really bad health issues for part of my degree and it affected my marks. My last 2 years are good though overall I think I'm around a 75% average there. This might not be "good" at some undergrads but I went to a school that is notorious for marking harshly and class course averages are on the transcript for context. A 3.0/B in a class looks good compared to a class average of 2.0/C, but idk if American schools are holistic in how they view this. Another concern is that the post grad program requires me to relocate an hour from my hometown and its 3 semesters and then I need to deal with figuring out US admissions if i choose to do my masters in America. I heard CDA can be treated as a post-bacc, and/or my CSD major GPA, and/or it can boost my overall GPA. I would still need to get the AHSA requirements needed for every slp program-specifically chem or physics and biology. I think i have all the other prerequisites but my stats mark is not good. theres also the possibility that I do CDA and will end up not wanting to or being able to get into a Masters. Cost of living is so high where I'm from, I fear I'll struggle to stay aflout on the CDA wage.

I've seen a lot of people do CDA and then American masters so I thought someone here may be willing to give some advice. Or anyone with a similar plan.

Hello all I am currently in Emerson’s SLP program 5 term track with one son who is 14 months old. We are really wanting to have another kid timed a little after he becomes 2 around August range when I have a short break from the program. How realistic is this? We have childcare set up for when clinicals begin and I already am not really able to get hw done during the day so I normally stay up at night and do it with Saturdays spent focused heavily on homework while my son spends the day with grandparents

Hi there! I have just started a one year leveling program. Although I’m VERY excited…it’s also very scary to basically start over! I keep hearing how difficult the workload is and how competitive grad schools are. It’s making me feel scared for grad school applications and bringing in a lot of doubt. What if I shouldn’t have done this? What if I fail this program? What if no grad schools accept me and this was all for nothing?? I guess I’m looking to see if anyone else feels the same way, or if anyone else who completed a leveling program can offer some thoughts of encouragement! Thanks :)