Today I’m bringing you the first of (hopefully!) many blog posts about grad school for speech-language pathology. (Get caught up about why I’m blogging about this in the first place!)Â Now that I can officially say I’m a senior in undergrad, I think it’s time to get started on those grad school applications and the first step to doing that is to figure out where I’m going to apply in the first place!
Now I’m gonna be honest (because I’m always honest with y’all on this blog o’ mine) and say that no, I haven’t actually narrowed down my choices yet. And I think it’s hard because I have literally no preference of where I want to be for grad school (location wise and university wise). HOWEVER, I’ve been researching and asking around and I’ve come up with some key ways to help narrow down the choices of where to apply for SLP grad school!
Use EdFind
ASHA’s EdFind is the perfect place to get started! It lists all of the schools that are available to you which is awesome. It’s also a really solid, comprehensive website to be able to find some basic info on each school. There are some aspects that I’ve heard are out of date, though so make sure you hit up the school’s actual website to learn more information!
Look at cost
I will be taking out loans and paying for grad school all on my own so I’m trying to be a little bit more conscious of the price tag of schools. Figure out where you want to be price-wise and don’t torture yourself by looking at schools you know you can’t afford to go to!
Location, location, location
For me, this isn’t a HUGE factor but it is definitely important for a lot of people. Do you want to commute to school? Do you want to be somewhere warm (like me)? Do you want to be close to an airport? Do you want to be able to drive home if needed? All of these factors are huge when it comes to choosing ANY school (not even just grad schools!)
Also think about what setting you want to work in. Choosing a location based on that is also a smart idea!
School size
This is another thing that doesn’t affect me too much but if you have a preference of big school vs. small school or private school vs. public school, this is something to keep in mind as well!
Research Opportunities/Research Focus
If you’re looking to do research at a school, it’s a good idea to become familiar with the different types of research that goes on in the department to see if it’s anything that particularly interests you!
Online option?
Some students want the option to get their degree online. Not all schools offer this, of course, so if you’re looking for something like that you’ll  have to do some research!
Full-time or Part-time?
Not all schools allow you to attend part-time so this is also something to consider when looking at schools!
Average Admission Statistics
My plan is going to be to apply to around 5-8 schools and hopefully they’ll range from “safe” schools to a few “reach” schools! Looking at the admission statistics is definitely not the end-all be-all (keep in mind that some people get accepted/rejected when based on statistics they shouldn’t have been), but I think it’s nice to keep that in mind when you’re picking out your set list of schools!
Have questions? ASK!
If you’re looking for a particular detail at a school and you can’t find it, reach out to them and ask! It’s nice to have your name out there and it’ll look good that you’re doing your research and are really interested in the program.
What a great post! My boyfriend went straight obtain his MSA after school. Since I’m in Marketing and it isn’t as pressing, I opted to wait to get my MBA later in my career. Good luck on your next adventure! Xoxo Mindy
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Thank you Mindy! It’s really hard to find a job with the undergrad degree that I’m about to have so I have to head to grad school right away.
I’m so excited to see where you end up Kayla! Even though I’ll be a junior in college next year, I definitely want to keep grad school on my radar. Are you thinking about going somewhere close to your current college, or do you think you want to move farther away? -Hannah // theswirlblog.com
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I’m not sure! My current school (Temple) has a grad program for speech that is actually quite good so I plan to apply there but I also want to try to apply to some schools that are far away. I was really scared to apply anywhere far for my undergrad degree, so hopefully I can bust out of my comfort zone for grad school! After all, it’s only 2 years!
I just want to say Kayla that your posts are always so informative. I love reading all your tips and preparing for the future.
Mikayla | A Seersucker State of Mind.
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Mikayla, this was so sweet of you! Thank you so much. I’m glad you find my posts helpful in some way 🙂
Congratulations! These are such great things to think about as you choose a school.
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Thanks Elana!
Great information for anyone looking to apply to grad schools! 🙂
xo, Laura
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Thank you Laura!
Congrats girl! Really informative post! I can’t wait to go to Grad school! Hoping to do this in a few years!
xo Ashley
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Yay! Thank you Ashley! Are you going to get your masters in education? You’re a teacher, right?
Good luck on your applications! Please continue blogging about your grad school application process; I hope to learn something from you because next year I will be sending out my applications 🙂
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Thank you Aly! I’m glad you’re finding it helpful. I wasn’t sure how these posts would be received but I’m happy you like them!
Good luck on everything!! My husband is starting grad school in August for his masters in accounting with a specialization in taxation. It has definitely been a process, but it will be worth it in the end for both of you!!
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Thank you Alex! That’s so exciting, I wish him the best!
I never really thought about public vs. private or big vs. small either but happy with the choice I made of big public school!
-Morgan
How 2 Wear It [] http://how2wearit.com
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Same here! I looked at a few private schools but I realized I really wanted a big city school!
I haven’t thought this far ahead but these sound like good points to consider.
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Thank you Bella!
This is such a thoughtful and informative post! I’m definitely looking to get back in to studying eventually 😀 your blog and design are so beautiful, I adore your photography and header! xx
elizabeth ♡ “Ice Cream” whispers Clara
follow for follow on bloglovin’? 😀
Such an informative post! Good luck on everything, Kayla!
Amelie | http://awanderersadventures.wordpress.com
These are such great tips! I just graduated with my undergrad this past weekend and while I definitely will not be going to grad school (haha no more school for me, can’t take it!) these are amazing tips! Location really is everything!
These are all such great tips! Best of luck in narrowing down your options!
This post couldn’t have come at a better time. I am deciding if I want to go to grad school next year. I will share these with my husband!
Nicole // Chronicling Home
So true. I had a ton of friends that went to grad school and I love all of these.
xo,
Sara Kate Styling