Applying to graduate school in speech-language pathology can be a challenging process--there are many small parts to keep track of, and you want to present as prepared and polished in your application materials. The process can be overwhelming, but with careful preparation, you can assemble a compelling application that highlights your qualifications and passion for the field. Here’s a guide on how to prepare the essential materials for your application. 

Application season means many of you are in the process of requesting letters of recommendation. Requesting letters can be a stressful task--who do you ask? how do you ask them? when? These are all important factors to consider. In this blog post, we'll cover the when, who, and how of requesting letters of recommendation and (hopefully) help alleviate some of the stress.

  

   It's that time of the year we all know and love...or dreadː Application season. For most people applying to graduate programs, the end of summer is something like a prolonged version of the Sunday scaries. Fall is here, and that means most of your graduate school application deadlines are coming up in late November and early December. Your personal statement is arguably the hardest and one of the most important parts of your application. You'll want to start drafting it months in advance. This is your chance to demonstrate to admissions committees why you're an excellent fit for their program. Your personal statement is also useful for people writing your letters of recommendation--they can use your statement to learn something about your personal qualities and experiences in a way that's clear and concise. This can help your letter writers make stronger recommendations on your behalf. So open up that blank document and take some notes on how to write a powerful personal statement. 

We focus a lot on post-bacc programs here, but we'd remiss not to mention at least a few SLP master's programs that don't require pre-reqs. Typically, these are 3-year master's programs, where the first year is spent completing pre-requisite coursework and the remaining two years are the typical master's track courses and clinical work. The benefit of these programs is you have guaranteed enrollment in a master's program. The downside is the cost--you'll pay for three years of graduate-level tuition rather than two. Here, we highlight three in-person SLP master's programs that don't require pre-reqs.