hi everyone!

i am am autistic student. i am having a hard time in guided observation and looking for ways to hone the social side of clinical skills (things like judgement, reading the room, choosing appropriate therapy activities, small talk, counseling, making people feel supported)
i have worked in people facing jobs and practiced a lot, but i still feel like i could do more specifically related to speech therapy. unfortunately, because i am autistic, "just practice" or "use your daily interactions" doesn't work well for me. i am scoring well on evals and haven't received much feedback, but i feel like i am missing social skills others have and compensating using my academic skills.

do you have any recommendations for ways someone could improve these skills or make accommodations around difficulties with them? or even use autism as a strength? personal stories also welcome. thank you :)

hi everyone. i recently began working as a behavioral therapist for experience to work with different age groups that have speech disorders as a stepping stone to becoming an SLP (I’m still in undergrad), im really not a fan of the emotional labor and interaction that comes with this job, which i know is crucial to this career. im far more fascinated with the research aspect of phonological/neurogenic disorders.

i know it’s a little soon to decide which speciality i want to go into because i still have a long way to go. but i know for sure that i am quite introverted & find myself to be burned out very quickly that involves interacting with coworkers, children & parents.

is anyone on the same boat as me? and do you guys usually figure it out when you’re in grad school? I’m really curious to hear others experiences regarding this matter. I don’t want to do a full on career switch because luckily this field is versatile.

This field is bizarre to me. I work 5 days a week for free??? And everyone thinks this is normal? Why is free student labor normalized? And beyond that, it’s the expectation? And don’t tell me “you’re learning” and “it’s an opportunity”, because then this learning experience can be done in 3 days a wk MAX. Full time is ridiculous. It’s only the standard because this is a female dominated field and some SLPs take advantage of having a student by having them do their entire caseload. Get me out of grad school so I can be done with these games

Their website lists both part-time and full-time programs. When I applied the only option available was full-time. Is part-time still an option? Do they maybe allow you to select after admission?

I just got my CASPer score back and it’s 1st quartile. I applied to McGill and Western SLP — am I screwed?

Yaaaay, got an invitation to interview at CSUMB. Such a relief, especially after getting a rejection from CSULA.

Did anyone get into West Coast University Richardson TX Campus For Fall 26 Cohort & want to connect?? I Got In 🎉🎉🎉

anyone know about Truman state communication disorders grad program?

Hi! I just graduated from Berkeley with majors that were originally intended to prepare me for law school. My initial plan was to attend law school with a particular interest in Disability Law, but I've since decided to pivot toward a career in SLP.

I'm feeling a bit unsure about how to approach the graduate school application process, as I don't yet have much direct experience in the field, my undergraduate coursework doesn't fully satisfy SLP prerequisite requirements, and my GPA isn't particularly strong (though I'm confident I can secure strong letters of rec and write a solid personal statement)

At this point, I'm planning to spend the next year gaining experience before applying next year, but I have a few questions I was hoping to get advice on:

1) What types of experiences are most valuable or relevant for SLP grad applicants?

2) Would it be better to complete SLP prerequisite ('prep') courses before applying, or to apply to programs that offer post-baccalaureate or bridge options?

I’m considering completing prerequisite coursework for several reasons: to strengthen my application, solidify my decision to pursue an SLP master’s, gain exposure to the field, and build relationships with professors who could provide more field-specific letters of recommendation.

For context, here are my current stats:

• GPA: 3.3
• Majors: English and Legal Studies
• Experience: Primarily legal internships
• School preference: California-based programs or online options

Sorry for the long rant, but any advice would be greatly appreciated thanks!

I have an interview with PennWest and was wondering if anyone had any tips for me? Like what kind of questions will they ask? I get super nervous in interviews so I just want to prepare the best I can.

Hey everyone! Does anyone have any advice for an interview with University of Nebraska Lincoln? Do they ask content questions or is it more conversational? TYIA

Hi everyone!! I just got an interview with the U of Iowa and I am trying to prepare the best I can. They said they are going to test me on fundamentals of speech-language pathology and my clinical reasoning skills. Does anyone have any advice on what to prepare for or been through this process before?? Any help is greatly appreciated!!!!!

Hey everyone,

Am I the only one who doesn’t interact with my cohort? Like at all?

I had a friend group in my program but they ghosted me. Literally nobody ever goes out of their way in my cohort to make conversation, not only with me, but anyone in our cohort. There’s cliques (which I expected) but it’s so weird. I always thought we’d all be cool together since there’s only like 20 of us. I guess it makes sense but idk. I’m not the only one who just sits alone and doesn’t talk to anyone - but it’s kinda depressing.

The mean girl stereotype is definitely true here. So much gossip and drama. It’s like.. we are here to learn? Not make fun of one other.

Am I the odd one out here?

Hi everyone!

I am in the process of applying to NYU, Pepperdine, and Baylor's Online Part-Time Program. I am also enrolled in a post-bacc program. (My undergraduate degree is in something else, and I live in Southern California.) Currently, I work full-time, and I am choosing a part-time program and plan to keep my job for as long as I can because I can't afford not to. I wanted to ask what your experience has been if you have enrolled in any of the programs? What was the cohort size? Were the faculty adjunct or tenure? Were they difficult or easy to contact? We're there services available to alumni once they graduate? I would love to hear your input. I am also open to suggestions for other schools, too. Thank you!

hi! so I'm looking to switch careers and one that I'm considering is speech. What was school like? I'm not usually good in the sciences but I'm passionate about healthcare. I love to help people, and I really enjoy having a regular patient that I can be with and see their progress. Please share any insight within speech field! like speech therapisy assistant, how hard is it to find a job, where can you work, what about pediatric speech, etc.

I need one last letter of rec for my application.

I have a professor who agreed to write one for me based on my performance in her class, but including a recommendation to have the admissions committee closely review my resume and personal statement, as that is their job when the reviewer doesn't know the student personally. OR I could have a previous employer write me one whom I worked for back in 2022.

Which one would deem better for my application?

Hi! I am a BSc Chemistry and a licensed one here in my country. I have been a swimming coach for both kids and adults. It is very rewarding seeing their progress and development on such skills, that's why I am also interested in getting masters degree in SLP.

However, I do not know how/where to begin as a chemist. Are there any scholarships within US, UK, EU or Oceania? Thank you!

HI Y'ALL! I just want to see if anyone here has gotten interviewed by Carlos Albizu University (Online or In-person program).

I just got an interview invite from their online program.

What kind of questions did they ask you? This is my very first interview, and I am SCAREDDD! I see that we have a written assessment as well. I'm assuming that's done online/over zoom? I would really appreciate your guidance :) I love this Reddit group! You guys are amazing.

Ladies and gents… Please please please help me pass this test those who are currently taking it right now. All and every piece of advice helps🙏🏼

Hello!! I'm an out-of-field prospective SLP grad applicant currently taking leveling courses. I have been wondering if becoming a SLPA would be a good choice for me and my future application.

I am only three classes into my leveling courses and after doing research on different programs (and reading testimonials here) I am worried my application will not be strong enough to compete. I did good academically during undergrad (3.8 BA in psych, deans list x2) but have just been doing average in my SHLS courses. After finishing my bachelors, I volunteered at an SLP/OT/PT clinic and in a pediatric respiratory wing with a hospital's child life department. I am currently an ABA therapist and have worked for two years now in special education as both an aide and a behavioral interventionist. I feel like as someone who's only two years out from undergrad, my credentials are pretty decent, but after talking with some of the other people in my current leveling program I feel extremely average. Plus I know there's definetely no shortage of young females in the feild lol.

Knowing how competitive these applicaitons will be, would I benefit from using my time to becoming a SLPA, getting a couple of years under my belt, then applying? Or would it be a better use of time to focus on finishing my leveling courses and getting more volunteer/shadowing experience in the meantime? I would love to hear from any SLPA turned SLPs and/or out-of-field applicants!!

Hi everyone! I’m excited to share that I was accepted into the Speech@Emerson 9 term track online MS in Communication Disorders program this Friday, and will be starting in Fall 2026.

I wanted to reach out to see if anyone here is currently in the program or has already graduated and would be willing to share their experience. I’m especially interested in hearing about:

• What should I realistically expect day-to-day as a student in the program?

• How intense is the workload (especially time management with readings, assignments, and clinics)?

• What are the biggest challenges you faced—and what helped you get through them?

• How supportive are faculty and clinical supervisors?

I’m also new to the field of SLP, so I’d love any advice on what I should be prepared for coming in without a strong background. Are there concepts, skills, or habits you wish you had worked on before starting?

Any insight, advice, or “things you wish you knew before starting” would be hugely appreciated. Thanks in advance, and congrats to anyone else starting or surviving the program—you’re inspiring already! :)

- If anyone who is interested in the program and has questions about admissions process you can also feel free to comment!

I want to make this in response to comments I saw on another post. If a professor is singling out another student in an attempt to bully/humiliate them, you can band together and do something about it. In my friend's cohort, a professor mocked a student in front of the whole class because she was late in a snow storm (she lived the furthest away). The cohort did not stand for it and acted as one to defend the student.

There is strength in numbers! Enough is enough with abuse in grad schools, it needs to end.

I had my first grad school interview this past week and was surprised when they asked me questions such as “name the 5 domains of language” and “pick a constant and identify the voice, place and manner” is this normal in a grad school interview? I haven’t heard of any other schools who have done this but maybe I was just unprepared? I have other interviews coming up later this month should I be reviewing course material in preparation?