LOOKING GOOD ON GRAD SCHOOL APPLICATIONS: How do I showcase myself to the best advantage?

This is posted on my website Under the Courses link Click there for more information

First of all, no matter what: Apply to more than one school Even if you have a 4.0 and speak five languages, you will sleep better at night if you do not put all your eggs in one basket

Remember that good grades are important… But they are not the only thing!

What we don’t want: Droids who are excellent test- takers but do not have experience with people

Keys to success include:

Volunteer Work Remember, we look for variety We are interested in work with individuals across the lifespan We ask: have you been engaged with people of different ages?

Volunteer work should not… Take over your life Cause you to study less I recommend telling places that you can come 1-2 hours a week and no more

Even 1-2 hours a week Can be very helpful

The volunteer work… Does not have to be directly in speech-language pathology We are concerned about seeing that you have worked directly with people

Volunteer work From junior high and high school definitely counts! Start making a list of all you have done Remember—church activities count too

When you volunteer… You will be asked to do a lot of humble chores like xeroxing, filing, and other duties Do NOT be arrogant and refuse to do these chores—it gets back to us, and our opinion of you goes right out the window

Ideas: Soup kitchens Homeless ministries Outreach events—e.g. Special Olypmics Work at a local elementary school—volunteer in a classroom

Go to a local senior home and volunteer 1 hour a week

Many churches have ministries: Teaching Sunday school Mission trips (e.g., to Mexico) Visiting elderly shut-ins Serving the homeless And more!

In Sacramento… Mustard Seed school for homeless children You need to volunteer at least once a week for 3 hours

Sacramento Reading Partners: You read with a child one hour once a week at a local school (grades 2-5) 26 hours of 1:1 with an adult can boost a child’s reading scores by a full year! Very exciting!

There is also… The Sacramento Crisis Nursery They serve children from birth to 5 years of age

La Familia Counseling Center: Is a wonderful organization in South Sacramento that reaches out to families who need to be empowered to overcome adversity There are tutoring opportunities Contact David Banuelos:

Opening Doors Inc. This organization serves the needs of refugees and human trafficking victims in the Sacramento community They need people to tutor English 90 minutes once a week

Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services: They have phenomenal programs with clients who are culturally and linguistically diverse You need to do a 1-hour orientation and get fingerprinted They will pay for ½ the fingerprinting (you pay around $15.00)

Examples of some of the food bank’s programs: Mother-baby Clothing donations Food service After-school tutoring Adult ESL classes Adult literacy tutoring Art therapy classes for abused women

Nancy Barcal… Is a local SLP with a private practice specializing in stuttering She needs volunteers every Weds. PM to converse with her clients who stutter Call her at (916)

Check Craigslist! Go to the upper lefthand corner where it says Community Click on the Volunteers link

We also look for multicultural experience: Have you worked (paid or volunteer) with persons from a diversity of cultural and linguistic backgrounds? Begin recording the backgrounds of those you work with If you speak another language, terrific

We look at: Scholarships, awards, and other commendations For example, you might be a member of Phi Kappa Phi, Golden Key, etc. If you are on the Dean’s list, make sure you write that down too

Look at your life: What are you doing right now that counts as people experience? Do you care for an elderly grandparent? Teach Sunday school? Serve as an assistant team mom for your son’s soccer team?

Try to obtain continuing education opportunities: Attend seminars (e.g., UCDavis) Sacramento Speech and Hearing Association (SASHA) is local, cheap, and has excellent speakers—and student discounts!

We look VERY highly On involvement with NSSLHA This includes being a member, attending meetings, and going to the NSSLHA conferences

You can also… Volunteer in our clinic Supply Room This is awesome experience, and looks really good on your grad application Contact David Gleason at

Good luck-- The world needs you!