Master’s degrees serve as evidence of their holder’s academic excellence and prowess and are as such amongst the most highly regarded qualifications in an academic field or discipline, and speech pathology is no different in that respect.
Earning an online Master’s degree in Speech Pathology is a huge step that opens up a plethora of opportunities related to helping others overcome communication or swallowing difficulties and disorders, but many students dread the GRE test which is often required to enroll in online Speech Pathology Masters Programs.
In this article we will look at educational institutions that offer a chance to earn an online Master’s degree in Speech Pathology without GRE test requirements, and the alternative criteria that they often use in place of the aforementioned.
What is GRE?
GRE or Graduate Record Examination is a standardized test that many institutions use in the admissions process into graduate-level programs. This test is designed to assess the applicant’s academic aptitude in the field of studies and their readiness to participate successfully in graduate-level programs.
GRE usually has different sections assessing the applicant’s analytical writing skills and their verbal and quantitative reasoning,
Alternatives to GRE Requirements
Many graduate-level programs, including online Speech Pathology programs, stopped using GRE in their admissions process altogether and decided to switch to alternative methods that may give a better and more comprehensive insight into the applicant’s qualifications and potential.
Some of the criteria that these Speech pathology Master’s programs may use will include the student’s undergraduate level GPA with original transcripts and possible letters of recommendation from professors or other relevant professionals so a strong academic record will go a long way towards successful enrollment.
Relevant professional experience presented in the form of a curriculum vitae that lists your skills and strengths coupled with references from your employers or seniors is another important aspect that admissions boards will focus on.
Applicants are also advised to present a well-written Statement of Purpose that would highlight their motivation and accomplishments in the field.
Additional materials such as written or video essays may be required by some programs, while others may require an online interview with the applicant as well.
Schools that offer Online Speech Pathology Masters degree program without GRE requirements
As this is a field with a projected growth of 25% in the next 10 years it’s no wonder that a growing number of schools decided to try to make their Speech Pathology Master’s programs accessible to a larger pool of applicants, by making them available online and without GRE requirements.
The list of universities that are offering speech therapy and speech pathology programs online without requiring GRE is large and growing daily, but some stand-out options worthy of a mention include Baylor University, New York University(NYU), St.Augustine College, and Texas Woman’s University.
Baylor University’s graduate programs are ranked very highly as they are the oldest tertiary-level educational institution in the state of Texas with over 17,000 students. Their online programs are on par with any in the world and so is the Baylor Speech Pathology Masters.
Texas Woman’s University which is available to all genders despite its name has one of the best online speech-language pathology programs in Texas, right up there with the University of St Augustine speech pathology master’s program which is also available online.
As New York University’s online programs grow in reputation, they do so in popularity as well, with NYU Speech Pathology Masters online programs being very highly regarded because of their modern coursework, flexible schedule, expert faculty, and all in all high-quality of the program.
Prospective applicants would be well advised to carefully look into the specificities of each of these online Speech Pathology programs without GRE requirements, and find the one that fits the best with their preferences and ambitions.
Coursework, faculty, learning materials, flexibility, accessibility, and available methods of financing along with the possibility of scholarships and grants should also be taken into account when choosing the best and most fitting online Speech Pathology program for each student.
Conclusion
There are now plenty of choices for earning a Speech Pathology Masters degree online without GRE, as many colleges have decided to drop their GRE requirements in favor of other criteria that may fit some students better, thus making admissions more accessible.
It’s important to take time in choosing the right one, but with the number of excellent online Masters in Speech Pathology programs without GRE requirements, there will surely be a perfect one for you too!