My First Post!

Hello! My Name is Jessica. I graduated from Stockton in the spring with a Bachelors of Arts in Psychology, Minor in Behavioral Neuroscience, and a Pre-track in Speech Language Pathology! It has been a very challenging, but rewarding four years at Stockton that I wouldn’t change for the world. I am even more excited to be continuing my education here at the graduate level for my Masters in Communication Disorders. Only 2 ½ years left and I will officially be a Speech Language Pathologist and on my way to helping change people’s lives, I can’t wait!! In addition to being accepted into the Masters of Communication Disorders Program, I have been awarded a Graduate Assistant Position by the office of Graduate and Continuing Studies, talk about being blessed. I am beyond excited to begin the next chapter of my life at the school I have been able to call my home! One of the greatest things about Stockton is that you are not just accepted into college, you are accepted into a family that will always be there for you.

Stay tuned for blog updates on my journey through graduate school and helpful tips =)

-Jessica

End of the "First Year"

For many, the end of this Spring 2014 semester, is the end of the first year as a graduate, but in the Communication Disorders program, the end of the first year of graduate school is at the end of the summer semester.  As a first year graduate student in this program, you are able to take your first Clinical Practicum in either the first spring semester, summer semester or your second fall semester.  I decided to take it in the summer so I was able to space out my classes and also leave time to work as a Graduate Assistant and additional hours in the Graduate Admission Office.  

This semester I completed an additional 9 credits in the MSCD program.  The classes included: Diagnostic Methods, Neurological Bases of Communication Disorders and Language Disorders in School-Age Children.  Working five days a week and completing classes at night and all the other assignments out of class was difficult, but manageable.  

This summer, I will have two jobs while taking 9 credits again.  I plan on completing my first graduate level clinic as well as two other graduate courses.  It will be hectic, but I know all of my hard work will pay off.  

At the end of the summer semester, I will be eligible to work as a Speech-Language Specialist in a NJ school under my "Emergency Certification".  To be eligible for this certificate, an applicant must have 18 graduate level credits in a Speech-Language Pathology/Communication Disorders field program as well as 1 graduate level clinic completed.  Because I chose to complete Clinic I in the summer, I will not be eligible until after my summer semester, but this is not stopping me from applying.  I am very excited about having this opportunity to work as an SLS in a school while attending a graduate program and when I think about it, I am so thankful I chose Stockton College for this reason.

Stockton's MSCD program allows their students to be working professionals while also completing the required classes for their certificate.   I am very thankful for this option, as are most of my peers.  It gives the students the availability to build their resume and increase their experience in and out of the SLP field.  If I accept a job position in the fall as an SLS, it will be an extremely difficult semester, but definitely worth the stress.  I will gain experience as a working SLS, begin to learn how to manage an extensive school caseload, and be able to add this experience to my resume.  

Spring Break.. we had a break?

The week of March 10 was Stockton College's Spring Break.  And although some college students spent it relaxing and maybe even going away on a tropical vacation, most students in the MSDC program spent it catching up and trying their best to get ahead of the tons of work this semester still holds.  As for me, it was the latter, spending hours at the library and working at the Graduate Studies Office, trying to make the best of my ten days off from class.

I know this doesn't sound like a very glamorous spring break, but it was actually extremely efficient and rewarding.  I was able to get ahead of the work that is coming up and prepare myself to my best ability for this week and next week, which are going to be two of the hardest weeks of the semester.  On top of two presentations, a research paper and another midterm, it's just about time to figure out information for summer classes.

So far, this semester has been challenging with the amount of work, but again, it is "do-able" (mostly because you dont' have the choice to not do it, and you just get it done)  The week right before break was extremely difficult because of our Neurology Midterm and many other assignments for every other class.  The summer will be equally as busy with three classes and two jobs.


Word of advice for prospective and current graduate students .. 

Be sure to take into account your summer classes when accepting financial aid.  Unfortunately, FASFA doesn't offer summer financial aid to students, so you need to plan out how much you will need for the entire year as well as what you want to keep/return/spend of your refunds before you make a final decision on how much you want to accept from FASFA.  For this program you will be taking at least 1 class during your first summer and can possibly be taking up to 3 classes (including an elective and a clinic).  So it can go from costing not soooo much, to being quite expensive.

Don't forget to file your FASFA for 2014-2015!  The links and deadlines are all posted on the Financial Aid Website!

Stockton College Financial Aid Website


Good luck with your semester !!

- Kaitlyn

Back in the Swing of Things..

It was a nice long break for most of the students at Stockton College.  Although, I did not go on break and stayed in Galloway, it was nice to have a mental break from school.  Most of break was spent working at the Graduate Admissions Office with my awesome co-workers, and the other part was spent in North Jersey at home with my family.

The semester began on January 21 with a half day because of the impending snow.. So, my first day of class ended up being cancelled.  Then classes the following day were cancelled as well!  So, my first two days of classes ended up being pushed until the following week.  As nerdy as it sounds, most of our class wanted to have class these two days.  It was nice have the extra two days off, but it pushed back assignments and readings into each other.

It has been two full weeks since classes have started and we are all in full swing.  From readings, to reports, and presentations, we are already up to our elbows in work.

This is my second semester as a Communication Disorders student in the Master's Program and I can tell it'll be a difficult one.  Although I am not completing Clinic I this semester, I still have 9 credits of classes and I work every day.  It is definitely "do-able" to work a lot in this program, but staying focused and keeping my attention on school work is a top priority.  I don't have much time to say "I'll do it later" or "I can just do it tomorrow."  If I know I have an assignment due, I need to make sure I set a specific time to do it, or else I either won't get it done on time or will be rushed to finish it before classes.  You can't really rush graduate work either.  Everything needs to be completed with detailed, correct information or else your professor will notice.  Graduate school is very different from undergrad.  Every class is serious, every assignment counts and readings are more important than ever.

It will be a difficult semester, but working at the Graduate Studies Office every day keeps me on my toes by putting me in time constraints.  This semester will be very structured.  It will be a challenge, but I am most definitely up for it!

- Kaitlyn

The End of the First Semester

It is currently December 15, 2013 and I have officially finished my first semester of Graduate School for Communication Disorders.  Let me tell you, it was a TOUGH semester, but it can be done!

We have endured a difficult first semester together, but we all made it through.  It was a tremendous amount of work and stress, but we had some laughs through it

Oral Mechanism Exams

Public Service Announcements for Phonological Disorders

Even though it was an extremely difficult semester, we had SOME fun 

Minute to Win It

And we ended it with a few friends

Have a Happy Holiday

Fun times in MSOT school...Yes we do have fun!

 Learning how to use the wheelchairs

 Working on transfers

 Having fun dancing

 Exploring the beautiful nature around us at Stockton

 Making gingerbread trees~ tis' the season!

 Running a group therapy session 

 Pink day~ We love <3T

Getting ready to meditate after a stressful week of exams

 Sensory walk around campus

Learning about pediatrics 

Getting to Know Classmates

I've been extremely fortunate to have made some great friends in this program already and it's only the third month of the program.  I think it is very important to maintain good relationships with classmates and peers in the classroom, but outside as well.  Throughout this semester, we have all worked on an absurd amount of group projects, bringing us all closer together in and OUT of the classroom.  Finding time to meet outside of class to work on assignments has been a little bit of a struggle since people are traveling and have jobs, but it gets done.

As the semester has gone on, I feel very lucky to be in the Cohort that I am in now.  I have a great group of classmates and have gotten very close to many of them at this point.  I know I can rely on them for help or any advice and feel comfortable talking to them about things I don't understand.  We all help each other and lean on one another when we need it.

Also, they're all hilarious!

Just some of us out for Josh's birthday :)

- Kaitlyn

Finals!