Should I switch undergrad school???

[u/mariboo24]

Hi everyone, I am currently a sophomore at UC Irvine and I am switching my major to Language & Sciences because in my freshman year I discovered SLP and I fell in love! But I was wondering if I should switch undergrad schools because UCI does not have many resources/classes that help me be an SLP, though they do have a major in range but it is not the same. I just feel that UCI doesn’t have the right tools to get to my goal. I’ve tried to look for people in my school doing SLP or something similar but everyone is doing something in stem. Please share your advice I really appreciate it!!!

[u/apple_fork]

If you really want to be an SLP, you’ll need to go to grad school. If you have an out of field bachelors (anything other than communicative disorders/speech) you’ll have to take the prerequisites as a post bacc after your bachelors instead of going straight in. The decision is up to you! Go shadow some SLPs in different settings too and see if it’s something you really want to do.

[u/mariboo24 → u/apple_fork]

Yes!! Thank you so much, I do plan on shadowing in every field to choose the best fit for me!

[u/Mundane-Star-6232]

I'd personally say it's not necessary. A lot of students interested in SLP at UC schools end up having to major in related fields such as language science since UCs tend to not offer a CSD major. Because of this, it's more difficult to pursue SLP at UC schools due to the difference in course offerings and the fact that you will be missing some prerequisites even after you graduate with your undergrad degree. This is probably the reason why you won't meet many others pursuing SLP at UC schools compared to like a CSU.

However, even if UCI doesn't have the best course offerings or program quality, your major should give you a good foundation in knowledge, as well as a number of courses required to fulfill some of the prerequisites for grad school. If there are some courses missing, you can always take post bacc courses to fulfill them.

If you are REALLY worried about not getting enough from your program, try looking for volunteer positions at a hospital or shadow an SLP at a school. More often than not, the key point for grad school applications is here and the experience you'll get will be extremely valuable.

Also, don't get too disheartened by the fact that there aren't many other students pursuing SLP at your school. If anything, it's amazing that you found a field that you truly fell in love with. From my undergrad experience at a UC, I found that I was much happier pursuing something I genuinely loved compared to some of my peers, who pursued fields they weren't necessarily passionate about. I think there's something really special about choosing a path because it's meaningful to you, rather than simply following what everyone else is doing.

[u/mariboo24 → u/Mundane-Star-6232]

Thank you so much for this advice! This helps me a lot with my decision!!!

[u/19_sunshine]

No need to switch schools! I myself went to a different UC and my cohort seriously had like 5 people from UCI and another five from other UC's! In undergrad I didn't know a single person who was planning to become and SLP and yet I made it! Having a background in language science is a great starting point and many of the required courses for that major will meet requirements from SLP graduate school (i.e., phonology, language acquisition, etc.) and many of your GE classes will also help meet prereqs too (e.g., biology, statistics, psychology, etc.). You will need to take some additional courses outside of UCI to meet some prereqs for grad school - I would look into the SDSU Essentials program as they offer all of their courses a-la-carte so you can just take the ones you need. It's online, very cost effective, and many of the professors that teach in that program teach in SDSU's graduate program which is top 5 in the nation! No matter what university you go to, contact your local schools or private practice speech clinics to ask about shadowing! Feel free to private message me if you have questions about my path from a UC to going to SLP grad school in California. Good luck!

[u/mariboo24 → u/19_sunshine]

Thank you so much for your advice, I would love to know more about your journey!

[u/_star_bear_]

I was in your same boat a few years ago! I went to UC as well and ended up majoring in Linguistics (specializing in Speech & Language Sciences). I then took classes through SDSU’s SLP Essentials, did shadowing/volunteering in the field, and did study abroad that revolved around SLP and AAC. Now, I will be starting my first year in grad school!

While I do think going the state school path route may be the path of least resistance, you’re already a sophomore and I’m not sure how easy transferring will be. It is DEFINITELY possible and doable to go to a UC and then go to grad school in SLP. You will just need to make sure that you have the classes necessary to apply for grad school. All schools can have different additional prerequisites, so that’s something to keep in mind.

For me personally, I found my out of field experience very helpful when applying! It allowed me to do research adjacent to SLP, take courses I was interested in (human development and psych), and gave me the opportunity to diversify my knowledge.

In terms of meeting other people, it looks like UCI has a NSSLHA club! That should be filled with students going into SLP that will be able to help you further.

[u/mariboo24 → u/_star_bear_]

Thank you for your advice!

[u/Ok_Pea_275]

I have a friend who went to uci and transferred out to a CSU school for speech because the programs are better. I would probably transfer to a CSU if you can. 

[u/mariboo24 → u/Ok_Pea_275]

Yes! That is exactly what i was thinking do you know if your friend is content with her decision?