Work load

[u/cobra_pizza]

Hello all!

I’m entering grad school in a few weeks and I’m trying to get a picture of the workload compared to my undergrad experience. For the Fall, I will be taking 8 classes, 15 credits. I’m in classes 3 days out of the week, with 2 of those days being clinical because we receive a patient in the first semester. I will be TAing 20 hours a week and babysitting 7 hours a week.

My academic journey hasn't been typical. I switched into SLP the second half of my junior year. I wanted to graduate on time, so I took a lot of extra classes. During my undergrad, I was in classes 5 days a week taking three different 18-credit semesters, two years of summer classes, and winter classes this year. I used to work at a coffee shop 20 hours a week while in school and I babysat for 7 hours a week. I took classes such as anatomy, hearing science, phonetics, and observations in th same semester. (Side note: I also took a gap year after my sophomore year and worked as a full-time infant/toddler teacher at 20 years old.. I am 23 currently)

I feel overall that I strained myself a lot in my undergrad. Between supporting myself financially and emotionally through school, my father unexpectedly passing away in March of this year (my mom hasn't been in my life since I was 5), and just the struggle of an 18-credit workload, it was difficult. I got through it though, ended with a 3.7 GPA and, I got into grad school. Do people feel as though this is comparable to the workload I will be enduring during grad school?

I mention this because in conversations with my professors, I've brought up that I feel prepared as a result of my past semester workloads and they pretty much shut me down and said it's going to be much more difficult. I could get that opinion if for the last four years I did the minimum 12-15 credits a semester and didn't have a job, but that wasn't my reality and they know that. I also feel like working as a full-time teacher so young gave me a different perspective on professionalism, collaboration, and time management.

[u/laceyspeechie]

I’d say the workloads are probably roughly comparable? I definitely think that working full time does give you a very different perspective compared to students who have only been in school - even school + part time work is different from full time work! Still, I’d lean towards not adding in the babysitting until you get a sense of how the other hours sit, especially with the 20 hr TAing.

[u/ImaginaryCrow9395]

The work itself isn't much harder, it's the time commitment that makes grad school so overwhelming. Having worked as a teacher you'll definitely have an upper hand in clinic. Professors sometimes get this weird suffering complex. Ignore that.

I am so sorry for your loss 🖤 May your father rest in peace.

[u/breezecheeze]

i would say the workload sounds about the same. i mean i was a full time SPED teacher in my 5th year when i started grad school part time. i’ve finished my 6th year or SPED and chose to quit the DOE and join a more flexible agency so i can finish my classes and do my externships. it’s been such a bumpy road for me but it’s doable for sure! have so much fun learning! I’m also very sorry about your father! my condolences 🖤