Second time around applying to graduate school for SLP. Revamped my Personal Statement and rough draft below. Please let me know if it is interesting enough or too technical. Thanks!
In my opinion, the entire world functions off one unique concept called communication. Seems simple enough, right? But can you imagine a world without it? A world where one was powerless to convey their thoughts, emotions or needs, and the inability share them with another individual. That one seemingly "simple" concept bears the weight of human interaction, and without effective communication our society, culture and sense of self would no longer exist.
I have always desired bridging the gap between individuals who had difficulty communicating. In 2009 I graduated from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, with the aspirations of one day working with individuals and families as Marriage and Family Therapist. Now looking back I realize that not only did I desire to bridge communication barriers by scaffolding positive communication, but yearned to truly rehabilitate the foundational components of communication known as speech and language. Armed with a Bachelor's in Psychology, I desired to broaden my graduate profile by re-entering the world of academia through post-baccalaureate coursework in Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. These academic experiences have equipped me with integral personal skills that enable me to excel as a student and future clinician within the field of Speech Pathology.
As a student I exhibit an innate perseverance and ambition to succeed in this competitive field. I returned to the world of academics invigorated by the endless opportunities a SLP can experience throughout their career. Unfortunately, I was unaware how this field would challenge me as a student, and quickly realized that to obtain this career I would have to overcome many obstacles. For instance, though I was able to complete the first semester with adequate marks, I knew that my performance did not portray the level of expertise necessary to be a desired graduate school candidate. However, now equipped with the new nomenclature and with a better understanding of the expectations set before me, I was able to gain traction the following semester, and successfully achieved grades that granted me competitive status. By maintaining a positive mindset and enforcing diligent self-discipline I was able to achieve this accomplishment, and was eager to generalize my new knowledge outside the classroom.
Fortunately, my new skills were able to be applied at Wake Forest Medical Center as a student volunteer in the Hearing and Speech Department. During this time I had the opportunity to observe and learn directly from practicing clinicians. This experience proved to be immensely beneficial in my academics as it facilitated the relationship between clinical practice and classroom principles. Additionally, I had the ability to learn how to demonstrate appropriate amounts of empathy, which is necessary for individuals working in helping services. This imperative personal attribute will proof to be an asset in my future experience with future clients and patients.
The variable nature of communication disorders continue to facilitate my desire to approximating the gap of successful human interaction and articulate communication. As a clinician I aspire to obtain employment within a medical environment working within the pediatric population, by equipping the hearing impaired and cochlear implanted population with the tools necessary to master verbal communication and receptive comprehension. The personal attributes highlighted above coupled with the skills and knowledge obtained from admission into a Master's in Speech Pathology program would transform this ambition into a reality. One day I will add the coveted title of CCC-SLP to my name, and it is my great desire that ------University is the catalyst that propels to achieving that goal.
In my opinion, the entire world functions off one unique concept called communication. Seems simple enough, right? But can you imagine a world without it? A world where one was powerless to convey their thoughts, emotions or needs, and the inability share them with another individual. That one seemingly "simple" concept bears the weight of human interaction, and without effective communication our society, culture and sense of self would no longer exist.
I have always desired bridging the gap between individuals who had difficulty communicating. In 2009 I graduated from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, with the aspirations of one day working with individuals and families as Marriage and Family Therapist. Now looking back I realize that not only did I desire to bridge communication barriers by scaffolding positive communication, but yearned to truly rehabilitate the foundational components of communication known as speech and language. Armed with a Bachelor's in Psychology, I desired to broaden my graduate profile by re-entering the world of academia through post-baccalaureate coursework in Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. These academic experiences have equipped me with integral personal skills that enable me to excel as a student and future clinician within the field of Speech Pathology.
As a student I exhibit an innate perseverance and ambition to succeed in this competitive field. I returned to the world of academics invigorated by the endless opportunities a SLP can experience throughout their career. Unfortunately, I was unaware how this field would challenge me as a student, and quickly realized that to obtain this career I would have to overcome many obstacles. For instance, though I was able to complete the first semester with adequate marks, I knew that my performance did not portray the level of expertise necessary to be a desired graduate school candidate. However, now equipped with the new nomenclature and with a better understanding of the expectations set before me, I was able to gain traction the following semester, and successfully achieved grades that granted me competitive status. By maintaining a positive mindset and enforcing diligent self-discipline I was able to achieve this accomplishment, and was eager to generalize my new knowledge outside the classroom.
Fortunately, my new skills were able to be applied at Wake Forest Medical Center as a student volunteer in the Hearing and Speech Department. During this time I had the opportunity to observe and learn directly from practicing clinicians. This experience proved to be immensely beneficial in my academics as it facilitated the relationship between clinical practice and classroom principles. Additionally, I had the ability to learn how to demonstrate appropriate amounts of empathy, which is necessary for individuals working in helping services. This imperative personal attribute will proof to be an asset in my future experience with future clients and patients.
The variable nature of communication disorders continue to facilitate my desire to approximating the gap of successful human interaction and articulate communication. As a clinician I aspire to obtain employment within a medical environment working within the pediatric population, by equipping the hearing impaired and cochlear implanted population with the tools necessary to master verbal communication and receptive comprehension. The personal attributes highlighted above coupled with the skills and knowledge obtained from admission into a Master's in Speech Pathology program would transform this ambition into a reality. One day I will add the coveted title of CCC-SLP to my name, and it is my great desire that ------University is the catalyst that propels to achieving that goal.