Hi there, my statement of intent for grad school applications is due at the end of this week, and I've basically finished my first draft, however, I am a little unsure of it and it is over the character limit (by 1000 characters). If you guys could critique my essay, tell me if I have answered all the questions, and perhaps help me get rid of sentences which aren't as necessary, that would be fantastic. I kind of feel that I havent done a thorough enough job explaining personal attributes that would make me a good speech language pathologist.
University of Toronto - Statement of Intent (maximum of 3000 characters). The Statement of Intent should include the following points, with particular emphasis on points A through D:
(A) Outline reasons for choosing speech-language pathology as a career
(B) Highlight specific personal attributes that would be relevant for the profession
(C) Emphasize academic and non-academic accomp-lishments
(D) Outline reasons for choosing the Master's program in speech-language pathology at the University of Toronto
(E) Demonstrate current knowledge about the profession of speech-language pathology
I've always known one thing - the perfect career for me would be one in which I could directly help others. However, it wasn't until I was in progress of obtaining my bachelors degree in human biology and neuroscience that I realized exactly how I could make my dream of helping others a reality, as a speech-language pathologist. The human brain fascinates me; essentially it is the core to our existence as humans. It is involved in so many functions that many of us take for granted, including the acquisition, comprehension and production of language. As a very social species, language is an invaluable skill for a human to have. Thus, when an individual loses their ability to communicate through language, they essentially lose their capacity to interact and identify with others. I believe that as a speech-language pathologist, I would not only be fulfilling my passion of helping others experience a better life, but by improving someone else's quality of life, I would be enriching my own.
After taking and enjoying various courses related to language acquisition and phonetics, I knew that I was interested in communication sciences, but I decided that I should gain clinical experience to see if I would be truly passionate about speech therapy. I started off volunteering at the York Durham Aphasia Centre, working with adult clients that presented problems in communicating, typically after experiencing brain injuries. I function as a communication partner, using various strategies to help facilitate communication amongst the clients, including key wording, choices, and visual aids. I am also involved in developing life history books, a communication tool that aid clients in speaking about themselves to others. Although the majority of the clients had suffered from strokes, it was fascinating to see how wide the range of impairments were, and most of all, it was a really rewarding experience seeing how much the individuals improved from week to week. My experience at the aphasia centre was truly invaluable, as I learned a great deal about communication disorders and their associated therapies, but I also saw first-hand how much losing communication can affect an individual. It was inspiring seeing how these individuals maintained a positive attitude and remained motivated to improve, despite the extensive cognitive, emotional, physical and social hardships that they faced after their brain injury.
As a speech-language pathologist, I would have the ability to work with both adults and children suffering from communication problems. Thus, I decided to gain additional experience working with children in a school setting. Alongside a speech-language pathologist, I worked with children exhibiting various communication issues, including autism, speech impediments, and muteness. I engaged in conversation with the children and helped them to speak out loud using reading comprehension work sheets, age appropriate story books, and different language games. At first, I found working with children very challenging; many would refuse to speak out loud, answer questions, and showed very little enjoyment during the sessions. However, as the weeks progressed, the teachers, speech-language pathologist and I noticed drastic improvements; most of children were becoming more comfortable in speaking out loud to others, and were beginning to respond to open-ended questions. Through my volunteer experiences, I have acquired and developed a variety of skills and personal attributes, including cultural acceptance, patience, empathy, and good listening skills, while also increasing my knowledge in various treatment methods.
After spending the past four years as an undergraduate student at the University of Toronto, I am proud to be part of such a globally influential and research focused academic community. Currently, the speech-language pathology department of the University of Toronto is involved in an extensive amount of research which interests me, such as the neural nature of the associated speech impairments seen in individuals suffering from dementia and progressive aphasias. Many of the faculty have been involved in world renowned research that has helped with the understanding of and treatment of communication disorders, including the development of the Toronto Bedside Swallowing Screening Test. The masters program at University of Toronto is uniquely structured in that academic units are immediately followed by clinical placements, a curriculum which I find very effective as it will allow me to apply the knowledge I have learned to real life situations. Perhaps the most appealing aspect of the masters program at University of Toronto is the global outreach program and its partnership with the International Centre for Disability and Rehabilitation, which would provide me with the opportunity to perform my placements outside of Canada.
Overall, I am a focused and motivated student who never fails to challenge myself. During my undergraduate studies, I have always had a part-time job while also being involved in several extracurricular activities, including tennis club, UNICEF and dance. I believe this suggests that I possess the necessary time management skills that would allow me to thrive in the masters program at U of T. Although the University of Toronto has a great deal to offer me, I am confident that I can be an asset to the graduate program in Speech-Language Pathology. My undergraduate education at University of Toronto and my volunteer experiences have provided me with both the knowledge and the passion required to be successful in the field of speech pathology. It is my greatest ambition to become a competent, well-rounded, passionate speech pathologist and I know that the University of Toronto will help me to achieve that
University of Toronto - Statement of Intent (maximum of 3000 characters). The Statement of Intent should include the following points, with particular emphasis on points A through D:
(A) Outline reasons for choosing speech-language pathology as a career
(B) Highlight specific personal attributes that would be relevant for the profession
(C) Emphasize academic and non-academic accomp-lishments
(D) Outline reasons for choosing the Master's program in speech-language pathology at the University of Toronto
(E) Demonstrate current knowledge about the profession of speech-language pathology
I've always known one thing - the perfect career for me would be one in which I could directly help others. However, it wasn't until I was in progress of obtaining my bachelors degree in human biology and neuroscience that I realized exactly how I could make my dream of helping others a reality, as a speech-language pathologist. The human brain fascinates me; essentially it is the core to our existence as humans. It is involved in so many functions that many of us take for granted, including the acquisition, comprehension and production of language. As a very social species, language is an invaluable skill for a human to have. Thus, when an individual loses their ability to communicate through language, they essentially lose their capacity to interact and identify with others. I believe that as a speech-language pathologist, I would not only be fulfilling my passion of helping others experience a better life, but by improving someone else's quality of life, I would be enriching my own.
After taking and enjoying various courses related to language acquisition and phonetics, I knew that I was interested in communication sciences, but I decided that I should gain clinical experience to see if I would be truly passionate about speech therapy. I started off volunteering at the York Durham Aphasia Centre, working with adult clients that presented problems in communicating, typically after experiencing brain injuries. I function as a communication partner, using various strategies to help facilitate communication amongst the clients, including key wording, choices, and visual aids. I am also involved in developing life history books, a communication tool that aid clients in speaking about themselves to others. Although the majority of the clients had suffered from strokes, it was fascinating to see how wide the range of impairments were, and most of all, it was a really rewarding experience seeing how much the individuals improved from week to week. My experience at the aphasia centre was truly invaluable, as I learned a great deal about communication disorders and their associated therapies, but I also saw first-hand how much losing communication can affect an individual. It was inspiring seeing how these individuals maintained a positive attitude and remained motivated to improve, despite the extensive cognitive, emotional, physical and social hardships that they faced after their brain injury.
As a speech-language pathologist, I would have the ability to work with both adults and children suffering from communication problems. Thus, I decided to gain additional experience working with children in a school setting. Alongside a speech-language pathologist, I worked with children exhibiting various communication issues, including autism, speech impediments, and muteness. I engaged in conversation with the children and helped them to speak out loud using reading comprehension work sheets, age appropriate story books, and different language games. At first, I found working with children very challenging; many would refuse to speak out loud, answer questions, and showed very little enjoyment during the sessions. However, as the weeks progressed, the teachers, speech-language pathologist and I noticed drastic improvements; most of children were becoming more comfortable in speaking out loud to others, and were beginning to respond to open-ended questions. Through my volunteer experiences, I have acquired and developed a variety of skills and personal attributes, including cultural acceptance, patience, empathy, and good listening skills, while also increasing my knowledge in various treatment methods.
After spending the past four years as an undergraduate student at the University of Toronto, I am proud to be part of such a globally influential and research focused academic community. Currently, the speech-language pathology department of the University of Toronto is involved in an extensive amount of research which interests me, such as the neural nature of the associated speech impairments seen in individuals suffering from dementia and progressive aphasias. Many of the faculty have been involved in world renowned research that has helped with the understanding of and treatment of communication disorders, including the development of the Toronto Bedside Swallowing Screening Test. The masters program at University of Toronto is uniquely structured in that academic units are immediately followed by clinical placements, a curriculum which I find very effective as it will allow me to apply the knowledge I have learned to real life situations. Perhaps the most appealing aspect of the masters program at University of Toronto is the global outreach program and its partnership with the International Centre for Disability and Rehabilitation, which would provide me with the opportunity to perform my placements outside of Canada.
Overall, I am a focused and motivated student who never fails to challenge myself. During my undergraduate studies, I have always had a part-time job while also being involved in several extracurricular activities, including tennis club, UNICEF and dance. I believe this suggests that I possess the necessary time management skills that would allow me to thrive in the masters program at U of T. Although the University of Toronto has a great deal to offer me, I am confident that I can be an asset to the graduate program in Speech-Language Pathology. My undergraduate education at University of Toronto and my volunteer experiences have provided me with both the knowledge and the passion required to be successful in the field of speech pathology. It is my greatest ambition to become a competent, well-rounded, passionate speech pathologist and I know that the University of Toronto will help me to achieve that