u/Chance-Plate-7153

We had a really rough start to our relationship at first. She expected me to know about 504s and triannuals and all the different IEPs. I made clear to her that I had never even sat in an IEP before. And she would give me dirty looks for not knowing different things. She told me during my evaluation that I should tell my bosses and whoever I work with in the future otherwise they'll think badly of me.

I'm a second-year student and wanted to share some realities that prospective students might want to consider before committing to this program.

A few things surprised me:

1. Clinical placements are not guaranteed early on.

Even though the university is affiliated with a major hospital, placements are competitive and not everyone gets what they expect right away.

2. Tuition vs. outcomes.

The program is extremely expensive, and I’m not sure the cost always translates into better training compared to public programs.

3. “Professionalism grading” is taken very seriously.

Things like being a few minutes late can affect your grade. Some faculty enforce this very publicly, which can create a pretty stressful classroom atmosphere.

For example, there was an incident where the program director publicly embarrassed two students for being late in front of both cohorts. This meeting is monthly. This time, the meeting was being conducted in a different auditorium than usual. And quite frankly, it was kind of confusing to get to this auditorium. These two first years arrived late a few minutes and the director, who was speaking, said "no no no girls! Come sit up front!" In front of both cohorts. To be clear, professionalism absolutely matters in healthcare fields. But the culture can sometimes feel more punitive than supportive.

It would be one thing if the faculty were punctual themselves. But there was another meeting in which three professors arrived late. One like 3 minutes late. Another 10 minutes late. Another 45 minutes late. Last semester, my professor always arrived late to class.

4. If you have a bad CE, you're stuck with them - and they won't be taken out of the rotation.

Now, bad clinical educators are gonna be found in whatever school you go to. You might get a CE that is passive aggressive, or ignores you, or doesn't give you help or it's just downright mean. If you try to report it to the faculty, they tell you "well it's a good experience". Or "just try to put up with it". And it's understandable because it is pretty unprecedented to remove a student from a clinical placement halfway through the semester. Not to mention, clinical educators in general are hard to come by, so a lot of schools want to cling onto those.

But that's not really the issue here. The issue is that that clinical educator stays in rotation, making it likely that one of your classmates, or someone cohort below you will end up with that CE.

You might think "well, those CE's are very far and few between. I don't think that'll happen to me "or "I can put up with it". But really think about it. Imagine going to clinical placement at least once a week, if not several days a week, with a CE that really doesn't like you? Graduate school is stressful.

My advice to applicants:

Talk to current students before accepting an offer.

Compare tuition carefully with state schools.

I’m not saying no one should attend — just that I wish I had asked more questions before committing.

Curious if students in other SLP programs have had similar experiences.

Hey everyone, I’m currently an SLP grad student and I’m still shaking from an incident that happened in class today. I just need to get this out and see if anyone has advice on how to handle this, whether with the professor or administratively.

To give you an idea of his vibe, he has a history of publicly targeting anyone who is even slightly late. On the first day of class, two girls walked in at 4:00 PM on the dot, and he stopped class to tell them, "Not acceptable, ladies." Today, it was my turn. I walked into class 4 minutes late. As soon as I opened the door, he stopped the entire lecture and addressed me publicly in front of the whole room. He said:

"Yes hello Sarah sit down. Don't worry I don't have a peppermint. This won't fly in the real world. We must use our executive functions to arrive on time."

For context: The "peppermint" comment is because weeks prior, this exact professor literally hit me on the head with a peppermint.

The public humiliation combined with him casually joking about past physical misconduct completely broke me. I ended up having a severe panic attack right there. My nervous system totally hijacked—I had to leave the room multiple times, was crying involuntarily, and my legs gave out so I had to sit on the floor outside just to stay upright.

I feel sick to my stomach. We are literally taught in this field to treat clients with empathy and understanding, yet an SLP professor is weaponizing terms like "executive functions" to publicly humiliate students over minor delays

Winter break was when this happened. Every niece and nephew in my family gets a graduation trip to Mexico courtesy of my uncle. This year was my little cousin's turn.

Enter Eli (30M). He's family...but not really. My uncle married his aunt fifteen years ago. We've known each other for about ten years. When I was 15 I had a tiny crush on him because I was 15 and he was a college kid. Nothing ever happened because obviously he was a normal 19 year old.
Within an hour of me arriving he sits next to me at dinner. He remembers watching me dominate beer pong at a football game eight months earlier (I didn't even remember he was there.) He starts a chopstick sword fight with me. Keeps dedicating tequila shots "to [my name]"

At the sports bar he literally walks over carrying drinks and goes:

"These are all for [my name]."

The entire week somehow turns into us roasting each other. He starts random conversations. Brings back inside jokes from days earlier. Remembers tiny details. Hands me chairs before sitting himself. Laughs at dumb jokes nobody else reacts to.

Keeps saying things like:

"It's [my name’s] last two nights—we have to make it worth it."

One night we have this surprisingly deep conversation. He tells me his girlfriend cheated on him with someone in Switzerland. I tell him he's good looking and charismatic after this. I was just trying to make him feel better. Not that it wasn't true, but I wasn’t trying to hit on him then. He hugs me.Then immediately asks if I'm seeing anybody.

The flirting (???) continues.

Earlier one day, I tell him and the rest of my cousins about this one time my older brother (who they know very well) was supposed to be my designated driver but he got so drunk that I had to drive him. He tells me hours later he'll be my designated driver anytime. I joke I'll call him even when I don't need one.He says he'll still come.
He steals my drink. I steal his shots. He pretends to revoke designated-driver privileges. I remind him  he made a promise. He just smiles.
At one point I invite him to Coachella and Ibiza after I graduate.

He says,

"I'll try to make it about you."

At another point I make the dumbest joke imaginable.I ask everyone:

"Would you rather get eaten alive by a jaguar or get killed by a guy named Caca-Poo-Poo-Head?"

This grown 29-year-old curriculum developer completely loses it laughing. Harder than anyone else.

On my last morning he raises his drink.

"[My name’s] last drink."

We talk about school. Future plans. Fourth of July.

He tells me:

"I'll try to see you then."

I left home on Tuesday afternoon. The family is still partying in Mexico.

During that time, I managed to tell my brother (who is going to move into my grandma’s home and was scoping for roommates) that Eli was living with his aunt and maybe he’d like to be roommates. My brother and Eli get along very well, and the deal was made within the hour. Eli would move in and stuff.

At 11:20PM Wednesday night, Eli sends:

"Man I had some fine shyt on me."

Someone asks who.

He responds:

"Nah she finer than that."

Then:

"I went back to her apartment btw."

...

...
...
Cool.
Excellent.
Love that.
So apparently while I was romantically overanalyzing tequila shots and designated-driver jokes and found Eli a home... This man speedran an entire vacation hookup less than 36 hours after I left.
I laughed so hard I couldn't even be mad.
The story should end there.
Except life decided to add DLC.
Several months later...
My older brother needs roommates.
Guess who moves into my grandmother's house.
Buddy.
So now family gatherings include the guy who once toasted tequila "to [me]" every fifteen minutes...and who my brother now sees every single day.
My brother still has absolutely no idea I once spent an entire vacation wondering if this guy liked me.

TL;DR: Spent a week convinced there might be mutual flirting with my "sort-of cousin," only for him to hook up with someone literally the day after I left Mexico. He accidentally became my brother's roommate, ensuring this awkward chapter of my life can never truly die.