Graduate Studies

Thank you for your interest in SUNY Fredonia graduate studies in Speech-Language Pathology.  This page contains important information about the selection process and important dates for you to keep in mind. Please read this information thoroughly and carefully.

Application Checklist

• Submitted application
• $75 application fee
  Payable online via credit card, or offline via check.
• Statement of Intent
• Current Résumé
• Recommendation Letters with scholarly criteria form
  The form must accompany at least two recommendation letters, or your recommendations will be considered not official. (minimum of two, maximum of four)
• Transcripts (from all universities attended, except Fredonia)
  Unofficial transcripts may be uploaded directly to the application.
• GRE scores
  Scores are received by the Graduate Studies Office directly from the Educational Testing Service.
  Codes - Fredonia: 2539, Communication Disorders Department: 0620
• FSA-4 form with bank statement
  International applicants only.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How do my GRE scores affect my chances for admission?
  A: The GRE scores are one component of the application review process.  Information about minimum or average GRE scores is not available. 
• Q: Why do my GRE scores not appear on my application?
  A: GRE scores are not self reported, rather loaded electronically by the Graduate Studies Office.Your test scores will appear on a submitted application (scores will not appear on unsubmitted applications).  Scores will be loaded every friday starting in January and ending on February 18th. For example; if you submit your application on Tuesday, Jan 17th, your scores will appear on Friday, Jan 20th after 5pm.
• Q: What if I do not meet some of the requirements for the program?
  A: You need to speak with the SLP Program Coordinator, Dr. Kim Tillery (Kim.Tillery@fredonia.edu) to discuss any options.  Students will not be admitted to take graduate level Speech courses as a non-degree student.
• Q: How do I know when application materials have been received?
  A: Any document that is received by the Grad Studies Office will be reflected on the online application as either "Received Official" or "Received Not Official".  Updates to applications are made daily.
• Q: Should I send my application materials to the Communication Disorders & Sciences department?
  A: No, ALL materials must be sent directly to the Graduate Studies Office.
• Q: What does my recommendation letter mean when it says "Received Not Official"?
  A: If a recommendation letter is listed as "Received Not Official", either the recommendation form was not completed, or a written narrative letter was not submitted.  You will receive an email explaining what portion is missing.
• Q: I submitted an official transcript from my school, why does it say "Received Not Official"?
  A: A transcript is considered "official" if a) all coursework has been completed, and the transcript came directly from the University, or b) a degree has been conferred, and the transcript came directly from the University.
• Q: Where can I find my decision letter on my online application?
  A: Once you receive an email, and log in to your application, you will see the link "Your application decision is now available online".  Click on that link to view your decision letter.
• Q: I've been put on the wait list, can I add materials to my application?
  A: No, additional materials will not be accepted after the February 1 deadline.
• Q: Can you tell me where I am on the wait list?
  A: Absolutely no information about the wait list will be given out, see below.
• Q: I'm still on the wait list, why haven't I heard anything about my application?
  A: After the first round enrollment deadline for accepted students, individual spots will be filled.  The next correspondence that you will receive will either be an acceptance or a denial.

Important Dates

December 2012: An online information session will be held twice during the month of December. Lauren Kicak will take anonymous application questions in an online chat forum. The first session will be on Monday, December 10th from 3-5pm. The next session will be on Thursday, December 20th from 3-5pm. Please use this link to access the chat room: http://www.chatzy.com/33295227057183. Once you've entered the room, click on "Join Chat" to ask your questions.

February 1, 2013: Application deadline.  ALL application materials must be received by this date.  No late applications will be accepted.  You may log on to your application account at any time to check the status of your application and supporting materials.  Send application materials directly to the Graduate Studies Office.

Late March 2013: First notification round.  Application decisions will be available online when you log on to your application account and you will be notified by email that your decision is ready.  If you have been chosen for the 'wait list status', we ask that you notify us whether or not you’d like to remain on our waiting list via the convenient link in the enrollment form.

April 15, 2013: Enrollment deadline.  Acceptance or declination of our admission offer (acceptance and wait list placement) is due by this date.  After April 15, the Communication Disorders & Sciences department will start filling theopen spots with wait list candidates.  Any accepted candidate who fails to reply by this date will not be offered a spot in the Fall 2013 class.

May 2013: Fall 2013 class is finalized.  All accepted candidates will receive official acceptance letters via postal mail with a link to our online orientation.

Summer 2013: Communication Disorders & Sciences department sends Fall 2013 new student packets to all accepted students.

August 2013: Communication Disorders & Sciences department orientation, SUNY Fredonia Graduate Studies Fall 2013 Orientation.  Please stay tuned for more details about these exciting and important events.

Recommendation Letters

There are several options for submitting recommendation letters.

• Online     
  When you identify a recommendation provider on your online application, and indicate that s/he will complete their recommendation online, an email will be sent to the provider with login information that will allow him/her to complete the scholarly criteria rating online and upload a written recommendation letter. 
• Offline     
  You must complete the top of the scholarly criteria rating form, indicating whether or not you waive your right to review the recommendation and send the form to your providers. They must complete the scholarly criteria rating and attach a written narrative to the form. They may then mail (for confidential recommendation letters) or fax (for non-confidential recommendation letters) the form and letter to the Graduate Studies Office.
• Credentials File     
  A credentials, or career, file may be submitted to satisfy the recommendation letter requirement. However, scholarly criteria rating forms must be completed by at least two people whose letters are included in the credentials/career file.

  Transcripts

Unofficial transcripts may be uploaded directly to the online application. If you are offered admission to a graduate program, you will be required to submit official transcripts. You must submit transcripts:

• For all institutions you have attended, except SUNY Fredonia.
• For coursework for which transfer credit has been awarded (i.e. community college)
• For coursework taken as a high school student (if college credit was awarded).
• Even if you previously submitted them to SUNY Fredonia during the undergraduate admissions process. 

Official or Not Official

There is often confusion regarding recommendation letters and transcripts marked on the online application as received "official" or "not official".

• Recommendation Letters: If a recommendation letter is listed as "Received Not Official", either the required recommendation form was not completed, or a narrative letter was not submitted.
• Transcripts: A transcript is considered "official" if a) all coursework has been completed, and the transcript came directly from the University, or b) a degree has been conferred, and the transcript came directly from the University. If you have not completed your program from your university, your transcript is considered “Not Official”.

Previous Applicants

If you have previously applied, your existing online application will be need to be reactivated so that you may upload new or additional materials. Contact the Graduate Studies Office to have your online application unsubmitted and reactivated.
If you experience difficulties accessing your application due to an inactive email account, contact technical support.

• Application Fee
  The fee will be waived if you paid an application fee within one academic year.
• Official Transcripts
  If you previously submitted a transcript that did not indicate your degree conferred, please submit a new official transcript.

International Applicants

The following paperwork is required for non-U.S. applicants.  Details regarding these requirements may be found on our International Student section of the Graduate Studies website.

• FSA-4 form with supporting financial documentation
• Non-native English speakers will also need to submit the FSA-3 form and English proficiency test scores.

Please note for native English speakers: if the system prompts you to upload the FSA-3 form or score report, simply upload a blank document to work around this requirement.

Contact Information

Program Specific
Questions about program prerequisites, undergraduate preparation, or specifics about the graduate Speech-Language Pathology degree program should be directed to the Communication Disorders & Sciences department chairperson,

Dr. Kim Tillery (Kim.Tillery@fredonia.edu; (716) 673-3203).

Email is preferred.

Application/Admission
Questions about the application process and status should be directed to Lauren Kicak (Lauren.Kicak@fredonia.edu) in the Graduate Studies Office.

Before contacting the Graduate Studies Office, please log in to your application account for information regarding the completeness of your application, and the status of your recommendations and supporting materials (transcripts, international paperwork).

If you still have questions, feel free to use the chat function on our webpage to get instant answers to your questions, or call the office ((716) 673-3808).

Wait List Information

SUNY Fredonia does not release any information regarding the wait list.  Information about an applicant’s position on the wait list will not be provided.

Please keep in mind that the Speech-Language Pathology graduate degree program is very competitive, with over 100 applications to fill 27 openings annually. 

If you are not selected in the first round of acceptances, you will be asked to confirm whether or not you would like to remain on the wait list. You will be notified thereafter if your status on the wait list (e.g. acceptance or denial of admission) changes.

After the first round enrollment deadline, the next correspondence that you receive will either be an acceptance or a denial.  Your application status will remain the same unless notified via email by our office.

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