Grad's guide to graduate admissions essays - Colleen Reding 2015
New York university - Steinhardt school of culture, education, and human development
General graduate studies
As I walked down the bustling rue Vavin, amongst the cheerful students hurrying into the Luxembourg gardens for lunch, businessmen laughing in the corner café, and beautiful French mothers pushing strollers, I felt, strangely, a sense of belonging. When I first moved to Paris I lived in a limbo—neither a tourist nor a local. After 4 months, however, I had assimilated into society by mastering the French language. I looked and, more importantly, sounded the part of a true Parisian! At last I was at home.
Speaking, reading, writing—these have always come naturally to me. A loquacious 2-year-old, I loved to start conversations with passers-by from my stroller. By age 7, I was searching the dictionary for obscure vocabulary to use during the family dinner conversation. When I was 8, my father taught German to my siblings and me using MUZZY videos, and I fell in love with foreign languages. In high school, I took every French class available, and by college, I knew I wanted to pursue this interest further. Though I excelled with language, I was always aware that communication did not come easily to everyone; my uncle and brother have both worked with speech therapists for autism spectrum and articulation disorder treatment, respectively. Growing up, I wasn’t fully aware of the severity of my uncle’s autism and wondered why he would revert to snappy one-liners during conversation and why he didn’t know that certain behaviors were inappropriate. Now, I am so proud that after years of treatment with behavioral specialists and speech therapists, he is able to live and work independently. My brother saw a speech therapist to fix an articulation disorder when he was 3, and after a few months he was able to speak with perfect clarity. I was proud of my brother as well and impressed that therapy was so effective. The exposure to speech and language therapy within my own family is one of the reasons why I decided to explore this field.
Living abroad was a pivotal point in my life, determining my path toward a career in communication disorders. Becoming fluent in French made me want to explore my own language as well—its linguistic rules, acquisition process, and psychological and social implications. It also strengthened my desire to help others develop and refine their speech and language skills, whether native or foreign. I am applying to graduate school now so that I may fulfill my aspiration to become a speech-language pathologist.
At Georgetown University, I gained a solid academic base that will be invaluable to my graduate studies and future professional endeavors. I also worked all 4 years of college while succeeding with a heavy course load, demonstrating my ability to multitask and take on responsibility, a necessary quality for students balancing clinical hours with graduate studies. The common thread between all of my jobs was working directly with others—giving tours of Congress, teaching English to French students, planning vacations, translating documents for West African immigrants, even working in client services at an e-discovery start-up. On one occasion, an Ivoirian woman began to cry as I transcribed her affidavit for asylum in the United States. I initially thought that remembering her family’s murder and her heroic escape had upset her, but I realized that instead she was crying because she had hope and a chance at a new life. I was so moved by her amazing story and glad that I could have helped her in even a small way. One of the traits I value most in myself is that I use my sensitive nature constructively, especially in one-on-one settings. As a speech-language pathologist, I hope to use the patience and perspective I have gained through past experiences to help others in a life-changing way. This career, though challenging, would be so rewarding each and every day. Although I would be joining your program with a different academic background than many students, my unique experiences and genuine interest will be an important asset to the speech community.
In researching potential graduate programs, it became immediately clear that New York University is my ideal choice for its superior academic and clinical resources. When I visited in November, my decision was further justified by the refreshing enthusiasm of the faculty, clinicians, and students I encountered. Academically, I am most interested in learning about speech and language disorders in young children: how phonological, grammatical, and lexical systems develop, and, more importantly, how this knowledge can help those for which communication does not come naturally. The abundant electives in childhood disorders would allow me to specialize in my main area of interest, but I also know that at NYU I would receive a broad-based, comprehensive education and exposure to subjects I have not thought of before. Your unique, interdisciplinary approach between communication disorders, nutrition, vocals, and other related fields, would be so valuable for future professional experiences and is another reason why I believe NYU is a fit for me. The size of this program is perfect because it is small enough that students uphold high academic standards and the community is collaborative, yet large enough to attract distinguished faculty and innovative research, manage a successful in-house clinic, and be an esteemed name in the speech community. The clinical opportunities available at NYU through the Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic, the broad network of schools and hospitals available for off-campus practicum and the diverse clientele New York is home to would provide the well-rounded, practical education I am seeking. Furthermore, I want to study in New York because it has been my home for the past couple of years, it is where my support and friends are and it is a city of boundless opportunities.
After becoming a licensed speech-language pathologist, I would like to work with children, particularly those who are developmentally disabled, to treat motor speech and language disorders. I fully believe that NYU has the best means to help me achieve this goal. I am so fortunate to have found a career that combines my linguistic and scientific interests with my aspiration to work with children and help others. The truth is, I simply cannot imagine myself doing anything else.