I’m a current HS senior and recently became interested in studying audiology. I’m not entirely sure what I’m going to study at undergrad, maybe a cognition/linguistics/neuroscience ish thing (unless I’m accepted to UK universities, where I’ll read politics/sociology). I’m little-d deaf, learning ASL, trying to become more involved with the Deaf community.
Would love to read any advice that people have. Obviously, it’s quite early, but I’m a serial procrastinator so… yeah. Just curious. Thanks a mill!
I’m in the Midwest and have applied/am in the process of applying to Northwestern and Madison. I know Vanderbilt has an excellent DAud program but does it have the same strengths for undergrad? Thanks!
You might consider the universities in Rochester, NY. There’s a robust Deaf community there, because of the National Technical Institute for the Deaf, which is a division of RIT. RIT itself has strong STEM and would allow you to pursue ASL/Deaf Studies while majoring in Neuroscience, Biomedical Sciences, or another relevant major. U of Rochester has majors in Brain & Cognitive Sciences, Linguistics, Audio Engineering, and many other STEM fields, plus both a major and a minor in ASL.
Yes Vanderbilt is well known as having outstanding undergraduate education, and they are famous for their speech/audiology and neuroscience.
However, you can do the prereqs for grad school at tons of different places. If you are interested in doing an AuD later, cost will be really important. That’s one reason I’m asking what state you’re in. Minnesota, Indiana, Wisconsin, Iowa, and others have great in-state options.
The only reason I didn’t suggest Rochester Institute of Technology (which is really stellar for deaf/Deaf students) is because their offerings in your majors of interest aren’t quite as robust. I personally love that school and it’s definitely worth a look if you’re interested.
I visited Vanderbilt and didn’t really like it, don’t know the specific reason, but just didn’t
I applied ED to a school near me that’s absolutely fantastic in terms of grad school placement, prestige, and quality of education and that will cost me essentially nothing if I’m admitted, which is what I’m hoping for but will def check out those. Thank you!
Look for colleges that have a major in communication disorders and sciences. The name of the major may change slightly depending on the school. Once you have your BA/BS you will need to continue for another 4 years to get your Aud degree, which is a clinical doctorate.
The ASHA website will help identify programs (American Speech and Hearing Association).
It’s great that you’ve figured out you don’t like Vanderbilt. And eliminating a school on vibes is completely valid. There’s tons of schools where you can go for undergrad.
I suggested the schools above based on their overall reputation in the speech/audiology field, and because they offer a comprehensive suite of undergrad and grad degree programs, including AuD. You certainly don’t need to attend undergrad at a school with an AuD program. But some people prefer to do that so they’re immersed in the field early. They’re almost all big schools so that’s not the best path if you want to attend a smaller school.
When it comes time to do grad school, you’ll likely have to apply to several places even just to compare financial offers – they vary widely by institution. For the wages that you’ll earn as an audiologist, the graduate debt incurred can be way too high. Shrewd people will pick the cheapest program that will give them a good education – bonus if it’s in the geographical area where you’d like to practice.
I’m glad to hear that you have an undergrad program in mind that checks all the boxes. If it’s a good fit for you, you’d be smart to take that deal. Some of the midwestern schools in particular can be a great value. It won’t hurt to apply to a few that you know will be affordable.
Thank you so much! I really appreciate it.
For grad, I was reading about Gallaudet’s AuD program – it really appeals to me because of the obvious advantage of being immersed in the signing community. Is that considered “worth it”?
You are still in HS. I’d recommend you focus on finding an affordable/good fit undergrad school where you can take any courses required to apply to AuD programs in the future.
You have plenty of time to find grad programs. Leave open the possibility that your career path or area of specialization may change over the next four years.
I agree. Don’t worry about AuD school for a while. The prerequisites are not bad and should be easy to meet with any of the majors of your stated interest. Just go to a school that’s a good fit for you (and a good price) and learn about the field as you go.
As you know, you don’t need to major in CSD to pursue AuD. Your interests in a major in cognition/linguistics/neuroscience are a great match for audiology. You may even decide that you want to go more in the research and/or teaching direction and pursue a PhD instead. PhDs in fields like neuroscience and linguistics aren’t highly employable. But for SLHS professions, they are.
You can hone in on your interests during undergrad. Consider participating in undergraduate research to help you figure out what you might enjoy – especially if you’re at a school that offers a PhD and/or AuD in the SLHS department.
I don’t know your budget but TCNJ has a speech/audiology program in Ewing, NJ. It’s a public liberal arts school highly regarded for strong academics plus there is a school for the deaf in the same town. It’s out of state full COA is just over $40,000/yr. It’s not as difficult of an admission compared to schools like Vandy etc.
