Gallaudet ASLPI (ASL Proficiency Interview)

[zeefour]

Hi everyone!

If you don't know my background, here's a quick recap. I'm a 29 year old HoH girl, who was mainstreamed and use hearing aids, I have severe hearing loss in one ear and profound in the other right now, it's progressed since I was little. In school I was exposed to signed English and SEE on top of speech, FM systems, CART, etc. I just finished my degree in human services/addiction counseling with a focus in underserved communities (Deaf, women, disabled, ethnic minorities, etc.). I've been working really hard on learning "proper" ASL so I can be more active in the Deaf community.

Anyway I had a teacher recommend Gallaudet for grad school, she went there and she was the best teacher I had my entire time in school, she was supportive and helpful. I looked and Gallaudet actually has the exact masters degree I want, an MA in Mental Health Counseling with classes on addiction in the Deaf community.

I'm having to take at least a year off before I can actually go to grad school due to some personal issues. But I already did almost all my application and have it ready to go for the 2019-2020 school year.

What I was kind of concerned about is the signing exam or ASLPI. Since I'm not an undergrad, I don't have priority as a Deaf/HoH student and I still don't know if I'd be eligible for the Jump Start program where Deaf/HoH undergrads not fluent in ASL spend the summer on campus fully immersed. I have to have the same ASL skills as a hearing applicant.

Is anyone familiar with the Gallaudet ASLPI? Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!!

 

[zephren]

I went to Gally for grad school and was in the Counseling program.

The entrance requirement does not seem to be a specific score but a general impression: (per the requirements) "'Successful completion' is achieved when the applicant demonstrates both receptive and expressive ASL skills such that the interview flows without significant interruptions."

In my grad classes there was a wide variety of skill levels from native signers to barely intermediate level signers. For those on the lower end, mandatory ASL classes were required. If you scored 4 or better, ASL classes were not required. For the most part the ASLPI is just a casual conversation. Don't try to fake your way through. If you didn't understand something, say so. It is better and rated higher if you are honest about misunderstanding because the interviewer can tell that anyway.

You may already have seen this info but here are links to the entrance requirements and samples of the video interviews with different ratings to help you get a better idea of where you might fall:
http://www.gallaudet.edu/graduate-a...rogram-specific-admissions-requirements/cnmhc
http://www.gallaudet.edu/the-americ...interview/aslpi/aslpi-video-samples-level-0-5

If you want to get a formal evaluation of your skills prior to the ASLPI and you have the money to do so, you can look into the Sign Language Proficiency Interview (SLPI:ASL) under RIT. https://www.rit.edu/ntid/slpi/. This uses a different rating scale (https://www.rit.edu/ntid/slpi/sites/rit.edu.ntid.slpi/files/page_file_attachments/FAQSLPIScale.pdf) but it will give you an objective opinion regarding your skill level.

Since you have a year before you are planning to start, you also have some time to continue to develop your skills. I strongly suggest you continue to take ASL classes during that period so you do not lose your skills. I see many people who take time off thinking they will keep practicing on their own and remember everything but they don't and forget.

Even if you do not score high now, you may want to inquire if you can be reevaluated again next year after you have improved.

 

[Parjila]

I am a hearing student who did the summer program at Gallaudet. There was a mix of Hearing, HOH and Deaf students participating in the program. It was a fantastic experience. I did have to take the ASLPI in order to participate. As you can imagine I was super nervous, but it really wasn't that bad. They do ask for your prior experience with ASL to get an idea about how the interview should go. Then it is just like having a casual conversation with someone new. There was a little bit of introduction and then we were kind of just chatting. The woman who interviewed me asked questions about where I go to school, and things I do around the area, stuff like that. If you have any more specific questions feel free to ask them. Mostly just do your best to relax. It's not like a big sit down and spill out every facet of ASL you know. I'm sure you'll do fine