My best friend’s, who is Deaf, mother suggested to me that I should become a counselor for Deaf children, she said this is an area that is needed. They wouldn’t need an interpreter when the counselor knows sign which would make it easier, (a little) to open up since there is only one person they are speaking with. And since so many parents of Deaf children are hearing it would be beneficial in that sense as well so that the communication would be free with them as well. I now have several friends who go to Gally and they have been telling me that I should come there to go to school. My ASL needs a lot of improvement before I could do that but I thought, that would be great to do!! Especially since my BF is talking about going there himself. Well I started asking around and several of my Deaf friends automatically asked if I have a BA. I said no. They said well good luck because for a hearing person to get into Gally you at least need that. I wanted to major psychology and minor in ASL. I also figured that being immersed in ASL as I would be there would make me all the more fluent in ASL. And I would be with my friends. Why is Gallaudet so difficult for hearing to attend?
Gally hard for Hearing
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Cousin Vinny
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While I think it's all local, I think this area is relatively oversaturated with counselors who know sign language. Moreover, thanks to the low incidence of Deafness in the general population, a counselor could go through YEARS before ever meeting a Deaf client, unless this counselor works primarily in Deaf settings.
The best way to approach this is to enter the field of counseling as if you are going to serve the general public. That way, you'll have a job, regardless of whether your local area is overflowing with Counselors serving Deaf people, or lacking Deaf clients, or whatever. And in that blue moon you do have a Deaf client, then hey, all is great! You do have your sign language skills at your disposal.
I had one friend who pursued a MSW several years ago, thinking she would serve Deaf clients exclusively. Well, the current Mental Health program serving the local Deaf population is already fully staffed, and she still hasn't gotten a job yet.
She is finding out the hard way, that she has to get social worker jobs that serve the general public, despite her Deafness, and it has been tough, I guess.
Well, Gallaudet has a HUG (Hearing UnderGraduate) program, but I think there's a quota restriction in place, and you may find it hard to get into, due to a wealth of excellent hearing candidates fluent in ASL or are CODA's. It does get easier for you to enter Gallaudet as a master's candidate, though.
At any rate, I wish you the very best in your career ambitions.
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Maybe get your BA degree at a different university and go to Gally for your Master's since the graduate programs accepts more hearing than the undergraduate program does. As for signing skills, I dont know about the counseling dept, but back in 2000, when I started my grad classes for deaf education, there were so many hearing people whose sign language level were at beginner's level. I was shocked but I think that criteria has changed (for the education program) since I graduated in 2002.
Yeah i thought of getting my BA before hand anyway. And taking ASL classes like i am and being with my Deaf friends will only improve my ASL.
I didn't think about the feild being saturated before that is a good point. There is a large Deaf Community in my area and the feild might be saturated, but who is to say it will be in a few years. But i think that degree can get me in any number of positions anyway and i can be more for others too, not just Deaf.
I didn't think about the feild being saturated before that is a good point. There is a large Deaf Community in my area and the feild might be saturated, but who is to say it will be in a few years. But i think that degree can get me in any number of positions anyway and i can be more for others too, not just Deaf.