masters in speech and hearing

[Sneha Nadig]

I am planning to do my masters in speech language pathology in the US. I want to know which college is the best. I am from India, So i would also prefer colleges where there are Indians.

 

[bibliophile222]

Hello and welcome! First, if you haven't done so already you should check out the Speech-Language Pathology forum on this site, as it is far more field-specific and you will get much more information: the City Guide is for people asking about a specific city. 

As to your question, although there are rankings like US News, which will get you a numerical list of "best" programs, you might not want to think of it as a pure ranking. First, if you are planning to stay in the United States after school, SLP jobs are plentiful and people don't really care where you go to school as long as it's accredited and you're properly certified. Most people go to schools that are either affordable (or wherever they get in) and/or that specialize in aspects of the field that interest them. What are you passionate about? Autism? Bilingualism? Aphasia? Look for schools that have specialty tracks and relevant externship settings.

That being said, I'm sure you can't go wrong going to a high-ranked program, since they are highly ranked for a reason. They might have better equipment, a lower student-faculty ratio, or connections to really good placement sites and future job opportunities. Just remember that it's not that important where you go.

Another important factor in picking a school is whether or not you can get in. Although SLPs are in high demand, there are not enough programs out there to teach all potential SLPs, so getting in can be difficult. Many (or most?) programs have hundreds of people applying for maybe 30 slots. How is your GPA/GRE? Do you have relevant experience, good letters of recommendation, and a good personal statement? All these factors will determine where you can get in. ASHA EdFind is a great resource for program information, selectivity, and more.

I can't speak specifically about schools that have a lot of Indian students. Maybe look for total numbers of international students? I would imagine that if you pick a larger school there will be a reasonable amount of Indians. You might have to look at each individual school to find out this information.

I hope this helps--good luck with your search!

 

Edited September 10, 2018 by bibliophile222