Post-bac/second bachelors in CSD?

[biogirl215]

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I'll be a college senior next year, and I'm considering going for a second degree in CSD (my degrees are in psych and social work) and applying to AuD programs if my grad school applications for psych don't work out this year. I've long had a passing interest in Audiology--I spent a substantial amount of time around Deaf people when I was younger and used to be decent at ASL, though I'd now need to relearn it--but my school only started their CSD program this past year, so I didn't have time to add a major in it. I have a lot of psych research experience (some of it relating to psychosocial aspects of Deafness and disabilities) and a good deal of volunteer experience (clinical and non-clinical--again, some of it is indirectly related to Deafness and speech and hearing impairment). I have a solid GPA (3.75+) and a GRE of 1250.

The program would require about 45 or so credits, plus physics.
If I choose to get a CSD degree, I'll have three possible routes:

a. Stay at my current school, pay OOS tuition, finish the CSD in two semesters (should be doable if I can take some of the basic CSD courses this year). If I can keep my research job and pull together a few more hours a week, I'd take on about $5k in debt. However, I have good connections here in terms of research and volunteer opportunities.

b. Take a year off and work as a research assistant, get state residency, and then complete the CSD degree. Would be cheaper but I would also lose my residency in my homestate, which has two public AuD programs.

c. Return to my home state and do the CSD degree there. I would maintain state residency but would give up my research job and have to seek out new volunteer connections. Could take up to $8k in loans, but I could possibly find some sort of job on campus to help pay that down a bit.

Which one sounds best to you?
Thanks!

 

[NewmansOwn]

I'll be a college senior next year, and I'm considering going for a second degree in CSD (my degrees are in psych and social work) and applying to AuD programs if my grad school applications for psych don't work out this year. I've long had a passing interest in Audiology--I spent a substantial amount of time around Deaf people when I was younger and used to be decent at ASL, though I'd now need to relearn it--but my school only started their CSD program this past year, so I didn't have time to add a major in it. I have a lot of psych research experience (some of it relating to psychosocial aspects of Deafness and disabilities) and a good deal of volunteer experience (clinical and non-clinical--again, some of it is indirectly related to Deafness and speech and hearing impairment). I have a solid GPA (3.75+) and a GRE of 1250.

The program would require about 45 or so credits, plus physics.
If I choose to get a CSD degree, I'll have three possible routes:

a. Stay at my current school, pay OOS tuition, finish the CSD in two semesters (should be doable if I can take some of the basic CSD courses this year). If I can keep my research job and pull together a few more hours a week, I'd take on about $5k in debt. However, I have good connections here in terms of research and volunteer opportunities.

b. Take a year off and work as a research assistant, get state residency, and then complete the CSD degree. Would be cheaper but I would also lose my residency in my homestate, which has two public AuD programs.

c. Return to my home state and do the CSD degree there. I would maintain state residency but would give up my research job and have to seek out new volunteer connections. Could take up to $8k in loans, but I could possibly find some sort of job on campus to help pay that down a bit.

Which one sounds best to you?
Thanks!

Seems like A or B would be the best, as both would allow you to maintain what seem like high-quality and hard-won connections. With A, you could assumedly go to your home state AuD programs, yes? And with B, you'd get in-state at your school's AuD program after working in the state?

I don't know much (read: anything) about AuD programs -- you might want to PM one of the moderators over in the Audiology forum -- but if they're anywhere near as competitive as med schools, your research and volunteer connections will be of the utmost importance. Good luck.