I attended a school for the deaf, and loved my high school experience. I was very outgoing, so when I was searching for a college I wanted to find a place where making friends would be easy and where I could become involved in any activity I wanted to take part in. I also wanted a college that had resources specifically for deaf students, so I could be successful in my major. I visited RIT and knew immediately I belonged here. Over the years, I’ve made many friends at RIT—both deaf and hearing. My hearing friends enjoy learning sign language. My deaf and hard-of-hearing friends come from many different backgrounds. I love the community here and fit in perfectly as an RIT Tiger.

I was the only deaf person in my entire mainstream high school. I was definitely not a popular student, and had low self-esteem. It took me until the end of my high school career to get over my social anxieties of being deaf. Once I overcame this, I was able to make friends and identify myself.

I chose RIT because it offered my major, provided discounted tuition and had both hearing and deaf communities. I knew that I wanted a life with hearing people to experience a large set of perspectives, and to surround myself by deaf peers who understood what I was going through and who shared similar experiences. RIT’s large deaf community mixed within a mainstream campus was the ideal situation for me. The unique environment offers me the experience of a true reality that I will face after graduation.

RIT has been a wonderful fit for me because I am receiving an excellent education and incredible leadership experience that caters to both my general needs and specific needs as a deaf student. I’m not outcasted from the hearing portion of our student body, because all campus activities are inclusive of so many backgrounds, and it is incredibly easy to develop as a person here. I have been involved in many clubs and organizations, and today I serve as vice president of RIT’s Student Government. My time here at RIT has been nothing but amazing and enlightening. I found my identity here, and I have done things I have never imagined.

I wanted to find a college that fit my learning style and interests. For me that meant small class sizes, tutors and support services, and direct instruction where faculty and staff can communicate directly with me using sign language. The college also had to have an orchestra that I could join, because I have been playing the viola since fourth grade, and it brings me so much joy that I couldn’t envision not continuing in college.

My family and I looked at several colleges before I chose RIT. The college offered all the things I was looking for. My biggest concern was being more than six hours from home, but I’m so happy here now that the distance doesn’t bother me anymore. I attended a mainstream school growing up, and I felt isolated sometimes from my peers, who oftentimes would not communicate with me at all. At RIT, I get to interact with other people like me for the first time, and can communicate with everyone. I have both deaf, hard-of-hearing and hearing friends, and the RIT community treats me so well. When I first arrived on campus, I was very shy. I was not comfortable interacting with people. Since being at RIT/NTID, I have developed my social skills, I am successful in the classroom, and now I always have a smile on my face. I made the right decision to attend RIT—100 percent!

Coming from high school, I didn’t really have a lot of close friends. I finished high school in three years, so that I could start college and begin a new journey. When I came to RIT it was a different experience than high school. I got to be more myself, and did not have to try to be someone different to fit in. I first thought interacting with other deaf people wasn’t important to me, because I didn’t have that experience in high school. But when I got to campus and saw all the other deaf people interacting and developing relationships with each other I realized it was important to me. I made friends quickly the first week of school, many of whom I am still best friends with today. The best thing that I get from RIT is acceptance from everyone. Faculty and staff understand how to work with deaf people, and I never had that before.

I grew up attending mainstream schools. Based on my high school experiences, I felt like I fit into the hearing community perfectly fine. When searching for a college, I thought many of the colleges I considered would have been a good fit academically for me. But they were all missing one important feature—a deaf community I was yearning to be a part of so I could meet other people like me who had gone through some of the same experiences and challenges as I did growing up. Coming to RIT was my shot to meet many other deaf and hard-of-hearing students from all over the country, as well as to get a fantastic education that was affordable and prepare me well for my future.

RIT has been an excellent fit for me. I have a group of buddies that are hearing and also some friends that are deaf and hard of hearing. It is a great feeling to be able to have a combination of both. I feel especially close to my friends who are deaf and hard of hearing because we shared so many of the same experiences before arriving at RIT.

One of the best decisions I made was to enroll at RIT. I found my identity here and became part of a community. As a first-generation Latina student who is deaf, I encountered many challenges growing up. But I had big dreams and overcame the obstacles I faced. Coming from a tight-knit Latino family made it difficult for my parents to let me travel 3,000 miles from home to RIT. But I convinced my parents it was the best option for me. For the first time in my life, I am part of a community with other deaf students—many of whom also are deaf Latino students. The support from faculty and staff and the leadership experiences I have had here have helped shape me into the student I am today. I’ve grown from a shy, isolated student, to a strong leader on campus where I feel I belong. I’m proud to say that RIT is my second home.

I attended a public high school and was the only deaf person. I see myself as a normal functioning person, and I don’t let my deafness define me. That being said, being deaf did have some influence on my decision to choose RIT, but it wasn’t the sole reason. RIT provided a top-tier education in Industrial Design, had outstanding access services and seemed to be the best environment for me to work and learn in and be successful. Now that I’m here, I enjoy having the opportunity to learn and socialize with hearing and deaf people, and I have a good mix of hearing and deaf friends. Because some deaf students use sign language, many hearing students on campus learn sign language, so they can communicate with them. It’s a very deaf-friendly community. There is a great combination of both worlds here, and I can fit comfortably in both of them.

My parents both graduated from RIT, so when I was searching for a college, RIT was on my radar, but I kept my options open. The college I would attend had to offer my major and provide accommodations, so I could be successful in my major as well as easily participate in clubs and activities. It also was important that there were other deaf and hard-of-hearing students on campus. I knew this would strongly influence my college choice because during my first two years of high school I was the only deaf person. I was involved in baseball and soccer, but I never felt like I truly belonged, and didn’t have a lot of friends outside of sports. I transferred to a large mainstream high school that had about 20 other deaf students in my junior year, and for the first time I really felt a part of a community. I wanted that same feeling at college, and I got it at RIT. With so many hard-of-hearing students at RIT like me, I found a place where I’m happy and not lonely. I’m successful in my major because faculty at RIT understand how to work with students who have a hearing loss. Communication is easy here. My professors know how to communicate with me and many even know some sign language, and the same is true with my hearing friends. RIT has been the perfect place for me to gain the academic and professional skills I need while having a vibrant social life. It’s been the perfect balance.

I attended public schools my whole life and was the only deaf student. I was very outgoing and voted Homecoming Queen in high school.  But in my last semester of senior high, I decided to transfer to the Indiana School for the Deaf, because I never had the opportunity to meet other deaf people my age before, and I wanted to get an idea of what it would be like to be part of a deaf community. I realized I liked being part of both the hearing and deaf worlds.

Cheerleading and tumbling were my passion, and after graduation I was selected to be a dancer for the Indiana Pacers NBA team. However, I felt it was more important for me to continue my education, so I could get a good job for my future.

When searching for a college, most importantly I knew I wanted to find a place where I could be myself, and know that I wouldn't be judged because I was deaf or that I talked "different." I knew I wanted to find a place I could call home, and that was a place that had both deaf and hearing people. When I discovered RIT, I knew I wouldn't be alone, and that the struggles that I had faced my whole life would be somewhat similar to others. I, for once, didn’t feel alone and so "different." I had a gut feeling from the start that when I came to RIT/NTID that I would be accepted for who I am, no matter the circumstances. And my gut feeling was right; RIT is the best choice for me.

I consider myself a hard-of-hearing person because I have a hearing loss, and I speak well. In middle school, I went to a mainstream school and was picked on by other students because I wore hearing aids, so I lost them on purpose. I decided to attend a high school for deaf students to see if I would fit in better, but I wasn’t culturally accepted there. Fortunately for me, during my junior year, I attended the Explore Your Future summer camp at RIT and discovered not only a major I wanted to pursue, but also a place where I finally belonged. I met wonderful and friendly faculty and staff, and other students with similar backgrounds. I’m so glad I chose RIT. I am involved in many clubs, performing arts and a leader in student government. I’m respected here, and the faculty and staff motivate me and believe in me. I can be myself, love who I am and not be ashamed of my deafness. It doesn’t matter what your background or experiences are related to being deaf, everyone fits in here, just like I do.

I view myself as a culturally Deaf person, exclusively using American Sign Language, general gestures and written English to communicate with everyone. For high school, I attended a school for the deaf, and with an interpreter, I went to another mainstream school to take more specialized classes for part of the day. I knew RIT would be a cultural fit, and as I suspected, I fit in perfectly. I have full access to everything on campus, and people at RIT are very accepting of diversity of all kinds. Faculty, staff and students understand and are familiar with deafness, so I’m very comfortable here. Most of my friends are deaf or strong ASL users, but some of my friends are hearing as well. Many of my hearing friends are learning ASL. My friends and I are so active on campus it’s sometimes hard to find time to eat meals together! The atmosphere at RIT is perfect for me.

Growing up, people would call me hard of hearing, but I identify myself as Deaf because both my parents are Deaf, and I was raised in a culturally Deaf family. I went to a mainstream high school with a large group of about 50 other deaf students. There was a group of us who socialized together, but we didn’t share the same interests. When I arrived at an Open House at RIT, I fit in right away. I met other students interested in technology that I connected with, and I met a faculty member who could sign and I was impressed with that.  After my visit to campus, I knew this was the right college for me. I appreciate that RIT faculty understand Deaf culture and that our varied communication needs are met here, and that the college provides great support and access services to help me be successful.

I was the only person who was deaf or hard of hearing at my high school. I was a good student, a little shy, with my own group of friends. My entire family and all of my friends at home are hearing, so when I was looking at colleges I wanted a diverse campus and the opportunity to meet and be around deaf people, something I hadn’t had before. I wanted to find a college where I would be accepted in general…I’ve always struggled with finding where I fit in, and sometimes I don’t feel like I belong in either the deaf or hearing world. I also wanted a college that offered a lot of majors since I was undecided which career path to choose. When I discovered RIT, I knew it was pretty much the only college I wanted to attend. And when I first visited the campus I had this amazing feeling that confirmed this was the place I was supposed to be. I applied early decision. I’ve made awesome friends here—both deaf and hearing—and I found a career path in Media Arts and Technology that I love.

I’m smart and I am capable of doing anything I want. Being deaf means I just have a different way of communicating. The factors important to me in my college search were having a great engineering program, access services for the deaf, interaction with other deaf students because I didn’t have that growing up, a friendly environment and lots of clubs and intramurals to join. RIT has been a great fit. I’ve met so many friends like me from all over America, the engineering program is awesome, and I’m getting outstanding access services that I don’t think I would get any other college. 

In high school I was in classes with mostly hearing students, so when I was in the college search process I looked at colleges that offered me the opportunity to be with both hearing and deaf people like me. It also was important that I find a college that offered support services, including speech and audiology services and interpreting. When I visited RIT I felt comfortable right away. Now, I can’t imagine myself at any other college because I don’t think I would have been so successful anyplace else. I really appreciate the access services I receive for my academics, enjoy the social life I have with other deaf and hard-of-hearing students, and like the relationships I have with faculty here. I’m able to communicate easily with students and faculty, and that’s important to me. 

I was mainstreamed my whole life and was the only deaf person at my school. I used an FM system and sat in front of the class to help me understand my teachers. Sometimes I would miss the information that was spoken, so I would have the teachers clarify the information for me after class. I was interested in RIT because I knew I would meet people like me who have gone through similar experiences. Because I didn’t know sign language I took a one-week pre-orientation program to learn some basic sign language to help me communicate with other students and faculty and staff who sign. I met so many new friends like me who didn’t know sign language and who went to mainstream schools. We bonded immediately and they are some of my closest friends today at RIT.

I've never felt like I belonged more than I do here. Everyone is so willing to help whenever I need it. The support and access services I get and the expertise that RIT has working with deaf students mean I no longer feel isolated like in high school. That has given me a sense of relief because RIT is so welcoming of students who are deaf and hard of hearing. It feels great to be part of such a warm place.

I felt I could fit in at any college, but RIT really stood out to me in my college search because it has outstanding communication access and a friendly learning environment loaded with deaf students like me. I felt that the opportunity to interact with a large deaf community on campus was a once-in-a-life-time chance. RIT has been a perfect match for me. Seeing how other deaf people go about things has taught me a lot, and I learn from them. That's definitely helping me succeed because I'm learning from people who share the same identity as I do. RIT is above and beyond all of my expectations. I've gotten so much exposure to wonderful people, and I wouldn't be the same person if I didn't go here. I'm pretty grateful that I'm calling RIT home!