The Right Fit
Coming to Rochester Institute of Technology is about connecting with other students like you.
It’s a place where you will meet many other students who share the same experiences you did growing up—students you can relate to and who can relate to you. Many RIT students attended mainstream schools. Others attended schools for the deaf. Some grew up in families where they were the only deaf person. Others came from culturally Deaf families. Some prefer to communicate using Spoken English. Others prefer sign language or a combination of speaking and signing.
Students bring a variety of life experiences to RIT, but all have one fundamental thing in common—these students all chose RIT because it was the right fit for them.
My parents found out I had lost hearing in both my ears at age two. With support from my mom, I worked on my auditory processing and speech, and I kept up with my classmates and excelled in academics, sports and art. I served as president of my high school National Honor Society, captain of the swim team and ran varsity track. My mom suggested I look at RIT. I thought it wouldn’t be the right school for me, but after further research, I found out that I could get access services to benefit me in the classroom. Professors already were experienced in educating deaf and hard-of-hearing students in their classes, so I knew my individual needs would be truly understood by both my professors and peers. When I came to an open house, I knew this was the place for me. This is such a friendly and welcoming school. Many times my friends and I have jokingly called RIT our second home, and it truly is. At RIT, I feel like I have a family away from home, and I couldn’t be more grateful for the RIT family I have.
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.
A lot of people ask me why I decided to travel more than 1,000 miles to RIT for college. RIT has more to offer in terms of accessibility and social opportunity than any other university I looked at during my college search. The fact that nearly 10 percent of RIT’s student population is deaf compared to just a handful of students in my hometown means there’s a greater understanding of deafness and Deaf culture. Rochester also has a large number of deaf people compared to other metro areas in the U.S. Many people in Rochester have been exposed to a deaf person at one point or another, so it’s not such an oddity. It’s awfully nice not to have to explain what “those things” are in my ears or how best to communicate with me. I need to be able to interact with both hearing and deaf alike and RIT provides that interaction in addition to a wonderful supportive community both on and off campus.
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.
Going to college with other deaf students wasn’t important to me because I grew up oral in a hearing family and in a mainstream high school. When I first visited campus I felt overwhelmed when I saw some students signing because I couldn’t understand them, but it didn’t change my mind about coming here. I took an American Sign Language class my freshman year and now can communicate with other deaf students who sign. I have a mix of hearing friends and deaf friends who communicate like me at RIT.
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.
Before college I was never around other deaf people—there were only two other deaf people in my high school, and I wasn’t friends with them. All of my friends were hearing and so was my family, so I didn’t think of myself as a deaf person. I consider myself a hard-of-hearing person because I talk and use sign language and grew up in a hearing environment. When I visited RIT, I met students here who wore hearing aids, talked and knew some sign language just like me. They had the same experiences as me growing up. For the first time I felt like I fit in and everyone liked me for who I was. I knew at that moment RIT was where I wanted to go to 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 and attended summer camp for deaf and hard-of-hearing students, so I like being a part of both the hearing and deaf worlds. I chose RIT because it was the best fit. It had my major, it offered a great hockey program, and the support for deaf and hard-of-hearing students didn’t compare anywhere else. RIT feels like home. I’m comfortable approaching faculty and staff here—they are always willing to help, and the level of support is exactly what I need to be successful. I didn’t realize how much I would benefit from access services until I started getting them here.
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 attended a high school for deaf students, so I wanted to experience a different environment in college. RIT had the full spectrum of deaf, hard-of-hearing and hearing students and the diversity that I was looking for. I also wanted services I could count on inside and outside the classroom to give me the best chance of being successful. The access services, counseling and tutoring resources all have been outstanding here. At RIT, I’m getting a great education in a supportive environment with so many leadership opportunities. It’s been the best college for me.
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.
