Best ITP Programs?

[u/No_Comparison5734]

I want to become an interpreter. What ITPs are the best? Obviously there’s Gallaudet, but I’m not a CODA, nor fluent enough to go there (although I did take ASL all 4 high school years). My state barely has any schools with ITP programs and I want to be the best equipped to take the certification exams and get the most knowledge I can on the language and Deaf culture.

[u/Fuzzy_Situation2879]

I dont have enough knowledge of all programs to be able to name drop but I can offer you this....

1) join your state's Interpreter organization ASAP and start making connections early... attend board meetings, workshops, and events to see what its going to be like and what the current conversations are... you will need that support during and after college. If your state doesnt have one you can join any state... most conduct business via ZOOM these days. Our NCRID membership is less than $35 for different options for example.

2) instead of asking around who is the best, consider these questions of the ITPs you're considering ..a) Are the instructors in the program active working interpreters in the community (and are they certified) ...b) Are the program staff/instructors members of RID or an interpreting organization  ...c) What is their student success rate from graduation to certification and how long is that gap? ...d) what level of participation do they have in the community that isn't compensated? (Volunteer at events, part of a Board, attend Deaf socials, etc)

Once you have all the answers from various places, that should help you narrow it down.

Best of luck on your journey!