There are a number of speech therapy schools across the globe to select from. Choosing the right speech therapy school simply requires a bit of time and some careful calculation. The first step towards sifting through all of the speech therapy schools out there is to read various school reviews.
The best way to obtain unbiased information about a school is to take a close look at third-party rankings. These rankings will often list the pros and cons of a particular school, and some school ranking websites will also list student reviews. Once a clear picture of the top speech therapy schools has been obtained, the next detail to scrutinize is a school's accreditation.
It is important to attend a school that has been accredited. Accredited schools will allow students to transfer credits from one school to another, which can be particularly helpful when it comes to attending graduate school. In addition, accredited speech therapy schools are the only academic institutions that are recognized by most financial aid programs.
Aside from accreditation and school rank, speech therapy schools must also have courses that are interesting and helpful. Reviewing various courses offered by different schools is the best way to determine whether or not course offerings are worthwhile. Many speech therapy schools are proud to list staff biographies in coursebooks and on websites. This information should be heavily weighed when it comes to choosing the right speech therapy school.
In general, professors that have published articles and journals related to the speech pathology field tend to be highly praised within their area of study. Thus, students that learn from these accomplished professionals may be able to gain an upper-hand when it comes to understanding the speech pathology industry. Often, schools that employ industry experts are worth a second look.
Some speech therapy schools also offer specialized courses that might help a recent graduate to obtain a well-paid speech pathology position. Courses that include the interaction between the brain and speech, and courses that detail various types of speech therapies are useful. Since speech therapy is a rather broad subject, graduates that can be considered specialists in one area or another are often in higher demand than other generalized graduates.
If possible, speak with admissions counselors or current students in order to gain a better understanding of a particular school. Conversing with former graduates of a school may also prove to be beneficial, since this firsthand information is often impartial.