| Since students with learning disabilities are at greater | | | | Bring your documentation with you. IEPS are not of |
| risk in college, they need to allow adequate time to set | | | | value in college. |
| themselves up for post-secondary success now. | | | | 10. The director will review your documentation and |
| Keeping the eighteen factors below in mind increases | | | | subsequently meet with you to discuss |
| the likelihood that transition from high school to college | | | | accommodations to be included in letters to your |
| will be as seamless as possible. | | | | teachers. An accommodation you should strongly |
| 1. To start your college search, make a list of desirable | | | | consider requesting is a reduced course load - at least |
| qualities in a school (i.e., commuter/residential, size, | | | | for the first semester. Students can be considered |
| location, etc.) Start your search on the internet then | | | | full-time with as few as 6 credits, depending on the |
| begin college visitations. Allow your parents to narrow | | | | amount of work they can handle. Ask the director to |
| down your list to their acceptable choices. Then, once | | | | write a letter for your parents' insurance company |
| you see where you are accepted, you know those | | | | explaining your full-time status with a reduced load, but |
| schools are all "parent-approved". | | | | do not submit the letter until it is requested. |
| 2. Perseverance is the single most important factor in | | | | 11. Check back with the Disability Office at the start of |
| college success. Tied for second are the ability to | | | | school to pick up your accommodation letters. You |
| delay gratification (i.e., saying "no" when your friends | | | | need to deliver a letter to each instructor to whom you |
| are going out, but you really should study) and an | | | | are disclosing. Find a private moment before or after |
| organizational system that works for you. The sooner | | | | class to do this, or make an office-hour appointment |
| you work on these three things, the easier college will | | | | with your instructor, so you can maintain your privacy. |
| be. | | | | This meeting is a good opportunity to introduce |
| 3. In college, you are a legal adult and need to articulate | | | | yourself and explain your needs to your professors. |
| your disability on your own. Self-advocacy goes | | | | 12. The process of requesting, picking up, and delivering |
| hand-in-hand with this; it is critical in getting your needs | | | | letters must be repeated each semester. If you need |
| met in college. | | | | a change in accommodations, discuss this with the |
| 4. If you are serious about a school, ask to meet a | | | | director of Disability Services. |
| successful student from Disability Services. Before | | | | CHOOSING CLASSES |
| making your final choice, ask about spending an | | | | 13. Initial class selection is based on the result of college |
| overnight with that student. You will get a better sense | | | | placement exams which all freshmen take. Remember |
| of whether or not you would feel comfortable at that | | | | that most colleges ban the use of calculators for the |
| college. | | | | math exam. You should go in prepared to do all |
| 5. FERPA - The Family Educational Rights and Privacy | | | | calculations the old-fashioned way. That means |
| Act is a Federal law that protects the privacy of | | | | extensive practice until this comes naturally again. |
| students' educational records. However, keep this in | | | | 14. Your schedule should be balanced between |
| mind: your parents' support has helped get you to | | | | challenging courses and easier ones. Take the |
| where you are today. Considering they are footing the | | | | challenging classes three times a week, not two. |
| bill, it is not unreasonable for parents to want to be | | | | 15. Classes should be hand-selected by someone in |
| kept in the loop. "LD-friendly" colleges allow you to sign | | | | the Disability Services office who knows your learning |
| a FERPA waiver. | | | | style and the instructors who suit you best. |
| 6. The director of Disability Services sets the tone for | | | | 16. Keep your ears open to friend's recommendations |
| the entire department. If you find this person off-putting, | | | | of engaging professors - but make sure they suit your |
| think twice about whether you would feel comfortable | | | | learning style before enrolling. |
| at the college. | | | | TUTORING |
| 7. If your documentation is older than 3 years, it should | | | | 17. For most incoming freshmen, tutoring three times a |
| be updated. Make sure the list of recommendations at | | | | week is recommended to get off to a good strong |
| the end of the documentation includes critical items for | | | | start. Consider tutoring empowering; the more help you |
| your success. (Of course, they must be supported by | | | | have initially, the sooner you'll feel confident in your |
| the testing.) | | | | abilities. |
| 8. Start exploring technologies you have never used | | | | 18. As you become stronger and meta-cognitive (the |
| but might help level the playing field for you. You can | | | | state of learning how to learn), your Learning Specialist |
| get an idea of different technologies when you visit the | | | | may suggest you gradually reduce tutoring. Some |
| Disability Services offices at different colleges. | | | | students may eventually be able to access tutoring on |
| PROCEDURE FOR GETTING ACCOMMODATIONS | | | | an as-needed basis, rather than by standing |
| 9. You and your parents should meet with the director | | | | appointment. |
| of Disability Services as soon as you are admitted. | | | | |