Students with disabilities must be able to demonstrate that they have met the academic requirements to enter a college or university. It is important that students are enrolled in college preparatory classes during high school to build a foundation of knowledge not only to enter college but also to have the academic preparedness to remain in college...IEP team members, especially teachers and guidance counselors, should ensure that students are taking the coursework necessary to compete in the college application process. Students with disabilities must be familiar with the math, science, and language requirements for colleges, especially for the higher education programs that they are interested in attending.
One academic area that might need to be thoroughly explored by students and family members is the foreign language requirement for entry into and graduation from a higher education institution. Colleges vary widely on foreign language requirements...Some students with disabilities chose to waive a foreign language requirement during high school to help maintain a higher grade point average. This may limit the number of colleges that they are eligible to attend...Specific questions should be asked of college admission offices about their foreign language requirements:
Is high school foreign language required for admissions? How many years or units are required?
If a certain number of secondary units are required, does the university have a policy on waiving these requirements for students with disabilities, in particular students with learning disabilities?
If a foreign language is not a requirement for admissions, does the college "prefer" that a language be taken in high school?
...Prior to selecting a college, students need to be aware of policies that the college or university has concerning course substitutions. It cannot be assumed that because course substitutions for a foreign language were provided at the secondary level or even at another postsecondary program that all colleges or universities follow this same policy.
Suggested Activities to Help High School Students with Disabilities Prepare for College
Year
Activities
Freshman year
Understand your disability and how to explain your learning needs to other individuals.
Actively participate in the development of your individualized education program (IEP).
Meet with your guidance counselor to review your schedule and ensure that you are taking the correct college prep courses.
Understand which accommodations you need to enhance your learning.
Be involved in school and community activities.
Sophomore year
Continue to be an active member of your IEP team meetings.
Determine if there are community agencies (e.g., rehabilitative services) that need to be contacted about attending an IEP meeting.
Visit your school's career center or guidance counselor to discuss college requirements.
Identify your career interests, and begin looking into possible occupational areas.
Work on any basic skills that need remediation.
Be involved in school and community activities.
Take the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT) and consider what accommodations you might need for this test.
Junior year
Identify a possible career goal, and begin looking at colleges that meet your interests and abilities.
Continue focusing on time management, stress management, and study skills.
Keep working with your IEP team as you move closer to your transition goal of attending college.
Identify the academic adjustments that you have found most helpful.
Make sure to consider your technology needs.
Take the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or ACT admissions exams. Think about taking them more than one time.
Visit college campuses and discuss which services and supports are available through the disability support services office.
Determine the documentation requirements for the colleges to which you are interested in applying. Make sure your documentation is current.
Learn about financial aid opportunities and available scholarships.
Continue contact with community agencies for possible support.
Senior year
Determine the application deadlines for the colleges in which you are interested.
Work on obtaining letters of recommendation.
Develop your personal essay. Have a number of individuals review the essay"for example, your English teacher and guidance counselor.
Complete the college applications, making sure that all directions have been carefully followed. Ask someone to proof your application to make sure you have not missed anything.
Work with your IEP team and community agencies (if appropriate) to determine your support needs.
Once accepted, consider attending a preadmission summer program (if the college offers one) to help with your transition into college.
Exploring College Environments
Trying to find a campus that meets the unique needs of students with disabilities can take time and effort. If possible, individuals with disabilities should visit potential schools to learn more about available support services and physical accessibility. Students who are considering a particular school should talk with students with disabilities who attend that school about their experiences. When visiting a specific school or reviewing information about it, the following questions should be used as guidelines for gathering pertinent information:
Campus climate:
Is the campus atmosphere generally accepting of students with learning differences? Are students encouraged to participate fully in a variety of campus-life activities?
Program philosophy:
Does the college offer a specialized area of emphasis associated with services? Or are supports offered as part of the college's overall program?
Academic adjustment:
How are academic adjustments coordinated? Are there specialized accommodations such as notetakers, real-time captioning, and readers/scribes for examinations? What types of services are typically provided to students with disabilities on campus?
Waivers and substitutions:
Are there written policies and procedures for waivers and substitutions? What kind of documentation is required? Who assists in the process of requesting a waiver or substitution? What is the probability that waivers or substitutions will be granted?
Course load and graduation time:
Is it possible to maintain a reduced course load? Do students with disabilities generally take longer to complete the requirements for graduation? Is priority registration available for students with disabilities?
Student support activities or groups:
Are there ongoing groups that meet to talk about issues or concerns related to the experiences of students with disabilities on campus? Are there specific activities that are designed to assist students with disabilities to network with other students on campus? Are there student leadership/mentoring programs to help students feel connected with other students with disabilities on campus?
Orientation:
Are orientation sessions held designed to address disability-specific needs of students prior to the entering the college? Are these sessions primarily held during the summer or at the beginning of each semester for new incoming students?
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