Student Responsibility at College

Be Aware of Your Own Disability

At the postsecondary level, you will  carry much more responsibility for requesting and arranging academic accommodations than you have ever been given before. Therefore you need to know about your learning disability.

Plan Ahead

Going to college means rearranging your life. Financial needs, time demands, study schedules and course work differ greatly from those of high school. Postsecondary courses require more study time outside the classroom. Expectations of student performance are greater and competition may be more fierce. These expectations can be met through good advanced planning. Apply for financial aid early. Consider the number of hours it will be necessary for you to work. Think about the transportation and time commitments you will have.

Contact the Person Working With Students With Learning Disabilities Before Starting School

You need to find out who is responsible for assisting students with learning disabilities at the institution of your choice. You can call the postsecondary school to find out the name of this person. Contact this individual as early as possible before attending school to discuss what your needs will be. If possible, meet two, three or four months before starting school.

Contact the Classroom Instructor

You should be prepared to contact classroom instructors for each of your courses. Inform them about your needs for accommodations such as tests taken outside the classroom, front of the classroom seating, taping of class lectures, class notes, etc. The LD Service Provider can help you in arranging for these classroom accommodations and may have some additional ideas about classroom help that can assist you in becoming more successful. However, the initial contact with the instructor is YOUR responsibility.

Senior Student Checklist

Here are some important steps high school students with learning disabilities should take during their senior year to be sure that they will be prepared for the transition to higher education:

• Update your Individual Education Plan (IEP) and transition plan to be sure they reflect your postsecondary goals.
• Retake the SATs or ACTs with accommodations (e.g., extra time, tape recorder, distraction-free room ) to improve your scores.
• Be sure your LD psycho-educational evaluation is up-to-date and is comprehensive for college planning.
• Narrow postsecondary options to five or six schools ranging in competitiveness and levels of LD support.
• Confirm your postsecondary choices and options with your guidance counselor and parents.
•  Select several colleges that are "safe bets" for admission, several reasonable reaches, and one or two "long shots."
• Arrange in advance for campus visits and interviews. Do not assume that what you read in an "LD college guide" is totally accurate. Consider sitting in on a class or meeting other college students with learning disabilities who can share their experiences.
• Note all application deadlines. Finish the application process carefully.
• Consider writing a personal cover letter describing your disability to accompany the application.
• Use a Common Application Form to several colleges for admissions essays to minimize paperwork.
• Be alert to early application deadlines for some LD college programs.
• Submit completed applications to counselors at least three weeks in advance of deadlines.
• Role-play the college interview with guidance counselors or special education teachers.

Carefully select persons to write letters of recommendation.

Taken from "A Checklist for High School Seniors with Learning Disabilities" by Loring C. Brinckerhoff.