There are many aspects of disclosure to consider, and thinking through the pros and cons of disclosing specific information to specific individuals is important. For example, if a student discloses to a roommate that they have some sensitivity to sound, the roommate may be more aware and maybe use headphones instead of playing music in the room. Students own the right to decide what they want to share about themselves and to whom. But as there are many circumstances students find themselves in at college, having someone to talk through the process with can ensure that the student feels comfortable and their needs are being met. This article has some great information to guide you.
When students make the transition from high school to college, one important element to be aware of is the concept of disclosure. As it pertains to learning differences or neurodiversity, disclosure is when an individual decides to share information regarding their strengths and challenges, their diagnosis, or other information regarding their needs. Some students do not want to share about their learning differences for fear of being stigmatized, or because they want to try college without the support they had in high school. However, it is recommended that students learn more about the benefits of disclosing their learning needs to college disability offices, to make sure they have a full understanding about the process, confidentiality, and the importance of having resources to support their academic and social/emotional success.
There are many aspects of disclosure to consider, and thinking through the pros and cons of disclosing specific information to specific individuals is important. For example, if a student discloses to a roommate that they have some sensitivity to sound, the roommate may be more aware and maybe use headphones instead of playing music in the room. Students own the right to decide what they want to share about themselves and to whom. But as there are many circumstances students find themselves in at college, having someone to talk through the process with can ensure that the student feels comfortable and their needs are being met. This article has some great information to guide you.
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Much of the work I do is helping to educate parents and students on elements that can build opportunities for success in their college applications, as well as while they are in college. The goal is for students to have a successful college experience that can lead to employment opportunities after college, and the ability to live independently. Recently I came across a post that talked about what college disability staff see in students who are not successful in college. This is great information for us all to have in order to learn from those who have gone before us. It is so important to be informed about how to build the skills for success in college, and learning from students who have struggled can be enlightening for us all.
In reading this piece a theme seems to be clear. Students who struggle with connecting with supports that can be helpful to their learning, and students who do not engage with their college community as a whole seem to find the adjustment to college the most challenging. Great information for us all to learn from. There are many students who receive support services through an IEP or 504 plan while in high school who do not want to register for similar supports in college. Many times students feel that they are starting fresh in college and would like the opportunity to move past the supports they received while in high school. I strongly encourage students to think through this decision, and register for services in your college's disability office before school begins. You can still try and handle college without making use of the supports, but if you do decide you can benefit from them they will already be in place for you. One challenge I have seen with students transitoning to college is that if they decide to not register initially with the disability office but realize they need the support midway through the semester, they find the time lag between initiating and receiving services longer than they would like. This article talks more about this important topic and is helpful for all students and parents to read through.
,College readiness is an important topic that we can all learn about through the experiences of others who have made the transition to college. There will always be bumps in the road to college, as it is a huge life transition for any student. But some students will have more challenges than others. How each student while in college will navigate their challenges will differ depending upon their needs and circumstances. It is my hope that students while in high school will take the time to build their readiness skills, and particularly their ability to know when they need help and feel comfortable asking for help in a timely way. This skill of self-advocacy can make a big difference in the college experience. This article is a reflection from a writer who found her unique path to managing the college experience. It took her time to find the right learning environment, but when she was able to experience academic success, she was on her way. The goal is to find the right path for every student to find success in a way that is meaningful to them.
The college application process has been altered due to COVID-19, and it has been understandably confusing for students and parents to make sense of it all. One aspect to focus on in this blog is exploring what it means for a college to be test optional. At this time, the majority of colleges who have stated that they will be test optional for the class of 2021 will still be accepting test scores should students decide to submit them. There is a difference between test optional, where colleges will look at test scores that are submitted, and test blind where colleges will not look at test scores submitted. Therefore, students will need to consider their application as a whole to determine if they want test scores to be considered in the review of their application at test optional colleges.
Some aspects for students to consider include the GPA, the overall trend of the grades in high school, class rigor, letters of recommendation (for colleges that use these), activities, family circumstances, essays, etc. These are all important elements of an application, and test scores are just one piece for colleges to consider. Think through your application and how your test scores will fit into conveying to colleges who you are as a student and how you can contribute to a college campus. Each student will be different in this proces, so think about what will be best for you and your specific situation. This article speaks further on this topic. The landscape of the college application process for juniors, as well as the process for current seniors to decide on which college to attend, has changed significantly in recent weeks due to the coronavirus. Current seniors are not able to visit colleges to help them determine their college choice, and current juniors are not able to visit colleges to help create their college lists. Juniors are also impacted by the cancellation of testing dates and both juniors and seniors in their ability to complete their junior/senior year of high school. Colleges and high school staff have been working hard to help students fill the gaps in the college process. This is a resource for connecting virtually with colleges. This is a resource to learn what each college on your list is doing to accommodate and reach out to students. These are stressful times for many. Students should know that high school and college staff are working to make the changes needed to allow students to continue their journey to college. Please remember to reach out and ask questions. There are many resources available to support this process, and we will get through this as a community.
As we move closer to spring, current juniors are making plans to visit colleges. This is a great idea as it offers the student an opportunity to learn more about each college, and the elements that are important to a student. The size of the college, location, role of Greek life, etc. are all elements to understand better through a college visit. One other aspect of visiting colleges in addition to signing up for the tours and information sessions, is to consider making an appointment with the college disability services office. Each college will differ in the level of services they offer, their staffing, and their overall approach with students and faculty. Making an appointment to visit these offices can help the student better understand what will be available for their specific needs, as well as help the student to feel comfortable with the differences between services in high school versus college. This article is helpful in outlining those differences. This article is helpful in delineating questions students can ask during their visit. It also reviews questions that the disability office might ask you, so you can be prepared. Having the right academic supports in college will be very important to the success of many students, so making this a priority as you consider colleges is a good idea.
There are many aspects of preparing for the transition to college, and one of those is ensuring you understand how to request support services from the disability office of your college. If you are receiving accommodations while in high school, it is important to understand what supports you are receiving and why. This knowledge and ability to communicate this knowledge will be very important when you go to college. This is because it will be the responsiblity of the student to work with the disability office and professors to advocate for your academic needs. To support you in advocating for your academic needs, understanding how IEP’s and 504 plans are used and not used in determining accommodations in college is important. This article offers helpful guidance on this topic. You are encouraged to take an increasingly active role in understanding your accommodations and speaking with teachers and other staff at your high school as needed, to practice advocating for your learning needs. This will help ease the transition to college and independence as you will be already comfortable in the role of self-advocate.
Being aware of college admissions and college graduation requirements is particularly important for students with learning disabilities. There are some students who do not take a foreign language in high school and still meet the graduation requirements of their high school. Yet it may still be possible for that student to be accepted at a college that has a foreign language requirement for admission. Reaching out to the admissions office of each college will help you to understand their policies for admissions. It will also be important to understand the graduation requirements regarding a foreign language from the college.
Understanding the math requirements to graduate from a college will also be important. Colleges are open to talking about these aspects of their requirements with students to ensure a good fit, and the disability office at a college will also be helpful in this process. Here is an article that speaks about this in more detail. There are many details to manage in the college application process, and developing an organizational system to help you keep track will be beneficial as the process develops throughout junior and senior years. Many high school students engage in extracurricular activities for a variety of reasons. Some do it for the pure interest in the experience. Others participate to have something to write about in their college applications. Most have intentions that are somewhere in between. However, it might be helpful to take a look at your extracurricular activities to ensure you are engaging in things that are of interest to you. When a student really is motivated and connected with something they are doing it has a way of coming across in the writing of the student. I believe this is one of the intangible elements of what sets one student apart from another. This video from an admissions director speaks to this as well.
So take some time and think about how your are using your extracurricular experiences in high school. Are you participating in activities that are meaningful and engaging to you? You will likely enjoy the experiences more and your joy will come through in your applications. |
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