Callie Boik, College Supports Program Cordinator, left, sits with Tony Saylor, 22, in a classroom at ... [+]
Roughly 20% of undergraduate students in the United States reported having a disability*, including diagnoses such as autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, and dyslexia. I spoke with Dr. Eric Endlich, a psychologist and founder of Top College Consultants, to create three college admissions tips for students with learning differences.
Assess Your College Readiness
In order to succeed in college and take full advantage of postgraduate opportunities, you need to know if you are ready to attend college. In addition to academic readiness, it is essential to consider what life skills you may need to develop before college and to “close the gap;” such as managing money, keeping your belongings organized, and getting to class on time.
The resource Are You Ready for College?, which covers the learning domains of self-awareness, self-advocacy, and self-management, helps students and parents to consider where gaps are presenting and to make a plan to correct them. In addition to taking this assessment, make sure to consult with professionals on your care team, such as therapeutic providers and educational consultants, to give you an honest take on your child’s college readiness.
Find Inclusive College Environments
One of the most frequent questions that Dr. Endlich and I get is the question of whether or not to disclose your diagnosis when applying to college. “The big picture is that there’s no reason to assume it’s going to move the needle positively or negatively in getting admitted… the main reason you want to disclose is if something on your application needs explanation,” said Endlich. My suggestion is to disclose if you are comfortable doing so given that your diagnosis may be a core part of your personal narrative. Sharing your story can provide insight into your lived experience and how you have overcome adversity. By disclosing, you know you will not be holding any part of yourself back on your college application.
While self-disclosure can be one test of whether the college is inclusive, before you apply, it is critical to assess how accommodating individual colleges can be as well as what kind of accommodations would most benefit you. On Dr. Endlich’s website, there is a free directory of learning support programs at individual colleges. Assessing the available accommodations on campus is an extremely valuable part of your college search. Make sure that you reach out to disability services offices at individual colleges, said Endlich, as well as any other campus resources (for example, cultural or academic) that may interest you. The experience of connecting with colleges directly will help you to assess whether a fitting campus environment will be present.
Access Special Funding
In my prior Forbes article, I referenced medically-based financial aid as one form of financial assistance for students with learning disabilities and chronic health conditions. With a qualifying diagnosis, many U.S. states set aside postsecondary funding for students with learning disabilities. Reach out to your state’s office of vocation and rehabilitation in order to find out what types of postsecondary funding are available for students with learning differences. If you’re going through the college application process now or will be some years into the future, it is helpful to find out what medical or educational documentation is needed in order to qualify. While you will have to jump through another hoop related to your college application process, qualifying for one of these state-based programs can be a worthwhile investment of time.
Given that students with disabilities tend to persist in college at lower rates and tend to have challenges with gaining employment compared to nondisabled peers, it is critical for students to choose the right college and gain the right support to maximize their success.
* The terms “learning differences” and “learning disabilities” in this article are used interchangeably. The word “difference” may be substituted for the word “disability” in medical or educational communities as determination for providing accommodations and supports. People who identify with one of these diagnoses may substitute or add the term neurodivergent to self-describe.
