Starting a college degree program is exciting. This is a time when you can achieve an education that will give you many opportunities for the future. For some students, it is easy to get into college and consistently earn good grades. Other students have trouble along the way, but they still manage to finish their program and obtain their degrees.
When it comes to college and disabilities, a learning or physical disability can make obtaining higher education a challenge. Thankfully, you can rest assured that most colleges have policies and plans in place for these students. It’s just important that you look into what assistance or benefits certain colleges offer before you make your decision on where to go for the next 3-5 years of your education.
College and Disabilities: What Are Some Requirements from the School?
Colleges are prohibited from discriminating against any student with a disability and are required to make academic adjustments for these students. Regardless of what your disability may be, the college you were accepted to will have to work with you to make your college experience a success. This is especially true if you are going to be staying at a dorm at the college of your choice. The student and parents can work with the university to cover all of the concerns they have related to having one or more disabilities in college.
What Disabilities Qualify?
There are many disabilities that a university will help with. This can be anything from ADD and ADHD that makes it difficult to get through a class to something like being a wheelchair user who needs access to buildings on campus. Physical disabilities, mental handicaps, and a wide variety of challenges are all accepted at the most renowned colleges in the United States.
If you’re struggling with college and disabilities, please don’t be afraid to ask for help, since there may be resources available to you you didn’t even know you qualify for! For example, I was able to get extensions on assignments when I reported having a diagnosis of chronic migraine and honestly, the extension helped succeed in courses I would otherwise have been unable to keep up with.
Accommodations for Disabilities in College
It can sometimes be scary or difficult to balance college and disabilities, but there are many different types of accommodations that may be required by a student with unique needs. These accommodations can be outlined with the help of the student’s doctor, their parents, and previous educational institutions.
Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder might need to have private dorm rooms or extended time for exams in order to succeed and focus on their classwork. Even a child with something such as life-threatening food allergies can receive extra assistance with their college stay. The final goal is to make sure that a student is safe and can flourish in their studies despite their disabilities.
For more resources to help you navigate choosing a college and making the most of your time there, check out my College Prep tag!
TL;DR
If you are a student with one or more disabilities in college, you’ll need to do research to find the learning institution that will be best for you. You can work with your parents and/or guidance counselors to figure out if commuting to and from school is a good idea, or you can choose to stay in a dorm throughout the school year. There are plenty of professionals on hand at each university in the U.S. who can help throughout this process. You just simply have to ask for help.
I’m currently offering free 1:1 consulting calls for parents that would like some individualized support. If you would like to book a call, just book an appointment here.
