Guide to the College Admissions Process for
Students with Learning Differences
Presented by
Katherine Fischer, Saint Francis High School Learning Specialist
Preparing for the College
Experience
Presented by Katherine Fischer:
Definitions
Learning Disability
Learning Difference
Please Answer and Share Responses
Student Parent
1. What is my biggest fear about
going to college? 1. What is my biggest fear about my student going to college?
2. What is the first thing I look for
in a college? 2. What is the first thing I look for in a college for my child?
3. Are there certain deal breakers
my parent should know about? 3. Are there certain deal breakers my child should know about?
4. What support or accommodation
do I need to re-create in college? 4. What support or accommodation do I want to see re-created in college for my child?
5. What is my greatest strength or
High School versus College
Difference in laws
Parental Support and Access to Information(18=adult) Difference in Class Requirements
Understanding Individual Learning Disability
Management Skills Self-Advocacy
Which law covers college students?
IDEA or ADA?
IDEA emphasizes
success
• There is much more flexibility in K-12 for school to
provide support and accommodations that can guarantee some level of success.
• IDEA covers high school students.
ADA emphasizes
access
• Accommodations are meant to provide “equal
access” and “equal opportunity”.
• ADA covers college students.
What is a 504 Plan?
A
504 Plan
can be put in
place in elementary, high
school, or college.
SAT and ACT Testing
SAT
Evaluation must be no older than
5
years.
With proof of accommodations for
4 months
at
school for LD or ADD, can qualify for extra
time.
St. Francis will automatically apply for
sophomores who are eligible and for others
as they become eligible.
ACT
Evaluation must be no older than
3
years.
School must send in evaluation for every
student for ACT to review.
Qualifying for extended time may be more
difficult, particularly for recently diagnosed
students.
Parent or student must let St. Francis know if
they want to apply for extended time ACT.
Plan Early for SAT or ACT
Unique learning needs of the students. Instructional programs-
q Look for specialization in working with students with learning differences
q Let test/prep know the accommodations q Prescriptive approach to test prep
Test Optional Colleges
Number of test optional colleges is on the rise.
Look at policy. Will not submitting scores limit merit scholarships?
National Center for Fair and Open Testing
True or False?
1.
Colleges will be informed if I take an SAT or ACT
with extended time.
2.
It is up to me as a college student to disclose to a
professor that I have a documented disability and
qualify for accommodations.
3.
All colleges offer accommodations.
4.
All colleges offer assistive technology and tutoring
for LD and ADD students.
5.
Some college support services will wake me up in
True or False?
1.
Colleges will be informed if I take an SAT or ACT with
extended time.
False
2.
It is up to me as a college student to disclose to a
professor that I have a documented disability and
qualify for accommodations.
True
3.
All colleges offer accommodations.
True
4.
All colleges offer assistive technology and tutoring for
LD and ADD students.
False
5.
Some college support services will wake me up in the
morning and make sure I get to class.
False
Preparing Your Student for College:
Some Important Considerations
n
Is his/her testing up to date?
n
Does he/she know strengths and areas of concern?
n
Can my student be his/her own advocate?
n
Do he/she use accommodations and strategies
which are helpful ?
Is his/her testing up to date?
If your student would like to use
accommodations in college, testing should
be no more than
3
years old.
Reports should contain clear diagnostic
statement and outline functional
limitations.
The student should know their disability and
how it affects them—and be able to
Two Top Challenges
Be aware of the two common
challenges that directors of disability service offices often see with
students with disabilities as they come to college.
• Unaware of strengths
and challenges
• Unprepared to advocate
for themselves and navigate the college system
• These two problem areas
demonstrate the need for greater self-advocacy
skills.
The first challenge “unaware of
strengths and challenges” denotes
a lack of “knowing self” which is
the first premise of self-advocacy.
The second challenge:
• knowing how to get what you need
and want
• understanding the differences
between the K-12 system and Postsecondary Education.
Self Advocacy
Self-Advocacy is learning how to
• speak up for yourself,
• making your own decisions about your own life,
• learning how to get information so that you can understand
things that are of interest to you,
• finding out who will support you in your journey,
• knowing your rights and responsibilities,
• problem solving,
• listening and learning,
• reaching out to others when you need help and friendship,
Does he/she know their strengths and areas of
concern?
Knowing strengths can help a student balance school and
other areas of life.
We build our future on our strengths.
If students know their own learning style, they can often
streamline the study process.
Demystifying helps students to not define themselves by
their disabilities.
Can my student be his/her own advocate?
From college perspective, self-advocacy is one of
the most important attributes for success.
The student must believe that they are
“
worth it
”
in order to ask for accommodations.
Self-advocacy should begin early in high school.
Begin by meeting with one teacher and setting
up appropriate accommodations for that class.
Does My Student Use Accommodations and Strategies Which Are Helpful?
• Using extended time
• No scantron
• Seating in most advantageous
spot
• Using a computer for in-class
essays
• Tape recording lectures
• Using a note-taker
• Listening to audio books
• Working with a tutor
Auditory Learner
Use tape recorder Form study group
Read aloud to yourself
Talk yourself through math problems
Rehearse information learned out loud
Devise acronyms for information to be memorized
Use other mnemonic devices
Visual Learner
Use graph and charts to organize information
Use time lines for history Color code notes
Use flash cards
Draw picture on vocabulary cards
Utilize “mind maps” to study
(e.g., Inspiration)
Attach a mental picture to
Disclosure: What Would You Do?
Scenario: You are a senior applying to college.
GPA for frosh/soph years = 2.4
Summer after sophomore year diagnosed with
Reading and Writing Disorder.
Junior year: You begin to use extra time on tests,
utilize audio books for novels in English, seek
help from teachers and peer tutoring.
6th Semester GPA = 3.6
Would you disclose to colleges that you have a
learning disability? Why or why not?
To Disclose or Not Disclose?
This is a personal choice. There is no place on the application for a student to disclose. Disclosure is made through personal statement or essay.
• Most experts agree that disclosure of a learning or attention
disability helps admissions officers understand grades and test scores in context.
• Can give an opportunity to demonstrate coping skills and
work ethic.
• Can help explain difference between grades and SAT/ACT
scores.
Who Discloses?
Colleges require that the student be the one to
disclose any learning difference and respond to
questions on applications like, “Is there any other
information about you that is important for us to know?”
Counselors and teachers do NOT reveal learning
differences unless a student has instructed them to do so.
It is the student’s own story that counts with colleges,
“
The most important
thing that parents
can teach their
children is how to get
along without them.
”
Making the Match with Colleges that
Support Students with Learning
Differences
Presented by Sherrie Tasnady,
College Planning Quiz
What is the name of the system used by both Saint Francis students and counselors to track college choices?
How can parents gain access to that system? How many personality/career assessments have
been assigned to Saint Francis students by the time they arrive at the senior year?
College Planning Quiz
What is the name of the system used by both Saint Francis students and counselors to track college
choices? Family Connection
How can parents gain access to that system? Ask
your student to sit down at a computer and log in together.
How many personality/career assessments have been assigned to Saint Francis students by the time they arrive at the senior year? At least three
Things to Consider as You Begin College
Selection
Determine the necessary level of support that has helped you in high school and look for similar support in the colleges you seek.
Attend college fairs and visit colleges. Visit LD support program offices when visiting college campuses.
Remember there are many good matches.
Do not get hung up on rankings. They say little about whether you will be happy.
Do not choose colleges to impress your friends. New friends await you at a college that is a good match for you.
Making a Match
Accept that a perfect
dream may be different
from a good college
match.
Dream criteria often cannot be met:
Small, with excellent support, great athletics, in the west, and near the beach.
Look for an environment where the student can be successful and feel optimistic about the future.
Does the college
’
s
support
program
match the needs of
the student?
Look beyond the
brand
name schools
to colleges that may
be a good match.
The College Search Don
’
t List
Don
’
t miss out on
opportunities to meet
the college
representatives who will
be coming to visit Saint
Francis students this
spring and next fall.
This list is constantly
updated in the
Family Connection
portal and also
posted on the Saint
Francis Guidance
and Counseling
calendar.
Who?
Told early on he had a face that would scare children, this mildly dyslexic comedian got mainly C’s and D’s in
school.
“Like a tortoise, I kept moving and never gave up,” notes
this famous celebrity.
He was not deterred from applying to and eventually graduating from the esteemed Emerson college in Boston.
“The admissions officer said I wasn’t what they wanted.
But I sat outside his office 12 hours a day until he said he’d let me in if I went to summer school.” The tuition
was $1,200. “I took out my wallet and gave him $1,200
Who?
The singer/actor/businessman says that he suffers from both Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
Member of the Mickey Mouse Club.
Member of famous boy band NSYNC with 4 successful album releases.
Academic Support/ Coaching
For some students, the transition from high school to college can be smoother when regular academic coaching or academic
consultations are available.
Research done by Eric Bettinger and Rachel Baker, from Stanford University, suggest that academic coaching can increase college retention rates.
The academic coaching in the research involved students meeting regularly with an academic coach as well as working with the academic coach on skill development (i.e. time management,
College Support Programs
Structured or Fee
Based Coordinated Services Basic Service
n Comprehensive Services-significant support n Highly structured-Separate Admission Process n Moderate levels of support
n Student must seek out
assistance in coordinating academic adjustments
n Minimum amount of
support
n Necessary to comply with
the law.
Structured programs work best with students who need close monitoring and high levels of human support.
Moderate support programs require self advocacy and the ability to access program
options.
Basic support programs work well for students who know what works well for them in approaching class work and are willing to advocate for
themselves as well as access the available accommodations. Students are independent, motivated, self accepting and aware.
Structured/ Fee Based
Support is significant and
students commit to a program:
May have separate admissions process. Student may sign contract
Designated facilities/buildings for student support.
Trained specialists in learning issues. A separate application may be required. Fee for services.
Services may include:
Special programs and groups. Curriculum modifications.
Assistance with advocacy. Academic monitoring and counseling.
Students who consistently need services might benefit from exploring colleges
Colleges That Serve Only Students with
Learning Disabilities
• Landmark
• Lynn
Examples of Structured or Fee Based Programs
• University of Arizona
• Beacon College
• University of Denver
• Menlo College- no fee Academic Success Center
• Curry College, MA
• Landmark College, Vermont
• Hofstra University, New York
• Mercyhurst College, PA
• Lynn University, FL
• Northeastern University MA
• California State University, Bakersfield & LA
• Rochester Institute of Technology
• Southern Illinois University-Project Achieve
• Mitchell College, CT
• University of San Francisco-in between structured and moderate
Other Colleges with Structured Programs:
American University, (DC)
American International College, (MA) Muskingum College, (OH)
University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Northeastern University, (MA) Marist College, (NY)
Who?
This Olympian who is diagnosed as AD/HD won eight gold medals.
“Michael showed swimming prowess on his back,
then on his front, side, and every way in
between. But in the classroom, he floundered. An inability to concentrate was his biggest
Why is the program at University of
Arizona called SALT?
SALT at the
University of Arizona
According to SALT legend, one student said,
"
As students with learning disabilities, we need a
little more seasoning
;" hence the name, SALT.
Actually, SALT stands for
"
S
trategic
A
lternative
L
earning
T
echniques."
SALT Fees for
2014-2015
Source: The Huffington Post
Title:
Colleges with the Best Learning Disability Programs List:Landmark College University of Arizona Beacon College
Curry College
Northeastern University
University of Colorado, Colorado Springs Augsburg College
University of Connecticut University of Iowa
American University
For information about the colleges chosen by the
Huffington Post, visit:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/colleges-best-ld-programs
Quiz:
Which city has more annual days of
sunshine than San Diego or Miami
Beach, some 300 sunny days a year?
Denver, CO
University of Denver
The Learning Effectiveness Program
LEP Services:
• One-on-one, student driven, weekly support sessions with
LEP Academic Counselors.
• Weekly support with time management and organizational specialist.
• Individual, subject-specific tutoring through our LEP Tutoring Center
LEP Emphasizes:
Self-responsibility
Self-awareness
Self-advocacy
52
Quiz:
Which college calls itself
“
Silicon Valley
’
s Business School
”
and just
received a 20 million dollar grant?
Menlo College currently offers an outstanding degree in management
based on a strong core curriculum with concentraAons in
• general management,
• interna-onal management,
• sports management,
• marke-ng communica-on
• informa-on systems.
It also offers a degree in liberal arts with concentraAons in history,
humaniAes, and psychology and a degree in mass communicaAon.
Schools with Structured Academic/Transition Support
Programs for Freshman
• The Commitment Program at Regis University,
Colorado.
• The College Success program at Holy Cross College,
Indiana. (access to University of Notre Dame)
• The TransiAon to College Program at Menlo College, CA.
• As you look at the colleges that interest you, research
Coordinated/Moderate Services
Support is in place but students must self advocate.
There is at least one Learning Disabili-es Specialist
(may be part-‐ -me).
Services may include learning strategies instruc-on,
counseling, tutoring, and some assistance with advocacy.
High school students who typically request services
as
needed
might benefit from exploring colleges with
Coordinated Services.
Examples of Coordinated Services:
• All UC, CSU, and CC campuses:
• Boston College • Boston University • Brown University • Cornell University • Regis University • Santa Clara
• University of Southern California
• University of Puget Sound
• University of Wisconsin-‐Madison
• University of Vermont
• Boston University
• DePaul University
• University of Wisconsin-‐Whitewater
• Northern Illinois University
• Lincoln College
• University of Iowa
Basic Services
Services are requested on a voluntary basis:
Academic Advising
Adap-ve Technology tutors Computer-‐based Note taking Exam Adjustments
Lab Assistance Note taking
Specialized Equipment Loan
Students who require minimum accommoda-ons might benefit from exploring colleges providing basic services.
Examples of Basic Services schools
where students felt supported:
• University of Oregon
• Oregon State
• University of Redlands
• Loyola Marymount
• University of the Pacific
• Emory
• St Lawrence University
• Oberlin College
• WhiWer College
• Southern Methodist University
• Ohio University
• Ohio State University
• Northern Arizona University
• University of Missouri
• Western Illinois University
• University of Notre Dame
• MarqueVe University
Guess Who?
This famous person was fired from the Kansas City newspaper for not being creative enough and
was considered “slow” as a child.
He is now considered one of the best known
motion picture producers in the world, and holds the record for the most awards and most
Community College
Advantages:
• More -me to mature and adjust to college level instruc-on.
• Access to familiar support networks, i.e., home, tutors, medical.
• Students can access resources through structured support programs. (no fee)
•
Transfer Admission Guarantees:
• allow students to graduate from colleges they may not be able to aXend as
freshman.
Which Community Colleges in CA are idenAfied by
counselors as ones that do a great job of preparing
their graduates for a four year school? (There were
only 11 on a naAonwide list.)
De Anza
Foothill
Marymount (private)
Santa Barbara City
Guess Who?
Despite being a success in his chosen field, this celebrity can only learn by listening to a tape. Although it was mission impossible, this dyslexic
reader attained fame and fortune by reading and memorizing his lines.
California State Universities
Are students eligible for special admission considera4on
because of a disability?
• No. All students are admiVed through the regular admission criteria.
• Office of Services to Students with DisabiliAes can be contacted at each
campus to determine any addiAonal procedures available to a student who is denied admission.
• AdmiVed students will want to register with this office to receive
accommodaAons.
Long Beach State
The Stephen Benson Program for Students with Learning Disabili-es (SBP) was
created to serve the needs of CSULB students who have a diagnosed learning disability.
q The program was established in 1980 and con-nues to be one of the most
recognized postsecondary LD programs in the state.
q Typically, the SBP serves approximately 450 students with learning disabili-es each
semester.
• Students must apply to CSU Long Beach through the tradi-onal applica-on posted on
www.csumentor.com
Who Could This Be?
As the star of an extremely popular
movie series based on books that brought young and old out in groves for midnight launches this superstar has
• dyspraxia, which can make it difficult for
him to tie his shoes.
• Handwriting also continues to be a
challenge.
• He was 9 when his mother encouraged
him to audition for a play. “I was having
a hard time in school,” he said. His mom
thought acting would boost his confidence. She was right!
University of California
Taken from UCLA web page:
• All applicants, including those with disabili-es, must meet the admission
requirements of UCLA.
• Applicants may, if they desire, concisely describe disability-‐related challenges or
concerns in their Personal Statement.
•
• All such disclosures are purely voluntary; however, such disclosures will not be a
nega-ve or limi-ng factor in the process of admission considera-on.
•
• Prospec-ve students and applicants are invited to call or visit OSD (OSD-‐Office for
Students with Disabili-es) to learn more about our services.
• We request that applicants do not submit their documenta-on to OSD un-l afer
they have been admiXed to the university and have decided to aXend. (OSD-‐Office for Students with Disabili-es)
Private Colleges and Out of State
Public
What should I know when applying to the University of San
Francisco as a student with a disability? Are there any special
procedures?
Answer:
All applicants must meet the entrance
requirements (examples: GPA, SAT, leXers of
recommenda-on).
Once you are admiXed, disclosure of your disability will
allow you to work with faculty, staff, and SDS to obtain
reasonable accommoda-ons.
Scholarships
Review Criteria on Websites:
http://www.collegescholarships.com/types/ disability-scholarships/learning-disability-scholarship
