By now the majority of the seniors are done with their college and other post-secondary applications, and the juniors are starting the process. While the process can be challenging for all students, for students with an NVLD and similar disabilities, it can bring greater challenges. To reach their maximum potential, these students need to find a place that can provide academic, social, and personal support. Unfortunately, not everyone does, and as a result, these students have a greater risk to struggle in college. So, in this piece, I will discuss the importance of doing your research for post-secondary planning, as your chosen environment contributes to success just as much as overall ability.
For example, many learning disabled students from my high school attended SUNY Canton, which didn’t provide the level of academic and social support that some students with disabilities needed. Yes, for some it was the right choice given their majors, but for others it wasn’t. I remember talking to a few people who didn’t find it to be a great fit during my freshman year Christmas break, and they were just amazed by my experience at Dean College. Being able to show them pictures from my first semester truly added to their strong reactions. What they didn’t realize is that Dean College had greater support and highly valued inclusion. Therefore, even though some of the students’ disabilities were less severe than mine, the inclusive and supportive environment at Dean allowed me to be more successful than they were.
Attending a transition program first for students with disabilities on a college campus or boarding school for learning disabled students would likely have been a better starting point. While these programs are expensive, like a college, state and federal agencies for disabilities tend to provide more funding for transition programs as it is considered a special service. Therefore, students can often get the academic, personal, and social support they need for less than they would have had they started immediately in a traditional college degree program. In addition, the students gain more maturity and learn how to advocate for themselves, which gives them the tools to succeed at a college with less direct support.
Also, students who face more social and executive functioning deficits rather than traditional academic difficulties can sometimes pick a school that has the most academic prestige, as understandably, they are so proud of the acceptances. Yet, once they begin classes despite being very bright, they can notice the challenges, as unfortunately, both the professors and the students often have fewer experiences supporting individuals with disabilities. A better option would be to consider a place like Syracuse University, given the very strong support programs, including the inclusion center right on campus. It truly maximizes the opportunities for bright students with disabilities to succeed. Yes, a school like Syracuse University isn’t nearly as selective as a place like Cornell University, but it is still nationally ranked and values inclusion.
Whereas my parents understood I needed an environment that provided great academic, personal, and social support in order for me to be truly successful. Therefore, I looked at East Coast colleges with comprehensive support services and post-secondary transition programs that looked like a good fit for me. I ended up choosing Dean College as it seemed I would receive complete support there to help me be successful based on what their ARCH Program and campus life offered. I immediately learned I was right. One of the things I loved about my success was being able to show my first semester ARCH report to a few former teachers who had concerns about Dean being worth the investment. After reading the report, their concerns were gone, and they became proud of my success.
At times, picking the wrong post-secondary option isn’t all of your family’s fault, as not every school counselor and resource room teacher is aware of all the excellent college and transition programs available for students with disabilities. I can identify with this, as all of my post-secondary possibilities came completely from my parents’ knowledge. However, with technology together, you and your counselor, and parents can find colleges with excellent disability support and transition programs that could be a great fit for you.
So please research all possibilities. As you have to remember, everyone’s disability is different, and everyone has their own personal interests. Therefore, in addition to overall ability, picking the right environment is also an important factor for success. In fact, the research continues to show that on campuses with more structured support and an active and supportive campus life, students achieve greater academic and personal success. This being said, always be realistic about what type of environment you will need to reach maximum success when developing your post-secondary possibilities, as finding the right fit is huge for success.
