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 mo ..read more

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.  ..read more

,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 ne ..read more

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 ..read more

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 ..read more

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 ..read more

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 ..read more

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 ..read more

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 intang ..read more

Managing a schedule and responsibilities while in college is important for academic and social/emotional success for students.  It is a skill that students should ideally begin to develop during high school, as it can take time to develop new habits. Many students will need to experiment with a variety of strategies to find what will work best for them.  This article offers some great ideas of time management strategies that will be very helpful for students in college. What can students do while in high school to start to build these skills?  Create a goal for yourself such as waking up on ..read more