College for Students with Learning Disabilities?
Thursday, December 17th, 2009Dear Babs,
When my son was twelve, he was diagnosed with dyslexia and AD/HD. He is on medication and we have been helping him manage his schoolwork and daily stress with lots of coaching, prioritization, tutors, and scheduling. He has good grades and is capable of getting into a good college, but I am worried about his ability to cope when he is out of the house and without our help. Should he apply to a college that specializes in LDs? I don’t want him to go to a “special” school; I want him to have as normal a life as possible.
-Loraine for Learning
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Dear Loraine,
Like any parent of college-bound students, you are worried about your child’s abilities to “sink or swim” without your presence and support. However, unlike every other parent, you and your son have special concerns which you need to attend to. Rest assured: you are not alone. Almost 3 million school-aged children in the U.S. have a learning disability or LD. Many of these students will go on to college. Ensuring your son’s own success at college requires some foresight, open communication, and most importantly, trust.
Before I get into some of the resources available to you, I would like to bring up the most obvious one: your doctor. I am assuming, since your son is on medication, that he has a doctor or psychiatrist that is aware of his condition. Talk to him or her and ask their recommendation. They may have some experience with other patients who have faced similar difficulties, and be able to offer you some guidance.
That being said, my hunch is that if your son has been able to manage his LD well enough to get good grades in school, he will be able to succeed at a competitive college. Most colleges have “special services” departments that offer study help, note-taking services, and counselling to help students with LDs cope. Most schools will also offer special consideration to students with diagnosed LDs regarding deadlines and exams. For a list of schools with excellent LD services, go here. Even if you’re son’s dream-school is not on the list, give the school a call and ask what they have to offer. You might find that even schools without official programs will be more than willing to be flexible.
Know that in order to qualify for such services, your son will have to provide documentation of his diagnosis, and that different schools and states have different qualifications for what counts as sufficient proof. He may have to be re-evaluated before he begins school: when in doubt, ask.
There’s a great list of tips for college-bound students with LDs on the website ldonline.org. I think my favorite is to begin preparing for college work now. He should ask his teacher to assign him a long-term independent project that requires him to structure his learning. This will give him practice on the kinds of assignments he will get in college, and he will get this practice while he is at home with you. He can also enrol in a community college class or summer-program at a local university. Again, this is great practice with little consequences. If he stumbles a bit, it does not count towards his GPA or degree. Work with him now to instil the habits that he will need in college. And a little more advice (hey, I’m good at it). Your son is probably pretty good at picking up on your apprehension; if he senses that you don’t think he can “succeed” like everyone else, than he probably won’t think so himself. Let him know you have the highest expectations for his future, and he will most likely be able to meet them.
Good Luck!
-Babs
