Student Services

Transition

Transition from high school to higher education

Students with learning disabilities (LD) are the most recent and prevalent group with disabilities receiving services on college campuses today. Although services are available for students with learning disabilities, LD students often enter higher education unprepared for, or unaware of, the demands of college. Making the transition from high school to college is difficult for most students, but for students with learning disabilities the transition can be especially difficult.

The transition may be difficult because many college-bound students with learning disabilities do not understand their own individual disability, how it affects their learning, or how to describe it to others in plain language. After years of frustration and struggle in high school academics, LD students often view themselves as lacking learning strengths or abilities, and they often did not receive the preparation for college needed in order to succeed in college. Furthermore, students with learning disabilities frequently haven't been provided with learning strategies that will permit them to generalize their skills across settings and give them the tools to succeed. Many of these students need additional guidance to help them find college programs that can accommodate their needs, a college program with a range of LD support services that meets their individual interests, abilities, and perceived needs. Finally, once they have been admitted into college, they often need further assistance in order to stay in college.

Table: Differences Between High School and College Requirements
  High School College
Class Time 6 hours per day, 180 days
Total: 1,086 hours		 12 hours per week, 28 weeks
Total: 336 hours
Class Size 25-30 students Up to 300 Students
Study Time Whatever it takes to do your homework- 1-2 hrs. per day Rule of thumb: 2 hours of study for 1 hour of class - 3-4 hours per day
Tests Weekly; at the end of a chapter; frequent quizzes 2-4 per semester; at the end of four chapter unit; at 8:00 am; after Homecoming
Grading Passing grades guarantee you a seat. Performance evaluations may be subjective; based on level of effort or level of improvement. Satisfactory academic standing requires grades of C or above; performance-based mastery of course content material.
Teaching Teachers often take attendance.
May regularly check notebooks and homework assignments.
Teachers lecture from textbook and often use blackboards and worksheets.
Teachers impart knowledge and facts.		 Professors rarely take attendance.
Seldom check homework or monitor daily work.
Professors require library research.
Professors challenge you to integrate information from a varietyof sources.
Freedom Structured time.
Limits are set by parents, teachers, and other adults.
High school buildings are monitored.		 Managing time and personal freedom is greatest problem college students face.
Self-reliance is the key.
College campuses are often sprawling.

Note: Adapted from "Differences Between High School and College Requirements," by S. Shaw, L. Brinckerhoff, and J. McGuire, 1991, LDA Multidisciplinary Journal, 2, p.22. Copyright 1991 by Learning Disabilities Association. Adapted by Permission.

5 Tips for Success
  1. Prior to applying to colleges, meet with an educational psychologist or learning specialist familiar with the particular challenges and discuss the strengths and weaknesses, and the services needed.
  2. Apply to, and consider schools that have a disability support services center that can work with your individual needs as a learning disabled student.
  3. Make sure the LD student keeps a continuous dialogue with the high school counselor. This resource will be invaluable in the transition.
    • S/he should be able to suggest resources that may help with the college admission process in terms of putting the learning disability in the best light. For example, ask for references from teachers who can specifically refer to how you have managed your academic life in spite of the challenge.
    • S/he should be able, with her/his knowledge of previous college-bound LD students, to direct you to the resources, supports, and colleges or universities that have worked well with LD students in the past.
    • S/he can help in getting you connected with the counselors at the colleges you are interested in.
  4. Use your parents/guardians, high school counselor, and college advisors as support, but remember you need to be actively involved in making decisions about your future.
  5. Once you are in college, work with the disabled student center counselors to explore what is best for you. As you learn more about yourself as a learner in a higher academic setting, you will be better able to utilize the many options available to support you through your educational experience.
Once you get accepted

If you have been accepted to the colleges you applied for, CONGRATULATIONS. There are many challenges you will face as a learning disabled student in higher education. For one, you are competing against non-disabled peers who were also some of the best students in high school. LD students experience being set apart from peers, feel they are receiving differential treatment, and even feel others doubt your abilities. It is important to remember that the more aware you are of your specific learning disability, your strengths and weaknesses, your resources (parent/guardian, high school counselors, and college advisors/counselors) the more likely you are to succeed at the college level.

What if I don't get accepted?

Of course, there is the possibility of not getting accepted to your favorite schools. Not every learning disabled student is prepared for higher education. This does not mean that you are not intelligent, incapable of success, or even unworthy of higher education. What it may mean is that the college you selected may be very competitive, limited in space, or that particular college believes you are not ready right now. You are not without options, however. You may consider a year at a specialized LD preparatory school, community college with a strong academic support, or some time off. Of these options, community college is the most popular alternative and may give you an opportunity to mature socially, improve academic skills, and select college-prep courses that can be transferred to a more competitive college.