Students with disabilities and college visits
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EmailFor college bound students with any type of disability, consider a visit to the center(s) that offer resources, assistance and support during a college visit.
Students attend college to attain a postsecondary degree for employment. Choosing the right college is important for students to help them be successful in their future careers. One important step students can take to choose the right college is researching different colleges. It is good to see what colleges have to offer students relating to majors or other programs. Michigan State University Extension suggests another step students can take when it comes to making a choice for college which is making college visits.
A college visit gives the prospective student a chance to interact with faculty, staff and students in a face-to-face manner. While making a college visit, students should try to check out the following resources and opportunities available to them on a college campus: service learning centers, career centers, study abroad opportunities, academic support, counseling services, health services, student organizations, physical fitness centers, and club sports and intramural sports.
Are you a college bound student with a disability of any kind? If you are, where can you go for resources or services during your college experience? This is a question to ask as research is done on prospective colleges. Check into resource centers that focus on students with disabilities at colleges and universities to see what is offered for students with disabilities. For example, Michigan State University has the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities.
If a college bound student with a disability is making a college visit, try to find out where the resource center is to learn what services are provided by the center. Once the center is located students can ask questions like:
- What service(s) does the center provide for me?
- Is there an enrollment process for me to receive the services provided by the center?
- Does the center provide any type of academic enrichment workshops or seminars?
- Are there academic support groups or a student network to assist me in my college experience?
Another resource to assist in college preparation is Students with Disabilities Preparing for Postsecondary Education: Know Your Rights and Responsibilities by the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights. Preparing for success in college can begin with knowing the resources that are available and finding ways to use them before a student enrolls and transitions to a college/university. Take advantage of all opportunities that are available to prepare for college and explore the resources designed to assist in a successful college experience.
