Students who qualified for learning accommodations in high school may not be aware that they may be able to obtain accommodations in college as well. Students with any special needs should not allow this to limit their college search; they should evaluate colleges based upon all of the factors that are important to them. But, assessing the availability, quality, and potential additional costs of such services should be a factor to include as they decide upon where they will eventually apply or enroll.
Having an IEP or 504 in high school does NOT automatically entitle a student to accommodations in college. Students will need to follow the colleges' accessibility procedures and provide the required documentation to the appropriate office at their college to see what, if any, accommodations they will be entitled to, and how those can be implemented from class to class.
Below are links to the appropriate offices at a few colleges & universities, which will give you an idea of what to look for and what to expect:
Hunter College, CUNY: http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/access
New York University: https://www.nyu.edu/students/communities-and-groups/student-accessibility.html
Binghamton University, SUNY: https://www.binghamton.edu/ssd/index.html
Should a student disclose their learning needs when applying to college? This is an important question that has no one answer. Whether or not it might be helpful to disclose when applying (versus after gaining acceptance) really depends upon the specifics of the student, and colleges, in question. Students should make sure to have this discussion with their assigned college counselor before deciding.
There are some wonderful resources available to students and families to help you learn about your rights, what kinds of accommodations are available in college, how to request services, and much more:
Understood.org: https://www.understood.org/articles/en/types-of-college-accommodations-and-services
The K & W Guide to Colleges for Students With Learning Disabilities
As always, remember that your assigned college counselor is here to assist you through this process, so reach out!
