Take extensive notes. You can use a tape recorder, too, to assure that you have not missed some important piece of information.
Now you are
ready to begin contacting schools. Some of the issues you will need to consider
as you prepare for this adventure are listed below.
A. Start
early. Contact the schools during
your junior year in high school.
1. Contact
the office that provides disability services at each college. Talk to the
counselor who will be working with you. Use your list of questions (see
above) and do your own calling. Do not ask your parents to call for you.
2. Ask
the counselor about the types of services and accommodations that are offered.
3. Find
out what the institutional requirements are for documentation of your
disability. You are responsible for providing this information at your own
expense.
4. Send
your disability documentation to the disability service provider only. Do not
send confidential disability-related records to the admission office.
B. Visit
the campus and determine for yourself if you will have any access problems.
Terrain
on campuses differs. Will the climate affect your mobility? What if it snows?
Are accessible rooms available in a number of different dorms? What kind of
assistive technology is available? Plan ahead to avoid problems.
II. Course Load Issues (How many courses can you
comfortably take in one semester or
quarter?)
A. Will
you need to have a job to meet educational costs or to gain work experience?
Full-time
attendance may not be realistic if you plan to work more than 10-12 hours per
week.
B. Will
you have insurance coverage? You should
note that most medical insurance companies
would
cover a young adult under their family’s policy only if they were enrolled
full-time, which is usually 12 credit hours/term. Sometimes you can appeal to
the insurance company to
reduce
the number of credit hours that would be considered full time by taking your
disability into account.
C. Will
you need financial aid? Your high school counselor or
rehabilitation counselor will have funding sources and scholarship information.
Assistive devices for your own use may be provided by the Georgia Department of
Rehabilitation Services if the devices are necessary for you to meet your
educational goals. You will probably be working with your rehabilitation
counselor while you are enrolled in high school. However, if you have not, and
you do not know who your rehabilitation counselor is, call the state
information number, (404) 657-3000, for that information.