Planning for College Tours-Tips for Students with Health Conditions and Physical Disabilities

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The picture depicts the backs of 5 students all wearing backpacks walking together on a college campus with a brick building in the background.

For many students the process of planning for a college tour is as simple as selecting the college and signing up for the tour. However, for students with physical disabilities and health conditions there may be a few more steps. Below I’ve outlined a few considerations for students with physical disabilities and students with health conditions. Since each individual has different and potentially overlapping needs, I encourage you to read through all the points. I’ve also provided some general considerations as well.

Students with physical disabilities who use mobility devices (wheelchair, walker, scooter, crutches) and students who are Deaf/Hearing Impaired, and Blind/Visually Impaired: When you register for a tour, contact the school in advance and let them know what your needs are.

  1. Ask if the Admissions Office is accessible. Unfortunately, this not a given. Here are some sample questions that you may want to ask:
    • Is there a ramp to enter the building? If so, where is it located? If the the location is different form the main entrance, how do I then get to X office?
  2. Ask if the tour is accessible. If there are specific things that you need in order to be able to access the tour and the tour materials (Sign Language Interpreter, Audio System, large print, electronic copies of materials, etc.)  be sure to request those advance. Here are some sample questions that you may want to ask:
    • Has the tour guide been trained to navigate the campus’s accessible routes?
    • Are you able to send me the tour materials electronically in advance?
    • Are there videos shown as part of the tour? If so, are the captioned?
  3. Make an appointment to meet with the Disability Support Office*. Meet with a counselor to discuss the process for requesting academic accommodations including accessible housing.

Many “historic” universities are technically ADA compliant, but are not easily accessible. Having these details planned out before you arrive can save you a lot of frustration.

Students with health conditions: When you register for a tour, consider your specific needs and think about whether or not you will need any accommodations to be able to go on the tour. For example, is stamina an issue when you walk for long periods of time? If so, you may want to ask if they will provide a wheelchair, or if you can do a one on one tour to allow for breaks. If you know the tour is going to last a while and you need to manage medications or have a snack, make sure you bring everything you need with you.

  1. If you do need an accommodation, or have a question about the tour, contact the Admissions office in advance.
  2. Make an appointment to meet with the Disability Support Office. Meet with a counselor to discuss the process for requesting academic accommodations including housing. If you need a specific type of housing (private bathroom, access to a kitchen, single room, lower floor) there is likely a separate housing process for making a request based on a medical need. The Disability Support Office should be able to guide you through that process.
  3. When you are touring the campus, consider it’s location in regard to any healthcare needs that you may have.
    • Are you able to access healthcare providers and medical support?
    • If you need to have a car on campus in order to get to appointments, does the college allow students to keep cars on campus? If not, what other options may be available to you?
    • Can medication be delivered to the residence hall? If not, is there a pharmacy on campus or nearby?

A few general things to consider:

  • Tour Length: Depending on the size of the campus and what the tour covers, the tour could be long! Ask about the timing and the distance covered. This may impact how you plan to navigate the tour and what you bring (you may need to plan ahead and bring food and medications).
  • Residence Halls: You don’t always get to see the inside of a dorm room on a tour. Dorm rooms/residence halls vary from campus to campus. If you have specific needs related to housing (ADA room, access to kitchen, private bathroom) contact Residential Living/Housing at that college and connect with the Disability Support Office to discuss.
  • Dining Hall: During the tour, you might not get to the check out the dining hall/campus food options in depth. If you have specific dietary needs, you will need to contact the managers/nutritionist in Dining Services. The Disability Support Office might be able to assist you in finding information on accommodating your dietary needs and they may be able to put you in touch with the right person in Dining Services.

Needs are different for each individual student. There is no “one size fits all” solution. The considerations I’ve provided here are a starting point. Your specific needs may require a more in depth consultation. If you or your student needs support preparing for their college search, please reach out to me: annie@accessiblecollege.com

*Note: Disability Support Office (DSO) is sometimes known as: Disability Support Services (DSS), Accessibility Services, Accessibility Resource Center

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