Tools for the College Search Process

 

I get a lot of questions about which schools are the best for students with certain conditions and disabilities. As I addressed in this piece, “Which College is the Most Accessible?,” there is no quick answer to these questions. Colleges offer a wide variety of services, supports, and accommodations. There is no one size fits all! Students and families should focus on gathering information to inform their process. Here are some resources to help students gather disability specific information to support their college search and selection process:

1. Campus Disability Resource Database (CeDaR): This database was put together by the National Center for College Students with Disabilities (NCCSD). Students can search for disability-related information from degree-granting colleges and universities across the United States. This can give students a general sense of the types of accommodations a college might offer. They will still need to contact the Disability Support Office (DSO) directly to confirm. 

2. The Johns Hopkins Disability Health Research Center (DHRC) University Disability Inclusion Dashboard: This dashboard ranks universities on 4 criteria: accessibility of the built and virtual environment, public image of disability inclusion, accommodation request processes and procedures, and grievance policies related to disability accommodations. The ranking includes 23 colleges that receive the most National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding. They are planning to expand this list soon. Students can use this information to inform their search and hone their questions for the DSO’s at these colleges. 

3. Wheels on Campus: A Guide to Wheelchair Friendly Higher Education: Students who use a wheelchair, mobility device, have trouble walking long distances, or experience fatigue can use this guide as a starting point to identify colleges that may be more physically accessible for students with mobility impairments.

While these resources are fantastic places to begin, students and families should always try to connect with the Disability Support Office (DSO) and, when possible, visit the campus prior to committing to a college. Students can start by reviewing the DSO website. Each DSO has a website that can be found by going to the main college site and searching “disability services.” On the DSO website, students can usually find:

• Mission/Vision of the office: This can tell you a lot about how they approach their work.
• Staff contact information: Good to have on hand in case you want to set up a meeting.
• Process for requesting accommodations: Each college has their own process and timeline.
• Documentation guidelines: Each college has their own documentation guidelines and criteria 
• Other disability specific information: They may have info on services, physical accessibility, assistive technology, and more.

Students with physical disabilities and health conditions will want to be directly in touch with the DSO to answer their specific questions prior to committing to the college. 

If your student with a physical disability and/or health condition needs support with college preparation or transition check out our services and contact us for a free 30 minute consultation