Where Are Accessible College’s Clients Heading in the Fall?

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graduation caps flying in the air

If I had a nickel for the number of times people ask me for a list of colleges that are best for students with X condition, I’d be a rich person! The fact of the matter is that students with physical disabilities and health conditions attend all types of universities. The best school for a student is the one they research, vet, and select. All colleges are required to provide “reasonable accommodations” under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The types of accommodations, and the care in which they are administered varies from college to college.  Empowering students to do their research, connect with the disability offices, and consider continuity of care and independent living, can help students make informed choices. Here at Accessible College, I support students in this process. 

Students with disabilities approach their search just like any other student. They may be looking for a specific major, school culture, and evaluating cost. Many of the students I support are working with their high school counselor or an independent college consultant to assist them in identifying colleges that are a good academic fit.  Ideally, students are thinking about accommodations, accessibility, and disability culture on campus from the beginning of their search. 

Partners in the process 

The work that I do with students is to support them in thinking through their needs realistically and holistically, and to assist them in incorporating those needs into the search and transition process. After working with me, they are equipped to articulate their needs and outline the accommodations (academic, housing, dining, recreation, and transportation) they are going to request in college. I support students in identifying specific questions and identifying considerations to inform their search. I encourage students to have pre-conversations with the disability support offices at the colleges they are interested in during the search process. This helps students gain an understanding of the accommodations at that college, and get to know the people who may be working with them. This is often one of the most important pieces of the puzzle for the students I support. It allows the student to get a good sense of the accommodations they may receive and compare/contrast colleges while factoring in their needs.

After the students have committed to a college, we then work together to continue to develop their self advocacy skills and I provide support for them when they request accommodations at the college they selected. I also support students in thinking through continuity of care, medication management and transfer, hiring/managing personal care attendants, and more. 

Online Course

This year I also launched an online course, “Preparing Students with Physical Disabilities and Health Conditions for College“. This course supports parents, educators, counselors, IECs, and healthcare providers in assisting students in preparing for the transition to college. It’s a fantastic primer for folks who are supporting students in this process who are interested in learning more about college accommodations, independent living, planning the college search and more. 

The List

I’m excited to present a list of the colleges that the students I supported will be attending in fall 2024! The students who are attending these schools have a wide range of disabilities and health conditions including: Crohn’s disease, POTS, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, epilepsy, spinal cord injuries, lyme disease, neurological conditions, spina bifida, cerebral palsy, Friedreich’s ataxia, spinal muscular atrophy, muscular dystrophy, other types of physical disabilities and heath conditions, and co-occurring disabilities. These students engaged in the typical college search process and worked with me on the accommodations and independent living pieces noted above!

  • American University
  • Christopher Newport University
  • Davidson College
  • Earlham College
  • Eastern Connecticut State University
  • Fordham University-Lincoln Center
  • Hood College
  • James Madison University
  • Loyola Marymount University
  • Olin College of Engineering
  • Penn State
  • Pomona College
  • Quinnipiac University
  • Skidmore College
  • Temple University   
  • The New School
  • University at Albany – State University of New York
  • University of California Santa Barbara
  • University of Miami
  • University of Michigan-Ann Arbor 
  • University of Pennsylvania
  • University of Wisconsin- Eau Claire
  • University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
  • University of Wisconsin-Madison

Congratulations to the class of 2024! I wish all of these students the best! 

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