Preparing for College

This page contains materials developed or adapted by Kris Wiest Webb, Associate Professor and Director of Disability Services at the University of North Florida, including 1) a comparison of the differences between high school and college, 2) checklists for college-bound students with different types of disabilities, and 3) "to do" lists for college-bound students in middle school and in each year of high school.

Checklists for College-bound Students with Disabilities
http://fltpsid.info/files/ChecklistsforCollege.docx
Provides checklists for students with specific disabilities that describe resources and services to investigate, people to contact, information to share, behaviors to practice, and more. 

 
Differences between High School and College
http://fltpsid.info/files/DifferencesHSCollege.doc
Compares high school and college by a number of factors such as level of responsibility, class size and format, faculty interaction, grades, resources and supports, attendance, time management, and more.

To Do Lists for College-bound Students
http://fltpsid.info/files/ToDoListsforCollege.docx
Provides lists of activities and student-directed IEP decisions for students in middle school and in each year of high school.

House Bill 7151 - Postsecondary Education, Students with Disabilities Memorandum
http://fltpsid.info/files/HouseBill_7151L.pdf
On July 22, 2011, the Florida Department of Education issued a Memorandum that addresses House Bill 7151. Effective July 1, 2011, House Bill 7151 expands access to postsecondary education for individuals with intellectual disabilities by allowing reasonable substitutions for entry, admission to a program of study, and graduation requirements. Such changes align with the provisions of the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA), which is intended to assist students with intellectual disabilities to prepare for gainful employment.

Think College LEARN
http://www.thinkcollege.net/think-college-learn
Think College LEARN provides self-paced modules using multimedia tools such as videos, publications, interactive learning activities and podcasts to share information on topics related to postsecondary education for students with intellectual disabilities.

What’s a Plan Got To Do With It, Got To Do With It?
http://fltpsid.info/files/s_a_Plan_Got_to_do_With_It.pdf
  Charlotte Temple, Advocacy Director, Arc Jacksonville
Participants will explore the value of having a PLAN before working with various agencies during transition.
Proceedings of The 3rd Annual Hartwick Symposium on Postsecondary Education & Intellectual Disabilities, October 31 - November 2, 2012, Jacksonville, FL

Resources

Big Future
https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/
This website allows college-bound students to create an account to map out their plan to go to college and explore careers. It includes step-by-step guidance about all the components of attending college, including finding a college, paying for college, exploring careers, and college success tips to encourage students to make a plan to reach their educational and career goals.

Big Future – For Educators
https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/get-started/for-educators
This website helps educators assist their students in planning for the future, relating to college and career plans. Big Future includes checklists, brochures, flyers, and portfolios on a number of topics relating to college and career preparation including financial aid, college planning, academic portfolios, and applying to college.

Going to College: A Resource for Teens with Disabilities
http://www.going-to-college.org/
This website is divided into three sections: My Place, where students learn how to use their strengths, learning style and interests to set goals for college; Campus Life, where students can find out what to expect in college and what professors will expect from them; and Planning for College, where students learn what you can do now to prepare for and apply to college.