Seaver College (Undergraduate) FAQs
Academic Resources for Seaver College (Undergraduates)
Seaver Student Success Center
The Seaver Student Success Center is available for undergraduate students who are looking for academic support. Their services include departmental tutoring and academic coaching. Student Accessibility encourages students to explore the resources available and recommended by the success center for useful tools for study.
The Writing Center
The Writing Center is available for Seaver students looking for assistance with writing. There are consultants available to assist students as they develop, write, and edit papers. Both in-person and online appointments are available on their website.
Differences between High School and College
The transition from high school to college brings opportunities for growth and challenge. For students with disabilities, this includes learning to manage his/her disability accommodations, which can be very different from his/her experience in high school. The chart below is a general guideline for understanding the difference between high school and college accommodations.
| High School | College |
|---|---|
| The school district is responsible for evaluating and documenting student's disability | The student is responsible for getting an evaluation to document disability |
| Free evaluation of disability | Student's responsibility to pay for and get evaluation |
| The district develops Individual Education Plan (IEP) | Student identifies accommodation needs |
| The school automatically incorporates accommodations into the student's daily schedule once a disability is documented | The student must request accommodations each semester |
| Parents advocate for their child | Students are their own advocates |
| Parents are notified and must give permission for any decisions regarding their child | Parents are not notified unless the student grants permission for that information to be released |
| Fundamental alternations to program of study permitted as identified on IEP | The accommodations may not alter the fundamental nature of course or impose an undue burden on an institution |
Preparing for college
Parents, counselors, teachers and students with disabilities may use this list as a reminder of helpful skills and necessary steps to take as a high school student with a disability, particularly a learning disability moves toward college.
- Make sure any psychological testing is up-to-date. Most colleges and universities require this testing be no more than three years old.
- Obtain all special testing records before high school graduation. Some school systems destroy these records upon the student's graduation. Colleges, as well as vocational rehabilitation offices, request these records to assist in providing special services to students.
- Make sure the student's knowledge of study skills is adequate. In addition to high school assistance, consider special study skills classes/programs offered at community colleges, private agencies, or individual tutoring.
- Consult with the high school to get a good understanding of how much support or special help the student is receiving.
- Help students to increase their independent living skills. Help them learn to manage their own checking accounts, do their own laundry, cleaning, some cooking, etc.
- Encourage part-time jobs or volunteer positions. These are helpful to improve socialization skills as well as to give a better understanding of work situations and expectations and responsibility.
- Make sure students have a good understanding of their particular disabilities. They should know and be able to articulate their strengths and weaknesses as well as what compensating techniques and accommodations work best for them.
- Help students understand how their disabilities are connected to social experiences with peers, families, and employers. A visual or auditory discrimination deficit, and/or an attention deficit disorder frequently lead to missed cues and inappropriate timing in conversation.
- Encourage students to be their own advocates. A good first step is to encourage them to discuss their disabilities and needed accommodations, if any, with their regular high school instructors.
- Learn about Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. This law indicates what types of accommodations must be provided and/or allowed at post secondary institutions if a student requests them. The responsibility is on the individual to initiate the provision of services and accommodations (unlike the requirements of I.D.E.A., which puts the responsibility on elementary, and secondary schools).
- Get information on special exam arrangements for SAT and/or ACT. Options include extended time or readers.
- Try to visit a college before making a definite choice and consider their locations.
- Make sure the student has had visual and hearing evaluations recently. Only a qualified specialist should administer such evaluations.
- Encourage students to have their own memberships in organizations. Newsletters for LDA, Orton Dyslexia Society, among others, can help keep them informed about new resources and special programs.
- Make sure it is the student's choice to attend college. The most successful college students are those who have high motivation and a good understanding of their particular strengths and weaknesses. They understand that it may be harder and take more time to manage college level work. They are committed to spend that extra time studying, and to request and use appropriate accommodations when needed.
Adapted from: Carol Sullivan, counselor for LD students, Northern Virginia Community College, Annadale, Virginia; and the Staff of HEATH Resource Center, One DuPont Circle, NW, Washington, DC 20036.