How can you prepare for an inclusive post-secondary program?
Students who have intellectual disabilities and are considering applying to a four-year, inclusive residential college program can prepare for the opportunity in a number of ways. Here are a few recommendations:
- Take a lead in your IEP...share your goals, your hopes and dreams and include your wish to attend college
- Volunteer with an organization that matters to you
- Get a job
- Attend a summer camp away from home
- Continue learning in an area of interest that excites you
- Begin to take public transportation with support
- Make appointments for yourself
- Fill out forms for yourself
- Practice communicating with email (get an email pen pal)
- Walk around your neighborhood with support and then try it on your own
- Do chores around the house
- Begin cooking for yourself
- Get a debit card and begin watching how you spend money
- Keep reading, keep writing, keep learning
- Plan a party, an outing, a fun activity...anything
- Set your own alarm and get yourself together in the morning
- Learn how to do your own laundry
- Practice problem-solving...if something doesn’t work out, try a different way
- Make a plan for what to do if you get lost and then practice - use the map available on your phone
Inclusive college programs have been in existence for over twenty years so we have data now on what predispositions in applicants lead to student success in inclusive college programs.
The following are nine core competencies that have been identified for applicants with intellectual disabilities that are considering an inclusive higher education opportunity. Working on these skills and dispositions will greatly improve your chance of success in an inclusive college program.
Think College
Think College is the clearing-house of information for these inclusive college programs. There are tremendous resources available on Think College. This includes webinars, program descriptions about different college options, explanations on outcomes for these programs and resources to prepare for college.
Think College is a national organization dedicated to developing, expanding, and improving inclusive higher education options for people with intellectual disabilities. With a commitment to equity and excellence, Think College supports evidence-based and student-centered research and practice by generating and sharing knowledge, guiding institutional change, informing public policy, and engaging with students, professionals and families.
Find and compare information on over 330 college programs for students with intellectual disabilities! Search by program name, location, and other keywords. See "Advanced Filters" for more options to help you narrow your search and build a list of schools that are a good match for you.
View and download Think College Fact Sheet
ANNOUNCING: From our friends at Think College there is a new effort to spread the word and explain the opportunity of Higher Education for students with intellectual disabilities: Think Higher. Think College.
What if every young adult with intellectual disability in the United States saw college as an option?
The “Think Higher. Think College.” campaign is designed to build awareness and expand access to college for students with intellectual disability. Our goals are to increase knowledge of inclusive college options, share information about the benefits and outcomes of students with intellectual disability attending college, and offer people ways to spread the message: “Think Higher. Think College.”.
Check out the video on the Think Higher. Think College. Website…and learn some next steps for imagining what college can be for students with intellectual disabilities.
One More AWESOME Tool for Program Preparation
Preparing for Postsecondary Life
Below are 20 powerful strategies to prepare your child, or yourself, for life after highschool.
