Being a college student with a learning disability can be challenging -- and intimidating, especially if you're at a school that is unaware of your specific situation. To make things easier on yourself during your time in college, as well as to make sure you're getting the support you both need and are entitled to, check out these 6 tips on what to do:
- Do any needed testing as soon as possible. Check with your campus academic support office (or something similar) to find out what you need to do to be eligible for support services for your learning disability. You may need to show proof of your disability from your time in high school or even be retested at your school. Either way -- and even though it may feel like one more thing to do on an already-long list -- get yourself eligible for campus services as soon as possible.
- Get to know the academic support center staff. Once you're eligible for services, get to know the staff who will be working with you. You may be assigned a particular adviser, with whom you should make an appointment even if it's just so you can meet each other. Spend some time in the center (or other resource office), too, so that you're fully aware of how things work and what you'll need to do to work in partnership with them during your time in school.
- Talk to your professors. This is, of course, always intimidating to even the most outgoing of students. But talking with your professors about your situation is one of the best things you can do. Your professor may already be aware of your situation (if, for example, you have a note-taker for your classes), so take a few moments to introduce yourself, explain your situation, and discuss what support you'll need so that you can be the rock star you are.
- Keep utilizing the assistance you're eligible for. You met with the academic support staff and your professors during the first week of school, and things seem to be moving along well. Don't forget, however, that you'll need to continue to check in with your support network as the semester goes on. As midterms, exams, and final papers approach, your utilization of what they have to offer should increase. Remember, they're there to help.
- Ask for help when you need it! It doesn't have to be a high-pressure time of the semester for you to ask for more help. In fact, getting help before the high-pressure time starts might be your best bet.
- Know where to go if things get sticky. This, of course, is true for all students, regardless of their learning disability status. If, for any reason, you find yourself in a situation where the water is rising above your head, knowing where to go is of critical importance. Figuring out that information before there's a problem can make a bad situation much, much better (and much, much easier to deal with). Check with the academic support staff, your academic adviser, your professors, your residence hall staff, and even the dean of students if you need to. After all, the only thing more embarrassing than asking for help is not asking for help and ending up in a situation that could easily have been prevented.
