Self-Advocacy in College
The college years are transitional years between youth and adulthood. During this time, parents do not have the same rights to speak up for their children. College administrators and professors will see your child as an adult, one that must make adult decisions and live with the consequences of those decisions. It is no longer possible for parents to intervene when there are problems or to speak up on their child’s behalf.
The following steps can help a college student make sure they receive accommodations or work with individual professors to allow for their ADHD:
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Make a file of the documentation you will need. Have the high school make copies of the last IEP or Section 504. Get copies of your diagnosis from your doctor. Keep these papers in a safe place until you go to college.
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Know your rights. All students have the right to participate in educational environments free from discrimination and you have the right to request reasonable accommodations.
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If possible, the summer before you go to college, make an appointment to talk with your college advisor and the Disability Services Office. Discuss what accommodations you feel you need and why you feel you need them. If it is not possible to do this during the summer, make an appointment with them the first week you are at school.
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Set up an appointment with each professor. Normally, professors are willing to help and are interested in seeing their student succeed. Talk with them about your disability, how it impacts your learning and discuss what accommodations might help you to be more successful in their class. If you have a professor that is not willing to work with you, contact the Disability Services Office rather than getting into a dispute with the professor. Let them help you work it out.
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Update your list of strengths and weaknesses (see high school self advocacy list), as well as your learning styles. Talk with the college advisor about this list and ask what services are available to help you work on developing your weaknesses into strengths.
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Take care of yourself and your disability. If you require medication, be sure that you have medication available and that you show up for any medical appointments.
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Find out what tutoring services the college offers. Don’t wait until you are failing a class to look into tutoring. If you are taking a class that you struggled with throughout high school, consider using a tutor right from the beginning. Otherwise, keep the information available and as soon as you find your grades slipping, request a tutor.
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Keep records of what accommodations you have asked for, what you have been granted and keep copies of all paperwork you hand in to your advisor, your professors or the Disability Services Office in regards to your condition and note the date your provided the information to them. Write down the names of people you speak with for future reference.
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Make a list of important phone numbers, if you have a cell phone, program them into your phone. If not, keep a list hanging in your room. The list should include the extensions for your professors, the Disabilities Services Office, the medical office, the pharmacy, the tutoring center, counselors numbers, educational advisor’s numbers and any other number you may need.
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Check into support groups on campus that may help you deal with the daily struggles of managing your conditions at college.
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There is a difference between being assertive and being combative. Understand the difference and be assertive, but not aggressive.
