To ED or Not

Forced decisions tend to be those which we regret.

Q: I'm trying to decide where to apply Early Decision, but I'm a bit stuck. My first choice school does not offer it, so I'm left deciding between schools that I really like but aren't at the top. How do I choose?

A: Don't. If the college that is your first choice doesn't offer early decision, don't sell out! We never want our students to have buyer's remorse at the end of the process. 

So what do you do if your college of choice does not offer a binding Early Decision option? Make sure that they know that they are at the top of your list! If you've met your regional admission representative, send them an email letting them know of your interest. Check to see if the regional rep will be visiting your school this fall. Visit the college. Interview if that is an option. Don't go overboard -- you don't want to seem desperate, but be honest about your interest. That will go a long way. 

The Power of Zzzzzzzzzz

Students and parents ask all the time about strategies to improve organization, test taking, and overall school performance. The answer may be simple: getting more sleep.

According to the NIH, not getting enough sleep can exacerbate learning issues. 

"Your ability to function and feel well while you're awake depends on whether you're getting enough total sleep and enough of each type of sleep [e.g., rapid eye movement, deep sleep]. It also depends on whether you're sleeping at a time when your body is prepared and ready to sleep. ... Sleep deficiency can interfere with work, school, driving and social functioning.

"You might have trouble learning, focusing and reacting. Also, you might find it hard to judge other people's emotions and reactions. Sleep deficiency also can make you feel frustrated, cranky or worried in social situations. ... Children who are sleep deficient might be overly active and have problems paying attention. They also might misbehave, and their school performance can suffer."

As they note, students with learning differences may also have trouble regulating their sleep. So, in addition to preparing flash cards, reviewing class material, and crunching numbers, don't forget to get some more sleep. 

Ask the Consultant: Your Upcoming PPT

Don't pack your bags quite yet -- there is planning to do!

Q: My junior's PPT is coming up soon. Is there anything specific we need to address to prepare for the college years?

A: Yes! Junior year planning is very important, particularly for a student with a learning difference. There are several main areas that a college-bound student with an IEP or 504 plan needs to consider: learning style, self-advocacy, accommodations, and documentation.  

Leaning style: Hopefully, by junior year in high school, the student has a decent idea of their academic strengths and weaknesses -- and we all have them. This is a good time to assess: How do you learn best? In what types of classroom settings are you the most successful? What accommodations are you utilizing? Are there any others that you might need in college? 

Self-advocacy: The most important attribute of a successful college student with a learning difference is self-advocacy. College students must take charge of asking for accommodations! This includes self-identifying as a student with a learning difference and notifying professors themselves. So, in setting goals for the rest of high school, focus on self-advocacy!! 

Accommodations: We like to tell our students to think about the move from high school to college accommodations as a shift from entitlement to equal access. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) states that a K-12 student is entitled to receive services to prepare them for further education, employment, and independent living. Colleges must comply with the Americans for Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act but are not bound by IDEA. They must provide equal access to education, leveling the playing field for a student with a disability. 

Documentation: College learning support offices ask students to provide updated documentation of their disability (neuro-psychological testing, medical diagnosis, etc.). Usually, they want this to be done within the last three years, so requesting updated testing during the junior year makes a lot of sense. 

Unfortunately, junior year also tends to be the one in which many students are guided to or independently decide to exit the special education system, especially students that are finding success academically and are good self-advocates. And while it is tempting to see college as a clean slate, that is rarely the case. Getting accommodations for things like high stakes standardized testing and college courses requires that a student is utilizing the accommodations that they have been given. Remember, you bring yourself with you to college, so why not give yourself every opportunity to find success? 

Ask the Consultant

Q:  How do we tackle the college admission process for an underachiever?

A:   I often ask parents of freshman and sophomore students to think back on all of their child’s report cards and tell me the common themes.  “Does not work up to potential” is not an infrequent reply.  If that is your answer, you are not alone.

The first thing we need to discover is the cause of the underachievement.  Is this the type of student who “rewards” a favored teacher by getting an A and “punishes” a teacher they don't connect with by getting a C?  Is the student not as mature as their classmates?  The only way to “turn around” an underachiever is for the student to begin to recognize the patterns and proactively learn to avoid them.

When working with underachieving students, we like to start planning for college as early as the sophomore year.  We spend a considerable amount of time discussing their learning style and how they are unique.  We call this “discovering your greatness.”  Many times a visit to a college helps the student to see the long term goal more clearly.  If maturity is the issue, we may consider a postgraduate or gap year.

For the underachiever, the college fit is critically important.  Small classes with interesting and caring professors can make all the difference for some; others need hands-on immersion in an area of great interest.  So don't give up!  After all, these students do have great potential!

I’m Not Sure College is For Me

While I agree that college isn’t always right for everyone, I also believe that your college experience doesn’t have to be a repeat of your high school one.  I’ve worked with students whose struggles with the high school learning environment made them question whether or not college was the right path for them. For those students it was important to take a hard look at what worked well in high school environment and what did not, and build those factors and resources into their college plan. Thankfully, college is a time to make adjustments - so don’t automatically count yourself out.