Transition Checklist Before College

Source: Adapted from the National Center for Learning Disabilities, Inc. © 2008 

1. Find out about your disability.

• Talk to your parents, high school special education teacher, or guidance counselor to learn about your specific disabilities.
• Understand the academic impact of your disability. 
• Understand your areas of strength and weakness. 
• Make sure you have current documentation (request updated testing or a re-evaluation before you leave high school).
• Read your disability documentation and understand what it says. 
• Understand how your disability might affect future employment and/or career choices. 

2. Actively participate in all transition-related activities. 

• Participate in IEP/504 meetings. 
• Understand how the accommodations you receive are related to your disability. Learn to express your current and future needs, concerns, interests, and preferences. 
• Research how high school and higher education differ from one another, especially for individuals with disabilities. 
• Know your rights and responsibilities as an individual with a disability. 

3. Create a personal information file with disability-related information which includes: 

• psychoeducational and educational evaluation records
• current IEP/504 plan (if you have one)
• current high school records (e.g. grade transcript)
• college entrance exam results/information (SAT, ACT) and the accommodations used for them, if applicable

4. Contact the USI Disability Resources Office. 

• Call or email the USI Disability Resources Office with any questions. 
• Submit your documentation by faxing or mailing it to the Disability Resources office. 
• Set up an appointment with a Disability Resources coordinator. 
• Check your USI email account on a regular basis. 
• Prepare for placement testing. Review your algebra skills (if taking the math placement exam). Call Disability Resources if you need accommodations. 
• Prepare for orientation. Call Disability Resources if you need accommodations for orientation. 

5. Learn about and practice self-advocacy. 

What is self-advocacy? 

• Self-advocacy means speaking or acting for yourself. 
• It means deciding what is best for you and taking charge of getting it. 
• It means standing up for your rights as a person. 
• It teaches others about our rights and responsibilities. 

Why is self-advocacy important? 

• It helps us to develop assertiveness skills and good communication skills. 
• It teaches us to make decisions and choices that affect our lives so that we can be more independent. 
• It helps us to develop confidence about our abilities. 

When will I use self-advocacy at college? 

• When you need additional accommodations
• When you don't have access to some activity on campus and you need to have that barrier removed
• When you are having disability-related difficulty in a class and need some extra assistance

How can I practice being a self-advocate?

• Understand what your disability is and how it affects you.
• Understand your rights and responsibilities under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the ADA.
• Use this information to achieve your goals and advocate for yourself.