Transitioning from High School

OTHER KEY DIFFERENCES

• Use of services is student-driven rather than directed by the institution or by parents.
• Students needing accommodations must take the initiative to contact Disability Services. You may instead choose not to identify yourself as having a disability and thereby forego services.
• You may decline future services at any point, even though you initially asked for them.
• You’ll have a more assertive role when working with professors and service providers than you did in high school. Be assured though, that Disability Services will, at your request, help you trouble-shoot any difficulties.
• Depending upon your particular high school experience, you may notice some differences in the type and scope of accommodations available in college. Individually prescribed devices, attendants and readers for personal use or study are not provided by the University, although you may qualify for financial assistance through an external agency. Specific accommodations are always determined on a case-by-case basis, and you will fully participate in the process.
• Since IEPs and 504 plans applying in high school do not directly transfer to college, they may or may not be acceptable as the sole documentation of a disability; they do provide useful background information, and may be submitted as a supplement. What we will need is a report/letter from a qualified professional (e.g., physician, psychologist, licensed mental health counselor) regarding the status of your disability. Standardized test results (if used in the evaluation) or an explanation of how the diagnosis was reached, and a clear determination that the disability substantially impacts your academic performance or other major life activity should be clearly stated.
• A diagnosis supported by testing, such as a specific learning disability, should be based on adult measures. Since your teachers/counselors may be unaware that different statutes apply to colleges, you may want to clarify the status of your evaluation between your junior and senior year. If the documentation you have does not meet MSU’s standards regarding provider’s credentials, or diagnostic detail, you may be required to obtain a new evaluation before receiving services. Although the University is not obligated to provide or pay for the evaluation, Disability Services can often make an affordable local referral.