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Transition Timeline
- Your "To Do" List
Pre-High
School Tasks
- Take
challenging classes in English, mathematics, science, history, geography,
foreign language, and the fine and practical arts
- Develop
study skills and strategies that you know work for you
- Investigate
which high school classes will best prepare you for the colleges you want
to attend
- Investigate
your options among schools and programs of study and choose ones that will
promote your academic and career interests
- Investigate
how to save money for college and options for financial aid
- Your
IEP should include the course of study needed for you to transition smoothly
to higher education
- Remediate
basic skill deficits in reading, mathematics, oral and written language
- Plan
to graduate with a Standard Diploma or Advanced Studies diploma and plan your
course of study accordingly
- Plan
to take the SOL tests in English: Reading/Literature and Research, English:
Writing, and Mathematics at the end of eighth grade
- Begin
a transition portfolio of important documents and work samples that may be
helpful in college planning
Freshman
Year Tasks
Top
Sophomore
Year Tasks
Top
Junior
Year Tasks
- Continue
to participate in your IEP transition planning with your case manager and
IEP team
- Continue
your involvement in school- or community-based extracurricular activities
- Focus
on matching your interests and abilities to the appropriate college choice
- Look
for college campuses that have majors in which you might be interested and
the kind of campus community in which you would like to live
- Identify
the appropriate academic adjustments and auxiliary aids and services that
you will need in the postsecondary setting and learn how to use them efficiently
(Be sure to include assistive technologies such as electronic devices and
specialized computer software)
- Keep
a current list of the academic adjustments and auxiliary aids and services
you use in high school in your transition portfolio
- Consider
taking a course to prepare for the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) Test or
for the ACT Assessment (ACT).
- Take
the SAT or ACT in the spring. Consider taking them more than once - once with
testing adjustments and once without them
- Establish
a possible career goal (you can always change your mind!)
- Determine
a college major consistent with this career goal
- Learn
time management, study skills, assertiveness training, stress management,
and exam preparation strategies
- Learn
how to advocate for yourself - not everyone will understand your disability
or be sensitive to your needs
- Gather
information about college programs that offer the disability services you
need (you may want to add these to your transition portfolio)
- Speak
with college representatives who visit your high school and at college fairs
- Visit
campuses and especially service providers to verify the available services
and how to access them
- Consider
people to ask for recommendations - teachers, counselors, employers, coaches,
etc.
- Investigate
the availability of financial aid from Federal, State, local, and private
sources
- Investigate
the availability of scholarships provided by organizations, such as corporations,
labor unions, professional associations, religious organizations, and credit
unions
- Continue
saving for college
- Contact
the Department of Rehabilitative Services (DRS) Counselor who serves your
school to determine your eligibility for DRS services
- Invite
the DRS counselor to attend your IEP meeting
- Make
sure that the documentation of your disability is current. Colleges usually
want current testing, usually less than three years old when you begin college
Top
Senior
Year Tasks
- Meet
with your school guidance counselor early in the year to discuss your plans.
- Continue
to develop your advocacy skills and to polish study skills
- Plan
to visit campuses early in the year
- Learn
how to be interviewed
- Role-play
college interviews with counselors, family members, and teachers
- Finalize
your transition portfolio so that it contains at least the following:
- Copies
of your psychological and educational evaluations
- Transcripts
- ACT
or SAT scores
- Your
current or latest IEP
- Your
medical records (if appropriate)
- A
writing sample or other work samples related to your choice of a major
- Your
letters of recommendation from teachers and employers
- The
current list of academic accommodations and auxiliary aids and services
you may need in college (be sure to include assistive technologies)
- College
visits
- Write
letters to college admissions officers and service providers requesting a
visit.
- Be
prepared when you visit colleges to write or talk about your experiences and
to take placement tests.
- Admissions
officers will provide information about admissions procedures and financial
aid opportunities
- Take
your transition portfolio with you to share with disability service providers,
if appropriate.
- Evaluate
the disability services, service provider, and staff
- Talk
with college students receiving disability support services about their experiences
- Compare
the various colleges and think about living in the campus community (e.g.,
housing, social activities, classrooms, leisure activities, athletic activities,
comfort level with support service)
- Apply
to two or more of your preferred colleges - choose one that is a "reach,"
one where you expect to be accepted, and one where you KNOW you can be accepted.
- Prepare
your applications carefully, paying close attention to the instructions and
deadlines. Be neat. Be accurate.
- When
accepted, consider attending the pre-admission summer program (if available).
It will be worth your time and ease the process when classes start in the
fall.
- Take
the SAT again, if appropriate
- If
not done in your junior year, contact the Department of Rehabilitative Services
(DRS) counselor to determine your eligibility for DRS services while in college
Excerpted
from Virginia's College Guide for Students with Disabilities (2003 Edition).
Available at http://www.pen.k12.va.us
