Evaluating Colleges with Limited Mobility & Accessibility Needs
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Evaluating Colleges with Limited Mobility & Accessibility Needs
A Checklist for Evaluating Colleges with Great Accessibility Accommodations
December 2023
Choosing a college or university is big stuff for high school students! Leaving the safety of your parents’ house and your high school years behind is a big step. The college you choose is where you will begin your adult life. It’s exciting, scary, and a little unnerving. For teens and young adults with health conditions that require accommodations, choosing the right college or university adds even more complexity.
As a child who grew up with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis, I had some pretty serious mobility issues I needed to account for in my college selection process. I am happy to report that the college I chose was perfect for me. I chose a small liberal arts school where I had direct access to staff and faculty who helped me when I needed to go to the hospital, renew a prescription, or needed help getting to classes due to my unique health issues. They checked in on me discreetly but appropriately and they kept an eye on me, making sure that I was thriving. They even helped me study abroad!
As I have toured colleges with my children, I have learned firsthand that some Universities are actively dedicated to accommodating people with all accessibility ranges while others are not well educated, aware or invested in accommodating accessibility needs. I beg you! Meet with the people who will support you during your college years and make sure you will have the help you need. I promise you that while you may not want to do this, as you navigate college, having a university and team that will support you will make a huge difference in your ability to truly enjoy your college experience.
It checked all the boxes for size, my Major and Minor, my social preferences AND I could easily navigate the campus with my accessibility needs. Plus, the administration was fantastic in ensuring I had the accommodations I needed to be successful.
To help all you students, parents and families searching for your ideal college, Team Wise Blue Yonder has developed a checklist to help you select a college based on your mobility and accessibility needs.
Colleges with Great Accessibility Accommodations
There are so many great colleges and universities doing it well. In our most recent tours, here are three universities worth exploring:
College of Saint Benedict and St John’s University, St Joseph, Minnesota
YOU Are Your Best Advocate
I cannot emphasize enough – talk to the staff, students and other people with disabilities or special accommodations at the colleges and universities. If they can’t answer your questions or provide the resources you need, they should be able to get you to people who can. If you find it difficult, then chance are its not the right college for you.
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