Intro to the Accommodation Process
By eyezontheprize on
Accommodations for secondary education can be a complicated process. First steps involve identifying the department that is responsible for accommodations and then securing the necessary documentation. I have usually been fine with just a letter from a doctor that states what my disability is, what accommodations I need, and what specific struggle these accommodations can help to prevent. However, I have spoken with people that have struggled to get accommodations with the same. Ultimately, it depends on the kind of disability you have, the accommodations requested, and the individual department you are working with.
Additionally, the fight is not over just because a department agrees that you in fact have this disability and in fact deserve such accommodations. The department or individual professors may fall behind in complying with your accommodations. It’s so, so important to follow up if this happens. It might seem unfamiliar if you have had involved parents that can and did go to the school up until now and get your accommodations figured out, but in college and beyond, that responsibility becomes yours.
Ultimately, while the process might seem a little overwhelming at first, the departments should be there to work with you in being able to access the resources you need to succeed. Consider meeting with a representative during a campus tour or reaching out with a phone call or email while making your admissions decision to verify what they need and what they can give the same way you would any other part of the admissions process that determines your success at the school you choose.
Best of luck!
(Something of note is that, if you are moving away from home for the first time and plan to use campus housing, the same department that deals with in class and testing accommodations will likely also be the department that helps you with living accommodations. Keep that in mind when getting a letter from your doctor and when applying!)