For students with LD who are starting college this fall, preparing ahead will help ensure a smooth transition. Following are a few tasks to take care of before you head off to college.

• Prepare for college placement tests: English, math, and reading. Placement tests determine the level at which you begin your courses in college. Check out College Board’s Accuplacer for hints, tips, and practice versions before you sit for the real tests. If you have documentation that supports test accommodations (e.g. extra time or a distraction-free environment) submit it to the placement testing office well in advance of your test day. Also, research ahead of time whether a calculator is permitted for the math exam—many colleges do not allow it, but in some cases, documentation may support the use of one. If that is not the case, review long division, multiplication, fractions, decimals, etc. the old-fashioned way, so you’re not caught off-guard. If your placement exam scores are not representative of your abilities, ask if you can retake them.

• Update your documentation if it is older than three years, and submit it to the Disability Services office. Not all colleges require this, so check to see if yours does. If you need a new evaluation, find a psychologist who specializes in psychoeducational evaluations by either asking for recommendations from people you trust or researching what to look for in an evaluator.
• Attend freshman orientation but also attend the LD orientation. While some of the information overlaps, there are essentials to be gained from both.
• Sign a FERPA agreement. This allows your parents to communicate with the Disability Office regarding your progress.

Related Smart Kids Topics

• College 101: Freshman Smarts