Assisting your LD child in preparing for college can be an exciting passage into his adult life. With the proper planning it is no more challenging than any other aspect of parenting. Preparing should begin by his freshman year in high school, starting with your student’s IEP (Individualized Education Program) and incorporating an ITP (Individualized Transition Program) at a later time. Including your high school student in both meetings will give him a voice in preparing for his future. Your child should learn to be his own advocate. Part of growing mentally is understanding the extent of his disability(ies), knowing his strengths and weaknesses, and clearly understanding the commitment and hard work involved in obtaining the goal of a college education.
A vital part of college preparation is to tour local college(s) with your student. Spend time walking the campus and familiarizing him with the grounds. Visit the gym, the campus store, and set up an appointment to meet with a student counselor. Have lunch there and take time to enjoy the student art displays and reading material available.
Most high schools are integrating a one semester class on college preparation and career training. Because it is an elective, your student must select this class in his curriculum. I would recommend you encourage your child to sign up for this class. From there it is helpful to schedule a meeting with his teacher and both you and your child attend. Be prepared to discuss his career options and what it entails to reach this goal.
There are many choices for further education. Your student may opt to attend a community college for the first two years. Most are open admissions and testing is not a requirement. Attending a local college can help your child transition from high school to campus life without a drastic change. Student counselors and campus Disability Support Services staff are available to assist your child in planning his curriculum and offer guidelines in reference to his learning disabilities. After obtaining an associate’s degree, your student may then move on to a four-year college or university to complete his education.
Kids Source on Line-click here to go to an excellent web site for more information