COLLEGE IS POSSIBLE FOR STUDENTS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY THINK COLLEGE CAN HELP! 

BY MEG GRIGAL, PH.D.

Back to school for parents and family members of high school students with intellectual disabilities means grappling with transition planning. Figuring out the future can be challenging. Sometimes the options don't seem that appealing. One future path that might be worth exploring is college.

Did you know there are over 8000 students with intellectual disability (ID) who have attended college in the US? These students have taken college classes, joined clubs, gotten internships and jobs, and made friends on their college campus. More and more colleges and universities are creating inclusive postsecondary education (IPSE) programs enrolling students with ID.

Currently there are 324 inclusive postsecondary education programs in the United States and 153 of those are approved to offer access to federal student aid. Think College wants students with intellectual disability to have the same access to college as other students. We believe the option should be available to anyone who wants to go. A college education leads to good jobs, strong social connections, and an independent adult life. Our goal at Think College is to expand expectations and increase opportunities for students with ID, to go to college, get a credential, and get a job and life they love!

One obstacle to making college dreams come true can be a lack of awareness. Too often, families may hear college is unrealistic, or their educators may not know about the IPSE programs in their state. Think College is trying to change that. We have developed multiple places for educators and parents to learn more about what's out there.

The "Think Higher. Think College." Campaign.

To help spread the word that college is possible, we have created a new campaign, called Think Higher, Think College. The "Think Higher. Think College." campaign is building awareness and expanding access to college for students with intellectual disability. Our goals are to increase knowledge of inclusive college options and share information about the benefits and outcomes of students with intellectual disability attending college.

We have a great 4-minute video you can share with your child and their educators to plant the seed of growing college dreams. There are also many free resources for parents, students, and teachers available at thinkhighered.net.

I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS!!

Parents and family members have lots of questions when starting a conversation about college. What makes a good IPSE program? How can we help our child prepare for college? How can we pay for it? These are questions we hear every day, so we have the answers to these and many other questions on our website. Below is a sample of the type of information you can find at thinkcollege.net

HOW TO APPLY

When students are applying to attend a college program for students with ID, there is typically a different admissions process than the one used by degree-seeking students. Unlike students who are applying to college through the standard admissions process, students will NOT need a regular high school diploma or SAT or ACT scores. They WILL need documentation of disability and support needs. Check the website of programs you are interested in to learn more about specific requirements

CAN I AFFORD IT?

College is expensive, and paying for it is never easy. The good news is, that students with intellectual disability can be eligible for financial aid, even if they don't have a HS diploma. Students can also now save for college through the use of an ABLE account. Others may get support from a community agency, such as Vocational Rehabilitation, or receive scholarships to help cover costs. To get more information visit our family resources page at thinkcollege.net/family-resources