"Advice to other students thinking about college: It's not scary. You can learn stuff there. It's good to try it. You're going to be a little scared but that's normal. Because you've never tried it before. There's a lot of people there and that looks scary at first. When you get to know the college, you're going to feel more confident and good about yourself. I was like that too. I was scared but I got more confident. It took a while. By the end, I was better and I'm not nervous about it anymore. I said I didn't like it and I wasn't coming back but then I changed my mind. I wanted to go back." -- Adrian Martir, 19

Now that you have yourself organized and have found some support, it's time to roll up your sleeves and get to work. You will need to

1. Choose a college
2. Meet with Disability Services
3. Apply to college
4. Self Identify
5. Get familiar with the campus
6. Register for classes
7. Attend class

1. Choose a college

Once you have narrowed down your career interests, it is time to decide about college. Consider:

• What kind of educational program do you want?
  • Do you want to audit a class (before taking it for credit)?
  • Do you want to pursue a certificate?
  • Do you want an associate's degree (usually a 2-year program)
  • Do you want a bachelor's degree (usually a 4-year program)
• Do you want to go part-time (1-2 classes) or full-time (3-4 classes)
• Will the courses help you prepare for your career?
• How will you get to school? By bus, train, car?
• Will you need any transportation training?
• Will you need any support (an educational coach)?
• Does the college offer the assistance you will need?

2. Meet with Disability Services

Before applying to the college, make an appointment with someone from disability services. Ask a few questions to determine what kind of support you can expect, such as:

1. Exactly what documentation is necessary to receive accommodations and supports from disability support services?
2. What kind of supports and services are available to you?
3. Are there modified admissions requirements that you should know about?

3. Apply to college

Apply to college as soon as you can. Remember, many colleges are unaware that students with intellectual disabilities are interested in going to college. Also, students with intellectual disabilities may need additional assistance to be accepted into college. A piece of advice: Make sure that you ask someone to help you with the application process.

There are several ways that any student can gain access to college including:

1. Auditing classes
2. Taking individual courses for credit
3. Entering a certificate program
4. Entering a 2-year degree program
5. Entering a 4-year degree program

If you apply for a traditional track program (for a degree), then you are held to the same admissions standards as everyone else in the class.

Placement test: If you apply to a community college, which has open enrollment, you may have to take a placement test (many colleges use a test called Accuplacer). This test is used to determine what classes you should start with at college. If you are required to take this test, you can contact the disability services office to schedule a time to take this test in their office. This test is usually taken on the computer and it covers 3 subject areas: math, reading, and writing.

A word about the placement test: For many students, taking the placement test can be very stressful. If they don’t usually do well on school tests, taking this test might feel the same way. If someone in disability services asks you to take this test, it is usually because many courses require that students pass these tests. These tests are designed to assess your reading, writing and math skills. Some colleges do not require you to take these tests if you are planning to take a class for audit status, or you are taking a non-credit class. Some courses do not require that you pass these tests. In any case, if you do take these tests, do your best. If you score low and want to improve your reading, writing or math skills, knowing what your baseline score is will be helpful and you may then decide to take a refresher course in one of these areas. You may score low and still want to take some other class or classes. Work with disability services and instructors to see if you can take a class you are interested in, despite your score.

Once enrolled:

4. Self Identify

Once you are accepted into college, you should identify yourself as a person with a disability to the college's disability services office. This requires a few steps:

1. Meet with a counselor and identify yourself as a person with a disability (e.g., "Hi, My name is Jake Jones and I wanted to meet with you today because I am going to be taking class here. I have a disability.").
2. Submit all your documentation to the disability services office. Most colleges require a psychological or neuro-psychological report that is less than three years old.
3. Work with a disability services staff person to determine what accommodations you will need in your college classes.
4. Talk to this staff person about courses and instructors that match your learning style.

5. Get familiar with the campus

Before your first day of classes even start, sign up for an orientation to the school, if one is offered. This is a great opportunity to see where everything is and what social and recreational opportunities are available. Best of all, it is a great chance to meet other people who will be starting classes as well. If you are a person with a mobility or sensory disability, taking the time to orient yourself to the campus is crucial before the first week of class.

Consider carrying a cell phone: Before you begin traveling to and from the college campus, you might consider carrying a cell phone. Many students use cell phones as a precaution, in case they get lost on campus. At other times, you might find that using a cell phone gives you the freedom to show that you can manage tasks on your own, such as getting to class or going to the student cafeteria for lunch.

6. Register for classes

When you register for classes, you typically get help from an academic advisor. If you are a student with an intellectual disability, you might also want to get some advice from a disability services staff person.

When you choose classes, here are some things to think about:

• Will this class help me develop skills I need for the type of career/job I want?
• Does this class and the instructor's teaching style match my learning style?
• Is my educational coach available to assist me with this class?
• Does this class interfere with my work hours?

7. Attend class

Before you start classes, locate where your class will be held and try to meet with your instructor. Discuss any accommodations you need so that he or she knows how to help you. You may want to ask for a copy of the syllabus before the class begins if you need an alternative format for any reading materials.

"At first, I didn't know how to be in a college classroom. It's scary in there. Cuz I just started. It was my first time going to college. When you start things, you're not sure you can do it. Then you just say in your head, I think I can and then you just do it." -- Adrian Martir, 19