Preparing for college during the pandemic

It may seem that the pandemic has led to a huge setback when it comes to helping your teen acquire skills for transitioning out of high school. You may feel it’s impossible to take steps to prepare your youth to move on to college. However, there are ways for your child to gain skills and learn more about college options.

If you are looking for some ways for your teen to work on transition related skills or even access college credit during COVID19-related distance learning, here are some organizations hosting trainings or programs that might be relevant for your teen:

Beacon College in Florida , one of only a few colleges in the U.S. dedicated to teaching students who learn differently, is offering online options for college and pre-college students. If you are unable to attend the webinars at the scheduled time, you may register and they will send you the link for the recording of the session to watch at another time.
- Jan. 20 – FREE – NAVIGATOR PREP INFORMATIONAL WEBINAR: Learn how Navigator PREP is helping students prepare for college during a time of stress and school disruption.
- Jan. 27 – FREE – PARENT LEARNING SERIES WEBINAR: This new, five-part webinar series for parents focuses on the unique challenges of college-bound students who learn differently. The session on Jan. 27 addresses The College Search During the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Landmark College in Vermont is another college that specializes in teaching students who learn differently. They have a Five Day Online Boot Camp, July 26 – 30, 2021. Cost: $1,850 earns 3 college credits. This program is for recent high school graduates or current college students looking to gain skills and build confidence before the fall semester. Landmark College’s experienced faculty will help you discover:
- What science shows us about what we can do to improve our attention, memory, and motivation
- Specific strategies and technologies that can support your skills in notetaking, reading, writing, memory, and organization as a successful college student.
Center on Transition has a free online series titled “Get Ready for College: A Resource for Teens with Disabilities“. Each focuses on a different aspect in the college preparation, selection, and disability services process. These online lessons contain video presentations and resources that can be used to equip students and others with the knowledge and skills for the transition to postsecondary education. Topics include the differences between high school and college, postsecondary education and training, selecting a college best fit, getting accommodations in college, and what you can do now in high school to prepare for college. This site also has an excellent library of transition-related resources.
Think College has two free online programs:
- College-based Transition Services Affinity Group meetings, Thursday, February 11, 2021 – 14:00 to 15:00 EST. This group meets to support its members whose work involves supporting transition-aged students with intellectual or developmental disabilities who include, or who would like to include, college in their transition services. The meeting in February will feature invited speaker, Russ Thelin, who will discuss the role of vocational rehabilitation services in college-based transition services. Join Zoom Meeting https://communityinclusion.zoom.us/j/622180688;
- College Matters: What Students, Families, and Professionals Can Do to Support College Access and Success for Students with Intellectual and/or Developmental Disabilities

While I will be covering Future Planning in an upcoming blog post, I also wanted to mention this year-long course, part of a series that starts in January:

FREE – 2021 Parent University™ class, “New Year, New Resolution… Keeping Your Life Care Plan Moving Forward” Thursday, January 21st, 2021, 7:00pm – 8:00pm CST. The key to a more secure fulfilling future is blending realism with hope. That takes knowledge, but also a willingness to learn about the many tools and techniques to help you get started. We will work together to identify the goals you want to achieve and the dangers you will want to avoid, along with building your team of professionals/caretakers to help you along the way.

For additional information on college transition topics, please view the following resources:

Educational Transition After Epilepsy Surgery (new transition guide from the Brain Recovery Project)
After High School: The Journey to Life (Planning Guide from Ability Path)
Finding Your Way: A College Guide for Students on the Spectrum
College Autism Network
National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center
Think College
Transition Guide to Postsecondary Education and Employment for Students and Youth with Disabilities. Revised August 2020

about the author

Audrey Vernick is our Director of Patient and Family Advocacy. She is the parent of a child who had hemispherectomy for seizures caused by stroke. She holds a level 2 certification in Special Education Advocacy Training from the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates and is certified by The ARC in future planning. She also serves on the International League Against Epilepsy’s Social Work and Social Services Section.