Start in High School

Preparing for college

Required documentation for accommodations in college

Physical disabilities

Learning disabilities

Psychological disabilities

Financial aid

Setting up a PASS

Housing

Colleges and degrees

How to choose a college

A list of Arizona Colleges

Arizona Centers for Independent Living

• Your IEP describes your special education needs along with other related services. Your IEP is developed at one or more meetings, and the provisions are detailed in writing. It should include goals and objectives that are measurable and observable.

What do you need to do?

• Prepare a file of your student evaluations. Review the school's diagnostic/ eligibility written report. This report must contain the nature of your disability, eligibility status, and classification, written observation reports and signatures of the school team. (Review evaluation purpose 121a. 500; 121a. 530-532; SLD Regulations of 12/29/77, 121a. 540-543)

• List skills you are ready to learn or should have learned. This is especially important if you believe that you have greater abilities than those stated by the school team.

• Make an outline of what you believe your IEP should include, based upon your evaluations and consultations with appropriate professionals. Take the file to the meeting.

• Talk to other students with disabilities. Learn as much as you can about their IEP experiences.

• The school must send you a written notice of the IEP meeting. The time and place must be mutually convenient. The school must list who will attend. (121a. 504-505; 121a. 344-345) The written notice should include a copy of your legal rights.

• A representative of the school, other than your teacher, who is qualified to provide, or supervise the provision of special education. The representative must be a person who can commit the school's resources so that whatever programs are set out in the IEP will not be vetoed at a higher administrative level within the school. (Federal Register 1/19/81, #13)

• Your teacher

• Your parent or guardian

• If you are being evaluated for the first time, the school must include someone who is knowledgeable about the evaluation procedure used with you and is familiar with the results of the evaluation. [121a.344 (b)(2)]

This provision includes interpreters for persons who are hearing impaired or whose native language is other than English.

• You may tape IEP meetings (Federal Register 1/19/81 #12)

• Your IEP must be agreed upon and short-term instructional objectives written before special education and related services are provided. The extent and duration of both regular and special education and related services must be written at the initial meeting.

• Your IEP must take effect within 30 days of determination of eligibility and thereafter at the beginning of each school year.

• he dates for initiation of services and the anticipated duration of those services

• appropriate objective criteria and evaluation procedures and schedules for determining at least annually, whether your instructional objectives are being achieved

• All accommodations and modifications necessary for your participation in regular education programs (Federal Register 1/19/81 #48)

• A statement of the least restrictive environment

• A regular class in a public school, with appropriate supportive related services

• A special public high school

• A special education program in private day or residential school which meets state standards

• A home or hospital program

• A special education program in a residential facility

• Appropriately related/ supportive services must be provided to meet your needs as indicated in the IEP. These can include, but are not limited to: (121a. 13)

• Speech and language services

• Psychological services, social work services, counseling services

• Special readers, braillists, typists, and interpreters

• Physical and occupational therapy, adaptive physical education, and other necessary therapeutic services

• Consultative services

• Supportive institutional services

• Medical services for evaluation and diagnostic purposes, and school health nurses

• Parent counseling and training

• Resource Centers

• Transportation services

• Vocational Education

• Adaptive physical education (OT/PT)

• Music, art, home economics, shop

• Other non-academic subjects that other students in your school are receiving

• Recreational opportunities that other children in your school are receiving

• The law insures a process for resolving differences. If you cannot come to an agreement, you have the right to request another meeting. Do not feel pressured to make a decision immediately.

• You may obtain an independent evaluation and request another meeting based on the new evaluation.

• Consult PL 94-142 section 121a. 503 and page 52511 for additional information.

• Independent evaluations that seek a diagnosis of your disability can frequently be financed through insurance carriers if the evaluations are obtained through professionals such as clinics, psychologists, pediatricians, neurologists etc. Specific disabilities are recognized medical conditions

• If needed services are not provided in the IEP or recommendations from an independent evaluation are not considered, you can file a complaint with the State Department of Education (seeking mediation) (121a. 602 and EDGAR) or file for a Due Process Hearing. (121a. 506-513)* 

• A communication vehicle between all participating parties to ensure that they know what your problem(s) involve(s), what will be provided and what the anticipated outcome may be

• Make sure all of your evaluations/ diagnoses are current. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires this testing to be done every three years for students in LD programs. Most colleges do not have the personnel or the facilities to conduct the tests. If your records are current, the college may be able to use them for decisions regarding programming and accommodations.

• Obtain all special testing records before you graduate from high school. Some schools destroy student records upon their graduation.

• Colleges and Vocational Rehabilitation offices request these records to assist in providing support services for students.

• Some students whose disabilities are mild and did not qualify for assistance or special programming in high school may be eligible for support services in college, but you will need documentation of your disability.

• Consider your vocational assessment as a way to clarify your present and future goals.

• Make sure you have good study skills. If you need assistance with these skills, consider special study skills classes or programs offered at community colleges, private agencies or individual tutoring.

• Think about how much support you are receiving in high school, then determine realistically whether you will need minimal or extensive support at the college level.

• Programs in colleges offer a wide variety in levels of support. Making a good match of your needs to available services can be more important than looking for a good program. The program is only good if it is good for you.

• You should think about a part time job or volunteering. This will improve your socialization skills and give you a better understanding of work situations and expectations.

• You need to have a good understanding of your disability, so you will be able to talk about your strengths and weaknesses as well as which compensating techniques and accommodations will work best for you.

• You should understand how your disability is connected to social expectations with your peers, families and your employers.

• You need to learn about Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1992 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. These laws explain what types of accommodations must be provided and/or allowed at colleges if you request them.

• The responsibility is on you to initiate the provision of services and accommodations. This is different than the requirements of IDEA, which puts the responsibility on elementary and secondary schools and your parents.

• Obtain two copies of all college applications, or duplicate the one you receive if the college will accept copies. Use the first copy to collect the needed information, then type that information onto the copy that you will send.

• Contact the office for Students with Disabilities when you apply. Get information about what kinds of services and support are available and the number of students with disabilities attending that college.

• Find out if there are modified admissions for students with disabilities and if there are any special pre-admission requirements such as reference letters from a Special education teacher.

• Make sure you speak to the direct service provider when you ask your questions. Do not make your decisions based on what someone else told you some one will or will not do for you!

  

You will find a list of Arizona colleges, with physical addresses and phone numbers at the end of this document

How and when should I start preparing to go to college?

• You need to work with your High School to start preparing for your entrance to college during your Junior year.

• Have your documentation (not IEP's) in order

• Attend college fairs, and collect and review the information that will be available to you.

• Start working with the disability services office/ person at the college you decide to attend.

• Get services started with Vocational Rehabilitation.

• Meet with your High School Counselor to find out if you are going to meet the requirements for graduation.

• If you need to take any remedial classes, explore the possibility of summer classes, including computer skills.

• Develop independent living skills, self-initiating and self-responsibility habits/ skills.

• URL's of the websites for post- secondary institutions in Arizona are listed on the following page.

Look for their services for students with disabilities or their student affairs office.

Arizona Western College http://www.awc.cc.az.us

Central Arizona College http://www.cac.cc.az.us

Cochise College (Douglas) http://www.cochise.cc.az.us

Eastern Arizona College http://www.eac.edu

Coconino Community College http://www.coco.cc.az.us

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University http://www.pr.erau.edu

Estrella Mountain Community College (Litchfield Park) http://www.emc.maricopa.edu/main

Gateway Community College (Phoenix) http://www.gwc.maricopa.edu

Glendale Community College http://www.gc.maricopa.edu

Grand Canyon University (Phoenix) http://vvv.grand-canyon.edu

Mesa Community College http://www.mc.maricopa.edu/new/

Mohave Community College http://www.mohave.cc.az.us

Navajo Community College (Tsaile) http://www.ncc.cc.nm.us

Northern Arizona University (NAU) http://www.nau.edu

Northland Pioneer College http://www.northland.cc.az.us

Paradise Valley Community College http://www.pvc.maricopa.edu

Phoenix College http://www.pc.maricopa.edu

Pima Community College http://www.pima.edu

Prescott College http://www.prescott.edu

Rio Salado College http://www.rio.maricopa.edu

Scottsdale Community College http://www.sc.maricopa.edu

South Mountain Community College http://www.smc.maricopa.edu

Southwestern College http://www.netwrx.net/swc

• If you believe you have a current and essential need for disability accommodations, you are responsible for requesting accommodations and providing required documentation to verify eligibility to Disability Resources for Students (DRS). DRS will make every effort to accommodate qualified students with disabilities

• All reports must be on professional letterhead and contain the dates of the assessment, signatures, titles, and license/ certification numbers of the diagnosing professionals. Diagnoses of disabilities that do not contain the required information may not be used for determining eligibility for academic accommodations.

• DRS reserves the right to request reassessment when questions arise regarding previous assessment or previous service provision.

• DRS will accept current diagnoses of physical disabilities that are based on appropriate diagnostic evaluations administered by trained and qualified (i.e., certified and/or licensed) professionals (e.g., medical doctors, opthamologists, psychologists, neuropsychologists, audiologists).

• Orthopedic disability

• Blind or visual impairment

• Deaf or hard of hearing

• Traumatic brain injury

• Other health-related/systemic disabilities             

• Clear disability diagnosis, including a clinical history that establishes the date of diagnosis, last contact with the student, and any secondary conditions that might be present

• Procedures used to diagnose the disability

• Description of any medical and/or behavioral symptoms associated with the disability

• Discussion of medications, dosage, frequency, and any adverse effects attributed to their use that the student has experienced

• Clear statement specifying functional manifestations (i.e., substantial limitations to one or more major life activities and degree of severity) due to the disability and/or medications for which the student may require accommodations

• DRS will accept diagnoses of specific learning disabilities that are based on appropriate, comprehensive psychoeducational evaluations that are no more than three years old.

• An appropriate psychoeducational evaluation must include comprehensive measures in each of the following areas:

• Aptitude (the evaluation must contain a complete intellectual assessment, with all subsets and standard scores reported)

• Academic achievement (the evaluation must contain a comprehensive achievement battery with all subsets and standard scores reported).

• The test battery should include current levels of functioning in the relevant areas, such as reading (decoding and comprehension), mathematics, and oral and written expression

Aptitude

• Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale--Revised (WAIS-R)

• Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale--Third Edition

• Stanford Binet Intelligence Scale-Fourth Edition

• Woodcock-Johnson Pshychoeducational Battery--Revised: Tests of Cognitive Ability

• Kaufman Adolescent and Adult Intelligence Test

• Wechsler Individual Achievement Tests (WIAT)

• Woodcock-Johnson Psychoeducational Battery--Revised: Tests of Achievement (W-JR)

• Stanford Test of Academic skills (TASK)

• Scholastic Abilities Test for Adults (SATA).

• Subsets of the WAIS-R or WAIS-Third Edition

• Subtests on the Woodcock-Johnson Psychoeducational Battery--Revised: Tests of Cognitive Ability

• A diagnostic interview that addresses relevant historical information, past and current academic achievement, instructional foundation, past performance in areas of difficulty, age at initial diagnosis, and history of accommodations used in past educational settings and their effectiveness

• A list of all instruments used in the test battery

• A discussion of test behavior and specific test results

• Clear and direct statement that a learning disability does or does not exist, including a rule-out of alternative explanations for the learning problems. Terms such as "appears," "suggests," or "probable" in the diagnostic summary statement do not support a conclusive diagnosis

• Clear statement specifying the substantial limitations to one or more major life activities

• Psychometric summary of scores

DRS reserves the right to request assessment when questions regarding previous assessment or previous service provision arise.

• Diagnostic interview addressing relevant historical information, past and current academic achievement, age at initial diagnosis, discussion of medication, and history and effectiveness of accommodations in past educational settings

• Procedures used to diagnose the disability (include a list of all instruments used in the assessment)

• A discussion of the testing results and behavior, including the symptoms that meet the criteria diagnosis. If the student was evaluated while on medication, please indicate the effect this may have had on performance

• DSM-IV diagnosis (include all five axes)

• Diagnostic summary statement that includes the following information:

• A clear statement that ADHD does or does not exist, including a rule-out of alternative explanation of behaviors. Terms such as "appears," "suggests," or "has problems with" in the diagnostic summary statement do not support a conclusive diagnosis

• A clear statement specifying the substantial limitations to one or more major life activities and the degree of severity. If the limitations are in learning (e.g., reading, mathematics, and written expression), an appropriate psychoeducational evaluation must be administered to document ability/achievement discrepancies.

• Recommendation regarding medications

• Recommendations for accommodations, including rationale.

  

• DRS will accept current (no more than three years old) diagnoses of psychological disabilities that are based on appropriate diagnostic evaluations completed by trained and qualified (i.e., licensed or certified) professionals (e.g., psychologists, psychiatrists, neuropsychologists, school psychologists, certified professional counselors, or licensed social workers).

• Clinical interview, relevant historical information, age at initial diagnosis, duration and severity of the disorder, discussion of the medications, review of past and current academic achievement, and history of disability accommodations and their effectiveness

• Procedures used to diagnose the disability (include a list of all instruments used in the assessment and test scores as applicable)

• Discussion of the assessment results

• DSM-IV diagnosis (include all five axes)

• A clear statement that a disability does or does not exist. Terms such as "appears," "probable," and "suggests" in the diagnostic summary statement do not support a conclusive diagnosis

• A clear statement specifying the substantial limitations to one or more major life activities. If the limitations are in learning (e.g., reading, mathematics, and written expression), an appropriate psychoeducational evaluation must be administered to document ability/achievement discrepancies.

• A discussion of medications and their impact on academic functioning (e.g.., concentration, attention, sedation)

• Recommendations for essential accommodations relative to the diagnosed disability, including rationale

• Duration for which these accommodations should be provided based on the current assessment

• Recommendation regarding reevaluation to determine ongoing need for disability accommodations (e.g., one semester, one year, two years).

Financial Aid is given to students to help them meet college expenses. It is based on the income of the household, the number of people in the family, and the costs for you to attend college for one academic year.

Financial aid is composed of grants (Pell, TAP, and SEWOG), college work study, scholarships and student loans

The academic year is made up of the fall and the following spring semesters. For example, fall 1999 + spring 2000 = Academic year 99/00

College Scholarship Service Financial Aid Profile (CSS/FAP).

The College Scholarship Service is a private agency, which evaluates financial aid eligibility.

Because the College Scholarship Service is a private agency, you must pay the agency a fee for each college listed on the CSS/FAP form where financial information is to be forwarded.

As a result, you should complete this form only if a college requests it.

The application you complete for the Pell grant, which is funded by the Federal government.

The financial information on this form is used to determine how much financial aid you are eligible to receive. This information is forwarded to the colleges that you list on the form.

Student Aid Report (SAR).

The Student Aid Report (SAR) is a multi-page document based on the information in the FAFSA.

The expected family contribution (EFC) is printed on the first page of the SAR.

The information on the SAR is forwarded to colleges that you list on the FASFA and is used to determine how much aid you should be awarded.

Federal Pell Grant.

The Pell grant is sponsored by the Federal government and awards grants ranging from $400.00 to $2,470.00 per academic year.

Full-time and part-time (six credits minimum) students who are citizens or eligible non-citizens may apply. Awards do not have to be repaid because they are grants.

The SEOG is a grant funded by the Federal government for undergraduate students with exceptional financial need.

Eligibility is based on information from the FAFSA. Grants range from $1,000.00 to $4,000.00 per year

Work-study is a program funded by the Federal government, which provides jobs for undergraduate and graduate students so that you can earn money to pay for education expenses. This is based on financial need.

This loan is available to full-time and part-time (six credits) students and is guaranteed by the Federal government.

You must begin repaying this loan six months after you graduate or leave school. This six-month period is called a grace period.

This loan is available to full-time and part-time students from participating banks.

You must begin repaying this loan six months after graduating or leaving school. This six-month period is called a grace period.

The government pays the interest on the loan while you are attending college. Once you graduate or stop attending college, you are responsible for the interest.

You must begin to repay the loan within six months after graduating or leaving college. This six-month period is called a grace period.

You are responsible for all the interest accrued on the loan. You can either pay the monthly interest accrued while you are attending college, or you request that it be added on to the capital.

In the latter case, six months after graduating or leaving college, you must begin to repay the loan-capital (total amount borrowed) plus all the interest accrued. This six-month period is called a grace period.

A legal document you sign when you apply for a student loan. By signing the note, you are promising to repay the loan with interest in agreed installments

A student loan is in default if you fail to repay the loan according to the agreement of the promissory note.

A defaulted loan affects credit rating and eligibility for future financial aid.

If you are receiving Supplemental Security (SSI) income and you are worried that financial aid/savings for school will adversely effect your benefits, you can submit a Plan for Achieving Self-support, or PASS plan.

A PASS allows you to set aside money and/or other things you own to help you reach your goal. You can save money to be used for expenses while you attend school.

If you are receiving SSI, developing a PASS will allow you to keep more of your SSI payment each month. If you don't get SSI because your income or resources are too high, developing a PASS may help you qualify.

That can be very important since people who qualify for SSI usually qualify for AHCCCS too.

Under the rules for SSI, your check is reduced by other income you receive, but income that you set aside for a PASS doesn't reduce your SSI check.

You can get a PASS if you receive or can qualify for SSI and if you have or expect to receive income other than SSI and/or resources to set aside toward a work goal.

A PASS may be used for just about any expenses that will help you achieve your work goal. For example, your plan may be used to pay for tuition, fees, books and supplies needed for your school or training.

Your plan must be in writing and approved by Social Security. Listed below are the steps you should follow to set up your plan:

• Choose a work goal. The goal must be a job. It should be a job that you're interested in doing and that you think you'll be able to do at the end of your plan.

• Find out how long it will take you to reach your goal.

• Decide what things (such as training or tools) you will need to reach the goal.

If you want to become a computer programmer, you may need a college degree and a computer in order to reach your goal.

If you want to start a business, you may need to rent a store or office and buy equipment and supplies.

The people at Social Security can estimate what your new SSI amount will be if you set up your plan.

• Make plans to keep any money you save for the goal separate from any other money you have. The easiest way to do this is to open a separate bank account for the money you save under your plan. But, you don't have to open a separate account; you just have

to be sure you can tell Social Security how you are keeping the money separate.

Anyone can help you with your plan, or you can get help from a Vocational Rehabilitation counselor, a Center for Independent Living, an employer, a friend or relative or the people at your Social Security office.

You can also call 1-888-674-6250 to speak to staff at the Social Security Administration.

After you submit your plan, Social Security will:

• review your plan to make sure it's complete

• decide if there is a good chance that you can reach your goal

• decide if any changes are needed and discuss those changes with you

• send you a letter to tell you if the plan is approved or denied. If your plan is approved, Social Security will contact you from time to time to make sure you are doing what your plan says you will do.

If your plan is not approved, you have the right to appeal. The letter you will receive will explain your appeal rights and tell you what you need to do to appeal.

You may also want to consider submitting a new plan to Social Security.

Yes, but you must tell the Social Security office in writing about the changes you want to make. The Social Security office will tell you whether your proposed changes are approved.

The changes need to be approved in advance. It is very important that you tell Social Security as soon as possible about any changes that might affect your plan.

If you cannot complete your plan, you may develop a new plan with a new work goal.

If you don't set up a new plan, any money or other things set aside under the original plan may begin to count toward the $2,000.00 resource limit.

If they put you over the limit, you may become ineligible for SSI. Also, Social Security will begin to count the income you were setting aside under the plan. But, as long as you tell Social Security as soon as possible that you cannot complete your plan, you will not have to pay back any extra SSI you got while you were following your plan.

You need to check with the agency that is responsible for your other benefits to find out if the plan (and the extra SSI) might affect those benefits.

What will happen to my benefits if I go to work?

You have decided you would rather go to work than just stay at home. but working can be a big step for persons with disabilities. You may have many questions and fears about what could happen to your benefits.

SSI disability benefits are paid to people with disabilities or to people who are blind who have little income and few resources.

SSDI benefits are paid to people with disabilities or people who are blind who have worked under Social Security and to their dependents.

There are differences between SSDI and SSI, but the work incentives under both programs are designed to accomplish the same thing.

The work incentives provide support and assistance while you attempt to return to work or as you enter the workforce for the first time.

• Sheltered Workshop Payments--

  If you work in a sheltered workshop, special rules allow Social Security to exclude some of your earnings when they figure your SSI payment.

• A change in employment status

• A change of address

• A marriage or divorce

• A change of income

• A change in work expenses

• If you travel outside of the United States

• Development or change in a PASS, or admission or release from a hospital or other institution

Your housing situation may depend on the college you choose to attend and/ or the lifestyle you choose.

Some colleges have dormitories on campus. You can find the details in the information you receive from the college you choose.

If your housing preference is an apartment or a house close to campus, you may want to consider a roommate situation.

Other factors to consider when you are investigating housing options are proximity to public transportation, shopping, laundry facilities, utilities, what amenities are included and the move-in costs.

College: An institution of higher learning beyond High School.

• Four-year colleges (also called senior colleges) award Bachelor degrees. Some four-year colleges also award Associate degrees.

• University Colleges award Bachelor degrees, but they also offer a few graduate programs and award the Master degree.

• Two-year colleges (also called junior or community colleges) award Associate degrees.

• Private colleges are usually the most expensive. Some private colleges are affiliated with religious groups, but they admit all students. Private colleges may be two or four-year.

• B - Bachelor degree (BFA - Bachelor of Fine Arts)

• M - Master degree (MS - Master of Science)

• D - Doctoral degree (Ph.D. - Doctor of Philosophy)

• Professional degrees:

• JD - Law

• DDS - Doctor of Dentistry

• MD - Medical Doctor

• Certificate and diploma. These are not degrees, and they are below the associate degree. Technical and vocational fields of study sometimes offer certificates and diplomas. The length of the programs varies from a few months to two years.

The Associate degree requires two years of study and the accumulation of 64-66 college credits. Three Associate degrees are awarded:

• AA - Associate of Arts

• AS - Associate of Science

• AAS - Associate of Applied Science

The AAS (Associate of Applied Science) degree is awarded to students who have completed technological or vocational programs.

These programs are considered terminal programs because they prepare students for employment.

The Bachelor degree requires four or five years of study depending on the curriculum. During this time, the student has to accumulate 120- 128 college credits. Some Bachelor degrees are:

• BA - Bachelor of Arts

• BFA - Bachelor of Fine Arts

• BS - Bachelor of Science

A bachelor degree is needed before a student can begin studies for a Master degree.

It takes one or two years to complete, depending on the field of study. Some examples of Master degrees are:

• MA - Master of Arts

• MS - Master of Science

• MBA - Master of Business Administration

• MFA - Master of Fine Arts

• MPS - Master of Professional Studies

• MLS - Master of Library Science

• MSW - Master of Social Work

• DDS/DMD - Dentistry

• MD - Medicine (Medical Doctor)

• OD - Optometry (testing eyes)

• DVM - Veterinary Medicine (care of animal's health)

• PharmD - Pharmacy (preparing and giving out medicine)

• Doctorate. To study for a doctoral degree one has to take courses and do independent research as well.

After completing coursework and independent research, the student is expected to complete a dissertation-written, researched material and present the results of the research to a group of people who specialize in that field.

A doctorate can take many years to complete. This degree is considered the highest in research academic fields. One must have a Bachelor degree and a Master degree before studying for a Doctorate.

There are many different factors involved in choosing which college you will attend. Some of the things you might want to consider are:

• Do your academic qualifications and personal achievements make you eligible for a two-year or four-year college?

• Do you want an academic program or a vocational program?

• Do you need to learn skills so that you can be employed as soon as possible?

• If you plan to attend a vocational program because you need to be employed as soon as possible, does the college have a job placement center?

• What are the academic admission requirements for the college and program that appeal to you?

• How do your academic qualifications and personal achievements compare with the last freshman class? Where did most students rank in their graduating class? College catalogs and journals such as U.S. News & World Report's "America's Best Colleges" have this information.

• Are students academically competitive? Is there academic pressure to obtain high grades?

• Did the last freshman class graduate from public and/or private schools? Are they from different states? Are there students from foreign countries?

• What are the graduation and job placement statistics?

• How much does tuition and, if applicable, room and board cost?

• Does the college have a staggered payment plan?

• What kinds of scholarships are available: academic, financial need, or a combination of both?

• Does the college have an Educational Opportunity Program?

• What is the college's policy on refunds?

• Do you want to attend a large college or a small college?

• How far away from home do you want to be? Do you want to visit you family on weekends, once a month, on holidays, at the end of each semester?

• Is on-campus housing guaranteed to all undergraduate students?

• Is housing available? If so, what kind of housing is available to undergraduate students: on-campus dorms and/or apartments, off-campus apartments?

• Do you want to live in a dorm on campus or share an off-campus apartment with friends?

• If you share an off-campus apartment with friends, how will you pay your bills-rent, food, utilities?

• Are computers available free of charge or do you need to own a computer?

• What kinds of library and science facilities are available?

• What is the faculty/student ratio?

• How many professors are full-time and part-time? How many are Ph.D's?

• How large are the freshman classes and who teaches them? Professors, graduate students?

• How accessible are professors to students?

• What kinds of clubs and organizations are there? Are there athletic and entertainment events?

• Are there sororities and fraternities?

Serving Maricopa and Pinal Counties

Main Office Mesa Office

1229 E Washington St. 225 E 1^st St. #206

Phoenix, AZ 85034 Mesa, AZ 85201

(602)-256-2245 (480)-655-9750

Toll-free 1-(800)-280-ABIL

Post Office Box W

Ph: (928)-669-9695

Parker, AZ

1023 North Tyndall Ave.

Tucson, AZ

Ph: (928)-624-6452

Prescott Valley Flagstaff Office

(928)-772-1266 (928)-214-7102

From the Navajo and Hopi Reservations - 1-(800)-406-2377

1495 S 4^th Ave. P O Box 710

Yuma, AZ 85364 Yuma, AZ 85366

Ph. (928)-329-6681

Virtual Center for Independent Living

Works Cited:

"How to Participate Effectively in the IEP Process." LDA, n.d.

"Ready, Set, Go! Helping Students with Learning Disabilities Prepare for College." Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD). n.d.

"STA 402-03: eligibility for Accommodations--Required Disability Documentation." Arizona State University 6/29/1999

"College Planning Guide." New Visions for Public Schools, n.d.

"Graduating to Independence." SSA. Baltimore, Maryland 1996

"Working While Disabled-- How We Can Help" SSA Publication No. 05-10095. ICN 468625 January 1999