Catch the Wave!

Catch The Wave is an one-day conference designed specifically for high school students who have a disability and are considering post-secondary education (either college or technical institutes). Students will learn about preparing for college life, securing appropriate accommodations, and developing self-advocacy and communication skills. Highlights of the conference will be panel discussions with individuals who have a disability and have experienced a post-secondary setting, as well as disability coordinators discussing entrance and eligibility requirements.

Catch the Wave Dates

Schedule of Catch the Wave dates will be posted in the near future.

Contact your Regional Transition Liaison For More Information & Updates

See the Heads Up! web-page linked on the right side navigation bar for more post secondary information.

The transition from high school to college can be very exciting and challenging. You will learn new skills, make new friends, and uncover hidden strengths and abilities. It is an opportunity to stretch your own boundaries. You will find that there are many differences in the way high school and postsecondary programs work with you to meet your special needs. For example, in a university or vocational/technical institute, you will not have an IEP or an IEP team. Course requirements are not altered in college; however, special needs students may be accommodated by the use of assistive technology, extended time for exams or assignments, or other appropriate means. Accommodations will vary from class to class, depending upon course objectives, physical environment, and other factors. You, your instructor, and other designated institutional personnel will form a team to ensure that you have reasonable and appropriate accommodations.

Many schools and universities require placement exams for new students. These will help your academic advisor determine what the most appropriate courses will be for your first year. If you need special arrangements, it's important that you do this well in advance of the testing dates. There are other differences between high school and postsecondary education. For example, in the university system, you will determine how many credits to take and schedule your classes yourself. You may not go to class every day or you may have long breaks in the course of some days. It will be up to you to decide when and how much to study. Most experts recommend three hours of study time for every hour spent in class each week. This means that for a 12 credit/12 hour per week schedule, you should plan about 36 hours a week for studying and homework! Students in the universities and in the technical institutes must maintain a grade point average of "C" or better in order to remain in school.

You may work with a special counselor or a general counselor, your academic advisor or a designated administrator. In any case, you must be able to explain your particular needs to your teachers and advisors. It is in your best interest to make early contact with the people at the institution you are planning to attend and to set up a meeting to discuss your particular needs.

This means that successful special needs students must:

*be aware of their own academic strengths and weaknesses and be able to state them clearly;

*be aware of the requirements for each course and able to identify the accommodations needed to allow appropriate access;

*initiate action on their own behalf. This means finding out who's responsible for ADA/Special Services at the institution, making and keeping an appointment with that person;

You'll also need to think about housing. At the South Dakota universities, there are campus residence halls; all students (except married students, students with children or students living at home with their parents) are required to live on campus for their first two years of study. The technical institutes do not have campus residences. Students must make arrangements for their own off-campus housing and appropriate transportation.

Each institution has its own process for working with special needs students.

*preferably before registering for classes, providing all documentation required, anticipating and requesting special needs in advance.

See South Dakota listing of college, tech, and university Special Services Coordinators