What Needs to be Done and When?
You’ve made a big decision to attend college or university! There are many important steps required to plan for your transition out of high school and into post-secondary education. If you are planning to begin your studies immediately after graduation, here are the steps you need to take and a timeline for when each task should be completed, in order to have a smooth transition into your program, starting in September. It’s important to plan ahead and take action early.
The information below will help you work through the many options for accommodations. It is important to consider how various accommodations may assist you in different learning environments and in different aspects of your studies.
Transition Timeline
October – February:
- Step 1.
- Research programs of interest. Check the courses and admission requirements. Attend information sessions and tours at the universities and colleges you are most interested in.
- Check to see if an information session from post-secondary institutions will be visiting your school in the fall
- Step 2.
- Apply for course or program
- Step 3.
- Contact Disability Resource Centre (DRC) or more offices are now changing to “Accessibility Services” to request information for available communication access services (Interpreting, CART, TypeWell, Notetaking, Assistive listening devices)
March – April
- Sign up for a campus tour to check out activities, events and supports available – Check with Accessibility Advisor about communication access for tours and events
- Attend the PCAS post-secondary transition workshop to learn about the differences between high school and post-secondary, including:
- Academic expectations, environment, structure and class size, responsibilities, self-advocacy, financial aid, community and educational supports
May – June
- Make an appointment with an Accessibility Advisor to arrange the services you will receive
- Provide documentation of hearing loss – Obtain an update from your Audiologist
- Apply for financial aid – student loan, grants and bursaries
- Seek assistance from Accessibility Advisors or PDHHS
July – August
- Select your courses. Once you have your class schedule, contact your instructors to:
- Inform them of your hearing loss, attach a letter of verification from your Accessibility Advisor
- Ask to meet in-person to show them the technology you will be using and discuss how they can help you to have full accessibility in the classroom
- If you plan to live in on-campus residences, make sure to:
- Ensure accommodation for your room – flashing alarms
- Inform your roommate and Residence Advisor of your hearing loss; what to do in the case of an emergency
September
- Attend orientation events on campus
- Accessibility Services at some universities/colleges often have a welcome session that you can attend.
- Check-in with your Accessibility Advisor to ensure everything is set for the academic year
- Meet with your service providers (captioning or ASL interpreting)
- Once you have had one week of classes, book a follow-up appointment with your Accessibility Advisor to review your accommodations, and consider whether any further assistance with managing your schedule and preparing for university-level assignments would be helpful.
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