alternative to college

: It’s wonderful that he articulates an interest in going. Are there local community colleges which could give him a gentle taste of college to see if he likes it? Some of my local community colleges also have various certification programs as well as college courses.What does he like to do? What are his interests? That would be helpful to know.My high school senior wants to go to college, but I’m afraid the
: course work would be too much. Any suggestion on alternatives…..
: vocational school, or goverment programs[BVR, etc] We really don’t
: know where to turn. Thanks.

I faced a similar situation. My child is the unusual combination of low normal cognitive ability with specific LDs, yet very high motivation with desire to continue school. (Too many students with her low ability become completely discouraged by school and want out as soon as possible.) In addition the school staff talked constantly about college and she developed that idea that the local community college program was not acceptable because she wanted to live in a dormitory. etc like her older sibling. So I ended up researching this topic two years ago.There are some schools with programs for this group of students but they are all private schools and therefore expensive and may not be eligible for state and federal scholarship/loan programs. Some of them I never got literature from, so I cannot comment on how well they function. Here is my list though:1. Postsecondary programs on the campus of a private school for LD students that offers a combination of their own classes, option to attempt classes at a community college with their support services, vocational training, and independent living skills training: -Brehm School Options Program, Carbondale, IL -Riverview School G.R.O.W. Program, East Sandwich, MA -Maplebrook School C.A.P.S. Program, Amenia, NY2. Postsecondary programs for LD students that offers their own academic classes, vocational and independent living skills training (but no attempts at college credit classes):-Horizon School, Birmingham, AL -Vocational Independence Program, New York Institute of Technology, Islip (Long Island), NY -Threshold Program, Lesley College, Cambridge, MA -PACE Program, National Louis University, Evanston, IL -Minnesota Life College, Richfield, IL -Chiara Career College, Cardinal Stritch UniversityIf your child does not mind continuing to live at home your local community college may have a non-degree vocational training program with good support services for LD students. Also your child may qualify for services through the Division of Rehabilitative Services (a federally-mandated program which every state must have), whose mandate is to develop vocational plans for adults with disabilities -students can apply while still in high school. There is also a federal Job Corp program (although this is mostly serving high school drop outs and is directed towards getting a GED and job training). AmeriCorp is a federal program for high school graduates who are a sort of domestic Peace Corp, but you would have to feel confident about your child’s social and independent living skills to pursue this. Some big corporations (hotel and restaurant industry in particular) that need a lot of relatively low skilled workers have their own job training program. Federal agencies often have an internship program that allows work experience for LD students. There are a number of private technical schools that train for a particular job (automotive, computer tech, culinary arts, etc). These can be good, but some are happy to take your money whether or not the program is appropriate to the ability of the student to succeed.If your child is now in a public school, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act actually REQUIRES a transition plan in the IEP. If your child does not have a transition plan or it is so minimal as to be useless, start calling persistently the powers that be in Special Education about your child’s lack of a transition plan. There may actually be someone in the system (at the county or higher level) who knows alot about this, but has not happened to be assigned to work with your child.Best of luck. Mary

If your son really wants to go to college.. there is one for every learning disabled student. Have you looked into Beacon College in Florida or Landmark College in Vermont? They are both excusively for learning disabled students. Please feel free to e-mail me. There are many more schools that have have very comprehensive programs for ld kids.

: If your son really wants to go to college.. there is one for every
: learning disabled student. Have you looked into Beacon College in
: Florida or Landmark College in Vermont? They are both excusively
: for learning disabled students. Please feel free to e-mail me.
: There are many more schools that have have very comprehensive
: programs for ld kids.I would love to hear more about those two colleges for LD kids, please email me or put more information on the board, thanks Liz ([email protected])

PASSWORD>aaypjoGdHk2QkJust a point of information that students at PACE school in Evanston may take college courses at National University of which PACE is a part; and students in the LD program at New York Institute of Technology are encouraged to begin taking college courses at the school after a semester of independent living courses if they are able to handle it.: I faced a similar situation. My child is the unusual combination of
: low normal cognitive ability with specific LDs, yet very high
: motivation with desire to continue school. (Too many students with
: her low ability become completely discouraged by school and want
: out as soon as possible.) In addition the school staff talked
: constantly about college and she developed that idea that the
: local community college program was not acceptable because she
: wanted to live in a dormitory. etc like her older sibling. So I
: ended up researching this topic two years ago.: There are some schools with programs for this group of students but
: they are all private schools and therefore expensive and may not
: be eligible for state and federal scholarship/loan programs. Some
: of them I never got literature from, so I cannot comment on how
: well they function. Here is my list though: 1. Postsecondary
: programs on the campus of a private school for LD students that
: offers a combination of their own classes, option to attempt
: classes at a community college with their support services,
: vocational training, and independent living skills training:
: -Brehm School Options Program, Carbondale, IL -Riverview School
: G.R.O.W. Program, East Sandwich, MA -Maplebrook School C.A.P.S.
: Program, Amenia, NY: 2. Postsecondary programs for LD students that offers their own
: academic classes, vocational and independent living skills
: training (but no attempts at college credit classes): -Horizon
: School, Birmingham, AL -Vocational Independence Program, New York
: Institute of Technology, Islip (Long Island), NY -Threshold
: Program, Lesley College, Cambridge, MA -PACE Program, National
: Louis University, Evanston, IL -Minnesota Life College, Richfield,
: IL -Chiara Career College, Cardinal Stritch University: If your child does not mind continuing to live at home your local
: community college may have a non-degree vocational training
: program with good support services for LD students. Also your
: child may qualify for services through the Division of
: Rehabilitative Services (a federally-mandated program which every
: state must have), whose mandate is to develop vocational plans for
: adults with disabilities -students can apply while still in high
: school. There is also a federal Job Corp program (although this is
: mostly serving high school drop outs and is directed towards
: getting a GED and job training). AmeriCorp is a federal program
: for high school graduates who are a sort of domestic Peace Corp,
: but you would have to feel confident about your child’s social and
: independent living skills to pursue this. Some big corporations
: (hotel and restaurant industry in particular) that need a lot of
: relatively low skilled workers have their own job training
: program. Federal agencies often have an internship program that
: allows work experience for LD students. There are a number of
: private technical schools that train for a particular job
: (automotive, computer tech, culinary arts, etc). These can be
: good, but some are happy to take your money whether or not the
: program is appropriate to the ability of the student to succeed.: If your child is now in a public school, the Individuals with
: Disabilities Education Act actually REQUIRES a transition plan in
: the IEP. If your child does not have a transition plan or it is so
: minimal as to be useless, start calling persistently the powers
: that be in Special Education about your child’s lack of a
: transition plan. There may actually be someone in the system (at
: the county or higher level) who knows alot about this, but has not
: happened to be assigned to work with your child.: Best of luck. Mary

Thanks for fixing my errors. I don’t have direct experience with most of the programs I mentioned. Do you know of other postsecondary (non-college) residental programs for LD student you can add to the list?

I honestly don’t think that you should be the one to judge where your high school senior goes. A learning disability (learning difference) is not a reason for your child not to attend college. If your child is willing to go and put forth effort and have help from student support services, I believe that a college degree can be earned quite successfully. Don’t deny your child because of a difference in learning. I wish you the best of luck. Thank you. Christy: My high school senior wants to go to college, but I’m afraid the
: course work would be too much. Any suggestion on alternatives…..
: vocational school, or goverment programs[BVR, etc] We really don’t
: know where to turn. Thanks.

Life in the college dorms is a party — is that what your daughter wants? If so, it’s an expensive party, even if she can handle the academics. 5K-10K for even one year is a lot to play around with. Many residential colleges offer pass/fail classes over the summer that are not too difficult (they seem to be revenue-generators). They’re not cheap — maybe 1K-2K in total — but they offer a taste of what dorms are like. It’s hard to live away from home and negotiate the temptations of not having oversight. Maybe you could negotiate a deal with your daughter — she does OK in a few semesters of community college and can try the summer somewhere else. If that works, then a real residential college experience would be worth the investment with much less risk. And if it doesn’t work, not such a huge loss and you didn’t cut off her dreams too soon.

my son jon is ld/add. he has been rejected by every 4 yr college he applied to. he is an exceptional swimmer and would like to swim at the college level. community colleges traditionally have slow swim times. he is very interested in biology. did very well in it in hs but his overall gpa is low/average. we face the dilemna of coaches recruiting him and the school rejecting him. coaches promise you the world. we have even had coaches re recruit after he was denied admission ? anyway, we are worried a 2 yr school would not have as many resources for academic support as a 4 yr with a comprhensive support program. true to ld nature he has done well in areas he was told not to pursue;violin, spanish, biology, creative writing and has done poorly in areas he was told he had to take math, english, chemistry, . he is ld in language arts and math and reading decoding. oddly enough he understands shakespear if it is read to him but misses the point to short stories. he is getting very discouraged and feels “stupid” his wais lll obviously shows he is intelligient but ld. do any ld colleges have good swim teams?
thanks for your help. elaine