#133 Tips for College-Bound Neurodiverse Students with Jessica Nelson

Flourish Coaching

Jul 30, 2024

In this episode, Lisa and Jessica discuss:

The three types of college support services for neurodiverse students.
Recognizing what support services your student used in high school including invisible supports they may need to be successful.
How to assess the quality of disability services at colleges.
Preparing your neurodiverse teen for independence and self-advocacy.

Key Takeaways:

Learning differences, from dyscalculia to autism to ADHD and so many more, are on a wide spectrum, and each student has different needs. You will want to identify what was most important for your student’s success.
The invisible support structures are those not on an IEP. They may look like medication support, parent monitoring of school work, or even waking your student in the morning.
It is a team approach to support your student in high school with written and invisible structures. It should also be a team approach to understanding what is key to your student’s success going into college.
By ADA regulations, all colleges that receive federal financial aid must provide basic support. But if your student needs more coordinated or structured support, you will want to seek that out during the college search process.
The admissions office does not speak with the accessibility office – you and your student should speak to those support offices directly.

“You have to understand that that IEP does not go to college, so it will not look the same. High schools have to ensure success. Colleges only have to ensure access.” – Jessica Nelson

About Jessica Nelson:

Although Jessica didn’t initially set out to work in college admissions after earning her B.A. in Speech Communications from Miami University (OH) and M.A. in Interpersonal Communication from the University of Iowa, a temporary position as an admissions counselor at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, FL, turned into a career spanning over 16 years in college admissions and college counseling, including a stint as an application reader at Georgia Tech.

Over the years, Jessica has become a trusted expert working with students with learning differences and helping them find colleges where they can thrive. As transfer and career counselor at Landmark College, the premiere college for students with learning differences, she launched Landmark College Works, a campus employment program for neurodivergent students that was recognized by the National Student Employment Association in 2017 for innovation in student employment. She has also presented nationally on helping students on the autism spectrum transition into the workforce, and the college application process for students with learning differences.

Jessica is currently a college counselor with Collegewise, one of the largest private counseling companies in the United States. Collegewise’s 70 admissions experts help students identify the best possible school they can flourish in while also bringing a sense of calm and joy to the college application process. When not working with students, Jessica lives in southern Vermont with her spouse, two kids, two cats, and a flock of backyard chickens.

Episode References:

Resource Library: https://collegewise.com/resources

Wiser Notes: The Collegewise Blog: https://go.collegewise.com/

Upcoming Collegewise Webinars & Seminars: https://collegewise.com/seminars

#47 The Neurodivergent College-Bound Journey with Eric Endlich

Get Lisa’s Free on-demand video: How-to guide for your teen to choose the right major, college, & career…(without painting themselves into a corner, missing crucial deadlines, or risking choices you both regret).

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