Transition to adulthood_NEW topics:

Transition to adulthood_NEW

Planning for postsecondary education and training

To help your youth maximize their strengths and secure better paying jobs, set high expectations for postsecondary education and training. Individuals can also use learning after high school to explore interests, such as taking a class on film studies, or to expand skills, like learning how to cook a favorite type of food. No matter the disability, lifelong learning should be part of your youth’s good life.

Many jobs require postsecondary education after high school.
Your youth can plan a path to postsecondary education and training.
Key resource: Postsecondary resource guide
Key resource: Choosing a college

Opening new doors

Education after high school provides many benefits beyond the goal of achieving a fulfilling career. Your student will also have opportunities to develop valuable life skills, experience greater independence, meet new people, and explore their interests and the world around them. Though the tendency during high school is to focus on academic requirements for postsecondary admission, it's just as important to prepare your student with the life skills that will be needed in the postsecondary setting.

When your youth transitions to college or other postsecondary setting you may no longer be involved in every decision concerning their education. Sometimes your student must be given the opportunity to fail and learn from those failures. At other times, your youth will need the opportunity to shine. Continued family support and encouragement helps youth find success during transition.

Watch the 5 minute video below. Learn from young people with disabilities who have found success in postsecondary education or training, opening new doors and supporting their ultimate goals after high school.

Postsecondary Education and Training

There are many types of post-secondary education and training programs to consider while transitioning from high school—four-year college, a community or technical college, an apprenticeship program, and more. There are also programs around the country for students with developmental and intellectual disabilities to experience college. It's important to first know your career interests and then look at the type of training required.

Plan a path to postsecondary education and training

Postsecondary education and training options include: [note there are descriptions available on this page if we want to make each bullet a sub accordion]

Adult basic education
Apprenticeship programs
Certification programs
Community education
Degree programs
Military opportunities
Options for people with intellectual disabilities
PSEO and concurrent enrollment

Postsecondary education and training resources:

Postsecondary resource guide: Successfully preparing students with disabilities for the postsecondary environment (PDF): Developed by disability coordinators from Minnesota state colleges and universities, helps high school youth prepare for postsecondary education.
Think College is a national organization dedicated to developing, expanding and improving inclusive higher education options for people with intellectual disabilities. Options currently available in Minnesota include:
• Central Lakes College in Brainerd: Occupational Skills Program
• Ridgewater College in Willmar: Occupational Skills Program
• Bethany College in Bloomington: Beyond Limits
• Bethel University in St. Paul: BUILD Program
• Minnesota Independence College and Community
Choosing a college: Developed by the Minnesota Office of Higher Education, this website helps youth explore local and national college options. Review tips for evaluating colleges, validating a school's claims and more.

After a youth has narrowed down postsecondary education or training programs that meet their needs, consider a campus visit. This is an opportunity to determine if the program is a good fit. Does the program meet your student’s academic needs? Does the campus feel comfortable? Can they imagine themselves as part of the learning community?

Your youth can use this College exploration worksheet (PDF) to help them gather and record information as they visit and compare various colleges and training programs.

Enrollment requirements can include:

Entrance exams
Typical college entrance exams include the ACT, SAT or ACCUPLACER placement tests. Preparing for these tests — by completing an exam prep class, studying from a guide or taking practice exams — can improve test scores. Lower scores may result in the need for developmental or precollege classes.
Applications
Work with your youth to understand the application requirements for specific postsecondary education and training options. Review How to get a great letter of recommendation from CollegeBoard and BigFuture. The page offers advice for youth on college recommendation letters, including when they're needed, who should write them, and how to ask for them.
Essays and resumes
Work with your youth to understand if specific postsecondary education and training options require the completion of entrance essays or resumes. Check out Tips for interviews and writing essays from the Minnesota Office of Higher Education on what to do — and what to avoid — when writing application essays.

More enrollment requirement resources:

Check out preparing for college from the Minnesota Office of Higher Education. Your student will learn what classes to take in high school, how to earn college credit in high school and how to map out a college prep timeline.
The Minnesota Goes to College initiative provides the high school planning checklist (PDF), a handy college and career checklist for youth from 9th to 12th grade.
Watch the PACER Center's videos on preparing for postsecondary education.
The expert guide for students with disabilities to succeed in college from Test Prep Insight covers all aspects of college life for youth with disabilities, including common challenges, tools for overcoming these obstacles and tips for academic performance.

Does your student need financial aid to pay for postsecondary education or training? Applying for financial aid begins with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Complete a financial aid application at the chosen postsecondary education or training program. Your student will be notified of any available financial aid, including:

Grants: need-based funds from the state or federal government (repayment not required)
Loans: provided by the state or federal government or a private entity (must be repaid with interest)
Work-study: on- or off-campus job that helps the student earn money
Additional options for financial aid include scholarships and educational benefits for students with special circumstances and abilities. Examples include child care assistance, military benefits, merit aid for academic achievement, and scholarships based on factors such as race, ethnicity, special talents and life circumstances.

More resources on paying for college:

Paying for college from the Minnesota Office of Higher Education provides an introduction to financial aid, including a financial aid estimator and tips to lower the cost of postsecondary education.
Check out this list of scholarships for students with disabilities from EduBirdie. The list is presented by category, including general disabilities.

Most colleges and universities have a disability or accessibility services office with staff who guide students through the process of requesting accommodations. It's important to meet with those staff early in the enrollment process to ensure that accommodations are in place in time for coursework and testing.

Resources about accommodations and supports:

Advice for Students with Disabilities from the Minnesota Office of Higher Education
The differences between high school and college can be significant. This Differences between high school and college (PDF) guide can help you and your student be prepared for these changes.
This Accommodations in college (PDF) guide can help you and your student learn about reasonable accommodations available to post secondary students and the process for requesting them.
If and when to disclose a disability in college is a student's choice. This Disclosing a disability in postsecondary settings (PDF) guide can help your student understand what it means to disclose, the process, and documentation that may be required.

As a part of the transition planning process, you, your youth and their support team will identify their strengths and needs as they relate to the topics of Minnesota’s transition framework, and together decide which ones to prioritize.

The transition framework’s postsecondary education and training topics include:

Postsecondary education and training options

PSEO and concurrent enrollment
Certification programs
Apprenticeship programs
Degree programs
Military opportunities
Community education

Enrollment

Entrance exams
Applications
Essays and resumes
Financial aid

Skills for success in postsecondary education and training

Learning strategies
Study skills
Test-taking skills
Organization
Time management

Self-advocacy in postsecondary education and training settings

Accommodations, modifications and assistive technology
On-campus supports
Rights and responsibilities
Other services and supports

Postsecondary resource guide

Help your student prepare for postsecondary education. Developed by Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, this guide covers topics ranging from planning for college and self-advocacy to choosing and paying for college and differences between high school and college.

Download the Postsecondary resource guide (PDF) »