Information for New Students
If you are a high school student who is considering going to college...
...you may be asking yourself, “What do I need to do?”
- Research each school to determine the services available to you as a student with a disability. Do the programs provide good academic support and will the accommodations you need be provided as specified by ADA?
- Make an appointment with the disability services personnel on campus to discuss the support system as well as the availability of tutoring. Visit the tutorial center and talk to the students.
- Make certain you have a current (within the last three years) diagnosis of your disability to submit to the college. Schools may require this documentation of your disability before accommodations are provided for your coursework.
- Meet with your guidance counselor or support teachers at school to discuss your strengths and weaknesses as a student. Understand your disability. Be prepared to discuss strategies and accommodations that will enable you to access your coursework at your new school.
- Ask about priority or early scheduling of classes for students with disabilities. Often colleges prefer that students requiring accommodations register early so everything is in place prior to the start of the term. This is especially important for students requiring books to be scanned for use with software or ordered on disk.
- If you require extended time for testing, inquire about the procedure for this accommodation. Does the college have an area designated that provides a good testing environment?
- Get to know the disability services staff. They are there to help you access your coursework. They cannot ensure your success; the work must be done by YOU!
- Keep in mind “SUCCES IS A JOURNEY NOT A DESTINATION”.
Significant Differences Between High School and College - 
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If you are planning to attend RACC, here is a student checklist to follow:
- Contact the Admissions Office in Berks Hall, room 111, call (610) 607-6224 or log onto www.racc.edu for information about applying online.
- Contact the Center for Academic Success in Berks Hall, room 209 or call (610) 607-6245 to schedule an appointment to discuss your disability documentation with the disability staff PRIOR to scheduling the placement test.
- Schedule your placement test.
- Meet with a disability staff person to schedule your classes and to discuss appropriate accommodations following your placement test.