good colleges with good disability offices

[Stormy]

My daughter has over a 4.0 GPA, 28 ACT, but also has a psychiatric disability which has affected her schooling a lot. Would anyone recommend a good college with a good disability office? We are in the midwest. She is looking at either midwest or a warmer area. We are planning to do some college visits this summer. Thank you.

[BCEagle91]

I've seen a statistic that may help: the number of students per counselor. I only saw this in an article on the topic after the VA Tech incident.

[goaliedad]

You might want to peek over at the learning disabilities forum and talk to some of the regulars there.

Having an Asperger's son myself (while not technically a psychiatric disability - it is a sensory integration issue) I know that schools that work well with Aspergers students and the social issues that come up with them will probably work well with Bipolar students as well.

Don't know what size of school or degree programs you are looking for either.

I've read many good thing about how Aspies do well with support services at West Virginia University, for example, but don't know what you are looking for.

[cmbmom]

A visit to the local library may help you. I know Peterson's has a book out about colleges for students who need services and I read another one which listed many colleges, the services they offer and the additional costs some charge. Sorry, I cannot remember the name of that book.

According to co-workers, Pfeiffer and Mercyhurst have excellent depts (go way beyond the legal requirement) but I really do not know much about either college.

Good luck in your search.

[AnonyMom]

One thing we found helpful in dealing with LD accommodation was to talk with the testing psychologist, who stays involved with students she tests, to see where those students were receiving support in college. On CC's LD board, there is a lot of scattered info on this topic. Students on the board have had great experiences with UC Berkeley and Tulane, for example, and Brown proved OK, but the student had to do a lot of self-advocacy to get what she needed. A professional who works with LD's has said very nice things about Muhlenberg, and a number of students have commented on a range of schools, including engineering programs. Take a look!

Most colleges we've looked at actually have a lot of info about their disability offices and the services they offer online, so you can also explore there. The names and qualifications of the various staff members are often listed, and the kinds of services they provide are often described in detail.

[emeraldkity4]

My daughter with multiple concerns attended a college that is not known for disability services.( Reed college in Oregon)
However- they are small- responsive & have lots of individual attention and flexibility.

Some colleges may not necessarily have all services offered under disability support, but also under academic support or through their health clinic.

[siliconvalleymom]

She may have special housing needs, too...a single room or a quieter dorm? I agree with emeraldkity that the answers to the question will probably be found in several departments on campus.