How to Choose a College with a Disability

When Abby Dreyer, a sophomore at Eastern Connecticut State University (ECSU), was choosing a college, she scheduled tours at ECSU and another college on the same day. Abby lives with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and uses a power wheelchair, so she contacted the schools ahead of time to tell them about her accessibility needs.

“I told the other college that I need accommodations and an accessible route,” she says. “I got there, and the elevator was broken in the building where you check in. The tour started 20 minutes late. The accessibility office was not helpful and didn’t understand my requests.”

Abby Dreyer at Eastern Connecticut State University

She had a very different experience at ECSU. “When I toured ECSU, the Office of AccessAbility Services was very understanding. The person who runs the office actually has multiple disabilities. The college even has a disability cultural center,” she says.

Now, Abby is studying business administration at ECSU. Her advice to college-bound students with disabilities is to make on-site visits and ask lots of questions.

“Investigate the attitude of the accessibility office — if they don’t get it, they are not going to fight for you, and it will be harder to advocate for yourself,” she says.

Along with the basics of finding a good college match — location, affordability, size, academic and cultural fit — students with disabilities must do some extra digging.

Ask about their approach to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

“Any college that receives federal funding has to be ADA compliant, but what that looks and feels like can be different from place to place,” says Annie Tulkin, MS, CEO and Founder of Accessible College, LLC. She advises students with disabilities to search for the right academic fit while also balancing the college’s built environment and dedication to being inclusive.

Annie Tulkin founded Accessible College, LLC.

Historic buildings are not exempt from the ADA, but they may have alternative accessibility requirements. The ADA requires colleges to reduce barriers for students with disabilities and provide reasonable accommodations to ensure they can access the classroom. In some cases, this may mean moving the class to a more accessible building.

Annie notes that under the ADA, colleges are not required to provide personal care services as an accommodation, so it’s up to students to hire their own personal care attendants (PCAs) for daily living tasks. Typically, schools will allow a PCA to share a student’s room at no additional charge.

Think beyond basics to assess campus accessibility

Annie notes that several factors contribute to campus accessibility beyond accessible buildings. For example, consider geography and climate. A college that feels comfortable during a typical spring or summer visit could be harder to navigate in winter, with snow or ice. A hilly or spread-out campus will take more energy to get around.

Connor Stager

It’s also important to think about transportation on and off campus. Connor Stager is studying economics and genetics at the University of Georgia. He lives with distal arthrogryposis, which impairs the senses of touch and proprioception (the sense of the body’s movement and position) and affects his walking.

“When I met with the University of Georgia, they told me about the networks and systems in place, including the paratransit system,” he says. The campus has a paratransit system linking all the buildings, and the Athens-Clarke County public transit system has accessible buses that allow him to travel off campus.

Another consideration is access to specialized care. If you’re moving away from home, you’ll probably need to build a new team of physicians, physical therapists, and other specialists. An isolated college campus, or one far from a neuromuscular care center, may not have appropriate providers nearby.

Get to know the disability services office

Most colleges have a disability services office (sometimes called an accessibility, access, or ADA office) to ensure access for students with disabilities in compliance with federal law. Some offices go beyond compliance to serve as advocates for their students and promote inclusive campus life.

If you need accommodations in college, you’ll request them through your school’s disability services office, which requires disclosing information about your disability.

“It’s important to understand that the disability services office is separate from the admissions department,” Annie says. “Information that a student may share with the office prior to acceptance and enrollment is not shared with the admissions department.”

Start your research early and advocate for yourself

Jonathan Lengel, who lives with congenital muscular dystrophy (CMD) and uses a power wheelchair, is pursuing a double major in digital technologies/emerging media and music at Fordham University’s Lincoln Center campus in New York City. (Read about his college experience in First Semester in a New York Minute.)

Jonathan Lengel at Fordham University

In high school, Jonathan worked with Annie at Accessible College to create a list of questions to ask disability offices about housing, transportation, and overall accessibility at the schools he was considering.

“Start early. Visit the school in your sophomore or junior year of high school. Reach out to the disability office and gauge how proactive it is. This saved me a lot of time,” he says, noting that he used in-person visits to weed out some campuses with old buildings that weren’t retrofitted with ramps and elevators.

However, if there are accessibility issues at a school you like, don’t write them off until you’ve asked if they will address the issues. When Jonathan committed to Fordham, the school began modifying his on-campus residence and had it ready for his fall move-in.

“Always remember, self-advocacy is the most powerful tool,” he says.

Talk with current students

In addition to visiting a college campus, talking with students — especially students with similar disabilities — can give you a fuller picture of campus life.

Jonathan asked Fordham to connect him to another wheelchair user on campus. He asked them if campus facilities have accessible entrances, if elevators are well-maintained, and whether the university does a good job of clearing ice and snow from the accessible paths of travel. It was invaluable to get this information from a source with lived experience.

“They are the keys to the kingdom — find out how their experience has been,” he says.