Supporting Students Transitioning To New Educational Models

When we talk about accommodations, there’s a critical gap we often overlook: the transition from high school to college. In high school, students with disabilities often have IEPs or 504 Plans, along with a team of teachers and counselors helping them navigate and advocate for accommodations. However, once they reach college, many find themselves in an environment that shifts the responsibility almost entirely onto them—with far fewer resources and support to back them up. Most college disability offices across the country are well-intentioned, but many aren’t fully equipped to bridge this transition effectively. Too often, students with disabilities are expected to know what accommodations they need, how to request them, and how to navigate complex systems—all without the guidance they once had in primary school. This expectation places an enormous burden on young adults who are already adjusting to new academic and social pressures. Instead of pointing the finger at students to have all the answers, college disability offices should be proactive allies. Imagine if colleges prioritized: • Proactive Orientation Programs for students with disabilities, covering available accommodations, self-advocacy strategies, and campus resources. • Staff Training on inclusive support that doesn’t assume students know what to request, but instead helps them explore their options. • Clear, Accessible Information on accommodations, eliminating the need for students to dig for resources they may not even know exist. As a disability advocate, and someone who has gone through the system to a professional program and now a career- I see firsthand the challenges students face in navigating this transition. We need a cultural shift in higher education where supporting students with disabilities isn’t about minimum compliance but about empowering them to succeed. #DisabilityAdvocacy #HigherEducation #Inclusion #Accessibility #Accommodations #StudentSuccess

One underlying factor in some of society’s most challenging issues—health disparities, workforce gaps, and educational inequities—is the breakdown in the transfer of generational knowledge. In higher education, this is especially evident for non-traditional students, including servicemembers transitioning to the civilian sector, who bring decades of experience and unique insight into our classrooms. Consider, for instance, a military medic with years of experience providing critical care in high-stakes environments. When they separate from the service and pursue a career in the health professions, they’re often met with frustration and disappointment. Their years of expertise and practical knowledge in medical care don’t translate into meaningful credit or career advancement in the civilian healthcare system. This gap is not only frustrating but also a missed opportunity—for the individual and the healthcare workforce. To address this, higher education must evolve in ways that actively support returning adult learners and transitioning veterans: - Aggressive, Constructive Credit Awarding: We need to recognize and credit life experience and industry expertise in meaningful ways. For military medics, this means granting academic credit and pathways that honor the skills they’ve honed under pressure. - Flexible Learning Models: Learning pathways must reflect real-world constraints and diverse goals. This includes offering micro-credentials, certificates, and other targeted credentials that provide an accessible approach to education and a valuable onramp to more advanced opportunities. For many, these options offer a viable, practical path toward meaningful work without the immediate need for a full degree. Timing and life circumstances matter, and flexible options empower learners to choose what best fits their journey, allowing them to build skills progressively and re-enter formal education when the time is right. - Policies Supporting Intergenerational Learning: By promoting diverse learning environments that blend traditional students with those who have extensive real-world experience, we create richer educational experiences. This approach benefits all students, fostering an exchange of insights that’s essential to tackling society’s complex challenges. Promoting intergenerational learning requires building inclusive, supportive systems that recognize and value the expertise accumulated through life and work. By intentionally bridging the gap between military and civilian sectors and supporting veterans and adult learners in higher education, we can create classrooms that reflect the diversity of skills, perspectives, and experiences needed to address the issues of our time. Sincerely, A former combat medic finding his second calling in higher education

No one warned me that college success depends more on navigating endless choices than on intelligence. When I was a first-generation college student with undiagnosed ADHD and dyslexia, I didn't know why college felt so disorienting. I had done well enough in high school. But suddenly, the structure I'd learned to navigate was gone. In its place was choice. Agency. Independence. While that sounds empowering, it felt like being dropped into a maze blindfolded. This image attempts to captures that shift. In high school, the hallway is narrow but defined. One path. Fixed directions. In college, everything opens up. The possibilities multiply. There's no obvious route forward. Some students thrive in that expansive space. Others feel overwhelmed by it. No one prepared us for this fundamental shift. No one explained that college success requires more than just intelligence and effort. Now, as an academic and coach, I work with students navigating this same invisible maze. Many are neurodivergent. Some are first-generation. All are learning how to self-regulate, prioritize, and plan in an environment that assumes they already know how. They don't lack capability. They lack context. The good news? Many skills related to managing executive function are learnable. With support, reflection, and specific executive function strategies, students can navigate this maze with growing confidence. College isn't just about choosing a major. College isn't about choosing which party to go to. It's about learning how to choose effectively, and sometimes, when not to choose at all. Have you watched students struggle with this transition? What strategies have you seen work? How can we better prepare students for this invisible challenge that so many face alone? #HigherEd #ExecutiveFunction #ADHD #FirstGenStudents #CollegeTransition #Dyslexia