Four-year universities for students seeking bachelor's degrees and beyond are becoming more accessible to a variety of learners. Each college and university has a department for students with learning differences that can provide some accommodations and support student success. Once your student is accepted and chooses a college, they need to register with this department if they would like to receive additional supports and accommodations. Check each college's website for details regarding the type of support they can provide students based on their specific needs.
*All Winston students have the ability to register with CaliforniaColleges.edu, the State of California’s official college and career planning platform. They register for this during our College and Career Readiness course on campus.
Some important elements to consider when choosing an option that is right for your student and your family:
Student to teacher ratio-class size can determine the level of support students are provided
Location
Financial aid
Extracurricluar offerings based on preferences and interests
Areas of academics/schools of study offered
Social activities
Student support services offered
There are a few colleges and college programs across the country that were explicitly created for students with special needs and on IEP's. They specialize in supporting students with special needs that are interested in earning bachelor's degrees and beyond. See each college's website for details on acceptance requirements and the type of support they offer. (See table below)
There are currently 158 public colleges and universities in California. You can use this SEARCH TOOL to filter through all of the available options.
There are over 85 independent and non-profit colleges in California. These colleges tend to be smaller and therefore have smaller class sizes for students. Use this SEARCH TOOL to see a list of independent colleges across California.