College · Family Resources

Compare the support
you will ask for yourself

In college no one writes a plan for you: you register with the office, show documentation and request each accommodation. Rate each college on the steps and the support you rely on, enter how long approval takes, and see which office will be ready when classes start.

Start a comparisonWhat you get

Comparisons

The worked example is made up: three colleges for a student with ADHD and dyslexia who counts testing accommodations and assistive technology as must-haves. Use initials or a code.

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What you get

College · Family ResourcesFree

What you finish with
A saved comparison per decision: how much registering, your accommodations, assistive technology, the office itself and campus access matter; each college rated 1 to 5 with days to approve accommodations and staff in the office; seven questions such as documentation guidelines and extra-cost programs marked answered or still to ask; and a next step. The flags rank the colleges, turn approval time into weeks to send documents before classes start and flag a must-have rated 2 or lower. A side-by-side table prints.
Who it is for
High school students with disabilities choosing colleges, and the parents, special education teachers and counselors helping them.
Format
Browser tool with a saved record per decision. Prints a side-by-side table with the scores, the full record, every comparison in a table or a blank form; downloads a spreadsheet (.csv); exports and imports a file.
Access
Free. No account, no sign-in and nothing to install. Everything you type stays in this browser; nothing is sent to Caveat.
Where it lives
The Family Resources space in Caveat College.
Support
Questions about access, an order or a correction: team@caveatacademic.com.

How to use it

  1. List the accommodations you use now.
  2. Read each office's documentation rules.
  3. Ask each office the same questions.
  4. Rate each college.
  5. Print the side-by-side table.

Start a comparison

High school and college, side by side

What changes after high schoolHigh schoolCollegeWho starts itThe school finds youYou register yourselfMain lawIDEA and Section 504ADA and Section 504The planIEP or 504 planAccommodation lettersCourse changesCan be modifiedStandards stay the sameParentsPart of the teamStudent speaks for selfWhat changes after high schoolWho starts itHigh school: The school finds youCollege: You register yourselfMain lawHigh school: IDEA and Section 504College: ADA and Section 504The planHigh school: IEP or 504 planCollege: Accommodation lettersCourse changesHigh school: Can be modifiedCollege: Standards stay the sameParentsHigh school: Part of the teamCollege: Student speaks for self
Colleges must provide reasonable accommodations; they do not have to lower essential requirements of a course or program.

You start the process

The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights explains that a college student who wants accommodations must tell the college and follow its process, usually through a disability services office, with documentation that meets its guidelines. Colleges do not have to provide personal devices or services such as a personal aide.

Documentation varies

Many colleges follow guidance from AHEAD, the Association on Higher Education and Disability, which treats the student's own account, past records such as an IEP or 504 plan, and outside evaluations as evidence. Some still ask for a recent evaluation. Read each office's guidelines early, since a new evaluation can take months.

Sources

  1. U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights. Students with Disabilities Preparing for Postsecondary Education: Know Your Rights and Responsibilities (ed.gov).
  2. U.S. Department of Education. 34 CFR 104.44, academic adjustments under Section 504 (ecfr.gov).
  3. Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD). Supporting Accommodation Requests: Guidance on Documentation Practices (ahead.org).
  4. U.S. Department of Justice. ADA Title II and Title III requirements for colleges (ada.gov).

The worked example and its colleges are made up. This is general information, not legal advice; each college's office sets its own process. Nothing you type is sent to Caveat. Support: team@caveatacademic.com.