To know challenges students with disabilities face as they transition from 2-year to 4-year college…..Read on this article….!
Students with disabilities who attend colleges with other students without disabilities are faced with a lot of challenges ranging from physical, emotional, psychological, etc. As the students with disabilities transition from a 2-year college program to a 4-year college program, the challenges they face become intense in some cases, making them want to give up their academics. Some are even faced with the thought of ending their own life.
Challenges students with disabilities face as they transition from 2-year to 4-year college
One challenge that students with disabilities face is personal and family issues. Some of these students came from families or homes where they lack care and attention, some of their families are struggling to survive, and talk more of sending them to school. Some are being discriminated against in their families because of their disabilities. This may result in emotional distress leading to depression.
Another challenge faced by these students is that of housing and transportation. Students in transition with disabilities find it difficult to move from one place of processing their admission into a four-year college to another with ease. They would need the support of someone to enable them to get things done rightly. Regarding housing, some do not even have the opportunity to be given access to accommodation because of their disabilities. There is a fear of allowing them to leave alone or with someone who may not accept to leave with them.
There is also the challenge of the transferring process. During their transfer process from two-year to four-year colleges, they have to undergo some processes. This process serves as a big challenge to them due to their disabilities. Some may not be able to meet up with the transition procedures and requirements.
Some of these students are faced with financial support. While struggling to make something good out of their life by acquiring educational knowledge and skills. Some of these students do not have the financial means to continue their studies, they do not get help from both families and friends to support them. And some do not have access to financial aid like every other student.
Differences in their academic requirement is another challenge these students with disabilities faced. While the usual regular students have normal academic requirements to be met, there is also a specialty in the academic requirement of the disabled students. Their requirements in most cases are limited and may require a referee which they may not be able to provide at the moment.
However, because their disabilities may vary, the services offered to them will also vary. This will make them readjust to the present services which may become difficult for them and serve as a challenge. Also meeting the academic standard of the four-year college program will become difficult.
What is a disability?
Disability is a physical or mental condition that means the individual cannot use a part of their body completely or easily, or that they can not learn easily. They are also faced with the difficulty of associating easily with people.
What is the two-year college about?
A two-year college can be referred to as a community college. It is a public college that is run by the state government. It is a college that offers students the opportunity to earn an associate degree in two years or a certificate course in less than two years.
The two-year college is majorly for those who have finished high school and may not have the means of going to a four-year college immediately. On the other hand, the two-year college is also a college for learning technical skills and abilities. Some student goes to two-year college to learn these skills and then proceed to the workforce environment. Others have left the two-year college and proceeded to the four-year college.
Reasons why some students choose to attend a two-year college.
Having an academic degree of any kind comes with a reason or reasons from the individual. Here are some reasons why some individuals or students attend a two-year college.
- Attending a two-year college is very affordable, especially since it is a public support system and from the supportive community of the individual. It focuses on technical skills at a low cost.
- The system of a two-year college is very flexible, making the students decide the skills they will be very good at to learn with ease. It also has an open admission policy.
- The two-year college system classes are not as crowded as that of the four-year college. Its class size is comfortable and easy to access and monitor.
What is the four-year college about?
A four-year college is usually known as a university or college that offers four-year degree programs or graduate as well as doctorate programs. In the four-year college, the first two years offer students the opportunity to attend a general course, while in the remaining two years they are to major in their respective course of study. The four-year college is more rigorous than that of the two-year and the admission rate is lower than the two-year college. The four-year college has a higher standard in terms of admission requirements than that of the two-year college, although this varies based on the school.
The reason why some students choose to attend the four-year college.
Some of the reasons why some students choose the four-year college are;
- They want to experience campus life immediately after high school.
- Some students are not interested in learning technical skills or going to technical schools based on their choice of study
- Some student does not want to go through the stress of going to both colleges and spending roughly 6 years. Instead, they prefer the four-year college to study and have their bachelor’s degree.
Conclusion
Students with disabilities transitioning from two-year to four-year colleges have difficulty participating in the activities of the university. They are also faced with the challenges of reading and understanding the four-year college course with ease. They are also faced with a rigorous transitioning process of securing admission to the four-year college due to its standards. And with the challenge of adapting to a new study environment.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Does going to a four-year college determine the success and acceptance of disabled students in society?
The success and acceptance of students with disabilities are not tied to going to a four-year college. Once they are certified to be good at the technical and ability skills they have learned in the two-year college, with hard work, they will be successful and accepted in society.
- Do students with disabilities get admitted into a four-year college?
Students with disabilities who meet up with the admission requirements and complete all admission processes successfully are offered admission into a four-year college.
