1. Planning the Recipe for Success: High School to College Transition Conference
Carrie Elizabeth Blakesley Snyder, MSW
Assistant Director, Disability Resource Center
University at Albany

2. What is Recipe for Success?
Transition conference for high school students with disabilities who are college bound
Educates students, parents, and high school staff about the differences between high school and college
Accommodations
Requesting accommodations
DSS vs resource room
Discusses self-advocacy

3. Why host a transition conference?
Students (and parents) often come to college with unrealistic expectations
Thinking IEPs “carry over”
Assuming someone else will set up their accommodations
They’ve been told NOT to identify as having a disability (some schools even declassify students prior to graduation)
Traditional college fairs are not geared toward disability
Students may not feel comfortable asking disability related questions
Representatives may not have answers if questions are asked
Some students have been told that college isn’t a realistic goal

4. Timeline Pick date (and snow date) (1 year before)
Monthly meetings start (7 months before)
Determine workshops (6-7 months before)
Determine subcommittees (7 months before)
Save the Date to potential participants (5-6 months before)
Finalize schedule (3 months before)
Book rooms (2-3 months before—depending on your institution’s policies)

5. Timeline, cont’d
Book catering (2-3 months before—depending on your institution’s policies)
registration materials (2-3 months before)
Prepare evaluations (1 month before)
Close registration (1 week before)
Setup (1 day before)
Send thank you s/notes (2-3 weeks after)
Post PowerPoints/send conference evaluations (4-6 weeks after due to technical difficulties)**
**See Lessons Learned slide

6. Timeline cont’d Subcommittees start meeting (6 months before)
Recruit students for panel
Recruit volunteers
Registration
Registration table
Giveaways
Room hosts
Secure donations for snacks
Exhibitor hosts/floaters
Snack distribution
Recruit presenters
Determine schedule
Recruit exhibitors

7. Partners Local colleges Public Private 2 year 4year Service providers
Voc-rehab
Independent Living Centers
High Schools
Transition Counselors

8. Small Group Discussion: Potential Partners
In small groups, discuss potential colleges, service providers/agencies from your area with which you could partner…

9. The “Recipe” for Recipe for Success
A Recipe for College Success Take a college bound student Marinate in strong academic preparation Season with family and school support Gradually add advanced planning over several years Blend with knowledge of available resources & supports Mold into a successful, well-educated individual It’s ALL in the PLANNING!!!!!

10. “Blend with knowledge of available resources and supports…”
At our conference, this consists of:
Exhibitors
Workshops
Student Panel

11. Recipe for Success - Sample Conference Schedule
8:30-11:30 Exhibitor Fair 8:30 – 9:15 Conference Check – in 9:15 – 9:30 Welcome 9:30 – 9:35 Move to session 1 9:35 – 10:20 Session 1 Assistive Technology Lab Room 1 Disability Services Room 2 ACCES-VR/NYSCB Room 3 College Admissions Room 4

12. Recipe for Success - Sample Conference Schedule cont’d
10:20 – 10:30 Snacks and move to session 2 10:30 – 11:15 Session 2 Assistive Technology Lab Room 1 Self-Advocacy/Wellness Room 2 Life as a College Student Room 3 Financial Aid Room 4 11:15 – 11:20 Move to final session 11:20 – 12:05 Student Panel Discussion

13. Exhibitors
Are already set up when participants arrive and available throughout the morning
Include partners and not-for-profit service providers
Give students and families an opportunity to interact with admissions representatives and service providers and talk about disability related issues without feeling self-conscious

14. Who were our exhibitors?
ACCESS-VR
Northeast Career Planning – Supported Education Program
College of St. Rose
Schenectady County Community College
Disability Rights New York
Hudson Valley Community College
Siena College
Independent Living Center of the Hudson Valley, Inc.
SUNY Cobleskill
University at Albany
NYS Commission for the Blind

15. Workshops ACCES-VR/NYSCB (NYS Voc-Rehab agencies) Assistive Technology
College Admissions
Financial Aid
Life As a College Student
Self-advocacy and Wellness
Understanding Disability Services in College
-See Workshop Descriptions Handout
-PowerPoints Available at: UAlbany DRC New/Prospective Students [click on Recipe for Success (+)]

16. Student Panel All current college students Cross-disability
From various types of colleges:
2 year and 4 year
Private and public
Commuters and students living on campus
Begins with introductions and a “starter” question, then open it up
Allows student attendees to ask questions anonymously

17. Sample Student Panel Questions, cont’d
“Starter” question: Biggest difference between high school and college? (Some answers…)
How accommodations are provided
Workload and time management
Downtime between classes
Parties

18. Sample Student Panel Questions
Student submitted questions:
What do you do if professors don’t want to accommodate you?
How do you balance working on or off campus and classes?
Do you tell people about your (invisible) disability?
What was the hardest adjustment as a student with a disability?
How did you choose a college?
What about clubs?
Where do you go for help?

19. Small Group Discussion: Potential Workshops
In small groups, discuss potential workshops which you could offer…

20. Assessment Evaluations given at the end of each session
Students given ticket for each eval turned in
Before student panel, tickets drawn for prizes of donated giveaways
Overall conference evaluation sent to school contacts via after conference (see Lessons Learned slide)
Evaluations included in handouts

21. Assessment, cont’d Some results:
Assistive Tech and Self-Advocacy and Wellness
100% strongly agree/agree on all questions
Students enjoyed hands on with AT
Disability Services
97% strongly agree/agree on all except one question
74% strongly agree/agree vs. 26% disagree/strongly disagree for “typical day for commuter/residential student”
Student College Life
90%+ strongly agree/agree on all
Requests to be more interactive

22. Assessment, cont’d More results: ACCES-VR/NYSCB (VOC Rehab)
85%+ strongly agree/agree on all
Admissions
80%+ strongly agree/agree on all
Student Panel
78% strongly agree/agree on all except one question
75% strongly agree/agree vs 25% disagree/strongly disagree for “a student on the panel with a similar disability to mine”
Financial Aid
75% strongly agree/agree on all except one question
70% strongly agree/agree vs 30% disagree/strongly disagree for “I know what TAP stands for…how it is affected if my disability prevents me from attending full-time”

23. Lessons Learned Schools operate around times they can get buses
Snow dates are a MUST in upstate New York!
Students need bribes (giveaways) to complete evals
Giveaways also help with participation
Waiting until after the conference to send out conference evals was not a good idea…only 4/15 school districts responded
The student panel worked better as a stand alone session
The more, the merrier and too many cooks don’t spoil the broth

24. Questions?? Carrie e. Blakesley Snyder, MSW
Assistant Director, Disability Resource Center
University at Albany