Advice for Students Transferring From a Two-Year to a Four-Year College
The transition from a two-year college to a four-year school can be difficult for some students with disabilities. One piece of advice I would give to incoming transfer students is this: when you begin to register for classes, or even start thinking about what classes to take, find out about the professors who teach the courses you have in mind. Talk to students, other faculty members, and graduate students in the department. Go to Student Disabled Services and seek advice. You can even make an appointment with a specific professor yourself. Sometimes your success hinges upon the teaching methods of the professor. Can (or will) they accommodate your needs? Do they teach according to your learning style? Does the professor have a high success rate (students managing to consistently get A's or B's in the class)? Some professors will let you sit in during a class session, where you can usually get the answers to all of these questions. By "scoping out" a professor ahead of time, not only do you have the opportunity to gain insight about them, but you may also establish a relationship early on. So when classes finally do start, the professor may already be offering you help outside of class.
I encourage you to join our DO-IT 2-4 discussion list, if you are making the transition from a two- to a four-year college. The purpose of the group is for students attending two-year colleges to communicate with each other and with mentors. To join the discussion list, send email to listproc@u.washington.edu with "subscribe doit2-4 Firstname Lastname" in the body of the message. Substitute your name for Firstname Lastname, without including quotation marks. ajelber@hotmail.com