A prospective student is defined as one who is:
- Entering Penn State as a first-year student.
- Transferring from another college or university.
- Currently enrolled in PSU courses, but is not registered with SDR.
Transition from High School to College
Students with disabilities need to understand how processes, rights, and responsibilities change when they transition from high school to postsecondary educational settings. Students with disabilities are encouraged to contact or visit the Student Disability Resources office in their junior or senior year of high school to learn more about disability services at the college level.
Students with disabilities and their parents/guardians may have a misconception that postsecondary schools have the same responsibilities as K-12 schools to provide reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities. While there are some similarities, the responsibilities of postsecondary schools are significantly different from those of high schools. The responsibilities of students with disabilities are significantly different in postsecondary education settings as well. The resources below are provided to help students and parents/guardians better understand these differences and prepare for the transition to college can be found below.
Related Resources:
Preparing for the Transition to College
Information to help students understand the differences between K-12 and college and how to prepare for those differences.
Post-Secondary Preparation Checklist
A grade-by-grade checklist to help students and their parents/guardians prepare for post-secondary education.
Students with Disabilities Preparing for Postsecondary Education: Know Your Rights and Responsibilities
A general overview for students and parents/guardians published by the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights.
Transition of Students with Disabilities to Postsecondary Education: A Guide for High School Educators
More detailed information about the transition to postsecondary education published by the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights.
U.S. Disability Laws
Information about disability laws in the United States and how they impact post-secondary education.