The Next Step Your Transition to Gonzaga University
I want to go to college What should I do?
Below is a list of things to consider if you are a student with a disability and want to continue your education at a college or university.
- Take college preparatory classes.
- Make sure your documentation is current.
- If you are a student with a learning disability and/or AD/HD, please call or visit our website for our documentation policies. All tests must be thorough and completed with adult tests.
- Know your likes and dislikes, as well as your strengths and weaknesses
- Improve your study and time management skills.
- Investigate possible colleges and call for their admission materials.
- Contact the Disability Service offices of the colleges that interest you.
- Plan to visit the college campuses and their Disabilities Service offices.
- Formulate a question sheet for your visits to the colleges.
I have been accepted at Gonzaga Now what?
Below is a checklist for your convenience. Please be sure to complete each step to make your transition to Gonzaga University as easy as possible.
- You have been accepted, decided you will attend Gonzaga, and have paid your admissions and housing deposits.
- Make sure your documentation is current, thorough and completed with adult tests. Please refer to our documentation policies.
- Contact Disability Resources, Education, & Access Management (DREAM) and inform us of your plan to attend. If you do not already have information about DREAM tell us and we will send you a brochure outlining the process to secure services and documentation policies.
- Send documentation to DREAM with a letter outlining what accommodations are being requested - level/extent of accommodations may differ from high school.
- Upon receipt of your documentation, we will mail out a letter of receipt giving you information about the next step for setting up services.
I have arrived on campus What is The Next Step?
Once you arrive on campus, there are a couple of things you must do to secure academic adjustments/accommodations at Gonzaga University. Follow the list below.
- Call DREAM during your first week on campus to schedule an intake interview.
- During this intake interview, DREAM will have you sign release of information forms and pertinent policies.
- DREAM will review your rights and responsibilities for receiving accommodations.
- Upon completion of this interview, DREAM will send disability compliance letters to you and your faculty outlining your accommodations.
- DREAM asks that you meet with each of your professors to introduce yourself and discuss your accommodations.
Securing accommodations are your responsibility; if you have questions, PLEASE ASK!
What Gonzaga can and cannot offer its students with disabilities.
Accommodations and academic adjustments are determined on an individual basis after appropriate documentation is received. The most commonly provided accommodations and academic adjustments are as follows:
Classroom Accommodations
Sign language interpreter
Notetaker
Alternative Media
Large-print materials
Textbooks in alternative format
Alternative Testing
Extended time (not unlimited)
Distraction-reduced environment
Computer use for essays
Gonzaga University does not provide the following personal services:
Individual tutoring
The University does have math and writing labs available to all students.
Coaching
Personal assistants
Transportation services
My student is off to Gonzaga What can I do?
We understand this may be a difficult time for you as a parent. Your student is going to start making his/her own decisions that will affect his/her future. Some of these decisions will be good and some might not be so good. What can you do to help in this transition? We recommend the following:
- Communicate frequently use a fax, email, telephone and do not forget the U.S. mail (letters and packages are very much appreciated).
- Encourage your student even when things are going well.
- Listen to your student without necessarily offering solutions or suggestions sometimes he/she just needs you to listen.
- Inform your student of whether or not you support a five-year plan to graduation this additional time can often improve your student's academic career.
- If your student is on medication(s), please be sure he/she has a way to get refills when needed.
- Above all tell your student how proud you are of his/her efforts!