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Surviving the College Application Process
by Allison La Rosa, LCSW, ACSW
January, 2008
This column offers a parent’s perspective. Columnists rotate, each giving their perspective on raising twice-exceptional children. In this issue we welcome Allison La Rosa, a parent who has written previously for 2e Newsletter.
My family has just survived the dreaded college application process. Although my 18-year-old son looks and acts like any typical honors student, he’s twice exceptional (2e). Everyone finds it hard to believe that he started out with a sensory processing disorder that affected both him and the entire family, and landed him in a self-contained special education class for two years. Back then, we were worried about whether he would be able to learn to self-soothe, tie his shoes, or make friends. Prior to the times of inclusion, we were warned how damaging it could be to mainstream him. Of course, my husband and I took great delight in being able to prove those educators wrong. It’s been a journey – one that we have repeated with our two younger children, who are also 2e.
Now, my son has only residual perceptual and motor deficits along with low muscle tone, and he gets a few accommodations via his 504 plan. He’s a wonderful person and student who not only overcame his disability, but who continues to seek to challenge himself. This year, he’s taking three AP courses and an honors course, plus participating in school activities and playing an active part in the community.
Early this school year, we met with our son’s guidance counselor for help with the college application process. What was once a relatively simple process now feels like planning a military campaign!
My son wants to study film production and directing. We learned that admission to film programs is extremely competitive today. I always felt that being 2e would be an asset to my son when it came to college. Who would not want a student who had overcome the odds to succeed as he had? However, when I asked about discussing his disability in his college essays, his guidance counselor cautioned us against it, explaining that it could come across as “whiny” and work against him. Instead, she said that she would discuss it in her letter of recommendation.
Because we feel that being 2e doesn’t diminish him either as a student or a person, my son and I strategized as to how he could address his twice exceptionality. He did it by writing about his successful bid to become a certified lifeguard, despite being told that his disability would render it impossible. I still don’t think that anyone except another parent of a 2e kid or those who work with 2e children can fully appreciate what it’s taken my son to get to this point.
Now here it is, just before Christmas, and all the applications are completed and sent. I can only hope that my son meets their qualifications as being “creative enough” to get accepted. But our work isn’t over yet. With at least three scholarship essays to write, my son won’t have to worry about being bored over holiday break. Then, in January, it will be time to fill out the financial aid paperwork. Luckily, with my math disability, I can leave it in the capable hands of my husband!
That will leave one task left to perform, contacting our high school’s special education department to schedule testing. My son was last tested at age 14, and colleges require adult tests given at age 16 or older.
Then we’ll be done, at least until it’s time to go through the entire process all over again – twice!
Now, how to pay for college…
Allison La Rosa is a bilingual Clinical Social Worker with over 20 years in the field. She is currently working in early intervention working with families of young children who are delayed or disabled. She resides on Long Island with her husband and their three 2e kids.
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