Preparing for a Successful College Experience

Preparing for a Successful College Experience

This presentation will cover how to start preparing middle and high school students for college before they get there, some major differences between high school and college, and the kinds of supports and resources that are available through the college and community to help students succeed, including Easterseals College Navigator Program

• Learn what skills to start working on with middle and high school students and some examples of how to approach those skills
• Learn about some differences between high school and college and about some basic laws that protect college students rights
• Learn about resources and supports in order to help college students with disabilities be successful

About the Presenter:
Alexandra grew up in New Hampshire and is an Americorps alumni who participated in City Year New York. She received her Bachelor of Social Work with a minor in Understanding Autism from Wheelock College and began her career at Easterseals Massachusetts as an intern in the youth department, then became a job developer, and ultimately became the co-creator and program manager for the College Navigator Program. She helped to create this program after working with clients who had been unable to finish college for various reasons and therefore had more limited job opportunities. She believe in the potential of students with disabilities to graduate from college with the right supports in place in order to open up their opportunities in the future. Alexandra has presented numerous times to professionals, parents, and students about how to start preparing high school students for the independence that comes with being a college student and about the resources and supports that are available at colleges and in the community, including Easterseals College Navigator Program. She also created a College Navigator Bootcamp specifically for students to start preparing for college which is provided annually through the Federation for Children with Special Needs’ Visions of Community Conference.