Accommodations for Anxiety in College

More and more students are entering college with symptoms of anxiety. If your son or daughter has an anxiety diagnosis, they are not alone. In fact, recent research shows that "during the 2020-2021 school year approximately 60% of college students met criteria for a mental health diagnosis." Similar to other disabilities, if your student received accommodations in high school that addressed their anxiety allowing them to be successful, your student may want to consider requesting accommodations in college too. Keep reading to learn about the accommodations request process and identify typical college accommodations for students with anxiety.

Differences Between High School and College

Students with anxiety in high school may utilize a 504 or IEP to receive support. The 504 or IEP is the "guiding document" which lists supports your student has been given by their high school team. In college, the 504 / IEP is not the guiding document. Instead, your student will receive an accommodation letter.

The accommodation letter states that your student has registered with their campus Disability Support Office and has been found eligible to receive support, also known as accommodations. The accommodations your student will receive are listed on the accommodation letter. This short animated video explains what an accommodation letter is and how to share this important document with professors.

We've created a free worksheet to help your student practice their conversation with a Disability Support Office. Click below to download this FREE WORKSHEET!

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Are you interested in more free worksheets and templates for your college student? Check out our website of free resources with 9 free downloads created just for you!

Another difference between high school and college is that it is your student's responsibility to request this accommodation letter and, once it is received, to share it with professors.

It is important to note that accommodations for anxiety your student received in high school will not necessarily be the same accommodations they receive in college.

You can submit documentation that shows accommodations your student received in high school (see section below), but colleges and universities have discretion to determine 'reasonable accommodations' once your student becomes a student on their campus.

How to Request Accommodations in College

We have written many blog articles here and here about the accommodation request process. We've also created this short animated video to help new college students and families understand how to request accommodations. We are experts in helping students and families navigate learning supports in college!

If you are a student with a documented learning, physical or mental health disability you are entitled to receive accommodations in college. This process should begin as soon as you accept a college's offer of admission.

First, contact your campus' Office of Disability Support. You will be asked to complete a Registration Form that asks you to share your basic contact information, disability diagnosis, how your disability affects you in academic and social settings and accommodations that have been helpful for you in the past. The next step is to submit documentation and lastly you will have a conversation with a member of the Disability Office staff.

Your student's conversation with a Disability Office staff member is their opportunity to articulate their needs and how their diagnosis impacts them inside and outside of the classroom. Are you interested in a list of common questions that Disability Office staff ask incoming students? Click here to download our free worksheet of interview questions.

Did you know that our college coaches meet with students in 30 or 45 minute meetings during the summer and role play this conversation? We help students prepare answers to these and other important questions that will help them obtain accommodations in college. Click here to learn more about our 1:1 coaching supports.

Typical College Accommodations For Anxiety

If your student has anxiety, they may:

• Need a quiet space to decompress after class

• Feel overwhelmed by the academic demands of 5 courses per semester

• Feel overwhelmed when taking a test in a classroom of their peers

• Miss important parts of a class lecture due to anxiety about an upcoming assignment or general feelings of anxiety

  
  

If your student can relate to any of these feelings, here are 5 typical accommodations that can be helpful in college:

1. Single Dorm Room

Students that need space to decompress when feeling anxious or that need a quiet environment due to sensory issues can request a single dorm room. This accommodation may be called a "single room for medical reasons."

Keep in mind that a single room can make it easier for your student to isolate and not socialize, but many students with anxiety would find the issues of navigating a roommate to be anxiety producing as well. Weigh the options for your student and decide if requesting a single room due to alleviate anxiety would be beneficial.

2. Distraction Free Environment for Tests

Sometimes the environment of the classroom coupled with test anxiety can be too much for students with anxiety to handle. Requesting a distraction reduced testing environment will allow your student to take their exam in an environment outside of the classroom most likely in the Disability Support Office.

Again, consider if this is a beneficial option for your student as the professor won't be present in the separate testing location and won't be available to answer clarifying questions you student may have about the exam.

3. Copy of Class Notes

Anxiety can impair students' working memory and focus making it difficult to remember and retain important content given in class. If your student also has fine motor skill difficulty or a learning disability, they may struggle to listen to a lecture while also taking notes. An accommodation of 'copy of class notes' can be helpful in this instance. But remember, it is up to your student to review and study the copy of class notes.

Check out this article which explains what a 'note taking' accommodation in college means and why it is a crucial accommodation for students both with - and without - anxiety.

4. Recording Software for Class

Students who feel anxious may miss important class material even while participating and attending class. Professors that require active class participation, in-class group work or timed in-class writing assignments can create feelings of stress which impair a student's memory.

Many note taking apps and programs can record class lectures and allow students to listen to the recording after class at their own pace.

These note taking programs are installed on your student's computer and are not noticeable to others in a classroom or lecture hall. Some Disability Support Offices purchase a set number of licenses for note taking technology programs and will load the program on your student's computer on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Although some colleges may provide a license to this software, they are not required to train your student on how to use it. If the college Disability Support Office does have a technology specialist on staff, it will be your student's responsibility to schedule appointments and ask questions about their note taking technology programs.

Good news... Fast Forward College Coaching can fill the technology gaps!

We offer assessment and training on a variety of note taking software and can work with your student 1:1 to help them become comfortable using their note taking program and learn how to use their notes to study for exams. Remember, it's important for students to be trained and practice with their note taking technology BEFORE they arrive in college. For more info about our assistive technology services, click here.

5. Reduced Course Load

If your student often feels overwhelmed by large amounts of assignments you should consider a reduced course load as an accommodation. Most colleges require students to carry a full-time course load of 12 credits in order to live on campus, be eligible for financial aid, etc. Your student with anxiety can apply for a reduced course load through the Accessibility Office. This may allow them to take 9 credits, 3 courses, and still be considered a full-time student (which may be necessary for your student to continue receiving financial aid or scholarships).

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If you have any questions about these accommodations in college, please contact us. We are experts in helping students and families navigate the accommodations process in college and supporting new and struggling college students through 1:1 virtual coaching.