[nabs-l] public versus private universities

[minh ha]

Sophie,

It honestly does depend on the university and the kind of resources
they have. I go to a private Catholic college in Boston and even
though they are not very knowledgeable about what a visually impaired
student might need, they are extremely accommodating when I tell them
exactly what I require in order to be successful. Visit the colleges
you are interested in and talk to the disability services office; 9
times out of 10, you can get a realistic feel for what they can and
cannot offer you in terms of accommodations. Honestly, I don't think
we as blind students should base our college decisions entirely on the
support we might get from the university. Yes, it's a factor we need
to consider because it can make or break our academic experience, but
it shouldn't be the only reason that we pick the school. I know when I
was searching for colleges, I fell in love with my college and I knew
it was the school I would be attending way before I met with the
disability services office. If you want to go to a school but the DSO
is less than stellar, then it's another opportunity for you to
advocate for yourself and your needs.

Cheers,
Minh

On 1/15/14, Lillie Pennington <lilliepennington at fuse.net> wrote:
> Also, you may be able to general feel for the ds office when you go. That
> may determine if you think it is the right fit.
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
>> On Jan 15, 2014, at 10:19 PM, "Ashley Bramlett"
>> <bookwormahb at earthlink.net> wrote:
>>
>> Sophie,
>> No there Is no resource to rank support services. I think you should visit
>> schools you are interested like anyone else would. Visit the disability
>> office and see what they offer. Sometimes if you voice a need, they might
>> be able to do it, even if they have not before.
>>
>> It is generally true that private schools have smaller disability service,
>> ds, offices. They have less staff, but also they have less students to
>> serve.
>> They may be less aware of disabled student needs but that's where advocacy
>> comes in.
>>
>> Just go and visit the schools you want; loyola and tulane are great
>> schools.
>> I wouldn't prejudge  services too much. Don't be discourage what one
>> professor said.
>>
>> I went to  a private catholic school, btw. I transferred out of george
>> mason university, GMU. GMU is public.
>> I liked the private school more because of smaller classes, small campus,
>> upholding my religious values, no not  catholic but do agree with some
>> principles they have, the atmosphere, and religious activities.
>> Oh, and the quality was excellent of instruction since you get professors,
>> not grad students teaching your classes. Universities will have grad
>> students teach some classes.
>>
>> Good luck with your decision.
>> Ashley
>>
>> -----Original Message----- From: Sophie Trist
>> Sent: Wednesday, January 15, 2014 9:42 PM
>> To: nabs
>> Subject: [nabs-l] public versus private universities
>>
>> Greetings,
>>
>> I'm a junior in high school, and as such, I'm beginning to look
>> for a college. The other day, a blind friend and I were talking
>> about which colleges we were checking out, and I mentioned
>> Loyola, which is a private Catholic university in New Orleans. My
>> friend, whose mother is a professor at Tulane, another private
>> New Orleans school, said that it was very difficult for blind
>> people to attend private colleges because they weren't as good as
>> protecting textbooks and other necessary materials. He said in
>> general that private universities' disability services weren't as
>> great as those of public universities. I know this is true for
>> post-secondary public schools--they're more able to provide
>> braille and technology than are private schools--so I was
>> wondering if it was the same with colleges. Also, is there a list
>> that ranks colleges' disability support? I know that whenever we
>> visit a college, we visit the DS office, but I also know that
>> those people are often trying to sell their school. So I was
>> wondering if there was any concrete resource I could use for this
>> information. Any info or comments would be super helpful and
>> appreciated!
>>
>> Yours sincerely,
>> Sophie Trist
>>
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